A prompt library for classroom teachers, school leaders, and education teams.

This resource is designed to help teachers use AI as a planning, drafting, thinking, and refinement tool. The prompts are intentionally reusable: replace the bracketed placeholders — such as [year level], [subject], [topic], [student need], or [assessment task] — with your own context.

A Teacher’s Quick Guide to Better AI Prompting

AI is most useful when it is treated like a capable assistant, not an automatic answer machine. The quality of what you get depends heavily on the quality of the instructions you provide. A vague prompt usually produces a vague response. A clear prompt that includes context, purpose, constraints, student needs, and the kind of output you want is much more likely to produce something useful.

For teachers, the aim is not to let AI replace professional judgement. The aim is to reduce blank-page time, speed up routine planning, generate options, improve clarity, and help you adapt resources more efficiently. You remain responsible for checking accuracy, curriculum alignment, suitability, accessibility, privacy, and tone.

The five ingredients of a strong teacher prompt

1. Role

Tell the AI what perspective to take.

Example: Act as an experienced Year 8 Science teacher.

2. Context

Explain the class, subject, topic, year level, and any relevant student needs.

Example: My class has mixed literacy levels and several students who need structured writing support.

3. Task

Say exactly what you want created, reviewed, rewritten, explained, or improved.

Example: Create a 60-minute lesson plan on balanced and unbalanced forces.

4. Constraints

Set limits such as lesson length, reading level, format, number of examples, tone, available resources, or school context.

Example: Use only everyday classroom materials and keep the worksheet to one page.

5. Output format

Tell the AI how to present the answer.

Example: Provide the answer as a table with timing, teacher actions, student actions, and checks for understanding.

Basic prompt vs stronger prompt

A basic prompt might be:

Create a lesson on fractions.

A stronger teacher prompt would be:

Act as an experienced Stage 3 mathematics teacher. Create a 60-minute lesson introducing equivalent fractions to a mixed-ability Year 6 class. Include a short retrieval starter, explicit teaching, guided practice, independent practice, extension questions, support for students who struggle with multiplication facts, and an exit ticket. Present the lesson in a table.

AI works best as a drafting and thinking partner. Ask it to produce options, explain trade-offs, identify gaps, simplify language, generate examples, create scaffolds, or suggest adjustments. Then edit the result using your knowledge of your students, school context, curriculum requirements, and professional standards.

Before using AI-generated material with students

Check:

• Is it factually accurate?
• Is it aligned with the curriculum or learning goal?
• Is the reading level appropriate?
• Does it include any invented references, false claims, or misleading information?
• Is it inclusive and respectful?
• Does it protect student privacy?
• Does it support learning rather than simply make the task easier?
• Would I be comfortable explaining or defending this resource professionally?

A useful final instruction to add to many prompts is:

Before finalising, identify any assumptions you made and list anything I should check before using this with students.

This helps keep AI in its proper role: a useful assistant, not the final authority.

1. Lesson Planning & Sequencing

When prompting for lesson planning, give the AI enough classroom context to design something realistic. Include the year level, subject, topic, lesson length, prior learning, available resources, and what students should know or be able to do by the end. The more specific the teaching context, the less generic the lesson will be.

It is also worth telling the AI what kind of pedagogy or lesson structure you want. For example, you might ask for explicit instruction, gradual release, inquiry learning, retrieval practice, worked examples, collaborative learning, or a revision lesson. Always review the sequence carefully to make sure the timing is realistic and the lesson does not skip important teacher explanation.

Prompts

1. Create a lesson outline

Create a [lesson length] lesson plan for [year level] [subject] on [topic]. Include a hook, explicit teaching, guided practice, independent practice, checking for understanding, and an exit ticket.

1. Generate learning intentions and success criteria

Write clear learning intentions and success criteria for a [year level] lesson on [topic]. Make them student-friendly and aligned to [curriculum outcome or skill].

1. Sequence a unit of work

Design a [number]-week learning sequence for [year level] [subject] on [unit topic]. Include lesson topics, key skills, formative checks, and a final assessment idea.

1. Create a lesson hook

Suggest 10 engaging lesson hooks for teaching [topic] to [year level] students. Include a mix of images, questions, scenarios, demonstrations, and real-world connections.

1. Plan a retrieval practice starter

Create a 5-minute retrieval practice activity for students who have previously learned [prior topic] and are beginning [new topic].

1. Design an explicit instruction sequence

Break down how to explicitly teach [skill or concept] to [year level] students. Include teacher explanation, modelling, guided practice, and independent practice.

