21 ChatGPT Prompts Every Teacher Should Try

ChatGPT is quickly becoming a practical tool for teachers looking to streamline their daily work, from planning lessons to giving feedback to crafting parent-facing communications. The support it offers can reduce prep time and lighten the load, two crucial benefits for busy teachers with limited spare time during the day. The best part is, you don’t need to be a tech expert to start using it; you just need the right prompt.

The prompt examples in this blog post are organized by task, making it easy to find prompts that fit your needs and help you put ChatGPT to work right away.

The Importance of a Well-crafted Prompt

Before you begin making requests of ChatGPT, it’s important to understand that the quality of what you get from ChatGPT depends on what you put in. A well-crafted prompt gives the AI clear direction, which leads to more accurate, useful, and classroom-ready responses. Vague requests often produce generic results, but prompts that include grade level, subject area, instructional goals, or format can generate content that’s much easier to apply.

The more context you give, the better the results. Here’s a quick look at how small changes in your prompt can make a big difference:

Less effective:

“Make a lesson plan about fractions.”

This prompt is too broad. ChatGPT doesn’t know the grade level, instructional goals, or format you’re looking for, so the response may miss the mark.

More effective:

“Create a 3-day lesson plan on adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators for 5th grade students, using visual models and aligned with Common Core.”

This version includes key details, such as grade, topic, scope, teaching method, and standards, which helps generate a much more targeted and usable response.

By giving ChatGPT clear instructions, you’ll get results that better match your classroom goals and save time during planning. It’s okay to try multiple times! If the first result isn’t what you were looking for, keep tailoring your prompt until you get the desired output.

Lesson Planning Prompts

Perhaps the most common use case for AI in education, ChatGPT can help teachers build lessons faster while still keeping instruction aligned and engaging. The following prompts offer support for everything from planning a full unit to designing a single activity. Each can be modified to suit your unique teaching style or student needs.

1. “Create a 5-day lesson plan for a 7th grade science unit on ecosystems, aligned with NGSS.”
   This prompt helps generate a full week of instruction tied to standards, giving you a strong starting point to adapt and refine.
2. “Give me three ways to introduce the concept of figurative language to 4th grade students using visual aids or storytelling.”
   This prompt encourages creative teaching approaches by asking for multiple ways to make abstract ideas more accessible.
3. “Suggest a formative assessment I can use at the end of a lesson on the Civil Rights Movement for 10th grade U.S. History.”
   This prompt helps identify a meaningful check for understanding, tailored to a specific topic and grade level.

Writing Aid Prompts

ChatGPT can serve as a helpful scaffold for student writing. With the right prompt, it can spark ideas, offer structure, and support students who need extra guidance without taking over the creative process. These examples can help students move past writer’s block, build confidence, and focus on improving their voice and clarity:

1. “List five persuasive essay topics appropriate for 8th grade students, then provide a short sample introduction for one of them.”
   This prompt helps students see what a strong opening looks like and gives them choices to build from.
2. “Break down a 5-paragraph literary analysis essay structure for ‘Of Mice and Men,’ including sentence starters for each paragraph.”
   Use this to model how to organize a response to literature and give students a jumping-off point for their own analysis.
3. “Suggest questions a 6th grade student could ask to develop ideas for a personal narrative about overcoming a challenge.”
   This prompt supports prewriting by encouraging reflection and helping students generate meaningful content.

Assignment Feedback & Grading Prompts

Providing clear, constructive feedback takes time, especially when you’re juggling multiple assignments. ChatGPT can help draft comments or create customizable feedback templates. It won’t replace your judgment, but it can make feedback more efficient and ensure every student gets the guidance they need to improve.

1. “Provide formative feedback for a 9th grade argumentative essay that presents a clear claim but lacks evidence and organization.”
   This prompt generates targeted comments you can adapt to help students strengthen specific areas of their writing.
2. “Use the following rubric to assess a 5th grade science project summary. [Insert rubric criteria]. Here’s the student response: [Insert text].”
   By feeding in the rubric and student work, you can get a draft evaluation that aligns with your grading standards. Just be sure to remove any personal info about the student to protect their privacy.
3. “Create a bank of positive and constructive feedback comments for middle school writing assignments, categorized by common writing issues.”
   This prompt helps you build a reusable resource for faster grading and more consistent feedback.

