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!

5th Grade Transition Time Choice Board Tutorial for Teachers

Build your own Transition Time Choice Board for 5th Grade in minutes! Keep kids engaged & learning using these tactics & templates
To use a choice board in your 5th 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 5th 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 your5th Graders

Ideas & Examples of Great 5th Grade Transition Time Choices

Create Your Own Comic Strip
Draw a fun comic strip! Pick characters, make up a story, and draw boxes to show what happens step by step. Add speech bubbles for talking. Be creative!
Write a Daily Gratitude List
Every day, write down 3 things you’re thankful for. They can be big, like a family trip, or small, like your favorite snack. This helps you see the good in every day!
Design a Dream Treehouse
Draw your ultimate treehouse! Include cool features like slides, swings, secret rooms, or anything you love. Use your imagination and make it fun!
Invent a New Playground Game
Zigzag Tag: Players run zigzag between cones, trying to tag others. If tagged, swap roles. No pushing, just quick moves and lots of laughs!
Compose a Short Friendship Poem
A friendship poem is a short, sweet verse about caring for friends. It uses simple words and rhymes that express feelings and thoughts about being good pals.
Plan a Virtual Field Trip
Join a virtual trip to the Smithsonian! Click the link, watch cool videos, explore exhibits with arrows on screen, and have fun learning about history and science!
Sketch Your Future Career
Draw a picture of the job you dream of having when you grow up! Imagine what you’ll wear, where you’ll work, and what tools you might use. Be creative!
Craft a Time Capsule Letter
Write a letter to your future self! Include your fave things, goals, and a message. Put it in a box with some small treasures. Seal it and open it in the future to see what’s changed!
Create a Secret Handshake
Create a fun handshake with a friend! Start with a high five, then fist bump, snap your fingers, and end with a cool spin. Practice to make it quick and smooth!

Using a Choice Board to Differentiate Transition Time in a 5th 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 5th 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. 

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?