While we all know how essential differentiation is in today’s classrooms, ensuring that all students engage with content at a level that challenges and supports them can be very difficult to achieve. AI-powered differentiation prompts can help educators scaffold learning, provide student choice, and guide learners toward higher-order thinking. These prompts can be applied to any subject, but I will use Trevor Noah’s memoir: Born a Crime as an example of how they can be implemented effectively in a Grade 11 English Language and Literature class.

As educators, our goal is to provide an appropriate level of challenge for students to think critically, make connections, and apply their learning in meaningful ways. By leveraging AI-driven prompts, we can create a differentiated learning environment that meets diverse student needs while fostering deep engagement.

These five AI differentiation prompts are based on Control Alt Achieve’s article, AI Prompts for Differentiation (source). Below, I explore how each of these strategies can be used to support student analysis and evaluation of Born a Crime (or any other text or subject matter):

• Bloom’s Taxonomy: Scaffolding learning from basic recall to creative synthesis.
• Zone of Proximal Development: Targeting instruction based on student readiness.
• Choice Boards: Encouraging student agency by offering diverse learning modalities.
• Depth of Knowledge (DOK) Levels: Structuring tasks that push students from recall to extended thinking.
• Differentiation by Content, Process, and Product: Customizing learning experiences to challenge and support students at all levels.

By integrating these AI differentiation prompts, educators can ensure that students engage deeply with with any text while tailoring instruction to meet their unique needs. Let’s explore how each of these strategies enhances differentiated instruction in the classroom.

Bloom’s Taxonomy: Scaffolding Learning from Recall to Creation

Bloom’s Taxonomy is a foundational framework for structuring learning activities across six cognitive levels: Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, and Create. Using this structure allows students to build their understanding of Born a Crime progressively, moving from basic recall to higher-order thinking skills.

Why Use Bloom’s Taxonomy?

• Ensures students engage with the text at multiple levels of complexity.
• Supports differentiation by offering activities at different levels.
• Encourages deep thinking and critical analysis of Noah’s narrative choices.

ChatGPT Prompt

Prompt: I will be teaching the following content: Subject: English Language and Literature Grade Level: 10-12 Topic: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah Objective: Analyze and evaluate Trevor Noah’s use of humor, personal narrative, and social commentary to explore themes of identity, race, and resilience. Create a Bloom’s Taxonomy for this content with three activities for each level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Format as a bulleted list.

ChatGPT Response

Bloom’s Taxonomy for Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Remember (Recall and Recognize Information)

• Character & Event Recall: Create a timeline of significant events in Trevor Noah’s life as described in the memoir.
• Quote Identification: Match key quotes from Born a Crime with the themes they represent (e.g., identity, systemic racism, resilience).
• Chapter Summaries: Summarize each chapter in one to two sentences, focusing on the main ideas and events.

Understand (Explain and Interpret Concepts)

• Theme Exploration: Write a short reflection on how Trevor Noah’s experiences reflect the themes of race, identity, and resilience.
• Comparative Analysis: Compare Born a Crime to another memoir that explores similar themes and explain the similarities and differences.
• Discussion Circle: Participate in a group discussion on the role of humor in the memoir—how does it help convey difficult topics?

Apply (Use Information in New Contexts)

• Creative Rewrite: Rewrite a section of the memoir from the perspective of another character (e.g., Patricia Noah, Abel, or a schoolteacher).
• Modern-Day Connection: Research and present a modern issue that relates to themes from Born a Crime, such as systemic racism, education inequality, or interracial relationships.
• Personal Reflection Essay: Write about a personal experience that connects to a theme or lesson from Born a Crime.

Analyze (Break Down and Examine Components)

• Narrative Structure Breakdown: Analyze how Trevor Noah structures his memoir. How does he use nonlinear storytelling, flashbacks, or vignettes?
• Character Study: Compare and contrast Trevor Noah’s relationship with his mother and father, citing evidence from the text.
• Satirical Analysis: Identify moments in the memoir where Noah uses satire to critique society, and explain its effect on the reader.

