School AI: Prompts for Teachers

Act as an experienced [GRADE]-grade [SUBJECT] teacher. Create a complete 5E lesson plan (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate) for a [LENGTH]-minute class on [TOPIC], aligned to [STANDARD]. Include: a clear learning objective, a materials list, timing for each phase, one formative check during the lesson, and an exit ticket. Keep activities low-prep using standard classroom supplies. Format with clear headings.

Act as a curriculum designer. Build a [NUMBER]-week unit outline for [GRADE] [SUBJECT] covering [STANDARDS OR TOPICS]. For each week list: the essential question, 2-3 key concepts, one suggested activity, and one assessment idea. Sequence it from foundational to advanced, and flag any week that looks overloaded. Output as a table.

Write 3 learning objectives for a [GRADE] [SUBJECT] lesson on [TOPIC], aligned to [STANDARD]. Use strong Bloom’s taxonomy verbs — one at remember/understand level, one at apply/analyze, one at evaluate/create. Each objective must be observable and measurable (no “understand” or “learn about”). Format: “Students will be able to…”

I have to teach [DRY TOPIC] to [GRADE] students and I know their eyes will glaze over. Give me 6 lesson hooks: a surprising fact, a controversial question, a 2-minute demo, a story, a challenge, and a pop-culture connection. Each hook must take under 3 minutes and need zero special materials. Tell me which one you’d open with and why.

Design a 4-station rotation for [GRADE] [SUBJECT] on [TOPIC] for [CLASS SIZE] students in a [LENGTH]-minute period. Each station: a clear task students can start without me, the materials needed, and what “done” looks like. Include timing, rotation order logistics, and one station that works as the assessment. Assume [TECH AVAILABILITY].

Design a 2-week project-based learning unit for [GRADE] [SUBJECT] around this driving question: [QUESTION]. Include: the final public product, 3 milestone check-ins with deliverables, a simple rubric (4 criteria), how [STANDARDS] are covered, and one built-in moment for student voice and choice. Keep materials to what a typical classroom has.

Find 3 authentic (not forced) connections between my [SUBJECT] unit on [TOPIC] and [OTHER SUBJECT]. For each connection: the shared concept, one concrete co-teaching activity idea, and which colleague I should pitch it to and why they’d say yes. Skip anything that feels like a stretch — only connections a student would find genuinely cool.

Design a 20-minute homework assignment on [TOPIC] for [GRADE] that students might actually find worthwhile. Rules: no more than 8 questions/tasks, at least one that connects to their real lives, one that requires thinking (not just recall), and a built-in reflection asking what was hardest. Include an answer key with the thinking shown.

Outline a 10-minute flipped-classroom video script on [TOPIC] for [GRADE]. Structure: a 60-second hook, the core explanation broken into 3 chunks (with a pause-and-try prompt after each), one worked example, and a 30-second preview of tomorrow’s in-class activity. Write it in speakable language — short sentences I’d actually say out loud — with [VISUAL CUE] notes for what to show on screen.

Design a review game for [TOPIC] that works for [CLASS SIZE] [GRADE] students with zero technology and materials I already have (whiteboard, paper). Include: the rules in 5 steps, how teams are formed fairly, how I keep the quiet kids participating, and a tiebreaker round. It should take one [LENGTH]-minute period including setup.

Create 5 bell-ringer questions and 5 exit tickets for [GRADE] [SUBJECT] on the topic [TOPIC]. Bell-ringers should take under 3 minutes and activate prior knowledge. Exit tickets should check today’s learning target: [TARGET]. Vary the formats (multiple choice, short answer, label-the-diagram, etc.). Provide an answer key at the end.

Act as a [GRADE]-grade teacher. Create one day of emergency sub plans for [SUBJECT] that a non-specialist substitute can run with zero prep. Include: a simple morning-routine script, 3 self-contained activities with clear written instructions for students, answer keys, and a note template for the sub to report back. Assume [CLASS SIZE] students.

Act as a debate coach. For the classroom debate topic [TOPIC], give my [GRADE] students: the 3 strongest arguments FOR, the 3 strongest AGAINST, one credible-sounding-but-weak argument on each side to watch out for, and 5 discussion questions. Reading level: [GRADE]. No graphic or age-inappropriate content.

