Igniting Sparks High School Instructor Guide

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.

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

b Instructions that guide students to create Spark.A.Vision videos about who they hope to be in the world b Lesson plans for students in grades nine and ten b Lesson plans for students in grades eleven and twelve b Reproducible materials, available as downloads, so students can explore their interests b Numerous resources including recommendations for best practices, a video discussion guide, and sample letters to send home with students b Research articles related to sparks, the Developmental Assets®, and Tel.A.Vision (the parent software for Spark.A.Vision) Igniting Sparks was developed by a team of researchers and writers at Search Institute® and based on the work of the late Dr. Peter L. 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.

IGNITING

Sparks Connecting Students’ Interests and Talents to Classroom Success

Instructor Guide IGNITING SPARKS

This instructor guide will help you work with students to explore their sparks, find adult support for developing their interests, and ultimately create a vision of who they want to be in the future. As a result of this spark work, teachers often see student improvement in the following areas:

This guide includes the following information:

Instructor Guide, Grades 9–12

E D U C AT I O N / C u r r i c u l a

Grades 9 through 12

Search Institute

Igniting Sparks Connecting Students’ Interests and Talents to Classroom Success Se a rch I n s tit u t e

Instructor Guide Grades Nine through Twelve

Igniting Sparks Connecting Students’ Interests and Talents to Classroom Success Instructor Guide, Grades Three through Twelve The following are registered trademarks of Search Institute: Search Institute®, Healthy Communities • Healthy Youth®, and Developmental Assets®.

Search Institute Press, Minneapolis, MN Copyright © 2009, 2012 by Search Institute All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be reproduced in any manner, mechanical or electronic, without prior permission from the publisher except in brief quotations or summaries in articles or reviews, or as individual activity sheets for educational non-commercial use only.

For additional permission, visit Search Institute’s website at www.search-institute .org/permissions and submit a Permissions Request Form.

At the time of publication, all facts and figures cited herein are the most current available; all telephone numbers, addresses, and website URLs are accurate and active; all publications, organizations, websites, and other resources exist as described in this book; and all efforts have been made to verify them. The authors and Search Institute make no warranty or guarantee concerning the information and materials given out by organizations or content found at websites that are cited herein, and we are not responsible for any changes that occur after this book’s publication. If you find an error or believe that a resource listed herein is not as described, please contact Client Services at Search Institute.

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Mary Ellen Buscher Library of Congress Cataloging-inPublication Data <CIP copy to come from production coordinator> The educational activity sheets in Igniting Sparks may be copied as needed. For each copy, please respect the following guidelines: • Do not remove, alter, or obscure the Search Institute credit and copyright information on any activity sheet.

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Contents Introduction

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Lesson Plans for Grades Nine and Ten

Lesson Plan 1

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Lesson Plan 2

16

Lesson Plan 3

22

Lesson Plan 4

27

Lesson Plan 5

35

Going Beyond the Lessons

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Lesson Plans for Grades Eleven and Twelve

Lesson Plan 1

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Lesson Plan 2

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Lesson Plan 3

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Lesson Plan 4

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Lesson Plan 5

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Going Beyond the Lessons

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Resources

Best Practice Tips for High School Settings

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Links to Inspiring YouTube Videos and Web Sites

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Igniting Sparks: Video Discussion Guide

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Parent Communication Templates

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Research

Insights & Evidence: Finding the Student Spark

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What Are the Developmental Assets?

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Telâ&#x20AC;˘Aâ&#x20AC;˘Vision

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Introduction With all the new technology—the Internet, smart phones, texting, e-mail, social media—you would think modern relationships would be closer, that we’d all know more about each other’s unique personalities, interests, and passions. Educators, of course, know that technology cannot replace a student’s need for genuine concern and understanding.

Search Institute research shows that only 35 percent of young people say they feel connected with caring adults at school who know them and their interests well.

Students report that adults in their schools, congregations, and youth organizations don’t know them either. Unfortunately, in this age of more “connection,” our young people can feel more disconnected than ever, especially from caring adults.

It doesn’t have to be this way. As a teacher, you already know the value of building positive relationships with your students. This relationship-building effort also applies to parents, mentors, and neighbors. By initiating meaningful conversations with young people, we can help students discover their “sparks”—the activities and interests that truly engage their passion to be their best.

