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ASSIGNMENT
Write a forum post (150 words min) as a Reply to this post reflecting on your experience.
Include your topic and class level:
- one useful Gemini suggestion
- one adaptation or concern
- one boundary for responsible AI use.
Then reply to at least one other participant. Your reply should help extend the discussion by offering encouragement, a practical suggestion or a reflective question.
Throughout, consider how Google Workspace and Gemini could be used in School Self-Evaluation (SSE) at your school.
Use of AI Tools: Our facilitators occasionally observe that course reflections may be generated with the assistance of AI tools. While AI can be a helpful support for drafting ideas or exploring different ways to express your thinking, it is essential that your forum posts reflect your own understanding and engagement with the course content. This is in line with the Department of Education and Youth’s Summer Course guidelines.
Before posting to the forum, we encourage you to take a moment to review your contributions and, if necessary, revise them to ensure they are appropriate and authentically your own. -
I entered the following prompt into my Gemini search.
You are a sixth class teacher. You want to children to explore the history of their locality. Suggest three project options for this.
I selected the following option as my project for my class.
Option 2: “Living History” (Oral History Interview)
The Concept: Students interview an older member of the community (a grandparent, an elderly neighbour, or a local business owner) to capture how daily life in the locality has changed.
· What they do: Students design a questionnaire focusing on specific themes like school days, games/hobbies, technology, or local shops when the interviewee was young. They record the interview (audio or written notes).
· The 6th-Class Twist: Students must compare the interview answers to their own lives, highlighting what has disappeared entirely (like old-fashioned milk deliveries) and what has stayed exactly the same.
· Final Output: A written transcript accompanied by a reflection, or a short edited audio podcast.
An adaptation I would make to this search is to have children focus on just one specific theme for their interview, eg school or groceries/shopping and make a questionnaire based on this topic. This will enable children to get much more detailed information for their project, and enable them to make comparisons to their own lives. I like that there is already differentiation allowed in this project, it is accessible to all children as the finished project can be an audio podcast. I would also encourage children to use powerpoint or scratch to present their projects.
My boundaries for responsible AI were that: I did not include where our locality is, any information on the children in my class or specific information that would identify our school or people in our locality.
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Hi Carol, I think your idea of children focusing on just one specific theme for their interview so that they get more detailed information is a great suggestion and if different children in the class chose different themes you would have a wealth of information and oral history to share when the children presented their finished projects. Really interesting and engaging for your Sixth Class pupils and their grandparents!
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Hi carol, I agree with your adaptation of the project. Focusing on one specific theme, such as school or shopping, would allow the children to explore the topic in much greater depth rather than trying to cover too much in one interview. I also think the comparison with their own experiences would make the project more meaningful and help them recognise how much daily life has changed, while also identifying things that have remained the same.
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Hi Carol,
The “Living History” concept aligns perfectly with the 6th-class history curriculum, promoting active learning and community connection. This of course is a key feature of the new SEE specification of the PCF.
Your boundary for responsible AI use was well thought of; maintaining anonymity regarding the school and locality shows a strong understanding of GDPR and data privacy.
Integrating Google Workspace alongside creative presentation tools like Scratch and audio podcasts which can easily be done using Google Workspace or Canva is a brilliant way to address differentiation and the Digital Learning Framework within your School Self-Evaluation (SSE) goals!
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Hi Carol, welcome to the course and thank you for your engagement in this first module.
Your local history oral project for sixth class is an excellent concept. Allowing children to use varied digital tools like Scratch, PowerPoint or podcasts showcases fantastic differentiation that accommodates all learners and aligns with the framework for the UDL.Through excluding local or school identifiers you are embodying the responsible AI practices and robust human oversight required by national educational frameworks.
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I really like the Concept of Students interviewing an older member of the community to capture how daily life in the locality has changed. Again the output of a recorded output makes it inclusive for all levels and abilities. The boundary of not including names or notable features in the locality shows responsible AI use protecting peoples anonymity.
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I asked Gemini to create some suitable activities for 6th class based on the novel Holes by Louis Sachar. It came up with writing prompts for different writing genres such as creative writing, narrative writing and persuasive writing. It also asked if I would like a set of reading comprehension questions based on each chapter. Another useful suggestion was a vocabulary matching activity for some of the trickier words in the book. I also asked Gemini to export the comprehension and vocabulary matching activities to document form, it created a very nicely laid out document that could be used in the classroom. One adaptation I made was to differentiate the comprehension activity to cater for a range of abilities. Similarly I asked it to simplify the definition of some of the tricky words in the vocabulary matching section. In doing this I made sure to include a boundary where no pupil names or personal information were included.
