The Language of AI: E12 - 85 Prompts to Power Your Classroom

Fellow Educators,

In every classroom, there’s a moment when we need a spark—something to energize a lesson, challenge students, or rethink how we approach teaching. That’s what inspired me to create 85 Prompts to Power Your Classroom. It’s not just a collection of ideas but a resource designed to help educators unlock creativity, engagement, and meaningful learning.

This newsletter isn’t about selling the book. Instead, I want to share the perspective that shaped it, some of my favorite prompts, and how they might fit into your teaching practice.

The Power of Prompts in the Classroom

At its core, a great prompt is more than just a question or a task—it’s a gateway to discovery. Whether it’s sparking an insightful discussion, guiding students to think critically, or encouraging collaboration, the right prompt can transform learning.

In designing these 85 prompts, I focused on three key areas:

1. Engagement: How can we make students excited to learn?

2. Relevance: How do we connect learning to the real world?

3. Creativity: How do we encourage fresh ideas and problem-solving?

Each prompt was created to meet diverse classroom needs, whether you’re teaching math, English, science, or the arts. Also, the format for each set of prompts goes from Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Expert and Custom. Let me share a few examples to show what’s possible.

Highlighting a Few Prompts

Here are three standout prompts from the book and how they can empower your classroom:

1. Future Innovators Challenge

Prompt: “Design a solution for a modern-day problem using technology, considering its social, environmental, and ethical impacts.”

• How It Works: Students identify a real-world problem (e.g., reducing plastic waste, addressing food insecurity) and brainstorm innovative solutions. They create prototypes, write persuasive pitches, or present mock Shark Tank-style pitches.

• Why It Matters: This prompt connects STEM concepts to global issues, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

2. Alternate History What-Ifs

Prompt: “Rewrite history by changing a key event. How would the world be different?”

• How It Works: In history or social studies classes, students explore the consequences of altering events like the signing of the Declaration of Independence or the invention of electricity.

• Why It Matters: This encourages deep research and creative thinking, while also reinforcing cause-and-effect relationships in history.

3. The Empathy Experiment

Prompt: “Step into someone else’s shoes: Write or act out a day in the life of someone from a different culture, profession, or time period.”

• How It Works: Students conduct research, write journal entries, or perform skits to bring their characters to life.

• Why It Matters: This prompt fosters empathy, cultural understanding, and creative storytelling.

What Makes Prompts Transformative?

Prompts are powerful because they encourage student ownership. They open doors for learners to explore topics on their own terms, make connections, and uncover their unique perspectives. As educators, our role is to guide them—not to hand them answers but to create pathways for discovery.

How to Make the Most of Prompts:

1. Be Flexible: Adapt prompts to fit your students’ interests or current events.

2. Celebrate Creativity: There’s no “wrong” answer—let students experiment and explore.

3. Incorporate Reflection: After completing a prompt, ask students what they learned about the subject and themselves.

Other Resources

Final Thoughts

85 Prompts to Power Your Classroom isn’t just a book—it’s an invitation to think differently about teaching. Whether you’re designing a single lesson or revamping your curriculum, these prompts are here to support and inspire you.

If you’d like to explore more, I’d love to hear which prompts resonate with you or how you’ve adapted them to fit your unique classroom.

Cheers,
Matthew