Here you will find a small handful of projects. Visit my Creative Portfolio for a far more robust exploration of our work.
Sneak Peeks
Click the Curricular Sample Excerpts,
Below:
Curricular Sample
Diversity Award
Design Challenge
Worlds Within was a little lesson generated with Adam and Brinn Pierce for our Ohio EPA-Funded work at the wetlands. Here, I include an excerpt from the cultural responsivity segment I provided.
As a partnership between Great Lakes Biomimicry, Akron Public Schools, Buchtel CLC, and the University of Akron, Dr. Lara Roketenetz, Dana Starvaggi, Brinn Pierce, and I, masterminded, won, and stewarded a grant from the Ohio Environmental Education Fund, for hundreds of learners of color to reconnect with the outdoors, while participating in service learning: Designing the infrastructure of a wetland site for their peers.
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Courses onsite were generated and led by Lara; Dana; myself; Adam Pierce; Brinn Pierce; Dominic Bruno; Nicole Hindman; University of Akron students, professors, and volunteers including PhD fellows from the Integrated Bioscience department; community experts from Great Lakes Biomimicry; and the good volunteers of the UAkron Martin Center for Field Studies at Bath.
This excerpt contains a few pictures from the 53-page Wind Generator Challenge created for Akron Public Schools. This self-guided activity for learners containing build plans, rubrics, and resources, was developed by Adam Pierce, myself, and several Akron Public School STEM educators, with the help of biomimicry scholar, Dominic Bruno.
Facilitator's Guide
The Spy biomimetic challenge journal was generated to help learners practice their observation and communication skills, fostering awareness and expression. This is an excerpt from the SPY Facilitator's Guide. Colleagues in the design of all journals include Nicole Hindman, Kell-y Turnbull, Adam and Brinn Pierce.
Self-Guided Lesson
Challenge Journal
The ReDesign Your Climb Journal is nearly 50 pages of inspiration from nature, meant to allow learners to explore creative problem-solving while practicing journal-keeping. The sketches within, like that brilliant octopus by Lamalani Siverts and the stunning art of Kell-y Turnbull, are contributions, frequently from their own journals, of practicing biomimetics. Colleagues in the design of all journals include Nicole Hindman, Brinn and Adam Pierce, and Kell-y Turnbull.
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Click HERE to view an excerpt from the Facilitator's Guide.
The 42-page Wind Turbine self-guided booklet generated with Adam Pierce, helps prepare learners for the Wind Turbine Challenge, providing research opportunities and community context to the puzzle. Here view a handful of pages from the guide.
Great Lakes Biomimicry Journal
Stephanie Diane Pierce
Cover Art: Kell-y Turnbull
This work was created in collaboration with many others, particularly Adam and Brinn Pierce, STEM education leaders in Akron Public Schools, University of Akron PhD fellows from the Integrated Bioscience Department, colleagues from Great Lakes Biomimicry and our many partnerships, and the creative, capable learners of the NE Ohio region.