AR+Incentives

Google Group for Sharing AR Quizzes

Cake Party on Dr. Seuss' Birthday for students with 25 or more AR Points

End of year prizes: 50 Point Club: Pizza Party 100 Point Club: Pizza Party and Candy Bar 250 Point Club: Pizza Party, Candy Bar, and Reader Award + free book HIT from CALIBK12

I use AR quizzes only for the state book lists (there are 4 every year). I do this totally by myself.

I post names and # of quizzes passed on the “library wall of fame” and update it regularly. I also send this out to the English teachers.

Each month I choose the Virginia Readers’ Choice superstar student for the one who passed the most AR quizzes. Additionally, I have a monthly drawing for a free movie ticket (school partner donation) where the students names are entered into the drawing every time they pass a quiz.

I make PA announcements and post student pictures throughout the school year.

Here are additional incentives : Pass 2 quizzes by November – free Tropical Smoothie in the library Pass 3 quizzes by December – free Krispy Kreme donut breakfast in the library Pass 4 quizzes by March – vote for favorite title with cake and juice Pass 7 quizzes by May – make your own ice cream sundae in library Pass 10 quizzes by June – free pizza lunch in library

The tropical smoothies, donuts, ice cream, and pizza is donated by our school partners. Kids who read 25-49 points get a read ribbon, 50-99 is a blue ribbon, 100-199 is a bronze medal, 200-299 is a silver medal and 300 and above gets a gold medal. We also award trophies to the highest reader in grade 3, 4, and 5. So we reward both reaching a personal goal (bulletin board) and also total points. - The incentive my students loved the most this year was the Bingo Party. Each 9 weeks if a student meets their goal with 80% or better they get some kind of treat. I have done a movie and popcorn, ice cream sundae, and Bingo. Our school already had a Bingo game with the paper boards that they use at the fall festival. We have a Bic pen company in town and in years past they have donated literally tons of highlighters. We used these to mark their board. My principal had lots of various things leftover from other promotions that she wanted to get rid of that we used as prizes. She had school logo book bags, school mascot stuffed animals, yo yo's etc. I also had paperback books that were high interest that I had bought at the book fair. We had it in the cafeteria because we needed tables and had 100+ in each group. My principal was the bingo caller. She had a ball! We had the prizes on a table. They would shout bingo and go up to the table. I checked their card while my principal continued to call. We would keep going for awhile and then take up the cards and start a new round. Those who won in the last round could participate again in the new rounds. I gave each one a pencil and a bookmark as they left. That way they all got something. I will definitely do this again next year. It was the easiest party I have ever done. Waaaayyyy easier than all that scooping and topping at the Sundae Party! It is helpful to have parent volunteers for monitoring and cleanup but not absolutely necessary. I purchased The "earn and punch" cards from Really Good Stuff. There were 10 punches per card. I picked 10 genres and had someone to place an abbreviation for each genre on each punch area. When students read a book from a particular genre (had to be a good fit level), they took an AR quiz (or a small paper report - if no AR quiz available), and passed, then that punch for that genre was punched out. After completing all 10 punches, they earned a reward. For longer books, every 80 pages earned a punch (ex. 258 pages would be 3 punches). So, the student would get that particular punch for that genre of the book and then they selected the other 2 punches to remove (least favorite genre to read). If it was 69 pages or less, they earned only one punch. This really had students reading different genres this year! It was successful.

