An IB Exchange Community event:

Creating engaging and

effective IB lessons with
artificial intelligence
Written by Allison Navas, M.Ed., Ph.D. candidate Educational
Psychology
October 2023

0
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Table of contents

Anatomy of a lesson planning and assessment prompt 2

Blank prompt template 4

Program-specific prompt examples 5

Scaffolding content delivery for lesson differentiation 7

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Anatomy of a lesson planning prompt

1. Context Setting: What background information will guide ChatGPT

regarding the context of your school setting? You may want to include
information about your IB program, your school mission, and the
idiosyncrasies of your parent or school community you find pertinent. This is
also the place to include information about the courses you are teaching.

2. Persona: Context setting is the general background information. Persona is

the voice you wish ChatGPT to take when it creates for you. If you are making
materials for yourself, state something akin to, “You are an experienced
IBPYP educator, who believes in inquiry and student-centered inquiry. You
give clear and succinct guidance to your students.

3. Task Instructions: This is where you tell ChatGPT exactly what you need, as
specifically as you can, leaving no room for interpretation (unless you are in
the brainstorming stage and want to see what it produces). Here is where
you will include the course you are teaching, the grade level, and any
relevant components you want considered such as which content your are
covering, which transdisciplinary theme the lesson is centered in, what ATL
skills you would like included, and how long the lesson/topic/unit will take.

4. Output elements and format: Do you want the output at a specific reading
level? State it here. Would having paragraphs, bullet, points, or a list be
preferable? Do you need to keep the output text to a certain length? Would
you like the task to also include rubrics? Formative and summative
assessments? State all that here.

5. Iterate and refine: If the first output has components of what you want but
doesn’t completely address your needs, keep prompting. Tell ChatGPT what

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to keep and what to delete. Ask for a higher or lower level. Need more detail?
Provide an example of what exactly you want and tell it to emulate that

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Blank prompt template: Fill in the table below to craft your prompt

1 Set the context

2 Specify the persona

3 Give specific task instructions

4 Define the output content and format

5 Keep prompting and specifying until you get what you need

Notes:

● Try shorter and longer versions (see the examples on the next pages)
● Save what works: I have found asking the output be in “a direct and active
voice, no adjectives, and for an 11th grade reading level,” hits a lot of my
desired audiences
● Think about the tone and writing style you want; succinct, encouraging,
flowery, direct. Specify that too

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Program-specific prompt examples

Code Template:

In the context of <context>, as a <persona>, you are tasked with <task

instructions>. The expected output should be in <output format>, detailing <output
contents>.

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PYP Example and test ChatGPT:

In the context of IB PYP, as a Grade 2 homeroom teacher, you are tasked with
creating a lesson that integrates math and arts. The expected output should be in a
lesson plan format, detailing activities, resources, and assessment strategies.

MYP Example and test ChatGPT:

In the context of IB MYP, as a Year 4 English Language Acquisition teacher, you are
tasked with devising a reading comprehension activity based on global contexts.
The expected output should be in a lesson plan format, detailing the chosen texts,
comprehension questions, and differentiation strategies.

DP Example and test ChatGPT:

In the context of IB DP, as a Chemistry HL instructor, you are tasked with planning a
lab experiment related to organic chemistry. The expected output should be in a
lab report format, detailing objectives, materials, procedure, and safety
precautions.

CP Example and test ChatGPT:

In the context of IB CP, as a Business Management teacher integrating

career-related studies, you are tasked with developing a project where students
simulate running a startup company. The expected output should be in a project
outline format, detailing roles, objectives, timelines, and assessment rubrics.

Play with detail. Does extra context provide a better output? What about
providing examples of what you need? What further iterations got you closer
to your needed output?

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Scaffolding content delivery for lesson differentiation

We will continue to play with ChatGPT and can also use Diffit here.

PYP Exhibition Introduction

The PYP Exhibition is the culmination of your PYP journey, serving as a bridge to the
next phase of your education. As you embark on this exploration, you'll choose a
real-world issue or opportunity, dive into thorough research, and share your
findings in a multifaceted presentation. Collaboration is key, and communication
skills are paramount. Throughout the process, refer to the IB's assessment rubrics
to ensure your project aligns with the expected criteria, emphasizing inquiry, action,
and reflection.

MYP Personal Project Introduction

The MYP Personal Project is a significant undertaking, designed to let you immerse
yourself in a topic of personal interest. From art to science, the choice is yours.
You'll plan, research, and create or enact a product or outcome, all while
documenting your journey in a process journal. To guide your efforts and ensure
you're on track for success, the IB provides an assessment rubric. This will help you
gauge the depth of your inquiry, the quality of your chosen product or outcome,
and the reflection you engage in throughout the process.

DP Extended Essay Introduction

The Extended Essay, a hallmark of the DP experience, is an independent research

paper that offers a deep dive into an academic subject you're passionate about.
Spanning 4,000 words, this essay requires meticulous planning, research, and a
clear analytical voice. The IB's assessment rubric, detailed in the Extended Essay
guide, will be instrumental in your journey. It emphasizes the importance of a clear
research question, the depth of investigation, and the structure and coherence of
your final essay.

