Pedagogical Add-ons: Standards, Teaching Strategies, and Student Needs

Below the main creator box, three expandable add-on cards allow teachers to layer additional instructional intelligence onto their resource before generating it.

5.1 Standards Alignment

Clicking the + on the Standards card opens a standards browser. Teachers can search and select standards from:

• State standards (all 50 U.S. states)
• National standards (e.g., Common Core, NGSS, CCSS)
• District-specific frameworks

Once selected, the standards are embedded into the generated resource. The AI ensures that the content directly addresses the selected standards, and the standards codes appear on the resource itself for documentation and compliance purposes.

Use Case: A district requires all lesson plans to reference specific Common Core ELA standards. A teacher selects CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.1 before generating a reading activity, and the final document includes the standard code in the header and the content is explicitly aligned to it.

5.2 Teaching Strategy

The Teaching Strategy add-on applies a specific research-backed instructional method to the resource. Examples include:

• Scaffolding — Breaks tasks into smaller, supported steps
• Inquiry-Based Learning — Structures the resource around student-driven questions
• Checks for Understanding — Embeds formative assessment prompts throughout
• Think-Pair-Share — Formats activities for collaborative discussion
• Explicit Instruction — Structures content with clear I Do / We Do / You Do phases

Use Case: A middle school math teacher wants to use an inquiry approach for a lesson on probability. They select the "Inquiry-Based Learning" teaching strategy before generating the activity. The resulting worksheet opens with a real-world scenario and guiding questions that lead students to discover the concept themselves, rather than presenting the formula upfront.

5.3 Student Needs

The Student Needs add-on tailors the resource for specific learner populations. This is the primary differentiation tool at the generation stage. Options include:

• English Language Learners (ELL/ESL) — Simplified language, visual supports, bilingual glossaries
• Students with IEPs — Modified expectations, extended response options
• Gifted and Talented — Increased rigor, extension questions, higher-order thinking tasks
• Small Group / Intervention — Reduced content volume, step-by-step scaffolding
• MTSS Tier 2/3 — Targeted support aligned to multi-tiered support frameworks

Use Case: A 4th-grade teacher is creating a science worksheet and has three ELL students in the class. They click the Student Needs add-on and select "English Language Learners." The generated worksheet includes simplified sentence structures, key vocabulary highlighted with definitions, and visual cues alongside the text.

Updated on: 04/14/2026