My [GRADE] class loses 5 minutes every transition. Create 3 attention-getters (call-and-response, clap pattern, silent signal) suited to this age group, plus a step-by-step routine for the messiest transition: [DESCRIBE, e.g. coming back from lunch]. Include exactly what I say the first week to teach it, and how to re-teach it in January when it falls apart.

Build a 9-square choice board of early-finisher activities for [GRADE] [SUBJECT], themed around our current unit: [TOPIC]. Mix: 3 creative, 3 practice, 3 challenge. Every activity must be self-starting, silent-friendly, and completable in 10-15 minutes with no help from me. Format as a 3×3 grid with one-line descriptions.

I want a real discussion about [TEXT OR TOPIC] with my [GRADE] class, not me talking for 40 minutes. Recommend the best format (Socratic seminar, fishbowl, concentric circles, silent discussion, etc.) for THIS material and THIS age group, with setup steps, timing, my role during it, and 5 opening questions ordered easy to hard. Flag the #1 way this format flops and how to prevent it.

Split my class into groups of [N] for [ACTIVITY]. Roster with notes: [LIST STUDENTS WITH BRIEF NOTES, e.g. strong writer / needs support / leaders / keep apart]. Balance each group for mixed ability, separate these pairs: [LIST], and put a steady leader in each group. Output the groups as lists plus one line per group on why the mix works.

Give me 8 brain breaks for [GRADE] students: each under 3 minutes, zero materials, and sorted into energizers (for the sleepy afternoon slump) and calm-downs (for post-lunch chaos). For each: the name, 2-sentence how-to, and when in the day to use it. Nothing that requires rearranging furniture.

Plan a 20-minute advisory/homeroom session on [THEME, e.g. handling stress / digital citizenship] for [GRADE]. Include: a 3-minute opener that gets everyone talking, one main activity (no prep, no materials beyond paper), and a 2-minute closer. It should work even if half the kids are checked out — build in a low-effort way to participate.

Design a classroom jobs system for [GRADE] ([CLASS SIZE] students). Include: 8-10 real jobs (not fake ones), a simple application or rotation method, how often jobs rotate, what happens when someone doesn’t do their job, and one “promotion” incentive. Make it run itself after the first two weeks.

Write 5 end-of-day reflection prompts for [GRADE] that build metacognition, not just “what did you learn.” Mix formats: one sentence stem, one rating + why, one goal-setter, one gratitude-adjacent, one forward-looking. Each must be answerable in 2 minutes in a notebook. Avoid anything that feels like a worksheet.

Act as a supportive [GRADE]-grade teacher. Using this rubric: [PASTE RUBRIC], write feedback on the following student work (name removed): [PASTE WORK]. For each rubric criterion give one strength and one specific next step. Tone: encouraging and direct, written to the student. End with one question that prompts revision. Do not assign a grade.

Rewrite the following teacher feedback to keep every correction but sound encouraging and respectful to a [GRADE] student: [PASTE FEEDBACK]. Rules: no sarcasm, name one thing done well first, turn each criticism into an actionable next step, keep it under 120 words.

Create a complete answer key for this quiz: [PASTE QUIZ]. For each question give the correct answer plus a 1-2 sentence explanation a [GRADE] student would understand. Flag any question you find ambiguous and suggest a fix.

Help me co-create a project rubric WITH my students. Draft a starting rubric for [PROJECT DESCRIPTION] with 4 criteria and 3 performance levels each, written in student-friendly language. Then suggest 3 discussion questions I can use so students can revise the rubric themselves before we finalize it.

Turn my rough notes into a polished report card comment. Student: [FIRST NAME]. My notes: [STRENGTHS, GROWTH AREAS, EFFORT, ONE SPECIFIC MOMENT]. Rules: lead with a genuine strength, be honest but kind about growth areas, mention the specific moment, end forward-looking. Keep it to [WORD LIMIT] words. Write 2 versions: one for a strong student, one for a struggling student — I’ll adapt.

Analyze these quiz results for me. Scores by question (percent correct): [LIST, e.g. Q1: 92%, Q2: 45%…]. For each question under 60%: diagnose the likely cause (bad question? untaught skill? common misconception?) and suggest one reteach move. Then tell me the 2 questions worth class time tomorrow and which ones to let go.

