How to Use Choice Boards in the Classroom (Complete Guide)
Choice boards give students agency while ensuring they practice essential skills. Here's how to create and use them effectively in any classroom.
Choice boards are one of the most versatile differentiation tools available. They give students agency over their learning while ensuring they practice essential skills. Whether you're teaching math, ELA, science, or social studies, choice boards can increase engagement, accommodate different learning styles, and provide appropriate challenge for diverse learners. This guide covers what choice boards are, how to create them, and where to find ready-made options.
What is a choice board?
A choice board is a visual organizer (usually a 3x3 or 4x4 grid) that offers students a menu of activities to choose from. Each square contains a different task, and students select a certain number to complete. Choice boards can be organized by learning style (visual, auditory, kinesthetic), difficulty level (must-do, may-do, challenge), or topic.
How to create a choice board
- Identify the learning goal — what skill or content should students practice?
- Create 9-16 activities of varying types — some visual, some written, some hands-on
- Include a mix of difficulty levels — some easy review, some grade-level, some extension
- Add clear instructions for each activity — students should be able to work independently
- Decide how many activities students must complete — typically 3-5 out of 9
- Add a 'free choice' option — let students propose their own activity
- Include a rubric or checklist — so students know what quality work looks like
Ready-made choice boards
If you don't have time to create your own, we offer ready-made choice boards and extension menus for gifted and high-achieving students:
Our Gifted & Talented Extension Menus include choice boards for grades 3-8 covering math, ELA, science, and social studies. Each menu offers activities at multiple DOK (Depth of Knowledge) levels.
Get the gifted extension menus →
Our Gifted Enrichment Menu Bundle offers full-year DOK extension choice boards for grades 3-8.
Get the enrichment menu bundle →
Choice board best practices
- Make sure all activities address the same learning goal — choice shouldn't mean random work
- Include activities that take different amounts of time — some 10-minute tasks, some 30-minute tasks
- Allow students to work alone or with a partner — some students prefer collaboration
- Set clear expectations for completion — due dates, quality standards, presentation format
- Use choice boards for early finishers, centers, homework, or independent work time
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a choice board in education?
A choice board is a grid of activities (usually 3x3 or 4x4) that gives students a menu of options for practicing a skill or demonstrating understanding. Students choose a certain number of activities to complete.
How do choice boards help with differentiation?
Choice boards differentiate by learning style (visual, auditory, kinesthetic activities), readiness (varying difficulty levels), and interest (students choose what appeals to them). This allows all students to access the same content at their appropriate level.
How many choices should a student make on a choice board?
Typically, students complete 3 out of 9 (tic-tac-toe style) or 4 out of 16 (4x4 grid). The number depends on how long each activity takes and how much time is available.
Can choice boards be used in math?
Yes! Math choice boards can include problem sets, real-world applications, visual models, error analysis, and extension challenges. Our gifted enrichment menus include math choice boards for grades 3-8.
