Tip of the Day: Use Google Gemini to Tier Your Lesson Activities (Video)

The Tip: Instead of spending hours creating differentiated assignments, you can use Google Gemini to instantly generate tiered activities or questions for a single lesson or unit. Simply give Gemini your topic, grade level, and the different levels you need.

Why It Matters: Differentiated instruction is essential for meeting the diverse needs of your students, but it's one of the most time-consuming parts of lesson planning. Using Gemini to tier your materials gives you back valuable time, allowing you to provide scaffolds for struggling learners and extensions for those who need a greater challenge, all without starting from scratch.

Example in Action: General Classroom: A middle school science teacher is introducing a unit on the rock cycle. They prompt Gemini to "Create three tiered activities for a 7th-grade lesson on the rock cycle. Tier 1 should focus on identification, Tier 2 on application, and Tier 3 on analysis and synthesis."

Elementary vs. Secondary:

• Elementary: A 4th-grade teacher prompts, “Create two tiered math word problems about fractions. Tier 1 should use simple numbers and visuals. Tier 2 should involve multiple steps and mixed numbers.”

• Secondary: A high school English teacher asks, “Generate three tiered essay prompts for Romeo and Juliet. The first should be a simple character analysis, the second a theme analysis, and the third a comparative analysis with another text.”

Specialist Areas:

• PE: Ask Gemini to "Create three tiered warm-up routines for a soccer class. Tier 1 for basic skills, Tier 2 for a full-body warm-up, and Tier 3 for a complex drill combining skills."

• Music: Prompt, “Create two tiered listening guides for a classical music piece. Tier 1 should focus on identifying instruments. Tier 2 should focus on identifying mood and theme."

• Art: Ask, “Generate three tiered activities for an art project on perspective. Tier 1 should be a simple drawing task, Tier 2 should be a cityscape drawing, and Tier 3 should be a creative composition project.”

• CTE: Prompt, “Create tiered tasks for a basic coding project. Tier 1 should focus on building the code. Tier 2 should involve debugging an existing code. Tier 3 should involve adding a new function to the code.”

• SPED: Use specific language like, “Create a tiered reading response with three levels for a mixed-ability group on a short story. The first level should have sentence stems and a word bank, the second should have open-ended questions, and the third should ask for a full paragraph response."

How-To Instructions:

1. Open Google Gemini: Go to gemini.google.com.

2. Start a new prompt: In the text box, clearly state your request.

3. Specify the content: Include the subject, topic, and grade level.

4. Define the tiers: Explain what you want each tier to accomplish (e.g., "Tier 1: basic recall," "Tier 2: compare and contrast," "Tier 3: synthesize and apply").

5. Hit enter: Gemini will generate a response with your tiered activities. You can then copy and paste the text into your lesson plan or assignment.

Tip of the Day: Brisk Boost: Instant, Rubric-Aligned Feedback (Video)

The Tip: Use the Brisk Teaching Chrome Extension’s “AI Feedback” feature to instantly generate personalized, actionable feedback on student writing, directly aligned with a specific rubric or focus area.

Why It Matters: Grading student writing can consume a significant amount of a teacher's time. This tool accelerates the feedback process, providing students with immediate, targeted guidance on how to improve their work. It helps you give richer feedback more consistently, focusing on key skills without the time-intensive manual effort, and empowers students to revise their work more effectively.

Example in Action: A high school English teacher has students write an argumentative essay. Before the final draft, they use Brisk to provide "Rubric Criteria" feedback on each student's first paragraph, focusing specifically on their thesis statement and claim. The teacher can then meet with students to discuss the feedback, saving time on initial editing.

• Elementary Teachers: A 4th-grade teacher uses "AI Feedback" to give "Glows & Grows" on a student's narrative paragraph, highlighting what they did well and suggesting one or two specific areas for improvement, like adding more descriptive words.

• Secondary Teachers: A science teacher provides "Next Steps" feedback on a lab report, prompting students to add more detail to their data analysis section.

• Specialist Areas (PE, Music, Art, CTE, SPED):

  • PE: Provide feedback on a reflective journal entry, focusing on the student’s ability to connect their physical performance to their emotional state.