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Hi, I really like your idea of using oral history to help pupils learn about their local area. Focusing on one theme for the interviews is a great adaptation and would encourage deeper discussion. Would you use this project as an individual task or have pupils work in pairs? thanks for sharing!
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<p style=”font-weight: 400;”>I work in SET. One child in particular has no interest really in anything as he has a very low IQ and a number of other issues. I have used Gemini book creator to put him as the centre of every book. So if I want him to internalise 3D shapes we research places like the Pyramids, the Sphere in Las Vegas et. Then I make the story about him travelling the world visiting them and build his work outwards from there. The child in question is very vulnerable and would have a very innocent view of the world. It’s important when using Gemini that I kept his profile simple. A first name, basic description and his favourite sports jersey for the illustrations etc. Ten attempts to create a story for him will give ten different illustrations of him. So I use the first one and upload that image very time. I include no surname or DOB, give his school and general area where he lives. At the end of the year the conditions around Gemini books changed and it didn’t work as well unfortunately.</p>
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Hi Carol, I think the oral history interview is a good way to help children connect with their local community while developing their communication and research skills. I also like your adaptation of focusing on one specific theme as it would make the interviews more manageable and allow children to explore the topic in greater depth rather than lots of questions being asked with short answers. I also liked your consideration of responsible AI particularly avoiding the inclusion of personal or identifiable information.
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I used Gemini to help generate ideas for a 5th Class Geography project where pupils research a European country and present their findings using Google Slides. My educational purpose was clear as the activity supports research skills, use of class chromebooks and oral presentation while linking with the Geography curriculum.
When creating my prompt I made sure not to include any pupil names, my school name or any personal information. I reviewed all of Gemini’s suggestions before using them and checked that the information was accurate and suitable for my class. I also ensured that the language and activities were age-appropriate. Before using any AI-generated content I would adapt it where necessary to meet the needs of my class and ensure it aligned with the learning objectives.
Gemini suggested creating a travel brochure about a European country. I decided not to use this idea because I wanted pupils to focus more on research and presenting factual information. A Google Slides presentation better suited my learning objectives. I would maybe use this idea to further develope the topic when they know more about their country or if I wanted the class to work in groups it would be a great addition but for this purpose I wanted individual projects to be presented.
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I really like your approach and example of how to use AI in generating ideas for Geography project.
You idea of using Google Slides is definitely a much better fit for scaffolding individual Chromebook and presentation skills in 5th Class. Keeping the brochure idea as a extension activity or group-work option for later down the line is a great way to differentiate the topic, too!
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Hi Sarah,
Your reflection is very well thought out and provides an excellent template for how to use GenAI responsibly in the classroom. You clearly stated your educational purpose for 5th Class Geography and showed strong professional autonomy by adapting the AI’s recommendation (moving from a travel brochure to Google Slides) to better fit your learning intentions.
Your section on responsible AI use is a major strength—protecting student data privacy by omitting identifying details and vetting the content for accuracy and age-appropriateness represents excellent practice.
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I asked Gemini to generate some warm-up games for introducing new vocabulary for the Mé Féin and Bia topic in Third Class.
The useful Gemini suggestion I chose was the game Cad atá ar iarraidh? (Kim’s Game). I liked Gemini’s suggestions for the Step by Step Teacher Instructions and the ceisteanna to ask during the activity.
When I asked Gemini to generate success criteria in child friendly language. I chose not to include the suggestion of “I can close my eyes honestly when the teacher says “Dún bhur súile”.” as I don’t think this would be useful at the beginning of the year when establishing relationships with the children. Rather I would rather use a box or towel etc. to cover the items so that the children don’t have to be under pressure with closing their eyes honestly, as at this age many still find it difficult.
I especially loved the accessibility suggestions for children of pointing to a desk mat as this would work for children in my class without mentioning any personal names or needs etc.
I love what I have learned in this lesson about using Gemini and refining what Gemini generates with further prompts and always reviewing and reflecting on what is generated and then making decisions about what to use. Always considering responsible AI use of not sharing personal information or data.
I’m excited for the future modules.
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Hi Nicola,
I really like your prompt for your Irish lesson. I absolutely agree that taking the honesty part out is a good idea, as children (and even adults!!) can really struggle with this. Having a prewritten bank of questions can always come in useful, especially if someone is struggling with the game.
Its always very useful to have some accessibility suggestions also.
