Differentiation & Scaffolding Station
AISAAI PD Stations · Station 1

Differentiation & Scaffolding

Use Gemini inside Google Classroom to rewrite a text at a different reading level, build a vocabulary list for a unit, and translate instructions into your students' home languages. Everything stays a draft until you choose to assign it.

3 tools Re-level, Vocabulary, Translate~15 min to try all threeWhere Classroom › Gemini tab
Before you start
  1. Sign in to Google Classroom with your AISA account.
  2. Open the Gemini tab in the left menu, or use a button below to jump straight to a tool.
  3. Have a text from your next unit ready to paste, or a file in Drive. Leave out anything with student names or personal details.
Open Gemini in Classroom ↗ Re-level text ↗ Vocabulary list ↗ Translate text ↗
Tool 1 · Support students

Re-level a text

Paste any reading and Gemini rewrites it for the grade level you choose, keeping the subject words you tell it to keep. Make two or three versions of the same text so every group reads the same content at an accessible level.

Up to 9,000 charactersPaste text or upload from DriveOpen tool ↗
  1. 1

    Open the Gemini tab

    In Google Classroom, click Gemini in the left menu. This opens Explore AI tools for educators.

    No Gemini tab? Let the AI & Innovation team know so your account can be checked.
  2. 2

    Choose Re-level text

    Click the Support students filter, then click Re-level text.

  3. 3

    Set the grade and add your text

    • Type a Target grade, for example 5.
    • Paste your text into the box, or click Upload from Drive to use a Doc or PDF.
  4. 4

    Keep key vocabulary, then generate

    In Keywords to keep in the generated text, type a subject term and press Enter. Repeat for each term students must still learn. Then click Generate.

    Why keywords? Without them, Gemini may swap technical terms for simpler words. Keywords protect the vocabulary you are assessing.
  5. Green = adjusted for the target grade. Dotted underline = a keyword you kept.
    5

    Compare the two versions

    The original sits on the left and the new version on the right. Green highlights show what changed; your keywords are underlined.

    • Use the pencil icon to edit the original.
    • Use the copy icon to copy either version.
    Read it first. The tool's grade estimate can differ from Flesch-Kincaid and other readability scores, so check it suits your students.
  6. The Doc lists your settings, then the original text.
    Scroll down for the re-levelled version under Generated text.
    6

    Export to Docs

    Click Export to Docs at the top right. When Content exported appears at the bottom left, click View Google Doc. The Doc opens in a new tab and is saved in your Drive.

    The Doc contains:

    • Adjust text to and Keywords to retain: the settings you used
    • Original text: your text, unchanged
    • Generated text: the re-levelled version
    Rename it straight away. The Doc is called Untitled document, so give it a name like Photosynthesis – Grade 5 to find it later. The green highlights don't carry over into the Doc.

    Delete the Original text section if students should only see the new version, then share or attach the Doc as you normally would.

  7. 7

    Make another level

    Click the arrow at the top right of the Re-level text panel to open it. Change the Target grade and click Regenerate.

    Keep each version. Export or add a version to class before you regenerate, so you don't lose it. Then follow Share with students.
Tool 2 · Instruction material

Create a vocabulary list

Give a grade and a topic and Gemini builds a table of key terms with the part of speech, a student-friendly definition and an example sentence. Use it to pre-teach words before students read the re-levelled text.

Output Term · Grammatical category · Definition · ExampleOpen tool ↗
  1. 1

    Choose Create a vocabulary list

    On the Gemini tab, click the Instruction material filter, then Create a vocabulary list.

  2. 2

    Enter the grade and topic

    Type a Target grade and a Topic. A specific topic gives better words: Photosynthesis: how plants make their own food works better than Plants.

  3. 3

    Optional: add your unit materials

    Click Upload from Drive and choose your unit reading, slides or planner. Gemini will pull terms from what you actually teach.

    Then click Generate.

  4. 4

    Review the list

    Check every definition and example. Remove terms you won't teach and note any that are missing.

