# Lesson Plan Differentiator

> Adds research-based differentiation layers to any existing lesson plan, activity, or assignment using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles, MTSS tiered support structures, and evidence-based accommodation strategies. Trigger this skill whenever the user mentions differentiating a lesson, adding accommodations or modifications, making a lesson accessible for all learners, adapting a lesson for IEP students or ELL students or advanced learners, adding scaffolds or extensions, making a lesson UDL-compliant, or asking how to meet the needs of diverse learners. Also trigger when the user pastes a lesson plan and says "help me differentiate this", "make this work for all my kids", "add supports for my struggling students", or "what can I do for my students with IEPs?" Works with pasted lesson plans, uploaded .docx files, or verbal descriptions of a lesson.

- Skill: `jjuice22/lesson-plan-differentiator` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add jjuice22/lesson-plan-differentiator`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/jjuice22/lesson-plan-differentiator/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Docs & Writing
- Author: JJuice22 (https://skillmd.com/u/jjuice22)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/jjuice22/lesson-plan-differentiator

---


# Lesson Plan Differentiator

## Purpose

Transform a single lesson plan into a multi-layered instructional design
that proactively addresses the full range of learner variability — without
creating separate lesson plans for each learner. The goal is not to water
down or level up; the goal is to design learning experiences that are
**flexible by design**.

**Theoretical anchor**: Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guidelines 3.0
(CAST, 2024) — the most evidence-supported framework for proactive
differentiation. Three principles drive every output:

1. **Multiple Means of Engagement** — the *why* of learning (motivation,
   self-regulation, relevance)
2. **Multiple Means of Representation** — the *what* of learning (how
   content is presented and accessed)
3. **Multiple Means of Action & Expression** — the *how* of learning (how
   students demonstrate understanding)

---

## What You Need From the User

Gather before generating. Ask for anything missing:

- **The lesson** (required): Full plan, abbreviated outline, or activity
  description. Even a one-paragraph description can work.
- **Grade level and subject**
- **Learner landscape** (the more specific, the better):
  - Any students with IEPs or 504 plans? What are the primary disability
    categories or need areas? (Don't need names — just categories)
  - ELL/multilingual learners? Language proficiency levels?
  - Gifted/advanced learners who need extension?
  - General education range (reading levels, background knowledge gaps, etc.)
- **Constraints**: Time, materials, technology availability, class size
- **Differentiation priority**: Does the teacher want to focus on access,
  engagement, or expression flexibility this time?

---

## Differentiation Output Structure

For every lesson submitted, produce these sections:

### 1. Lesson Core (Preserved Intact)
Restate the original lesson objective and core activity — unchanged. This
makes clear that differentiation is *added to*, not replacing, the lesson.

```
LESSON CORE (unchanged)
Objective: [original]
Core Activity: [original]
Assessment: [original]
```

### 2. UDL Layer — Engagement (The Why)

**Relevance and Authenticity**
- How can this lesson connect to students' lives, interests, or communities?
- What choice can students have in topic, product, or process?

**Sustaining Effort and Persistence**
- How will the teacher provide varied levels of challenge within the same task?
- What collaborative structures maintain engagement (not just compliance)?

**Self-Regulation**
- What coping/self-monitoring tools can be made available?
- How will students know how they're doing during the lesson (not just at the end)?

### 3. UDL Layer — Representation (The What)

**Perception** (How content is delivered)
- [ ] Visual representation of key content (diagram, graphic organizer, image)
- [ ] Auditory option (teacher read-aloud, audio version, partner read)
- [ ] Text-to-speech or captioning if digital

**Language and Symbols**
- [ ] Pre-teach key vocabulary before the lesson (Tier 2 and Tier 3 words)
- [ ] Provide vocabulary anchor chart or word wall reference
- [ ] Clarify syntax of complex sentences in texts or directions
- [ ] Offer bilingual glossary if ELL students are present

**Comprehension** (Building understanding, not just access)
- [ ] Activate prior knowledge (anticipation guide, quick write, image preview)
- [ ] Chunk complex information into smaller segments with processing pauses
- [ ] Provide graphic organizers that mirror the text or task structure
- [ ] Highlight the big idea explicitly before, during, and after instruction