Evaluate (Make Judgments and Defend Opinions)

• Debate: Argue whether humor is the most effective tool for discussing serious topics like racism and apartheid. Support your position with examples from the text.
• Critical Review: Write a book review evaluating Noah’s storytelling techniques, effectiveness in portraying historical and personal events, and emotional impact.
• Ethical Dilemmas: Discuss an ethical dilemma from the memoir (e.g., Trevor’s hustle selling CDs, or his mother’s decision to marry Abel) and evaluate the choices made.

Create (Develop New Ideas or Products)

• Podcast Episode: Create a podcast episode discussing a theme from Born a Crime, incorporating research and personal analysis.
• Graphic Novel Adaptation: Illustrate a key moment from Born a Crime as a short graphic novel page, incorporating dialogue and imagery.
• Alternative Ending: Write an alternative ending to the memoir—what might have changed if a key event had happened differently?

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Zone of Proximal Development: Meeting Students Where They Are

The Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is the space between what a student can do independently and what they can achieve with guidance. By identifying students’ ZPD and tailoring learning experiences accordingly, we ensure that all students are challenged but not overwhelmed.

Why Use ZPD?

• Supports differentiated instruction by addressing students at varying levels of proficiency.
• Provides scaffolding to help struggling students succeed while extending the learning of advanced students.
• Encourages collaborative learning and guided practice.

ChatGPT Prompt

Prompt: Create a list of learning activities that would fall within the Zone of Proximal Development for three different groups of students: Students who are approaching proficiency Students who are proficient Students who are exceeding proficiency Additionally, include scaffolding ideas for the teacher to support the students within each of these groups.

ChatGPT Response

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) Learning Activities for Born a Crime

Students Who Are Approaching Proficiency

(Need additional support with comprehension, making connections, and analyzing the text)

Learning Activities:

• Guided Reading with Discussion Prompts: Students read selected passages with teacher-led comprehension questions focusing on key events and themes.
• Character Mapping: Create a visual character map connecting Trevor Noah to key people in his life, with guided support to analyze relationships.
• Think-Pair-Share: Discuss a given theme (e.g., identity, systemic racism, resilience) in small groups, using structured sentence stems to formulate responses.

Scaffolding Strategies:

• Provide graphic organizers to help students track key ideas and character relationships.
• Use sentence starters and guiding questions to help students articulate their thoughts.
• Offer audio versions of the text for struggling readers to reinforce comprehension.
• Conduct small-group discussions to clarify difficult concepts before whole-class discussions.

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Students Who Are Proficient

(Can analyze the text independently but benefit from structured discussions and higher-level questioning)

Learning Activities:

• Comparative Analysis: Compare Trevor Noah’s experiences with another memoir or historical figure who faced systemic oppression.
• Thematic Essay: Write an analytical essay exploring one of the major themes in Born a Crime (e.g., the intersection of humor and trauma).
• Debate: Debate whether humor is an effective tool for addressing serious societal issues, using examples from the memoir as evidence.

Scaffolding Strategies:

• Provide anchor charts summarizing key themes and literary devices for reference.
• Use peer review and structured feedback to help students refine their writing.
• Offer choice-based assignments, allowing students to engage with the text in ways that suit their learning styles (e.g., creative vs. analytical responses).
• Assign mentor texts—exemplary essays or analyses—to model high-level writing.

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Students Who Are Exceeding Proficiency

(Require more complex, open-ended tasks that encourage deeper critical thinking and creativity)

Learning Activities:

• Socratic Seminar: Lead a seminar where students generate and discuss complex, open-ended questions about Born a Crime and its broader implications.
• Interdisciplinary Research Project: Investigate the historical context of apartheid and present findings on how Noah’s experiences reflect broader societal issues.
• Creative Adaptation: Rewrite a chapter of Born a Crime from the perspective of another character, analyzing how perspective shifts affect meaning.

Scaffolding Strategies:

• Encourage independent research on related topics, such as apartheid history, systemic racism, or humor as social commentary.
• Provide higher-order questioning frameworks, such as Bloom’s Taxonomy or Depth of Knowledge, to push critical thinking.
• Facilitate student-led discussions where they take ownership of the conversation.
• Allow flexible project formats (e.g., video essays, podcasts, or creative writing) to challenge students creatively.

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Choice Boards: Empowering Student Choice

Choice Boards allow students to engage with the text in ways that best align with their interests, skills, and learning styles. By offering a variety of activities, students can take ownership of their learning while still engaging with the key themes and concepts of Born a Crime.

