Choice Board / Learning Menu
Blank 3x3 activity-choice grid.
The Choice Board / Learning Menu is a blank 3×3 grid template that teachers fill with nine different activity options, then hand to students who choose which tasks to complete. Unlike a fixed assignment, a choice board puts decision-making in the student's hands, boosting motivation and allowing for natural differentiation across readiness levels and learning styles. Teachers typically populate each cell with a different modality — write, draw, build, discuss, research — so every learner finds at least one entry point they are excited about. The blank grid works for any subject and any grade: vocabulary review, science inquiry extensions, reading response, math practice, or end-of-unit projects. Students can be asked to complete any three, all nine, or a teacher-selected row or column.
Learning objectives
- Give students meaningful agency over how they demonstrate learning
- Support differentiation by offering varied task types and complexity levels
- Increase engagement through student-driven task selection
- Allow teachers to embed multiple intelligences into one planning tool
- Reduce teacher prep by reusing the same grid frame across units
- Encourage metacognitive reflection on personal learning preferences
How to use this template
- Download and print the blank 3×3 choice board on letter paper.
- Write one activity option in each of the nine cells, varying modality and complexity.
- Add point values or star difficulty ratings if you want a tiered menu format.
- Distribute to students at the start of the activity block and clarify how many cells they must complete.
- Collect or have students self-assess completed boards as a formative check.
Classroom & home ideas
- Create a weekly vocabulary choice board where each cell offers a different word-practice strategy — draw it, use it in a sentence, find a synonym, act it out.
- Design a post-reading menu with nine response options ranging from a simple retell to a creative sequel paragraph, so struggling and advanced readers both find a just-right challenge.
- Use as a Friday 'fun extension' where all nine cells are enrichment tasks students pick freely once core work is done.
- Build a STEM choice board where cells include build, research, sketch, present, and write options around the same concept.
- Offer a homework menu for the week — students pick three activities spread over Monday through Thursday at their own pace.
Skills & curriculum links
Frequently asked questions
Do students have to complete all nine cells?
That is entirely up to you. Common structures are any three in a row (like tic-tac-toe), any five forming a cross, or any three of the student's choice. The blank template supports all formats.
How do I differentiate within the same choice board?
Place simpler tasks toward the center cell and more complex ones toward the corners, or color-code cells by difficulty level before printing.
Can I use this for individual students and whole-class groups?
Yes. Print one board per student for independent work, or project it on the whiteboard and have table groups collectively choose which cells to tackle.
Is the grid editable before printing?
The template is a blank PDF you can annotate digitally — type activity descriptions into each cell using any PDF viewer, then print the completed board.
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