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!

6th Grade Transition Time Choice Board Tutorial for Teachers

Build your own Transition Time Choice Board for 6th Grade in minutes! Keep kids engaged & learning using these tactics & templates
To use a choice board in your 6th 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 6th 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 your6th Graders

Ideas & Examples of Great 6th Grade Transition Time Choices

Create Your Dream Locker Poster
Design a poster of your ideal locker! Include colors, decorations, and any cool gadgets. Be creative and show what makes it perfect for you. Use any art supplies!
Design a Personal Time Capsule List
Create a list of special items that represent you now. Think photos, a favorite toy, a letter to future you, and a popular song or game. Seal them in a box to open years later!
Compose a "My Goals" Vision Board
Create a “My Goals” Vision Board by cutting out pictures and words from magazines that represent your dreams and glue them onto poster board to keep you motivated!
Craft a "Friendship Bracelet" Plan
Choose 4 thread colors, cut to arm’s length. Knot together at top, pin to fabric. Separate colors, use leftmost thread to make “4” shape over next thread, pull through loop, tighten. Repeat pattern.
Sketch Your Ideal Study Corner
Draw your perfect study spot! Include a comfy chair, a desk with space for your books, a lamp for good light, and some plants or posters you like. Make it fun and cozy!
Write a "My Perfect Day" Schedule
Wake up 7am, stretch. Breakfast 7:30am. School 8am-3pm, with fun classes & lunch. Home 3:30pm, snack & relax. Homework 4pm. Playtime 5pm. Dinner 6pm. Family time 7pm. Read 8pm. Bed 9pm.
Pen a "Letter to Future Me"
Write a letter to your future self with your hopes, dreams, and goals. Imagine opening it in the future. What would you like to say to remind or surprise yourself?
Create a "Homework Survival Kit" Guide
Craft a “Homework Survival Kit” with a planner, timer, snacks, water, stationery, and a cozy study spot guide. Tackle tasks with breaks, stay organized, and ask for help when needed!
Map Out a Mindfulness Journey
Imagine your mind as a calm path through a forest. Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and walk it step by step, noticing each thought like a leaf on the path, then let it go.

Using a Choice Board to Differentiate Transition Time in a 6th 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 6th 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?