Are you a primary teacher trying to meet a lot of different needs in the classroom? Or maybe you’re a homeschooling parent with lots of littles at different ages? Either way, this post is for YOU! Today we’re talking about one of the most versatile and engaging learning tools out there…. color by code! Let’s dive into how simple and easy differentiation can be with color by code worksheets.

What is Differentiation?

Differentiation simply refers to tailoring education to meet the needs of a wide variety of learners. As a classroom teacher, I’m certain you’ve already seen the need for differentiated instruction. Our kids are all so different. They learn differently and at varied speeds. Using differentiation in your classroom means that everyone will get exactly what they need no matter what the topic is.

This will come in especially handy in the classroom during center time. Just think how great it would be to ensure that all of your children are being challenged at their exact skill level on a daily basis. This means you’ll cut down on kiddos who speed through “easy” worksheets, and you won’t have to worry about others getting confused and left behind. Differentiation aims to help all your students be like Goldilocks and use an activity that’s “just right”.

Differentiation is also super useful if you’re a homeschooling parent with multiple children. Let’s say you’ve got one kiddo in kindergarten, one in second grade, and one in fifth. That’s a lot of different lesson plans to keep track of, right? If you’re strategic with the way you plan, you can help lighten the load with differentiated instruction. That’s right, we’re going to cover how one single resource can be used across all the grades you’re teaching!

How Can Color By Code Help Facilitate Learning?

Ready for the magic? Let’s talk about color by code and how it will be a total game-changer when it comes to differentiated instruction in both the classroom and homeschool environments. Color by code worksheets are aimed at skills practice and can be used across a wide variety of subjects. Most often, I use them for letter recognition, number recognition, sight words, and number sense. They’re also great for new vocabulary words, math facts, and other concepts too!

The wonderful thing about color by code, aside from versatility, is that they offer engaging practice for students. We all know that the lure of flashcards is pretty limited, right? Sure we can use them here and there, but if we want students to actually be engaged with a topic that requires repetitive practice, we’re going to have to add a bit more excitement to the mix.

Luckily, color by code does just that! My color-by-code sets use a variety of fun themes that students LOVE like holidays, seasons, animals, and more. By simply swapping out your worksheets for a new theme, you’ll be able to instantly snag student attention and keep it no matter what you’re learning.

Not to mention, there is something highly therapeutic about using coloring worksheets in education. If your students are a bit more rambunctious than usual or have a case of the wiggles, this activity can help bring the chaos down a notch! I like to put on some calming music, pass out worksheets, and let this activity do its magic.

Using Color by Code to Differentiate

Now that we know how color by code will help our little learners master important skills, let’s chat about how to actually use these worksheets for differentiation. In the classroom, this process is incredibly simple. Each of my color-by-code resources comes with a few print-ready options. These no-prep pages are literally ready to “print and go.”

For example, in my Weather-Themed Color by Sight Word set you’ll notice there are 19 pre-made pages. Some include pre-primer sight words, while others include words from the primer list. As a teacher, you’ll be able to pass out the pages according to student skill level based on which words each group has mastered.

In another example, my Bugs and Friends Number Sense set focuses on numbers 0-10. There are 12 ready-to-print pages for varied skill levels. Simply assign the pages to each group that meet their needs. If some of your kiddos are only ready for numbers 0-5, use those pages. And for your students who know their numbers up to 10, you have options for them too!

I like using differentiated worksheets like these from the Color by Code Mega Bundle during center time. Typically, I will hand the students in my small group a worksheet that is aligned to their skill level as soon as we’re ready to switch. This helps to avoid the comparison of skill levels among the groups. We all know that kiddos are quick to do this. I’ve found handing the worksheets off, rather than having students grab them from specific baskets, helps to conceal the differences between the pages.

Editable Options for Endless Differentiation

Alright, ready for even more customization? Every single one of my color-by-code sets is completely EDITABLE too!

This means that not only do you have print-and-go options, but you also have the option to add your own content to each of the pages using Adobe or PowerPoint. This comes in handy if you have students whose skill level is either above or below what is already included in the pre-made pages.

This is also a total game-changer for homeschooling families too! Editable options mean you can assign number recognition to your kindergartener, addition and subtraction facts to your 2nd grader, and decimal multiplication to your fifth grader. That’s right, ALL of your children will be working on a math assignment using the same worksheet but tailored to their level. This is a total dream come true in my world!

Differentiation All Year Long

As I briefly touched on before, one of my favorite things about color-by-codes is that they can be used all year long, thanks to a wide variety of themes. Not only can you use it across multiple subjects and skill levels, but you can also rely on it as the seasons change. In my Color By Code MEGA Bundle, you’ll find a resource for every single theme and holiday you can imagine. Included in this set are worksheets for:

• Seasons
• Holidays
• Animals (ocean, farm, dinosaurs, etc.)
• Fun Themes like Space, Bugs, and more!

There are 96 different color-by-code activities included in this bundle and it’s still growing. This means you’ll get every new addition absolutely FREE! The print-and-go pages include options for letters, numbers, sight words, and number sense. And don’t forget, editable options mean the possibilities are endless! You can fill your color-by-code pages with just about any skill you’re hoping to target with your kiddos and make differentiation a snap!

Grab FREE Editable Color by Code Pages

Want to test these pages out first? You’re in luck! You can grab a FREE set of color-by-code pages here! This will allow you to test out the editable features and see just how versatile these pages are for differentiation.

Pin It!

Pin this post on your favorite classroom Pinterest board so you’ll be all set when it comes time to differentiate your lessons.