1. Create a lesson with gradual release

Plan a lesson on [topic] using the “I do, We do, You do” model. Include teacher script notes, example questions, and student tasks.

1. Build a revision lesson

Create a revision lesson for [year level] students preparing for [assessment or exam] on [topic]. Include retrieval, worked examples, common errors, and a practice task.

1. Plan for misconceptions

Identify common student misconceptions about [topic] and design a lesson sequence that directly addresses them.

1. Create an exit ticket

Write 5 exit ticket questions for a lesson on [topic], ranging from basic recall to application and reflection.

2. Differentiation & Adjustment

When prompting for differentiation, be clear that the learning goal should remain intact. AI can sometimes make work easier by reducing the intellectual demand too much. A good prompt should ask for access points, scaffolds, alternative formats, vocabulary support, worked examples, or extension depth while keeping the same core learning intention.

Avoid entering identifiable student information. Instead of using names or detailed personal information, describe general learning needs. For example, say “a student with working memory difficulties” or “students who can explain ideas verbally but struggle to write extended responses.” Ask the AI to avoid deficit language and to suggest practical classroom adjustments.

Prompts

1. Differentiate a task by readiness

Take this task: [paste task]. Rewrite it at three levels: support, core, and extension, while keeping the same learning goal.

1. Adjust reading level

Rewrite this text for [year level] students who need a lower reading load, while preserving the key subject vocabulary: [paste text].

1. Support students with disability

Suggest reasonable classroom adjustments for a student with [general need, e.g. working memory difficulties, dyslexia, anxiety, ADHD] completing this task: [paste task].

1. Extend high-potential students

Create extension activities for high-potential students who have already mastered [topic or skill]. Make the tasks deeper, not just longer.

1. Support EAL/D learners

Adapt this lesson activity for EAL/D students: [paste activity]. Include vocabulary support, sentence stems, visuals, and ways to check understanding.

1. Create scaffolded writing support

Create a writing scaffold for [year level] students answering this question: [question]. Include sentence starters, paragraph structure, and key vocabulary.

1. Make a task more accessible

Review this task and suggest changes to make it more accessible for students with mixed literacy levels: [paste task].

1. Create choice-based differentiation

Design a choice board for [topic] where students can demonstrate understanding through writing, speaking, visual design, practical work, or digital creation.

1. Support low-confidence learners

Modify this activity so that low-confidence students can begin successfully without reducing the intellectual quality of the task: [paste activity].

1. Differentiate questioning

Create 15 questions about [topic] divided into three levels: recall, reasoning, and challenge.

3. Assessment Design

When prompting for assessment support, provide the learning outcomes, topic, year level, task type, and the skills being assessed. AI can quickly generate quizzes, rubrics, marking criteria, practice tasks, and sample responses, but these need careful teacher review to ensure they are valid, fair, and aligned to what was actually taught.

It is useful to ask AI to separate content knowledge from skill demonstration. For example, a task might assess explanation, analysis, source use, problem-solving, practical method, or written communication. Ask the AI to identify what each question or criterion is actually testing so you can check that the assessment matches the intended learning.

Prompts

1. Create a formative quiz

Write a 10-question formative quiz on [topic] for [year level]. Include multiple-choice, short-answer, and one extended-response question, with answers.

1. Design a rubric

Create a student-friendly rubric for [assessment task] in [subject]. Use four performance levels and include criteria for content, skills, communication, and accuracy.

1. Write marking criteria

Develop clear marking criteria for this task: [paste task]. Include what a high, medium, and low response would show.

1. Create an assessment notification

Draft an assessment notification for [year level] [subject] on [task type]. Include task description, outcomes, due date placeholder, submission requirements, and marking criteria.

1. Generate success criteria for assessment

Write success criteria for students completing [assessment task]. Make them specific, observable, and written in student-friendly language.

1. Create a practice assessment

Create a practice version of this assessment: [paste task or describe task]. Keep the same skills but use a different context or stimulus.

1. Write exam questions by difficulty

Create 20 exam-style questions on [topic]: 8 easy, 8 medium, and 4 challenging. Include answers and brief explanations.

1. Design a performance task

Create an authentic performance task for [year level] students studying [topic]. Include audience, purpose, product, process, and assessment criteria.

1. Create a marking guide

Write a detailed marking guide for this extended-response question: [question]. Include sample points students may raise and common weaknesses.

1. Check assessment alignment

Review this assessment task for alignment with [curriculum outcome or learning goal]: [paste task]. Identify strengths, gaps, and possible improvements.

