How a 9th Grade Biology Teacher Used AI to Create Differentiated Learning Studio Checklists

One of my favorite moments during a coaching visit happens when teachers take an idea from the Learning Studios Framework and make it their own. This week, a 9th-grade biology teacher did exactly that — using AI to generate three differentiated, multilingual checklists to support her Genetics Learning Studio rotations.
Using AI allowed her to:

• Differentiate expectations quickly
  
• Provide language-support checklists for multilingual learners
  
• Align each task with the class standards on Punnett squares and genetic crosses
  
• Save hours of prep time while still meeting the needs of every learner
  

Below is a look at what she created, how she deployed the checklists, and the exact prompt you can use to build your own versions.

One Day Checklist Template

Two Day Checklist Template

The teacher, Ms. Melanie Martinez, generated three versions:

• English Checklist
• Spanish Checklist (to support native Spanish-speaking students)
• Chinese Checklist (for a newcomer student)

Each checklist included:

• The Learning Studio names
• Time expectations for the rotation
• Space for student notes
• A Punnett Square practice table
• A description area for recording genetic cross results

These checklists became the “anchor tool” for the entire class period — students referenced them at each studio and used them to track completion.

Free Download:
Learning Studios Checklist Starter Kit

To make it even easier for you to bring Learning Studios into your classroom, I created a FREE Learning Studios Checklist Starter Kit that you can download and start using right away. This two-page resource includes everything you need to design your own customized checklists—just like the ones Ms. Martinez used in her Genetics lesson.

Learning Studio Checklist Starter Kit

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The Learning Studios for This Genetics Lesson

To support her 9th-grade Biology students during their Genetics unit, Ms. Martinez designed four Learning Studios—each one aligned to a specific task on the student checklist. Students rotated every 6–12 minutes, working at their own pace, place, and path.

Small Group Studio (8 Minutes)

Checklist Task:
​Match the genetic cross cards with their correct descriptions. Write one of the crosses and its explanation in the space provided.

At the Small Group Studio, Ms. Martinez guided students through example Punnett squares and helped them connect genetic crosses to real-world traits. Using genetic cross cards, students practiced identifying genotypes and phenotypes, clarified misconceptions, and wrote a complete description of one cross directly onto the checklist.
Teacher Focus:

• Modeling how to read Punnett square outcomes
• Supporting vocabulary (dominant, recessive, homozygous, heterozygous)
• Providing quick feedback before students moved to Independent Practice

Independent Practice Studio (12 Minutes)

Checklist Task:
​Complete the Punnett Squares and describe the result of each genetic cross.
Students used the checklist to complete multiple Punnett squares at their own pace. Each table included space for both the square and the written result (e.g., genotype ratios, phenotype percentages). This studio reinforced accuracy and independence while allowing Ms. Martinez to check work quickly during the next rotation.
Quick Check Ideas:

• Post the answers for the students.
• Have the studio expert check the answers

Digital Content Studio (6 Minutes)

Checklist Task:
Watch the video and answer the guided questions about Mendel’s pea plant experiments.
At this studio, students explored video content that strengthened foundational understanding of Mendelian genetics. The checklist included five comprehension questions covering discoveries, trait terminology, hidden traits, allele differences, and heterozygous notation.
Digital Content Example:
"How Mendel’s pea plants helped us understand genetics”
Purpose:
This studio enhanced recall and clarified key concepts needed for the final Future Ready Studio.

Future Ready Studio (12 Minutes)

Checklist Task:
With a partner, use the informational flyer to answer genetics application questions.
Here, students applied their understanding to more advanced inheritance patterns, including autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, and X-linked inheritance. The checklist prompted them to calculate percentages, analyze carrier status, and identify how many allele copies are needed to express a trait.
Why It Matters:
This studio pushed students into real-world genetics reasoning—exactly the kind of higher-level thinking emphasized in the Learning Studios framework.

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Customizable AI Prompt for Creating a Learning Studios Checklist

Copy and paste this into ChatGPT, Gemini, or Copilot:

Create a student-friendly Learning Studios checklist using Marcia Kish’s Learning Studios Framework. The checklist should be printable on one page and include space for the following: student name, date, class period, and four studios—Small Group Studio, Independent Practice Studio, Digital Content Studio, and Future Ready Studio.
Before generating the checklist, ask me to provide:

• Subject
  
• Grade level
  
• Learning standard(s)
  
• Key skills or objectives students should practice at each studio
  
• Any special formatting requests (tables, graphic organizers, note space, problem-solving boxes, etc.)
  

After I provide the details, design a checklist that includes:

• A clear header with the subject and grade level
  
• Directions for students at each studio based on the information I supply
  
• Time allotments for each rotation
  
• Tables, charts, or task boxes as needed to match the studio requirements
  
• Consistent formatting that works for black-and-white printing
  

Finally, provide translated versions of the completed checklist in the languages I specify (such as Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, French, etc.) while maintaining the same structure.

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Optional Add-On Prompts

• To regenerate the checklist with a new standard:  ​​“Rewrite this checklist to align with the following standard: ___.”
• To adjust studio tasks: “Revise the studio directions to increase/decrease rigor or add more student choice.”
• To differentiate:  “Create a simplified checklist for beginners and an advanced version for accelerated learners.”
• To insert visual organizers:  “Add space for diagrams, graphic organizers, or multi-step problem-solving boxes.”

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Learning Studios in Action: A Look Inside the Classroom

As students moved at their own pace through the four studios, the checklist became their road map. Each studio had a clear purpose, a posted direction card, and a task aligned to the Biology standards. The photos below capture how the class came alive during the Genetics Learning Studios rotation.

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Closing

This Genetics lesson is a perfect example of what happens when thoughtful instructional design meets practical classroom tools. By pairing the Learning Studios Framework with an AI-generated checklist, Ms. Martinez created a classroom environment where every student had access, structure, and support—no matter their language background or confidence level with genetics.

The checklist didn’t just organize the lesson.

It empowered students to own their learning, move with purpose, and stay engaged throughout the studio rotations.
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And that’s the true power of Learning Studios:
clarity, choice, and continuous learning—all within a predictable classroom flow.

Ready to Get Started With Learning Studios?

If you’re ready to bring Learning Studios to your classroom or campus, you don’t have to start alone. Explore our free resources, video tutorials, and prompt templates at BlendedLearningPD.com, or reach out for onsite and virtual coaching.

Getting Started with Learning Studios

✨ Let’s design classrooms where students take ownership and learning feels more joyful—one studio at a time.