  • Music/Art: Give "Rubric Criteria" feedback on a student’s artist statement or a written analysis of a musical piece.

  • CTE: Provide feedback on a project proposal, ensuring the student has included all necessary safety considerations and a clear project timeline.

  • SPED: Use the tool to provide concise, direct feedback that focuses on a single, specific writing goal for a student, reducing cognitive overload.

How-To Instructions:

1. Open Student Work: Go to a student's Google Doc that contains their writing.

2. Access Brisk: Click the Brisk icon (the little 'B') in your browser's toolbar.

3. Select "Give Feedback": From the Brisk menu, select the "Give Feedback" option.

4. Choose Your Style: Select your preferred feedback style from the available options (e.g., "Glow & Grow," "Next Steps," or "Rubric Criteria"). If using a rubric, you can upload it or select a pre-made one.

5. Generate and Review: Brisk will generate feedback directly in the document's comments. You can review, edit, or add your own voice to the comments before you click "post," ensuring the feedback is personal and intentional.

Tip of the Day: Notebook LM: Your Instant Study Guide Generator (Video)

The Tip: Use Notebook LM to automatically create a comprehensive study guide, a set of quiz questions, or a glossary of terms from multiple documents you've uploaded (like textbook chapters, lecture notes, and articles).

Why It Matters: Creating effective review materials from scratch is incredibly time-consuming. This feature saves hours of work by doing the heavy lifting for you, ensuring that the generated resources are grounded in the exact content you've taught and shared with students. It also helps students practice critical skills like finding key information and summarizing.

Example in Action: A middle school science teacher uploads several PDFs of textbook chapters and a few research articles on photosynthesis. They then use the "Notebook Guide" feature to ask Notebook LM to "Generate a study guide for my students, including a glossary of key terms and 10 multiple-choice questions."

• Elementary Teachers: A 5th-grade teacher uploads a series of articles about different biomes. They ask Notebook LM to "Create a simple matching quiz for the biomes and their characteristics."

• Secondary Teachers: A high school history teacher uploads a collection of primary source documents from a unit on the Cold War. They ask for "three essay questions that require students to compare and contrast the different perspectives presented in these sources."

• Specialist Areas (PE, Music, Art, CTE, SPED):

  • PE: Upload training guides and rulebooks for a sport, then generate a true/false quiz to check for knowledge.

  • Music: Upload sheet music, a composer's bio, and music theory notes. Generate a study guide covering terms, historical context, and musical elements.

  • Art: Upload images and articles on various art movements. Generate flashcards that match key artists with their respective movements.

  • CTE: Upload safety manuals for equipment. Ask Notebook LM to create a checklist or a short-answer quiz on safety protocols.

  • SPED: Provide a simplified version of a text and ask for a study guide that includes a word bank or an audio overview to support students with different learning needs.

How-To Instructions:

1. Open Notebook LM: Go to your Notebook LM dashboard and create a new notebook.

2. Upload Sources: Click "Upload documents" and add all the files you want to use (PDFs, Google Docs, etc.).

3. Start the Guide: Once your sources have been processed, go to the "Notebook Guide" panel on the right side of the screen.

4. Use a Prompt: In the chat box, type a clear and specific prompt. For example: "Create a study guide for this unit with key vocabulary and short-answer questions."

5. Refine and Share: Notebook LM will generate the content instantly. Review the output, make any necessary adjustments, and then copy/paste it into a document or share the notebook directly with colleagues or students.

Tip of the Day for Gemini: Your Visual Lesson Assistant (Video)

The Tip: Use Google Gemini's ability to analyze images to instantly generate discussion questions, vocabulary lists, or descriptive text based on a photo, diagram, or piece of art.

Why It Matters: This feature transforms a static image into a dynamic teaching resource in seconds. Instead of searching for pre-made lesson materials, you can use any visual from your curriculum to create custom, engaging prompts that promote visual literacy and critical thinking.

Example in Action: A high school social studies teacher uploads a photograph of a historical event—for example, a photo of a WWI trench. They then ask Gemini to "generate five open-ended discussion questions for my students about what life might have been like for the soldiers in this photo."

• Elementary Teachers: A 4th-grade teacher uploads a diagram of the water cycle and asks Gemini to write a short paragraph explaining each step in simple language for their students to use as a study guide.

