SPARKuniversity- Elementary

What is available to 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 FREE SPARK resources include current industry-specific articles and research, blog, a monthly eNewsletter, webinars, and opportunities to connect with other students through social media.

Students can obtain 1 year of access to the “SPARKuniversity Elementary” section on SPARKfamily.org website for $49.95.

What is available to University Instructors?

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

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

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
  • 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 about www.sparkpe.org and www.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 Professor-level access to the SPARKuniversity section on www.SPARKfamily.org
  • Note- access can be renewed as long as recommending SPARK

We ask that you:

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

Next Steps:

To get SPARKuniversity Professor access and to take advantage of student-level SPARKuniversity access at the discounted student rate for your students, contact spark@sparkpe.org.

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