What makes your students light up?

Some students love playing soccer, while some students love painting. Other students are most engaged while quietly reading—or solving math problems. As a teacher, you know how motivating it can be for students to discover their “sparks,” those activities and interests that truly engage them to be their best. Discovering those sparks can help students express their personalities and make unique contributions to the world.

As a result of this spark work, teachers often see student improvement in the following areas:

• Academic self-efficacy: “I can do it!”
• Engagement in learning: “I like doing it!”
• Bonding to school: “School is a good place for me!”
• Mastery: “It’s important for me to do well in school!”

This guide includes the following information:

• Lesson plans for students in grades three and four
• Lesson plans for students in grades five and six
• Reproducible materials, available as downloads, so students can explore their interests
• Numerous resources including recommendations for best practices, a video discussion guide, and sample letters to send home with students
• Research articles related to sparks and the Developmental Assets®

Igniting Sparks was developed by a team of researchers and writers at Search Institute and based on the work of the late Dr. Peter Benson. Dr. Benson, former president and CEO of Minneapolis-based Search Institute, was one of the world’s leading authorities on positive human development. He was the author or editor of more than a dozen books on child and adolescent development and social change.