ChatGPT (OpenAI)
General-purpose assistant for lesson planning, rubric drafting, parent emails, accommodations, and role-play scenarios. Pair with Sora (OpenAI video generation) for short lesson clips and storyboards.
- Best for: Brainstorming hooks, converting objectives to activities, exemplars, differentiation ideas.
- Classroom use: Debate prep, prompt writing, sample solutions with multiple approaches.
- Tips: Provide standards, student level, time, materials, constraints; ask for multiple options.
Claude (Anthropic)
Writing and analysis assistant with strong summarization and long-context capabilities.
- Best for: Drafting policies/letters, analyzing student work, rubrics/checklists, sensitive tone-aware comms.
- Classroom use: Peer-review style feedback on essays; rubric-based suggestions (teacher-reviewed).
- Tips: Paste rubrics/objectives first; ask for evidence-linked feedback and suggestions, not final grades.
Perplexity
Research assistant with cited sources and focused collections—great for up-to-date topics and quick overviews.
- Best for: Background research for units, current events, links to primary sources.
- Classroom use: Teach source evaluation; build annotated reading lists.
- Tips: Use follow-ups to refine; check citations; save collections per unit.
Gemini (Google)
Multimodal assistant integrated with Google Workspace to summarize Docs, analyze Sheets, and outline Slides. Pair with Veo 3 for high-quality video generation in the Google ecosystem.
- Best for: Work inside Docs/Slides/Sheets, quick summaries, image reasoning tasks.
- Classroom use: Turn objectives in Docs into a Slides outline; extract trends from Sheets.
- Tips: Keep prompts structured; paste key context; reference Drive contents clearly.
Canva Magic Studio
AI design for slides, handouts, posters, infographics, and quick image generation with templates.
- Best for: Visual lesson materials, anchor charts, newsletters.
- Classroom use: Student project templates, exit ticket designs, visual rubrics.
- Tips: Start with a template; use Magic Write for copy and Magic Design for layout.
ElevenLabs
High-quality AI text-to-speech and voice cloning to create clear audio for lessons and accessibility.
- Best for: Voiceovers for slides/videos, read-aloud accommodations, multilingual audio.
- Classroom use: Record instructions or passages; create alternative audio materials.
- Tips: Use consistent voices for unit coherence; review for pronunciation and pacing.
Suno
AI music generation for background tracks, intros, and creative student projects.
- Best for: Audio branding for class videos/podcasts, music-themed projects.
- Classroom use: Students generate thematic music for presentations or story soundtracks.
- Tips: Keep prompts descriptive (genre, tempo, mood); check usage terms before publishing.
Adobe Firefly
Generative images and text effects integrated with Adobe apps for safe, educator-friendly visuals.
- Best for: Posters, headers, icons, and styled text effects for classroom materials.
- Classroom use: Students design project covers or infographics with clear usage rights.
- Tips: Use content-type and style controls; export to Canva/Slides as needed.
Midjourney
Advanced generative imagery for high-quality concept art, scenes, and diagrams.
- Best for: Visual explanations, scene-setting images, creative prompts.
- Classroom use: Generate scene cards, lab illustrations, or historical reconstructions.
- Tips: Specify subject, style, composition; keep outputs appropriate for school contexts.
Microsoft Copilot
AI assistance across Microsoft 365 for summarizing docs, drafting emails, and analyzing data.
- Best for: Quick drafts, meeting notes, and Excel data insights within school ecosystems.
- Classroom use: Summarize meeting minutes, create parent communication drafts, analyze scores.
- Tips: Provide structured prompts; reference files and intended audience.
AI Image Generation
ChatGPT (DALL·E)
Generate illustrations directly in ChatGPT using DALL·E for quick classroom visuals and icons.
Gemini (Google)
Create and refine images in the Google ecosystem; ideal for Slides and Docs integrations.
Midjourney
High-quality concept art, scenes, and diagrams; great for vivid lesson visuals.
Adobe Firefly
Educator-friendly generative images and text effects with clear usage guidance.
Tip: Keep prompts structured (subject, style, composition, dimensions). Review outputs for age appropriateness.
AI Video
Sora (OpenAI)
Text-to-video for short concept demos and storyboards. Works well with ChatGPT for script prompts.
Veo 3 (Google)
High-quality video generation in Google’s ecosystem. Pair with Gemini for shot lists and scripts.
Midjourney
Create high-quality stills for scenes/diagrams, then assemble in your editor for explainer clips.
Tip: Structure prompts (scene, subject, style, duration). Add narration with ElevenLabs. Verify licensing before posting.
Quick Start Workflow (K–12 and Higher Ed, 10–15 minutes)
- Define lesson goal and constraints (time, materials, standards).
- Use ChatGPT to generate 3 lesson outlines; pick one and refine.
- Use Perplexity to find 3–5 quality, cited sources; verify and save links.
- Ask Claude to draft a rubric and differentiation ideas based on your objectives.
- Use Gemini to turn your outline into a Slides structure (or summarize Docs into talking points).
- Build final slides/handouts in Canva; export a PDF for students.
Using this guide across K–12 and Higher Ed
- K–12: Emphasize age-appropriate visuals, scaffolded reading levels, formative checks (exit tickets), and accommodations.
- Higher Ed: Focus on scholarly sources, academic integrity, accessibility statements, and activity-led seminars/labs.
- Privacy & policy: Follow your district/university data and AI usage policies; review outputs before sharing.
Safety, Privacy, and Academic Integrity
- Student data (PII): Avoid uploading PII unless approved by your district/university policy.
- Age-appropriateness: Review generated text, images, and video before sharing with students.
- Integrity & citation: Be transparent about AI assistance; require citations and process notes from students.
- Accessibility: Provide alt text, transcripts/captions, and accessible document formats where possible.
Prompt Starters
- Lesson plan: “You are a middle school science teacher. Create a 50-minute lesson on photosynthesis aligned to NGSS MS-LS1-6. Include objectives, materials, anticipatory set, guided practice, differentiation, and a 5-question exit ticket.”
- Seminar/lecture (Higher Ed): “You are a university instructor teaching Intro to Psychology. Design a 75-minute session on operant conditioning with agenda, short reading, 2 in-class activities, discussion prompts, and a short assessment.”
- Differentiate: “Level this text for grade 4, 6, and 8; include a glossary and 5 comprehension questions each.”
- Visuals: “Create a simple infographic outline explaining the water cycle for 5th graders.”
