Seattle City Light: Shrinking Bigfoot

Situation
Seattle City Light, a nationally recognized climate action leader, hired Triangle Associates in 2008 to educate elementary students and teachers about climate change and the importance of reducing personal carbon footprints through conservation efforts. Triangle developed an award-winning, theatrical school assembly, hands-on follow-up classroom workshops, and an in depth teacher training.  This three-component program was developed to target a variety of teaching and learning styles, and meet the needs of teachers, students, and Seattle City Light. 

Process
Triangle worked closely with the Seattle City Light team, made up of representatives from within several departments and representatives from the Seattle School District, to identify key messages for the program.  Triangle then took those messages and requirements and successfully translated them into an engaging and age-appropriate three-part climate change program.

Triangle developed a live assembly show for 3rd-5th grades that ignites school-wide interest by taking students on a fun and interactive adventure to learn about climate change, what causes it, and how each person can be part of the solution. Teachers receive a discussion and activity guide tied to the assembly prior to its presentation to encourage them to continue teaching on the topic.

The elementary classroom workshops reinforce the assembly messages by providing in depth, age-appropriate discussion partnered with hands-on activities that continue to empower students with solutions.  Classes are provided with materials such as vocabulary sheets for science journals, and a take-home carbon footprint survey that encourages family participation and discussion.

Teacher trainings, offered three times a year, provide teachers with the background information necessary to feel confident teaching climate change concepts to their students.  The training provides teachers with materials, activities and demonstrations to continue translating that information to a young audience.

Results
Since its inception almost 12,000 students have participated in the Shrinking Bigfoot school assembly; 5,600 students have received classroom workshops; and 75 teachers have received training. Pre and post classroom workshop evaluations demonstrate significant student learning on Seattle City Light’s key messages. The assembly continues to receive the highest accolades from participating schools and has won a total of six national awards. Teachers have reported incorporating information from the teacher trainings into their curriculum as well.

For excerpts of Shrinking Bigfoot, interspersed with student and teacher interviews, go to Seattle Channel.

For more information, and to sign up for the assembly, click here.