Case Study:

BC Hydro:

Power Smart for Schools

Case study content property of Kidzsmart Communications and their respective clients.

The Challenge

BC Hydro’s Power Smart for Schools program helps teachers bring sustainability into the classroom. The goal: empower kids to become environmental stewards, weave Indigenous and Western science together through Two-Eyed Seeing, and spark interest in future STEAM careers.

The Brief

Create lesson plans and activities that teach sustainable practices and environmental stewardship and in collaboration with Indigenous ways of know.

My Role

Creative director, consultant, content strategist.

Scope

On-curriculum classroom materials aligned with BC provincial standards, and hands-on activities that promote embodied learning.

The Approach

Working with STEMedge Academy, we researched how teachers and students experienced the program. It quickly became clear teachers wanted more training and students needed more hands-on activities. We built a framework aligned with provincial curriculum, and taught STEAM education principles rooted in a Two-Eyed Seeing approach.

What is Two-Eyed Seeing? It is a Mi’kmaq approach to viewing the world through both Western and Indigenous world views, and combining strengths from both perspectives. Two-Eyed Seeing was introduced by Mi'kmaq Elders Albert D. Marshall and Murdena Marshall from Eskasoni First Nation, alongside professor Cheryl Bartlett.

With this approach in mind, my team set out to create educational resources for BC schools that honour the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action on education. Additionally, every activity was designed to fit within 30 minutes, respecting teachers’ time and needs for resources.

Solution

Storytelling crafts that teach Western science alongside Indigenous perspectives from our region, such as exploring our relationship with water at home and in nature. Deliverables included:

  • Age-segmented programs tailored to kindergarten to grade 3, and grades 4 to 7. All designed with accessibility design consideration on cognitive abilities, developmental stages, and curriculum-specific content.

  • Downloadable activities were designed to encourage storytelling, engineering, art, and environmental stewardship, fostering exploration and engagement.

  • Activities that combined art and science, promoting critical thinking, data collection skills, and a sense of empowerment.

  • Deliverables were available in both English and French, addressing the demand from French immersion schools in BC.

  • All solutions aligned with BC Hydro's mission of teaching sustainability and conservation while incorporating Indigenization in educational materials for BC students.

Results

As more BC teachers sign up each year, Power Smart for Schools continues to grow. Results included:

  • 49% increased engagement on the k-3 student activities

  • Similarly, there was also a 46% increase of engagement on grades 4-7 student activities

  • Most impressively for BC, there was an increase on French-language activity engagement with a 76% increase for k-3 activities, and 110% increase for 4-7 activities.

On a personal note, my favourite results were in teacher submissions showing kids grasping the concepts and having fun learning.

Photos from BC Hydro’s social media team.