How Can I Teach Elementary Science with Choice Boards?

3 Tips for Teaching Science with Choice Boards

Choice boards are a great way to engage students during science lessons! They are often cross-curricular, so you can teach both science and ELA standards at the same time. Here are 3 tips for using science choice boards in elementary classrooms.

Tip #1: Choose Choice Boards that Support Your Science Standards

Choose high-quality choice boards that are aligned to your current science standards.

For example, if your students are learning about weathering and erosion, choose a corresponding choice board like this:

Tip #2: Start Using Science Rotations

Science rotations are a fantastic way to differentiate your teaching and integrate high-quality and engaging activities.

Working on a choice board is a great science rotation activity. 

Here are some ideas for science rotations:

1. Work on a science choice board
2. Hands-on activity with the teacher (guide a small group of students through an engaging activity)
3. Work on the computer (if your school has online science resources)
4. Read about science (check out books from the school library or provide your own books)
5. Write about science (have a writing prompt or activity for students)
6. Explore science (choose a simple, interactive activity for students to work on independently or with partners, such as practice using a hand lens or sort science vocabulary words and definitions)

Tip #3: Invest Time in the Beginning to Set Clear Expectations

Ideally, choice boards should be something that students can complete independently, so it helps to take time in the beginning of the year to set clear expectations about choice boards. You may find this blog post helpful; it's all about getting started with choice boards.

Here are some questions to consider in your classroom:

• Where should students store their choice board activities?

• What do you expect your students' completed work to look like?

• When can students work on their choice boards? Should they work on them during rotations, first thing in the morning, as seat work, after completing their other work, for homework, or at another time?

-Janelle

You may be interested in these science choice boards.