Ms. Elizabeth is a 4th-grade reading and writing teacher who uses TeacherMade to customize her digital classroom worksheets and assignments for each student's skill level

What type of reading assignments do you create using TeacherMade?

In my 4th grade Reading and Writing class, I use TeacherMade in a few engaging ways, but there is one system that has proven to be the most beneficial to my students' growth: small groups. I consistently implement TeacherMade in my whole group teaching, which transitions to small group centers with ease using 1-1 Chromebooks and iPads. I choose reading selections from anywhere – a paper copy, a workbook page, a PDF, an online article, a screenshot – the ideas are endless. Then I upload it and create an assignment with multiple choice and open-ended questions for students to complete by the end of the class period. 

How do you use TeacherMade and other apps with your daily curriculum?

At the beginning of a lesson, I state our learning intention/goal for the day, explicitly teach vocabulary, and present the notes in Google Slides, which students can each open through Google Classroom. Linked in the slides for the day is the TeacherMade assignment we will work on. If I am using a differentiated assignment, through TeacherMade Pro, I can assign the specified work to a student directly through Google Classroom, minimizing any stigma because the work generally looks the same. As a class, we open the text and use the tools to annotate what we are reading, leading to new discoveries and thoughtful discussions. Once we get through the text and the goal of the day, I break for centers which consist of 4 rotations of 15 minutes each. 

How do you use TeacherMade to create assignments that accommodate students on their individual needs?

At the "Teacher Table Center," 4 to 5 students and I continue with the TeacherMade assignment on our own devices. This is where students can ask clarifying questions, and I can check for comprehension and depth of knowledge after reading. I have found that using multiple versions of the same assignment helps to meet the varying levels of my students. Assignments that I make multiple versions of are: reading selections with accompanying questions, quizzes, and tests. It is an easy way for me to accommodate based on students' individual needs or IEPs.

How do you customize TeacherMade assignments by grade level?

In order to make an assignment for my small groups, I choose the text that we will be reading and start with grade-level responses, usually consisting of ten multiple choice questions and one open answer. I will upload the text as a PDF and assign correct answers to the multiple choice questions and insert an open answer text box. Then I make a copy of the assignment and can level the activity to be easier or harder.

Which TeacherMade features do you use to customize assignments for different student levels?

To make an assignment easier for my small groups, I will cut down the number of questions and also eliminate answer choices for the multiple-choice questions. For example, most multiple choice questions have four choices, and I would lessen it to three or two choices depending on the questions. This is easy to do by using a white Color Block tool to "white out" the unneeded items. I sometimes include matching question types for characters or settings. Another change is to have the students record themselves answering the open answer question verbally instead of typing it. (This can be added to any assignment, which may help boost participation and confidence for any grade or level of the student. You know your students best!)

Lastly, to make an assignment harder for my small groups, I would go back to my original on-grade level assignment and make another copy. To increase the rigor for some multiple choice questions, I would make them into open answer questions or change them into two parts, with part one being the original answer choices to pick from, and then part two being their justification or evidence to prove they are correct, typed in an open answer box. Some questions can be changed or reworded to work with multiple selection question types to increase the complexity as well. Get creative!

How does using TeacherMade assignments help all levels of students feel successful?

Overall I will end up with three separate assignments, which generally look the same except for the leveled questions. This is fantastic because I want all levels of students in my class to feel successful with their work and not feel singled out because their work looks different. Finally, I post the appropriately leveled assignment directly to the individual student using the Google Classroom delivery method. When they log in, it will be ready for them to click on, and we can start class. I find that TeacherMade makes differentiating an assignment extremely easy and saves me a lot of time!

Conclusion: TeacherMade's easy-to-use features let you quickly duplicate and edit assignments to meet the needs of your students. Customize assignments by grade level or skill level to get the best outcomes for your students.

Example of a Leveled Assignment Group

Total Time to Create 3 Versions = 12 minutes: 

Original:

Copy - Easier:

Copy - Harder: