Lesson Plan
Token Treasure Hunt
Students will understand and actively participate in the classroom token system, demonstrating positive behaviors to earn rewards.
Learning positive behavioral expectations helps create a fun and productive classroom environment, and understanding how to earn rewards teaches valuable skills like self-regulation and goal setting.
Audience
1st Grade Class
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Game-based activities and visual aids.
Materials
Whiteboard or projector, Adventure to Awesome Rewards Slide Deck, Good Choices Charades Cards, Tokens (stickers, small cutouts, marbles, etc.), Small rewards for the token store (erasers, pencils, extra free time, etc.), and Behavior Bingo Board
Prep
Gather Materials & Review
15 minutes
- Review the Adventure to Awesome Rewards Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with the content.
- Print and cut out the Good Choices Charades Cards.
- Prepare your tokens and a selection of small rewards for the token store.
- Ensure the Behavior Bingo Board is ready for student use (either printed copies or a large classroom version).
Step 1
Warm-Up: Good Choices Charades
5 minutes
- Begin with the Good Choices Charades warm-up activity. Explain to students that they will act out positive behaviors.
- Divide students into small groups or call on individuals to act out behaviors from the cards. Encourage guesses and discuss why each behavior is a 'good choice.'
- (Teacher Script: Teacher Script - Token System)
Step 2
Introduction to Token System (Slide Deck)
10 minutes
- Present the Adventure to Awesome Rewards Slide Deck.
- Go through each slide, explaining what a token system is, how to earn tokens through good choices, and what kinds of rewards can be earned.
- Emphasize the connection between positive actions and earning fun things.
- Encourage questions and participation.
- (Teacher Script: Teacher Script - Token System)
Step 3
Activity: Behavior Bingo
10 minutes
- Introduce the Behavior Bingo Board. Explain that throughout the day/week, when students demonstrate positive behaviors mentioned in the bingo squares, they will earn a token to place on their board (or you will mark it on a classroom board).
- The goal is to get a 'bingo' (a row, column, or diagonal) to earn a special reward from the token store.
- Do a quick practice round, asking students to identify behaviors that would earn a token and mark it on their imaginary board.
- (Teacher Script: Teacher Script - Token System)
Step 4
Wrap-Up & Ongoing Application
5 minutes
- Briefly recap the token system and the Behavior Bingo Board.
- Remind students that making good choices helps everyone have a great classroom experience and leads to awesome rewards.
- Inform them that the token system and bingo will be used regularly, starting now!
- (Teacher Script: Teacher Script - Token System)
Slide Deck
Are We Earning Our Way to Fun?
Get ready for an adventure where good choices lead to awesome rewards!
Welcome students and introduce the exciting topic of earning rewards for good choices. Ask a question to get them thinking, like: 'What makes our classroom a fun place to learn?'
What is a Token System?
It's a special way to earn cool stuff by making great choices and showing positive behavior!
Think of it like collecting stars or points for being an amazing student.
Explain a token system simply. It's like collecting points for doing great things. These points can be traded for special treats or privileges.
How Do We Earn Tokens?
You earn tokens when you make good choices, like:
- Listening quietly
- Helping a friend
- Following directions
- Working hard
- Being kind
- Cleaning up
Give clear, concrete examples of behaviors. Use visuals or gestures to reinforce understanding. Ask students for examples of good choices they make.
Awesome Rewards!
When you collect enough tokens, you can trade them for exciting rewards!
- Extra playtime
- Choose a classroom job
- Sit with a friend
- Stickers or small prizes
- Technology time
Show examples of rewards. These should be appealing to 1st graders and clearly defined. Mention that the class might have a 'token store' or a list of rewards.
Let's Get Started!
Every good choice helps you earn your way to fun!
Let's make our classroom an amazing place by making awesome choices together!
End with an encouraging note, emphasizing that everyone can participate and succeed. Reiterate the fun aspect.
Game
Behavior Bingo Board!
Get ready to play Behavior Bingo! Every time you make a super choice, you earn a token. Collect tokens and try to get a BINGO (5 in a row!) to earn a special reward!
Instructions:
- When your teacher sees you making one of the good choices on the board, you earn a token!
