Saturday Motivation: Monthly Lunch Club

In my classroom I have the kids sit in teams.  Sometimes it's a table group, sometimes it's just a team area.  Either way they are earning points/ "gems" in our plastic cups.  I know I told you about them last year.  The power of the plink...  they get these glass gems that drop into a plastic cup on the metal whiteboard.  The sound echoes throughout the classroom and everyone takes notice.  

I give out team points mainly during transitions or independent work.  Which team is prepared the fastest?  Which team cleans up their area the nicest?  Which team is working oh-so wonderfully and is staying focused?? 

Well at the end of the month, the last day before we change desks (therefore mixing up the teams), we count up the team points.  It's a big deal.  Who will be the winner?  The cups are pretty close, sometimes even tied...  

In past years the winners would get our school cash, or a treat... but going into this year I wanted to change it up and make the prize something that couldn't be bought.  It's an invite for lunch in the classroom with yours truly.  So far we only have had one lunch (on August 30th).  During that one lunch the kids ate, and we stuck in a movie to watch - their choice out of my Disney films... you know, the stack of movies that you have stashed just in case it's a rainy day recess?  I let them play games on the computer if they wanted, or they could draw... it's was just a fun end of month treat.

Well those kids went on to tell the others in class all about their lunch time experience, and now there is so much more buy in with the gems.  Peer pressure at it's finest.  :)  

Linking up with Joanne and her Saturday Motivation linky!