SPARK Objectives

The focus of SPARK is the development of healthy lifestyles, motor skills and movement knowledge, and social and personal skills.

It is expected that SPARK Physical Education/Physical Activity students will:

• Enjoy and seek out physical activity.
• Develop and maintain acceptable levels of physical fitness.
• Develop a variety of basic movement and manipulative skills so they will experience success and feel comfortable during present and future physical activity pursuits.
• Develop the ability to get along with others in movement environments (e.g., share space and equipment, employ the "golden rule" of competition-be a good sport, and demonstrate cooperative behavior).

When SPARK Lifelong Wellness Workshops are instructed in conjunction with SPARK Physical Education/Physical Activity, students also learn:

• Self-responsibility for physical activity programs.
• Goal setting for physical activity and healthy food choices.
• Behavior change techniques and other psychological strategies related to movement experiences and the development of a healthy lifestyle.
• Basic injury prevention and safety during physical activity.
• Strategies for fostering family and peer support for activity programs.
• Strategies for decreasing sedentary behavior (e.g., reduce television viewing and video game/computer playing).
• The relationship between physical activity, food intake, and body composition.
• Application of basic biomechanical and exercise physiology principles.
• Sociological and historical perspectives of physical education.

Rational for SPARK Objectives

1. Why help children develop and maintain acceptable levels of physical fitness?
   
   Individuals who are physically fit and who engage in physical activity on a regular basis generally:
   1. enjoy better health;
   2. have more energy to devote to activities of daily life; and
   3. learn physical skills easier and are more successful at them, and thus have greater opportunities for social interaction and personal meaning through physical activity and sport.
   
   
2. Why help children develop a variety of basic movement and manipulative skills that are necessary to enjoy success (feel comfortable) in physical activity settings?
   
   Individuals who are skilled and enjoy success in movement activities are more likely to:
   1. have a wide choice of activities to pursue for exercise and personal enjoyment;
   2. lead active lives and maintain acceptable levels of fitness;
   3. have access to active situations for social interaction and personal meaning that these situations bring about.
   
   
3. Why help children develop the ability to get along with others in a movement environment?
   
   Individuals who are able to get along with others in an active environment are more likely to:
   1. have reasons, other than physical ones, for active participation;
   2. enjoy participating;
   3. be invited to participate; and
   4. make active participation enjoyable for others.
   
   
4. Why help children enjoy and seek out physical activity?
   
   Individuals who enjoy physical activity are more likely to be active and thus:
   1. develop and maintain acceptable levels of fitness;
   2. develop and maintain their physical skills;
   3. have increased opportunities for social interaction through movement experiences; and
   4. have increased opportunities for experiencing personal meaning through being physically active.