Design a reassessment for [TOPIC] that measures the same standards as the original test but in a different format, so it’s not just memorized answers. Original test covered: [STANDARDS OR QUESTION TYPES]. Include: the new format, 60% of the original point value policy note I can copy to students, and one required reflection students complete before they’re allowed to retake.

Help me convert this traditional assignment to standards-based grading. Assignment: [DESCRIBE]. Original point breakdown: [POINTS]. For each standard it touches: define what Exceeding / Meeting / Approaching / Beginning looks like IN THIS assignment’s terms, and suggest how to handle the old extra-credit points. Give me language I can paste into my gradebook.

Create a student self-assessment for [ASSIGNMENT] that [GRADE] students will take seriously. Include: 5 statements rated 1-4 (written in kid language, tied to the rubric), 2 open questions (“what I’m proudest of” / “what I’d redo”), and one effort-honesty check. Add a teacher-response box at the bottom so I can reply to what they wrote.

Design a peer review protocol for [ASSIGNMENT TYPE] in [GRADE] that produces USEFUL feedback instead of “good job.” Include: a 15-minute timed structure, a feedback form with sentence starters (praise / question / suggestion), rules for kind-but-honest critique, and what students do with the feedback afterward. Make it work for reluctant reviewers.

I suspect a student used AI inappropriately on [ASSIGNMENT], but I can’t prove it and don’t want to accuse. Help me plan a restorative conversation: an opening that invites honesty without cornering them, 4 questions that reveal their actual understanding of the work, possible responses and how to handle each, and a path forward that teaches rather than just punishes. Tone: firm, fair, and human.

My gradebook only allows [CHARACTER LIMIT] characters per comment. Shorten each of these without losing the meaning or sounding robotic: [PASTE COMMENTS]. Keep the warmth, cut the filler. Number them to match my list.

Write 6 portfolio reflection prompts for [GRADE] [SUBJECT] that get past “I liked this assignment.” Each prompt should push students to: connect two pieces of work, name a specific skill that grew (with evidence), identify a mistake that taught them something, or set a goal. One prompt must work as a year-end capstone reflection.

Rewrite the following text at three reading levels: [GRADE MINUS 2], [GRADE], and [GRADE PLUS 2], keeping all key vocabulary and concepts intact: [PASTE TEXT]. Label each version clearly. Bold the key vocabulary terms in each version.

Act as an ESL specialist. For this lesson content: [PASTE], suggest 5 concrete scaffolds for intermediate English learners: sentence frames, a word bank with student-friendly definitions, one visual support idea, a peer-interaction structure, and a modified exit ticket. Keep every suggestion practical for a mainstream classroom.

Suggest 6 practical classroom accommodations for a [GRADE] student who [DESCRIBE NEED, e.g. struggles with working memory during multi-step math problems]. No diagnosis needed — focus on what I can do Monday morning: seating, chunking, visual aids, check-in routines. Keep each suggestion to 2 sentences.

Act as a Socratic tutor for a [GRADE] student learning [TOPIC]. Rules: never give the direct answer; ask one guiding question at a time; if the student is stuck, give a smaller hint; celebrate correct reasoning specifically. Start by asking what they already understand about [TOPIC].

Turn my raw data into a professional IEP progress note. Student: [FIRST NAME]. Goal: [PASTE GOAL]. Data points: [LIST SCORES/OBSERVATIONS WITH DATES]. Write: current performance in plain language, whether progress is sufficient to meet the goal by [DATE], and what I’m doing instructionally. Keep it factual, jargon-light, and parent-readable. Do NOT invent data — only use what I gave you.

Turn this 504 plan into a teacher-friendly daily checklist. Accommodations: [LIST]. For each: what it looks like IN MY CLASSROOM in one sentence, when during the day it applies, and a quick self-check question I can ask myself Friday afternoon. Format as a one-page checklist I could tape inside my plan book.

Build a 6-week Tier 2 intervention plan for [GRADE] students struggling with [SPECIFIC SKILL, e.g. multi-digit multiplication]. Include: screening criteria for the group, 3x-per-week 20-minute session outlines (weeks 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 with increasing difficulty), the progress-monitoring probe I’ll use weekly, the exit criterion, and what documentation I need for the RTI file. Keep it realistic for one teacher with no aide.

My gifted students finish [UNIT/TOPIC] early and “more of the same” insults them. Create an extension menu using depth-and-complexity thinking: 6 options that go deeper (patterns, ethics, systems, unanswered questions) rather than just harder. Each: a compelling title, a 2-sentence pitch that sells it to a 10-year-old, and the product they’d create. No extra grading burden for me.

