1.+Choice+Boards

//Choice boards are designed to appeal to different tiers of blooms taxonomy. Students are given a choice of activities to complete each requiring a different use of knowledge attained during direct instruction. The choice board, as its name might lead you to believe, allows students a choice of activity they would like to complete. By using a choice board students can prove that they have learned the content by displaying it according to their individual learning style/modality.// Choice boards or choice menus can be adapted to fit all content areas. Many are arranged according to modality. Students can choose three activities, much like a tic-tac-toe board to complete. Each activity must touch in order to complete the required tic-tac-toe pattern. The first step in implementing this strategy is to evaluate all the skills you will be covering in this unit. These can be designed around a week’s worth of lessons, month or entire unit. Tic-tac-toe or Think-Tac-Toe involves very independent projects. Each square on the tic-tac-toe board should address a different skill acquired in the unit. Students must complete at least three activities. Allow lower students to pick whatever activities they would like to complete, not requiring them to complete the traditional tic-tac-toe formation. The Choice Board is a great way to differentiate content. Different boards may be assigned to gifted, on level, and below standard learners ensuring that every student is pushing the limits of learning they may have for themselves. It addresses many learning modalities and preferences, as well as allows teachers to teach using Bloom’s Taxonomy. Bloom’s Taxonomy levels can be assigned to every square on the board to allow students a chance to complete higher to lower level thinking skills. It is important that a teacher address the essential understandings before allowing students to begin the choice boards (Tomlinson, 2003).
 * Name of Strategy:** // Choice Board //
 * **How to- give specific steps for strategy implementation:**
 * When to-implement in content area (provide specific justification)**
 * Language Arts and Social Studies:**
 * Mathematics and Science:**
 * Research and references that supports the “effective instruction” label for this strategy**
 * **Benefits**
 * Addresses all learning styles and modalities.
 * Allows for student choice in learning.
 * Students can be as creative as they would like while making sure that the content is made relevant to the students.
 * **Drawbacks**
 * May take an extended amount of time for lower students to complete.
 * Some students will not complete the required amount of work or will half-do all the assignments.
 * **Learning styles, modalities, intelligences, or abilities addressed**
 * Thankfully, this strategy addresses all learning styles, modalities, intelligences and abilities.
 * Each square of the tic-tac-toe board can address a different modality. Include a square that allows students to create their own assessment to see what the students really know.
 * **Ways to assess the teaching/learning connection**
 * Assess each student’s amount of time spent on each project and the quality of their work. Students who rush through the activities will most likely not produce quality work.
 * Allow students to present certain projects to the class in order to earn extra credit.
 * Evaluate each project using a pre-assigned rubric.
 * **Classroom management considerations**
 * Students should be wandering around the classroom completing projects.
 * If students are truly engaged you should not have many management problems. Talking should be at a low level if students are focused on the task at hand.

Dunlap, G., DePerczel, M., Clarke, S., Wilson, D., Wright, S., White, R., et al. (1994). CHOICE MAKING TO PROMOTE ADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR FOR STUDENTS WITH EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL CHALLENGES. //Journal of Applied behavior Analysis //, //Fall //(3), 505-518. Tomlinson, C. (2003). Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, (ASCD).