Appendix B: AI Prompt Library

I'm designing a [grade level] [subject] unit on [topic]. Here are the relevant standards:

[Paste standards]

Please help me develop a CBI unit framework that includes:
1. 2-3 transferable concepts that emerge from these standards
2. A generalization connecting these concepts
3. 3-4 guiding questions (mix of factual, conceptual, and debatable)
4. Suggested factual content that supports conceptual understanding
5. A potential summative transfer task

Please explain your reasoning for each element.

I'm planning a [number]-week unit for [grade level] [subject] around this generalization:

"[Your generalization]"

The unit will explore [topic/content]. Help me design a lesson sequence that:
1. Opens with an engaging hook that surfaces student thinking
2. Builds factual foundation while developing conceptual understanding
3. Provides multiple opportunities for students to construct and test generalizations
4. Includes formative checkpoints to assess conceptual development
5. Culminates in a transfer task

For each phase, suggest specific activities and approximate timing.

I want to design an inquiry experience for [grade level] students exploring the concept of [concept] through [specific content/topic].

Please help me create:
1. An opening scenario or phenomenon that provokes genuine inquiry
2. 3-4 investigation stations or activities that build toward the concept
3. Discussion questions that move from observations to conceptual insights
4. A synthesis activity where students articulate their own generalizations
5. An extension that tests the generalization in a new context

The experience should take approximately [time frame] and require [specify any resource constraints].

I'm developing essential questions for a [grade level] unit on [topic] focused on the concepts of [concept 1] and [concept 2].

The generalization we're working toward is: "[Your generalization]"

Please generate:
1. 3 factual questions that build necessary background knowledge
2. 3 conceptual questions that push toward the generalization
3. 2 debatable/provocative questions that challenge assumptions
4. For each question, explain how it supports movement toward the generalization

Also suggest how I might sequence these questions throughout the unit.

Here is a traditional lesson I currently teach:

[Paste lesson description or plan]

Please help me transform this into a CBI experience by:
1. Identifying concepts already implicit in this content
2. Suggesting a generalization this content could support
3. Redesigning the lesson structure to be more inquiry-based
4. Adding questions that move from facts to concepts
5. Suggesting a way students could transfer this understanding

Please maintain the core content while shifting the approach.

I need to teach the following content to [grade level] students:

[Paste content description, textbook section, or curriculum requirements]

Please help me identify:
1. 3-4 transferable concepts embedded in this content
2. For each concept, explain why it transfers beyond this specific content
3. Rate each concept's abstractness and suggest grade-appropriate language
4. Identify potential connections to concepts students may have encountered in other subjects

Help me see the conceptual forest, not just the factual trees.

I'm working with the concepts of [concept 1] and [concept 2] in a [grade level] [subject] unit about [topic].

Please help me develop generalizations by:
1. Generating 5 possible generalizations connecting these concepts
2. For each, evaluate: Is it true? Is it transferable? Is it significant?
3. Suggest how each might be stated at different developmental levels
4. Identify which generalization offers the richest transfer potential
5. Provide 2-3 diverse contexts where students could apply each generalization

I want generalizations that are genuinely true and intellectually substantive.

I want to teach the concept of [concept] to [grade level] students.

Please help me unpack this concept by providing:
1. A clear, grade-appropriate definition
2. Essential attributes that define this concept
3. Non-examples that clarify boundaries
4. A range of examples from simple to complex
5. Common misconceptions students might have
6. Questions that would help students construct their understanding
7. How this concept connects to concepts they've likely encountered before

I teach [grade level] and want to understand how the concept of [concept] develops across grade levels.

Please provide:
1. How this concept might be introduced in early grades
2. How understanding deepens in middle grades
3. How it becomes more sophisticated in high school
4. Key misconceptions that might persist if not addressed
5. Questions I should consider about what my students already know
6. Concepts this one builds toward in later learning

Help me understand where my students are in their conceptual journey.

I'm teaching the concept of [concept] in my [subject] class at [grade level].

Please help me identify:
1. How this same concept appears in other subject areas
2. Different terminology other disciplines might use
3. Specific examples from 3-4 other subjects
4. Potential cross-curricular connection points
5. A generalization that could work across multiple disciplines
6. Questions I might use that reveal the concept's universality

I need to design a summative transfer task for [grade level] students who have been exploring this generalization:

"[Your generalization]"

Through content about [topic/content covered].