Search Institute has long pioneered research and programming directed at improving the relationships between children and adults. The late Peter Benson wrote that “relationships are the oxygen for human development.” He and his research colleagues identified the building blocks that help children succeed. Those building blocks were named the Developmental Assets®, and researchers have found that the more assets students have, the more likely they are to act in positive ways, like helping others, succeeding in school, and showing leadership skills. More information about the Development Assets and sparks can also be found in the research section of this manual on page 99.

Finding a Spark A student’s spark is what he or she is really passionate about, an activity that unleashes his or her energy and joy. Discovering that spark can help a student express his or her personality and make a unique contribution to the world.

Each of us has at least one spark. For most of us, our spark is revealed or discovered over time, through many opportunities and experiences, and we often need caring adults to help us see and develop it. Take a look at the following list of the top ten spark categories named by American teenagers ages 12–17. (The percentages add up to more than 100 percent because teens, on average, report 1.4 sparks.)

• Creative arts (painting, writing, dance, music, acting), 54 percent • Athletics, 25 percent

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• Learning a subject matter (like science or history), 18 percent • Reading, 11 percent • Helping, serving, volunteering, 10 percent • Being a leader, 10 percent • Caring or advocating for animals, or protecting endangered species, 8 percent • Living in a specific way (with joy, caring, tolerance, compassion), 7 percent • Nature, ecology, environment, 6 percent • Spirituality or religion, 2 percent

Why Do Sparks Matter?

When young people know and develop a spark, with the support of several adults, they present a strong picture of health and well-being. Research shows that students who have opportunities to identify and nurture their sparks: • Have higher grades in school • Have better school attendance • Are more likely to be socially competent • Are more likely to be physically healthy • Are more likely to volunteer to help other people • Are more likely to care about the environment • Are more likely to have a sense of purpose • Are less likely to experience depression • Are less likely to engage in acts of violence National surveys found that 48 percent of young people knew their spark, but only 37 percent could both name a spark and claim the adult support they need to develop it.

Getting Started Three simple steps can help you start your spark work with a young person. First, spend time discreetly looking for clues to your students’ sparks. Because you are an educator, you already have a sense of what your students enjoy. Nevertheless, try looking at your students with fresh eyes. As you look at each student, ask yourself: When does this student seem the happiest? While doing independent work or while doing group work? When is this student most absorbed in an activity? Which subjects seem to most engage this student?

After you have observed and begun to notice more about your students’ interests, passions, and how they spend their time, you can start a spark conversation. What you are after is having talks that help them discover their own abilities and possibilities, talks that empower them to try new things and take next steps.

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Finally, find a way to follow through with what you find out. If you have students who love motorcycles, maybe you know a colleague who has been riding motor­ cycles for years and can somehow bring that interest into your classroom. If you have students who love music, bring a musician into your classroom to engage students in whatever you happen to be studying. As a teacher, you are likely already doing these things; the point is to take your efforts another step.

Working with students to discover and develop their sparks can result in numerous benefits for young people. When caring adults put their energy into young people’s sparks, they make a great contribution to their development.

Author Peter Benson wrote in his book Sparks: How Parents Can Help Ignite the Hidden Strengths of Teens “When young people find their spark and their center, their lives become generous, committed, passionate, purposeful, and responsible.”

Surely that is what all educators want for each student.

This curriculum includes information on how to use Spark.A.Vision, an innovative Internet-based tool that allows students to create videos about who they hope to be as they grow and develop into young adults. This curriculum also includes classroom posters that can be displayed when you begin to introduce students to the concepts of sparks. The wristbands can be handed out to students to remind them to think about their sparks.

Each Igniting Sparks kit also includes a copy of Spark Student Motivation by Jolene L. Roehlkepartain. This guide includes 101 activities that help students build relationships with one another, tap into their unique learning style, and recognize their sparks. Most of these activities can be adapted to fit students of any age. After you have completed all the lesson plans, you can bring activities from Spark Student Motivation into you classroom to reinforce students’ unique interests and means of staying motivated.

Going Beyond the Lessons There are many possibilities for continuing, expanding, or deepening your students’ understanding of sparks. Here are just a few ideas: Connect students’ sparks to your curriculum and to your efforts in differentiating instruction. For example, a student whose spark is math could: • Read a biography of a famous mathematician • Study the history of math’s development in Egypt and elsewhere • Use proportions, ratios, and patterns in creating artworks • Seek uses of mathematics in a daily newspaper or a magazine • Explore the use of math in music • Create polls and resulting statistics for the school newspaper or yearbook

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Consider joining with your students in doing each of the activities; you’ll be modeling that people can explore, name, and develop sparks at any time during their lives.

