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What to do when you are finished poster (free printable)

A ticked list of seven things a student can do when the work is done, from checking it to helping a friend. Write the choices that work in your room and post it.

Printed on the sheet. Leave it empty to write by hand.
Choice | detail
Colour
When I Am Finished, page 1When I Am FinishedChoose one. You do not need to ask.Check my workRead it again and fix one thingRead a bookFrom the class library or my bagWrite or drawIn my journalPractice my factsCards or a math gameHelp a classmateIf they ask and I am sureTidy my areaDesk, floor and suppliesWait quietlyWith my work ready to hand in

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About this sheet

Early finishers are an opportunity or a problem, depending on whether they know what to do. This poster answers the question I'm done, what now? before it is asked. The list begins with checking the work, which is both useful and quick, then moves through reading, writing, practicing and helping. Each has a ticked circle, so the list reads like a menu of choices and not a set of orders. Edit any line to fit your room, for example by naming the center or the bin where the extra practice lives. Keep the list short enough that every item is something a child can start without asking.

Grades: 1 to 8. Best in: August, September.

How to use it

  1. Write your choices in the box, one per line, with a short description after a bar. Remove any that do not fit your room.
  2. Print and post it where students can see it from their desks, and make sure each choice has materials that are easy to reach.
  3. Teach the list with a quick role play: finish a pretend worksheet, then talk through your choices out loud.

Five ideas for class

  1. Put the supplies for each choice on a shelf with a label that matches the poster, so students find what they need without asking.
  2. Rotate the choices through the term. A list that changes keeps early finishers interested, and a new choice is a small event.
  3. Make checking the work the first choice and teach what checking looks like: read it again, fix one thing, and circle one thing you are proud of.
  4. Let students suggest a choice. A list that the class helped write is one that they follow.
  5. Offer a choice that benefits the class, such as straightening the library, and thank the student who did it.

Related

Questions

Should early finishers get more work?

Not as a rule. If finishing early is always followed by extra worksheets, students learn to work slowly. A menu of enriching choices works better.

How many choices should I list?

Five to seven. Fewer and a student runs out; more and the list becomes a decision of its own.

Can I use it for a secondary class?

Yes. Replace the choices with reading, a bell-ringer extension, peer review or an extra problem set, whatever your class uses.

How do I save it as a PDF?

Choose Print, then pick “Save as PDF” as the printer. Only the sheet prints: the page around it is hidden. You can also save a sheet as a PNG image under the preview.

Can I print it in black and white?

Yes. Switch to Black and white beside the sheet: fills turn white and lines turn black, so it saves ink and photocopies cleanly.

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