• Secondary Teachers: A biology teacher uploads a microscopic image of a cell and prompts Gemini to "label the key organelles and define their functions."

• Specialist Areas (PE, Music, Art, CTE, SPED):

  • PE: Upload a photo of a specific basketball play or yoga pose and ask for a step-by-step breakdown of the technique.

  • Music: Upload an image of a specific instrument and ask for a description of its history and role in an orchestra.

  • Art: Upload a famous painting and ask Gemini to "describe the artist's use of color and light in this piece."

  • CTE: Upload a picture of a broken engine part or a wiring diagram and ask Gemini to identify the components and explain their purpose.

  • SPED: Upload a visual schedule or a social story and ask Gemini to "write a simple sentence describing the sequence of events in the photo."

How-To Instructions:

1. Access Gemini: Go to the Google Gemini website.

2. Upload an Image: Look for the "upload image" icon (it looks like a small picture) in the text box and click it.

3. Choose Your Image: Select the photo, diagram, or screenshot from your computer.

4. Write Your Prompt: In the text box, write a clear and specific request that tells Gemini what you want it to do with the image. For example, you could write, "Based on this image, please generate a vocabulary list for a 7th-grade history class."

5. Generate: Press enter or click the send button. Gemini will analyze the image and provide a response that you can copy, edit, or paste directly into your lesson materials.

Tip of the Day: Instantly Differentiate with Brisk's "Change Level" (Video)

The Tip: Use the Brisk Teaching Chrome Extension's "Change Level" feature to instantly adapt the reading level of any online article or document to meet the needs of diverse learners in your classroom.

Why It Matters: Teachers spend countless hours searching for or rewriting content to match different reading levels. This tool provides a fast, practical way to differentiate instruction without starting from scratch, saving significant time while ensuring all students can access the same core content.

Example in Action: A middle school science teacher finds a complex online article about cellular respiration. They use Brisk's "Change Level" to create three different versions of the text: one at the original grade level, one simplified for students reading below grade level, and a third with more complex vocabulary for advanced learners.

• Elementary Teachers: A 3rd-grade teacher can use this to simplify an article on space exploration, making it accessible for their students.

• Secondary Teachers: A high school history teacher can adjust a primary source document to an 8th-grade reading level to support struggling readers.

• Specialist Areas (PE, Music, Art, CTE, SPED):

  • PE: Adapt a dense article on sports medicine or the history of a sport into a more digestible format.

  • Music: Simplify a biographical article about a composer or a technical description of an instrument.

  • Art: Adjust a detailed museum exhibit description or an art history text for different reading levels.

  • CTE: Make technical manuals or safety procedures more accessible for all students.

  • SPED: Use "Change Level" to create simplified texts that reduce cognitive load and support reading comprehension goals.

How-To Instructions:

1. Install Brisk: If you haven't already, add the Brisk Teaching Chrome Extension to your browser.

2. Find your Text: Navigate to any online article, Google Doc, or PDF that you want to differentiate.

3. Click Brisk: Click the Brisk icon (the little 'B') in your browser's toolbar.

4. Select "Change Level": From the Brisk menu, click on "Change Level."

5. Choose a Level: Select your desired reading level from the dropdown menu (e.g., "5th Grade Reading Level"). You can also choose to translate the text.

6. "Brisk It!": Click the "Brisk It!" button. Brisk will generate a new, leveled Google Doc for you in a matter of seconds.

Tip of the Day: Use Brisk to Create a "Bundle" of Resources (Click the link to Video)

The Tip: Brisk Teaching has a new "Bundles" feature within Brisk Next that lets you create an entire set of aligned resources—like a lesson plan, slide deck, and exit ticket—from a single prompt, all saved in one organized folder.

Why It Matters: This moves beyond single-item generation to creating a cohesive, multi-part instructional plan in seconds. Instead of a teacher having to create a slide deck, then a worksheet, then a quiz, Brisk can do it all at once, saving significant planning time and ensuring all resources are aligned to the same topic and learning objective.