Please create a transfer task that:
1. Presents a new, unfamiliar context
2. Requires students to apply their generalization (not just recall facts)
3. Has authentic real-world relevance
4. Allows for multiple valid approaches
5. Can be assessed using clear criteria

Include the task prompt as students would see it and a rubric focused on conceptual transfer.

I need to assess [grade level] students' understanding of this generalization:

"[Your generalization]"

Please help me create an assessment rubric that:
1. Distinguishes between factual recall and conceptual understanding
2. Describes what transfer looks like at different levels of proficiency
3. Includes indicators I can actually observe in student work
4. Provides language I can use for feedback
5. Helps students understand what they're aiming for

Please format as a 4-level rubric with clear descriptors for each level.

I'm teaching a [grade level] unit where students are developing understanding of this generalization:

"[Your generalization]"

Please design 5 formative assessment strategies I can use throughout the unit to:
1. Surface student thinking about the concepts
2. Identify misconceptions early
3. Track movement toward the generalization
4. Inform my instructional decisions
5. Help students monitor their own understanding

For each strategy, include how to implement it and what to look for in responses.

I want my [grade level] students to self-assess their conceptual understanding throughout our unit on [topic].

The key concepts are: [concept 1], [concept 2]
The generalization is: "[Your generalization]"

Please create a student-friendly self-assessment tool that:
1. Uses age-appropriate language
2. Helps students distinguish between knowing facts and understanding concepts
3. Includes reflection prompts that surface thinking
4. Tracks growth over time
5. Connects to the learning goals we've established

I want to implement portfolio assessment for my [grade level] [subject] class focused on conceptual growth over [time period].

The concepts we'll explore include: [list concepts]

Please help me design:
1. Criteria for selecting portfolio artifacts
2. Reflection prompts that reveal conceptual development
3. A structure for the portfolio (sections, organization)
4. A rubric for evaluating the portfolio as a whole
5. Guidelines for student-led portfolio conferences

I have students in my [grade level] class who struggle with [specific challenge: reading, abstract thinking, etc.] but need to develop understanding of this generalization:

"[Your generalization]"

Please suggest:
1. Scaffolds that support access without reducing rigor
2. Concrete examples or manipulatives that might help
3. Modified questions that still push toward conceptual understanding
4. Graphic organizers or thinking tools
5. Ways to check understanding that don't rely heavily on [the challenging skill]

I want to maintain the conceptual goal while providing appropriate support.

I have students who quickly grasp the generalization:

"[Your generalization]"

And need additional challenge in my [grade level] [subject] class.

Please suggest:
1. Deeper questions that extend the generalization
2. More complex transfer contexts
3. Connections to related concepts they could explore
4. Independent inquiry possibilities
5. Ways they could support other students' learning

Challenge them without just adding more work.

I'm designing a CBI experience around the concept of [concept] for my [grade level] class, which includes students with diverse learning needs.

Please help me create:
1. 3-4 different entry points into the same conceptual exploration
2. Various ways to engage with the content (visual, kinesthetic, verbal, etc.)
3. Flexible grouping suggestions
4. Multiple ways to demonstrate understanding
5. How to maintain the common conceptual goal across different pathways

I have English Language Learners at various proficiency levels in my [grade level] [subject] class. We're exploring:

Concept: [concept]
Generalization: "[Your generalization]"

Please help me:
1. Identify academic vocabulary students need
2. Create visual supports for key ideas
3. Design sentence frames for conceptual discussions
4. Suggest modifications to questions at different language levels
5. Plan ways to leverage students' home languages and cultural knowledge

Please review this lesson plan through a Universal Design for Learning lens:

[Paste lesson plan]

For each UDL principle, suggest:
1. Multiple means of engagement: How might I hook diverse learners?
2. Multiple means of representation: How might I present information differently?
3. Multiple means of action/expression: How might students show understanding?

Focus on maintaining the conceptual goals while increasing access for all learners.