Why Use Choice Boards?

• Encourages student autonomy and motivation.
• Supports multiple learning styles (visual, kinesthetic, auditory, etc.).
• Allows for differentiation without compromising depth of analysis.

ChatGPT Prompt

Prompt: Create a list of 12 activities for a Choice Board that students can choose from to explore this concept and demonstrate their understanding. Include a variety of modalities (artistic, analytical, technological, verbal, kinesthetic, etc.). Integrate both technology-based and non-technology-based options. Include tasks of varying difficulty to support and challenge all learners.

ChatGPT Response

Choice Board: Exploring Born a Crime

Students will select at least one activity from each row to explore Trevor Noah’s memoir in a way that aligns with their learning style and interests.

Category	Activity	Modality	Difficulty
Visual & Artistic	Create a Graphic Novel Page: Illustrate a key moment from Born a Crime as a short graphic novel, including dialogue and captions.	Artistic, Kinesthetic	Moderate
	Mood Board of Identity: Design a digital or physical collage representing Trevor Noah’s journey with identity, including images, symbols, and quotes.	Artistic, Digital	Easy
Analytical & Written	Thematic Essay: Write a 5-paragraph analytical essay exploring how Trevor Noah uses humor to discuss racism and apartheid.	Analytical, Written	Challenging
	Compare & Contrast Essay: Compare Born a Crime with another memoir or autobiography about overcoming adversity.	Analytical, Written	Moderate
Technological & Digital	Podcast Discussion: Record a 5-minute podcast episode analyzing a major theme in Born a Crime and connecting it to modern society.	Auditory, Digital	Moderate
	Social Media Campaign: Create a social media campaign (e.g., Instagram or TikTok posts) raising awareness of an issue Noah highlights, such as systemic racism or educational inequality.	Digital, Creative	Easy
Verbal & Collaborative	Socratic Seminar: Lead or participate in a discussion where students analyze Noah’s perspective on race and identity using evidence from the text.	Verbal, Critical Thinking	Challenging
	Debate: Debate whether humor is the most effective tool for addressing serious social issues, using examples from Born a Crime.	Verbal, Argumentative	Moderate
Kinesthetic & Performance	Dramatic Monologue: Perform a dramatic reading of a passage from Born a Crime, adding gestures and vocal expression to convey meaning.	Kinesthetic, Verbal	Easy
	Tableau Performance: In small groups, create frozen “tableau” scenes from key moments in Born a Crime to visually represent themes and character relationships.	Kinesthetic, Group Work	Moderate
Creative & Alternative Writing	Letter to Trevor Noah: Write a letter to Trevor Noah responding to a specific event or theme in his memoir, sharing your thoughts and questions.	Written, Reflective	Easy
	Alternative Ending: Rewrite a chapter from Born a Crime, changing one key event and explaining how it alters Noah’s journey.	Creative, Narrative	Challenging

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DOK Levels: Challenging Students with Varied Cognitive Demands

Depth of Knowledge (DOK) categorizes learning tasks into four levels: Recall & Reproduction, Skills & Concepts, Strategic Thinking, and Extended Thinking. By using DOK levels, we ensure that students are not only recalling facts but also applying, analyzing, and synthesizing information at deeper levels.

Why Use DOK Levels?

• Pushes students beyond basic recall and into deeper analysis.
• Encourages students to justify their thinking and engage in higher-order problem-solving.
• Helps differentiate questions and assessments for varied student abilities.

ChatGPT Prompt

Prompt: Generate DOK-leveled questions and exemplar answers for this content including: 3 DOK Level 1 questions and answers 3 DOK Level 2 questions and answers 3 DOK Level 3 questions and answers 3 DOK Level 4 questions and answers

ChatGPT Response

Depth of Knowledge (DOK) Questions & Answers for Born a Crime

DOK Level 1: Recall and Reproduction

(Basic recall of facts and details from the text)

1. Question: Who is Trevor Noah’s mother, and what role does she play in his life?
   Answer: Trevor Noah’s mother, Patricia Nombuyiselo Noah, is a strong-willed and independent woman who plays a crucial role in shaping his values, resilience, and understanding of apartheid-era South Africa.
2. Question: What law made Trevor Noah’s birth a crime?
   Answer: The Immorality Act of 1927 in South Africa made it illegal for people of different races to have relationships, which meant that Trevor, being of mixed-race parentage, was born illegally.
3. Question: What language does Trevor Noah’s mother insist he learn, and why?
   Answer: Patricia insists Trevor learn multiple languages, including English, Xhosa, and Zulu, because she believes language is the key to navigating different social and racial groups in South Africa.

