Bronx Zoo Ignites SPARKS Across America

©WCS/J.Maher

Somewhere between TV time, story time, and bedtime, the Bronx Zoo would like to introduce a new parent-child ritual: science-time. With science test scores of U.S. students—particularly those in urban public schools—failing to meet national standards, cultural institutions like the Bronx Zoo are seeking innovative ways to supplement classroom learning.

The SPARKS (Supporting Parents in Advocacy, Reform, and Knowledge in Science) program targets families in underserved communities, and uses the rich resources of the Bronx Zoo to get parents invested in their children’s science education. SPARKS introduces effective teaching methods to parents who then serve as educational advocates in their homes and communities. Leadership workshops, family science fairs at the zoo, and an activity book full of projects to do with children at home help to reinforce fundamental science concepts. The zoo offers unique opportunities for families who participate in the program to engage in hands-on learning—including playing with behavioral enrichment toys created by keepers, learning about the diets and special “feeding equipment” of various animals, and getting an inside look at zoo-based careers.

Following the success of SPARKS in stimulating the pursuit of science learning outside the classroom, the Bronx Zoo received a $340,620 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to expand the program. The new national program will be known as SPARKS Across America. Together with Miami’s MetroZoo, Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo, and Tucson’s Reid Park Zoo, the Bronx Zoo will use the funding to help other zoos, museums, and science centers launch SPARKS in underserved communities. Participating cultural institutions will reach out to parent-led advocacy teams and will implement the program with the aid of the How Do You Measure an Elephant? activity book, material about science standards and frameworks, a how-to guide on hosting a SPARKS Fair, and information about science careers.

Programs like SPARKS Across America are key to addressing our national science achievement gap, and to creating future generations of leaders in science and technology. According to Annette Berkovits, Senior Vice President for Education at the Bronx Zoo, “Our success as a nation depends on gaining the scientific and technological upper hand in the twenty-first century. Parents can help us do this.”

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