--- title: "Differentiate one lesson for three reading levels with AI" description: "Turn one fictional Grade 6 science reading into three versions that keep the same key idea, then check vocabulary, accuracy and the question every student answers." author: Power of AI date: 2026-10-15 url: https://powerofai.ca/playbooks/differentiate-a-lesson --- # Differentiate one lesson for three reading levels with AI Turn one fictional Grade 6 science reading into three versions that keep the same key idea, then check vocabulary, accuracy and the question every student answers. A useful task, worked through. Most classrooms hold a wide range of readers, and writing three versions of every handout by hand is where evenings disappear. AI is very good at this first draft. You stay responsible for what it cannot see: which students need which version, whether the science stayed correct and whether every version still leads to the same thinking. Start with one short passage and one learning goal. You should leave with three levelled texts you have checked and a shared question that brings the class back together. ## Start with one passage and one learning goal Use this fictional Grade 6 reading: “Wetlands act like sponges. During heavy rain, plants and soil in a wetland slow the water down and hold some of it. Later, the water is released slowly into streams and underground. Wetlands also filter some sediment before the water moves on. When wetlands are drained for building, nearby areas can flood more easily.” The goal is that students can explain how wetlands reduce flooding. It is teaching material for this guide, not a complete science unit. Decide the three levels by what the text needs to do, not by labels attached to children. For example: a version near grade level, a version with shorter sentences and supported vocabulary, and an extension that adds a cause-and-effect challenge. Leave names, reading scores, IEP details and any other identifiable student information out of the request. The assistant only needs the passage, the goal and a description of each level. ## Ask for three versions that keep the same core idea Tell the assistant what must stay fixed: the key idea, the scientific accuracy and the vocabulary you are teaching (here, “absorb” and “release”). Then describe what may change: sentence length, the number of new terms, supports such as a word box and the depth of the extension. Without that instruction, a simplified version can quietly drop the very concept you plan to assess. Ask for one shared discussion question that all three groups can answer from their own version. That question keeps differentiation from turning into three separate lessons. Request a format you can paste into your usual handout template, and ask the assistant to flag any sentence it could not simplify without risking the meaning. ### A request you can adapt I teach Grade 6 science. Using only the passage below, write three versions for different reading levels: (1) close to grade level, (2) shorter sentences with a three-word glossary, (3) an extension that asks students to predict an effect. Keep the key idea that wetlands slow, hold and slowly release water, and keep the words “absorb” and “release” in every version. Add one discussion question all three groups can answer. Do not add new facts. Flag any place where simplifying might change the meaning. [Paste passage] ## Inspect an illustrative result Here is an illustrative supported version, written for this guide rather than copied from a live model response: “A wetland is like a sponge. When it rains hard, wetland plants and soil absorb some of the water. Later, they release it slowly. This helps stop floods nearby. Word box: absorb (soak up), release (let go), sediment (bits of sand and soil).” The shared question: “What could happen to a nearby street if the wetland were paved over? Use the word ‘absorb’ in your answer.” Check it the way you would check a handout from a student teacher. The supported version kept both target words and the flooding idea. It dropped the filtering sentence, which is fine for this goal but worth noticing. A weaker draft might say “wetlands stop all floods,” which overstates the passage. Read each version against the original, sentence by sentence, and fix overclaims before the copies are made. ## Teach with it, then adjust Offer the versions as choices or hand them out quietly, depending on your class. Many teachers find that letting students choose a version, with a gentle nudge where needed, avoids labelling anyone. During the lesson, listen to how each group answers the shared question. That conversation is your evidence that the levels worked, not the polish of the text. Afterward, note one change for next time: perhaps the extension was too easy, or the word box needed a picture. Keep the three versions with the original passage so you can reuse the structure for the next reading. The time you saved on drafting is time you can spend with the group that needs you most. [Build a teaching roadmap](/for/teachers) ## Take it further with a changed example If one version reads well but students still struggle, the barrier may be background knowledge rather than reading level. Ask the assistant for a short hands-on hook, such as pouring water onto a dry sponge and a damp one, and keep the text as it is. A shorter sentence cannot replace the experience a concept depends on. Try a quick audit table before printing: version, key idea present, target words present, new facts added, reading supports. Fill it in yourself. If the extension version introduced a claim that is not in the source passage, remove it or verify it in a resource you trust. For a further exercise, take a short passage from another subject, such as a social studies paragraph about a historic trade route, and produce two levels instead of three. Notice which decisions you made faster the second time, then write them into a reusable request so the next handout takes minutes. ## Take this into your next task Fix the learning goal and the key words first, let AI draft the levels, then read every version against the original before it reaches students. [Build your learning roadmap](/for/teachers#roadmap). ## Questions people ask ### Can I tell the assistant about a specific student’s needs? Describe the need in general terms, such as “shorter sentences and a glossary,” never the student. Leave out names, diagnoses, IEP details and anything else that could identify a child, and follow your school board’s policy on approved tools. ### Is a simplified text “watered down”? Not if the core idea, target vocabulary and shared question stay intact. Check that the supported version still asks students to do the important thinking. ### Does this work in French immersion or French-language classes? Yes. Ask for the versions in French and check the vocabulary against the terms your program actually uses. ### How do I keep levelled texts from labelling students? Use neutral names such as colours or letters, offer choice where you can and change groupings often. The versions serve the lesson; they are not a ranking of students. ## Sources and editorial notes Reviewed 2026-10-15. Product capabilities depend on the app, plan, region and workspace settings. Workflows and prompts are authored teaching material, not recorded model results or measured time-saving claims. ## Keep going - [AI for Teachers: Plan, Differentiate and Give Better Feedback](/for/teachers) - [Build a rubric and exemplar students can actually use](/playbooks/rubric-and-exemplar) - [AI Mission Control: From Idea to Verified Result](/mission-control)