AI Summer School: Smart Lesson Planning With Better Prompts
AI Summer School – Week 1: Smarter Planning Starts Here
Welcome to Week 1 of AI Summer School! This summer series is designed to help you explore practical, time-saving ways to integrate AI into your work as an educator or librarian. Each week, I’ll share a bite-sized strategy, tool, or set of resources you can try—even while relaxing poolside or recharging from a busy school year.
💡 Want more insights and downloadable tools? Paid subscribers get exclusive access to a categorized lesson prompt pack for every grade band—plus bonus prompts to help streamline teacher workflows like newsletters, book talks, and classroom prep.
🔒 Unlock this week’s bonus content by subscribing here:
NotebookLM Deep Dive:
AI Tool of the Week: MagicSchool.ai or Eduaide.ai
If you are not using AI to help plan your lessons you need to! Not only is it a great time saver but it honestly creates some great lessons. Lessons that I know I would not have thought of otherwise.. This week’s focus is all about crafting better prompts to help AI generate meaningful, age-appropriate ideas that match your curriculum needs.
Try this simple challenge:
“Create three exit ticket questions for a 5th grade lesson on fractions using real-life examples.”
Want to try one for yourself? Head to MagicSchool.ai or Eduaide.ai and paste in a version of the prompt above with your subject and grade level.
Quick Prompt Tips for Better Results
When writing AI prompts:
Be specific about grade level and topic
Mention the type of output (lesson idea, rubric, bell ringer, etc.)
Add context like standards, student needs, or lesson format
Example:
“Generate a hands-on science lab activity for a 7th grade unit on ecosystems aligned to NGSS.”
AI Ethics Corner: Should You Credit AI in Your Planning?
You might be wondering—if I use AI to brainstorm a lesson, do I need to cite it?
The short answer: ethically, yes—especially when sharing with colleagues or publishing work. Even if you revise heavily, writing “AI-assisted” lesson ideas helps build transparency and keep discussions about their role in teaching open and honest.
AI Reading List
How Educators Are Leading The Future of Learning With AI Initiatives
The Transformative Potential of AI: 6 Big Questions for Schools
Using AI to plan lessons isn’t about giving up control—it’s about sparking ideas when you’re short on time or even when you are not. Try one prompt this week and see what happens.
Next week in AI Summer School: Organizing Chaos: Use AI to Manage Your Schedule, Tasks & To-Dos Like a Pro.
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