Lesson Plan
Rewards in Real Life
Students will compare classroom token economies to real-world reward systems, analyze how positive reinforcement motivates behavior, and design their own loyalty program.
By connecting classroom systems to familiar programs like airline miles and store loyalty cards, students gain relevance and buy-in, deepen their understanding of positive reinforcement, and see practical applications of behavioral supports.
Audience
8th Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive presentation, discussion, case analysis, and design activity.
Prep
Review Materials
10 minutes
- Review the Miles, Points, Tokens Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with key definitions and examples.
- Read through the Airline & Loyalty Case Studies Reading to understand real-world reinforcement systems.
- Familiarize yourself with the Classroom vs Real Life Discussion Guide for guiding prompts.
- Preview the Design a Loyalty Program Worksheet to prepare for student activity.
Step 1
Introduction & Warm-Up
5 minutes
- Pose the question: “Have you ever collected points or miles for rewards? Where and why?”
- Invite volunteers to share quick examples and note them on the board as token systems.
Step 2
Concept Presentation
7 minutes
- Present positive reinforcement and token economies using the Miles, Points, Tokens Slide Deck.
- Highlight key features: earning, saving, and redeeming tokens or points.
- Compare classroom tokens to airline miles, store points, and other common systems.
Step 3
Class Discussion
5 minutes
- Use the Classroom vs Real Life Discussion Guide.
- Prompt: “How do these reward systems motivate behavior? What can go wrong if rewards are too hard or too easy to earn?”
- Encourage students to think of benefits and potential pitfalls.
Step 4
Case Study Analysis
5 minutes
- Distribute the Airline & Loyalty Case Studies Reading.
- Students work in pairs to identify the reinforcement schedules (e.g., fixed, variable) and discuss outcomes.
- Share one example per pair with the class.
Step 5
Design Activity & Reflection
8 minutes
- Hand out the Design a Loyalty Program Worksheet.
- Students design their own reward program: name, points structure, rewards, and earning criteria.
- Include a reflection prompt: “How is your program similar to or different from our classroom token system?”
- Invite 2–3 students to share their designs briefly.
Slide Deck
Miles, Points, Tokens
Exploring token-based reinforcement systems in our classroom and the world beyond.
Welcome students! Introduce today’s topic: how points and tokens you earn every day (in class or out) use positive reinforcement to shape behavior.
What Is Positive Reinforcement?
• A strategy to increase desired behaviors by adding a reward immediately after they occur.
• Strengthens the likelihood of the behavior happening again.
• Examples: praise, stickers, extra play time.
Define positive reinforcement and explain why adding something good after a behavior makes that behavior more likely to repeat.
Token Economies in the Classroom
• Students earn tokens (points, stickers, tickets) for positive behaviors (participation, teamwork).
• Tokens accumulate in a class “bank.”
• Redeem tokens for privileges (extra recess, small prizes).
• Encourages consistent positive behavior.
Describe how classrooms use token economies: earning, saving, and spending tokens to motivate students.
Real-World Reward Systems
• Airline Miles: Earn miles for flying; redeem for free flights or upgrades.
• Store Loyalty Points: Earn points on purchases; use points for discounts or freebies.
• Gaming XP & Badges: Earn experience points; unlock levels or special items.
Show real-life parallels: airline miles, store loyalty programs, and how they follow the same principles.
Key Features of Token-Based Systems
• Earning Criteria: Which behaviors/actions earn tokens?
• Accumulation & Savings: How tokens build up over time.
• Redemption Options: What rewards are available and at what cost?
• Reinforcement Schedules: Fixed (predictable) vs. variable (random) rewards.
Highlight the common elements (earning, saving, redeeming) and introduce reinforcement schedules they’ll analyze later.
Reading
Airline Loyalty Case Studies
Case Study 1: SkyHigh Airlines – Fixed Schedule Rewards
SkyHigh Airlines awards a free domestic flight for every 10 paid flights you complete in a calendar year.
• Earning Criteria: Every time you fly, you earn one flight credit.
• Fixed Schedule: Exactly 10 credits always earns the same reward (a free flight).
• Outcome: Customers know exactly how many flights they need before they get the free ticket. Many plan trips to reach that “10th flight” goal.
Case Study 2: WanderMiles – Variable Schedule Rewards
WanderMiles uses a mystery bonus system. After each flight, you have a chance to earn extra miles—sometimes you get 100 bonus miles, sometimes 500, and occasionally 1,000. You never know when the big bonus will come.
• Earning Criteria: Base miles per flight plus a random bonus draw.
• Variable Schedule: Bonuses occur unpredictably; you can’t count on exactly when you’ll hit the large reward.
• Outcome: Many customers fly more often “just in case” the next trip brings a big bonus.
Guiding Questions
- Which reinforcement schedule does SkyHigh Airlines use? Why is it called “fixed”?
- How is WanderMiles’ system different? What makes it a “variable” schedule?
- Which program might encourage people to fly more often, and why?
- What potential problems can occur if a reward is too hard to earn? Too easy?
Discussion
Classroom vs Real Life Discussion Guide
Purpose
Help students connect their classroom token economy to real-world reward systems, identify similarities and differences, and evaluate how positive reinforcement shapes behavior.
Discussion Norms
• Listen respectfully and let others finish speaking.
• Back up your ideas with examples from our classroom or from Miles, Points, Tokens Slide Deck and Airline & Loyalty Case Studies Reading.
• Build on others’ ideas and ask clarifying questions.
Think-Pair-Share Prompts
- Earning & Redemption
• How do you earn tokens in our classroom? How do you earn points or miles in a real-world program?
• What similarities and differences do you notice?
- Motivation & Behavior
• In which system (classroom or real life) do you feel more motivated to “play the game”? Why?
• How does knowing the reward you’ll get (fixed) versus not knowing (variable) change your behavior?
- Pros, Cons & Pitfalls
• What are the benefits of a fixed schedule (like SkyHigh Airlines)? What are the downsides?
• What are the benefits of a variable schedule (like WanderMiles)? What potential problems can arise?
Follow-Up Questions
• Can a reward system ever backfire? Describe a scenario in our classroom or a store loyalty program.
• How might you tweak a reward system to make it fairer or more motivating?
• Which system would you choose for our class and why?
Wrap-Up Reflection
Ask each student to write one sentence: “The biggest lesson I learned today about reward systems is __________.”
Activity
Design a Loyalty Program Worksheet
Use what you’ve learned from the Miles, Points, Tokens Slide Deck, the Airline Loyalty Case Studies, and the Classroom vs Real Life Discussion Guide to create your own reward system. Think about earning criteria, reinforcement schedules (fixed vs. variable), and fun yet fair redemption options.
1. Program Name
Give your loyalty program a catchy name that reflects its purpose.
2. Earning Criteria
List the behaviors or actions that will earn points or tokens in your program.
- Example: Completing homework on time = 5 points
- Example: Helping a classmate = 2 points
3. Points Structure
• How many points will each action earn?
• Will you include bonus or surprise points (variable schedule)?
• Will the schedule be fixed (you know exactly how many points per action) or variable (random bonus chances)?
4. Redemption Options
Design at least three rewards students can redeem. Fill in the table below:
| Reward | Cost (points) | Description of Reward |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | ||
| 2. | ||
| 3. |
5. Reflection Questions
- How is your loyalty program similar to or different from our classroom token economy?
- Which reinforcement schedule did you choose (fixed or variable)? Why do you think this will best motivate people?
- What potential pitfalls could occur in your system (e.g., too hard or too easy to earn rewards), and how would you fix them?
Next Steps: Be prepared to share your program’s name, one earning rule, and your favorite reward with the class!