Example in Action: General Classroom: A 9th-grade science teacher needs to plan a lesson on the rock cycle. She uses Brisk's "Bundles" feature to create a lesson plan, a Google Slides presentation with diagrams, a differentiated reading passage, and a Google Form quiz—all with one prompt. Elementary: A 3rd-grade teacher creates a bundle for a unit on fractions that includes an interactive Google Slides presentation, a set of differentiated worksheets for practice, and a simple exit ticket to check for understanding. 

Specialist Areas: 

• PE: A PE teacher creates a bundle for a unit on basketball skills that includes a lesson plan on dribbling, a slide deck with instructional videos, and a checklist/rubric for student self-assessment.

•  Music: A music teacher creates a bundle for a lesson on the history of jazz, including a short reading passage, a slide deck with embedded YouTube clips, and a quiz on key terms and artists. 

• CTE: A CTE instructor uses a bundle to create a full lesson on electrical wiring safety, including a detailed procedure document, a safety checklist, and a quiz on protocols.

•  SPED: An SPED teacher creates a bundle of differentiated resources for a unit on life skills, including a visual-based lesson plan, a simplified slideshow, and a multiple-choice exit ticket.

How-To Instructions:

1. Open the Brisk Next web platform.

2. In the main dashboard, look for the "Create" or "Build a Bundle" option.

3. Enter your prompt, specifying the topic, grade level, and the types of resources you need (e.g., "Create a bundle of resources for a 9th-grade biology lesson on cell division, including a lesson plan, Google Slides deck, and a Google Form quiz.").

4. Brisk will generate the full set of resources and organize them into a single folder in your Google Drive.

5. Review and customize the generated resources to fit your specific classroom needs.

Use Brisk's Podcast Generator (Click link to Video)

The Tip

Brisk has a new Podcast Generator that turns any text—like a news article, a textbook chapter, or a student-written document—into an engaging podcast. Students can listen along with an on-screen transcript and switch between 40+ languages.

Why It Matters

 This tool taps into auditory learning and makes content more accessible and engaging. For students who struggle with reading comprehension or attention, listening to a text can be a game-changer. It's a fantastic way to differentiate instruction and provide multiple pathways to the same content.

Example in Action:

• General Classroom: A middle school science teacher wants to make a complex article about climate change more accessible. They use Brisk's Podcast Generator to create an audio version, allowing students to listen to the text while following along with the transcript.

• Elementary vs. Secondary Teachers:

  • Elementary: A 2nd-grade teacher creates a podcast from a short story to help students with phonemic awareness and fluency, using the text on the screen.

  • Secondary: A high school history teacher turns a primary source document into a podcast, letting students listen to the historical account to help them better connect with the material and improve comprehension.

• Specialist Areas (PE, Music, Art, CTE, SPED):

  • PE: A PE teacher turns an article about the muscles used in a specific sport into a podcast, allowing students to listen while practicing movements.

  • Music: A music teacher converts a text about a composer's life into a podcast, letting students listen to the biography while they study the composer's work.

  • CTE: A shop teacher turns a safety manual into an audio guide, allowing students to listen to the instructions hands-free while working on a project.

  • SPED: A special education teacher provides the podcast version of a text for students with reading difficulties, ensuring they can access the same curriculum as their peers.

How-To Instructions:

1. Open Brisk Teaching and click on the Podcast Generator tool.

2. Paste the text you want to convert into a podcast. This could be from a Google Doc, a website, or a simple text box.

3. Click "Generate." Brisk will instantly create a playable audio file with an accompanying transcript.

4. Share the generated podcast link with your students. They can access it on any device without needing a Brisk account.

5. Encourage students to use the built-in features, such as the on-screen transcript that highlights the text as it is read aloud.

Tip of the Day: Use Notebook LM's Learning Guide for Personalized Tutoring (Click link to Video)

The Tip: Notebook LM has a new "Learning Guide" feature that helps students break down complex problems step-by-step by asking probing questions rather than just providing a direct answer. It acts like a personal, Socratic-style tutor.

Why It Matters: This feature shifts the AI's role from a simple answer-provider to a true learning partner. It promotes critical thinking and deeper understanding by forcing students to engage with the material and build their knowledge incrementally, rather than relying on a quick, un-cited search.