4. Feedback & Marking Support

When prompting for feedback, provide the task, criteria, and anonymised evidence of student performance. AI is especially useful for turning rough marking notes into clearer, more constructive feedback. It can also help create whole-class feedback summaries, common error lists, and next-step targets.

Be careful not to let AI make judgements that require direct knowledge of the student. Feedback should be checked for accuracy, fairness, tone, and usefulness. A strong feedback prompt should ask for specific strengths, specific areas for improvement, and one practical next step the student can act on.

Prompts

1. Generate feedback comments

Create 10 constructive feedback comments for students who completed [task], focusing on strengths, areas for improvement, and next steps.

1. Turn rubric results into feedback

Convert these rubric results into student-friendly feedback: [paste rubric notes]. Include one strength, one target, and one practical next step.

1. Create whole-class feedback

Based on these common errors: [list errors], write a whole-class feedback summary that is specific, encouraging, and action-focused.

1. Write next-step targets

Generate individual learning targets for students who are struggling with [skill]. Make each target short, specific, and measurable.

1. Improve feedback tone

Rewrite this feedback so it is clear, professional, and encouraging: [paste feedback].

1. Create feedback codes

Create a feedback code system for marking [type of work], including codes for structure, evidence, explanation, accuracy, grammar, and presentation.

1. Identify error patterns

Analyse these student responses and identify common patterns of misunderstanding: [paste anonymised responses].

1. Create feedforward questions

Write 10 feedforward questions students can use to improve their work on [task] before resubmitting or revising.

1. Draft parent-friendly feedback

Turn this assessment feedback into a short parent-friendly comment: [paste feedback].

1. Create peer feedback prompts

Write peer feedback prompts for students reviewing each other’s work on [task]. Include prompts for praise, questions, and suggestions.

5. Resource Creation

When prompting for resources, specify the exact format you want. For example, ask for a one-page worksheet, a cloze passage with an answer bank, a glossary with examples, a revision sheet, a set of flashcards, or a model answer at different quality levels. This helps avoid long, unfocused outputs.

Also include constraints such as reading level, number of questions, amount of writing space, whether answers are required, and whether the resource should be printable. AI-generated resources should always be checked for errors, unclear wording, incorrect answers, and accidental over-complication.

Prompts

1. Create a worksheet

Create a one-page worksheet for [year level] students on [topic]. Include definitions, examples, practice questions, and one challenge question.

1. Write a cloze passage

Write a cloze passage on [topic] for [year level], with 12 missing words and an answer bank.

1. Create worked examples

Create three worked examples showing how to solve or complete [skill or problem type]. Include step-by-step explanations.

1. Make flashcards

Create 20 flashcards for [topic], with a term or question on one side and a clear answer on the other.

1. Create a revision sheet

Create a revision sheet for [topic] that includes key terms, diagrams or visual descriptions, common mistakes, and practice questions.

1. Generate classroom posters

Write the text for a classroom poster explaining [concept or process] in simple, memorable language.

1. Create model answers

Write three model answers to this question: [question] — one basic, one sound, and one high-quality response.

1. Build a glossary

Create a glossary of 20 key terms for [topic]. Include simple definitions and one example sentence for each term.

1. Create a matching activity

Create a matching activity for [topic] with terms, definitions, examples, and an answer key.

1. Design a mini-booklet

Create a short student booklet on [topic] with sections, explanations, tasks, reflection questions, and a final review activity.

6. Literacy Across the Curriculum

When prompting for literacy support, explain both the subject content and the literacy demand. For example, students may need help with vocabulary, sentence structure, paragraphing, command words, comprehension, explanation, evidence use, or extended responses. AI can help make these hidden demands more explicit.

The best literacy prompts ask AI to preserve important subject vocabulary while reducing unnecessary reading difficulty. This matters because simplifying a text too much can remove the technical language students actually need to learn. Ask for sentence stems, model paragraphs, vocabulary previews, non-examples, and writing checklists that support students without doing the thinking for them.

Prompts

1. Create subject vocabulary support

Identify the key vocabulary students need for [topic]. Provide definitions, pronunciation tips if useful, examples, and non-examples.

1. Write paragraph scaffolds

Create paragraph scaffolds for answering this question: [question]. Include sentence starters for topic sentence, evidence, explanation, and link.

1. Simplify complex text

Rewrite this text for [year level] students while keeping the essential meaning and key terms: [paste text].

1. Create reading comprehension questions

Write reading comprehension questions for this text: [paste text]. Include literal, inferential, vocabulary, and evaluative questions.

