Examples of ways to differentiate instruction

TeachersFirst's Thinking Teachers who write our resource reviews often have suggestions that have worked in their classrooms. Open the reviews to the "more" view to see ideas for using specific resources as tools to differentiate for a variety of learners. Alternatively, use the keyword search tool at the left of this page to search for a curriculum topic and the term "differentiate." For example, search fractions differentiate (with "all the words" selected for the search).
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Perplexity - Perplexity
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Use Perplexity to increase your productivity, create assessments, and as a resource for finding classroom resources and lessons. For example, ask Perplexity to share lesson ideas for upcoming topics. Include your grade level, subject and topic, standards, and the type of lessons you would like to find. The more specific you are with your prompt, the better the results will be. Quickly create exit tickets, quizzes, portfolio ideas, and more simply by chatting with Perplexity. Upload a lesson plan, worksheet, or infographic as part of a prompt to create or differentiate assessments and activities. Use Perplexity to write letters of recommendation, generate information for classroom newsletters, and write grant applications. Learn more about using AI by watching the archive of OK2Ask: Using AI for Teacher Productivity reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Twee (Beta) - Twee
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Twee isn't just for English teachers! Use Twee to create content for any subject area to engage students and enhance comprehension. Use Twee to differentiate instruction by creating reading passages with different levels of difficulty based on the same content. Twee's vocabulary tools are an excellent option when introducing new vocabulary for science content, social studies, or math terminology. Extend learning using NearPod, reviewed here to create interactive lessons using the content created with Twee, such as drag-and-drop activities and using comprehension questions as formative assessments.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Diffit - Adam Black and Vlad Gutkovich
Grades
2 to 12In the Classroom
Use Diffit to quickly adapt and differentiate text or content by reading level and language needs. Use Diffit to translate text into the native language of multilingual learners and generate comprehension questions. Differentiate text for special needs students or gifted students based on their ability. Engage students in the learning process by copying the questions generated by Diffit into an interactive quiz format resource such as Blooket, reviewed here. Extend learning by asking students to respond to the open-ended questions by sharing a video response using Flip, reviewed here. Encourage students to show creativity in Flip by using the included features in the camera, such as images, filters, and stickers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Skew the Script - Skew the Script
Grades
7 to 12In the Classroom
Take advantage of the many lessons and teaching materials provided by Skew the Script to find lessons and supplemental materials for use in math classrooms. Include the lessons as an engaging way to show students how these mathematical concepts relate to everyday life. Differentiate activities based on students' interests and abilities. For example, provide advanced students with supplemental activities that feature advanced concepts or use lessons to review previously learned materials. Many lessons include activities that use Desmos, reviewed here and include an accompanying teacher guide. Ask students to share their work created in Desmos by creating screenshots and including them as part of a reflection activity using Google Docs or Google Slides, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Claude - Anthropic
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Use this resource to improve productivity by asking it to create quizzes, rubrics, lesson plans, and more. Because Claude includes the option to add files, increase productivity further by attaching a worksheet and asking it to modify the content to differentiate learning or to suggest ideas for presenting the content in a different format. Be sure to ask for information as precisely as possible by including grade-level information, the subject you teach, content standards and teaching objectives, and options for differentiating instruction. Math teachers can ask Claude to explain the content differently or ask for ideas on applying math topics to everyday life. In social studies or science, ask Claude to generate a vocabulary list or create a story based on your lessons incorporating essential vocabulary terms. ELA teachers might use Claude to get suggestions for interventions to support struggling readers or to find additional resources to support current lessons. Always verify any information provided by ChatGPT before using it. Claude is an evolving tool, and many features change (or upgrade) regularly.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Superheroes of Science - Purdue University College of Science
Grades
5 to 12In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site to find engaging science videos and podcasts for virtually any topic. Use the search features found in the Superheroes of Science YouTube channel and podcast page to search for episodes related to your current topic. Share a link to episodes with students to introduce a new topic, as a computer station activity, or as part of a flipped learning lesson. Include videos in lessons created with NearPod, reviewed here and add questions to the videos to enhance student understanding; include short questions in your slide presentation as a formative assessment and a quick option for creating differentiated learning activities. After watching videos and conducting your experiments and lab activities, ask students to create learning videos and podcasts to share with peers demonstrating the science content learned. Buzzsprout, reviewed here is an easy-to-use tool for creating and sharing podcasts, while moovly, reviewed here offers many free resources for creating and sharing engaging videos.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ReadM - ReadM
Grades
K to 4In the Classroom
