Biomimicry-Based Design Solutions to Everyday Life Problems by 5th Grade Middle School Students

The aim of this study is to have middle school students solve a problem they have determined from daily life by getting inspiration from the structures of the living beings they have chosen and to develop original designs for this solution. The sample of the study consisted of 19 fifth grade students, 9 girls and 10 boys, studying in a village school. The students divided into 10 groups of 2 or 3 people and each group asked to draw their own designs. The nature trip observation sheet and the design process evaluation survey consisting of open-ended questions were used as data collection tools. The obtained data were analyzed using content analysis. It was seen that the students were inspired by 9 different living beings to solve a problem they determined from daily life with their group friends. The drawings made by the students were collected in 4 different categories as “protection”, “clothing”, security”, and “cleaning”. When the designs of the student groups examined, it has seen that they generally imitated the structures and functions of the living beings they were inspired by. It was also determined that all of the students were inspired by animals in their designs. It was observed that students mostly defined the concept of biomimicry as invention and design, stated that they had the most difficulty in making designs in the process, and stated that they received help from their family and friends to overcome the difficulties they experienced.