Touch back at various times in your classroom on spark exploration and spark guides. Remind students that these can be ongoing activities that help them get the most out of school, out of life, and out of their potential.

Have students repeat an activity when they discover or explore different sparks.

Work with a school librarian to create a display of biographies and autobiographies that highlight a person’s spark; be sure to cover both common and unusual spark clusters.

Offer students the option of bringing home to their parents a Sparks Interview that you or they create, then look for connections between students’ and parents’ sparks. (One student’s parent could become another student’s spark supporter!)

Help students bring their positive visions down to earth by guiding them in creating a set of goals to reach and steps on the way.

Talk to your colleagues about their sparks. Are there any matches with the sparks of students in your class or classes? Consider having an event in which staff and students gather by spark categories they favor to discover possible great connections, new clubs needed at the school, and so forth.

Finally, remind students to frequently watch the Spark.A.Vision videos that they create. Research shows that repetition can “train the brain” and keep students motivated in reaching their goals.

This manual includes the following information: • Lesson plans that are appropriate for grades nine and ten (see pages 7–37) • Lesson plans that appropriate for grades eleven and twelve (see pages 41–77) • Reproducible sheets so each student can begin to document his or her interests, including instructions so students can develop their Spark.A.Vision videos. These handouts are available as downloads at www.search-institute .org/oc/ispark.

• A resource section that includes recommendations for best practices, a video discussion guide, and parent communication pieces (see pages 81–96) • A research section about sparks, the Developmental Assets, and Tel.A.Vision (the “parent” software that Spark.A.Vision is based on) (see page 99) In addition, visit www.search-institute.org/sparks to find resources that include online videos for students and parents, reproducible student materials, parent communication templates, and information about Spark.A.Vision.

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Grades Nine and Ten: Lesson Plan 1

Finding Sparks 7777 7777Your 7777777777 7777 7777777777 7777777777 77777 77 O b j7 ec t7 i v e s77777 7777777777 7777777777 7777bb777777 777777777777 7777b777777 777777777777 7777777777 77777 77 M a7 t e r7 i a l7 s 7777777777 7777 7777777777 7777bb777777 777777777777 7777b777777 777777777777 7777777777 777777777777 7777777777 Before the Lesson 77777 77 7777777777 7777777 7777777777 777777777 7777777777 777 Opening 7777777777 777777777777 7777777777 777777777777 7777777777 77 7777777777 7 7777777777 7777777777 7 7777777777 7777777777 7 7777777777 7777777777 7 7777777777 7777777777 7 7777777777 7777777777 7 7777777777 7777777777 7 7777777777 7777777777 777777777 In this lesson, young people will: Learn what a spark is

Understand why sparks are important

Begin to explore and name their own current and potential sparks

You will need the following:

Worksheets for each student (All About Me, Finding Your Sparks, Spark Clusters) Sparks wristbands—hand out as students enter the classroom Sparks posters—display before students enter the classroom

Think about the first time you heard about sparks. What did you think about the idea then? Do you have passionate interests, or sparks? Now think back to when you were in high school. Did you have any interests and hobbies that were real passions for you at that time in your life? Anything you wish you had developed then? Did you believe you could be anything you wanted to be, or did you feel as though your possibilities were limited? Be ready for questions from your students about your own experiences.

This first lesson endeavors to engage all students in discovering and exploring their sparks and their own ability to take steps toward developing those sparks. You may find it particularly helpful to do the activity along with your students, so that

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you can share together—as people, not just as teacher and students—your current and potential sparks.

Distribute the handout for Lesson 1 (pages 12–14). Begin by talking with students about how it is different to be a teenager in high school rather than a student in middle school. (High school students have more privileges, more responsibilities, more choices, more opportunities, more independence, and more pressure.) You might say something like: “One important way that you are different now is that you will likely start to figure out more deeply who you are—what’s special about you, what you like to do and don’t like to do, what you might be good at and what will

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take more effort, how you are different from and similar to your classmates—and many aspects of your own person and personality.”

Have each student work alone or in pairs to choose up to three clusters and then choose or write in three specific sparks.

Ask students to share some of their sparks, if they are comfortable doing so. Have them hand in the worksheets so that you can get a sense of your students’ sparks and potential sparks.