Build a tic-tac-toe choice board for [TOPIC] ([GRADE]). Nine squares, each a different modality: write, draw, speak, build, perform, research, teach, create digitally, reflect. The center square is the required core task; any row of three completes the assignment. Each square: a clear task completable in one class period. Include a 3-line rubric that works for all nine.

Create a scaffolds pack for [WRITING TASK, e.g. a persuasive paragraph] for [GRADE], including struggling writers and ELL students. Include: 10 sentence starters (opening, evidence, transition, closing), a 20-word academic word bank with kid-friendly definitions, one fully worked paragraph example with the scaffolds highlighted, and a “fade plan” showing which scaffolds to remove in weeks 2 and 3.

Design a visual schedule for our [ROUTINE, e.g. morning arrival / literacy block] for [GRADE]. Break it into 6-8 steps, each with: a 3-word label, a one-line description of what the student does, and a suggested simple icon I could draw or find. Add one “all done” ritual at the end. Keep language simple enough for emerging readers.

Help me think functionally about this behavior: [DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENS, WHEN, AND WHAT FOLLOWS]. Suggest the 2 most likely functions (escape, attention, sensory, tangible) with the evidence for each, then 3 interventions per likely function I can try this week with no special training. Include what data to track for 2 weeks so I know if it’s working.

My [SUBJECT] lesson uses these examples: [LIST]. My students’ backgrounds include [GENERAL DESCRIPTION]. Suggest replacement or additional examples that connect to my students’ cultures and lived experiences — specific, respectful, and academically rigorous, not stereotypes. For each swap, explain the connection so I can introduce it authentically.

Write a warm, professional email to a parent celebrating that [STUDENT FIRST NAME] [SPECIFIC ACHIEVEMENT]. Keep it under 150 words, invite the parent to ask questions, and sign as [YOUR NAME], [GRADE] [SUBJECT] teacher at [SCHOOL].

Act as a veteran teacher-mentor. Help me plan a phone call with a parent about [ISSUE, e.g. missing assignments]. Give me: an empathetic opening line, 3 talking points focused on the student’s success (not blame), likely parent responses with calm replies, and a closing that agrees on one concrete next step. Keep the tone collaborative.

Write a 100-word classroom newsletter update for parents about [WHAT IS HAPPENING, e.g. our upcoming science fair]. Include: what students are learning, one date to remember ([DATE]), and one way parents can help at home. Friendly tone, no jargon.

Organize my messy conference notes into a 10-minute talking-point plan. Student: [NAME]. Notes: [STRENGTHS, CONCERNS, DATA, PARENT’S LIKELY WORRIES]. Structure: open with genuine strength (2 min), share data plainly (3 min), name ONE priority concern (3 min), close with a joint action plan where the parent has a clear role (2 min). Include 3 questions to ask the parent and one line to use if they get defensive.

Turn this week’s highlights into a parent-friendly class update I can post or email. Highlights: [WHAT WE LEARNED, FUN MOMENT, UPCOMING DATES, WHAT TO ASK YOUR KID]. Format: warm 2-line opener, 3 bullet “this week” items in plain language (no edu-jargon), 1 “ask your child” conversation starter, upcoming dates box. Keep the whole thing skimmable in 60 seconds.

Write a letter to parents about [STUDENT] struggling with [SPECIFIC CONCERN]. Tone: compassionate, direct, zero blame. Include: what I’m seeing (facts only), what I’m already doing in class, and 3 concrete things they can do at home this week (each under 10 minutes). End with an invitation to talk, not a warning. Keep it under 200 words.

Write a volunteer request for [EVENT OR ONGOING NEED] that doesn’t guilt-trip busy parents. List 4-5 specific roles with exact time commitments (e.g. “cut laminating, 30 min, take-home”), make “no” easy and shameless, and include one remote option. Warm tone, under 150 words, with a clear reply-by date.

Draft the parent message for our field trip to [DESTINATION] on [DATE]. Include: what students will learn there (tied to our unit on [TOPIC]), cost and what it covers, departure/return times, lunch plan, what to wear/bring, the chaperone request (how many needed, what they’d do), and the permission slip deadline. One message, all details, no follow-up questions needed.

