BioDreamMachine Exploring Nature's Solutions

This is a chance for players to experience, first-hand, how self-organization happens: they each follow simple rules without coordinating with others, and yet the combined individual activities create a pattern that no one player directed. It seems best not to offer any explanation beforehand, but rather let the players ask how the pattern formed. Once players have seen this take shape, they can be told of the importance of self-organization and emergence in the field of Biology and bio-inspired design. Further, they can be taught the key role of feedback in this process, the components of feedback and the types (positive and negative).

In the extension, players can be instructed in how nature has a few recurring  spatial patterns, why these patterns are common, and how different patterns are good for solving different challenges. 

Link to California State Science Standards 

No materials needed for basic activity, colored chalk (for asphalt surface) or yarn and pegs (for soft surface) needed for extension. This is an outdoor activity that requires a lot of uninterrupted space. 

Players are assembled in outdoor space and told to secretly pick two persons that they are to stay equi-distant from. The group is then told to begin milling about in order for each person to achieve this. People then move about trying to maintain equilateral triangles of space with their two chosen partners. After a while, depending on group size, motion stops and the group sees that they have self-organized into a group spatial pattern that fulfills individual objectives.

Next try these versions: instruct players to stay directly between two secret partners; instruct players to always use one secret partner to screen themselves from the other. Students will see some very different patterns emerge. 

Very simple rules as written in description. 

Most everyone loves this game. It's especially dramatic when players try all versions and see how different group patterns emerge from different rules. 

In the basic version have players stay in place at the end of motion and mark their spot with either chalk or a wooden peg or other maker. Once everyone's spot is marked, have players imagine that each marked spot is a station on a bus route. Now challenge each player in turn to connect the stations in the most efficient way using chalk or yarn. To do this, he or she must use one of five basic patterns in nature: starburst, meander, spiral, branching, concentric rings. After a few tries, discuss the pros and cons of the different patterns used.