Motivational+ideas

=Motivational Ideas for a Third Grade Classroom=

=**1) Checkbook System**=
 * (this system can be used later in the third grade school year, or for gifted students)**
 * (source-**http://www.scribd.com/doc/242545/Strategies-for-Motivation)

Each child receives a check book in the classroom. You begin each week with a specific amount of money deposited into the check book (say $200). If a student does not get their homework finished they might have to write a check for $50 to you. If a student breaks one of your classroom rules,perhaps they will owe you $25. You can use any behaviors that you would like to encourage in your room. At the end of the week, the students are able to purchase privileges based on the money they have left in their cheek books. For instance, they may pay you $75 to sit by a friend for a day

=2) Freedom Time=

(source- personal idea)

Pick one day each month and mark it on the calender, put a smiley face on it. If all of the students make a certain grade on a spelling test (or any thing you are trying to get the students to do) for a certain amount of times they receive freedom time. On the day set aside the students will vote on a subject they do not want to have. In place of having for example, a math lesson, the students will be able to do what they want. Provide board games, drawing supplies, and leggos for the students to play with. This will motivate them to study and allow them to work together for a common cause.

=3) Fun Friday= (observed at Blackburn Elementary)

Students will receive fun Friday if they have not moved their clip to red for a whole week. Fun Friday takes place every Friday. Prior to Friday, the teacher is in charge of thinking of an activity that his or her students will enjoy. Instead of having normal recess the class will do the activity the teacher has planned. If a student does not receive fun Friday they must go to the library for "no fun" and talk to an adult about what they did wrong. Some fun Friday activities i have observed include: make smores, paint, free draw,musical chairs, duck duck goose, board games, show and tell, movie time, bring the children cupcakes, kick ball, and extra recess.

=4) Classroom Tree= (Source-http://www.scribd.com/doc/242545/Strategies-for-Motivation)

This activity motivates students to have good behavior and be nice to one another.

Display a tree on the classroom wall or bulletin board with a box of blank leaves at its base.Encourage students to write something nice that another student might have done during the week. E.g. Jessica helped a younger student after she had fallen over in the playground and was crying. At the end of the week the teacher reads these reports to the class, giving positive feedback to the actual ‘good deeder’ and to the person who noticed.

=5) Skill Tickets= (source-http://www.scribd.com/doc/242545/Strategies-for-Motivation)

hen a student is displaying desirable skills and behavior reward them with a skill ticket. Students are often rewarded in order to reinforce positive behavior and achievement. They keep track of the tickets they are owed which periodically are given out each week. There are weekly, monthly, term and yearly draws from the prize bag.Teachers can blend this system with a merit award point system in which the students keep track of the merit points they earn each day building up towards a class end of term reward. A skill ticket is also an automatic merit point.Ensure all students are found deserving of earning skill tickets.

= = =**6) Motivation Star**=
 * (source-**http://oregonstate.edu/dept/kbrec/sites/default/files/NonFoodReward_Klamath_06-19-08.pdf)

Cut out a large star (or other shape if you prefer). Then post the star in the classroom where it is easily seen. Each time you catch a student listening,working quietly, helping others, making a good choice,being a good friend, etc. the student gets to write his/her initials on the star. The students enjoy getting to put their initials up and that enough is a reward for them. However, if you want to take the reward further, you can give pencils or bookmarks to all of the students when the star is full.

=7) Coupon book= (source-http://oregonstate.edu/dept/kbrec/sites/default/files/NonFoodReward_Klamath_06-19-08.pdf)

Materials: Coupon Book. Coupons can include: walking early to lunch, music or library; sit of the bean bag for silent reading or journal; eat lunch with the teacher and bring a friend etc... Directions: When student has read over 300 minutes at home in a month, they earn a Coupon Book.

=8) Fill the Tub= (source-http://oregonstate.edu/dept/kbrec/sites/default/files/NonFoodReward_Klamath_06-19-08.pdf)

Materials: Tub and cotton balls Directions: Drop a cotton ball in the glass or tub as a reward for good behavior. Once the tub is filled, class gets extra recess. Hold a classroom discussion about what type of actions students think should fill the tub. Compile a list and make a poster and display it in the classroom above the small tub.

=9) No Homework Pass= (source-http://oregonstate.edu/dept/kbrec/sites/default/files/NonFoodReward_Klamath_06-19-08.pdf)

Materials: No Homework Passes (paper passes) Directions: A No Homework Pass could be given as an extra incentive for following directions or doing an extra good job.

=**10) Ladder of Success**=
 * (source-**http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/more/management/ladderofsuccess.htm)

Construct a ladder out of construction paper place the ladder in the classroom. Have Velcro strips on each step of the ladder. Have a picture of each student laminated with Velcro on the back of it. Each time a student does a good deed, makes a good grade on a test, ext. Allow them to go and move their picture a step up the ladder. When they do something bad have them move back down a step. Each step has a different level of prize on it. At the end of the day allow the students to be rewarded for where they are on the ladder. They will be motivated to move higher than their classmates and get rewarded for climbing the ladder.

=11) Target Tree= (source- http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/more/management/targettree.htm)

Construct a large tree and hang it up on a wall in the classroom. Every month, give each student a cut out apple. On that apple they are to write academic goals they would like to achieve and tape them to the tree. As they achieve a goal, they take their apple down and are allowed to receive a prize from a treasure chest. This is a good way to get students motivated to set and think about goals.