Spark Student Motivation: Prize Line!

Can you see the finish line??!! Here's an idea that's super easy, can be implemented immediately, and will get your students motivated to behave for these last days of school!

A prize line? Yes! It's a great visual and will get your students excited as soon as they see it in your classroom! My BBB Diane from Fifth in the Middle linked up with this idea and I knew I had to implement it in our classroom. I don't like to show all "my tricks" during the year...we have to save some of them until the end so they have something to work for!
Of course, I always like to peak my students' curiosity, so I hung all the prizes on Monday morning and let them stare at that amazing line of prizes ALL DAY! I didn't tell them until Tuesday that it was a prize line and they could earn/win prizes from it. I don't have a "real plan" of how I will reward students with it because I want it to be spontaneous! I love the visual of the prizes hanging before their eyes and wanting to win! I've overheard them all talking about what they'd pick if they got to choose off the prize line! Yay!

 

You can put anything you want on your prize line! My prize line has snacks, school supplies, little toys, candy, tickets, homework passes, Scan to Win tickets, and coupons for other rewards.

 

 So far, I've picked students for random acts of kindness (bigger acts) in our classroom. This sweetie won an entire bag of candy from a different contest and shared it with the entire class! Then she gave a handful of her candy to another student because she was really hungry. One of my students told me how generous this sweetie was, never announcing herself the credit she deserved for being kind. (these are the acts I love to hear about!)

 

This next random act of kindness occurred out of school at the skating rink. We had a Skate Night for our school and one of my students got injured and was crying on benches. This kindhearted young lady went and bought her a slushy with her own money to cheer her up. I witnessed this event and found it so touching (and so did her dad)! It warms my heart when kids help each other (especially this time of year!). I made an announcement the next day about the event and everyone said she should get to pick from the prize line. :) Guess what else happened the next day? Before my injured student left the rink, she asked me what my other student's favorite candy was. So on the way to school, she bought her some Skittles to thank her for trying to cheer her up!

 

We have 7 days left of school, so I plan on using this prize line at least once a day...(participation, helping others, great behavior, etc.) I know it will keep my students motivated and excited!!!

 

I hope you had a wonderful week! Please link up any lessons, ideas, tips, tricks, incentives, ANYTHING you do get your students motivated or excited!

Don't forget to grab my button and link back to this post!

***Please include the topic in the link up with your blog name.

~This link up will be open for two weeks. For summer, Spark Student Motivation will not be posted every week, but the second Saturday of each month. Happy Summer!


 

An InLinkz Link-up

Spark Student Motivation: End of the Year Awards and Memory Book

You're almost there! So many things race through my mind at the end of the year and I ALWAYS forget to do something or have so many things to do on my list I can't get to all of them. So, with 17 days left, I want to get two things that are important to me (and to my students) ready to go this week!

Our school only holds an "end of the year awards ceremony" for our 5th graders, so I hold my own ceremony in our classroom. First, I have my students vote on their peers to receive awards.

 

I give each student a class list of names and they have to vote for every person in our class (including themselves) at least once, then they can fill in the blanks with repeat students who are deserving of that award. This really shows how much they know about each other. Every year I'm impressed with how thoughtful they are with their decisions.

I give every student the M.V.P. award because they're all M.V.P.s to our classroom. You can pick up this award for your students here {freebie}.

These awards are editable, so you can type in the recipient's name or write it in with black marker. I like to print mine on colored cardstock so they last longer (or you could laminate the paper ones). I hold my ceremony the 2nd to last day of school so I have time to present the awards and not feel rushed that last day. There's 52 of them, so there's something for everyone!

I also present my awards with a "trophy". Yes, I have the High Heel Awards! Some ceremonies include a golden statue, a colorful blimp, a plaque, a crystal trophy...mine are clear plastic heels! They think it's funny when I whip those out for the first award! I'm sure I'm the first to give them that kind of trophy! LOL! I purchased these at Hobby Lobby in the wedding section.