Example in Action:

• General Classroom: A middle school student is struggling with a science concept, like the process of photosynthesis. Instead of asking a general question, they upload their textbook chapter to Notebook LM and activate the Learning Guide. The AI doesn't give them the answer; it asks, "What are the three main things a plant needs for photosynthesis?" and then guides them through each step as they answer, reinforcing their learning along the way.

• Elementary: A 5th-grade student uploads a passage about the U.S. government. The teacher has them use the Learning Guide to "break down" how a bill becomes a law, with the AI prompting them on each stage of the process.

• Specialist Areas:

  • PE: A PE teacher uploads a PDF on the rules of soccer. A student uses the Learning Guide to walk through the steps of a penalty kick, ensuring they understand all the rules and procedures.

  • Music: A music teacher uploads a theory document on chord progressions. The student uses the Learning Guide to practice identifying different chords and explaining how they connect to one another.

  • Art: An art teacher uploads a historical text about a specific movement, like Impressionism. A student uses the Learning Guide to explore the key characteristics of the movement, with the AI asking them to identify specific techniques or artists' styles mentioned in the text.

  • CTE: A CTE instructor uploads a technical manual for a new machine. A student uses the Learning Guide to "troubleshoot" a common issue, with the AI prompting them for each diagnostic step.

  • SPED: A special education teacher uses the Learning Guide to provide simplified, step-by-step instruction for a life skills task, such as creating a grocery list based on a recipe.

How-To Instructions

1. Open Notebook LM and create or select a notebook with your source materials (e.g., a PDF, Google Doc, or even a YouTube transcript).

2. In the AI panel, select the "Learning Guide" option (you may need to click "More options" or look for it in the feature list).

3. Type your initial prompt, such as "Help me understand the key concepts in this document on the carbon cycle."

4. The AI will respond with a question designed to get you started.

5. Answer the question in your own words. The Learning Guide will then provide feedback and a new, related question to move you forward, continuing the guided conversation until the topic is fully explored.

Simplify Complex Documents with NotebookLM's Audio Overviews (Click link to video presentation)

The Tip: NotebookLM's "Audio Overviews" feature can turn lengthy documents, PDFs, or research papers into a podcast-style audio summary. It's a fantastic way to digest information on the go and access complex content without needing to read every word.

Why It Matters: Teachers are constantly juggling multiple tasks and don’t always have time to sit and read every single article, policy brief, or professional development document. Audio Overviews allow you to "read" while you're in the car, on a walk, or doing classroom prep, helping you stay informed and prepared more efficiently.

Example in Action: General Classroom: A history teacher uploads a 30-page research paper on the causes of World War II to NotebookLM, then listens to the Audio Overview while commuting home. They now have a solid grasp of the key arguments and data points for their lesson planning. Elementary vs. Secondary: An elementary teacher can upload a detailed school policy manual or a multi-page curriculum guide to listen to key sections. A secondary teacher can use it to quickly review complex scientific studies or historical primary sources before creating a lesson. 

Specialist Areas: 

• PE: Upload a new training manual for a specific sport or a health and safety protocol document.

• Music: Turn a dense music theory article or the history of an instrument into an audio lesson for yourself. 

• Art: Get an audio summary of an art history text or a grant application packet. 

• CTE: Listen to a summary of a new industry safety standard or a technical equipment manual. 

• SPED: Use it to summarize IEP goals, professional learning materials on a new instructional strategy, or a student's educational history, making it easier to reference key details.

How-To Instructions:

1. Navigate to NotebookLM and open or create a new notebook.

2. Upload the documents, PDFs, or Google Docs you want to summarize.

3. In the right-hand panel, find the "Audio Overview" option.

4. Click to generate the audio summary.

5. Listen to the overview directly in the browser or on your mobile device. You can now engage with the content while completing other tasks, making your professional learning more flexible.

Use Gemini as a Differentiated Lesson Planning Partner (Click Link for Video Instructions)

The Tip: Instead of asking Gemini to create a single lesson plan, use it as a thought partner to differentiate a lesson across multiple student needs, all at once.

Why It Matters: This approach moves beyond basic AI lesson generation and leverages Gemini's strength as a dynamic conversational tool. It allows you to create a single, unified lesson with scaffolded variations, saving significant time while ensuring every student is supported. This is true differentiation in action, not just generating separate plans.

