July is here! Feeling the heat in the classroom? Why not engage your kids in a project focusing on innovative ways to cool buildings, drawing inspiration from the remarkable toco toucan’s beak?
Don’t Step on a Bee Day – July 10th
Love the name of this special day aimed at raising awareness about the importance of bees in our ecosystem and promoting their protection. Being mindful of the importance of bees and their habitats is vital. July is a perfect time to study these amazing creatures.
Shark Awareness Day – July 14th
Your students may come across shark egg cases if they stroll along the shore. These leathery treasures, mermaid’s purses, provide fascinating clues into a shark’s life cycle. A great learning opportunity.
World Chimpanzee Day 14th of July
“On July 14, 1960, Dr. Jane Goodall arrived in what is now Gombe National Park, Tanzania, to start her trailblazing research on wild chimpanzees. To mark this anniversary, we now celebrate #WorldChimpanzeeDay on this day every year.”
You can read more about this day on World Chimpanzee Day website.
World Snake Day – July 16th.
There are over 3,500 snake species across the world. And most of them are as scary or venomous as we tend to think they are.
The fascinating reptiles have inspired some interesting biomimicry inventions, including a soft robot designed to mimic the movements of a snake.
Christmas in July!
I do miss sitting in the garden on a cold winter’s evening in Australia, enjoying a cup of tea and some chocolate. We were slowly getting more and more fond of the idea of celebrating Christmas in July!
Here is a resource that celebrates Christmas Down Under and all the wonderful wildlife!
Finally, I have added some Freebies to my TpT Shop.
You’ll find the resources here, here or here.
Never leave kids alone with snakes and teach them how to respect them. Handle the animal with care and remember that snakes do not generally like being handled. Picking up a snake by the tail can sometimes cause damage to the snake.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is biomimicry?
Biomimicry is the practice of looking to nature for solutions, then applying what we learn to design and problem-solving. Instead of inventing from scratch, it means studying how plants, animals, and ecosystems have already solved a challenge — like staying cool, collecting water, or absorbing carbon — and adapting that strategy for human use.
How does biomimicry help address climate change?
Nature has been adapting to extreme conditions for billions of years, so many organisms already hold working solutions to problems we now face at a larger scale — cooling buildings without electricity (termite mounds), collecting water in drought (the Namib beetle), protecting coastlines from storms (mangrove roots), and capturing carbon (corals, forests, kelp). Biomimicry means studying those solutions and applying the same principles to human design.
How can children get involved in biomimicry?
Children don’t need special training to think like a biomimicrist — just curiosity and a habit of asking “how does nature solve this?” Simple ways to start include a backyard scavenger hunt for nature’s patterns, a “design-an-animal” challenge for a changing climate, or building a small model (like a passive-cooling structure or a water collector) inspired by something they’ve observed outdoors.
Is biomimicry only for scientists and engineers?
No — biomimicry is as much a mindset as a profession. Anyone can practice it by observing nature closely and asking design questions. Professional biomimicry practitioners apply it in architecture, materials science, and engineering, but the same core skill — careful observation followed by “what if we built it that way?” — is exactly what this post’s classroom and family activities are designed to build in children.
Åsa Jomård
In 2015, Åsa completed a course in Biomimicry: A Sustainable Design Methodology at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. With over 10 years of experience exploring nature for inspiration and as a former member of Ben, Biomimicry Education Network, she brings both academic background and creative teaching experience to her work. Her materials seamlessly integrate stories, nature observations, and design challenges, making them perfect for inquiry-led learning in early primary contexts.
AI was used as a Thinking Partner.