Use ReadM to engage and support new readers and to assist multilingual learners of any age. Include ReadM as a literacy center for students to practice reading skills and assign different reading levels to differentiate instruction as needed. Enhance student learning by using Read Ahead, reviewed here to create a guided reading activity. Share ReadM with parents to use as a reading practice tool at home or to demonstrate reading progress as demonstrated on the teacher dashboard. Extend learning using some of the many available literacy resources and interactives on Class Tools, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Propello - NE USA
Grades
6 to 8In the Classroom
Use Propello's library of materials to supplement your current science curriculum by creating customized learning paths for students. Differentiate content based on student's abilities and interests. Propello's built-in assessments provide real-time feedback on student understanding and use that data to adapt instruction as needed. In addition to sharing activities on this site, engage students in science instruction using interactive simulations such as those found at phET, reviewed here. Instead of administering a paper and pencil test at the end of your teaching unit, enhance student learning by asking them to demonstrate learning by creating videos using Animoto, reviewed here or interactive presentations made with Genially, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Almanack - Almanack.ai
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Use Almanack to quickly create classroom slide presentations, worksheets, and learning activities. Quickly create materials to differentiate instruction using the same topic but adjusting for different grade levels to meet students' abilities. A straightforward way to learn how to use Almanack is by beginning with the resources section. For example, start with video recommendations to find YouTube videos to include with your lessons. Being as specific as possible with requests will lead to the best suggestions that meet your needs.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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ChatGPT - OpenAI
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Use ChatGPT to increase your productivity and as a resource for finding classroom resources. For example, use the chat to find activities accompanying your current book study. An example question might be, "What are some activities to add to our study of Charlotte's Web in third grade?" Use a clarifying question to select one of the provided activities and ask for free online resources that support the provided response. This example includes several clarifying questions that provide additional ideas for books and activities to accompany Charlotte's. Ask ChatGPT to differentiate activities for students who need extra support or for those that need enrichment activities. Another use for ChatGPT is to write Student of the Week paragraphs; ask ChatGPT to write a paragraph including the student's name and accomplishments and revise the section to fit your needs.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Purdue University Kids STEM Degree - Purdue University
Grades
K to 8In the Classroom
Use this site to offer your students STEM "degrees" in several ways. As a class, complete an activity weekly as an introduction and review of science content by including the video as part of a computer center activity. Work together to complete the quiz for each video, then request a certificate to recognize your class's accomplishment. Another option is for students to work toward achieving certifications on their own. Share this site on your class newsletter for students to complete over the summer as an exciting way to engage in science activities and earn a STEM degree. One benefit of having the option to choose from different grade levels is the ability to differentiate learning by offering various courses to students based on their interests and abilities. Some students may choose to earn several degrees in different grade levels. Support and encourage students to pursue STEM degrees by taking pictures of completed degrees and adding them to your class website. Extend learning by asking students to research one of the topics, then share a presentation with peers using Canva Edu, reviewed here. Canva Edu offers many options for creating and personalizing presentations including slides, infographics, and flyers.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Work Smarter, Not Harder: Using Non-Fiction Text Features to Find Information Efficiently - TeachersFirst
Grades
3 to 12In the Classroom
Share this article and the included activities with peers as part of your professional development activities. Work with your peers to identify specific nonfiction texts to use during your lessons. One excellent resource for finding short, nonfiction articles is Newsela, reviewed here. Assign articles to students through Newsela and differentiate information based on individual student needs. Use Newsela's annotation feature to highlight text features discussed during your lessons.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Achievery - AT&T
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site as a resource for lessons in many content areas to engage students using popular video clips. All lessons are created as remote learning activities making them easily adaptable for both in-class and out-of-class assignments. Easily find activities to differentiate instruction for different student ability levels by browsing options below or above the student's current grade level. Many lessons include worksheets in PDF format, turn these activities into a digital format by taking a screenshot of the document, then save as the background on Google Slides, reviewed here. Add text boxes in the appropriate place on the slide for students to add responses. Use Pear Deck Flashcard Factory, reviewed here, to create flashcards for students to practice the vocabulary highlighted in each lesson.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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C-Span Classroom - C-Span
Grades
6 to 12In the Classroom
Bookmark this site to access many video resources and lessons to teach social studies topics. Include lessons and activities as part of interactive lessons created with Microsoft PowerPoint Online, reviewed here. Include quizzes, videos, links to documents, and more to create flipped or blended learning lessons on Microsoft PowerPoint Online that differentiate student abilities and interests and a resource for students to complete lessons individually at their own pace. As a final learning activity and to enhance learning, ask students to share their understanding of the content by creating short video clips made with FlexClip, reviewed here. Modify templates provided by FlexClip to create a short but content-rich overview of the lesson that shares student understanding of the information.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Real World Exploration - Amazon Future Engineer