All About Me Activity ( 1 5 –2 0 m i n u t e s )

Distribute the All About Me handout.

Share with your students that this handout is intended to be a fun way for them to think about their personal background, qualities, and interests. Once all students have completed the page (and you, too!), have your class use the sheets for getting better acquainted with one another. Have them all pair off quickly, choose one info box to share with each other, and then have each pair sign off on that box for each other. Continue with new pairings so that ultimately each student has nine different signatures on her or his handout. Process how the activity went, and note that it helps us all get to know each other better in a friendly way.

Finding Your Sparks A c t i v i t y ( 2 5 –3 0 m i n u t e s )

It’s possible that you’ll have some students in the room who do not want to reveal their spark to classmates, perhaps because of lack of confidence or fear of being made fun of. Remind students that there are many kinds of sparks and they are all valid; every person deserves respect around her or his spark. All kinds of sparks and spark clusters are interesting.

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Distribute the Finding Your Sparks handouts, with the Spark Clusters handout printed on the reverse side of the paper.

Invite students to read paragraphs of the front page of the handout out loud, starting with the definition of sparks. Check in along the way to be sure students understand what a spark is and what the benefits of having a spark (or two or three) are.

Then have students turn over the page and silently look through the spark clusters. (If you have a copy of Peter Benson’s Sparks book, you will find at the end of the book more spark clusters [categories] with numerous examples in each.)

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Processing: Ask: Are you surprised at any of these spark clusters? Did anyone have a spark cluster for himself or herself that isn’t in the list? How many of you chose a cluster or a spark that you’re not good at yet but that you want to explore or try for the first time?

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If you like, you can use the provided tally sheet (or your own created Word table or Excel spreadsheet) to see how many students chose sparks in each cluster. Be ready to hand the previous worksheets back to students prior to the next lesson.

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Teaming or Interdisciplinary Learning Math: Share handouts and the tally sheet with one of your students’ math teachers and have their students come up with percentages of students who have sparks in each cluster and prepare graphs or charts to bring back to class.

Art: If you are teaming with an art teacher, the teacher could have students work together to create a “tapestry of sparks” in your classroom. Students could choose an image such as a fire with multiple sparks

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rising from it or a tree with many different kinds and shapes of leaves. Create the image from colored paper on poster or bulletin board or with some other media; give each student a paper spark or leaf to write their spark on, if they are comfortable doing that. After writing their spark, they can staple or glue their spark or leaf to the image. This can be an ongoing process—students who aren’t yet sure of a spark can save their paper and add it later on; students who come up with more than one spark or a different spark from their first one can also add to the image through the semester or school year.

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All About Me Name __________________________ I am: (circle words that apply)

Quiet Serious Silly Outgoing Strong

Clever Creative Smart Private Caring

My friendship skills: (check all that apply) I’m a good listener I give good advice I stand up for my friends I am honest I give sincere compliments I am open and friendly I understand feelings I like doing things together I wish I could be: (circle statements that apply)

Stronger physically More caring to others More understanding More active Smarter in school Other ___________________

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One interesting thing that most people don’t know about me is: ___________________ ___________________ ___________________

I’m good at: (circle) Drawing Painting Games Sports Writing Singing poetry Taking care of animals Making people laugh Taking care of younger kids Cooking or baking Other ______________

Three people who always encourage me to do my best: ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________

I was born in ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ I would really like to try: (check one) Playing a musical instrument Hip-hop dance Attending a play or the opera Scuba diving Giving a speech Bungee jumping Other ______________

One thing I like about my school: ___________________ ___________________ One thing I’d like to change about our school: ___________________ ___________________

This handout may be reproduced for educational, noncommercial uses only (with this copyright line). From Igniting Sparks: Connecting Students’ Interests and Talents to Classroom Success, Instructor Guide, Grades Nine through Twelve. Copyright © 2009, 2012 by Search Institute®, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 800-888-7828, www.search-institute.org. All rights reserved.

Finding Your Sparks

Name _______________________

A spark is more than just a passing interest or a talent. It’s what you’re passionate about. It’s your very favorite hobby, something you really love to do. It’s what unleashes your energy and joy, gives your life purpose and focus, and allows you to make your own unique contribution to the world.

