DIFFERENTIATION THROUGH

CHOICE BOARDS

Julie Baker

2nd Grade Teacher, K-4 GT coordinator

Aurora Frontier K-8

jkbaker@aps.k12.co.us

http://juliekbaker.edublogs.org/

Presentation Wiki: http://auroragt.wikispaces.com/

WHAT ARE CHOICE BOARDS? Choice boards are a way to offer

students a differentiated method of demonstrating and/or expressing their learning through a variety of tasks.

BENEFITS OF A CHOICE BOARD Choice boards provide instructional

activities that address a variety of student characteristics and support a range of student abilities in order to promote student achievement.

Choice boards allow students to make decisions about how they will demonstrate their learning.

A choice board can be for a single lesson, topic, or unit, (varying in length by days, weeks, or months.)

HOW DO CHOICE BOARDS DIFFERENTIATE? Quality choice boards address

differentiation in three ways: ContentProcess Product

CONTENT Content can be differentiated through

accelerated, remediated, or enriched content explored through the resources.

PROCESS Process is differentiated by taking into

consideration the different learning styles as well as the levels and types of thinking. Teachers can address using Bloom’s Taxonomy, Multiple Intelligences, 21st Century Learning Skills, etc.

PRODUCT Product is differentiated by offering a

plethora of delivery modes from which to choose. These can range in complexity and style based on what you would like your student to be able to demonstrate.

PRODUCT EXAMPLESWritten Verbal Tactile Visual

AdvertisementCartoonCreative writingLearning CenterMagazinePamphletBiographyChartCrossword PuzzleGreeting Card JournalNewspaper articleBook coverPoemFairy taleDrawingMapTravel log

AdvertisementDebateOral speechMoviePuppet showNews reportGuest SpeakerOral reportSkitChoral readingCommercialSongGame show

Book coverDioramaCollageCostumeGameMaskMosaicScavenger huntCardboard cutoutComic stripDancePuzzleMimeMuralProject cubeSculptureMobilePuppetWeaving

Art galleryChartDiagramFlipbookGreeting cardMapPhoto essayPosterScrapbookTime line Book coverCollageHidden pictureFamily treeBulletin boardPicture dictionaryModel

MULITIPLE INTELLIGENCE CHOICE Verbal/Linguistic Logical/Mathematical Visual/Spatial Body/Kinesthetic Musical Interpersonal Intrapersonal

www.lda-ia.org/Multiple%20Intelligences%20Assessment%20Menu%202010.doc

HOW TO CREATE A CHOICE BOARD

Choose the content, topic, and/or desired learning for the choice board.

Identify the most important elements of the lesson/unit/what you want the student to know and be able to explain.

Create a variety of activities that your student will choose from in order to show their understanding of the topic.

*A random collection of activities on a choice board does not represent differentiated learning unless intentional planning and reflection has gone into it.

TYPES OF CHOICE BOARDS Basic Choice Tic Tac Toe Menu Baseball 2-5-8 ?

TIC TAC TOE TEMPLATE

Free Choice

DINNER MENU TEMPLATE

Reading: Fiction

Appetizer- Choose 1

Main Course- Choose 1

Side Dish- Choose 2

Dessert- Optional

BASEBALL MENU

Baseball Game

Topic: __________________________________

Look through the following choices and decide how you want to play the game to get 100 points. Singles are worth 10, Doubles 20, Triples 30, and a homerun is 50 points. You can choose any combination of activities to reach 100 points. Singles- 10 points each Doubles- 20 points each Third- 30 points each Homerun- 50 points each

2-5-8 MENU

2-5-8 List Menu

D irections: Choose 2 activities f rom the menu below. The activities

must add up to 10 points. 2 Points-

5 Points-

8 Points-

READING FICTION TIC TAC TOE Write a song about your story. Be sure to include details from the story in

your song.

Color a new book cover for your book. Write the

title and the author’s name on your cover.

Write a new story about one of the characters in

the book.

