Motivator Matching Stations Kit

Description: A hands-on activity with four themed stations where students sort and prioritize different types of motivators. At each station, students discuss, sort cards by preference, and record their top two motivators.

Overall Instructions:

• Divide the class into four small groups.
• Each group starts at one station and spends 3–4 minutes there.
• After time is up, rotate groups clockwise to the next station until each group visits all four.
• Provide clipboards, pencils, and the recording sheet at each station.

Station 1: Tangible Rewards

Materials:

• Cards showing stickers, medals, ribbons, certificates, stamps
• Station mat labeled “Tangible Rewards”
• Recording sheet section for Station 1

Instructions:

1. Lay out all tangible reward cards on the mat.
2. Sort cards into three piles: Love, Like, Not for me.
3. From the Love pile, choose your top two favorite rewards.
4. Write those two on the recording sheet and draw a quick sketch or symbol for each.
   
   
   

Station 2: Social Praise

Materials:

• Cards illustrating high-fives, applause, “Good job!” notes, teacher shout-outs
• Station mat labeled “Social Praise”
• Recording sheet section for Station 2

Instructions:

1. Arrange social praise cards on the mat.
2. Discuss what each type feels like.
3. Sort into Love, Like, Not for me.
4. Pick your top two from the Love pile and note them plus why they’re motivating.
   
   
   

Station 3: Activity Breaks

Materials:

• Cards depicting movement breaks, dance sessions, quick games, brain breaks
• Station mat labeled “Activity Breaks”
• Recording sheet section for Station 3

Instructions:

1. Spread out all activity break cards.
2. Sort into Love, Like, Not for me.
3. From Love, select your two favorite breaks.
4. Record choices and explain when you’d like to use them in class.
   
   
   

Station 4: Token Prizes

Materials:

• Cards showing pencils, erasers, tickets, small treats, privilege coupons
• Station mat labeled “Token Prizes”
• Recording sheet section for Station 4

Instructions:

1. Display token prize cards on the mat.
2. Sort the cards: Love, Like, Not for me.
3. Choose your top two from Love.
4. Write them down and jot why they’d encourage you.
   
   
   

Recording Sheet Template (at each station)

Station # ____ — Top 2 Motivators:

1. ---

   Why? _______________________

2. ---

   Why? _______________________

Provide picture-supported cards or partner readers to support ELLs and students needing additional help.

Group Share Circles

ID: group-share-circle-guide
Time: 8 minutes
Purpose: Students share their top motivators, listen to peers, and surface common themes to inform our classroom point system.

Materials Needed

• A small speaker token (e.g., a ball, stuffed animal, or talking stick)
• Chart paper and marker
• Sticky notes for each student
• Group Share Circles guide at each circle

Circle Norms

1. Only the person holding the speaker token may speak.
2. Everyone listens without interrupting.
3. Respect each other’s ideas—no judgment or teasing.
4. Be concise—keep shares around 30–45 seconds.
5. Pass the token clockwise when you finish speaking.

Discussion Structure

1. Setup (1 minute)

• Arrange students in their pre-assigned circles of 4–5.
• Give the token to one student per circle to start.
• Remind them of the norms above.

2. Round 1: Reward Style Share (2 minutes)

Each student holding the token answers in one sentence:
• “My Reward Style is (A, B, C, or D)_ because _____.”

Teacher Prompt Ideas

• “Why did you pick that letter most often?”
• “What is one example from today’s quiz that helped you decide?”

3. Round 2: My Top Motivator (3 minutes)

Pass the token again. Each student shares:

1. Their single strongest motivator from the stations (e.g., “Stickers,” “High-fives,” “Extra recess,” “Reward tickets”).
2. One short reason why it really motivates them.

Follow-Up Prompts

• “How does that motivator help you feel more excited about learning?”
• “When was a time this motivator made a hard task easier?”

4. Teacher Synthesis & Charting (2 minutes)

• While circles wrap up, walk around with a chart paper.
• Listen for repeats and note common motivators on the chart.
• After circles finish, briefly point out:
  • “I heard many of you say ______.”
  • “This tells us these motivators are important to include in our classroom point system.”

Extension/Next Steps

• Class-Wide Voting: Tomorrow, we’ll vote on the top 3 rewards to include in our Tier 1 point store.
• Homework Reflection: On a sticky note, write one new idea for a class reward you didn’t hear today and stick it on the chart before you leave.

This guide empowers every student voice and captures real motivators to build an engaging, student-centered reinforcement system.

Quick Feel-Good Poll

Name: _______________________ Date: ____________

1. On a scale of 1 to 5, how excited are you to learn today?
   1 (Not excited) ○ 2 ○ 3 ○ 4 ○ 5 (Very excited)
2. What is one thing you find rewarding at school? It can be a moment, activity, or reward.

_______________________________

1. Why does this feel rewarding to you?

_______________________________

Thank you for sharing! Your answers will help us build a classroom that keeps everyone motivated.