It is incredible how much power a simple punch card can hold! My students find them highly motivating, which is an excellent incentive for them! I see small groups throughout the day, and punch cards are a massive hit with kindergartners - all the way up through fifth graders!
My students get a punch each day if they: 1 - tried their best and 2 - followed directions. Thankfully there are very few occasions where someone doesn’t get a punch! Punch cards can also be used in a large group, as well.
Here are some ideas on how you can incorporate punch cards into your day:
Good Behavior
Students can get a punch for something as general as following the rules or a more specific target behavior like keeping their hands to themselves or using kind words.Task Completion
Have you ever had a student stare into space during independent work? Having them punch a card once their work is complete can be very motivating! It can encourage them to complete tasks independently with minimal teacher reminders.Reading X number of books/chapters
Punch cards can help increase student stamina while reading or encourage them to read more at home or independently. Depending on age, students can punch their cards after reading a book or a chapter.Turning in Homework
An added bonus to bringing back your homework could be punching a punch card!Acts of Kindness
Acts of kindness always make a classroom a better place! You can encourage these kind words or actions by offering a punch every time you witness an act of kindness. It can be done by individual students, or the whole class can work off of one punch card.My card is full - now what?
There are really endless possibilities!- Some students are happy to bring their completed punch card home and get another!
- One of my teammates has a prize box for students to choose from when they have completed their cards.
- I have reward cards that students can choose from.
Some examples are: Think Ink (using a pen for the day), Teacher Helper, Stinky Feet (taking their shoes off during our group), Teacher Chair (sitting in an extra teacher chair), Instagram Photographer (taking pictures during our group, and I will post one that night)
How do you manage punch cards?
I personally have a bin that students pick out. They are organized by theme, and the kids have gotten to the point where they know the routine and grab another card once they have filled theirs!
Each grade level keeps its punch cards in a specific library pocket!
Thank you for stopping by! I hope that you were able to find a use for punch cards in your classroom! If you want punch cards, check out some of the choices below! The GoNoodle punch cards are a FREEBIE! Click on the picture to check them out!
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