Write an alternate ending to the story.

Create a diorama of the setting of the story.

Make a puppet of the main character.

Choose a character from the book. Write a paragraph

about how they are like you and a paragraph about how

they are different.

Draw pictures of the important events of the story with one sentence

about them and put them in order.

Create a poster displaying the elements of the story in

an interesting way.

READING DINNER MENU Appetizer- Choose 1

Choose one character to create a character traits web. Choose a character from the book. Write a paragraph about how they are like you and a

paragraph about how they are different from you. Create a puppet of the main character. Write a new story about one of the characters in the book.

  Soup - Choose 1

Create a diorama of the setting of the story. Write a paragraph using descriptive language to describe the setting of the book. Draw, illustrate, and label a map to display the setting of the story.

  Main Course - Choose 1

Choose the important events in the story and draw a picture to illustrate each one. Include a sentence explaining what is happening in each picture.

Create a poster displaying the plot of the story in an interesting way. Write a comic strip to display an important event in the story. Create a pamphlet that displays the elements of the story.

Write a short skit to show one of the important events of the story.

Dessert- Choose 1 Write a song about your story. Be sure to include important details from the story in your song. Color a new book cover for your book. Write the title and the author’s name on your cover. Write an alternative ending to the story.

ELEMENTARY SCIENCE MENU Tic Tac Toe Air and Weather

Logical/Mathematical

Construct a graph or design a chart that explains the levels of clouds.

Describe the types of weather that each cloud brings.

What is mathematical about thermometers? How do you know?

Verbal/Linguisitic Create a bumper

sticker air, it should be clever and explain something about air.

Bodily/Kinesthetic Act out each type

and level of cloud with your body.

Create a movement to show each type of weather.

Visual/Spatial Draw a comic strip

that describes why we need air and how we use it.

Create a flipbook that demonstrates one type of weather throughout the day.

Interpersonal Interview someone

that is not in our class to find out what he or she already know about weather instruments. Together, create a quiz to test other’s knowledge of weather instruments. Include at least 3 instruments.

Intrapersonal Write a journal entry

describing your favorite type of weather and explain why. Brainstorm activities that you can do during this type of weather.

Write a journal entry describing your favorite type of cloud and explain why. Brainstorm a list of activities you can do when that type of cloud is in the sky.

Musical Create a song about

weather and the different observations you can make during it.

Create a sound to imitate the different types of weather.

Find a song that discusses weather to share with your classmates.

Bodily/Kinesthetic Find a part of your

body that can help you accurately identify the wind speed.

Naturalistic Look in a magazine to

find examples of weather in everyday life. Label the types of weather. Predict where the picture is taking place.

INTERMEDIATE SCIENCE MENU 5th Grade Human Body Choice Rubric – Choose 2

1. Explore a topic where one system affects another. Explain and give at least two examples.

A – Ask and answer questions about systems and their interconnections. More than 2 examples P – Answers questions and uses two examples PP – Explains how two systems are interconnected without questions. BU – Defines 2 systems and their connections to each other.

2. Create a game which includes facts about body systems and organs. Be sure there is a game board and moving pieces.

A – Asks easy and challenging questions, including interconnection of systems and organs. Game strategy allows for a winner. P – Includes organs and systems with understanding of game strategy. PP – Just the facts, about systems and organs. BU – Includes organs without systems or systems without organs.

3. Look at two different viewpoints about healthy living and explain why you would choose one over the other. Include which body systems are involved in your decision.

A – Includes more than 2 examples to support your choice, and the second choice. P – Clear explanation about which choice and why. PP – Great definition of healthy living without an explanation of why BU – Explains choices without including systems involved.

4. Explain at least 2 goals that people can create about their own lifestyles (like exercising) based on an understanding of the human body.

A – Goals include explanation of lifestyle and how it is interconnected to health. P – Explains lifestyle and systems involved. PP – Explains systems involved in lifestyles without support of why people would make a choice. BU – Explains body systems and lifestyles with unclear connections.