Everyone has, or can have, a spark, or two or three. These can be sparks you have already discovered and are working on, or they can be sparks that you are interested in exploring or trying, or a mix of both. They can be things you are already good at, or they can be things that you want to be good at, or things you think are fun and exciting. Your spark could be playing soccer or painting pictures or studying science or playing the guitar.

Whether you know any of your sparks now or not, it’s definitely worthwhile to explore, identify, and develop your sparks. Why? Because teenagers who know and develop at least one spark and have three or more caring adults who help them with their spark are likely to have some great advantages and benefits: •

Higher grades in school

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Better friendship skills

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Better physical health

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Better school attendance rates

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More likely to volunteer to help others

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More likely to care for the earth and its resources

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More likely to have a sense of purpose

•

More likely to say they are “on the road to a hopeful future”

Those are all good things to have, and things that can lead you to success in school and in the future. But that’s not all. Teenagers who have a spark and the “spark supporters” who help develop it also are: •

Less likely to be sad or depressed

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Less likely to be mean to others

So, more good stuff. Exploring and identifying your sparks helps you have more fun in your life and find out more about who you are and who you want to become.

Now let’s start exploring! On the other side of this sheet is a listing of some popular clusters of sparks. Your goal is to read through them, choose up to three clusters you are interested in, and then add ideas for sparks that go in those clusters.

This handout may be reproduced for educational, noncommercial uses only (with this copyright line). From Igniting Sparks: Connecting Students’ Interests and Talents to Classroom Success, Instructor Guide, Grades Nine through Twelve. Copyright © 2009, 2012 by Search Institute®, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 800-888-7828, www.search-institute.org. All rights reserved.

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Spark Clusters Read the clusters and examples, star your favorite three clusters, and add your own spark ideas!

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Spark cluster

Spark examples

Doing art, music, drama, or writing

Drawing, playing an instrument, singing, acting in a play, doing stand-up comedy, writing a poem

Building or making things, or taking things apart

Working on cars, building a tree house, fixing a broken vacuum cleaner or clock

Doing physical activities or sports

Dancing, doing karate, playing a team sport, gymnastics, running track

Helping people or the environment

Doing a park clean-up, raising money for homeless people, visiting people who are lonely

Being outside in nature or taking care of animals

Camping, hiking, collecting beautiful rocks, walking your dog, riding horses

Using computers

Making your own website, playing video games, watching movies

Thinking of ways to start a business or make money

Running a lawn-mowing business, doing chores for a neighbor, making crafts to sell, learning to cook

Learning, reading

Reading novels, studying history or volcanoes, using a microscope or telescope, doing math games

Teaching other people how to do things

Babysitting your younger brother or sister, being a tutor to a younger student

Leadership

Being in student council, organizing pep rallies, starting a club, working to make your school better

More spark ideas

This handout may be reproduced for educational, noncommercial uses only (with this copyright line). From Igniting Sparks: Connecting Students’ Interests and Talents to Classroom Success, Instructor Guide, Grades Nine through Twelve. Copyright © 2009, 2012 by Search Institute®, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 800-888-7828, www.search-institute.org. All rights reserved.

Tally Sheet for Class Spark Clusters Spark cluster

Spark examples

Doing art, music, drama, or writing

Drawing, playing an instrument, singing, acting in a play, doing standup comedy, writing a poem

Building or making things, or taking things apart

Working on cars, building a tree house, fixing a vacuum cleaner or clock

Doing physical activities or sports

Dancing, doing karate, playing a team sport, gymnastics, running track

Helping people or the environment

Doing a park clean-up, raising money for homeless people, visiting people who are lonely

Being outside in nature or taking care of animals

Camping, hiking, collecting beautiful rocks, walking your dog, riding horses

Using computers

Making your own website, playing video games, watching movies

Thinking of ways to start a business or make money

Running a lawn-mowing business, doing chores for a neighbor, making crafts to sell, learning to cook

Learning, reading

Reading novels, studying history or volcanoes, using a microscope or telescope, doing math games

Teaching other people how to do things

Babysitting your younger brother or sister, being a tutor to a younger student

Leadership

Being in student council, organizing pep rallies, starting a club, working to make your school better

How many students chose this cluster?

This handout may be reproduced for educational, noncommercial uses only (with this copyright line). From Igniting Sparks: Connecting Students’ Interests and Talents to Classroom Success, Instructor Guide, Grades Nine through Twelve. Copyright © 2009, 2012 by Search Institute®, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 800-888-7828, www.search-institute.org. All rights reserved.

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