Back to School Month! Or maybe we should call it Prepare for Back to School Month. Across the Northern Hemisphere, the timing of school commencement varies, with some starting in August while others begin in September.
Back to School symbolises the excitement of learning! A fresh start filled with hopes and dreams. As we start on a new academic year, what discoveries await us?
Planning the first day and week is exciting! There are many fun and engaging back-to-school activities to choose from, making it quite a pleasant challenge to decide.
August is a wonderful time to enjoy the great outdoors, from wildlife spotting and nature crafts to making a sound map. A nature-inspired back-to-school activity is to press some flowers and leaves. Walk around in the garden or local park and collect things that grow and press them using a flower press or books. The fleshier the flowers and leaves, the longer they will take to dry fully.
Crafting Memories with Pressed Plants
You can turn the pressed plants into a framed picture. “This was growing in the _____ on the first day of school ______. ” (It could be interesting to compare the things that are growing in the same spot in ten, twenty or fifty years.)
You can also decorate bookmarks or create cards. Pressed flowers and leaves are a great way to learn about plants in your local area.
Customized Learning Bundles
You can create your own bundle from my resources. Any two lessons can be bundled. Any grade level, any category, any lesson.
The price of the customised bundle will depend on the number of products included, with a complimentary resource included in your purchase.
National Book Lovers Day – August 9th
What can be better than celebrating the joy of reading? Spend the day sharing your students’ favourite books and discover new authors. Reading aloud is a wonderful activity, even for older students.” “Reading aloud daily to students is one of the best ways to increase reading resilience and motivation, and it also helps build community.” (Cambell & Rogers, 2021). Let the adventure begin and watch the imagination soar! There are many wonderful books about nature.
The One and Only Ruby – Book Review
National Sandcastle Day – August 19th)
This is the perfect day for any lover of sand! I have always loved making sandcastles on the beach or in the sandpit. Celebrate the joy of creating wonderful imaginative sand sculptures. A great way to test and embrace the inner architect and engineer.
World Elephant Day – August 12th
Elephants are magnificent creatures with incredible memories. They are also classified as endangered- African elephants are hunted for their tusks, and Asian elephants are suffering from habitat loss and resulting human-elephant conflicts.
Elephants are a great animal for a project. Several interesting biomimicry ideas have been developed using special elephant features and superpowers.
Elephant Tiles and Other Amazing Biomimicry Ideas
International Orangutan Day – August 19th
On August 19th, your students can learn more about the conservation of orangutans and their natural habitat. Orangutans are the gardeners of the forest, playing a crucial role in seed dispersal. These clever animals are facing several serious threats such as deforestation, hunting and the illegal pet trade.
Start the new term with some interesting projects!
You’ll find the resources here, here or here.
Finally, our book contains inspiring stories and ideas for the whole year. We would be delighted if you were to purchase it. There is a hardcover and a paperback version. You’ll find it on Amazon.
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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.