The People of Sparks

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Technological Advances in Sparks”

Formulate a plan to bring some of the technological advances from Ember to the city of Sparks.

At the novel’s conclusion, Doon uses a generator to create electricity for the people of Sparks.

• Consider what Sparks is lacking based on details from the novel.
• Research types of technology or sources of energy that might be used to bolster the lifestyles of the people of Sparks.
• Review or research some of the advances and modifications present in Ember.
• Create a plan or roadmap for adapting lifestyles in Sparks based on or inspired by the city of Ember.

In crafting your plan, use the questions below to guide your thinking:

• How can Sparks become more organized as a community?
• What forms of technology did Ember have that Sparks is lacking?
• How can you create an example of the technology to present to others?
• Where might the people of Sparks find resources to implement the proposed technology?

Present your plan or roadmap to the class; explain how your plan and the proposed advances would be useful to Sparks.

Teaching Suggestion: Students may benefit by working in small groups to brainstorm ideas for fulfilling what Sparks is lacking in their community. Consider encouraging students to research simple experiments—such as creating energy from the sun in the form of a solar oven—that might make life in Sparks easier. Students may then wish to present their findings or a version of the simple experiment, demonstrating how it works and drawing conclusions about how it might be useful to the community.