Example in Action: A high school biology teacher needs to create a lesson on cell division. They use Gemini to plan a 50-minute lesson that includes a differentiated gallery walk activity.

• Elementary vs. Secondary: A 5th-grade teacher could use this for a social studies unit on state capitals, asking for versions of a map-labeling activity with different levels of difficulty. A high school teacher could use it for a lesson on literary analysis, asking for different prompts tailored to students at varying reading levels.

• Specialist Areas:

  • PE: Plan a unit on a new sport. Ask for variations on drills for beginners, intermediate, and advanced players.

  • Music: Differentiate a music theory lesson. Ask for rhythm exercises at varying tempos or sheet music with different levels of complexity for different instruments.

  • Art: Develop a project on perspective. Ask for different scaffolding prompts for students who are new to the concept versus those who need a creative challenge.

  • CTE: Plan a hands-on project. Ask for step-by-step instructions for a basic task and more complex troubleshooting scenarios for advanced learners.

  • SPED: Create a science lab activity. Ask for a simplified version with visual aids and a text-to-speech script, and a more complex version with open-ended questions for enrichment.

How-To Instructions:

1. Open Gemini (gemini.google.com) and start a new chat.

2. State your goal and the different student needs you need to address. For example: "I am a high school biology teacher. I need a 50-minute lesson plan on the stages of cell division (mitosis and meiosis). The lesson should include an introductory hook, direct instruction, and a gallery walk activity. Please provide a plan that includes differentiated materials for three groups of students: those who need significant scaffolding, those who are on grade level, and those who need an enrichment challenge."

3. Refine the output. After Gemini generates the first draft, you can ask for adjustments. For example, you might say: "Can you rewrite the gallery walk prompts to be more visual for the scaffolding group and include a creative component for the enrichment group?"

4. Transfer and edit. Copy the final output into a Google Doc and make any final human edits to ensure it aligns perfectly with your students' unique needs and classroom context.

Tip of the Day: Be the AI Tutor - Using NotebookLM to Create Guided Learning Quests

The Tip: Even if students can't access NotebookLM, you can use its "Learning Guide" feature as a teacher to generate a step-by-step learning path or guided quest. You'll upload your lesson materials, get the AI-generated questions and explanations, and then use that output to create a collaborative activity or a printable worksheet for students.

Why It Matters: This approach allows you to leverage the sophisticated, probing nature of the AI's "Learning Guide" to create a high-quality, scaffolded learning experience without needing a single student to log in. It transforms static documents into a dynamic, inquiry-based activity that you can lead in a whole-group setting, or distribute for small-group and independent work. It's a way to bring the power of AI tutoring to your classroom even with tech limitations.

Example in Action: A middle school social studies teacher is covering the causes of the American Revolution. She uploads the textbook chapter, a few primary source documents, and a timeline. She then uses the "Learning Guide" feature to ask, "Can you create a guided inquiry on the main causes of the Revolution from these documents?" The AI generates a series of prompts like, "Based on Source A, what was the purpose of the Stamp Act?" and "How does the author's point of view in Source C compare to Source B?" The teacher copies these prompts and uses them to create a "Guided Quest" worksheet.

• Elementary vs. Secondary:

  • Elementary: A 3rd-grade teacher uses NotebookLM to create a guided "Animal Habitats" scavenger hunt from a series of fact sheets. The "quest" can be a class discussion, with the teacher projecting the questions and leading students to find the answers in their printed materials.

  • Secondary: A high school science teacher uses the Learning Guide to break down a complex lab procedure. She prints the step-by-step questions and provides them to lab groups, ensuring students are thinking critically about each step and not just following a list of instructions.

• Specialist Areas:

  • PE: Upload a rulebook for a new sport. Use the Learning Guide to generate a "Rules Refresher Quiz" for a small group.

  • Music: Upload sheet music and an article about its composer. Use the Learning Guide to generate questions that prompt students to identify connections between the music's structure and the composer's life.

  • Art: Upload images of different art movements and descriptions. Use the Learning Guide to create a "Compare and Contrast" worksheet for a gallery walk.

