choice boards

1. Choice Boards
Katherine Barron

2. Whatare
ChoiceBoards?
 A choice board is a teacher created
table or activity that provides a
variety of tiered activities.
 Choice boards allow students to
complete one or more activity as they
learn and master a skill.
 Choice boards can be organized so
that students are choosing options
that focus on several different skill
sets.
 Can also be a teacher created tiered
assignment.

3. Whatarethe
benefitsof
choiceboards?
Choice boards can be used to
stimulate student engagement by
targeting student interests.
Choice boards allow students to
self-differentiate within teacher set
parameters.
Choice boards can cater to
multiple learning styles.

4. StepsforusingChoice
BoardsorTiered
Assignments

5. Step1
Choose the standard –
Determine what standard you want your choice board to
address.

6. Step2
Decide on the specific skills and
concepts that need to be learned -
What is it you want students to take away from their
activity?

7. Step3
Plan an activity that teaches the
concept and/or skill –
The activity should be on grade level and should be small
group friendly. It is easier to make a small group activity
into a whole group activity than it is to do the opposite.

8. Step4
Look closer at the activities. Ask –
How complex is it?
How can it be made more challenging?
How can it be made less challenging?

9. Step5
Create Tiered Assignments –
Above grade level – look for ways to make it more
challenging not just more work.
Below grade level – break apart the lesson and present it
in smaller parts using teacher guidance and more visual
aids.

10. Step6
Pre-assess
Pre-assess student prior knowledge and use this
information to place students in homogenous groups.

11. Step7
Teach and distribute the activity –
Teach the lesson. Explain the choice boards and what is
expected. Distribute choice boards and materials,
monitor student activity.

12. Step8
Assess for understanding/mastery
–
Assess students to check for skill mastery. Often, the
same pre-assessment can be used as a post assessment.

13. Exampleofa ChoiceBoard
orTieredAssignment

14. ReadingCubes
Reading cubes can be used to allow
students to randomly roll for their
activity or they may still choose for
their assigned cube.
Prior to being assigned a cube,
students will be pre-assessed.
Students will then be assigned a
color. That is the color cube they
may chose from.

15. OnGradeLevel

16. OnGradeLevel

17. BelowGrade
Level

18. BelowGrade
Level

19. AboveGrade
Level

20. AboveGrade
Level

21. Choice Boards and the
Gifted Learner

22. Whyarechoice
boards beneficial
tothegifted
learner?
 There are many types of gifted learners. The term
gifted is used to describe a broad spectrum of students
with advanced thinking skills, conceptual
understanding, are creative interpretation. When
teaching gifted learners it is very important to know
your students. In doing so, you an customize a learning
experience that is best suited to their individual needs
using choice boards. When using choice boards it can
be easier to cater to learning styles, student interests,
and higher-level thinking. Choice boards allow the
gifted learner to take control of their learning and
guide themselves on a path of discovery that they are
able to control and manipulate to best suit their needs.
Of course, in order to for the gifted learner to do this,
they must be presented with teacher created
parameters to help guide their choices so that they
may master and expand on standards and skill sets.