5. Compare and contrast a human system to that of another organism, and create a hypothesis about why the similarities and differences exist.

A – Clear compare/contrast, along with explanation of hypothesis using BK. P – Explain both organism and humans. Compare/contrast clear. PP – Explains compare/contrast or human and organism but not both. BU – Unclear hypothesis or explanation of how human and another organism compare/contrast.

6. Create a model of the human body and include at least 15 organs and all of the body systems.

A – Ask and answer questions about systems and their interconnections. More than 2 examples P – Answers questions and uses two examples PP – Explains how two systems are interconnected without questions. BU – Defines 2 systems and their connections to each other.

7. Create a survey regarding scientific explanations about human body systems and share your findings.

A – Exhibits scientific process, including a graph of data. P – Exhibits scientific process. PP – Uses almost all of the scientific process. BU – Conducts research without using scientific process.

8. Write an editorial for a newspaper which reviews the information we have learned in class and includes at least 3 human body systems.

A – Reviews systems with no grammatical or spelling errors. P – Explains 3 systems with a few spelling errors. PP – Defines 3 human body systems without explanation. BU – Defines less than 3 human body systems.

9. Identify 3 basic human body systems and explain their functions or why are they important and what do they do?

A – Great explanation of why systems are important. P – Explains functions and systems. PP – Explains the function of the systems without explanation of why they are important. BU – Defines basic human body systems.

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE MENUEnergy Project Guide

Each student must choose TWO activities to complete. Check out the rubrics on the back to find out what the expectation are for each one. If you are going for ADVANCED, you must choose two A assignments. 1. Explore one of these topics and write a short report on your findings. Be sure to explain how what we’ve learned about waves applies to your topic. a. Tsunamis: http://www.tsunami.noaa.gov/ b. Sonic Boom: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ dryden/news/FactSheets/FS-016-DFRC.html

2. Create a crossword puzzle of at least 20 important vocabulary words from the Waves unit. You may build this online or on paper. http://new.puzzlemaker. com:8094/? http://www.armoredpenguin.com/crossword/

3. Build a 3-D Model of either transverse or longitudinal waves. Be sure to include labels of the parts of the wave (amplitude, crest, trough, wavelength, and equilibrium).

4. Act out a skit about Energy, Mechanical Waves, EM waves, or all three. It must be at least 2 minutes long. You may record it with a video camera and show it to the class if you prefer. Be creative!

5. Design a review game (either online or on paper/ note cards) using the facts we have learned about waves, including vocabulary, types of waves, and energy. We may actually use your game to review for the assessment!

6. Draw original labeled diagrams or pictures of the different types of waves (Mechanical – transverse and longitudinal and Electromagnetic Waves). Diagrams or drawings must be very well done with lots of artistic details. Pictures must be free from eraser marks, stray marks, or wrinkles.

7. Choose a subtopic of waves that you find interesting (check in with me before you start) and create a poster that accurately depicts and describes this topic. The poster will be presented to the class and displayed in the hallway. It must be an original topic (not one learned in class). http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/

8. Explore earthquakes and write a short report on your findings. Be sure to include how what we’ve learned about waves in this class is important to understanding earthquakes. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/kids/eqscience.php http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/earthquake-profile/

9. Create an original poem, rap, or song to present to the class about the Electromagnetic Spectrum. It must be at least 2 minutes long and contain useful information about EM waves.

Created by: Amy Anderson Bradic, Science Teacher, Aurora Frontier K-8

USEFUL SITES Elementary choice boards

http://daretodifferentiate.wikispaces.com/Choice+Boards

Middle School/Secondary choice boards http://www.gfps.k12.mt.us/sites/default/files

/ChoiceBoards.pdf

http://www1.cbsd.org/sites/teachers/middle/csikora/DI%20Handouts/Choice%20Boards%20Packet.pdf

THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT! My Choice Board App- $9.99

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-choice-board/id384435705?mt=8