    Scaffold it. Generate one list at grade level and a second at a lower grade for students who need more support.
  5. The export is a normal Google Doc you can edit.
    5

    Export to Docs

    Click Export to Docs, wait for Vocabulary list exported, then click View Google Doc. The Doc is saved in your Drive.

    • Add a column for home-language translations or pictures.
    • Turn it into a word wall, flashcards or a glossary handout.
  6. 6

    Adjust and regenerate

    Click the arrow at the top right of the panel to change the grade, topic or uploaded file, then click Regenerate. To send the list straight to a class, use Add to class and follow Share with students.

Tool 3 · Support students

Translate text

Translate instructions, a reading or a parent note into one or more languages in a single step. Useful for newcomer EAL students, home-language support and family communication.

Several languages at onceSource language detected automaticallyOpen tool ↗
  1. 1

    Choose Translate text

    On the Gemini tab, click Support students, then Translate text.

  2. 2

    Pick your languages

    Click a quick option (Spanish, Hindi, English, Arabic, French) or open All languages to find another. You can select more than one; each gets a tick.

  3. 3

    Paste your text and translate

    Paste the text into the box. You don't need to say what language it is in; Classroom detects it. Click Translate.

  4. 4

    Check each language

    Switch between the language buttons above the translation to see each version beside the original.

    Get a second reader. Ask a colleague or family member who speaks the language to check anything important before it goes home.
  5. 5

    Export or add to class

    Export to Docs creates one Doc with a section for each language, with the original beside the translation. Or use Add to class and follow Share with students.

All three tools

Share with students

Every tool has an Add to class button. It turns the result into a Google Doc, attaches it to new classwork and saves it as a draft. Nothing reaches students until you click Assign.

  1. 1

    Click Add to class

    At the top right of your result, click Add to class. Choose the Class.

  2. 2

    Choose the classwork type

    Pick Assignment, Quiz assignment, Question or Material, then click Confirm.

    Rule of thumb. Use Material for a reading or vocabulary list students keep; use Assignment when they hand something in.
  3. 3

    Finish the draft

    A new classwork page opens with your result attached as a Google Doc. Add a title and instructions.

    • Under File sharing options, choose whether students can view the file, edit it or get their own copy.
    • Close the Create a rubric tip if it appears.
  4. 4

    Send each version to the right students

    Click All students under Assign to. Tick individual students, or open the Groups tab and click Create group to set up reading groups you can reuse.

    Differentiate quietly. Post the grade 3 version to one group and the grade 6 version to another. Students only see their own.
  5. 5

    Assign, schedule or save as a draft

    Click the arrow beside Assign to choose Schedule or Save draft. Classroom then takes you back to your Gemini result so you can make the next version.

Tiered reading

One text, three grade levels, same keywords. Assign each version to a group and run one shared discussion.

Pre-teach, then read

Export a vocabulary list at the lower level and use it as a starter before students open the re-levelled text.

Home-language bridge

Translate the task instructions so newcomer students can start straight away, then move to the English text.

Your station challenge · 10 minutes

Build a scaffolded set for your next lesson

  1. Paste a text from your next unit into Re-level text and make two versions at different grades.
  2. Make a vocabulary list for the same topic at the lower grade and export it to Docs.
  3. Translate the task instructions into a home language spoken in your class.
  4. Use Add to class and save everything as drafts. Nothing goes to students yet.
Before anything reaches students

Check it

Read every word

Gemini can make mistakes. Check facts, definitions and that the meaning of the original survived.

Protect student data

Don't paste student names, reports or personal details into any tool.

Check the context

Make sure examples and wording suit our community and the UAE context.

Keep the challenge

A simpler text should still carry the key ideas. Use keywords so the subject vocabulary stays.

Gemini in Classroomclassroom.google.com/ai Re-level textclassroom.google.com/ai/rlv Create a vocabulary listclassroom.google.com/ai/vl Translate textclassroom.google.com/ai/tr Google help: Learn about Gemini in Classroomsupport.google.com