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DOK Level 2: Skills and Concepts

(Understanding relationships, making simple inferences, and explaining concepts)

4. Question: How does Trevor Noah’s ability to speak multiple languages benefit him as a child?
   Answer: His multilingual abilities allow him to move between different racial and cultural groups, helping him avoid conflict, make friends, and even earn money by acting as a translator.
5. Question: Why does Trevor’s mother take him to different churches every Sunday?
   Answer: Patricia believes that exposing Trevor to different religious traditions helps broaden his perspective and spiritual foundation, despite the hardships they often endure in getting to these churches.
6. Question: How does apartheid impact Trevor Noah’s sense of identity?
   Answer: Since he is neither fully accepted by Black nor White communities due to his mixed-race background, Trevor struggles with a sense of belonging. He learns to adapt by using humor, intelligence, and language as tools to fit in.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

(Analyzing structure, making deeper connections, drawing conclusions)

7. Question: How does Trevor Noah use humor as a survival mechanism throughout his memoir?
   Answer: Trevor uses humor to diffuse dangerous situations, navigate social hierarchies, and process trauma. His humor allows him to connect with others while also critiquing the absurdity of apartheid and systemic racism.
8. Question: Compare and contrast Trevor Noah’s relationship with his mother and his relationship with his stepfather, Abel.
   Answer: Trevor’s relationship with his mother is based on deep mutual respect, guidance, and unconditional love, whereas his relationship with Abel is defined by fear and violence. Patricia encourages Trevor’s independence, while Abel attempts to control and diminish him.
9. Question: How does the structure of Born a Crime (non-linear storytelling with vignettes) affect the reader’s experience?
   Answer: The non-linear structure allows Trevor to highlight different aspects of his life in thematic, rather than chronological, order. This storytelling method emphasizes key lessons and emotional moments, making the memoir feel more personal and engaging.

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DOK Level 4: Extended Thinking

(Synthesizing ideas, evaluating authorial choices, and making broader connections)

10. Question: How would Trevor Noah’s experiences have been different if he had grown up in a post-apartheid South Africa?
    Answer: While post-apartheid South Africa still struggles with racial inequality, Trevor might have had more legal protections and social acceptance. However, systemic issues like economic disparity and residual segregation may have still impacted his opportunities and sense of belonging.
11. Question: Evaluate the effectiveness of Born a Crime as both a personal memoir and a historical account of apartheid.
    Answer: Born a Crime is effective because it blends personal storytelling with historical context. By sharing his experiences, Noah makes the impact of apartheid more relatable and accessible, allowing readers to see the personal consequences of systemic oppression.
12. Question: How does Born a Crime challenge traditional ideas about race and privilege?
    Answer: The memoir highlights the fluidity of race and how it is socially constructed. Trevor’s experiences show that privilege isn’t just about skin color but also about language, economic status, and cultural adaptability, challenging the simplistic narratives of race and power.

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Differentiation by Content, Process, and Product

Differentiating instruction means adapting what students learn (Content), how they learn (Process), and how they demonstrate their learning (Product). This ensures that students of all abilities engage deeply with Born a Crime in ways that challenge and inspire them.

Why Differentiate?

• Provides opportunities for gifted students to explore the text more deeply.
• Allows students with different learning preferences to engage meaningfully.
• Encourages creativity and higher-order thinking.

ChatGPT Prompt

Prompt: Provide a detailed list of ways to differentiate this lesson for gifted and talented students, including: Content (What is Learned) – Topics of greater depth, complexity, or interdisciplinary connections. Process (How Students Learn) – Enrichment activities, self-paced learning, and inquiry-based approaches. Product (How Students Demonstrate Learning) – Creative and advanced assessment options.

ChatGPT Response

Differentiation for Gifted and Talented Students in Born a Crime

Gifted and talented students benefit from lessons that challenge them to think critically, make interdisciplinary connections, and express their understanding in creative ways. Below is a detailed plan to differentiate content, process, and product when teaching Born a Crime by Trevor Noah.

