PHOTOS: Grade 7 Science Students Use Biomimicry to Design Unique Footwear Prototypes
Students developed an understanding of how flora and fauna adapted to a specific biome, and then used those adaptations in the development of footwear for humans.
Students in grade 7 life sciences recently participated in a design sprint where they researched, designed and built footwear prototypes inspired by—and made for—the natural world.
The entrepreneurial unit, developed and taught by Middle School science teacher Eric Harrington, called for students to create a footwear prototype designed for one of the world’s biomes, such as tundra, desert or forest. The students identified specific abiotic factors and then researched the flora and fauna characteristics of the chosen biome, understanding why plants and animals adapted the way they did.
They then applied biomimicry—the practice of emulating nature’s patterns, structures and systems to create sustainable and innovative solutions—to further develop their footwear idea.
“Biomimicry has been used in various fields, including product design, architecture, engineering and medicine,” Mr. Harrington said.
From there, students created a press release marketing their idea, and demonstrated their research by filling out a design board with facts like climate information, flora information and fauna information, as well as a world map showing where the biome is located.
The students then constructed prototypes of their footwear. In addition to building footwear using a variety of materials, students also had the opportunity to create footwear tread using either a silicon mold made from a clay cast, or designing the tread on the computer and using the 3D printer with help from Middle School computer science teacher Nathan Valdez.
More than 30 prototypes were created among grade 7 students, some working individually and some collaborating with groups.
As part of the design sprint, the students tested their prototypes in conditions similar to their biome—reflecting the purpose of its footwear and its use. For example, for footwear designed to stay warm in frigid temperatures, the students put a thermometer in the boot and placed it in the freezer to test its insulating abilities.
Some of the examples students developed included:
- A desert hiking boot inspired by the waxy surface of succulents, the light-colored fur of fennec foxes and the broad soles of a camel.
- A tundra shoe with insulated fur, and a special sole inspired by polar bear paws to track in ice and snow.
- A shoe for the forest with durability, grippy, and cold-, water- and mud-resistance.
The students capped their project with the creation of a marketing video, demonstrating their shoe and explaining how their product is unique in the footwear industry.
“The students did a great job thinking creatively, understanding how flora and fauna adapt to sometimes-harsh environments, and creating a product inspired by the innovations that are seen throughout the natural world,” Mr. Harrington said.
Life science is a yearlong grade 7 class which incorporates hands-on labs, projects and activities that focus on the major topics of life sciences.
St. Margaret’s Episcopal School
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