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I like how you used Gemini for assistance with a Gaeilge lesson. I would have assumed that it would struggle to give suggestions that would be comparable to that of an Irish teacher, but clearly that’s not true. The adaptations that Gemini suggested with the desk mat is also an interesting touch. I can see why you opted to omit the additional phrase. I can imagine when it comes to languages, you would have to be more vigilant with the suggested vocabulary to ensure that it is suitable for primary level. In reality, the phrase it suggested (‘closing your eyes honestly’), wouldn’t really have added anything of benefit to the activity or in expanding the pupils’ vocabulary in a useful way.
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Hi Nicola, welcome to the course and thank you for engaging in Module 1.
Your use of Gemini to generate 3rd Class vocabulary games for Mé Féin and Bia demonstrates an excellent practical application of AI in the language classroom. Your judgment in not utilising the child-friendly success criteria that did not fit your classroom context is a brilliant example of the essential “human-in-the-loop” oversight mandated by national guidelines.
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That is a great point! Prompting Gemini specifically for accessibility options actually worked surprisingly well. It gave me a few different ideas, but the desk mat suggestion immediately stood out as the most practical and discreet option for my particular room.
I didn’t have to guide it too much for that specific idea, but it definitely proved to me that the real value of AI comes from that back-and-forth refinement. It acts as a great sounding board, but it still takes a teacher’s eye to spot the one suggestion that will actually work seamlessly in a real classroom.
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I used Gemini to suggest persuasive writing lesson starters for 5th class. I liked the suggestion to challenge the children to ‘Sell Me This Rubbish’. The task would involve the class (in pairs) trying to persuade the teacher and their peers that a chosen piece of rubbish is the new ‘must have’ product. One adaptation I would have to make around the suggestion is the overall timing. I didn’t feel that the suggestion took into account the length of time it would take to describe the task to the class, allow for student planning of their responses and then to actually deliver their pitches. I would likely need to make this a core lesson activity and perhaps use it to focus on 1 or 2 persuasive techniques that I want the students to include in their pitch. One boundary would be to ensure I don’t include any behavioural concerns that I have regarding my pupils and delivering this lesson activity.
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Hi Alan,
Welcome to the course. I also like the “Sell Me This Rubbish” activity. It’s a fun and engaging way to develop persuasive writing skills while encouraging pupils to think creatively and justify their ideas.
One suggestion might be to let the class vote for the most convincing pitch at the end. This would encourage pupils to listen carefully to each other and identify the persuasive techniques being used.
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We do a lot of writing workshop in our school and i really like this idea. The fact that you start the writing process with paired work and a fun activity like sell me this rubbish would really appeal to my students. I could also see the benefit of peer learning – the less confident students would be able to hear what good persuasive language sounds like before they put any written work down. I also like the idea of the vote which again is engaging and a fun way to get them to listen to each other.
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Thinking of something new or different isn’t easy to come up with sometimes. Ai can bridge that gap pretty simply. This is a great example of that. The differentiation opportunities for someone like me in SET are excellent. Take the same topic and simplify the language and the amount of text involved, even on something we may have dreamed up on the spot.
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Hi,
I asked…I am a 3rd Class primary school teacher, could you give me suggestions for a lesson based on transportation please?
It gave me wonderful suggestions for STEM – Bridge making, Maths – Data, Tally etc and Art/SPHE ideas.
I didn’t add our exact location for community links, as I feel I can adapt the lesson myself to suit our locality.
I might decide on a field trip but this would depends on professional boundaries and where I feel might be appropriate for us to go etc.
Gemini really offered some fabulous suggestions, with follow up ideas and activity sheets.
It is going to be so useful for the year ahead!
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Hi Keara, welcome to the course,
Using Gemini to generate cross-curricular ideas for 3rd Class transport spanning STEM, Maths and Art, is a wonderful way to enrich lesson planning.
Your decision to omit exact location details is exactly the professional boundary-setting and data awareness.
Leveraging Google Workspace alongside Gemini to compile activity sheets and gather data will be invaluable for informing your SSE.
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I asked Gemini to create some suitable activities for 6th class based on the novel Holes by Louis Sachar. It came up with writing prompts for different writing genres such as creative writing, narrative writing and persuasive writing. It also asked if I would like a set of reading comprehension questions based on each chapter. Another useful suggestion was a vocabulary matching activity for some of the trickier words in the book. I also asked Gemini to export the comprehension and vocabulary matching activities to document form, which it created a very nicely laid out document that could be used in the classroom. One adaptation I made was to differentiate the comprehension activity to cater for a range of abilities. Similarly I asked it to simplify the definition of some of the tricky words in the vocabulary matching section. In doing this I made sure to include a boundary where no pupil names or personal information were included.
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Hi Tim, welcome to the course. Using Gemini to generate genre-based writing prompts and structured comprehension tasks for is a brilliant way to support 6th class literacy.
