“I’m done! What should I do now?”
It’s a familiar classroom question that somehow always seems to come right when you’re helping another student.
Having something ready makes those moments easier. Having a variety of activities students actually want to try? Even better!
That’s why I created my Monthly Choice Boards. They give students opportunities to write, think, imagine, and create while giving you a low-prep and flexible resource to use throughout the month.
Want to try one with your students? You can download the bonus December choice board for free! Keep reading for ideas for using monthly choice boards and a look at what’s included in the complete packets.
What Are Monthly Choice Boards?
A choice board is a menu of activities students can choose from. Instead of everyone completing the same task, students select an option that appeals to them within the expectations you set.
My Monthly Choice Boards feature activities connected to the month, season, and official and fun holidays. The mix of prompts gives students different ways to explore ideas, express themselves, and practice skills.
For example, the main December board invites students to write an imaginative story about a snowflake’s journey, create a winter comic strip, invent a holiday, or consider where they would go if they could travel through time.
Each month brings fresh possibilities while keeping the classroom routine familiar.
Why Use Monthly Choice Boards?
Choice boards give students a say in their work while helping you plan for those moments when a little flexibility goes a long way.
There’s room for different strengths and interests
Some students love telling stories. Others enjoy drawing, brainstorming, researching, or explaining their opinions. A varied board creates opportunities for students to choose tasks that interest them and stretch their thinking.
You can also adjust expectations for length, detail, or support to suit your students.
Extra time has a purpose
A few minutes before a transition or the time after an assignment can be tricky to plan for. Having meaningful early finisher activities ready gives students a clear next step. With a familiar choice-board routine, they can get started without waiting for you to introduce something new.
Your planning can go further
Once students know how the boards work, you can keep the routine and introduce a new set of choices each month. You have fresh activities ready without starting from scratch.
Giving students a say in their work is one of the many benefits of using choice boards in the classroom, and a monthly board makes it easy to build those opportunities into your routine.
How to Use Monthly Choice Boards in Your Classroom
You don’t need a complicated system to get started. Choose a purpose, explain the routine, and make sure students know where to find their materials.
Here are a few ways to work the boards into your day:
- Early finisher activities: Students choose an activity after completing and checking their assigned work.
- Bell ringers: Use a short task to begin class, or let students return to a longer activity across several days.
- Creative breaks: Offer a brief change of pace with a brainstorming, drawing, or writing option.
- Independent work: Set aside time for students to develop a selected activity more fully.
- Fun Friday: Let students choose a task and save a few minutes for sharing.
- Sub plans: Include a familiar board and clear directions as an additional activity option.
Some prompts work well in a few minutes; others need more time. You can decide which choices fit the time available.
What Comes With the Full Monthly Packets?
The complete monthly packets include individual activity sheets for each prompt on the main choice board.
These sheets give students more guidance than the short description in each square. Depending on the activity, they include detailed directions, examples, graphic organizers, writing space, or templates.
The numbers on the main board match the activity sheets, making it easy for students to find the page they need. You can organize copies in numbered folders or trays so students can collect their materials independently.
Many sheets also include layout or content options, giving you and your students choices about which version to use.
The activity sheets are completely optional, but the additional guidance can make getting started much easier.
Try the Bonus December Choice Board for Free!
December can come with interrupted schedules, extra excitement, and plenty of anticipation about winter break. Sometimes, you just need a few more good options ready to go!
That’s why the December packet includes an additional bonus choice board, and that bonus board is the free download you can try here.
It contains 16 prompts with opportunities for creative writing, reflection, drawing, brainstorming, and more. Students might imagine a magical snow globe, plan thoughtful gifts that cost little or nothing, or explain what they would preserve in a time capsule.
The free download is the bonus December choice board only. It does not include the main December board or the individual activity sheets from the full packet.
The bonus board is designed to be used without matching worksheets. Students can respond on their own paper or use basic classroom supplies, depending on the activity. Check the choices beforehand so you can provide any needed materials or research access.
Click the image below to grab this FREE bonus December Choice Board!
Want the Complete December Packet?
If your students enjoy the free bonus board, the full December packet gives you more choices and more support for using them.
It includes:
- The main December choice board with 16 activities.
- Matching activity sheets for every prompt on the main board.
- Layout and content options for many of those sheets.
Take a closer look at everything included in the December packet by selecting the image below.
Keep the Choices Coming From August Through May
Want fresh activities ready throughout the school year?
The full-year Monthly Choice Board Bundle covers August through May, giving you a familiar routine with new choices each month.
The bundle also includes extra bonuses, such as January fun prompts and a summer choice board and activities packet.
It’s a convenient way to build a collection you can return to for early finishers, bell ringers, independent work, and those little pockets of time that appear throughout the day.
Click the image below to take a closer look at the variety of activities for each month.
Ready to start? Download the free bonus December board, introduce a simple routine, and let your students choose where their ideas take them.