Differentiated instruction is a framework that provides multiple ways of meeting students' needs. As teachers, we are faced with meeting the needs of each student to ensure they succeed. Studies have shown that the teacher plays the most important role in a student's learning (Smith, 2007). Therefore, as an educator, it is our job to determine and meet the needs of each of our students.
The Power of Technology
An interest-driven learning environment motivates and engages students. When students are interested in a topic, they retain more information, put in more effort, and make connections to prior knowledge (Richards, 2020). In my unit plan, students are using their 1:1 Chromebook devices each day. My IEP and ELL students use a digital reader's notebook on Google Slides in place of a physical copy. This allows these students to use their accommodation tools, such as Co-Writer and Snap&Read browser extensions, while taking notes. In addition, the physical historical texts students use for research are available digitally. The books are available for all students to access; however, students who do not have Snap&Read downloaded to their device cannot have the text read aloud to them. 
On the first day, students are introduced to subtopics of the American Revolution through visual images. I created a slides presentation that included pictures of the events to pique students' interest. Then, students completed a Google Form housed in our Google Classroom that required them to choose their top three subtopics of interest. I analyzed the data and created the research teams based on students' choices: Boston Tea Party, Boston Massacre, Paul Revere and The Midnight Ride, French and Indian War, and the Britain and Colonists. In addition to using historical texts, students used reliable search engines to synthesize their notes. The search engines are linked on a Google Doc that students can access on Google Classroom.
In the following lessons, students identify the accuracy of primary sources and continue organizing and synthesizing their notes. Then, students will use their learning to teach others by creating a Google Slides presentation collaboratively. With the use of technology, every student in my classroom can actively engage in their learning. In addition, technology and the internet provide students with the opportunity to discover voices from around the globe (Hill, 2021). While researching, students accessed primary sources from British soldiers and townsmen during the American Revolution. This gave my students an opportunity to see a perspective different from our own.
References
El Education. (2020). Helping all learners: Readiness | EL education. https://eleducation.org/resources/helping-all-learners-readiness
Richards, K. (2020). How to use technology to differentiate instruction in the classroom. HMH. https://www.hmhco.com/blog/how-to-use-technology-to-differentiate-instruction-in-the-classroom
Smith, G. (2007). Differentiating instruction with technology in k-5 classrooms. International Society for Technology in Education. http://www.daneshnamehicsa.ir/userfiles/files/1/17-%20Differentiating%20Instruction%20with%20Technology%20in%20K-5%20Classrooms.pdf
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