50 ChatGPT Prompts for Teachers: Lesson Plans, Quizzes & Parent Communication
Teaching is already demanding enough without spending every evening on lesson planning and grading. ChatGPT can become your most valuable teaching assistant—if you know how to use it effectively.
This collection of 50 ready-to-use prompts covers the most time-consuming tasks teachers face daily. Copy, paste, customize with your subject and grade level, and reclaim your evenings.
Lesson Planning Prompts
Create engaging lesson plans faster while maintaining pedagogical quality.
1. Complete Lesson Plan Generator
"Create a detailed 45-minute lesson plan for [grade level] [subject] on [topic]. Include: learning objectives, materials needed, a hook/warm-up activity, direct instruction, guided practice, independent practice, and assessment. Make it engaging and interactive."
2. Learning Objectives Writer
"Write 3-4 specific, measurable learning objectives for a [grade level] [subject] lesson on [topic]. Use Bloom's taxonomy verbs and make them student-centered."
3. Differentiated Instruction Plan
"I'm teaching [topic] to [grade level]. Create differentiated activities for three levels: struggling learners who need more support, on-grade-level students, and advanced learners who need enrichment. All activities should address the same learning objective."
4. Hook and Engagement Ideas
"Give me 5 creative ways to introduce a [grade level] lesson on [topic] that will immediately capture student attention. Include at least one hands-on option, one technology-based option, and one discussion-based option."
5. Cross-Curricular Connection
"I'm teaching [topic] in [subject]. Suggest 5 ways to connect this lesson to other subject areas (math, science, ELA, social studies, art, or PE). Explain how each connection could work practically in the classroom."
6. Formative Assessment Ideas
"List 10 quick formative assessment strategies I can use during a lesson on [topic] to check for understanding. Include a mix of individual, partner, and whole-class options."
7. Closure Activity Generator
"Create 5 effective closure activities for a lesson on [topic] that help students synthesize their learning. Each should take no more than 5 minutes."
8. Substitute Teacher Plan
"Create detailed sub plans for a [grade level] [subject] class. Include: daily schedule, important procedures, student names who can help, activities that are easy to implement, and emergency filler activities. Assume the substitute has no background in [subject]."
9. Unit Plan Overview
"Create a 2-week unit plan overview for [grade level] [subject] on [topic/theme]. List the daily topics, main activities, and how each lesson builds on the previous one. Include one major assessment at the end."
10. Project-Based Learning Design
"Design a project-based learning experience for [grade level] [subject] about [topic]. Include: driving question, project milestones, required deliverables, rubric criteria, and presentation format."
Quiz and Assessment Prompts
Generate assessments that accurately measure student learning.
11. Multiple Choice Quiz
"Create a 15-question multiple choice quiz on [topic] for [grade level] [subject]. Include 4 answer choices per question. Make sure distractors are plausible. Provide an answer key at the end."
12. Short Answer Questions
"Write 10 short answer questions about [topic] for [grade level] that require students to explain their thinking, not just recall facts. Include a brief rubric for grading each question."
13. Essay Prompts
"Create 3 essay prompts for [grade level] [subject] about [topic]. Each should be at a different cognitive level: one recall/understanding, one analysis/application, and one evaluation/synthesis. Include word count guidelines and main points to look for."
14. Exit Ticket Questions
"Give me 20 exit ticket questions for [topic] that I can use over the next few weeks. Mix up the question types and cognitive levels. Keep each short enough to answer in 3 minutes."
15. Performance Assessment
"Design a performance-based assessment for [grade level] [subject] on [topic] where students demonstrate skills rather than just answer questions. Include task description, materials needed, and a rubric."
16. Test Review Activity
"Create an engaging review game or activity for [topic] that will help [grade level] students prepare for an upcoming test. Include questions, game rules, and how to keep score."
17. Diagnostic Pre-Assessment
"Create a 10-question diagnostic assessment for [topic] to give before starting a unit. Questions should reveal common misconceptions and prerequisite knowledge gaps."
18. Standards-Aligned Assessment
"Create an assessment for [grade level] aligned to this standard: [paste standard]. Include a mix of question types and a rubric that shows how each question measures the standard."
19. Self-Assessment Checklist
"Create a student self-assessment checklist for [topic/skill]. Include 10-15 'I can' statements that students can use to evaluate their own understanding. Add a reflection question at the end."
20. Rubric Creator
"Create a detailed 4-point rubric for [assignment type] in [grade level] [subject]. Include descriptors for each level (Exceeds, Meets, Approaching, Beginning) for each criterion. Make it student-friendly."
Report Card and Progress Comments
Write personalized, professional comments efficiently.
21. Positive Progress Comment
"Write a report card comment for a [grade level] student who is performing well in [subject]. Highlight specific strengths, mention positive behaviors, and suggest one area for continued growth. Keep it under 75 words."
22. Needs Improvement Comment
"Write a constructive report card comment for a [grade level] student who is struggling in [subject]. Acknowledge effort, clearly state concerns, and suggest specific ways the student and parents can help improve. Keep the tone encouraging but honest. Under 100 words."
23. Behavior-Focused Comment
"Write a report card comment for a [grade level] student who does well academically but struggles with [specific behavior issue]. Balance praise for academics with clear expectations for behavior. Suggest strategies."
24. ELL Student Comment
"Write a report card comment for an English Language Learner in [grade level] who is making progress in [subject]. Acknowledge language development while also assessing content understanding. Celebrate specific growth."
25. Special Needs Comment
"Write a sensitive report card comment for a [grade level] student with [type of learning need] who is working toward IEP goals in [subject]. Focus on growth and effort while being specific about progress toward goals."
26. Comment Starter Bank
"Give me 25 varied sentence starters for report card comments. Organize them by category: academic progress, effort and work habits, social skills, and areas for growth."