- Place your token on the square (or your teacher will mark it for you).
- Try to get 5 tokens in a row (across, down, or diagonally) to get a BINGO!
- When you get a BINGO, you get an awesome reward!
Good luck, super students!
| B | I | N | G | O |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listening Quietly | Helping a Friend | Following Directions | Raising My Hand | Cleaning Up |
| Sharing Toys | Using Kind Words | Walking in Line | FREE SPACE | Working Independently |
| Being Respectful | Taking Turns | Completing My Work | Saying "Please" and "Thank You" | Staying in My Seat |
| Participating Actively | Giving Compliments | Being Patient | Handling Materials Carefully | Trying My Best |
| Being Organized | Asking for Help Politely | Waiting My Turn | Resolving Conflicts Peacefully | Showing Empathy |
Warm Up
Good Choices Charades
Objective: Act out positive behaviors to help us remember how to make good choices!
Instructions:
- Your teacher will give you a card with a good choice written on it.
- Act out the good choice without talking.
- Your classmates will guess what good choice you are acting out!
- After guessing, we will talk about why that is a good choice in our classroom.
Charade Ideas (Cut these out into individual cards):
- Listening to the teacher
- Helping a friend pick up dropped pencils
- Raising your hand to speak
- Sharing toys during free time
- Walking quietly in the hallway
- Cleaning up your work area
- Using kind words with a classmate
- Sitting nicely during carpet time
- Working quietly at your desk
- Waiting your turn on the playground
- Saying "please" and "thank you"
- Giving a compliment to a friend
- Being patient while waiting
- Putting away your backpack neatly
- Helping to organize books
Script
Teacher Script - Token System
Warm-Up: Good Choices Charades (5 minutes)
"Good morning, everyone! Today, we are going on an exciting adventure where we get to earn our way to fun things in our classroom! To get us started, we are going to play a game called Good Choices Charades!"
"Here's how it works: I have some cards with 'good choices' written on them. I will pick one of you to act out the good choice without talking. Your job, class, is to guess what good choice they are showing us! After we guess, we'll talk about why that is a good choice for our classroom. Who wants to go first?"
(Facilitate Charades. After each guess, ask:) "That's right! Why is [behavior] a good choice? How does it help our classroom?"
"Great job, everyone! Those are all wonderful ways to make our classroom a happy and productive place."
Introduction to Token System (Slide Deck) (10 minutes)
"Now that we've thought about all these amazing good choices, let's learn about our new way to celebrate them! Take a look at our Adventure to Awesome Rewards Slide Deck!"
(Go through slides, pausing for questions and interaction.)
"As you can see, a token system is a really fun way to get special rewards for making great choices. Every time you show one of those good behaviors we talked about, you can earn a token!"
"What are some of the good choices we can make to earn tokens?"
(Allow students to share.)
"And what kind of awesome rewards are you excited to work for?"
(Allow students to share.)
"Remember, earning tokens is all about making our classroom the best it can be!"
Activity: Behavior Bingo (10 minutes)
"Speaking of earning tokens, we have a super fun game to help us keep track of our good choices. It's called Behavior Bingo!"
"I'm going to give each of you a Behavior Bingo Board, or we can use our big classroom board. On this board, you'll see many of the good choices we just discussed. When I see you making one of these good choices, you will earn a token, and we'll mark it off on your board."
"Your goal is to get a BINGO! That means five good choices in a row – across, down, or even diagonally. When you get a BINGO, you get to choose a special reward from our token store! How exciting is that?"
"Let's do a quick practice. If I say, 'I see Sarah listening quietly,' and 'listening quietly' is on your board, what would you do? (Students respond: mark it). Exactly!"
"So, throughout the day, keep making those wonderful choices, and watch your Bingo board fill up!"
Wrap-Up & Ongoing Application (5 minutes)
"Wow, you all did an amazing job learning about our new token system and Behavior Bingo today! Remember, every good choice you make not only helps you earn tokens and awesome rewards, but it also makes our classroom a fantastic place for everyone to learn and grow."
"Our token system and Behavior Bingo will start right now! I can't wait to see all the good choices you make and how many bingos you get. Keep up the great work!"