  • CTE/SPED: Upload a safety manual for a piece of equipment. Use the Learning Guide to generate a set of safety questions with simplified language, and then go through them as a group before a lab activity.

How-To Instructions:

1. Access NotebookLM: Go to notebooklm.google.com and log in with your teacher Google account.

2. Create Your Notebook: Click "New Notebook" and title it (e.g., "Civil War Inquiry").

3. Upload Your Materials: Upload all the sources you want to use for the lesson (textbook PDFs, Docs, articles, etc.). Remember, the AI is a master of these sources only.

4. Activate the Learning Guide: In the chat panel, click the dropdown menu and select "Learning Guide."

5. Prompt for Your Quest: Write a clear prompt asking for a guided activity. For example: "Using these documents, generate a series of probing, step-by-step questions to help students understand the main concepts of [topic]."

6. Review and Adapt: The AI will generate a series of questions and prompts. Read through them, edit them as needed, and copy the best ones.

7. Create Your Final Resource: Paste the questions into a Google Doc to create a whole-group discussion guide, a small-group collaboration sheet, or an independent study packet.

8. Distribute to Students: Print the document or share it digitally via Google Classroom—no need for students to interact with NotebookLM at all.

Use Brisk Boost to Create AI Chatbots for Students

The Tip

Brisk Boost allows you to turn any online resource—a Google Doc, a website, or even a YouTube video—into an interactive, AI-powered chatbot activity for your students. These chatbots are designed for specific tasks like tutoring, role-playing, or checking for understanding, and students can only access them via a link you provide.

Why It Matters

This feature gives you a safe, structured way to introduce students to AI without them needing direct access to a general-purpose AI. The chatbots are contained within the Brisk Boost environment, which means you control the content and purpose of every interaction. This is a low-risk, high-reward way to use AI to differentiate instruction, provide instant feedback, and increase engagement, all while maintaining full visibility over student activity.

Example in Action

A middle school science teacher "boosts" a Google Doc on the water cycle. They create a "Tutor" chatbot that helps students work through a comprehension check by asking guiding questions and providing hints, ensuring students don't get stuck.

• Elementary vs. Secondary:

  • Elementary: A 4th-grade teacher "boosts" a short story and creates a "Character Chat" chatbot. Students can interact with the main character, asking questions about their motivations and feelings, deepening their reading comprehension.

  • Secondary: A high school history teacher "boosts" a historical article and creates a "Debate" chatbot. The bot argues for one side of a historical event, prompting students to formulate counterarguments and support their claims with evidence.

• Specialist Adaptations:

  • PE: "Boost" a workout video from YouTube and create a "Tutor" bot that explains the proper form for each exercise and answers questions about muscle groups.

  • Music: "Boost" a piece of sheet music and create a "Tutor" bot that can explain musical terms like crescendo or legato as students encounter them.

  • Art: "Boost" an artist's biography and create a "Character Chat" bot that lets students "interview" the artist about their techniques and inspirations for a research project.

  • CTE: "Boost" a safety manual and create a "Pulse Check" bot that quizzes students on key safety rules before they are allowed to use equipment in the workshop.

  • SPED: "Boost" a simplified text on a topic and create a "Writing Coach" bot that helps students brainstorm and outline their ideas one step at a time, providing scaffolded support.

How-To Instructions

1. Open any online resource you want to use with your students (a Google Doc, webpage, or YouTube video).

2. Click the Brisk Teaching Chrome extension icon in your browser toolbar.

3. From the Brisk menu, select "Boost Student Activity."

4. Choose the type of chatbot you want to create (e.g., Tutor, Character Chat, Debate, Exit Ticket).

5. Follow the prompts to customize the chatbot's instructions and learning objectives for your specific lesson.

6. Brisk will generate a unique link. Share this link with your students via Google Classroom or Canvas.

7. As students interact with the chatbot, you'll have full visibility into their conversations, allowing you to monitor their progress and provide targeted support.

Align Quizzes to Learning Standards with Gemini

The Tip: Use Gemini for Education to generate multiple-choice or open-ended quizzes explicitly aligned to specific learning standards, saving time and ensuring assessment validity.

