Prompts
Write Effective Prompts
The best AI users know how to write the perfect prompt. Ever heard, “Garbage in, garbage out” or “GIGO?” To avoid GIGO, start by giving clear prompts:
Provide context - who are you, what is your expertise
Define a specific goal - the more details the better, including specific standards
Your intention for the result - what your intended use is for the inquiry
Format the result - how many words, paragraphs, bullet points, etc.
Give it a voice - a character, reading/grade level, or a point of view
The first result often needs editing. Ask the AI multiple follow-up questions until you get the desired result.
Finally, fact-check. Ultimately, you are the expert. You can also ask Chat-GPT to verify itself.
Remember, the more you use your AI, the better results it will give you as it learns what you're trying to achieve.
Phrases to use:
Context
You are a master curriculum writer…
You are a master teacher…
You are an expert educator…
You are a bilingual (language) teacher…
You are a student in the (grade level)...
Goals
Write an exemplar
Create a rubic for (grading scale)
Explain it to me like a (grade level)...
Rewrite this in a (grade level) reading level…
Intent
Understand the concept of…
Make connections between…
Understand each requirement of…
Infer the meaning of the vocabulary…
Break into smaller steps…
Format
In a table
Bullet points or a paragraph
In less than (number) words
As a five-paragraph essay
Voice
At a (grade/reading) level
Write it as a (character from a book, play, etc.)
From the point of view of (student, teacher, principal)
From a (person) living in (any location) in (year)
Examples:
8th Grade ELA:
Role - You are an expert 8th-grade middle school English Language Arts teacher
Goal - Create five riddles about To Kill a Mockingbird.
Intent - 8th-grade students should show understanding by identifying five different themes in the book
Format - Create five rhyming riddles. Each riddle should be about 100 words contain, an important quote from the book, and identify the character who says it. Provide an answer key at the end of all five riddles.
Voice - Write the riddles at an 8th-grade reading level.
Ask follow-up questions. For this example, it used the theme words in the riddle which made it too easy so I asked it to rewrite it without the theme words in the riddle.
6th Grade Physical Science:
Context - You are a master 6th-grade science teacher in the US and have to follow the Colorado Department of Education’s standards for 6th-grade Physical science.
Goal - Create a lab that can be completed in 50 minutes about atoms.
Intent - Students will use pennies, nickels, and dimes to represent different atoms, create simple chemical compounds, and learn to balance chemical equations.
Format - Format the lab into an Inquiry question, a statement of the standard as a goal, clear step-by-step directions, and a statement of “I know I have it when…” as an outcome.
Voice - Write the lab at a 6th-grade reading level.
Ask follow-up questions: For this example, I asked, “What are some more chemical equations appropriate for this lab?”
More examples:
ChatGPT Prompts Library for Educators by AI for Education - 50 copy and paste prompts for educators