1. Teach command words

Explain the command words [list command words, e.g. describe, explain, analyse, evaluate] for [year level] students, using examples from [subject].

1. Support extended responses

Create a planning template for students writing an extended response on [topic]. Include space for thesis, key points, evidence, and conclusion.

1. Create a literacy warm-up

Write a 10-minute literacy warm-up for [subject] using the vocabulary of [topic].

1. Build sentence stems

Create sentence stems for students discussing, comparing, explaining, analysing, and evaluating ideas about [topic].

1. Create a writing checklist

Write a student checklist for improving written responses in [subject]. Include clarity, evidence, explanation, vocabulary, and editing.

1. Turn notes into a structured response

Turn these rough notes into a clear student model paragraph: [paste notes].

7. Questioning & Discussion

When prompting for questions, specify the purpose of the questioning. Questions for retrieval practice, class discussion, misconception checking, debate, and higher-order thinking should look different. Tell the AI whether you want quick recall, reasoning, ethical discussion, analysis, evaluation, or student reflection.

It is also useful to ask for questions at different levels of difficulty. A strong questioning prompt might ask for recall, application, challenge, and extension questions, along with likely student responses or misconceptions. This helps teachers plan follow-up prompts rather than relying on a single question list.

Prompts

1. Generate Socratic questions

Create 15 Socratic questions for a class discussion on [topic]. Include questions that probe assumptions, evidence, consequences, and alternative viewpoints.

1. Create discussion starters

Write 10 discussion starters for [year level] students learning about [topic]. Make them open-ended and accessible.

1. Build higher-order questions

Create questions about [topic] using Bloom’s taxonomy: remember, understand, apply, analyse, evaluate, and create.

1. Create debate topics

Suggest 10 debate topics related to [unit topic] for [year level] students. Include a brief explanation of what each debate would explore.

1. Design think-pair-share prompts

Create 8 think-pair-share prompts for [topic], moving from simple recall to deeper reasoning.

1. Generate misconception questions

Write questions that reveal whether students hold misconceptions about [topic]. Include what each question is designed to test.

1. Create retrieval questions

Write 20 retrieval questions for [topic], mixing quick recall, definitions, examples, and short explanations.

1. Create “why/how” questions

Write 15 “why” and “how” questions about [topic] that encourage explanation rather than one-word answers.

1. Create ethical discussion prompts

Create discussion prompts about the ethical, social, environmental, or real-world implications of [topic].

1. Plan a classroom discussion protocol

Design a structured discussion protocol for [year level] students discussing [topic]. Include roles, time limits, sentence stems, and teacher prompts.

8. Student Engagement & Creativity

When prompting for engagement, give the AI a clear learning purpose. Fun activities are only useful if they help students understand, practise, apply, or remember something important. Ask the AI to connect the topic to real-world scenarios, student interests, careers, games, simulations, mysteries, role plays, or creative products.

It helps to include practical limits. Tell the AI the class size, time available, noise tolerance, available materials, and whether the activity is individual, paired, or group-based. Ask it to include teacher instructions, student instructions, success criteria, and a way to bring the activity back to the learning goal.

Prompts

1. Create real-world scenarios

Create five real-world scenarios that help students understand [topic] and apply it to everyday life.

1. Design a classroom game

Create a simple classroom game to revise [topic]. Include rules, materials, timing, scoring, and variations.

1. Create role-play cards

Write role-play cards for students exploring [topic]. Include roles, goals, background information, and discussion questions.

1. Generate project ideas

Suggest 10 creative project ideas for [year level] students studying [topic]. Include options for individuals, pairs, and groups.

1. Create a simulation

Design a classroom simulation for [topic] that helps students experience or model the concept safely and meaningfully.

1. Make the topic surprising

Suggest 10 surprising, funny, or unexpected facts, examples, or analogies to introduce [topic] to students.

1. Create a challenge task

Design a challenge task for students who enjoy problem-solving and creativity, based on [topic].

1. Connect the topic to student interests

Suggest ways to connect [topic] to sport, music, gaming, social media, careers, technology, or current issues.

1. Create a choice project

Design a choice-based creative project where students can show understanding of [topic] through video, podcast, poster, speech, model, or written work.

1. Turn content into a story

Turn the key ideas of [topic] into a short story, mystery, case study, or scenario that students can analyse.

9. Behaviour, Wellbeing & Classroom Communication

When prompting for behaviour, wellbeing, or communication support, tone matters. Ask for language that is calm, factual, respectful, and solution-focused. AI can help draft restorative scripts, reflection sheets, parent emails, classroom expectations, de-escalation language, and routines.

