Rewarding Yourself
Lesson:

Full Group (discussion by teacher with student participation)
1.   Explain to students that setting and reaching goals can be hard work, and that one way of keeping yourself motivated along the way is by giving yourself rewards.

2.   Explain that rewards have to fit who you are, what you like and what you've accomplished. Here are some things to keep in mind when planning rewards:

• Meaningful–Is it meaningful, and motivating, to you?

• Fair–Is it fair considering what you did to get it? Bigger goals generally deserve bigger rewards.

• Focused–Do you know why you're rewarding yourself? You'll feel better about your reward if you know exactly what you did to earn it.

• Timely–Did the reward come at the right time? Rewards should be frequent enough that they keep you motivated, and should take place soon after you complete your goal.
3.   Provide examples of how Ann and Liv rewarded themselves while skiing across Antarctica (meal at the end of the day, hot coffee when they reached the South Pole, cheese and fruit and hot showers when they got on the boat to come home, etc.). Ask students to think about other ways Ann and Liv rewarded themselves when they returned home (welcome-home parties when they arrive back in Minnesota and Norway, eating their favorite meals, visits with friends, sleeping in, etc.)
 
Grade Levels: K-6
Time: 1-2 class periods
Materials:

Handouts: -- You Deserve It!
Objectives:

Students will:

* Understand that setting and reaching goals can be hard work, but that rewards can provide motivation along the way.
* Understand what rewards are meaningful to them and how to use them.
* Develop ideas for how to celebrate their own success (and the success of others).

Ann and Liv celebrate reaching the South Pole!

4.  

Ask students to provide examples of how they reward themselves. Here are some ideas from other students:

• A bowl of ice cream after an hour of studying.

• Talking on the phone with friends after completing homework.

• Sleeping in on Saturday morning after making it to school on time all week.

• Getting to order pizza after baby-sitting younger siblings.


5.  

Have students complete the "You Deserve It!" handout so that the next time they complete an important step on their Goal Ladder, they'll be able to reward themselves in a meaningful way. Before hand, you may want to encourage them to think about the following:

• The kinds of things you like to have

• The things you love to do

• Hobbies you like

• Who you like t spend your time with and what you like to do together

• How you like to get away from it all

• What makes you feel proud or happy

• How you'd spend a free afternoon

• How you'd spend $5, $10 or $15 if you found it


6.  

In addition to rewards that provide motivation along the way, explain to students that it's also important to celebrate success. Explain that success doesn't always mean being the brightest, the biggest or the fastest. It also means knowing they did their best. Take Ann and Liv for example. Even if they didn't reach their goal of being the first women to ski across Antarctica, they have plenty to celebrate (that they tried their best, that they got as far as they did, that they inspired so many students around the world to pursue their own dreams, etc.)


7.   Explain to students that it's also important to help other people celebrate their success. People around the world helped Ann and Liv (by sending them e-mail messages, by writing articles about them, by planning parties, etc.). Explain there are a number of ways students can help their friends celebrate their successes. Here are some ideas from other students:

• Tell others. When a friend reaches a goal, let others know.

• Write a letter to your school or local newspaper citing your friend's achievements.

• Send a card offering your congratulations.

• Tape a "Congratulations!" or "Way to go!" banner to your friend's locker.

• Call your friends and let them know how proud you are of what they've done.


Optional
Group Exercise
    If you'd like, have your class plan a party to celebrate the successful completion of the Dare to Dream curriculum. Celebrate the successes big and small that were achieved by each student.

Teachers will assess:

  * Student's understanding of rewards and how to use them for motivation.
  * Student's understanding of how to celebrate their accomplishments and the accomplishments of others.



 

 
`