Bright Sparks (1995 – 2001)

© Woodfields School WWF
The WWF/ Hydro Electric Bright Sparks Award Scheme invited Scottish teachers of Year 5 – 14 Environmental Studies to submit classroom projects on the themes ‘People and Trees’, ‘People and Energy’ and ‘People and Water.’ Schools were encouraged to interpret the themes as broadly as possible.

Bright Sparks projects were expected to:

• engage pupils exploring an environmental or sustainability related issue that concerns them in connection with the themes;
• be firmly positioned within the Environmental Studies 5 – 14 curriculum, integrate across more than one attainment outcome, and particularly help to deliver the strand – ‘Developing informed attitudes’ (collaborative approaches between subject teachers in the secondary school were encouraged);
• expose children to a range of different attitudes to an issue and encourage them to listen, empathise with, question and probe viewpoints they encounter during their study;
• help children to determine their own attitudes and views; and encourage participation in, or a strategy for, practical activity by the children as a result of their study.

The scheme was open to all schools in Scotland. All project entries that fulfilled the above criteria received Bright Sparks certificates. A small number of projects of special merit were selected to receive a combination of cash and WWF educational materials totalling up to £5,000.

WWF offered in-service training to all Scottish educators as a component of the award scheme. Professional development was offered at various locations around the country.

Two extension programmes, Generators and Live Wires, supported and encouraged schools to further develop their projects or embark on new ones, and to disseminate the learning from their work.