Exporting it directly to Google Docs shows how seamless the integration can be and how it can save valuable planning time.
Your adaptation to differentiate comprehension questions and simplify vocabulary ensures the content is accessible for all learning needs. All great ways of leveraging these tools to create an engaging, inclusive literary unit! -
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I put this prompt into Gemini. I teach in an Irish classroom, I teach special class for autistic children. All children are verbal. I want to teach a 30 minute lesson on strategies to deal with frustration. Align to the SPHE curriculum to suit 2nd class. Identify key vocabulary, a group discussion prompt, three suggested activities and an assessment method for the lesson.
Gemini Gave a great lesson prompt- a suggested story about a boy building a Lego tower that had just fallen for the third time. I asked Gemini to generate the image of the boy so that the children could describe what was happening in the boy’s body that showed he was frustrated.
I chose the suggested activity of using the remote control to pause and reflect. The remote control concept is one all children can identify with and understand its function of pausing. I liked the idea of modeling and role play and it would be very easy for me to execute this in the classroom.
Gemini offered to expand the lesson; to create a social story to support the lesson, which could be referred to later or sent home, either physically or digitally.
One concern I would have about this lesson, is that it can be difficult for the children to transfer the learning and apply it to real life situations. I think it would be important for the teacher to model the remote control analogy in real life so as to help bridge that gap. It would be important not to put any student information or specific scenarios about real life situations into the prompt.-
Hi Deirdre,
As a fellow SEN teacher I really enjoyed reading your post. The ability to deal with frustration and to understand the physical reactions it can create in your body obviously applies in all classes. Perhaps even more critically considering your context which is why it is such a good topic. I liked the remote control idea pause idea and the fantastic Lego tower story. I immediately thought to bring it in to class and start building.
You could ask Gemini to make a simple visual icon of a remote control with a big “Pause” button to laminate and keep on your board or wall. Pointing to it or holding it up during real-life moments of frustration provides a low-arousal, visual cue without needing lots of instructions.
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Hi Deirdre and welcome to the course.
Using Gemini to design an SPHE lesson tailored for an autistic special class demonstrates commitment to child-centred learning.The “remote control” pause concept is a fantastic, relatable visual strategy to help children navigate frustration. Your observation regarding the challenge of real-world generalisation is spot on, and your plan to actively model this strategy in daily routines demonstrates teacher intuition. Keeping prompt data strictly non-identifiable fully respects crucial professional boundaries.
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Prompt: I teach 3rd class in a DEIS band 2 Irish primary school. I am planning a 40 minute lesson introducing magnets. Suggest three active starter activities, key vocabulary, a simple group activity and one assessment for learning check.
Gemini gave some good, practical suggestions for starter activities, including Magnetic Mystery Bag, Attract or Repel physical movement game and Magnet Fishing. The main activity that was suggested was “The Magnetic Hunt” whereby the children make predictions and test classroom items to see which ones stick to magnets. The lesson was well laid out, clear and easy to adapt and I would definitely use it with my class. It also gave differentiation options for various oarts of the lesson.
As for responsible AI use: never input student names or personal information. I do sometimes include broad characteristics of our context, such as being a DEIS Band 2 school in Dublin, but nothing specific. This helps to tailor the output a small bit more.
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Hi Sinead, welcome to the course and thank you for your response to Module 1.
Prompting Gemini for active science starters and it delivering the games you mentioned is a brilliant way to introduce magnets to 3rd class and allow you to explore new and creative ways to introduce the topic in a less demanding way.Your boundary practices are exemplary: sharing broad context like DEIS band status while protecting specific details ensures tailored outputs without compromising privacy.
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I entered the following prompt into my Gemini search.
As a fifth class teacher based in Ireland. You want to children to explore the science and the environment in their locality. Suggest three project options for this.
I asked for this how each of the three project options aligns directly with the Primary Science Curriculum strands and specific learning outcomes for Fifth class.Project 1: The Micro-Habitat & Biodiversity Audit
1. Living Things
• Plant and Animal Life:
o Identify and classify local plants and animals using simple keys and identification charts.
o Construct and interpret simple food chains and food webs found within the local micro-habitat.
o Explore how local animals and plants are adapted to their specific micro-habitats (e.g., damp soil vs. dry brickwork).Adaptions: As our school is in a dense urban environment with limited green space, concrete yards, or no immediate access to a park, the project was adapted into a “Micro-Oasis & Concrete Jungle” Audit. In urban environments, life works extra hard to find small niches. Adapting the project teaches students how biodiversity adapts to man-made environments and how humans can intentionally introduce micro-habitats on hard surfaces.
