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 Writing Choice Board Tutorial for Teachers

Build your own Writing Choice Board for 2nd Grade in minutes! Keep kids engaged & learning using these tactics & templates

Common Core Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.3, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.5, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.8

To use a choice board in your 2nd Grade Classroom during Writing you will need to create the Writingchoices (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 Writing 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 Writing Choices

Create Your Own Comic Strip

Draw a fun story in boxes! Make characters, give them words in bubbles, and show what happens step by step. Share your awesome comic with friends!

Write a Letter to a Storybook Character

Write a letter to your favorite book character. Tell them about yourself, ask questions, or say why you like them. Draw a picture too! Use paper and pencil. Have fun writing!

Make a Fairy Tale Diary Entry

Write a diary like a fairy tale character. Pick a character, think about their day, and write a short story as if you are them. Use your imagination!

Design a Dream Playground Flyer

Draw your dream playground! Add slides, swings, and anything fun. Use colors and show us what you’d love to play on. Be creative!

Invent a Superhero Adventure Story

Create a story about a hero with a special power saving the day! Draw pictures of the hero, the problem, and how they fix it. Use your imagination and have fun!

Craft a Poem About Your Favorite Animal

Write a short poem about the animal you love most! Use your five senses to describe it. How does it look, sound, feel, smell, or even taste (if you imagine)? Have fun!

Draw and Describe Your Imaginary Friend

Draw your make-believe buddy! Give them a name, color their hair, and tell me what makes them special. Do they have powers? What games do you play? Have fun creating!

Compose a Postcard to a Planet

Imagine a faraway planet. Draw it on a card, then write a friendly note to someone living there. Tell them about Earth and ask about their world!

Write a Recipe for a Magic Potion

Mix 1 cup of water, 3 drops of food coloring, and a spoonful of glitter. Stir with a stick while making a wish. Pretend to sip the magic potion!

Using a Choice Board to Differentiate Writing 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!

Differential Instruction vs Saving time?

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

"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!

How To Manage Your 2nd Grade Classroom During Writing (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.

1) The Q & A

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

Why Use A Choice Board?

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

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

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?