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1. Content (What is Learned) – Depth, Complexity, and Interdisciplinary Connections

To push gifted students beyond the standard curriculum, integrate advanced topics and encourage deeper exploration of themes:

• Historical & Political Context: Analyze apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa in greater depth, connecting it to global systems of systemic oppression and racial segregation (e.g., Jim Crow laws in the U.S., caste systems in India).
• Psychological Perspective: Examine how childhood adversity, resilience, and humor function as coping mechanisms through psychological theories like Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning or Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
• Linguistic & Sociocultural Analysis: Explore the role of language as a form of power in Born a Crime and its connections to sociolinguistics (e.g., code-switching, multilingualism, and language as social capital).
• Comparative Literature: Read excerpts from other memoirs that discuss race and identity (Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls) and analyze similarities and differences in storytelling techniques.
• The Role of Humor in Social Critique: Research and evaluate how comedians like Trevor Noah, Richard Pryor, or Hasan Minhaj use humor to critique social and political issues.

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2. Process (How Students Learn) – Enrichment, Inquiry-Based Learning, and Independent Research

Gifted students thrive when given opportunities for self-directed, inquiry-based learning and complex problem-solving. Here’s how to structure their learning process:

• Independent Research Project: Allow students to choose a topic related to Born a Crime (e.g., the impact of apartheid, linguistic power dynamics, humor as resistance) and present their findings in a format of their choice (paper, documentary, TED-style talk).
• Debate & Socratic Seminars: Organize a student-led debate on topics such as “Is humor an effective tool for addressing racism?” or “Is identity shaped more by personal experience or societal structures?”
• Multi-Genre Inquiry Project: Students explore Born a Crime through different genres—historical articles, poetry, interviews, and academic texts—to gain a multifaceted understanding of Noah’s experiences.
• Self-Paced Learning Modules: Provide advanced reading materials, podcasts, and documentaries (e.g., Trevor Noah’s The Daily Show clips, Nelson Mandela’s autobiography Long Walk to Freedom) for students to engage with at their own pace.
• Ethical Dilemmas and Problem-Solving: Present real-world dilemmas based on themes in Born a Crime (e.g., systemic inequality, domestic violence, cultural identity) and have students propose solutions backed by research.
• Mentorship & Collaboration: Encourage students to interview South African educators, activists, or individuals who lived through apartheid, documenting their insights in a written or multimedia project.

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3. Product (How Students Demonstrate Learning) – Creative & Advanced Assessment Options

Gifted students should have the freedom to express their understanding in innovative ways that go beyond traditional essays. Consider the following advanced assessment options:

• Multimedia Documentary: Create a mini-documentary connecting Born a Crime to historical and modern struggles with systemic racism, including interviews, archival footage, and narration.
• Alternative Memoir Chapter: Write a new chapter in Born a Crime from the perspective of another character (e.g., Patricia Noah, Abel, Trevor’s grandmother), capturing their experiences and emotions authentically.
• Thematic Podcast Series: Develop a three-episode podcast analyzing different aspects of Born a Crime, such as racial identity, language, and humor as survival.
• Satirical Stand-Up Routine: Perform a stand-up comedy set inspired by Noah’s comedic storytelling, using satire to critique a contemporary social issue.
• Virtual Museum Exhibit: Design an interactive digital exhibit featuring key themes from Born a Crime, complete with primary sources, images, and student-created artifacts.
• Philosophical Essay: Write an extended analysis on existential themes in Born a Crime, comparing Noah’s experiences to thinkers like Frantz Fanon (Black Skin, White Masks) or bell hooks (Ain’t I a Woman?).
• Dramatic Adaptation: Write and perform a one-act play based on a pivotal moment in the memoir, exploring its emotional and thematic significance.

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Final Thoughts

By differentiating content, process, and product, we provide gifted students with the intellectual stimulation and creative freedom they need to thrive. Encouraging interdisciplinary connections, self-directed learning, and advanced assessment options ensures that they engage deeply with Born a Crime in ways that challenge and inspire them.

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Join the Conversation!

Which of these strategies do you use in your classroom? Share your thoughts in the comments below!