Innovation inspired by nature

This ESL lesson plan deals with the topic of biomimicry – innovation inspired by nature. It is most suitable for B2-level learners. It will be an interesting Business English lesson for creative professionals (e.g. designers, architects, urban planners). Students will talk about inspiration, new ideas, nature and adaptation strategies, and how biomimicry might be applied in their professional field. Other lessons you might find interesting are: “Are smart clothes the future?”, “Idea generation techniques: brainstorming”, “Can limits boost creativity”, “Where are Europe’s innovative companies?”, “Idioms: innovation”, “Phrasal verbs: new ideas”, “Phrasal verbs: change and innovation”, and “Idioms: are and creativity”.

Speaking: The lesson starts with a few conversation questions about new ideas, inventions that have made our lives more convenient, and the role creativity plays in students’ professions.

Vocabulary: Students learn collocations related to inspiration and creativity (a burst of inspiration, creative spark, draw inspiration from, seek inspiration). To practice, they complete 6 sentences with the correct expression, and discuss 3 questions given.

Speaking: Next, the lesson moves toward a discussion about nature. Students look at 3 quotes and talk about how they understand them. 

Vocabulary: Man-made designs vs natural processes. Students look at adjectives and words and decide whether this expression is more commonly used to talk about man-made designs and products, or natural processes (e.g. long-lasting, short lifespan, biodegradable, inherently sustainable, resource-intensive, self-repairing). They discuss their choices and give examples. 

Speaking: Adaptation strategies: Students are asked to think of examples of different adaptation strategies. Next, they look at photos of animals and plants and try to guess what human invention was inspired by each plant or animal.

Reading and vocabulary: Students read about 2 of the inventions and look at useful words and expressions (biomimicry, to mimic, groundbreaking, ingenious, to repel, to coat with).

Listening: Students watch a video called “Biomimicry 101: examples of how we copied nature” and complete 2 listening comprehension activities. After that, they engage in a post-listening discussion.

Speaking: The last 2 activities are focused on speaking. First, students discuss how biomimicry might be applied in different industries. Finally, they are given a list of challenges we are facing today and are asked to research and present to the class how biomimicry might solve each challenge.

For more speaking practice, and to review key vocabulary from this lesson, you can use the conversation cards.