-- Here are some of the most successful activities we have done (translation--the ones the kids ask for again and again) : *Water splat party: water balloons and frisbees-toss out on the backyard of the school (I have my own boys fill tubs of water balloons for me and I haul the stuff to school.) *Bubbles: buy the huge jugs of bubble soap, pass out wands and paper cups of the soap, and they go outside to the backyard and blow (I tried making the recipe with a group of kids one year, but it honestly was cheaper to buy the jugs than all the ingredients . . . .) *Make pop bottle volcanoes / science experiments: we make the baking soda/vinegar one, then the peroxide one, then the pop and mentos one. They have to compare steps and results, etc. One of my most requested parties--we added making a lava lamp this year with oil, water, food coloring, and alka-seltzer. *We have made flubber and / or slime. *I wrote a scavenger hunt on the elements of the mystery story. They had clues to decipher and objects to find at each stop. They put all the items into a paper bag. At the end of the hunt, they returned to the library where I checked off their list to ensure they had everything. Then I had a popcorn/soda party for them to celebrate a successful solution. I am the only one doing the preparation, etc. so my groups are no more than 15-20 at a time; grade groups are staggered, but I have paired 5th and 1st on the volcanoes and slime with success - I do several AR rewards (an AR store at the end of each marking period, an end of the year ice cream party if we meet a school-wide goal, etc.). The students seem to like them all but the ones they talk about the most to me, their teachers, & each other seem to be the "AR Points Clubs". At the beginning of the year I hang posterboards in the cafeteria with "50 Points", "100 Points", "200 Points", "300 Points", "400 Points", "500 Points," & "600 Points". At the end of each marking period I run a report of who reached each point level for the year. During class I make a big deal about the students who've reached a new points level & they go the cafeteria & sign the matching poster. It's a really simple reward & they seem to take a lot of pride in getting to sign a poster where everyone will see it. I also have dog tags (ordered from Oriental Trading Company) I give them when they reach 100/200/300/400/500/600 points. The dog tags are a different color for each level & say "_Elementary School _ AR Points Club" I'm sure some dog tags are in the trash before the end of the day but other kids seem to treasure them & wear them around their neck or on their backpacks - My PTO gives me money at the end of the year to buy paperback books to give away. A student earns 1 book for each point club. Most of our student join at least the 10 point club --- am in charge of planning and monitoring an AR incentive program every year. This year, I ordered different color rubber wristbands with different reading slogans written on them. For different number of AR points students receive wristbands each 9 weeks (5 points, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 300) Also, the top reader and another student (a friend, highest % accuracy, most imporved) get to sit at a special table of honor on the stage of our cafeteria duing lunch time. They really feel important sitting at that table. I usally have a special dessert or treat to give them, also. I also post a top 10 AR readers from each grade level in the library. ============================= Okay, I bought this dragon from Highsmith: @http://www.highsmith.com/search/dragon/Dragon-Progress-Tracker-c_21711146/ I put the head across the hall from the library and then added one scale for each quiz any kid in the school passed. I would check them daily whenever I got a chance. I would then write (in my rather awful handwriting) the title of any book a kid passed. Yes, that meant that some days I wrote Miss Nelson Is Back 50 times because a teacher had had her class read it. (okay 50 is an exaggeration) The kids LOVED watching it grow for 2 years. On my last day at Mt Airy, the principal announced for everyone to come help take it down. I thought that was pretty tacky and refused to help. See, I do understand what you've gone through.

Anyway, on the bulletin board right outside the library, I had a parent draw a dragon, a castle and some woods. There were 5 stages between the dragon and the castle. To get your name on the board, you had to earn a certain number of points. (1 for 1st grade, 2 for 2-3, 5 for 5th grade) I got an accucut form for a prince and a princess. The guys got to have their name on princes (they called them soldiers) and the girls on a princesses. As they got more points their person would move through the stages. If they made it to the castle, they could start over, but this time there were double the points to move to the next stage.

1st grade stages: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 2-3 grade stages: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 5th grade stages: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25.

-- have done a ton of research on reading motivation and it all points to having rewards that pertain to the activity. For example, if you want kids to read more, give them books, book marks, etc. as rewards. Rewards that are not tied to reading do not motivate students to read. I always have an AR store at the end of the year and students can spend their points on books that I get either from the book fair or from Scholastic. Yes, it is expensive BUT at least I don't give rewards throughout the year. Typically a chapter book will cost them 20 points, picture books cost 10, bookmarks or reading related stickers are 5 pts. It also gives them something to read over the summer. The kids and teachers love it.

