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!

3rd Grade Math Choice Board Tutorial for Teachers

Build your own Math Choice Board for 3rd Grade in minutes! Keep kids engaged & learning using these tactics & templates
To use a choice board in your 3rd Grade Classroom during Math you will need to create the Mathchoices (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 3rd Grade Math choice boards to your classroom style!

Here are a few ideas and instructions on choices, classroom management and getting buy-in from your3rd Graders

Ideas & Examples of Great 3rd Grade Math Choices

Fraction Picnic: Draw Your Plate!
Draw a plate, divide it into parts like a pizza. Color different “foods” in each part. Each part is a fraction of your plate. Share what fraction each food is!
Time Capsule: Write & Seal Your Schedule!
Draw your daily plan with times for each activity. Write it neatly, fold it, and put it in a box. We’ll open it next year to see what changed!
Math Mystery: Solve the Puzzle!
Math Mystery: Solve the Puzzle! is a fun game where you use clues to find hidden numbers. Add, subtract, and think smart to crack the code and win!
Shape Hunt: Find & Graph Shapes!
Let’s go on a Shape Hunt! Look around and find circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles. Draw them in your notebook and make a chart to count how many you see!
Money Manager: Create Your Store!
Create a fun store! Pick items to sell, set prices, and sell to friends. Learn to count money and make change. Be a smart Money Manager!
Measurement Chef: Recipe Math Fun!
Measurement Chef is a game where you become a cook using math! Measure ingredients, follow recipes, and make yummy dishes while learning about cups, teaspoons, and more!
Number Line Leap: Hop Through Sums!
Jump on a number line to add! Start at zero, leap to the first number, then hop the second number’s worth of spaces. Where you land is the sum!
Puzzle Maker: Craft Your Math Game!
Create your own math puzzles! Choose numbers, shapes, and operations (+, -, ×, ÷) to make fun challenges for friends. Just like building with blocks, but with math!
Graph Master: Chart Your Snacks!
Graph Master is a fun game where you sort your snacks into groups and make a chart to show which ones you have more of. It’s like a snack treasure map!

Using a Choice Board to Differentiate Math in a 3rd 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 3rd Grade Classroom During Math (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?