The memory book is very important for me to provide to my students because many can not afford a yearbook. This is a fun, creative way for them to hold on to our class memories and look back for years to come! It's also an inexpensive way to celebrate our year together.

I have my own binding machine at home, so I can get them done in between others chores! I like to bind them and use cardstock for the front and back covers for durability. Plus, it makes it "feel" like a "real" memory book.

I purchased this at Office Depot a couple of years ago and it's been a lifesaver for several projects.

***BONUS!!! This memory book is 26 pages and will keep your students busy while you tend to end of the year clean up or paperwork! AND, it's perfect for a substitute if you're going to be out!

I think this is a great end of year gift I can give my students...a book with a collection of memories!

I hope you had a wonderful week! Please link up any lessons, ideas, tips, tricks, incentives, ANYTHING you do get your students motivated or excited!

Don't forget to grab my button and link back to this post!

Check out all the wonderful ideas from my friends who link up and don't forget to leave some love by commenting....we LOVE comments!
***Please include the topic in the link up with your blog name.

Spark Student Motivation: ABC Countdown

Before we talk about sparking student motivation...what about my new blog makeover!!! Kassie has MOTIVATED me! I couldn't wait to post today on this beautifully designed blog! I'm so happy with the layout and colors! Thank you Kassie-you're patient, talented, and flexible!

How many days do you have left?
The end of the year gets hectic, so let's add some fun and a little something your students will look forward to each day! It's simple and motivating!
ABC Countdown to summer! I forgot last year and almost forgot again this year, but the night before A I remembered! I first learned about this exciting end of the year activity when my buddies Ideas by Jivey and Collaboration Cuties linked up a couple years ago. This is a great incentive for a substitute to use if you're out too! Count backwards 26 days from your last day of school and starting with A, give a letter to each day until the end of school. Brainstorm possible ideas of activities with your class for each letter, then start the ABC Countdown! :)
Here's our first four days:

 A-Make and fly an AIRPLANE! Of course, you know kids love this activity even if they're not professional airplane makers! I actually had a sub this day because of a workshop and it went very well. You can have a contest too for furthest flying airplane.

B-chew BUBBLE gum ALL day! This has probably been the most exciting day so far for my students because we're not supposed to chew gum at school. I provided one piece and then they could bring their own. They had to spit it out each time we left the classroom (lunch, special area, end of day).  

C-COLORING Day. I found this coloring book at Cracker Barrel and the designs are intricate and cool for BIG kids.

 D-DONATE our time. We read books with our kindergarten friends! Both 4th graders and the kindergarteners LOVED it! They were too cute! I loved the way my students asked questions to monitor their comprehension without any prompting! Such great little teachers!

D-DONATE our time (again). Our school held it's first Special Olympics for our pre-school students. We cheered on those little athletes with our spirit sticks! My kids they're so big and kept saying, "They're so cute!", "Look how little the obstacle course is!", "That was the most adorable Olympics I've ever seen!". I know the pre-k kids loved seeing all those colorful ribbons flying at the finish line!

 The possibilities for these activities are endless! You can make the entire day an "A" day, or just complete one activity a day...either way it's very motivating to kids! It gives them something to look forward to each day besides summer! :) The activities my students have done so far are a mix: educational, fun, volunteering, following directions! Even if you've missed a few days you could catch up!

Want a copy of the ABC Countdown fill in sheet? Click HERE! This is also a great to send home to parents to increase participation.

If you need some end of the year resources, check these out:

Book Character Awards, End of the Year Editable Awards, and to keep the memories preserved a Memory Book!

Have a super week!
 

I hope you had a wonderful week! Please link up any lessons, ideas, tips, tricks, incentives, ANYTHING you do get your students motivated or excited!

Don't forget to grab my button and link back to this post!

Check out all the wonderful ideas from my friends who link up and don't forget to leave some love by commenting....we LOVE comments!
***Please include the topic in the link up with your blog name.