HEALTH-RELATED PHYSICAL
EDUCATION
BY
Lynn Housner
West Virginia University
SPORT PLAY & ACTIVE RECREATION
FOR KIDS (SPARK)

WHAT IS SPARK?
– SPARK began in 1989 at San Diego State
University when a team of researchers
obtained a five year grant from the
National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute to
develop, implement, and experimentally
evaluate a comprehensive health-related
elementary physical education program.
WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES OF
SPARK?
To counter heart disease by facilitating
engagement in regular physical activity
during physical education classes and
outside of school.
 Because, studies indicate that children
receive physical education irregularly &
often get very little activity during class.

UNIQUE CHARACTERISITCS
OF SPARK



SPARK classes are
active (50% MVPA)
SPARK promotes
physical activity
after school, on
weekends, and
during summers
SPARK is teacher
friendly


SPARK consists of
progressive units
with each lesson
pre-planned
SPARK is written to
comply with NASPE
guidelines & State
IGOs
SPARK PHYSICAL EDUCATION
OBJECTIVES


Enjoy & seek out
physical activity (PA)
Develop a variety of
motor skills that will
facilitate future
involvement in
physical activities


Develop & maintain
acceptable levels of
fitness
Develop the ability
to get along with
others in movement
environments
SPARK SELF-MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVES




Self-responsibility
for PA programs
Goal setting for PA
& healthy food
choices
Behavior change
strategies
Injury prevention &
safety



Strategies for family
& peer support
Strategies to
decrease sedentary
behavior
Understanding the
relationship between
PA, diet, & body
composition
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SPARK: THE
MOST WIDELY RESEARCHED
CURRICULUM EVER


SPARK can be
taught effectively by
classroom teachers
and specialists
SPARK positively
affects the levels of
MVPA


SPARK facilitates
MVPA, skill
development &
fitness
Children like SPARK
activities
SPARKS BASICS
B - Boundaries & Routines
 A - Activity for the Get-GO
 S - Stop & Start Signals
 I - Involvement By All
 C - Concise Instructional Cues
 S - Supervision

SPARK INSTRUCTIONAL
FORMATS
Individual Days
 Partner Days

– Back to Back, Whistle Mixer, Taller/Shorter

Group Days
– Mingle Mingle , ABC/123, Shoe Colors
SPARK: K-2 UNITS

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Perceptual Power
Beanbag Boogie
Happy Hoops
Jumping for Joy
Having a Ball

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
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
Let’s Hit it
Great Games
Parachute Parade
Dance With Me
Super Kid Stunts
BEGINNING THE SCHOOL
YEAR: PERCEPTUAL POWER

Perceptual Power is designed to:
– Teach movement concepts

levels, pathways, personal/general space
– Teach fundamental motor skills

hop, skip, gallop, slide, bend, stretch
– Teach rules, routines, & procedures for
management

grouping, boundaries, stop/start signals
ALL REMAINING K-2 SPARK
UNITS
Begin with SPARK Starters that focus on
providing instant activity with high
levels of MVPA (10-12 minutes)
 Skill instruction with continued attention
to high levels of MVPA (15-20 minutes)
 Cool Down & Closure (2-3 minutes)

Examples of SPARK Starters

Group Movement
Activities
–
–
–
–
–
–
I see, I see!
Crazy Animals
Motorcycle Mania
5 Touches
Go, Car, Go!
Here Comes The
Toad

Group Tag Games
–
–
–
–

T-Rex Tag
Crazy Doctor Tag
The Freeze
Bees and Honey
Bears
Group Dances
– The Chicken Dance
– Hokey Pokey
– S.H.O.E.S.
Sample SPARK Lesson Plan
Unit Assessment Checklist
SPARK 3-6 UNITS: TYPE I
ACTIVITIES (HEALTH-RELATED
FITNESS)

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Cooperative Games
& Parachute
Aerobic Games
Power Walk & Jog
Dance & Rhythms
Jump Rope

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Run to the Border
Fun & Fitness
Circuits
Strength &
Conditioning
Run USA
Group Fitness
SPARK 3-6 UNITS: TYPE II
ACTIVITIES (SKILL-RELATED
FITNESS)

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Frisbee
Soccer
Field Games
Gymnastics
Basketball

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Hockey
Volleyball
Track & Field
Softball
Handball/Wallball or
All-Run Games
SPARK 3-6 LESSON
STRUCTURE
Introduction (warm-up) with transition
to Type I Activity (15 minutes)
 Type II Activity with transition to cooldown (15 minutes)

Fitness Assessment: SPARK
PERSONAL BEST DAY
Allows students to track fitness over
time
 5 times per school year
 SPARK personal best lesson:

– 9 minute jog
– modified curl-ups
– push-ups
WVU SPARK INSTITUTE:
PARTICIPANT REMARKS
The SPARK program was awesome!
 Experienced teachers learned a lot too.
 It helped me realize that I want to
continue my education in PE.
 I am excited to bring SPARK into S.C.
schools.
 This was a great experience for me.

SPARK CAVEATS
The SPARK curriculum can be modified
 The SPARK units can be flexibly
implemented but lessons should be
presented in order
 SPARK is about increasing MVPA in and
out of school. Not increasing short term
and transitory fitness test scores.

CONCLUSION


SPARK argues that it is more important to
focus on the “process” of physical fitness and
encourage children to enjoy a lifestyle of
regular physical activity than to focus on
fitness testing.
The President’s Council on Physical Fitness
and Sports (1999) agree that physical
education should focus on “..physical activity
rather than on physical fitness” (pg. 4).