Why It Matters: Aligning assessments to standards is a cornerstone of effective teaching. Gemini's ability to create a quiz based on standards, a text, or both, automates this critical step. This ensures that every question directly measures student mastery of a required skill or knowledge point, freeing you up to analyze the results and respond with targeted instruction.

Example in Action: General Classroom: A 7th-grade ELA teacher needs a quiz on the figurative language in a novel. They can paste a chapter and the specific standard, for example, "CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.4," into Gemini to generate a quiz that directly assesses students' ability to "determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings."

• Elementary vs. Secondary: An elementary teacher can input a K-2 science standard on the needs of plants and animals to get a basic quiz. A high school teacher could use a more complex AP History standard to create a set of questions that require students to connect multiple historical events.

• Specialist Areas:

  • PE: A PE teacher can input a standard on "identifying healthy eating habits" to create questions for a health unit.

  • Music: A music teacher can input a standard about identifying musical elements to generate questions about a specific piece of music.

  • CTE: A CTE teacher can use an industry standard on safety protocols to create a test for their students.

  • SPED: A SPED teacher can provide a standard and ask Gemini to generate questions that offer multiple formats or use simplified language to support different learners.

How-To Instructions:

1. Open Google Gemini for Education.

2. In the prompt bar, type your request. Be sure to include:

   • The type of quiz you want (e.g., "Create a 5-question multiple-choice quiz").

   • The learning standard you want to assess (e.g., "on standard CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.8.G.B.7: 'Apply the Pythagorean Theorem to determine unknown side lengths in right triangles in real-world and mathematical problems in two and three dimensions'").

   • The source text (optional, but highly recommended for context). For example: "Use the following word problems as the basis for the questions:" [paste word problems].

3. Add a final line asking for the answer key to be included in the response.

4. Review the generated quiz to ensure each question accurately reflects the standard and the content you've taught. Edit as needed.

Pro Tip: If you want to get really techie, mix in a little DOK and prompt it to meet or exceed the rigor.

Grade Papers Instantly with Brisk's Targeted Feedback

The Tip: Brisk Teaching's "Targeted Feedback" feature, which works directly inside Google Docs, can provide personalized, standards-aligned feedback on student work in seconds.

Why It Matters: Providing meaningful, specific feedback is crucial for student growth but can be incredibly time-consuming. This feature automates the process, allowing you to give high-quality comments that guide student revision and free up your time for more impactful tasks like one-on-one conferences.

Example in Action: General Classroom: A 9th-grade English teacher uses Brisk to generate feedback on a literary analysis essay. The teacher inputs the rubric criteria, and Brisk adds comments to the student's Google Doc, highlighting areas where they excelled ("Glows") and areas for improvement ("Grows").

• Elementary vs. Secondary: A 3rd-grade teacher can use this feature on a short paragraph for a simple "Glow & Grow" on sentence structure. A high school teacher can apply it to a multi-page research paper, specifying which academic standards to focus on.

• Specialist Areas:

  • CTE: A welding instructor can provide feedback on a student's safety report, ensuring they've included all the required steps and terminology.

  • Music: A music theory teacher can give feedback on a student's compositional work, focusing on specific elements like harmony or rhythm.

  • SPED: Use the feature to provide simplified, bulleted feedback that focuses on one or two key skills at a time, promoting a clear path for revision.

  • PE/Health: A health teacher could use it to give feedback on a student's wellness plan, ensuring all components are addressed.

How-To Instructions:

1. Install Brisk: First, make sure you have the Brisk Teaching Chrome or Edge extension installed and pinned to your browser.

2. Open Student Work: Navigate to a student's Google Doc in Google Classroom or your Google Drive.

3. Activate Brisk: Click the Brisk icon in the bottom right corner of the document.

4. Select Targeted Feedback: From the Brisk menu, select the "Give Feedback" option, then choose "Targeted."

5. Customize: You can input a rubric or specific standards to guide the feedback. Brisk will then analyze the student's work.

6. Review and Post: Brisk will generate a list of comments, glows, and grows. You can review and edit each one before "brisk-ing" it, which adds the comments directly into the student's document.

Pro Tip: High School Teachers can use this by assigning via the Google Assignments (LTI 1.3 Tool).  Click link for Instructions to Brisk Teaching & Canvas Integration