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free materials shared on this site to introduce and develop your students' computer science skills. Learn more about computer science by taking the professional development activities provided by Amazon Future Engineer. Use the timeline on the home page to select materials appropriate for your students and differentiate options for advanced students. Share the self-guided options with students interested in computer science careers and those who already understand coding and want to develop higher-level skills. Ask students to make simple explainer videos using AnyRec Screen Recorder, reviewed here, to show others how to create code. After taking virtual field trips to see the work of computer science engineers or participating in a class chat, ask students to explore other STEM careers. Find many ideas at these resources that include the career tag on TeachersFirst.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Parlay Genie - Parlay
Grades
5 to 12In the Classroom
Use Parlay Genie to quickly generate discussion questions for whole-class or groups for any topic. Easily differentiate questions for different groups of students by developing questions for different grade levels to match student abilities. If you are not sharing discussions through Parlay, use many digital resources to share questions and gather information from students. For example, engage students in the discussion activity by asking them to share a short response using Vevox, reviewed here. Use the students' responses to generate a word cloud in Vevox to highlight common responses. Then ask students to work in groups that explore the initial responses more in-depth to extend understanding. Have each group work on a collaborative document such as Google Docs or Microsoft Word. As a final project, have student groups share their responses, including additional media resources, by creating a slide presentation with Google Slides, reviewed here, or Microsoft PowerPoint Online, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Latinx Authors and History - CommonLit
Grades
3 to 12In the Classroom
Learn more about the many valuable features and options provided by CommonLit, reviewed here. Assign and include these informational texts as part of a Hispanic Heritage Month unit, non-fiction lessons, or as part of a poetry unit. Differentiate activities based on student interest and reading abilities using the materials included in this text set. Enhance student learning by challenging students to create a concept map using mindmaps, reviewed here, that shares information and key concepts learned from these activities. Extend student learning by asking them to create an interactive map to learn more about the featured Latinx individuals and movements using StoryMaps, reviewed here. Include images, videos, documents, and more to tell the stories of the featured individuals with StoryMaps.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Curipod - Curipod AS
Grades
3 to 12In the Classroom
Use Curipod as a starting point for creating lessons and student activities, then modify the content to fit your curriculum and students' abilities and needs. The Brain Break activities are an excellent starting point for using Curipod in your classroom. Select an activity from the Brain Break options, then choose a grade level and follow the prompts to share a short mental break with your students. Copy and paste standards when creating a lesson as a starting point to add content for the lesson. When using any AI technology, verify the information provided is accurate before sharing it with students. Use Curripod as a flipped or blended learning activity, share the join code with students, and ask them to complete the activities within a designated period before reviewing together as a class. Easily modify any template to differentiate instruction for different groups of students. For example, when introducing decimals, provide a basic introduction with vocabulary and instructional content to one group of students but add more challenging content, such as adding decimals for students already familiar with this topic. Coordinate with other teachers to create cross-curricular activities or when planning units together.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Geekersoft PDF Converter Online - Geekersoft
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Bookmark and save this site for any number of classroom uses. Convert PDF worksheets to Word documents, then edit and change information to fit your needs. Differentiate learning by adapting information on a PDF document to fit the learning needs of students that need additional support or provide extended education for gifted and advanced learners. Take advantage of file converters such as this one to create unique class books. For example, after converting a PDF template to a Word document for students to create a newsletter about features of different states, convert each student's word document back to a PDF file using PDFaid, reviewed here. Then upload all class newsletters into one document using PDF to Flipbook Converter, reviewed here to create an online flippable book.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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SwifDoo PDF - SwifDoo Software
Grades
K to 12In the Classroom
Download and use SwifDoo PDF for many of your classroom needs. Edit documents to differentiate instruction based on student interests and abilities. If your original document isn't in PDF format, use a conversion tool such as CleverPDF, reviewed here, to convert your file to PDF and begin using SwifDoo. Use the annotation feature as a collaborative tool for you and your students. For example, add feedback to a student document as an annotation and allow them to respond on the same document. Share the same feature with students working on collaborative projects as a tool for sharing ideas within a single document. Add a password to sensitive documents shared with parents, such as behavior reports or feedback on academic progress. Use the Merge tool to combine multiple files to create remote learning packets, share missed classroom assignments, or create a class handbook with pertinent information.Edge Features:
Premium version (not free) includes additional features or storage
Multiple users can collaborate on the same project
Requires download/installation of software
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