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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Texas Performance Standards Project - Texas Performance Standards Project
Grades
K to 12tag(s): differentiation (83), gifted (66)
In the Classroom
Use this site to meet the needs of your gifted students. Use guides and materials to differentiate instruction in your classroom. Share with other teachers as a resource for collaboration with students across classrooms.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Corbettmaths - Mr. Corbett
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): addition (129), angles (52), charts and graphs (171), coordinates (15), decimals (85), division (98), equations (119), estimation (33), fractions (161), geometric shapes (135), inequalities (25), mean (19), measurement (123), median (16), mode (13), multiplication (122), probability (99), problem solving (232), pythagorean theorem (19), quadratics (27), sequences (12), square roots (15), subtraction (110), time (91), transformations (12), volume (34)
In the Classroom
Use printables and worksheets from Corbettmath for homework, review, and reinforcement of any math concept. View videos together and have students complete practice questions. Create a link to YouTube videos on your class website or blog for students to view at home. Use this site to differentiate for students of all levels. Share this site as a way to review before tests.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Worksheet Genius - worksheetgenius.com
Grades
K to 5This site includes advertising.
tag(s): addition (129), counting (60), decimals (85), division (98), fractions (161), handwriting (15), multiplication (122), negative numbers (13), number lines (33), numbers (120), phonics (51), place value (34), preK (269), rounding (8), sentences (21), spelling (98), subtraction (110), temperature (35)
In the Classroom
This worksheet tool offers many customization options, so it is easy to differentiate for ability levels within your class. Use worksheets from Worksheet Genius in learning centers. You can also make a touchable center by sharing them as a center on an interactive whiteboard. Share a link on your class website or newsletter for parents to use at home. Use Worksheet Generator for review before quizzes and tests.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Remember Pearl Harbor - New York Times: The Learning Network
Grades
6 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): japan (57), pearl harbor (14), roosevelt (15), world war 2 (160)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the free lesson plan for use in your World War II unit or Pearl Harbor lesson. Use this site to differentiate activities for students. Be sure to "mine" the links within the site for additional resources to add to your current lesson plans. Exchange paper and pen brainstorming by having students or groups collect ideas and findings about the Day That Will Live in Infamy using Padlet, reviewed here. The Padlet application creates free online bulletin boards. Extend student learning and have them create a simple infographic about Pearl Harbor using Venngage, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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English Worksheets Land - English Worksheet Land
Grades
K to 12tag(s): antonyms (12), capitalization (9), context clues (5), figurative language (17), grammar (137), grammar review (31), handwriting (15), homophones (6), inferencing (7), myths and legends (37), parts of speech (38), phonics (51), poetry (192), prefixes (10), punctuation (24), reading comprehension (148), root words (11), sentences (21), spelling (98), suffixes (9), synonyms (15), vocabulary (238)
In the Classroom
Why reinvent the wheel? Bookmark this site for use all year. Use these worksheets to help differentiate for students. Many of the topics are covered at different levels and with different activities. Use some of the worksheets as review of a topic you already taught or to prepare for a test. Set up stations with worksheets from different topics for different days of the week, i.e. Monday is always spelling day and Friday is always poetry day. Choose individualized options so students are working at the appropriate level. These worksheets would be great practice for ESL/ELL and learning support students. Hate worksheets? Have students access this site and create their own learning activities to challenge each other based on the content here, but adding their own creative touches. They could use a quiz creator or multimedia tool from the Edge. Create "free and easy" interactive polls/quizzes using Kahoot (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Beyond Traditional Math - Jen Smith
Grades
2 to 7This site includes advertising.
