BP is one of the worldʼs leading energy companies with the responsibility to produce educational resources that inspire both teachers and students. This reflects BPʼs focus on energy, environment, leadership and business skills. Working with teachers and other educational experts, BP produces a range of materials which are available to schools in the UK and around the world.
The Enterprising Science program is one of BPʼs key initiatives, designed to enthuse and inspire through the context of carbon emissions and climate change. The program consists of two main elements: Talk Science and the Carbon Challenge Roadshow, with each designed around the needs of their specific audiences. Teachers receive training via the Talk Science element, while the Carbon Challenge is aimed at educating students.
The Carbon Challenge is a high-impact Science, Math and Enterprise roadshow for 12 to 16 year old students, and reaches 400 schools per year via three touring teams. During each visit, BPʼs educational specialists help students examine the factors that contribute to a schoolʼs carbon footprint and learn about carbon reduction through a variety of activities. The hands-on activities use a combination of film, 3D-style activity mats and visual material, all designed to encourage discussion and debate.
The Carbon Challenge was developed in consultation with teachers to inspire and motivate secondary school students, linking directly with all UK curricula and educational guidelines, as well as supporting individual schools to develop sustainability and carbon reduction plans. The format involves up to 180 students over two sessions, each lasting two hours. A team of three expert facilitators use the first part of the session to set the scene for the rest of the day. They ask ten knowledge-based multiple-choice questions, many of which are extremely visual.