### 4. UDL Layer — Action & Expression (The How)

**Physical access**
- [ ] Flexible response options (write, draw, speak, type, point, build)
- [ ] Assistive technology accommodations if applicable

**Expression and communication**
- [ ] Students can demonstrate understanding through:
  - Written response (paragraph, outline, list, annotation)
  - Verbal response (oral explanation, recorded audio, discussion)
  - Visual response (diagram, comic, poster, graphic organizer)
  - Multimodal (any combination)

**Executive function support**
- [ ] Provide task checklist or step-by-step directions
- [ ] Use a timer and visible progress indicators
- [ ] Break multi-step tasks into structured sub-tasks with checkpoints

### 5. Tiered Supports (MTSS Lens)

Structure differentiated supports across three tiers. **This is not tracking
or grouping by ability** — it is flexible access to different levels of
scaffolding based on the student's current need for support.

| Tier | Who | What Changes |
|---|---|---|
| **Tier 1** (Core — all students) | Everyone | UDL layers above; flexible modalities; vocabulary support |
| **Tier 2** (Supplemental — ~15% of students) | Students needing additional support to access grade-level content | Pre-teaching, reduced complexity in directions, sentence frames, graphic organizers |
| **Tier 3** (Intensive — ~5%) | Students with significant gaps requiring individualized support | Modified task demands, one-on-one or small group support, adapted materials |

Generate specific Tier 2 and Tier 3 modifications for this lesson based on
the learner landscape the user described.

### 6. IEP and 504 Accommodation Integration

If the user mentions specific disability categories, provide targeted
accommodation suggestions aligned to that category:

| Disability Category | Common Accommodations to Build Into This Lesson |
|---|---|
| Dyslexia / Reading Disability | Decodable or audio text option; avoid timed silent reading; allow oral response |
| ADHD | Task chunked with clear checkpoints; movement break built in; sensory tool available |
| Autism Spectrum | Clear visual schedule; predictable transitions; sensory-sensitive environment adjustments |
| Speech/Language Impairment | Extended response time; accept alternative communication forms |
| Intellectual Disability | Modified objectives; concrete manipulatives; functional context for skill |
| Emotional/Behavioral Disability | Regulation check-in; co-regulation strategy; predictable structure |
| ELL (not a disability, but often concurrent) | Home language support; visual vocabulary; extended time; cultural relevance |

Read `references/accommodation-library.md` for a full, searchable bank of
evidence-based accommodations by category and domain.

### 7. Extension — Advanced Learners

One or two extension options that deepen rather than simply add more of the
same task:

- **Deeper complexity**: Apply the concept to a novel context or problem
- **Transfer task**: Use the skill/concept to explain, teach, or create something new
- **Cross-disciplinary connection**: How does this connect to another field or discipline?

**Extension principle**: Extensions should push thinking *up* Bloom's Taxonomy
(analysis, synthesis, evaluation, creation) — not just increase quantity.

### 8. Quick Implementation Checklist

```
Before the lesson:
□ Pre-teach vocabulary to Tier 2/3 students
□ Prepare graphic organizer
□ Print/display visual directions
□ Prepare alternative text format if needed

During the lesson:
□ Chunk instruction into segments of no more than [X] minutes
□ Build in at least one processing pause
□ Offer flexible response options explicitly to all students
□ Check in with Tier 2/3 students during independent work

After the lesson:
□ Document which accommodations were implemented
□ Note which students may need Tier 2 support next session
```

---

## What Differentiation Is Not

Use this to gently correct misconceptions if needed:

- **Not separate worksheets**: True differentiation happens in the design of
  the lesson, not in a separate "easy version" packet
- **Not just about struggling students**: Advanced learners are also
  underserved when lessons aren't designed for their needs
- **Not about lowering standards**: Accommodations change *how* students
  access and demonstrate learning — not *what* they are expected to learn
  (that distinction is between accommodation and modification)
- **Not the teacher doing the work for students**: Good scaffolding is
  temporary support toward independence, not permanent assistance

---

## Reference Files

- `references/accommodation-library.md` — Full bank of evidence-based
  accommodations by disability category and academic domain
- `references/udl-guidelines.md` — Full UDL 3.0 checkpoint framework for
  reference when the user wants deeper alignment