tag(s): problem solving (232)
In the Classroom
Subscribe to this blog through email or follow on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) to receive notification of blog updates. Use blog posts during professional development or brainstorming sessions to find and develop classroom lessons. Try these ideas to differentiate for all students. Click on the Common Core tag to see a strategy to get students to start showing their work! Share student-made math projects using Ourboox, reviewed here. Ourboox creates beautiful page-flipping digital books in minutes, and you can embed video, music, animation, games, maps and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Mathematics Library - Libre Texts - Delmar Larsen
Grades
7 to 12tag(s): equations (119), probability (99), problem solving (232), statistics (121), STEM (290), wikis (14)
In the Classroom
Provide a link to MathWiki on your class website or blog for student use at home. Share information from the wiki on your interactive whiteboard (or projector) to supplement current learning materials. Use the wiki to find questions and student problems for classroom use. Differentiate learning for gifted students using content provided on the wiki.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Read Theory - Read Theory (Tanner)
Grades
2 to 12tag(s): blended learning (36), differentiation (83), guided reading (33), Online Learning (36), reading comprehension (148), remote learning (54)
In the Classroom
Take your students to the next level in their reading and reading skills! Sign up students yourself (assigning a password and username). Students can sign up for themselves if they have an email (and school policies permit). The first task is to provide the reading level. Use this site to differentiate reading levels for your students. Use this tool in a blended learning or remote learning classroom so students can have time to read at their own pace, or set up a learning center for use during your L.A. block. This will allow you one-on-one time to begin the program. In a learning support or remedial reading class, especially at upper levels where "reading" is no longer a regular subject, this tool will allow students some autonomy in improving their skills. It will also let them see progress. Discuss with individual students the questions they answered, where the answer was in the reading, etc. Be certain to save this site in your class favorites and list it on your class website for students to access both in and out of the classroom. If students cannot have their own email accounts, consider using a "class set" of Gmail subaccounts, explained here; this tells how to set up Gmail subaccounts to use for any online membership service. Using Gmail subaccounts will provide anonymous interaction within your class.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Math Fact Cafe - Math Fact Cafe
Grades
K to 6This site includes advertising.
tag(s): addition (129), counting (60), division (98), money (114), multiplication (122), preK (269), problem solving (232), subtraction (110), time (91), worksheets (69)
In the Classroom
This site offers many customization options, so it is easy to differentiate for ability levels within your class. Use worksheets from Math Fact Cafe in learning centers. Share a link to the site on your class website or newsletter for parents to use at home. Use Math Fact Cafe for review before quizzes and tests.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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GoSoapBox - Go Education, LLC
Grades
5 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): chat (41), classroom management (120), communication (129), polls and surveys (49)
In the Classroom
GoSoapBox provides an opportunity for instructors to think outside the box for greater student engagement and participation. Is your classroom BYOD? Use GoSoapBox for free! Use the polling feature to access prior knowledge, or use it as an exit slip. Assign multiple choice quizzes as formative assessments throughout the class to differentiate instruction. Post questions and topics to foster higher-level thinking using the discussion tool. The Social Q&A tool allows students the opportunity to communicate and collaborate for understanding. Use the Social Q&A as a back channel during lectures or videos to make sure you address all student questions. Students can vote on the questions posted in the Social Q&A. Use this feature to address the most pressing needs of the class. GoSoapBox is a useful site to organize and collect meaningful data to make sure you are meeting all the needs of your learners. Try it during Back to School night as your school begins BYOD so parents can see the power of engaging EVERY learner.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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TeachingEnglish - BBC
Grades
K to 12tag(s): vocabulary (238), vocabulary development (94), word study (60)
In the Classroom
You may want to complete some of the selections with a projector or your interactive whiteboard for the whole class. You could also differentiate by having small groups of students working on various activities at their individual independent levels. Make a shortcut to the activity on your classroom computer. Share a link to this resource on your class website or blog.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Printliminator - Chris Coyier and Devon Govett
Grades
K to 12tag(s): classroom management (120)
In the Classroom
Install the Printliminator on your browser tool bar. Show students how to use Prinliminator on your interactive whiteboard or projector for use when they are researching or preparing a study guide for a test. Use when viewing web pages on your interactive whiteboard to eliminate unnecessary information. Delete unnecessary information from webpages. Send to print and save as PDF for use with student handouts or links from your class web page. Of course, you will want to include your SOURCE on the handouts as a model of good digital citizenship. This is also a great tool to differentiate for any student. Use this tool to share handouts or PDFs with students who are easily distracted to help them stay focused on what matters.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Diagnostic Questions - Craig Barton and Simon Woodhead
Grades
4 to 12tag(s): angles (52), area (53), assessment (144), charts and graphs (171), data (151), decimals (85), equations (119), exponents (35), fractions (161), functions (52), geometric shapes (135), median (16), order of operations (29), statistics (121), time (91), vectors (16)
In the Classroom
Use this site as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson on a projector or interactive whiteboard. Use to find a question of the day to begin lessons. Share or embed questions on your class website. Have students prepare a question of the day to include with your quizzes. See the "About" page to find questions for class discussions. Though they suggest using mini whiteboards or a large card, think about using computers or tablets and a student response system, such as Socrative, reviewed here. Using a student response system, you will be able to keep a record of the responses without having stacks of paper. It will help you to differentiate and know whom to focus on with some immediate extra help.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Freckle Education - Sidharth Kakkar
Grades
K to 8This site includes advertising.
