Ticket Toss Icebreaker Instructions

Time: 3 minutes
Materials: Foam or paper golden tickets (5–6 per student)

Objective: Build classroom rapport by sharing positive greetings.

Steps:

1. Distribute 5–6 foam or paper “golden tickets” to each student.
2. On your signal, students gently toss a ticket to a peer while saying a positive greeting (e.g., “Great to see you, Maria!”).
3. Recipients respond with “Thank you!” and then toss a ticket to another classmate.
4. Continue for 2–3 rounds so everyone has multiple turns giving and receiving.
5. Debrief: Ask a few volunteers how it felt to share and receive positive messages.

Ready to kick off our Golden Ticket economy with positivity!

Earning & Redeeming Roles Activity

Time: 15 minutes
Materials:

• Scenario cards describing positive behaviors
• Classroom ticket-tracking board (whiteboard/chart)
• Foam or paper golden tickets or sticky notes

Objective

Students will practice identifying positive behaviors, awarding golden tickets, and processing redemptions by rotating through three classroom-economy roles.

Setup

1. Prepare 6–8 scenario cards (e.g., “Two classmates helped clean up without being asked,” “A student encouraged a friend who was struggling”).
2. Ensure the ticket-tracking board shows:
   • Ticket Bank
   • Student Accounts
   • Redemption Menu
3. Divide students into groups of 3–4 and place each group at a table with materials.

Roles (per group)

• Earners: Read each scenario, identify the positive behavior, and decide how many tickets to award (1–3).
• Bankers: Tally awarded tickets and record updates on the Student Accounts section of the board.
• Cashiers: Track any redemption requests (if a group chooses to “spend” tickets immediately) and move tickets to the Redemption Menu.

Instructions

1. Distribute one role card and one scenario card to each group.
2. Groups discuss the scenario and reach consensus on tickets to award.
3. Earners announce the decision; Bankers update the board; Cashiers note any redemptions.
4. After two scenarios (about 5 minutes), rotate roles clockwise and draw two new scenarios.
5. Continue until each student has practiced every role.

Debrief & Discussion

• Which role felt most challenging or fun?
• How did working together help you make fair ticket decisions?
• What suggestions do you have for new scenarios or rewards?

This hands-on practice ensures students understand each part of the Golden Ticket system before individual tracking begins in class.

Ticket Reflection Journal

Use this journal to think about your behaviors, goals, and the Golden Ticket system. Write your responses in the spaces provided.

1. Behavior Focus

What is one positive behavior you want to focus on this week to earn more golden tickets? Why is this behavior important to you?

2. Personal Goal

Set a specific goal related to the ticket system for this week (e.g., earn 10 tickets, help two classmates). How will you stay motivated and track your progress?

3. Reflection on Earning

Think of a time when you earned a golden ticket recently. How did it make you feel? What did you learn about your behavior?

4. Noticing Others

List three positive behaviors you might notice in your classmates. How could you encourage them when you see these behaviors? Why is it important to celebrate each other’s successes?

5. Creative Reward (Bonus)

Imagine a new classroom reward and assign it a ticket cost. Describe the reward and explain why you think your classmates would enjoy it.