A 30-day free trial to Sparkhouse Digital includes unlimited access to preview and stream content. You may build plans and add additional users for the complete experience. A free trial comes with seven free downloads. Individual lesson components (e.g., leader guides, lesson videos, and coloring pages) are each a download. Please note, a complete lesson may be more than seven downloads.
Sparkhouse Digital features three distinct Age Groups (early childhood, children, and youth), each with its own library and planning tools. Once you’re logged in, click the links at the top of your screen to move between Age Groups. At any time while you are navigating an Age Group, click on the Sparkhouse Digital logo at the upper left to return to the home page of that Age Group.
The top navigation bar includes links to Plan (detailed planning); Calendar (your calendar of planned content), Store (Sparkhouse web store), Help (this help area, and My Account (subscription, billing, and account information).
The left side of every page features an expandable tray that extends when you click the orange ribbon. This tray serves as a place for you to access your favorites, easily allowing you to jump right into the curriculum of your choice in the Library. Clicking on the downward arrow next to the model will open or close the underlying list of brands available in this particular model. At the bottom of the tray, you can download our Comparison Chart to download a PDF that compares all of our Sparkhouse curricula within the age group.
The home page of Sparkhouse Digital serves as the starting point for the Library, which includes every curriculum for that particular age group. Click the orange Explore button to look further into the contents of any curriculum. To learn a little about any of these curricula, click on the Quick Look button, which includes a summary of key curriculum features and a downloadable Scope and Sequence for that curriculum.
Once you click on a curriculum in the Library, the page will include units and extras included in your Sparkhouse Digital subscription. Below this, see a listing of required resources that aren’t available on Sparkhouse Digital and that will need to be purchased on the Sparkhouse web store. By clicking on any item here, you will go to the Sparkhouse web store to learn more and purchase.
When you click on the Unit of your choice, you will navigate to the Lessons in that Unit. From this layer forward, access key tools on the right side of your screen including the option to download all resources, add this item to your Sparkhouse Digital Calendar (only Directors see this tool, shown in action to the right), and view this in the Sparkhouse web store. If you want to see what’s inside any Lesson or Age Level, click on the title. Within the individual listing for the resource, preview the resource or use the tools listed above. Previewing includes streaming video, which can be a great tool to use in the classroom!
You can search the entire Sparkhouse Digital Library using the field at the upper right of any Library page to find a particular lesson across the curricula offerings for that Age Group in Sparkhouse Digital. This search looks at the resource title, Scripture reference(s), and keywords to provide you with the results you want
Once you click on a curriculum in the Library, the page will include units and extras included in your Sparkhouse Digital subscription. Below this, see a listing of required resources that aren’t available on Sparkhouse Digital and that will need to be purchased on the Sparkhouse web store. By clicking on any item here, you will go to the Sparkhouse web store to learn more and purchase.
On the Search Results page, click on the title of any information columns (Curriculum, Lesson, Type, Title, Age Range) to sort the list. Click the title again to sort it in reverse.
The default for the Calendar provides a one-month view of content planned by your church in this Age Group. You can change the month you’re looking at in several ways:
- Using the arrows on either side of the month name to move ahead or back
- Clicking on the month name and choosing another month in the drop-down
- Changing the year using the year drop-down at the left
If you have any content planned for a particular day, it will show here. If a full lesson has been planned, it shows that title. Click on the arrow tool at the left of each row to expand any listing. If the content belongs to a Plan you’ve created in the planning area, the name of that Plan is shown. Directors can click on this to edit that Plan.
In the expanded view of any listing, download resources and see who has been assigned to lead that lesson for each age level. If your name is listed, it’s highlighted to draw your attention to your assignment(s).
If you are a Director, you can click the Edit button at the right of each listing to produce an overlay, allowing you to edit all aspects of that listing.
In addition to the monthly view, you can see a weekly view by clicking on the Week View button at the right. The Week View provides the information you see in the expanded listing view in the Month View. Switch between the Week or Month View by using tools similar to those on the Month View.
On either view, Directors will see a “New Lesson Plan” button at the lower right. This button takes you to the beginning of the planning workflow – the same as the link in the top navigation.
Plan is restricted to users with Director permissions. There is no limit to the number of directors that you can have on your team per Age Group. Permissions are set in the Account area.
Once you enter the planning area, you will walk through three easy steps to put together your plan for a timeframe that you designate.
Step One
The first step is to set the Start and End Dates for your Plan, and to the day(s) of the week for your Plan. Once these are set, click the Next button. (If you need to make changes to this in the future, you can manually edit your choices later in the planning process.)
Step Two
In step two of the planning process, choose your curriculum. Once you choose the curriculum, the system will populate that curriculum’s Units and Age Levels. Choose the ones (you can select more than one) that you need for your plan. Once selected, click next.
Step Three
In step three, you customize your Plan based on your needs. At the left, view a list of all lessons that are in the Units you selected. Use the Plan More Lessons button at the bottom of this page to return to step two and make any changes or updates. This makes it easy for you to mix and match curricula resources within your plan.
Once you’ve completed all three steps
drag any lesson at the left to a date in the main panel. Once you drag the lesson on top of your chosen date, it will highlight to indicate your selection. Releasing your mouse on that date will schedule the lesson for that date and the title will appear on that listing. Continue to follow this process until your Plan reflects the content and dates for your needs. Use the tools at the top of the page to advance the month, which are the same as on the Calendar page.
Once you assign a Lesson, expand that listing to see the Age Levels and the Leaders assigned to those Age Levels, which you can attribute in the Account area. This view also allows you to download the resources for each planned Lesson.
OIf you are using a lectionary-based curriculum, such as Whirl or Spark, lessons will already be assigned to the correct lectionary dates.
Edit any listing in your Plan by using the Edit tool (indicated by a pencil) on the right side of your screen. When you click the pencil tool, an overlay will allow you to change any aspect of this listing: date, curriculum, unit, lesson, or leaders.
For Leader assignments, view who is assigned. If you need to make a change, remove any Leader from this item by clicking the “x” by their name. Add another enrolled Leader using the “Add Leader” drop-down on the right. This screen will also allow you to Delete the entire listing. Click the Save button to save your changes and close the overlay.
Important note: All of your work continuously saves as you work on your Plan.
My Account allows you to manage all aspects of your Sparkhouse Digital subscription, including subscription status, downloaded files, enrolled Leaders, and for Early Childhood, recipients of monthly Frolic eNewsletters.
Directors control who accesses your Sparkhouse Digital subscription. Leaders can edit their own profile here but cannot view or edit other users’ profiles.
Click on Add New Leader in the upper right corner to create a new record in the list. Fill in name, email address, and choose Sparkhouse Digital Age Group(s) access. Once you click the box for an Age Group, it will allow you to associate that person with certain Age Levels or Curriculum within that Age Group. In order for the Leader to appear in your list, you must grant them access to at least one Age Group. The site doesn’t notify this new Leader automatically, so do remember to let them know that they now have access and possible assignments.
Directors can edit anyone’s name, email address, Age Group access and Age Level/Curriculum associations. In addition, a Director can help a locked-out user by clicking on the “Change Password” link under the Password field, which will trigger an email sent to the email address shown. (Note: Users will also see a “Forgot Password” link when they log in, triggering this same workflow.)