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Tuesday, April 17, 2012 12:19 PM I am newbie and didn't have much of a budget. This has worked very well for my school. Our circulation numbers are up over 1500 checkouts for this same time last year.

1. Grade Level Competition....Posted a Raceway Track in the main hallway. Each home room has a car with teacher's name. Each week I total numbers and move the cars. If I don't move the car I am attacked when students arrive! Each winning home room (one per grade level) will get a pizza party after SOl's with all the trimmings.

2. Individual Competition...we have a Wall of Fame posted in the library. Each week I announce the top 5 in each room. Then if students want their points announced, I do so if not, in private. If a student moved their Bee Sticker from one wall to a higher, they get a package of smarties & either a bee pencil or a bookmark.

3. Individual Competition...Any student making their AR goal 4/6 six weeks gets an invitation to an Ice Cream Sundae Social after SOL's. We will have a theme centered party to celebrate with games, music and of course....ice cream sundaes. -- We used AR in our middle schools. For incentives, we had millionaires and half millionaires (certificates and pizza parties) and those who reached their point goals. We posted their pictures (big ones) on bulletin boards and gave them certificates or medals during awards assemblies. We also gave out book marks, pencils, pens, highlighters, and even candies. --- Every quarter we have a Reading Celebration for those students who reach thier reading goals, 1st qtr.-pizza party, 2nd qtr.- cupcake party, 3rd qtr.- popcorn party, 4th qtr. ice cream sundae party. Also give a book to each student who comes to each party. At the last party the students who came to all 4 get a certificate saying so. This is funded by the 2 bookfairs that I hold each year. Last year I had 200 students come to each party!! This year not so many. So it varies from year to year what is going to happen. To reach goal they have to have 100% of goal and at least 85% mastery of the reading mastered. So it isn't as easy as they first think it is. Does this help. It does get confusing but the students do enjoy this and of course I have a couple of really good volunteers who really do show up and help out!! ; ) --  I do a point system and they get small little rewards for every 10 points. I stop this at 100 points with a book of their choice from a box I keep. I also give grade level winner rewards at awards day with books (up to $10 that I get from the bookfair or a local book seller) and a total school winner (up to $25 worth of books).

-- I ran into trouble managing and rewarding the AR problem due to  student (and teacher aided) cheating. To alleviate that, I blocked the ability to delete "wrong" quizzes (and lied to the teachers saying AR revoked those priviledges and I'd have to call for the  password....silly, but it worked.) Kids would log in, run through the questions, skim for the answers, then quiz again and walk away with points... ANYWAY, I began a Read a Million contest, counting words instead of points. It equalized the playing field. Every book has words - and lower levels who read amny books got credit for reading just like those who could make it through Harry Potter. I rewarded the class who reached 1 M first with a selection of books for their class library. The student(s) who reached a million got a big prize at the end of the year (not disclosed until award day.) Those who remained in the top 10 got a selection of books and a small trophy. The first year, I gave away Kindles with a 50.00 gift certificate. The next year was an ipod touch with 50.00 gift certificate. This year will be a Nook with gift certificate. I have a grant to help provide funds - and have only had 5 winners at the most. It's a great incentive and encouraged kids to work for reading. And, I only had to do it once a year, so I wasn't bothered with weekly, monthly rewards..

I do several things to increase accuracy. I really have when teachers stress the number of points. My motto is "quality over quantity."

I placed 5 baskets near my entrance labeled for each grade level. Each time a student scores 100% on an AR quiz, they can drop off a little form in the corresponding basket for their grade. We then use them to do random drawings on the morning news show (which I am also in charge of.) The winners come to the library for a small prize: books, posters, pencils...

I also like to do holiday themed accuracy contests. During October, students that earned 100% could trade in their form for a piece of candy corn. You'd be amazed how exciting ONE piece of candy corn can become. Of course they are limited to one candy corn a day.

During Easter, I filled plastic eggs with pieces of candy or slips of paper that said "free book" or "free pencil" and they traded their 100% form for an egg. Every egg was a winner- and they could only do one a day.

