Tic-Tac-Toe Boards, Menus, Choice Boards, and ILPs in the GTE Classroom

One of the hardest things about working with high achieving and gifted and talented students is making sure that you aren't giving them busy work just because they already know most, if not all, of the material. It can be a real catch-22 sometimes.

You have to know that they understand the material and the concepts. You also want to differentiate the material for their learning styles or even their interests. Many times I do this by offering the students a Tic-Tac-Toe choice board. Because whenever you offer your students choices, you are  differentiating the process of learning and the product that will be produced. The means the students are leading their own learning and you are just providing the tools. You still have to be very careful about the assignments that are on the Tic-Tac-Toe. You have to make sure the choices will help the students have a deeper understanding of the standards you are teaching. If they are just going to know what they already know, then you aren't helping them grow. You really are providing busy work.

The easiest place to work with Tic-Tac-Toe boards is in the Science and Social Studies units. You can match each of the choices directly to the standards. You can offer a bit of extension on those standards. You can even choose a variety of activities to match students interests.

I have already used a TTT for Paul Revere, Adaptations, & Habitats so far this year. I am trying to use them only in one subject at a time. If I use it in Social Studies, I am using a menu in Science. If I am using it in Science I might be using an Individual Learning Plan for Social Studies. It just depends on how much I need to teach. If there is a lot of teaching, I am using an ILP. If there is just a bit of teaching I am probably using a menu. If there is practically no teaching, I am using a choice board. But be aware that if you use just the TTT over and over they can be tedious to the students. They many not offer the same choices or even be on the same material but the students begin to not like the TTT boards. That just means you have to change it up a bit! That is why I try to rotate which items I am using and offer the students lots of choices. It means a bit more work on my side at the beginning and in the grading, however, it benefits my students the most.


Example of Spelling Choice Board: These are choice boards. The students can choose any of the squares on the board. It does not have to be a tic-tac-toe. I have these categories set up in a 3 by 3 grid.

1. Word Scramblers: Have mom or dad take your words and scramble them up. See if you can solve them.

2. Secret Codes: Take 10 of your words and create a secret code to put them in. Write the words in the secret code and provide the key to your secret code.

3. Poetry writing: Take at least 8 of your words and use them in a poem. Make sure you write down the rhyming pattern of your poem.

4. Hangman: Play hangman with your parents using your spelling words. Ask them 10 of your words and have them ask you ten of them.

5. Student Choice with Teacher Approval

6. Word Origin: Look up the origin of 6 of your words. Where did it come from?

7. Crossword Puzzle: Create a crossword puzzle with 10 of your words.

8. Word Search: Create a word search on the computer with your words. Print it. Solve it!

9. Word Cubes: Make a word cube for 3 of your hardest words. It should include word, definition, etymology, part of speech, drawing, and use of the word in a sentence.


Example of a Menu:

Social Studies Unit 2

SS3H1 The student will explain the political roots of our modern democracy in the U.S
a. Greek architecture, law, and Olympics      
b. Ancient Athenian idea that the society should choose its own leaders      
c. Compare and contrast Athens & US (direct and representative democracies)

Tier 1 (Choose 2) - Initial

1. Make a collage of famous American buildings that show the influence of Greek Architecture. Label the Greek features for each of the buildings. Your collage should contain at least ten different buildings.

2. Use a double bubble map to compare ancient Greek Olympics to the modern day Olympics. Make sure that your double bubble map has at least 3 defining characteristics in each area.    

3. Create a Social Studies mini-book that will help explain the differences between direct and representative democracies to your classmates. This book should be at least 8 pages and include illustrations, diagrams, pictures, and thoughtful descriptions.

                
Tier 2 (Choose 1) - Enrichment

1. Create a skit that illustrates the steps that the people in the United States use to nominate and elect its leaders. Explain how this process is similar and different than the processes.

2. Create a rap, a poem, or a song that describes what happens when societies are not allowed to choose their leaders.  (Research countries like N. Korea, China, and Cuba)

Tier 3 (Choose 1)- Extension

1. Create a Powerpoint that compares the strengths and weaknesses of the government in Ancient Greece and the strengths and weaknesses of the United States government. 

2. Write an informational blog that describes how the United States modeled our government after the Ancient Greek Government in Athens, Greece. Your paper must be at least one full page and include examples, details, and facts that support your thinking. Please no skipped lines.

 

Example Tic-Tac-Toe Board: This one was used for an end of the year review for the students. It helped them remember all the things that they had learned throughout the year. The activities were ones that were not offered during the units.

Tic –Tac – Toe

Select and complete activities from the choice board in a tic-tac-toe design. When you complete the activities in a row you may decide to be finished or you may decide to keep going and complete more activities.

Starburst Rocks-   Create all three types of rocks using starburst candies. Take a picture and record your observations in your science journal.	Habitats-   Using Powerpoint design a Georgia habitat and all of the animals that live there.	Magnets-   Select 25 classroom objects and investigate how they react with magnets.
Pollution-   Create a poster that advertises the three types of pollution and how we can help prevent each type.	Heating/Cooling-   Describe the three ways thermal energy moves. Draw a picture that illustrates each way.	Rocks & Fossils –   Illustrate how an animal becomes a fossil.
Habits of Mind –   Create a manual that explains the scientific method and tools scientist use.	Rock Cycle-   Diagram and Label the Rock Cycle. Write a paragraph that describes how rock can change from one type of rock to another.	Dependence-   Select 3 plants from each region of Georgia: identify features of green plants that allow them to live and thrive in different regions of Georgia.

 Individual Learning Plan: When I have a lot of material to teach, I most often use an ILP. These come from Carolyn Coil and Pieces of Learning.