These prompts should avoid blame, assumptions, or overly clinical language. They should also be adapted to school policy and local procedures. For sensitive situations, use AI to draft or organise your thinking, but rely on professional judgement, school processes, and appropriate colleagues before acting.

Prompts

1. Draft a restorative conversation script

Write a restorative conversation script for a student who [general behaviour issue]. Keep the tone calm, respectful, and focused on repair.

1. Create a reflection sheet

Create a student behaviour reflection sheet for [year level] students. Include questions about what happened, impact, responsibility, and next steps.

1. Write a positive note home

Draft a short positive message to a parent or carer about a student who has shown improvement in [area].

1. Write a neutral parent email

Draft a professional parent email about [concern]. Keep it factual, respectful, and solution-focused.

1. Create classroom expectations

Write five clear classroom expectations for [subject or setting], with examples of what each looks like in practice.

1. Plan a wellbeing check-in

Create a 5-minute wellbeing check-in activity suitable for [year level] students at the start of a lesson.

1. Support a disengaged student

Suggest practical strategies for re-engaging a student who is often [general pattern, e.g. off-task, withdrawn, reluctant to write].

1. Create de-escalation language

Provide calm teacher phrases for de-escalating low-level classroom conflict without embarrassing the student.

1. Prepare a seating plan rationale

Help me design a seating plan for a class with mixed needs: [describe general class dynamics without names]. Explain the reasoning.

1. Create a class reset routine

Design a short routine to reset a noisy or unsettled class. Include teacher language, timing, and student actions.

10. Professional/Admin Efficiency

When prompting for professional or administrative work, provide the audience, purpose, tone, and desired length. A newsletter item, parent email, staff explainer, meeting summary, risk assessment starter, and implementation plan all require different levels of formality and detail.

AI is particularly helpful for turning rough notes into polished drafts. However, administrative outputs often involve accountability, policy, or reputational risk. Always check names, dates, policy references, permissions, student privacy, and whether the final wording accurately reflects the school’s position.

Prompts

1. Summarise meeting notes

Turn these rough meeting notes into a clear summary with actions, owners, and deadlines: [paste notes].

1. Draft a newsletter item

Write a concise school newsletter item about [event, program, or achievement]. Use a warm, professional tone.

1. Draft report comments

Write report comment options for [subject] students who are achieving at high, sound, basic, and limited levels. Include effort and next steps.

1. Create an email response

Draft a professional email responding to this situation: [describe situation]. Keep it polite, clear, and concise.

1. Turn policy into teacher guidance

Summarise this policy or procedure for busy teachers: [paste text]. Include key obligations, practical steps, and common mistakes to avoid.

1. Create a risk assessment starter

Create a risk assessment starter for [activity or excursion]. Include hazards, risks, controls, supervision, and emergency considerations.

1. Prepare agenda items

Create an agenda for a [team/faculty/stage] meeting focused on [topic]. Include timing, discussion questions, and desired outcomes.

1. Create implementation steps

Turn this idea into a practical implementation plan for a school team: [describe initiative]. Include phases, responsibilities, risks, and measures of success.

1. Write professional learning notes

Create facilitator notes for a short professional learning session on [topic]. Include aims, activities, prompts, and reflection questions.

1. Create a one-page explainer

Write a one-page staff explainer on [initiative, tool, policy, or process]. Include purpose, what staff need to do, examples, and where to get help.

Optional AI Prompt Add-ons

To improve the output from any prompt, add one or more of these instructions:

• Ask me up to three clarifying questions before answering.
• Use plain English suitable for busy teachers.
• Make this suitable for a low-resource classroom.
• Keep the task challenging but accessible.
• Provide three versions: quick, standard, and detailed.
• Include common misconceptions and how to address them.
• Make this suitable for printing on one page.
• Align the response to the following outcome: [paste outcome].
• Use inclusive language and avoid deficit framing.
• Provide a checklist teachers can use immediately.
• Before finalising, identify any assumptions you made and list anything I should check before using this with students.

Responsible Use Reminder

AI can save teachers time, but professional judgement remains essential. Always check accuracy, curriculum alignment, accessibility, privacy, tone, and suitability for your students before using AI-generated materials.

Do not enter identifiable student information into public AI tools. Use initials, pseudonyms, or general descriptions instead. For sensitive situations involving wellbeing, behaviour, disability, legal obligations, child protection, complaints, or conflict, use AI only as a drafting or thinking aid and follow your school’s policies and procedures.