Planning a lesson for a group of learners can take time. You may need to keep children engaged, explain the same idea in different ways, and check what each child understands. These udl lesson plan examples show how to plan those choices before teaching. This guide uses States of matter for ages 8-9. You will learn the science content first, then create a flexible lesson with Didaktos AI. You can adapt a plan you already use, review the generated document, and make a short assessment. The goal is a useful starting point that you can check and adjust for your learners.
What students should learn about States of matter
Students can explore three common states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. They should notice that materials have different properties and that heating or cooling can change some materials from one state to another.
- Solid: It keeps its shape unless a force changes it.
- Liquid: It can flow and takes the shape of its container.
- Gas: It spreads out to fill the space available.
Useful vocabulary includes matter, solid, liquid, gas, melt, freeze, evaporate, and condense. Children can connect these words to familiar observations, such as ice melting into water or water droplets forming on a cool surface.
At this age, students may think that a gas is not matter because they cannot see it. They may also believe that melting makes a material disappear, or that all liquids behave in the same way. Ask what they observe and what they think is happening. A simple drawing can help them explain their ideas without needing advanced particle theory.
A useful lesson outcome is: “I can describe solids, liquids, and gases, and give an example of a change between states.” These udl lesson plan examples work best when the learning goal is clear and the evidence can take more than one form.
Why use Universal Design for Learning to teach States of matter
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) encourages teachers to plan different ways for learners to engage with a topic, access information, and show what they know. It does not mean creating a separate lesson for every child. It means building helpful choices into the lesson from the start.
- Offer more than one way to engage. A choice can support attention and curiosity. For example, children can begin by choosing whether to investigate an ice cube, watch a teacher demonstration, or predict what will happen to water in a covered container.
- Present information in different ways. A spoken explanation alone may not work for every learner. For example, pair a short explanation with labelled pictures, real objects, and a simple movement model of how particles behave.
- Allow different ways to respond. Writing is not the only way to show understanding. For example, students can label a diagram, explain an observation aloud, arrange picture cards, or write a short response against the same learning goal.
These choices make udl lesson plan examples more practical for mixed groups. They also help you separate the science goal from the method a child uses to reach it. Keep the expected learning consistent, while offering suitable routes into the task and ways to demonstrate understanding.
How to create a UDL lesson plan with AI in 5 steps
Step 1: Describe your lesson
In Didaktos AI, open Planning and choose Daily Lesson Plan, then select Natural Sciences / Biology and Elementary (1-3). In Topic / Instructions, start with the topic, age, lesson duration, and learning goal. Add the classroom context that matters, such as available materials or a concept students already know. A clear brief helps Didaktos AI create a draft that is easier to review.
Plan a 45-minute States of matter lesson for children aged 8-9. Students should identify solids, liquids, and gases and describe one change of state. Include a hands-on observation, a visual explanation, and a short check for understanding.
Teacher tip: Write one observable learning goal so you can check whether the activities support it.
Step 2: Choose the methodology
In Methodology, activate the UDL (Universal Design for Learning) tag in Didaktos. This tells the AI to shape the plan around learner access, engagement, and response choices. Check that the draft offers meaningful options, rather than adding choices that do not support the lesson goal.
States of matter, ages 8-9, 45 minutes. Offer choices for engagement, ways to access information, and different ways to show learning. Keep the goal consistent for all learners.
Teacher tip: Look for options that remove a barrier without lowering the science expectation.
Step 3: Attach your material
If you have an existing lesson plan, attach it so Didaktos can analyse and adapt it. File attachment is a Didaktos Pro feature. Didaktos accepts photos, PDFs (the first 10 pages, including scanned pages), Word files, and text files.
Free users can paste the key text from their existing plan into the lesson description instead. Tell the AI what to keep and what you want to improve, such as adding clearer visuals or response choices.
Adapt the attached States of matter lesson for children aged 8-9 using Universal Design for Learning. Keep the learning goal and useful activities. Make the instructions clearer, add visual and hands-on options, and include ways to respond without writing.
Teacher tip: Remove personal student information from a file before uploading it.