tag(s): collaboration (93), differentiation (83), independent reading (82), inquiry (24), reading comprehension (148), Research (86), Teacher Utilities (191), writing (324)
In the Classroom
After creating your classroom account and adding rosters, introduce this site on your interactive whiteboard or projector. If you are lucky enough to have a class set of mobile devices, allow students to use Freckle while you work directly with individuals or small groups of students. Freckle is a great way to supplement instruction for both gifted and special needs students. Use in your blended learning class, when you want to differentiate, or when teaching remotely. Visit the FAQ section for ideas for implementing Freckle in your math, ELA, social studies, or science classroom. Be sure to share login information with parents for student practice at home.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Online Math Learning - OnlineMathLearning.com
Grades
1 to 12This site includes advertising.
tag(s): parents (57), video (264), worksheets (69)
In the Classroom
OnLineMathLearning is a nice supplement to your classroom. Use the videos on your interactive whiteboard to begin instruction. Differentiate your math instruction by student need and assign individually. Use the worksheets, games, and activities for extra practice and reinforcement. Allow students to see the ideas listed before they start their science fair projects. Recommend this website to parents so they can understand the "new way" of doing math. Be sure to list as a resource for extra practice on your class website. Keep the videos on this site in mind for using as models when assigning students to make their own videos. Be sure to include in your math parent night. Use as enrichment for your advanced students.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Oppia - Oppia.org
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): coding (85), computational thinking (40), cooking (32), electricity (62), equations (119), fractions (161), homonyms (8), homophones (6), india (32), latin (23), light (56), logic (161), politics (118), puzzles (149), quadratics (27), ratios (47), statistics (121), STEM (290), Teacher Utilities (191)
In the Classroom
Assign Oppia explorations to gifted students as part of your differentiated learning lessons. Use Oppia explorations as part of your flipped classroom. Have students complete explorations and then discuss in class. Add links to (or embed) Oppia explorations on your class website or blog for students to explore at home as a review tool or as an anticipatory set or "activator" to introduce a unit or lesson. Join the Oppia Users Group to collaborate with others to create your own Oppia explorations.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Spell Up - Google Chrome
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): spelling (98), vocabulary (238)
In the Classroom
Demonstrate HOW to use this website on your interactive whiteboard or projector (with your mike nearby!). Divide your class into teams and test out the site together. Create a link to Spell Up on your class website or blog for students to play at home. Use Spell Up at varied levels for different students to differentiate challenges for your students. Share this link on your class website for students to use at home (especially for spelling practice during the summer).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Bees: A Honey of an Idea - Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
Grades
3 to 9tag(s): insects (68)
In the Classroom
Be sure to share this site during any unit on insects or careers. As news stories tell us about the rapid demise of honeybees and the resulting danger to our food supply, step back to see what bees are all about. Allow older students to explore on their own. Younger students will benefit from viewing and reading together on your interactive whiteboard or projector. Have students create an annotated image including text boxes and related links using a tool such as Thinglink, reviewed here. Have students use Fakebook (reviewed here) to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about a week in the life of a beekeeper. Use the glossary as a resource for differentiated spelling lists each week. French teachers may want to use this site as a reading experience!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Fill in the Chart - Susan Jones
Grades
2 to 6This site includes advertising.
tag(s): multiplication (122)
In the Classroom
Share Fill in the Chart on your class website or newsletter for multiplication practice at home or from any computer. Create a link on classroom computers for student practice during center time. Differentiate learning by assigning different practice charts based on individual student needs. This site doesn't time students, therefore causing less stress. if you prefer, have students time themselves with each activity then challenge them to improve completion time and accuracy with each practice. Or time your students using the free Online Countdown Timer (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Frontiers for Young Minds - Frontiersin.org
Grades
2 to 10tag(s): brain (56), child development (24), human body (93), senses (20)
In the Classroom
Use these articles in Biology or Health class to learn about the brain and factors that affect it. Students will find many articles of interest to them. Articles focus not only on learning, but games, media, emotions, and other activities. Have a bright students looking for a challenge? Encourge him/her to follow the directions to apply as a Young Mind reviewer. Challenge cooperative learning groups to read an article and create an infographic sharing the highlights of what they discovered. Use a tool such as Venngage reviewed here. If you teach gifted science students or would like to offer an advanced option to a gifted student in your regular science class while studying the brain or human body, this journal offers an outstanding opportunity for real world collaboration with scientists and very bright students in other places. Differentiate by going outside school walls! Have your student write an article and/or apply to join the team of young scientists.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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