Break-out Plan # 10

Date: November 22nd, 2018

Break-out Title/Topic: Operant Conditioning Resources Time
Bridge-in:
 Does anyone train their pets?
 Have your parents ever ‘trained’ you about a specific behaviour you do now,
or used to do?
 What do these two questions have in common?
2min
Pre-Assessment:
 What is the difference between punishment and reinforcement in the context
of operant conditioning?
 Which form is most effective in achieving a desired behaviour? 3min
Learning Objective:
 Apply understanding of operant conditioning to a real world activity involving
another student
 Know the difference between a punishment and reinforcement
 Know the difference between what negative and positive means
.5min
Participatory Activity:
1. In the first part of the break-out have the students sit together in a large circle
on the floor. Ask if 2 students (who would not be too uncomfortable with
pressure from the class) are willing to volunteer in the Operant Conditioning
Activity.
2. Once the 2 students are chosen, ask them to leave the classroom or the
vicinity of where the break-out is occurring (so that they cannot see or hear
the rest of the group).
3. When the volunteers leave, the rest of the students will need to decide on a
task for each of the volunteers to complete (for example it could be picking up
an object, standing on one leg, closing eyes, or saying a certain word).
4. After coming up with a specific (and different) task for each student, explain
how that desired behaviour will be reinforced by the students (for positive
reinforcement applause will be used, and for positive punishment booing will
be used). Only these reinforcements will be used and the students are to sit in
silence when the volunteer does not perform the desired task (ex: stop
clapping if volunteer walks away a specific object you want them to pick up). -personal
5. After checking that the students understand the procedure, bring one of the operant
volunteers back to the group. Engage in positive reinforcement. conditioning
6. When desired behaviour of volunteer one is achieved, bring volunteer two activity
back to the group. Engage in positive punishment. worksheet
7. After desired behaviour of the second volunteer is achieved, ask the which details
volunteers how it made them feel to participate. Ask if everyone understood the instructions
the activity and why it was conducted the way it was. -a random
object in the
area to pick up 25min
Post-Assessment:
 Ask all the students which form of reinforcement they thought was the most
effective
 Ask what the main differences between punishment and reinforcement are
4min
Summary:
 Students will actively engage in an activity on operant conditioning and be
able to identify and apply their knowledge on the concept
.5min