27. Goal-Setting Comment
"Write a report card comment that helps a [grade level] student set specific goals for next quarter in [subject]. Include what they've accomplished and 2-3 concrete steps for improvement."
28. End-of-Year Summary
"Write a warm end-of-year report card comment for a [grade level] student that summarizes their growth in [subject] throughout the year. Mention specific achievements and wish them well for next year."
29. Quarter-to-Quarter Progress
"Write a report card comment that compares a [grade level] student's progress from last quarter to this quarter in [subject]. They went from a [grade] to a [grade]. Frame this appropriately whether it's improvement, decline, or maintaining."
30. Batch Comment Generator
"I need to write report card comments for 5 different student profiles. Generate a unique comment for each:
- High achiever, participates enthusiastically
- Average grades, rarely participates
- Struggles academically, tries very hard
- Smart but doesn't apply themselves
- New student still adjusting"
Parent Communication Prompts
Draft professional parent communications quickly.
31. Welcome Email Template
"Write a beginning-of-year welcome email to parents of [grade level] students. Include: introduction of yourself, classroom expectations, important dates, best ways to contact you, and how parents can support learning at home. Keep the tone warm and professional."
32. Behavior Concern Email
"Write an email to a parent about their child's [specific behavior issue] in class. Be specific about incidents without being accusatory. Express desire to partner together and suggest a conference. Keep it professional and solution-focused."
33. Academic Concern Email
"Write an email to parents informing them their child is struggling in [subject]. Include: specific areas of difficulty, what you've tried in class, and request their partnership. Suggest strategies for home support and offer to meet."
34. Positive News Email
"Write a brief email to a parent sharing something positive about their child. The student [specific positive behavior or achievement]. Make the parent's day!"
35. Conference Request Email
"Write an email requesting a parent-teacher conference about [student's name]. Mention general areas you'd like to discuss without being alarming. Offer several time options and alternative meeting formats if needed."
36. Conference Follow-Up
"Write a follow-up email after a parent-teacher conference. Summarize what was discussed about [student], list action steps agreed upon, and express appreciation for their partnership."
37. Field Trip Permission Communication
"Write a parent letter about an upcoming field trip to [destination] on [date]. Include: educational purpose, schedule, what to bring, cost if any, transportation details, and permission slip instructions."
38. Newsletter Template
"Create a weekly classroom newsletter template for [grade level]. Include sections for: what we learned this week, upcoming events, homework reminders, and a tip for parents. Keep it scannable and under 300 words."
39. Missing Assignment Notice
"Write a professional email to a parent about their child's missing assignments. List the missing work, explain the impact on grades, and offer support to help the student catch up. Request parent support without being accusatory."
40. Difficult Conversation Preparation
"Help me prepare for a difficult parent conversation about [issue]. Give me talking points, anticipate likely parent concerns, and suggest how to respond. Help me keep the conversation productive and focused on solutions."
Classroom Management and Activities
Get ideas for running your classroom smoothly.
41. Classroom Procedure Script
"Write step-by-step instructions I can teach my [grade level] students for [procedure, e.g., transitioning between activities, turning in work, getting materials]. Make it clear enough that students can eventually do it independently."
42. Collaborative Learning Activity
"Design a collaborative learning activity for [grade level] on [topic]. Include group roles, task instructions, and how to ensure individual accountability. The activity should take about [X] minutes."
43. Bell Ringer Ideas
"Give me 20 bell ringer/warm-up activity ideas for [grade level] [subject]. Include a variety of types: quick writes, puzzles, review questions, and creative thinking prompts. Each should take 5 minutes or less."
44. Early Finisher Activities
"Create a menu of meaningful early finisher activities for [grade level] [subject]. These should extend learning, not just be busywork. Include independent options that don't require teacher assistance."
45. Classroom Library Organization
"Suggest an organizational system for a [grade level] classroom library with about [X] books. Include how to label books, arrange them, and create a checkout system students can manage themselves."
46. Discussion Question Stems
"Create 15 discussion question stems I can use for any [subject] topic in [grade level]. Organize them by thinking level: comprehension, analysis, evaluation, and creative thinking."
47. Positive Behavior Reinforcement
"Suggest 15 positive behavior reinforcement strategies for [grade level] that don't rely on candy or prizes. Include individual and whole-class options."
48. Community Building Activity
"Describe a community-building activity appropriate for [grade level] that helps students get to know each other and feel like a team. Include step-by-step instructions and discussion questions."
49. Difficult Content Explanation
"Help me explain [difficult concept] to [grade level] students who are struggling to understand it. Use an analogy, break it into smaller steps, and include a hands-on way to demonstrate the concept."
50. End-of-Year Celebration Ideas
"Suggest 5 meaningful end-of-year celebration activities for [grade level] that celebrate learning, not just parties. Each should help students reflect on their growth while creating positive memories."
Tips for Better Results
Include grade level and subject. "Middle school math" gets much better results than just "create a quiz."
Specify your constraints. Time limits, material limitations, and student needs all help ChatGPT tailor suggestions.
Ask for alternatives. If the first output isn't quite right, say "Give me a more hands-on option" or "Make it simpler."
Build on outputs. Use ChatGPT as a starting point, then apply your professional judgment and knowledge of your students.
Maintain your voice. Edit AI-generated parent communications to sound like you. Parents know your writing style.
Level Up Your Teaching with AI
These prompts will save you hours each week, but they're just the beginning. Our free Prompt Engineering course teaches you how to create custom prompts for any situation and get consistently excellent results.
Curious how to use AI responsibly in education? Check out our AI for Everyday Life course for practical strategies that work in and out of the classroom.
The best teachers adapt to new tools while keeping students at the center. With these prompts, you can do both—and finally have time for dinner.