Reading fundamentals of science is mostly boring for nowadays students.
I always try to motivate them by recommending some of the basic but interesting books and papers, engaging them in subject matter with some examples, providing them opportunity to realize that we can learn from history and draw some parallels and conclusions in today's state of that science...
Students need to explain that we can not make a home from the roof. The foundations must be strong, so the other construction will be very good. All those who accept it achieve great success in the given areas.