From Prompts to Projects: Future-Ready Learning with AI
Week 4: Back To School In The Age of AI Series
đĄ Want editable AI rubrics, student planning templates, and project examples from real classrooms?
đ Unlock this weekâs bonus content by subscribing here:
NotebookLM Deep Dive:
Welcome
By now, you've probably seen students using AI to save time, summarize texts, or draft rough ideas. But what if we flipped the script?
This week, we shift the focus from AI as a shortcut to AI as a catalystâfor creativity, inquiry, and future-ready learning. Instead of asking âIs this cheating?â weâre asking:
âHow can we design projects where using AI is not just allowedâbut essential to learning?â
Letâs give students the toolsâand trustâto use AI to ask better questions, build deeper projects, and reflect more critically on their thinking.
AI Tool of the Week: MagicSchoolâs Project Designer
Generate inquiry-driven, student-centered PBL plans in seconds. Just enter your topic, grade level, and standardsâit outputs essential questions, project steps, even rubrics.
Great for:
Genius Hour
STEM research projects
Independent study
Cross-curricular units
You can also try:
Curipod (for interactive presentations and questions)
SlidesAI (for student-led presentations)
Claude or ChatGPT (to generate prompts or reflections)
Lesson Plan: AI-Powered Inquiry Projects
Elementary (Grades 3â5):
Project: âAsk AI, Then Investigate!â
Students use AI to brainstorm questions about a topic.
Choose one question and investigate using books or websites.
Compare their findings with what the AI said.
Present: âOne thing I learned that AI didnât tell me.â
Secondary (Grades 6â12):
Project: âThink With AIâ
Students choose a real-world problem or passion topic.
Use AI to brainstorm ideas, plan research steps, and outline responses.
Cross-check sources using databases or news outlets.
Present findings and clearly cite how AI was used in the process.
Reflection prompt:
âWhat part of your thinking was supported by AIâand what did you contribute on your own?â
AI Ethics Corner: Creation > Consumption
When students build something originalâan argument, a solution, a storyâthey begin to see AI as a thinking partner, not a shortcut.
Your role? Guide students to:
Reflect on what the AI offered
Evaluate what they kept or discarded
Take ownership of the final product
Letâs move students from copy/paste to create/critique.
AI Reading List: Projects & Creativity (2024â25)
How AI Can Foster Creative Thinking in the Classroom and Beyond â EdSurge (Sept 2024)
Focuses on how AI can support idea generation, personalization, and expression.
Read it here: https://www.edsurge.com/news/2024-09-18-how-ai-can-foster-creative-thinking-in-the-classroom-and-beyondEducators Share How They Implement AI in Their Classrooms â EdTech Magazine (Apr 2025)
Practical teacher insights on using AI to scaffold student projects and support creativity.
Read it here: https://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2025/04/educators-share-how-they-implement-ai-their-classroomsThe English Schools Looking to Dispel 'Doom and Gloom' Around AI â The Guardian (Mar 2025)
Shows how UK classrooms are embracing AI as a creative partner, not a threat.
Read it here: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/mar/06/the-english-schools-looking-to-dispel-doom-and-gloom-around-ai
When students use AI to generate ideas, evaluate sources, and design solutionsâthey build more than a project. They build ownership, creativity, and critical thinking skills for the AI-powered future.
đ˘ New from School Library Journal â AI Literacy in Schools Certification Series
Join me and fellow experts this fall for a three-course, self-paced program designed to help school librarians lead on AI. Each course includes 16 PD hours, practical resources, and strategies you can use immediately in your library. Take one course or bundle all three for a $100 discount and earn your official AI Literacy in Schools Certification.
đ Want more tools and strategies? Explore my AI for Educators book series on Amazon đ Get your copy here