Supercharge Your Math Stations with Choice Boards
I could not have imagined teaching my 3rd grade math block without choice boards. Every week, my students were sent a digital (clickable!) choice board to work on throughout the week. Choice board was one of their math stations, when they weren’t with me or playing a game. Choice boards gave me a lot of flexibility and gave students a lot of ownership. Let’s talk about it!
Why choice boards?
Fostering Student Engagement and Ownership: Math choice boards offer students a range of activities and tasks to choose from, catering to diverse learning preferences and interests. By allowing students to select activities that resonate with them, we tap into their intrinsic motivation and foster a sense of ownership over their learning journey. This increased engagement leads to a more meaningful exploration of mathematical concepts.
Differentiated Learning Opportunities: Choice boards provide a platform for differentiated instruction, catering to students' varying readiness levels and learning styles. The inclusion of both tech-based activities (Quizizz, Kahoot, Blooket) and paper activities ensures that students have a balanced mix of digital and hands-on experiences. When you use a digital choice board, you can link individualized practice for certain kids or groups of kids without them every knowing. This allows for personalized learning experiences that meet the unique needs of each student, promoting growth and mastery.
Promoting Collaboration and Communication: Choice boards can include tasks that encourage collaboration and communication among students. For example, completing a task and sharing it on a platform like Seesaw fosters peer feedback and creates a supportive learning community. This collaboration enhances social-emotional skills while reinforcing mathematical understanding.
Practical Ideas for Math Choice Boards:
Use tech: Each choice board would have links to digital practices like Quizizz, Kahoot, or Blooket. These were fun ways for students to review and still give me a snapshot of their practice.
But don’t forget pencils: The board would also have a few paper practices for students to complete. These were also review, differentiated to the needs of groups of students, and also free for students to work together.
Don’t forget deep thinking!: Each choice board would also include a math task. Students were free to work together and utilize math tools (whiteboards, manipulatives, etc.) to complete the task. Their assignment was to record (through photo or video) and share on Seesaw.
The Holy Grail: Unless you are new around here, you know my love for Nearpod. I was using Nearpod in 2016 before almost anyone has heard of it! There is a Nearpod lesson included in each choice board.
Math choice boards provide a powerful framework for promoting student agency, differentiation, and collaboration in elementary classrooms. By incorporating a variety of engaging activities and allowing students to make choices based on their interests and readiness levels, we cultivate a love for mathematics and nurture deep conceptual understanding. As educators, let us embrace the potential of math choice boards as a valuable tool in empowering our students on their mathematical journey.
Implementing Math Choice Boards:
To begin, introduce the choice board system to your students at the start of the week. Explain that they will receive a choice board with various math activities and tasks. Emphasize that they need to choose and complete five out of the eight options by Friday. You can provide the choice board digitally (I used Google Slides and linked to anything tech) or printed. Students need a way to keep track. My students would screenshot their board and use their iPad marker tool to mark squares they completed.
Ensure that each activity on the choice board is clearly explained and accompanied by any necessary materials or resources.
Throughout the week, monitor students' progress and provide support as needed. Check in with individuals or small groups to offer guidance, clarification, and assistance with the activities. Celebrate their achievements and encourage them to persevere through any challenges they may encounter.
When students complete their choice board before Friday, it's time to unlock the math games! Communicate the reward system clearly, explaining that early finishers earn the privilege of playing physical (board/card) games or digital games. This provides an additional incentive for students to complete their tasks efficiently and effectively.
For students who have not finished their choice board activities by the end of stations on Friday, allocate designated time during the game session for them to complete their tasks. Those who already finished can continue their math games. This ensures that all students have the opportunity to finalize their work and get some game time as well.
To ensure a smooth implementation of the choice board system, it is crucial to introduce this routine early in the school year and provide ample practice opportunities for students. Begin by explaining the purpose and benefits of using choice boards in the classroom. Emphasize that this routine is designed to foster independence, decision-making, and active engagement in mathematics.
Devote dedicated time to explicitly teach students how to navigate the choice board and understand the expectations for completing the tasks. Model the process step-by-step, demonstrating how to select activities, manage time effectively, and seek assistance from peers when needed. Encourage students to ask questions and clarify any uncertainties.
Reinforce the idea that the choice board activities should be tasks that students can tackle independently or with the support of their peers. By designing activities that align with their current skill levels and providing clear instructions and resources, you empower students to take ownership of their learning. This, in turn, frees up your time during math stations, allowing you to meet with small groups and provide targeted instruction where it is most needed.
By establishing the choice board routine early and emphasizing the value of independent work and peer collaboration, you create a classroom environment that promotes autonomy and active engagement in mathematics. As students become familiar with the routine and gain confidence in their abilities, you will witness increased student independence, a stronger sense of responsibility, and a more efficient use of instructional time.
Remember, your role as the teacher is to provide guidance, support, and encouragement throughout the process. By implementing the choice board routine effectively, you will create a learning environment where students thrive, develop essential mathematical skills, and experience the joy of taking ownership of their mathematical journey.
