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!

4th Grade Math Choice Board Tutorial for Teachers

Build your own Math Choice Board for 4th Grade in minutes! Keep kids engaged & learning using these tactics & templates
To use a choice board in your 4th 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 4th Grade Math choice boards to your classroom style!

Here are a few ideas and instructions on choices, classroom management and getting buy-in from your4th Graders

Ideas & Examples of Great 4th Grade Math Choices

Fraction Pictionary
Draw pictures of slices to show fractions! Like 1/2 is half a pizza. Share your drawings and guess each other’s fractions. Fun and easy!
Math Bingo: Multiplication Mania
Math Bingo: Multiply numbers & mark answers on your bingo card. First to get 5 in a row wins! Fun way to practice times tables. Use scratch paper if needed!
Geometry Scavenger Hunt
Find shapes around you! Spot a circle, square, rectangle, triangle, and hexagon. Draw or list where you found them. Remember, a hexagon has 6 sides!
Time Capsule: Clock Challenge
Create a time capsule with a clock inside! Draw a clock face, add hands to show your current time, and write about your favorite moment today. Seal it and open in the future!
Money Manager: Budgeting Basics
Money Manager is a fun game where you pretend to earn and spend money! You’ll make a plan for your cash, save for cool items, and make sure you don’t run out!
Symmetry Art: Draw & Reflect
Fold paper in half, draw a shape on one side, cut it out, unfold to see a symmetrical design! Symmetry means both sides are mirror images, like butterfly wings.
Graph It Up! - Create Your Own Survey
Graph It Up! is a fun project where you ask friends questions, tally answers, and draw a bar graph to show results. Pick a topic, gather data, and create your chart!
Measure Master: Exploring Length & Volume
Measure Master is a fun game where you become a detective using rulers to measure lengths and compare, and using cups and jugs to solve volume puzzles!
Decimal Dive: Shopping Spree
Decimal Dive: Shopping Spree is a fun game where you buy items using money with cents. Add up prices and make sure you don’t spend more than your budget!

Using a Choice Board to Differentiate Math in a 4th 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 4th 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?