Below are pictures of my differentiated early finisher chart. There is a pocket labeled with each subject area plus some extra topics. I create assignments or activities for the topic we are studying for each subject area. This is not as hard as it seems because there are a ton of resources on the Internet, and I tend to create general activities like word sorts with vocabulary that can be easily interchanged. I also plan some in depth, application activities for some pockets. The cool thing is that there are always two pockets that you never change. You can add to them if you want but you don't have to switch them out. I will explain those below. The kids know that after they complete something, they are not to be idle. They have to get something out of the early finisher chart. They love it though because they get to choose what they work on and there are TONS of options. Students are always extending their learning which is the best part! Check the pictures out below! Below the pictures are explanations of each pocket.
Reading: Can switch items out for current curriculum. I always have blank graphic organizers in that pocket for them to fill out. They can always fill these out for their SSR books or other books they are reading.
Writing: I have 3 composition notebooks in that pocket. Each composition notebook has an example test writing prompt on it with the exact instructions that they will see on their state end of the year test. Students write in the notebooks responding to each prompt. Then I glue a new prompt on them when most of my students have responded to it.
Social Studies: For each Social Studies unit, I create or find a choice menu for that unit. There are so many different types of activities that the students can do provided on the menu. An example is, "Act out something important from the time period that we are studying. Write a script first, and then have a friend video it with a Flip Camera."
Science: I have a word sort activity with their vocabulary words from the current unit. Again, this is interchangeable to each unit.
Math: I have practice sheets, word problems, and games for the current unit.
Scramble with Students: This is just some fun with words! They are game sheets like Boggle or Scramble with Friends on the iPhone. Students are only allowed to complete one a week because they are not specifically content related. They do make the students think about how words work though and sometimes they are pretty hard. I have a competition going each week for the student who can get the most points. These always stay in that pocket.
Choice Menus: These also always stay in that pocket. They are very general choice menus having to do with the students weekly affix words or vocabulary or novel choice menus that they can do with any book. General options can be put in this pocket.
In Progress: Student work that is in progress goes here. They are not to leave the classroom without putting it in the In Progress pocket otherwise I will never see it again.
Completed: Obviously, student completed work goes here.
Hope you find this useful!
-h
