Wallace and Gromit Front BIGGEST Primary School Innovation Project
Lesson plans and competition to get cracking with key stage two inventing
Oscar winners Wallace and Gromit are fronting a major Government backed campaign to turn the Primary school children of today into the inventors of tomorrow.
Cracking Ideas will use lesson plans, a nationwide competition, teaching
resources and a dedicated website - www.crackingideas.com 
- to bring innovation
into lessons for Key Stage Two as a part of the National Curriculum.
The Patent Office, has developed the new programme with the aim of exciting and inspiring children to innovate. It is the most ambitious project of its type to be targeted at Primary school children.
The Cracking Ideas Competition and flexible lesson plans have all been
structured around National Curriculum criteria with teaching resources available online .
Schools entering the competition will encourage children to follow in
Wallace and Gromit’s footsteps by creating inventions from everyday objects. Photographs will be submitted
through www.crackingideas.com and regional and national winners selected. Prizes
will be awarded to schools.
Lesson plan topics in the project include Design and Technology, Literacy and Numeracy.
The Patent Office and Aardman Animations will work together during the project, which starts in June.
Nick Park, creator of Wallace & Gromit expressed how pleased he was with the association.
"Inventiveness has always been central to Wallace’s character and I have sketch books full of Wallace’s eccentric inventions that have never made it to the screen. It is fantastic that Wallace & Gromit can excite young kids about innovation in the classroom."
Malcolm Wicks, Minister for Science and Innovation, said the Patent Office was leading the way in promoting new ideas in the classroom.
"Some of the big inventions we will see later this century may be in the minds and imaginations of young children today. Cracking Ideas is an effective way of engaging children in innovation, tied into the National Curriculum."
"Teachers will have the resources and plans through the website to help them get involved. We are moving towards an innovation economy and this is an excellent opportunity to get children interested at an early stage," he added.
Teachers are able to register their interest in the project at www.crackingideas.com .
Entries to the competition will be accepted during the summer term with winners announced in the autumn
term.
Editors' notes:
- For more information and images, please contact: Ed Stearns at Mason Media on 01628 521211 or 07939 188889 or Chris Marritt at Mason Media on 0151 7074510.
- For press enquiries regarding the Patent Office, please contact Sarah Challenger, Media and Communications Manager,on 01633 814305 or contact Miles Rees, Cracking Ideas Project Manager, on 01633 814275.
- For press enquiries regarding Wallace & Gromit and Aardman, please contact: Arthur Sheriff on 020 7706 1046.
- For more information on the creation of the campaign, please contact: Bell Design on 0207 3959740.
- On 2 April 2007 The Patent Office will change its name to UK Intellectual Property Office to better reflect the wide range of Intellectual property services it offers.
- The Patent Office is an Executive Agency of DTI within OSI and responsible for the national framework of Intellectual Property rights, comprising patent, designs, trade marks and copyright
- Aardman Animations, based in Bristol UK, is one of the world’s leading animation studios. Founded by David Sproxton and Peter Lord in 1976 Aardman produces feature films, television commercials and television series for the global market. The studio has won over 400 international awards including 4 Oscars®, 1 Emmy and 7 BAFTAs.
- Aardman’s Broadcast and International Departments are responsible for the development, production and distribution of Aardman’s TV series, specials and shorts. Recent credits include Creature Comforts (ITV1), Angry Kid (BBC3) and Planet Sketch (CiTV). Current productions for 2006/7 include Chop Socky Chooks (Cartoon Network and Teletoon), Shaun The Sheep (BBC & WDR) and Creature Comforts USA for CBS.
Date of release: 27 March 2007