Classroom Management Prompts

Classroom management goes beyond instruction and includes setting clear expectations, responding to distracting or inappropriate behavior, and creating systems that keep activities running smoothly. ChatGPT can help draft routines and communication strategies that support a positive learning environment based on structure and consistency, two things that can make a big difference in classroom culture.

1. “Write a clear and age-appropriate classroom technology use policy for 6th grade students.”
   This prompt helps establish boundaries around device use, giving students and families a shared understanding of expectations.
2. “Suggest a calm, respectful response script I can use when a student refuses to follow directions during group work.”
   This prompt provides language you can practice or adapt for handling challenging moments without escalating conflict.
3. “Create a morning routine for a 2nd grade classroom that builds student independence and reduces transition time.”
   This one supports smoother starts to the school day by helping you plan predictable, student-friendly steps.

Student Engagement Prompts

Keeping students engaged often means finding new ways to present content or spark interaction. ChatGPT can help by generating fresh ideas that make lessons more interactive and relevant to your students. Even small changes in how material is presented can have a big impact on student attention and involvement, especially when the activities are easy to implement.

1. “Turn a 4th grade social studies review on U.S. states and capitals into a quiz-style game using student teams.”
   This prompt helps gamify content, making review sessions more active and collaborative.
2. “Write five open-ended discussion questions for 11th grade students reading ‘The Great Gatsby,’ focused on character motivation and theme.”
   This one supports deeper conversations by generating prompts that go beyond surface-level recall.
3. “Suggest fun and low-pressure icebreaker questions for a high school advisory group meeting during the first week of school.”
   Use this to create a welcoming environment and help students feel more comfortable participating in an extracurricular board.

Differentiated Instruction Prompts

Meeting the diverse needs of students requires adapting lessons to varying abilities and backgrounds. ChatGPT can assist by tailoring materials to different reading levels or learning goals, making instruction more accessible. By customizing content, you can help every student engage meaningfully with the curriculum and feel confident in their learning.

1. “Rewrite a 6th grade science text about the water cycle for students reading at a 3rd grade level, using simple language and clear examples.”
   This prompt helps create accessible content without losing key concepts.
2. “Suggest modifications to a math word problem for a student with an IEP focused on working memory challenges.”
   This one supports personalized learning by adjusting tasks to fit specific needs.
3. “Translate a short English classroom instruction into Spanish for multilingual learners new to the language.”
   Use this to support language learners and ensure clear communication in a multilingual classroom.

Communication Prompts (with Students & Parents)

Clear and thoughtful communication builds strong relationships with students and families. Effective communication doesn’t have to take hours; ChatGPT can help craft messages that are professional, friendly, and tailored to different audiences, saving time while maintaining a personal touch. With well-crafted prompts, you can keep everyone in the loop with messages that feel thoughtful and timely.

1. “Write a progress update for parents of 3rd graders, highlighting strengths and areas for growth in reading skills.”
   This prompt helps create balanced, constructive reports that keep families informed and engaged.
2. “Draft a reminder email to high school students about an upcoming assignment deadline, using an encouraging tone.”
   Use this to send clear, motivating messages that support student accountability, even if you are feeling frustrated by chronic late work.
3. “Create a monthly classroom newsletter that summarizes recent lessons, upcoming events, and ways parents can support learning at home.”
   This prompt produces informative newsletters that foster connection and involvement.

Harnessing AI, One Prompt at a Time

Starting with simple, purposeful prompts is an effective way for teachers to explore AI without feeling overwhelmed. These small steps can unlock time savings and creative possibilities while keeping control in your hands. By understanding and controlling how AI fits into your classroom, you ensure it enhances learning without replacing essential skills or compromising ethical standards.

If you’re ready to learn even more about how AI can enhance K–12 education, consider enrolling in the University of San Diego’s Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Education course today to gain practical strategies and a strong foundation for using AI thoughtfully in your teaching. Continued learning is the key to effective instruction!

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