Instead of grass vs. woodland, students compare subtle micro-environments across tarmac and masonry surfaces. The children would sample racks in paving or tarmac where weeds/moss grow, Damp corners under outdoor stairwells or drainpipes, Wall surfaces (ivy/moss patches vs. bare brick) and Window boxes, raised planters, or potted plants in the school yard.
The Audit Focus would Measure how moss, lichen, small weeds, woodlice, ants, spiders, and pigeons/sparrows utilize these man-made spaces.
My boundaries for responsible AI were that: I did not include where our locality is, any information on the children in my class or specific information that would identify our school or people or our locality.-
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Hi Angela, welcome to the course and thanks for such an inspiring reflection.
Prompting Gemini to align biodiversity projects directly with Fifth Class Primary Science learning outcomes shows fantastic pedagogical rigor.
Your creative adaptation of the “Micro-Habitat Audit” into a “Concrete Jungle” study demonstrates great teaching skill. It turns urban constraints into a rich learning opportunity about resilience and environmental adaptation. Your strict approach to data privacy is a an example of responsible AI use.
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I used the following prompt in gemini
“You are a sixth class teacher. You want to children to write a short history project on the famine for the green screen.”
- one useful Gemini suggestion
Project Overview: Famine News Report
You and a partner will act as news reporters broadcasting live from Ireland during the 1840s. Your goal is to explain what happened, why it happened, and how it impacted the people of Ireland.- Adaptation
I would adapt this idea to include student choice and voice. I would have a choice board that children can choose a variety of ways they can respond to the project such as a drama, rap, song and not just a news report.
- Responsible AI use
Remind children to use no personal data about themselves or the school.
Communicate to children about how they can use AI for their projects
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This is a lovely use of Gemini Dee. The “Famine News Report” idea would really suit 6th class, especially with the green screen. I’d say the children would enjoy getting into role and presenting the information in a different way. I really like that you wouldn’t just leave it as a news report either. Giving them a choice board with options like drama, rap, song or report would make it much more engaging, and it would suit different children’s strengths. It’s also a good way to bring in student voice. Some children might have great ideas for how to present the learning once they are given a bit of freedom. Your point about responsible AI use is important too. It’s a good habit to teach them early, especially around not sharing personal information or school details. Even a short class chat about what AI can help with and what it shouldn’t be used for would be really worthwhile here.
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I inputted the following request based on an environmental activity we have completed with the GLOBE science programme.
You are a fourth class teacher. You want to outline 3 activities for assessing pollution and health of a local stream.
Gemini responded with 3 suitable activities – The Mini Beast Safari (a simple kick sample test), The Stream Lab (chemical observation and sampling) and Bank Side Mapping and Litter Audit.
I would then narrow this down further and link learning outcomes
Having done all three in the past I would adapt this by listing the scientific equipment I have available and narrowing down the options. I have a kick net and dont have any pH strips for example and build on the first activity for now.
Alternatively I could adapt to suit our school environment, where we have a pond, thus not depending on safety and suitability of local waterways.
I’d ask Gemini to crosscheck/list all the relevant learning outcomes then I’d write my own Learning Intentions and Success Criteria. I’d ask gemini to create printable worksheets at the appropriate reading age level and also differentiated versions.
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This is a really good example of using Gemini in a practical way, Kevin. The three activities it came back with sound useful, but I like that you’d narrow them down based on what you’ve actually got to hand and what’s realistic for your class. The kick sample activity is a great place to start, especially if you already have the equipment and have done similar work through GLOBE before. It gives the children a proper hands-on bit of science, which always stays with them far more than reading about pollution or stream health ever would. Your point about adapting it to the school pond is very sensible too. The local stream mightn’t always be safe or easy to get to, so making use of what’s there on the school grounds could make the whole thing a good deal more manageable.
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I used Gemini to help me plan an Autumn theme for my Junior Infants class in a special school. I asked it to create a week of short, engaging activities suitable for pupils with additional needs. One suggestion I found particularly useful was organising the learning into five short sensory-based activities each day, including movement, art, vocabulary and simple assessment tasks. This gave me a good starting point and saved time when planning. However, I adapted several activities to better match the individual needs, communication abilities and attention spans of the children in my class, as I know my pupils better than AI does. My main concern is that AI-generated activities may not always be appropriate for every learner without careful review. A key boundary for responsible AI use is never entering personal or identifiable pupil information into Gemini and always checking that the content is accurate, safe and suitable before using it in the classroom.
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It is nice to hear the experience of other teachers in special classroom or special school. The volume of available lesson planning supports is not as vast as for mainstream so the use of AI will be very helpful to me. I also feel that the critical review is most important for us in special class as the individual needs of each pupil are so so specific.