Explain our new [STANDARDS-BASED / PROFICIENCY] grading system to parents who grew up with A-B-C grades. Cover: what the levels mean in plain language, why we switched (2 sentences), what it means for homework and retakes, and answer the 3 questions parents will definitely ask (including “but how will colleges read this?”). Tone: confident and reassuring, not defensive.

Write a thank-you note to [PARENT NAME] for [SPECIFIC CONTRIBUTION, e.g. organizing the book fair / donating snacks all semester]. Make it specific enough that it couldn’t be a form letter: reference the actual thing they did and its effect on the kids. 4-5 sentences, warm but professional, suitable to send home or email.

Draft a kind but firm email auto-reply for parent emails received outside school hours. It should: thank them for reaching out, set the expectation that I reply within [TIMEFRAME] on school days, direct true emergencies to [CONTACT], and not sound annoyed. 3-4 sentences max. Give me 2 versions: warm-casual and formal.

Turn these rough meeting notes into: 1) a 3-bullet summary, 2) action items with owners and deadlines (infer owners from context; mark unclear ones TBD), 3) items to revisit next meeting. Notes: [PASTE NOTES].

Help me draft a 200-word grant application paragraph. The grant funds [WHAT, e.g. classroom library books]. Context: [SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY DETAILS]. Emphasize student impact with one concrete example of need. Professional tone, no exaggeration. Leave [BRACKETED] spots for any numbers I need to verify.

I’ve been asked to lead a 45-minute PD session for colleagues on [TOPIC]. I’m a teacher, not a keynote speaker. Plan it: a 5-minute credibility opener (why I’m worth listening to), 25 minutes of content in 3 chunks with one hands-on activity per chunk, 10 minutes of Q&A with 3 planted questions in case nobody talks, and a one-page takeaway. Build in how to handle the colleague who thinks they know more than me.

My admin is observing my [GRADE] [SUBJECT] class on [DATE] during [TOPIC]. Help me prep: which 3 moments of the lesson to make shine (aligned to what evaluators look for: engagement, questioning, differentiation), 5 higher-order questions to have ready, what to put on the board before they walk in, and a one-paragraph pre-conference summary of the lesson’s goal. Don’t make it fake — keep it authentically my teaching, just sharpened.

Write my 10-minute back-to-school night talk for [GRADE] [SUBJECT]. Structure: 2-minute warm welcome with one genuine thing I love about teaching this age, 4 minutes on what we’ll learn this year (the exciting version, not the standards document), 2 minutes on how I communicate and handle concerns, 2 minutes for questions. Include my “please don’t” list phrased positively and a memorable closing line.

I have $[AMOUNT] for classroom supplies this semester and these needs: [LIST]. Build a prioritized spending plan: must-haves vs nice-to-haves, estimated costs, 3 things to get free instead of buying (with where), and one creative low-cost substitute for the most expensive item. Keep $20 in reserve for mid-semester emergencies.

Write my DonorsChoose project description. I teach [GRADE] [SUBJECT] at [SCHOOL TYPE, e.g. Title I elementary]. I need: [ITEMS]. Structure it the way funded projects do: a vivid 3-sentence picture of my students, the specific learning problem these materials solve, exactly what students will do with them, and a closing that makes a stranger want to click donate. Under 400 words, no jargon.

Build tomorrow’s PLC agenda for our [GRADE/SUBJECT] team around [FOCUS, e.g. analyzing common assessment data]. We have [LENGTH] minutes. Include: timed segments, one protocol that keeps us looking at student work instead of venting, a decision we must leave with, and who does what by when. Add a 2-minute norm reset for the colleague who derails meetings.

Make my end-of-year checkout checklist. Context: [GRADE], [SCHOOL TYPE]. Categories: grades/records to finalize, classroom inventory and packing, tech to return, files to save or shred, handoff notes for next year’s teacher, and personal items people always forget. Order it by deadline urgency and mark what I can delegate to students in the last week.

Create a survival plan for a brand-new teacher’s first two weeks in [GRADE]. Week 1 (before students): the 10 things to set up in priority order, who to befriend and what to ask them, and what NOT to spend money on yet. Week 2 (first days with students): day-by-day priorities where routines beat content, the 5 procedures to teach first, and permission to be imperfect. Tone: encouraging mentor, not a manual.