Category: Lesson Plans
Corals, Biomimicry, and Microplastics
Tuesday, January 27th, 2026
Lesson Overview: Students investigate threats to coral reefs in Hawaiʻi, including climate change, sedimentation, and microplastic pollution. Using biomimicry, students design and prototype coral settlement structures that support coral survival, connecting STEM learning with ecological sustainability and human responsibility to protect reefs. Lesson Scenario: Coral reefs are essential to Hawaiʻi’s ecosystems, culture, and economy, yet many […]
Designing Mākau Through Hawaiian Language and Biomimicry
Tuesday, January 27th, 2026
Lesson Overview: Students explore invasive species and ecosystem challenges in Hawaiʻi by using Hawaiian language as the primary lens for learning. Through Hawaiian vocabulary, cultural knowledge, and engineering design, students design a mākau (Hawaiian fishing lure) as a response to invasive fish, connecting STEM problem-solving with language, place, and responsibility to the ocean. Lesson Scenario: […]
Stream Remediation
Tuesday, January 27th, 2026
Lesson Overview: Students design, fabricate, and test a biomimicry-inspired fishing lure to help reduce the impact of invasive Smallmouth Bass in Hawaiian freshwater streams. Through field-based data collection, CAD modeling, and iterative testing, students apply engineering design to support stream remediation and native species protection. Lesson Scenario: Freshwater streams in the Waikīkī ahupuaʻa, including Mānoa Stream, […]
A Nest Above The Rest
Friday, October 25th, 2024
Lesson Overview: Students will need to design and print 3D bird nests, in order to be placed into different locations in both the Tree Project and Worton Park. Eggs will be molded from various malleable materials and placed into the nests. Students are asked to observe the nests over periods of specified time in both the fall and spring […]
Water Water Everywhere and More
Friday, October 25th, 2024
Lesson Overview: Students work with your group to create a STEM based audio-visual presentation (MP4 video required) that clearly identifies the effects of stormwater runoff as they relate specifically to our campus, create a scaled map that identifies the major surface water flows (location and direction), drainage locations (gutter down spouts and storm drains) and […]
Crab Robotics
Friday, October 25th, 2024
Lesson Overview: Robotics team has been tasked to design a predator to compete against the Maryland Blue Crab. Your team will study the Maryland Blue Crab and other predators in order to understand their functions. After research, you will need to use your knowledge of simple machines, robotics, and 3D printing in order to design […]
Build Your Own Wind Turbine
Thursday, October 24th, 2024
Lesson Overview: Students create a wind turbine that will be able to give clean power to at least 400 homes! Lesson Scenario: The federal government has opened the door for offshore wind farms in our area. Your company has been awarded the contract to design and install the wind farm off the coast of Maryland […]
W.I.N.G.S
Thursday, October 24th, 2024
Lesson Overview: Students must design blades that mitigate the harmful effects on wildlife. Lesson Scenario: You are working for a renewable energy company – W.I.N.G.S. and your job is to help the company design new blades for wind turbines. W.I.N.G.S. researchers have determined that wind turbine blades must be redesigned to reduce the harm to […]
Robot Robot Goose
Thursday, October 24th, 2024
Lesson Overview: Students design and create a robotic decoy that mimics a light goose’s behavior well enough to encourage a flock of seasoned light geese to land. Lesson Scenario: Light geese populations have been increasing exponentially on the North American continent since the 1960s. Larger populations are causing habitat destruction in the Canadian arctic and […]
Raptor Round Up
Thursday, October 24th, 2024
Lesson Overview: Students develop a gardening hand tool that is inspired by prehistoric or contemporary organism adaptations. Lesson Scenario: Rusler Implement, a local agricultural equipment company, is looking to expand to agricultural and gardening hand tools. They are looking for concepts and designs to submit to their manufacturing staff. They want the products to reflect […]