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I love the context of the short sensory based activities for this search. When I think of using AI as a tool for teaching I’m more inclined to imagine it being useful in the senior end of the primary school but this is a super example of how you could make the lesson more engaging and active. The review and adaptation of activities to meet the needs of your speicific class is crucial.
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For this Module assignment I used the Habitat theme and generated ideas for a junior autism class lesson. I used the ROLE-TASK-CONTEXT-FORMAT idea generation sequence for a first round of ideas. I found this structure really helpful as a novice AI user. This yielded a thought provoking array of options and I selected one useful activity from the list. I used the structure ‘I like… please rewrite…’ to refine the task, a subsequently instructed again to turn it into practical teacher instruction. For my specific classroom needs, this is the stage where I then needed to take the content and review it critically for the lesson. But I have achieved a lot from AI at this point.
One useful Gemini suggestion: Generative AI needs purposeful instruction to generate ideas – role, task, context, format – to produce safe useful content.
One adaptation or concern: My class group requires critical review for the individual and nuanced needs and interpretations of the pupils
One boundary for responsible AI use: Always mindful of: Ethics, Safeguarding, Data Protection, Bias.-
Hi Victoria and welcome to the course.
Using Gemini as a thinking partner as you’ve outlined here rather than expecting it to produce a finished lesson makes sense particularly if you are new to AI as it will avoid over reliance. Also the ROLE-TASK-CONTEXT-FORMAT structure should make for efficient use.
And absolutely, AI-generated content needs careful review before being used in a specialist setting. As you’ve outlined, pupils in a junior autism class can have very individual needs and interpretations, so professional judgement and the ‘Human in the loop’ remain essential.
In your context, one suggestion I would have is to use Gemini to generate multiple variations of the same activity at different levels of complexity. This can be a useful way to further personalise learning while still keeping the lesson focused on the same theme.
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I used Gemini for the theme fo habitats in third class.
Lesson Plan: Introduction to Habitats (3rd Class)1. Active Starter Activities (5–7 minutes)
Choose one of these quick starters to engage the class right away:
Habitat Freeze Game: Name different habitats (e.g., Ocean, Woodland, Desert). Pupils must move around the room like an animal from that habitat and freeze in position when you shout “Freeze!” Call on a frozen pupil to state which animal they are simulating.
Four Corners: Label four corners of the classroom as Woodland, Ocean, Desert, and Arctic. Call out an animal (e.g., Clownfish, Reindeer, Fox, Camel). Pupils walk quickly to the corner they think is that animal’s home.
Mystery Bag Guess: Place items associated with a habitat inside a non-see-through bag (e.g., a twig, a seashell, a pinecone, sand). Pull one item out at a time and ask pupils to raise their hand to guess where in nature you would find all these items together.
i would adapt each activity to suit the needs of the child.
one boundary would never to input any child’s names within the class as children can get anxious when they feel they are being forced to do something they might not want to take part in.-
I really like the active approach you have taken to introducing habitats, particularly the Four Corners activity. I think this would be a great way to get pupils moving while also quickly assessing their existing knowledge of different animals and habitats. I also agree with your point about adapting activities to meet the individual needs of pupils, as some children may be less comfortable with activities involving movement or performing in front of others.
A practical suggestion might be to ask Gemini to generate different versions of the same activity, including options for pupils who would prefer to participate from their seat or work with a partner. This could help make the lesson more inclusive while still achieving the same learning objective.
It would be interesting to see whether Gemini could suggest other ways of differentiating the lesson without identifying individual pupils or providing it with any personal information about them.
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Hi Niall, welcome to the course,
Using Gemini to plan a 3rd Class habitats topic and it generating some active and creative games like “Habitat Freeze” and “Four Corners” is a brilliant way to use LLMs to keep learning dynamic.
Your practical approach to adapting activities for individual pupil needs ensures an inclusive classroom environment and is a perfect example of the teacher being the key to the process.
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This was my first time using Gemini and I was very impressed with it. I asked it to generate a lesson based on ancienct greece. Having used other AI interfaces it was easy to create a prompt and adapt the lesson. It suggested three parts: beginning with a warm up game, main activity and exit ticket which I liked. The activities all involved a lot of teacher involvement and resources so this is something I would adapt; I would specify children have access to chromebooks and make it more student led. The boundary I use would be not to be specific about any one child but rather use general prompts like; make the language/wording appropriate for children with EAL.
