Knowing how to use prompts effectively can mean the difference between AI that produces deeper learning and AI that’s more superficial, according to an article in Fast Company published with the permission of the Wonder Tools newsletter.
These 10 prompts illustrate how to use AI to support thoughtful, pedagogically sound teaching:
1) The Bell Ringer
Generate five quick options for activities you can use at the start of a class session, adapted for your subject and your students.
Prompt: “I teach [subject x] to students in [grade level x]. We’re studying [specific topic xyz].Generate five activities I can adapt to start a [xx] minute class. Each should take no more than [x] minutes, require no materials, and either activate prior knowledge or help students reflect on what they’ve just learned. Include one that’s discussion-based, one that’s written and one that’s a game or visual/creative task.
2) The Real-World Hook
Generate five ways to show your students how the topic you’re teaching is relevant to their lives, each with a two-sentence hook you can use to open discussion.
Prompt: “I’m about to begin a unit on [x topic] with [grade level x] students. [Provide a sentence of additional context and a few additional details about your students’ interests]. Generate five ways to connect this material to something students are likely to relate to. This can include sports, the arts, social media trends, pop culture, music, or other contemporary issues. For each connection, suggest a two-sentence hook I can adapt to help jump-start a class discussion.”
3) The Bad Example Generator
Adapt this prompt to include any kind of error you want your students to avoid. These can include experimental design mishaps in science or mangled math formulas. If you’re teaching essay writing, showcase logical fallacies or ad hominem arguments.
Prompt: “I’m teaching [x subject/topic] to [grade level x] students. [Provide an additional sentence of specific context about your class, the learning goals you’re focusing on, and/or the lesson you’re preparing.] Generate five examples of paragraphs with [ad hominem arguments / circular reasoning / weak thesis statements / misleading use of statistics / or pick any other weakness] related to [x topic]. Make sure each example is realistic. These should be the kinds of errors students at this grade level might actually make. Don’t label what’s wrong. I’ll use these for a class activity where students identify and explain the flaws themselves.”
4) The Scaffolding Prompt
Reframe a handout or assignment so it’s clearer and more accessible, especially for students who need extra support.
Prompt: “Here is a [handout / assignment / resource] I give students: [paste or upload it]. Help me reframe this for students who face [specific challenges or context]. I particularly want this to be more accessible for students who need extra support. Break the instructions into smaller, numbered steps. Replace any abstract language with concrete directions. Point out any parts I should clarify. Suggest a brief example for each major step and any illustrations or images that might help me make this more visually engaging. Maintain the academic expectations I have for the work.”
5) The Review Game Generator
An AI assistant can quickly turn existing handouts, lesson plans, or fact sheets into engaging questions, customized for your subject and student level. Generate 15 multiple-choice review questions, tiered by difficulty, formatted for whatever learning game you prefer.
Prompt: “I’m finishing a unit on [x topic] with my [grade level x] students. For an upcoming review session, I’m preparing material to help students practice [a particular skill or area of knowledge]. Generate 15 questions based on the following key concepts: [list concepts or paste notes or upload a handout]. For the multiple-choice ones, include a correct answer and three plausible wrong answers. Vary the difficulty: five easy, five medium, five challenging. Flag the correct answer for each. Also suggest some true/false, fill-in-the-blank, and open-ended questions for variety.”
6) The Fresh Angle Search
Find five recent or unexpected real-world examples of a concept you’re teaching, including perspectives from outside the U.S. and connections to students’ current interests.
Prompt: “I teach [x topic] to [grade level x] students. [Provide additional context here about the topic or learning outcomes you’re focused on]. I’m looking for interesting material [or whatever other description you prefer] to make this subject more engaging for students. [Include any additional context about your students’ interests]. Find me several recent, unexpected or counterintuitive real-world examples of [x concept] that might surprise or intrigue students. Include real-world details to help add nuance for students who think they already understand the concept. And suggest multiple new analogies I can use for students who don’t yet understand this concept. Include international examples, and at least one that has an element of humor.”
7) The Skeptical Student Prompt
Generate 10 challenging questions a skeptical student might ask you about a lesson.
Prompt: “Here is a [lesson plan / reading / concept] I’m teaching: [paste or upload material, mentioning the grade level and any other relevant context]. Give me a list of potential student questions about the relevance of this new topic and about real-world applications. Also note any doubts students might have. If these students [at grade level x] are skeptical that this material is relevant, what might they wonder, and what aspects in particular might they question? Generate 10 challenging questions curious students might ask. Include ones that challenge the relevance of the topic, the reliability of my sources, and the assumptions behind my explanations.”
8) The Blind Spot Audit
Identify specific places in your lesson plan or syllabus where you might have an unconscious bias, where your instructions may be unclear, or where your examples may not reflect the diversity of your students. Point out any unnecessary jargon and highlight assessment criteria that might be confusing.
Prompt: “Here is my [lesson plan / syllabus / unit overview]: [paste or upload document]. Take the perspective of a critic with expertise in inclusive pedagogy and student-centered design. Identify parts of my plan that may not work for students with vision, hearing, or mobility impairments. Also point out places where an unconscious bias might be influencing the way I’m presenting this topic. Point out places where examples or explanations I’ve included might not make sense to my diverse students. Show me places where my assessment criteria could be clearer. Note any other sections of the material that might not be inclusive, accessible or relatable for students. Be direct. Include the location of each issue so I can explore potential fixes. I want specific critique, not general praise. Explain each observation in detail.”
9) The Differentiation Prompt
Produce alternative versions of an existing assignment: one with additional scaffolding, and one with stretch challenges for advanced students. In many classrooms, students arrive at varying levels of readiness. Make sure your differentiated materials remain anchored in your own ideas and teaching goals. There’s a risk of cognitive offloading, where you start letting the AI make decisions for you.
Prompt: “Here is an [assignment / assessment] I give students: [paste or upload material]. Generate two versions of this: one for students who need additional scaffolding and more explicit guidance, and one that adds stretch challenges for advanced students. Preserve the core learning objectives. Summarize the suggested changes and explain their rationale, so I can decide how to adapt these alternatives for my students.”
10) The Rubric Builder
A well-designed rubric clarifies your expectations before students start working, and it gives them a road map for revising. This prompt generates a structured first draft in table format. You can then refine it before sharing it with students. To start, specify the elements of the student work you’ll be evaluating, and describe your criteria.
Describe what constitutes excellence for this assignment, what satisfactory work looks like, and what evidence signals to you that a student may need more practice. Revise initial outputs by adding your own details and refinements.
Prompt: “I’m assigning [assignment description] to [grade level x] students. [Here’s a bit of relevant context]. Generate a rubric with three performance levels: Excellent, Proficient, and Developing. (Or Superb, Good, and Needs Improvement.) Include five criteria relevant to this assignment: [list criteria, e.g., use of evidence, originality, thoughtfulness, structure, and mechanics]. For each criterion and each level, write two specific sentences describing what that performance actually looks like. Avoid vague language like ‘good use of sources.’ Put this rubric into a table, then wait for my edits.”
AI assistants have arrived at a time when teachers need support to do their best work. In a national survey by the RAND Corporation, just 24% of teachers reported being satisfied with their total weekly hours worked, and 66% said their base salary was inadequate. AI tools won’t make up for unfair compensation. But they can help strengthen how teachers serve their students while they make time for the rest of their lives.
Fast Company / Wonder Tools newsletter
