About Subjects

What is a Subject?

A Subject is a general category or label used to organize assignments, courses, classrooms, or gradebooks based on the type of material they cover. Assigning subjects to these areas helps keep information organized and labeled properly on the student planner, student portals, and grade reports.

Examples of Subjects:

• Math
• Science
• Language
• History
• Art
• Music
• Physical Education

Creating a Subject

• Go to Subjects, click + Add New Subject, fill out the form, and click Create.
• Determine if your subject should be used across your entire Spark platform, or whether you want it to be assigned to a specific term or classroom.

Using Subjects

Label the following with a subject to enhance organization and clarity:

• Assignments: Labeling assignments with a subject allows you to organize them by subject on the student planner and student portals.
• Grade Records: Assigning a subject to a grade record in the gradebook provides clarity when generating grade reports.
• Classrooms: Assigning a subject to a classroom helps identify what is being studied within that classroom.
• Courses: Designating a course with a subject clarifies the type of material being taught.

Courses, Subjects, and Classrooms

Subjects, classrooms, and courses are three distinct features on Spark. Understanding these features will increase your ability to use Spark to the fullest in your school operations.

• Course: A specific, focused plan of study with a reusable set of assignments and lesson plans. Example include "Pre-Algebra" or "World History." Staff can create a course "plan," then schedule it for specific dates and students as many times as needed.
• Subject: A general label used to organize assignments, courses, classrooms, or gradebooks by type of material being studied. Examples include math, science and art.
• Classroom: A group of students with one or more teachers. Examples: "6th Grade" or "Miss Susie’s Science Class."
  • Teachers can perform classroom tasks within a self-contained classroom, such as create assignments, keep grades, and take attendance.
  • Course plans can be scheduled for a classroom to work through.
  • Classrooms may be labeled with a subject, or left unlabeled if they cover multiple subjects.