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CP Reflective Project Introduction

The CP Reflective Project is an interdisciplinary feat, challenging you to ponder

ethical dilemmas in a career-related context. Through your investigations, you'll
tackle complex issues, weaving in perspectives from your chosen career-related
study. As you develop your project, the IB's assessment rubric will serve as a
roadmap. It spotlights the depth of your analysis, the clarity of your ethical
considerations, and the strength of your reflections. Your final product, whether in
essay, presentation, or another format, should be a testament to your critical
thinking and ethical reasoning skills.

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Differentiation is key in accommodating the varied needs of students. Here are a few
ideas on using the provided texts to differentiate based on language level, attention
level, prior knowledge, and research skill level:

Language Level

For students with varied language proficiencies, the complexity and depth of the
text can be adjusted:

● Beginning Language Learners: Provide a simplified version of the

introduction text, focusing on basic vocabulary and key concepts. Use visuals
to support understanding.
● Prompt Example for PYP Exhibition:
● "The PYP Exhibition is a big project where you pick a topic and share what
you learn. Look at the IB guide to see how to do your best."
● Advanced Language Learners: Challenge them with the original text and
add supplementary materials that delve deeper into vocabulary and
concepts.

Now, to generate more lesson ideas, ask ChatGPT this: “What prompts could a
teacher input into ChatGPT to get lessons that differentiate by <insert language,
attention, etc. here > with brackets to be filled in as needed for grade level or ib
program”

Entering that text, I got these 9 prompts below to help you differentiate by
language level:

1. "Generate a lesson plan for teaching [specific text or topic] to [grade level/IB
level] students. Include brackets [with explanations] to introduce challenging
vocabulary and concepts."
2. "Design a lesson that focuses on [text or topic] for [grade level/IB level]
students. Use brackets to highlight key terms and concepts, and provide
supplementary materials for further exploration."

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3. "Create a teaching module for [text or topic] suitable for [grade level/IB level].
Incorporate brackets to annotate the original text with explanations and
include supplementary materials for in-depth analysis."
4. "Develop a lesson plan for [grade level/IB level] students on [text or topic].
Utilize brackets to annotate the text, clarifying complex vocabulary and
concepts. Additionally, suggest additional resources to deepen their
understanding."
5. "Construct a lesson outline for [grade level/IB level] students studying [text or
topic]. Incorporate brackets to provide definitions and explanations for
challenging terms or ideas. Suggest supplementary readings, videos, or
activities to extend their learning."
6. "Prepare a teaching guide for [grade level/IB level] students focusing on [text
or topic]. Use brackets to break down complex passages, and include links to
supplementary materials that enhance their comprehension and
engagement."
7. "Craft a lesson plan that caters to [grade level/IB level] students learning
about [text or topic]. Employ brackets to clarify intricate vocabulary and
concepts within the text. Propose supplementary materials to enrich their
understanding."
8. "Design a comprehensive lesson module for [grade level/IB level] students
studying [text or topic]. Utilize brackets to simplify challenging content, and
provide links to additional resources for further exploration."
9. "Generate an instructional plan for [grade level/IB level] students covering
[text or topic]. Annotate the original text with brackets to aid comprehension,
and suggest supplementary materials to extend their knowledge."

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Now you try! Enter the following prompt for each of the items below:

1. Copy the text from the differentiation style below and write CONTEXT
followed by the text into your ChatGPT, for example :
a. CONTEXT: Differentiate based on students' attention spans:
i. Short Attention Span: Break the introduction text into bullet
points or use engaging multimedia resources (like short videos).
Give prompts that focus on one key concept at a time.
ii. Prompt Example for MYP Personal Project: "Think of a topic you
love. Now, write three questions you want to answer about it."
iii. Long Attention Span: Provide the full text and extend the
prompts to require more depth and reflection.

2. Type: “Take no further action yet”, before hitting enter

3. Now type, “What prompts could a teacher input into ChatGPT to get lessons
based on the context given above, using brackets when appropriate for
grade level or ib program”

Further ways to differentiate

● Prior Knowledge: Tailor the prompts to what students already know:

○ Beginners/New to IB: Provide scaffolding, like a glossary of IB terms or
a flowchart of the project process.
○ Prompt Example for DP Extended Essay: "The Extended Essay is a long
research paper. What's a topic you'd like to learn a lot about?"
○ Experienced/IB Veterans: Offer prompts that push them to connect
their prior experiences with the new project.

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● Research Skill Level: Adjust based on students' familiarity and comfort with
research:
○ Novice Researchers: Guide them step-by-step, providing templates or
examples for each stage.
○ Prompt Example for CP Reflective Project: "Think of a job you're
interested in. What's one big question or problem people in that job
face?"
○ Expert Researchers: Offer open-ended prompts, pushing them to
frame, plan, and execute their research independently.

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Thank you so much!

We hope to see you in our next webinar.

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