This document provides a collection of activities and strategies for engaging early finishers in the classroom. It begins with a rationale for why early finishers are important to engage, including keeping students on task and challenged. It then provides tips for planning early finisher activities, such as ensuring students can work independently and that activities are meaningful. Several general early finisher activities are outlined, such as DEAR time, journaling, and math problems. Example activities are also provided for specific content areas like creating imaginary continents in social studies. Choice boards are introduced as a way to organize different activity options for students to choose from. Strategies for implementing and tracking early finisher activities are also discussed.

1. anchor activitiesanchor activities
A Collection of Activities forA Collection of Activities for
Early FinishersEarly Finishers
Jacob Bradley, Donnell Cannon, Robin Davis, Kate Mullen,Jacob Bradley, Donnell Cannon, Robin Davis, Kate Mullen,
Johanna Parker, Nate Reisinger, Shanetta PittmanJohanna Parker, Nate Reisinger, Shanetta Pittman
Weldon Middle SchoolWeldon Middle School
FOCUS: CHOICE BOARDS
North Carolina Middle School Conference 2015

2. How to Make This Session a Success
• Relax and have fun. This will be well worth your
time.
• This is a wonderful time to network, exchange
ideas, and make new friends.
• Participate! Make contributions!
• Take notes.
• Find the big idea.

3. The Early Finisher
“In this class we are never
finished. Learning is a process
that never ends.”
~Carol Ann Tomlinson

4. Turn to a Partner
Discuss: How do you engage
early finishers in your
classroom?

5. RATIONALE
• High time on task
• To allow students to work independently on ongoing
assignments throughout a unit
• To keep students challenged after they’ve completed
assignments
• To allow the teacher to work with students to target
specific academic skills, modify and enrich
curriculum, and better meet the needs of individual
students

6. TIPS BEFORE PLANNING THE
ACTIVITIES
Make sure the students have had practice and
understand how to work independently.
Management procedures should already be in place.
The activities should be able to be completed with
little to no teacher intervention or assistance.
The activities should be meaningful.
The activities should be tied to specific content or
skills that need to be reinforced.
You should have a plan for managing and monitoring
the activities.

7. General Activities
for Early Finishers
 DEAR Time - Silent Reading
 Journal Writing or Learning Logs
 Vocabulary Work
 Math “Problem of the Day”
 Learning Centers
 Vocabulary Practice
 Portfolio Management
 Agenda notes

8. Content Activities for Early
Finishers
Math
Imagine a trip you'd really like to take. With permission from your teacher,
visit a travel website and check on available plane tickets and lodgings. Add
up the total amount it would cost you to take the trip. How could you get the
best deal?
Science
Come up with a list of new "essential questions" you'd like to have
answered about our unit of study.
Social Studies
Create an imaginary continent. Then, draw and name the countries on that
continent. Be sure to include borders, capital cities, etc. Then, write about
one of the countries. Explain its government, culture, and laws.
Vocabulary
Create categories or groups for your spelling words, then figure out a way
Reading
Write a letter to the author of a book you've enjoyed.

9. Choice Boards
Definition
Choice boards are organizers that contain a variety of activities.
Students can choose one or several activities to complete as they
learn a skill or develop a product. Choice boards can be organized so
that students are required to choose options that focus on several
different skills.

10. Posting Activities
 Charts around the room
 Dry erase board/Bulletin Board
 Hang from the ceiling
 Laminate and tape to the desks
 Learning Centers
 Colored folders
 Index cards
 Shoe box
 Egg Carton
 Choice boards

11. Early Finisher Activities
• Checklist
• Extra Points
• Teacher/Student Conference
• Rubric
• Percentage of Final Grade
Portfolio Check

12. THINK-TAC-TOE BOOK REPORT
Draw a picture
of the main
character
Perform a play
that shows the
conclusion of a
story
Write a song
about one of
the main events
Write a poem
about two main
events in the
story
Make a poster
that shows the
order of events
in the story
Dress up as your
favorite
character and
perform a
speech telling
who you are
Create a Venn
diagram
comparing and
contracting the
introduction to
the closing
Write two
paragraphs about
the main
character
Write two
paragraphs about
the setting

13. Exploring Weather with Revised Bloom’s
Taxonomy
Remembering
Compile a glossary of
the weather-related
terms covered in this
unit
Understanding
Using your own words,
explain the weather
concepts
Applying
Construct four
different cloud
formations from
construction paper,
felt pens and cotton
balls. Be sure to label
and describe each one.
Analyzing
Compare and contrast
the weather
instruments used by
meteorologists to
make weather
predictions
Evaluating
Determine which
geographic region of
the world has the best
weather or climate
conditions on a regular
basis. Which areas will
you consider. What
criteria will you
consider. Be able to
defend your position.
Creating
In ancient time, people
invented stories to
explain natural
phenomena such as
weather conditions.
Pretend you live in an
ancient land. Compose
a story that explains
the falling of hail.
Illustrate your tale.

14. WHO WINS?

15. REFERENCE
Tomlinson, C. A. (2001). How to differentiate in
mixed-ability classrooms. Alexandria, VA:
Association for the Supervision of Curriculum
Development.

16. Thank you veryThank you very
much!!!much!!!
Enjoy the rest of yourEnjoy the rest of your
conference!conference!