Step 4: Generate and review the document
Generate the lesson plan, then review it in Document, Outline, and Print view. Document view helps you read the full plan, Outline view helps you check its structure, and Print view helps you see how it may look on paper. Treat the draft as a starting point, not a substitute for your professional judgement.
Generate the UDL lesson plan for States of matter. Include a clear sequence, materials, teacher prompts, student choices, and ways to check the learning goal. Keep instructions suitable for children aged 8-9.
Teacher tip: Check that every activity connects to the stated goal and uses materials you can provide.
Step 5: Use Create quiz to build the assessment
Use the Create quiz quick action to build an assessment in one click. Review the questions and answers to confirm that they check the intended science learning and use language your students can understand. Edit any item that does not fit what you taught. If some learners need an easier version of the plan or the quiz, the Simplify (UDL) action rewrites it with shorter sentences and simpler vocabulary. To adjust the quiz, open Edit and ask, for example:
Make this a brief assessment for the States of matter lesson with three clear questions about solids, liquids, gases, or changes of state, with correct answers for the teacher.
Teacher tip: Keep at least one question focused on explaining an observation, not only recalling a word.
Sample output
Here is an example activity that a generated UDL plan could include. It combines observation, visual support, and choice while keeping one shared learning goal.
Activity: What happens to the ice? Show students an ice cube in a clear container. Ask them to predict what they will observe after the ice has been left in a safe place. Students can record a prediction by drawing, choosing a picture card, or telling a partner. After observing the change, they label a before-and-after diagram or explain it aloud. Invite them to use the words solid, liquid, and melt.
Check for understanding:
- What state is the ice in before it melts? Answer: Solid.
- What state is the melted ice? Answer: Liquid water.
- What does “melt” mean in this activity? Answer: A change from solid to liquid, usually when the material is warmed.
This sample shows how udl lesson plan examples can include varied ways to participate and respond. The teacher can still check the same key idea across different response formats.
Variations
For younger children, focus on sorting familiar objects and describing what they can see or feel safely. For older learners, extend the investigation by comparing more changes of state and asking them to explain patterns in their observations. Adjust the vocabulary and depth to what students are ready to learn.
For a udl lesson plan for special education, plan from the learner’s access needs and strengths. You might use a visual schedule, fewer steps at a time, enlarged images, communication cards, or a supported partner response. These are options to consider with your knowledge of each student, not automatic requirements for every learner.
For ESL/ELL learners, preview key words with clear images and real objects. Pair each word with a gesture or example, and allow rehearsal with a partner before sharing. For students with attention needs, use short activity stages, visible instructions, and a purposeful movement task. You can also explore the inclusive materials generator for ideas to adapt classroom resources.
A useful udl lesson plan template can prompt you to record the goal, materials, activity sequence, access choices, and assessment. A clear udl lesson plan format makes those decisions easy to scan before teaching. Keep the template flexible enough to reflect the actual class.
Frequently asked questions
What should udl lesson plan examples include?
Useful examples include a clear learning goal, a sequence of activities, and options for engagement, access, and response. They should also show how the teacher will check learning. For a States of matter lesson, include familiar observations, accurate vocabulary, and more than one suitable way for children to demonstrate understanding.
How do I make a UDL lesson plan template?
Begin with the goal, age range, and materials. Add the activity steps, then note how students can access the content and participate. Include response choices and a short assessment linked to the goal. Leave space for teacher notes, because a useful template supports planning without requiring identical lessons.
Can AI create a udl lesson plan for special education?
AI can draft options for access, instructions, and response formats, but it cannot know every learner’s needs. Review the plan with your professional knowledge and any relevant support guidance. Make changes for individual communication, sensory, mobility, or learning needs, and check that the goal remains meaningful.
What is the best udl lesson plan format?
The best format is one you can understand and use during teaching. It usually makes the goal, lesson sequence, materials, learner choices, and assessment easy to find. Use an outline for a quick overview and a fuller document when you need detailed prompts or adaptation notes.
These udl lesson plan examples offer a practical starting point for teaching States of matter. In this Discover Didaktos series, try the same example in Didaktos AI: describe the lesson, activate the UDL tag, create a quiz, and review the result before using it with your class.