Reviews for The Story of Eco-Machines
Dorna Schroeter has mastered the skill of telling the story of Nature's genius to young people. The Story of Eco-Machines introduces the reader to Biomimicry while on an inspiring journey to clean waste water effectively and efficiently using only Nature's resources. The story shows how we can learn from Nature to regenerate the Earth to ensure our own futures. It also brings the message of hope to adolescents, who may be overwhelmed by the current deluge of environmental bad news. This book will inspire learning from Nature. It is a most interesting read for middle school students seeking that "10-minute read" and will inspire a sense of wonder at Nature's genius. It should be compulsory reading for teachers and have a prominent place in every school library.
Paul Fleischack, Retired Rector of Michaelhouse Boarding School, Biomimicry Educator & Marine Biologist South Africia
Dorna Schroeter’s book “The Story of Eco-Machines” is many things, it is very educational, a marvelous tale, and inspirational. She chronicles the power inherent within the natural world to help heal damaged ecosystems, feed humanity and address climate change. I am very proud to be part of the book’s story. My hope is that it will be widely adopted in classrooms throughout the country.
John Todd
Co-founder of The New Alchemy Institute and Ocean Arks International, author, distinguished lecturer at the University of Vermont and co-designer with nature of the eco-machine
"The Story of Eco-Machines" is filled with wonderful information for adults and kids and truly teaches us about nature and how it inspires technology! As a 6th grader teacher, I would definitely recommend using the text as a Jigsaw- each group taking a piece they would be responsible for and then teaching the rest of the class about the category, "New Alchemy", "The tanks jobs", "Heat Sinks", "New Problem", etc. . I would also pose the question "What is Sustainability?" with my students beforehand and do some inquiry based questioning. Then, they would share their learning in a Jamboard or a Google Slide show. Along with the NGSS standards, we would revisit the Sustainability topic to add new learning after learning about Biomimicry from the text. Answering questions my students had initially from the learning from the text enhances their understanding and makes the problem/solution of today in nature feel real. I believe it will inspire students to be aware of their surroundings and to create solutions for the future.
Erin Daniels
6th grade teacher, Haviland Middle School, Hyde Park School District,
Hyde Park, NY
Reviews for The Story of Velcro
This delightful story tells how removing burrs from dog fur leads to the invention of Velcro. Through the voices of Sven the dog and his owner George and attractive illustrations, Dorna Shhroeter guides children to learn from nature and to see beyond the frustration of burrs to nature's genius the innovations inspired by nature. Parents will love reading this book to their little children and it will be a sought-after source of inspiration and seed for curiosity about nature in the elementary school years.
Paul Fleischack, Retired Rector of Michaelhouse Boarding School, Biomimicry Educator
& Marine Biologist South Africia
I highly recommend this story since it stirs the imagination of young minds to look at nature and creation as a gift to appreciate the wonders of life. In addition, it inspires young readers to think about what their own talent can produce from simple observations... I encourage every school library to have discussion groups using the tips in the story. What a great stocking Christmas filler this could be... Kudos to the author. What a good read for young minds!
Prof Wysolmerski... College of St Rose
“In this delightful and fascinating book, author Dorna Schroeter introduces the young reader to the amazing wonders of nature and the exciting world of biomimicry. It is immediately relatable. How many of us have pulled burdock seeds from our beloved pets? It is also the perfect segue for educators to help children discover the possibilities of how nature’s unique designs can inspire our creativity, inquiry and problem-solving skills."
Dan Shornstein
Former Elementary School Principal
Current Director of Curriculum at The Ashokan Center, in Olivebridge, N.Y.
“The Story of Velcro” is an engaging story of Swiss engineer, Georges deMestral, and his design of a revolutionary product, Velcro. It covers his journey from his observations and investigations to ultimate design of a product that truly changed our world. As a science teacher, I often challenge my students to think like a scientist. With this book, I can show my students how to observe and learn from the genius of nature, and how to discover the scientist in us all! I can’t wait for the other books in this series.
Diane Madaio
5th Grade Teacher
Chappaqua Central School District
“Educating young people about climate change is critical, but equally as important is exposing our children to the wonders of nature and in turn, inspiring them to be caretakers of the planet. “How an Idea from Nature Changed Our World” by Dorna Schroeter clearly does that through a true story about biomimicry, a concept that has not been talked about in children's literature. This groundbreaking and important book is both accessible and motivating and will undoubtedly encourage children to further investigate the natural world.”
Robin Shepley-Shornstein
School Librarian, Woodstock Day School
Biomimicry has grown to become one of the most important forms of engineering of our time. “How An Idea From Nature Changed Our World” is a colorful and inspiring story for all ages explaining the origins of the first Bio-inspired product, Velcro. The language and structure of George and Sven’s story leaves the reader curious and motivated to try their luck at this incredible form of engineering!
Catherine Leist
former Program Assistant
PNW BOCES Center for Environmental Education