In the past, teachers have used chalkboards for "chalk talks," a strategy where a teacher wrote words and drew images to demonstrate reflecting, document generating ideas, and explore knowledge. Out with the old-school version and in with the "Marker Sparker" method, which uses whiteboards or poster paper and colorful markers to achieve the same objectives of generating ideas and exploring knowledge while fostering students' contributions. Marker Sparker can help students make connections between prior knowledge and experiences and the new information, which is directly related to how well students learn. Marker Sparker is appropriate for all grades levels, and has been used in the elementary through the post-secondary grades. However, the authors believe it is uniquely appropriate at the elementary level because the students have limited vocabulary and real-world experience. Thus, this activity provides them with the opportunity to "spark" from, or piggyback on, the ideas of others, helping them to build a more complete concept. (Contains 3 figures and 1 online resource.)