(Sports, Play and Active Recreation for Kids)
Age Range: 3 to 12
Project SPARK® represents research-based approaches that can be implemented by trained specialists and classroom teachers to address childhood overweight and inactivity. SPARK® activities encourage maximum student participation in class and promote regular physical activity.
Funded by the Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1989, Project Spark® creates, implements, and evaluates an elementary physical education program to help provide quality physical education. Validated by hundreds of additional studies and successfully implemented in thousands of schools across the country, Project SPARK® represents a collection of research-based physical activity programs including curricula, staff development, and follow-up support.
Project SPARK® overall objectives are:
Fee-based SPARK® programs and curricula include: Early Childhood, K–2 Physical Education, 3–6 Physical Education, 6–8 Physical Education, Lifelong Wellness (4–5th grade and 5th–6th grade), SPARK® After School (Active Recreation), and a Teacher Training Program. Although fee-based, the non-profit SPARK® partners with philanthropic and corporate entities to help provide resources to interested schools and communities.
The typical SPARK curriculum calls for a minimum of three days of classes per week throughout the school year. The yearly plan is divided into instructional units that are four weeks (12 lessons) in length. A standard 30-minute lesson has two parts: Type I Activities that focus on developing health-related fitness and locomotor skills; and, Type 2 Activities that focus on developing general motor skills. The Lifelong Wellness Program is a classroom curriculum that teaches behavioral skills that are important for maintaining physical activity. Its emphasis is on behavior change rather than knowledge alone. The Teacher Training Program is designed to develop teachers’ commitment to health-related physical education; help them understand SPARK curricular units and activities; and, develop management and instructional skills for effective implementation.
