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!

8th Grade Science Choice Board Tutorial for Teachers

Build your own Science Choice Board for 8th Grade in minutes! Keep kids engaged & learning using these tactics & templates
To use a choice board in your 8th Grade Classroom during Science you will need to create the Sciencechoices (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 8th Grade Science choice boards to your classroom style!

Here are a few ideas and instructions on choices, classroom management and getting buy-in from your8th Graders

Ideas & Examples of Great 8th Grade Science Choices

Create a Comic Strip: Photosynthesis Adventure
Create a comic where a water molecule & CO2 join a leaf’s “Photosynthesis Party,” get energized by sunlight, and transform into oxygen and glucose!
Design a Habitat: Alien Ecosystem Challenge
Create an alien world ecosystem! Draw or build a habitat with plants, animals, and climate. Show how they all survive together. Be imaginative and have fun!
DIY Volcano: Earth's Fiery Forces
Create a mini volcano using baking soda & vinegar to simulate an eruption. Mix in dish soap & red food coloring for lava effect. Learn about pressure & chemical reactions!
Climate Time Capsule: Future Forecast Project
Create a “Climate Time Capsule” with predictions and solutions for future climate. Include a letter to 2050, drawings, and ideas to reduce carbon footprints.
Microscopic World: Create Your Own Cell City
Imagine a city where parts of a cell are buildings & workers. Design this “Cell City” with organelles as places (nucleus=city hall). Draw & label each part’s role!
Energy Quest: Build a Solar Oven
Build a solar oven using a box, foil, & plastic wrap. The foil reflects sun’s heat, the wrap traps it. Cook s’mores & learn about renewable energy!
Recycle Racer: Craft a Car from Scraps
Build a toy car using only recycled materials! Get creative with old bottles, cans, and cardboard. Make sure it can roll. Show off your eco-friendly racer!
Astronomy Storyboard: Illustrate a Space Mission
Draw a rocket launch, orbit entry, moon landing, flag planting, sample collection, rocket return to Earth, and splashdown. Label each step, and use arrows to show the journey’s flow.
Plant Detective: Uncover the Mystery of Transpiration
Become a Plant Detective and explore how plants sweat through transpiration! You’ll need a plastic bag, a leafy twig, and sunlight. Wrap the bag around the twig, wait, and observe the water magic!

Using a Choice Board to Differentiate Science in a 8th 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 8th Grade Classroom During Science (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?