AI Differentiated Instruction Planner for Teachers
Ms. Johnson teaches 4th grade with a class that spans 4 reading levels, from students reading at a 1st-grade level to students reading at a 7th-grade level. Every lesson she writes, she rewrites three times. The Tier 1 version has graphic organizers and sentence frames. The Tier 2 version is the standard lesson. The Tier 3 version has extension challenges. That is three lessons per day, every day. Now she writes one lesson and the AI generates all three tiers, modifying content, process, and product.
The AI Differentiated Instruction Planner is one of the AI generators of OpenEduCat Tools. It makes inclusion practical, not aspirational.
This page fills in a draft from a template. Copy prompt gives you the prompt for any AI chat.
- Below, on, and above grade
- 3 tiers
- Content, process, and product
- 3 dimensions
How it works
From one lesson to three differentiated tiers in a few steps.
Enter the lesson objective and baseline description
The teacher enters the lesson objective and a brief description of the standard lesson they have already planned, or pastes in an existing lesson plan. They also choose the subject and the level, and the lesson summary can describe the range of learners in the class. This context helps the AI calibrate the depth of modification needed across all three tiers.
AI generates three differentiated versions
The AI produces three complete lesson versions from the same lesson objective. The Tier 1 version (below grade) can include simplified text, pre-taught vocabulary, chunked tasks, graphic organizers, and more structured scaffolding. The Tier 2 version (on grade) is the standard lesson. The Tier 3 version (above grade) can include extended reading, open-ended inquiry tasks, independent research options, and higher-order thinking challenges.
Review content, process, and product modifications
Each tier modifies three dimensions of the lesson following Carol Ann Tomlinson's differentiation framework: content (what students learn or access), process (how students engage with the content), and product (how students demonstrate their learning). The teacher reviews modifications to ensure they align with IEP goals, 504 accommodations, or enrichment plans for specific students.
The cost of writing three lessons instead of one
Teachers in inclusive classrooms and mixed-ability classes know differentiation is essential, because matched instruction can serve learners better than one-size-fits-all teaching. But the planning burden is severe. A teacher who writes a lesson plan and then writes two modified versions spends much longer on each lesson. For a teacher delivering several lessons per day, that time adds up before marking or professional development. Most teachers cannot sustain that. They stop differentiating.
The AI planner means differentiation planning no longer starts from a blank page. Teachers can differentiate every lesson, not just the ones they have time to triple-plan.
What the planner includes
Every differentiated plan is a draft for you to check and adapt.
Three-tier content modification
Every differentiated plan modifies content across all three tiers. The Tier 1 version can use simpler text, pre-taught vocabulary, visual supports, and chunked information. The Tier 2 version presents grade-level content in the standard format. The Tier 3 version can introduce additional complexity, supplementary primary sources, or extended research dimensions that go beyond the grade-level standard.
Process differentiation
The AI modifies the instructional process (the activities through which students engage with the content) across all three tiers. Tier 1 activities are more structured and can include guided notes, sentence frames, worked examples, and step-by-step task cards. Tier 2 activities follow the standard lesson design. Tier 3 activities require more independence and can include open-ended investigation, self-directed inquiry, and choice in how to approach the task.
Product differentiation
The product (how students demonstrate their learning) can be differentiated without lowering expectations for any tier. Tier 1 students might demonstrate understanding through a structured graphic organizer or a guided writing frame. Tier 2 students complete the standard assessment. Tier 3 students might produce an extended product, a research brief, a multimedia presentation, or a design challenge. All three products address the same learning goal.
IEP and 504 accommodations stay with you
The form has no place for IEP or 504 details, so add those accommodations yourself when you review the draft, such as extended time notes, shorter tasks, or oral instead of written responses. The planner does not replace IEP documentation, and it is up to you to make the lesson plan reflect the accommodations students are entitled to.
Flexible grouping suggestions
The AI can generate grouping suggestions for each tier, such as a partner, a small group, or individual work. It also ends with one check for all students and how to move students between tiers. Differentiation does not mean three separate classrooms.
Who uses the differentiated instruction planner
Inclusive classroom teachers use the planner as a starting point for mixed-ability instruction. Instead of teaching to the middle and losing both ends of the ability range, they plan for all three tiers from the start of every lesson.
Special education teachers and co-teachers use the Tier 1 modifications as the starting point for co-planning. The AI generates modifications that can be further adjusted for specific IEP goals, saving the co-planning meeting time from writing modifications from scratch.
Gifted education coordinators use the Tier 3 modifications to generate enrichment extensions for accelerated learners. The AI creates intellectually challenging tasks that deepen learning rather than accelerating students through content they are not yet ready for.
ELL teachers and bilingual educators use it to generate content at three levels of support. The Tier 1 version becomes the language-support version for students at earlier stages of English language acquisition.
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- Data-processing agreement on request.
What this page does here
This page builds a draft from a template on this device. Copy prompt gives you the prompt for any AI chat.
Questions teachers ask
Does differentiated instruction mean I am teaching three separate lessons?
No. Differentiated instruction means one lesson with three entry points, the same objective, the same big ideas, but different levels of scaffolding and complexity. The whole class typically begins together with a shared learning target and opening activity. Students then diverge into tier-appropriate work. The lesson often reconvenes as a whole class for the closing discussion or exit ticket. The AI planner designs this flow, not three completely separate instructional sequences.
How does the AI know how to modify for different learners?
The AI applies research-based differentiation principles from the Tomlinson framework: modifying content (what students access), process (how they engage), and product (how they demonstrate learning) for three tiers of readiness. The teacher can add context about the class range and general needs in the lesson summary. The AI generates the structural modifications; the teacher reviews and adjusts for specific students.
Can I use the planner for gifted and advanced learners specifically?
Yes. The Tier 3 modifications are specifically designed for advanced and gifted learners, they can extend the standard beyond grade level into higher-order thinking, independent inquiry, and cross-disciplinary connections. The teacher can choose Gifted students as the level and keep only Tier 3 of the draft if the focus is on enrichment rather than remediation. Gifted coordinators use the planner to generate extension tasks that are intellectually challenging, not just more of the same work at a faster pace.
Can the planner generate differentiated versions of assessments as well?
Yes. The AI generates a tiered product for each version of the lesson, plus one check for all students, and you can build tiered assessments from them. To adapt an assessment for Tier 1, you can use simplified language, reduced question complexity, and alternative response formats. Tier 2 assessments are the standard. To adapt an assessment for Tier 3, you can include extended response questions, higher-order analysis, and optional challenge components. Keep all three tiers on the same learning goal, so grades remain comparable across tiers.
How do I prevent students from feeling stigmatised by different tier materials?
The AI generates materials with neutral names (they do not say 'easy,' 'medium,' or 'hard,' and you can ask for interest-based themes in the lesson summary to differentiate rather than difficulty alone. The teacher controls how tiers are communicated to students. In many implementations, students pick their own materials or choose from a menu of activities) which removes the stigma entirely. Ask in the lesson summary and the AI can generate a choice board version that gives all students agency over which entry point they use.
Related tools
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