Megan Reynolds

Megan Reynolds

I am a teacher & designer. Connecting with students & seeing them enjoy learning is my favorite feeling on earth! I hope you enjoy this article!

2nd Grade Transition Time Choice Board Tutorial for Teachers

Build your own Transition Time Choice Board for 2nd Grade in minutes! Keep kids engaged & learning using these tactics & templates
To use a choice board in your 2nd Grade Classroom during Transition Time you will need to create the Transition Time choices (there are lots of examples), organize the classroom, and have a goal;

Time-saving, differentiation, and dynamic classroom management are my favorite reasons to use a choice board!

Integrating choices every day you will need to hone in on the best way to apply 2nd Grade Transition Time choice boards to your classroom style!

Here are a few ideas and instructions on choices, classroom management and getting buy-in from your2nd Graders

Ideas & Examples of Great 2nd Grade Transition Time Choices

Story Corner: Read & Draw
In Story Corner, we read a fun book together, then you get to draw your favorite part! Grab your crayons and let’s make our own colorful story pictures!
Quiet Puzzle Fun
Quiet Puzzle Fun: Pick a puzzle you like. Use your inside voice if you need help. Match the pieces to make a picture. Have calm, quiet fun as you solve it!
Nature Scavenger Hunt
Find things in nature! Look for a leaf, a rock, a flower, and a bug. Draw or list what you see. Have fun exploring outside!
Magical Math Riddles
Magical Math Riddles: Solve fun puzzles with numbers! Add, subtract, and find secret codes to unlock math magic. Perfect for young wizards in 2nd grade! πŸ§™β€β™‚οΈβœ¨πŸ”’
Creative Writing Adventure
Imagine a magic forest where animals talk. Pick an animal friend and write a story about a fun day you have together. Use your best handwriting and draw pictures too!
Superhero Stretch Break
Stand up, reach high like Superwoman, then swoop down like Batman. Stretch to one side like Mr. Fantastic, then the other. Spin around slowly like Wonder Woman, then pose strong like Hulk!
Silly Storytelling Dice
Roll the dice with pictures, and make up a fun story using the images you see. It’s like a game where you become a storyteller with your friends! πŸ˜„πŸŽ²πŸ“–
Friendship Bracelet Making
Make a bracelet for a friend! You’ll need colorful threads. Tie them together, braid by crossing left over middle, then right over middle. Repeat and tie the end! πŸŒˆπŸ‘«
Whisper Reading Club
Whisper Reading Club is where we read quietly to ourselves, like a secret whisper to our books, then share our favorite parts with friends!

Using a Choice Board to Differentiate Transition Time in a 2nd Grade Classroom

Keep It Simple

Everyone “teacher & student” should know exactly what they are doing. If you don’t make it even easier!Β 

Differential Instruction vs Saving time?

There is nothing more irritating than “Saving Time” with a Choice Board & ending up with “More work!”.Β  Are you using this to hit standards or save time or both?Β 

"Self Guided" or "instruction-based"?

If you giving out work, should they do it on their own or are these more instructions for each choice?

General rule, if the grade is > 3 there is more work per choice.

FREE Blank Fillable & Custom Choice Board

All ages, all grades where you need 9 grid choice board. Start loving learning again!Β 

How To Manage Your 2nd Grade Classroom During Transition Time (With a Choice Board)

I find its easiest to use a big board at the front of the classroom where all students can see the choices  then decide what they want to do

This often will be coming in from a break or transition between subjects. 

If you can get all students to know whats expected during a choice activity it becomes one-hundred times easier to manage the class & have everyone know what choices they have!  

There are three core steps you have to hit when using a Choice Board; 

1) The Set Up
2) 
The Instruction 
3) The Q+A 

1) The Set Up

Select your choices, decide on how you are going to use this time in your classroom. Build the choice board

1) The Instruction

Tell the students what they are going to be doing (this becomes easier over time) Simply start with 3 options & move from there.Β 

1) The Q & A

Does anyone have questions? This will help you or the next time.Β Remember the goal is to make this easier each time!Β 

Why Use A Choice Board?

So, let’s chat about choiceboards and why they’re like the coolest thing ever in your classroom.Β 

Picture this: kiddos bouncing into the room, eyes lighting up because they get to pick their own adventure in learning new words.

Β It’s like a mini vocab party, and everyone’s invited!

We all have our own jam, right? Some of us are little artists, others are born performers, and some love to get lost in stories. Choice boards are like a buffet of fun learning snacks, so every munchkin finds something tasty that helps the vocab stick!

And here’s the kicker – when the little ones get to steer the ship, they turn into these mini captains of learning. They’re making the calls, and with every choice, they puff up a bit more with confidence. It’s a win-win – they’re learning and feeling like the boss at the same time.

Plus, for us teachers, it’s like having a secret helper in the room. We get to sprinkle in all sorts of activities that match our students’ levels and what makes their hearts tick. It’s like custom-making a learning playlist that gets every kid grooving to the vocab beat. How cool is that?