I'm designing a [grade level] ELA unit around [text(s)] that will develop understanding of this generalization:

"[Your generalization about literature/reading]"

Please help me:
1. Identify key passages that illuminate the concepts
2. Design text-dependent questions that move from literal to conceptual
3. Create opportunities for students to test the generalization across texts
4. Develop a transfer task involving a new text
5. Suggest ways to connect to students' reading lives outside school

I want to help my [grade level] students understand this generalization about writing:

"[Your writing generalization]"

Please design a writing workshop sequence that:
1. Opens with mentor text analysis revealing the concept
2. Guides students to construct understanding through examples
3. Supports application in their own writing
4. Includes peer feedback focused on the concept
5. Culminates in reflection on how the generalization transfers

I'm teaching [grade level] students to analyze arguments. We're working toward this generalization:

"[Your generalization about argument/evidence]"

Using [text(s) or topic], please help me design:
1. An opening activity that surfaces students' current thinking about arguments
2. Analysis questions that reveal how evidence functions
3. A structured debate or discussion format
4. A transfer task requiring argument analysis in a new context
5. Reflection questions about how argument works across contexts

I'm teaching [grade level] math and need to develop understanding of [mathematical concept] through [specific content/standards].

The generalization I'm working toward: "[Your mathematical generalization]"

Please help me design:
1. A problem or situation that creates need for the concept
2. A sequence of tasks that builds conceptual understanding
3. Questions that push from procedural to conceptual
4. Multiple representations to develop and connect
5. A transfer task applying the concept in a new context

I want to design a problem-based inquiry for [grade level] math around [topic].

The inquiry should develop understanding of: "[Your generalization]"

Please create:
1. An engaging, authentic problem scenario
2. A sequence of investigation questions
3. Points where students might discover key mathematical relationships
4. Discussion prompts that surface conceptual understanding
5. Extension problems testing the generalization in new contexts

I want to improve mathematical discourse in my [grade level] class as students explore [concept].

Please help me develop:
1. Talk moves that push for conceptual explanation
2. Questions that surface mathematical reasoning
3. Sentence starters for student mathematical discussion
4. Strategies for quieter students to participate
5. Ways to connect student ideas to formal mathematical language

I'm designing a [grade level] science unit around this phenomenon:

[Describe phenomenon]

Standards addressed: [List standards]

Please help me create:
1. An introduction that makes the phenomenon puzzling and engaging
2. Investigation sequence that builds toward explanation
3. Key concepts students should develop
4. A generalization that emerges from the investigation
5. A new phenomenon for transfer assessment

My [grade level] students are investigating [science topic]. The target generalization is:

"[Your science generalization]"

Please design:
1. An opening phenomenon or question
2. A sequence of hands-on investigations
3. Discussion questions that move from observations to concepts
4. Support for students constructing their own explanations
5. Transfer challenges that test the generalization

I need to integrate these NGSS dimensions in a [grade level] unit:

Disciplinary Core Idea: [DCI]
Science Practice: [Practice]
Crosscutting Concept: [CCC]

Please help me design a unit that authentically weaves these dimensions together, with:
1. A driving phenomenon
2. Activities where students use the practice to develop understanding
3. Explicit attention to the crosscutting concept
4. Assessment of all three dimensions

I'm designing a [grade level] history unit on [topic/era]. My target generalization is:

"[Your historical generalization]"

Please help me create:
1. A compelling historical question to drive inquiry
2. Primary sources that reveal different perspectives
3. Investigation activities that develop historical thinking
4. Discussion prompts that move from facts to concepts
5. A transfer task applying historical thinking to a new context

I want my [grade level] students to analyze [type of primary sources] to understand:

"[Your generalization]"

Please help me design:
1. Source selection criteria
2. Scaffolded analysis questions (observation → interpretation → conceptual)
3. Strategies for corroborating across sources
4. Discussion protocols for sharing findings
5. Synthesis activities that build toward the generalization

I'm planning a civic inquiry for [grade level] students around [civic issue or question].