What I really liked about the adapted prompt for EAL is it gave me easy to follow steps with a visual drag and drop activity which would be done in google slides on the chromebook. This would really help EAL students and would be something that peers could help with.-
Ancient Greece is a great topic to try Gemini out on Robbie, because there are so many possible directions it could take. I like that it gave you a clear structure with a warm-up, main activity and exit ticket. That kind of outline is handy when you’re planning, even if you know you’ll need to change parts of it afterwards. Your point about keeping it student-led is a good one. If the children have Chromebooks to work with then it makes total sense to build the lesson around what they can do for themselves rather than having it all driven from the top of the room by the teacher.
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Google Workspace is already used regularly in our school, and I particularly find Google Classroom useful for assigning projects and classwork. One of the main benefits is being able to monitor pupils’ work while they are completing a task rather than having to wait until it has been submitted. Giving pupils quick feedback or comments during the process can help them stay focused and allows me to support them when needed. It also provides valuable opportunities for ongoing assessment.
Following this module, I would like to make greater use of some of the other Google Workspace tools, particularly Google Forms. I think Forms could be a useful way of gathering pupil voice as part of our School Self-Evaluation process. It could also be used as an exit ticket at the end of a lesson or topic, allowing pupils to reflect on what they have learned, identify anything they are still unsure about and give feedback on their learning. This information could then be used to inform future planning and teaching. -
I asked Gemini to suggest an engaging 10-minute warm up for choir rehearsal for female voices aged 9-12 in a ten-minute time frame. (I am an administrative principal, but I conduct our choir). The sequence of the warmup was brilliant because it started with physical before moving to breathing, pitch, articulation and resonance.
One adaptation I would make is that I would use sol-fa and the sol-fa hand signs instead of the suggested words because I feel like our choir are interested in and gaining experience in early music literacy so I think this would be more beneficial for them and might expand their musicality especially if using hand signs.
One boundary I used was not to identify the choir and not to specify their recent performances. I thought the section on safer anonymised prompt was very informative and made me reflect on my own practice using AI! Particularly the example of “a pupil in my class has difficulty reading…” I think that not entering behaviour details would definitely be something that needs to be amplified in terms of data protection.-
I agree completely with regard to data protection, I feel that it would be easy for people not to consider that entering behaviour details may compromise anonymity. Following on from this it would be important to have a school policy on this, would be even more important for staff to know what was in the school policy!
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Laura I completely agree with above and this module has also highlighted safer anonymity to ensure no students details are shared. Not sharing their recent choir performance is something I would not have thought of myself!
Using it for warm up ideas with a choir is an excellent idea. When used safely it is a fantastic resource.
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Hi Laura, welcome to the course and thank you for engaging in Module 1!
What a fun way of utilising Gemini I love this idea of asking it to structure a 10-minute choir warm-up that balances physical preparation with vocal technique.
Your adaptation to incorporate sol-fa and hand signs is a fantastic example of teacher knowledge being core to making these tools work at max capacity for a teachers needs.
It goes without saying your insights regarding data protection and avoiding detailed behavioural prompts shows responsible practice. Utilising Google Docs alongside Gemini to archive and evaluate these vocal routines offers a brilliant model for ongoing SSE in the arts.
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First prompt: Based on the irish primary school curriculum, subject SPHE, 3rd – 6th class, suggest some initial topics that could be covered in a multi grade, multi ability autism class.
Gemini gave me several ideas:
Strand 1: Myself
1. Self-Identity: “Understanding Me & My Brain”
Curriculum Link: Strand Unit — Self-Identity (Developing Self-Confidence / Knowing Myself)
Initial Topic Focus: Likes, dislikes, strengths, sensory preferences, and identity.
Class Adaptation:
Core Concept: Help pupils build a positive self-concept.
Activity Ideas: “All About Me” visual profile boards or communication books. Map out individual sensory likes/dislikes (e.g., quiet places, fidget toys vs. loud sounds, bright lights).
Multi-Ability Differentiation: Emerging communicators can use PECS, point to real objects/photo cards, or sort physical items (e.g., green bin for “I like,” red bin for “I don’t like”). Independent readers/writers can create a digital presentation or written profile.
2. Growing and Changing: “Recognising & Regulating Emotions”
3. Taking Care of My Body: “Hygiene, Routines, and Body Awareness”
4. Safety and Protection: “Personal Boundaries & Personal Safety”
5. My Friends and Other People: “Parallel Play & Shared Interaction”
Use Visual Schedules: Pair every SPHE lesson with explicit visual schedules (first/then boards, step-by-step social narratives).
Focus on Concrete Over Abstract: Replace abstract role-plays with direct, hands-on sensory exploration, video modeling, and concrete sorting tasks.
