Caterpillar Game
What is it?
The Caterpillar Game is a school-wide positive behavior intervention aimed at reducing disruptive behavior among students while increasing the use of specific behavior praise.
Why use it?
The Caterpillar Game has been implemented in classrooms from preschool to second grade with results that support the reduction of disruptive behavior among students and the increase in the use of specific behavior praise by teachers (Floress & Jacoby, 2017; Floress et al., 2017).
What does it consist of?
A poster of a caterpillar is hung in the classroom, and the teacher reviews at least one expectation or rule of behavior in the classroom (that is, focusing on any expectation or rule they would like to improve).
Then, during the class, the teacher moves a butterfly up on the "caterpillar" when the students display appropriate behavior, while also providing specific praise for the appropriate behaviors.
To correctly implement the Caterpillar Game, the teacher must give three specific behavior praises for every 10 minutes.
Although there is an emphasis on moving the butterfly up, the teacher can move it down if a student breaks an established rule in the classroom. If this happens, the teacher reminds the student of the established rule immediately after the infraction (done with moderation).
When the butterfly reaches the top of the caterpillar, all the students earn a quick reward activity (for example, a game that the class enjoys).
Data Collection: Record how many times the token (butterfly) moves up the caterpillar in total during the day or the number of times students win a reward activity (reach the top of the caterpillar) in a day.
Progress Monitoring: Plot the daily data on a graph to see the progress over time.
Variations: 1. Implemented without teaching appropriate behavior before starting to play. 2. The teacher identifies a child who demonstrates appropriate behavior to select a reward activity card once the classroom has earned a reward activity.
Evidence
Floress M. T., Jacoby A. L. (2017). The caterpillar game: A SW-PBIS aligned classroom management system. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 33(1), 16–42. https://doi.org/10.1080/15377903.2016.1229706
Floress M. T., Rock A. L., HaileMariam A. (2017). The caterpillar game: A classroom management system. Psychology in the Schools, 54, 385–403. https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22000
Traducción libre de Zoder-Martell, K. A., Floress, M. T., Skriba, H. A., & Taber, T. A. (2023). Classroom management systems to address student disruptive behavior. Intervention in School and Clinic, 58(5), 361-370.
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