SPARK Physical Education Curriculum

Why consider using SPARK as a required or recommended text?

1. Time in methods courses is typically insufficient for beginning teachers to be effective at the outset. SPARK provides pre-service teachers with what they need to get started right away.
2. Inexperienced teachers are not good at designing curricula. SPARK provides well-written, easy to use content that beginning teachers need.
3. SPARK has been proven to be effective with both PE majors and generalists.
4. SPARK is research-based, proven to work and last.
5. SPARK is widely disseminated and provides an extensive follow up support system for teachers and their students.

University methods instructors love the SPARK manuals. It provides pre-service teachers with a solid foundation of developmentally appropriate content that is well-sequenced and aligned to NASPE National Physical Education Standards. (Click Here to visit the Standards Alignment page).

SPARK Elementary Physical Education (PE) manuals have been used in this capacity since 1994, and over the years, course materials have been developed and field-tested with thousands of students.

What is available to students?

NEW: SPARKuniversity for elementary methods students. SPARKuniversity is a robust digital library of expert selected content from the popular SPARK K-2 and 3-6 physical education manuals -- and a source of evidence-based learning tools created especially for majors and generalists.

SPARKuniversity includes:

• 50+ SPARK Physical Education (grades K-6) activities chosen to align with the following course themes:
  1. Building a Positive Learning Environment
  2. Making Fitness Fun
  3. Inclusion and Differentiated Learning
  4. Strategies to Increase MVPA
  5. Wonderful World of Dance
  6. High Activity Skills Progression
  7. Modifying Traditional Sports
  8. Promoting Activity Away from School
  9. Academic Integration
• Ready-to-use assignments including printable guidelines, rubrics  & other tools
• Additional resources include current industry-specific articles and research, blogs, a monthly eNewsletter, a monthly webinar series, and opportunities to connect with other students through social media.

There are two ways for students to obtain access to SPARKuniversity:

1. Online Access Only: Purchase 1 year of student-level access to the “SPARKuniversity” section on SPARKfamily.org website for $49.99. Price includes 1 year of access to the K-2 PE, 3-6 PE, SPARKfit, and G.Y.M. (Great Young Minds) sections of SPARKfamily.org. Click Here for more information on SPARKfamily.org.
2. Manual and Online Access: Purchase a complete, hard-copy SPARK K-2 PE manual or SPARK 3-6 PE manual at the special student price of $99.99 (50% off the regular curriculum set price) and receive 1 year of student-level access to the “SPARKuniversity” section on SPARKfamily.org for FREE. Also includes 1 year of access to the K-2 PE, 3-6 PE, and SPARKfit sections of SPARKfamily.org. Click Here for more information on SPARKfamily.org.

What is available to YOU?

There are two ways university methods instructors can use SPARK in their classes:

1. Require SPARK in an elementary or secondary methods course(s) and receive:

• Set of educational materials (manual and music CD) FREE ($199 value) and 10% off  SPARKfolio
• 1 year of Professor-level access to SPARKuniversity section on SPARKfamily.org including:
  • Sample syllabus
  • Pedagogy assignments
  • Coordinated school health assignment
  • Peer-teaching and practicum observation guidelines
  • Grading rubrics
  • Hyperlinks to research
  • Tests with answer keys
  • Registration waived at a corresponding SPARK Institute ($399 value)
  • Equipment (purchased through SPARK) at our best 15% discount and free shipping
  • Note- access can be renewed as long as requiring SPARK

We ask that you:

• Include SPARK in your syllabus and include language requiring its purchase
• Ensure there are at least 10 SPARKuniversity purchasers per semester/quarter
• Tell students of www.sparkpe.org and SPARKfamily.org and encourage them to visit the websites and take advantage of SPARK’s free resources

2. Use SPARK as a RECOMMENDED resource and receive:

• 1 year of Professor-level access to  SPARKuniversity section on SPARKfamily.org. Note- access can be renewed as long as recommending SPARK
• Equipment purchased from SPARK at a 10% discount

We ask that you:

• Show the SPARK manual to students at least one time during the semester/quarter
• Tell students of www.sparkpe.org and SPARKfamily.org and encourage them to visit the websites and take advantage of SPARK’s free resources

Questions?

Click Here to view our SPARKuniversity Frequently Asked Questions.

Next Steps:

To order student-level SPARKuniversity access or a SPARK PE manual at the discounted student rate, download our SPARKuniversity order form HERE.

To receive professor-level SPARKuniversity access and/or reserve your VIP pass to a SPARK Institute, email SPARK at spark@schoolspecialty.com or call  800-SPARK-PE.

Here's what one University Educator had to say:

"As a Research I institution West Virginia University has always searched for evidenced-based curricula to include in our methods classes. For the last 12 years or so we have used (SPARK) in our elementary methods course and at our elementary laboratory school. SPARK is research-based and our preservice teachers find it very easy to apply in our laboratory school setting. Our undergraduate students like the SPARK curriculum and the numerous instructional materials that come with SPARK... Our students find SPARK to be a wonderful addition to their professional library."

-Lynn Housner, Ph.D., Associate Dean & Professor, West Virginia University

Looking for funds to purchase SPARK?

Our new Grant Finder Tool will help you find grants specific to your state and type of program. New grants updated daily! Click Here