How Do I Use Choice Boards in the Classroom So They Are Effective?

One way to offer students choice is by using choice boards in the classroom. Choice boards can be used with any Science unit, and for any group of students. When you offer activities based on student interest and the different intelligences, your students will be more motivated and may learn the material better than if they had no choice. Read on to find out how choice boards in the classroom reach your learners.

In This Post

We will go over what choice boards are and variations of them. I will give some examples of activities you can use on a choice board. And I’ll go over planning, preparing, and managing choice boards in the classroom.

What are Choice Boards?

Choice boards are a simple and effective way to offer choice to your students. There are digital choice boards and printable choice boards. You could also have a choice board as a bulletin board. Students can complete the choice board as an assignment over several days or as an extension when they are done with their work. And you can create a choice board for any Science unit!

Choice boards tend to be a 3 x 3 table, so there are 9 boxes. Each box is an activity they choose to complete.

What are Choice Boards? Image of a choice board. Use choice boards in any science unit. Digital or print or both. Variety of engaging activities.

There are variations to choice boards. You can vary the types of assignments and how many you want students to complete. Here are a few ways to vary the number of assignments you want students to complete:

Students complete the four corners of the choice board then choose 1 or 2 additional activities.
Students choose 3-4 activities from the choice board.
Create a tic-tac-toe menu. Students complete three in a row (horizontal, diagonal, or vertical).
Create a choice menu- give each activity a point value and students complete a certain number of points.

What are Some Choice Board Activities?

There are many activities you can include on a choice board. You can use activities you’d normally put in a station on your choice board. If you want to learn more about stations, read more in this blog post.

Here are some ideas for choice board activities:

Vocabulary practice
Creating and reading diagrams
Computer interactivities or simulations
Short videos online with questions or an activity to complete (Use BrainPop, Scholastic Study Jams, etc.)
Art or illustrating activity
Writing activity- CER (claim, evidence, reasoning), creative writing, or a short report
Graphing- students can create and analyze graphs
Mini-lab or STEM activity
Review activity (in book, Quizlet, Gimkit, Kahoot, or Blooket)
Assignment in their textbook
Reading passage with questions
Creating a model or concept poster

How Do I Plan Choice Boards in the Classroom?

When you plan your Science unit, always begin with your standards. Decide what your students must learn to master the standard, and how you will assess their learning. Then, brainstorm a list of activities they can complete.

Once you have listed everything, decide on nine activities your students can choose from. Place the activities on the choice board and decide on a due date. Choice boards typically take students 2-3 days to complete.

IF you are having students complete the four corners first, then be sure to place the activities you are requiring (most important ones) in those four corners. If you’re making a tic-tac-toe menu, you can either place all nine activities, or you can choose about 6-7 activities for the choice board. Place them so no matter what row students complete, they always have to do one of the required or most important activities.

Planning your choice board. Image of a tic-tac-toe-menu choice board.

The last part of planning is deciding on what to grade. Some options include grading the entire choice board, grading the ones they actually complete, or choosing the most important ones to grade.

I like to assign points for each activity, such as 5 points. This changes based on the types of activities I am having students complete, and which type of choice board I am using.

How Do I Prepare Choice Boards in the Classroom?

Once you know the activities students will complete, you can prepare the materials. Make copies of any worksheets, print out directions, and gather other materials students will need to use.

Then put each activity in a specific location so students can access it. I like to set up the activities in a similar way to my stations set up. The activities are set up around the room at the lab tables. I also use the magnetic paper holders and put worksheets on the white board.

For the activities on the computer, I add them to Google Classroom. Be sure to name the assignments and the topic with the words “Choice Board” and your Science unit. That way, students know that those are the activities related to the choice board.

How Do I Manage Choice Boards in the Classroom?

Using choice boards in the classroom is manageable, even though students are working on different things. Just like with any procedure and routine, you need to teach students what to do. Teach students your expectations while they are working on their choice board. While they are working (practicing the procedure), reinforce what they are doing right, and correct what they may not be doing the way you expect.

Decide if students can work together. Teach what it looks like when they are on task, even when they are talking to each other.

Be sure students know the directions for each choice. In addition to the short description on their choice board, have a visual set of directions where you have the activity. Students should also know how to clean up and when and where to turn in their work.

Wrap Up

Choice boards in the classroom is a simple and effective way to offer choice to your students. You plan the activities you want students to complete for any Science unit. Choose the variation of a choice board that fits your class and prepare your materials. Teach your students the expectations and how to complete choice boards. And let your students choose activities to complete so they are more engaged and motivated to complete the work- and you’ll know they are learning!

Your Turn

I hope you feel ready to use choice boards in the classroom! When you plan your next unit, I challenge you to add a choice board to it. Let me know what you will do in your classroom with choice boards.