Last year, during November I cut out "naked" turkeys and hung them in the hallway outside the library. There was a turkey (without tail feathers) for each class. Every time a student from that class scored 100% they could hang a tail feather on their class turkey. The class in each grade level with the most tail feathers at the end of the month where given popcorn. I just gave the popcorn to the teachers and they popped it for the class when they chose.

The kids at my school get very excited when I start a new program and they are relatively inexpensive and stress free!

======================================================= Here's what I do, though not an original idea: We have a weekly AR drawing on the Monday news for any student who made an 80 or better on an AR quiz the previous week. The winning students (one per grade) come and pick out a prize from a drawer (mostly erasers, bookmarks, etc that I saved from the book fair). Now, the admin does recognize the students with the most AR points at the quarterly awards ceremonies, and I run those reports for the admin.

-- gave a $50 for the hgihest points in the school. I gave out movie tickets with popcorn (two each) to the highest in each grade. I gave out coupons for $25 to two most improved readers in each grade (as determined by english teachers from that grade).

During the year they got prizes based on points (10pts a pencil, 25 pts a piece of candy, 50 pts a no dress out pass 75 pts 2 more pieces of candy 100pts a homework pass etc...)

The last week in addition to the big prizes I made goody bags for point ranges like 10-50, 50-100, 100-150, 150-200, 200-300, etc. I put in pencils, notepads, stickers, novelty itmes, candy, tattoos, etc. Tiring but worth it.

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My principal has been great to be a "cheerleader" for those meeting reading goals. Each nine weeks the students go to the gym, sit by classroom and those who met their goal in the class are called out. If a class has 100% meeting goal, they all stand w. teacher for special applause and recognition. Then those meeting the goal come down for a small prize. This last time, I put all the names in a box and drew for 4 bigger prizes. Those with 20 or more points are invited to a pizza party. This is what I will be trying at the end of this year:

For students who met their goals for the 3rd and 4th quarters, they will receive a 50 cent piece.

Starting next year, they will receive a 50 cent piece if they meet their 1st & second quarter goals, then a dollar piece if they meet their goals all year long. I figured for what I spent on parties/rewards, it would be similar in the cost.

This year the students were very receptive to a cupcake decorating party. A friend and I mixed 15 boxes of cake mix and the cafeteria women (angels in disguise) baked them for us. My friend and I also made a bucket (about 4 gallons) of frosting. The students LOVED this! However, it is labor intensive when you can only do it in groups of 24 or less.

Last year, I spent about $50.00 and created a homemade slip 'n slide. It was the best party ever, according to some students. It took place during the last week of school and kids are still talking about it.

However, because of the lack of volunteers, I find AR parties quite exhausting. I am now looking forward to seeing how the money awards are received.

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At the end of the year we have an AR lunchtime picnic. Grade levels set the grade level target for each student. Everyone who makes that target comes to a picnic during their lunch time. I usually have about 200 students over a 2-3 hour span. The PTA pays for the food, the cafeteria manager cooks the meat and everything is picnic friendly (bag of chips, big cookies, juice boxes, etc.).

We also hand out ribbons and certificates the top point earners during the award ceremony.

Over the years we tried other things: principal in the dunking booth and those with the minimum points got 3 throws (my current principal didn’t want to do that), ice cream party with a mini concert, and lunch time snow cones. Nothing beats out the picnic. It is the kid favorite - I give out small rewards throughout the year (book marks) as they achieve the goals. Those who get to the final goal for AR are invited to an end of the year party. I have done an ice cream sundae party, a bingo and cupcake decorating party and for the last two years a movie and popcorn party (least amount of stress) I ask the Reading Specialist to help me for the actual party but I do the rest

-- I have an afternoon in the park with the students who make their goals. One teacher stays back with the students who don't make it and the rest go to our local park with a few frisbees, baseballs, football, and other game items. The kids love the free time and it doesn't cost anything. We have even had the PTA provide hotdogs and cream bars.