Target concepts: [concept 1], [concept 2]
Generalization: "[Your civic generalization]"

Please help me design:
1. An engaging entry point that reveals the issue's significance
2. Multiple perspectives students should explore
3. Research and analysis activities
4. A structured deliberation format
5. Action-oriented transfer possibilities

I'm introducing AI tools to my [grade level] [subject] students. Please help me create:
1. An age-appropriate explanation of what AI is and isn't
2. Guidelines for productive AI use in our class
3. Examples of good vs. problematic AI use
4. Discussion questions about AI's role in learning
5. An activity that helps students experience both AI's capabilities and limitations

I want my [grade level] students to use AI as a learning partner. Please help me design:
1. Clear boundaries for when AI use is appropriate
2. Guidelines for interacting with AI productively
3. Requirements for documenting AI use
4. Reflection questions after using AI
5. Assessment criteria that value thinking over AI-generated content

I want to design an inquiry activity where [grade level] students use AI as a research partner to explore [topic/question] and develop understanding of:

"[Your generalization]"

Please create:
1. Clear framing of AI's role (tool, not authority)
2. Structured prompts students will use
3. Requirements for evaluating AI responses
4. Discussion protocol comparing findings
5. Synthesis activity where students construct their own understanding

I just taught a CBI lesson where [describe what happened]. I was trying to help students understand:

"[Your generalization]"

Please help me reflect by:
1. Identifying what seemed to work well
2. Suggesting why some parts might not have worked
3. Offering specific modifications I might try
4. Asking questions that help me think deeper
5. Connecting to CBI principles I might review

Be honest—I want to improve, not just feel good.

Here's a lesson I taught recently:

[Describe lesson in detail]

Please analyze it through a CBI lens:
1. How well did it support conceptual understanding?
2. Where did inquiry happen (or not happen)?
3. What opportunities for transfer existed?
4. What questions would have pushed thinking deeper?
5. Specific suggestions for improvement

I'm planning professional development on CBI for [audience: grade level team, department, etc.] who are [describe their experience level with CBI].

Please help me design a [time length] session that:
1. Hooks them with a relevant example
2. Builds understanding of key CBI principles
3. Includes hands-on practice
4. Addresses likely concerns or resistance
5. Provides clear next steps

I want to implement CBI in my [grade level] [subject] class. Currently, I [describe current practice]. My constraints include [time, curriculum requirements, etc.].

Please help me create a realistic implementation plan:
1. Where might I start (low-risk entry point)?
2. What should my first CBI unit look like?
3. What professional learning do I need?
4. What resources should I gather?
5. How might I build toward fuller implementation?

I received this feedback on my CBI practice:

[Paste feedback from observation, colleague, student surveys, etc.]

Please help me:
1. Identify the most actionable points
2. Connect feedback to specific CBI principles
3. Prioritize what to work on first
4. Generate specific strategies for improvement
5. Create a realistic growth plan

I tried this prompt:

[Your original prompt]

And got this response:

[What AI returned]

This wasn't quite what I needed because [explain gap].

Please help me:
1. Identify what made my prompt unclear
2. Suggest a revised prompt
3. Explain what makes the revision better
4. Offer tips for similar prompts in the future

Please evaluate the following AI-generated [lesson plan/assessment/unit design] against CBI principles:

[Paste AI output]

Evaluate for:
1. Conceptual clarity: Are concepts genuinely transferable?
2. Generalization quality: Is it true, transferable, significant?
3. Inquiry authenticity: Do students genuinely investigate?
4. Transfer potential: Could students apply this elsewhere?
5. Practical feasibility: Is this realistic in my context?

For each weakness, suggest a specific revision.

I'm working on designing [describe project]. Here's what I have so far:

[Paste current draft]

In this iteration, I specifically want help with:
[Specific aspect you want improved]

Please:
1. Build on what's working
2. Focus your revisions on my specified concern
3. Explain your changes
4. Suggest what to focus on in the next iteration

I'm teaching [grade/subject] about [topic]. Help me design a [lesson/unit/activity] focused on the concept of [concept] and this generalization: "[generalization]". Include [specific elements you need].

I need to assess [grade level] students' understanding of "[generalization]" through [topic]. Create a [assessment type] that requires transfer to [new context] and includes [rubric/criteria/etc.].

I have [describe learner need] in my [grade/subject] class. We're exploring "[generalization]". Suggest [scaffolds/extensions/modifications] that maintain the conceptual goal while [addressing the specific need].

I [taught/planned/assessed] [describe experience]. I was aiming for [your goal]. Help me [reflect/improve/revise] by [specific type of help needed].