================================================================ . Students aren't bubblegum for a set number of points. Students earn invitations to the state and local Read-ins. Students earn tickets for a gift basket. Every passed quiz equals a ticket. --- Message flagged Monday, April 16, 2012 9:10 PM Best prize we had for 50 points you got to have lunch at the Pather Cafe....an foyer area outside the library in the hallway with 2 patio tables and chairs. You could invite a friend (must be someone in your own class) Go to the lunchroom and get your tray, or bring your lunch, or have your parents bring you takeout. No cost prize for the library. We only operated on Fridays. If there was an overflow they ate at a table in the library or out on a bench in our reading garden.

Have read where some schools with cafetoriums allowed the point earners to eat at a special table on the stage. We didn't have that capability.

Point accumulated for the entire year...we didn't deduct for prizes, but did start over each school year.

25 pencil 50 Lunch at Panther Cafe 100 T shirt 200 picture on digital picture frame or flatscreen after we got it in the library 300 Librarian of the Day and library bought your lunch 400 and up Pizza party at end of school year

Top readers in the school received a plaque.

Mine was a 4, 5, 6, grade school with 1300 plus students --- We have the students in grades 3-5 set a personal goal. We then track them each nine weeks in the main school hallway on a bulletin board. To get up on the bulletin board, you have to have at least 80% of your goal. It is updated weekly. We have about 300 kids that we watch. We mark for 80, 90, and 100% of the goal and it really works. - I am the school librarian in an elementary school with approximately 650 students. For several years now, we have had an AR drawing for $15 Books a Million gift cards.

Teachers, or students that can do so, fill out a slip for every 5 points they have earned in AR. K-1 teachers determine if their students have met their reading goals and fill out slips accordingly. We also apply this method for EC students or other students with modified assignments. Slips are dropped in grade level buckets with lids-similar to mini trash cans. These were purchased at the dollar store. Drawings occur each nine weeks and the principal announces the winners on the morning announcements.

We used to have AR parties for hundreds of children each nine weeks but have found this way to be a better alternative. With decreased funds and folks to assist with parties, I prefer the new way.

The only thing I do is make copies of the slips and place them in the teacher boxes. My kids liked a Bingo party!!!

- When students earn so many points, they get invited to a Mystery party. Students bring one friend and their lunch to the library and eat in the library. When they are eating, we share a book they have read during the month and then we play a game and before everyone leaves they get a bookmark and treat. The games we play are modified "Minute to Win It" games. I have a different one each month. Basically I make a master invitation at the beginning of the year and just change the date each month. So sending out invites doesn't take long. Then just a quick shopping trip sometime before the party and I give up one lunch a month. --- I am in charge of AR at my elementary school, and I needed simple (read cheap) ways to recognize AR. The program is not going away, and I know they are not all reading-focused rewards, but so far it seems to be working. Each Monday I post the top point earners in each class in the hallway. I also post the school total. Each 9 weeks the top class in each grade receives a traveling trophy (donated from now-extinct reading program) that the class keeps in their room and a class photo is posted outside the library. Each semester the top point earner in each class has lunch in the library during their scheduled time. They bring their own lunch. We eat, play Wii just dance 2(the clean songs) and each student gets a pencil and personalized bookmark (free at 123certificates.com, I just print and laminate). Second semester all points go back to 0 for top student awards. Gives more people a chance for the lunch. I also give a cup (plastic from walmart with name in sharpie) to any student who reaches 100 points. Cost for everything is pretty minimal.

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We give awards for the top 10 readers: gold, silver, and bronze "medals" -- their names are announced in front of the entire school as our school's top readers.

In addition to that, this year I'm giving B&N gift cards to our gold winners. . . -  Each nine weeks I open my AR store, which includes books, candy, pencils, pens, bookmarks, etc. Each item cost 25, 50,100,200,300 points and they spend their AR points to buy items. I encourage them to save their points til the end of the year so they can afford better things. They have really responded to this.

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