Integrate Across the Day: Rather than keeping SPHE solely to a single 30-minute block, embed regulation, communication, and self-care skills directly into daily transitions, snack times, and sensory breaks.
I decided to focus on the first option as it would be most suitable for getting to know the children in the class. I asked Gemini:
Only look at the first suggestion: Self-Identity: Understanding my Brain. Write teacher prompts for a 30 minute lesson, suggesting timings, include three options for warm activities, three options for tasks and three options for conclusions. This has to be appropriate for use in an inclusive autism classroom.This was the response: Lesson Plan Overview
Lesson Focus: Everyone’s brain works differently; identifying what our brains like, dislike, and need.
Total Duration: 30 Minutes
Key Vocabulary Visuals: Brain, Like, Don’t Like, Help, Calm.
Part 1: Warm-Up Activity (5 Minutes)
Select one option below based on your group’s profile.
Warm-Up Options
Option A: Concrete Brain Sorting (Sensory & Non-Verbal)
Setup: Two buckets (Green = “Good/Like”, Red = “Not Good/Dislike”) and real sensory items (e.g., pop-it, loud bell, soft fabric, flashlight).
Teacher Prompt: “Look. Touch this soft fabric. Does your brain like it or dislike it? Put it in the Green Box for like, Red Box for dislike. Everyone’s brain chooses differently!”
Option B: Stand Up / Sit Down (Gross Motor Movement)
Setup: Visual cards showing “Stand Up” and “Sit Down”.
Teacher Prompt: “Listen. Stand up if your brain likes drawing. Sit down if your brain likes running outside. Look around—our brains like different things, and that is okay!”
Option C: Visual “Brain Engine” Check-In (Low-Demand Visual)
Setup: Visual board showing 3 engine speeds (Slow, Ready, Fast) or colors (Blue, Green, Yellow/Red).
Teacher Prompt: “Point to the brain engine that matches you right now. Is your brain slow, ready, or fast? All brains feel different speeds.”
Part 2: Teacher Input & Direct Instruction (5 Minutes)
Teacher Prompts & Script
[Show large graphic or model of a brain]
Teacher Prompt: “This is a brain. Everyone in our room has a brain inside their head. But look—no two brains are the exact same!”
[Show visual contrast cards: E.g., Ear defenders vs. Headphones playing music]
Teacher Prompt: “Some brains love loud music. Some brains need quiet. My brain likes [insert real teacher example, e.g., quiet places]. What does your brain like? Today we are going to build our Brain Profiles.”
Part 3: Main Learning Tasks (15 Minutes)
Select one option or set up as learning zones tailored to pupil abilities.
Task Options
Option 1: Sensory & Preference Sorting Mats (High Support / Emergent AAC)
Focus: Non-verbal or concrete sorting using real objects, Picture Exchange (PECS), or symbols.
Setup: Mat split into two sides: Green (Brain Likes 😊) / Red (Brain Doesn’t Like ☹️).
Teacher Prompts:
“Pick a card. Is it ‘Bright Lights’?”
“Show me: Does your brain like bright lights or quiet lights?”
“Stick it on your board. Good job telling me about your brain.”
Option 2: “My Brain’s User Guide” Visual Booklet (Moderate Support / Structured Visuals)
Focus: Visual choice cards, cut-and-paste, or sentence starters.
Setup: Worksheets with sentence stems: “My brain feels happy when…”, “When it gets too loud, my brain needs…” paired with symbol cards.
Teacher Prompts:
“Find the card that shows what helps your brain when you feel overwhelmed.”
“Do you need headphones, a movement break, or a quiet corner? Glue your choice in your booklet.”
Option 3: Digital or Written “Brain Profile” Presentation (Independent / Fluent Communicators)
Focus: Writing, digital creation (e.g., Book Creator app), or drawing explicit self-advocacy plans.
Setup: Blank digital template or structured mind-map: My Strengths | My Sensory Needs | How to Help Me.
Teacher Prompts:
“Write or type two things your brain is great at doing.”
“Now add one thing that is tricky for your brain and what adults can do to help you when that happens.”
Part 4: Conclusion & Cool-Down (5 Minutes)
Select one option below to close the session.
Conclusion Options
Option A: Group “Brain Wall” Assembly (Visual & Collective)
Activity: Each student sticks their finished profile or choice symbol onto a shared display board titled “Our Unique Class Brains”.
Teacher Prompt: “Look at our wall! Every board is different. Our class has many different types of brains, and every single brain belongs here. High five!”
Option B: Pass the “Calm Brain” Object (Regulation-Focused)
Activity: Pass a weighted soft toy or tactile glitter tube around the circle. When receiving it, the student completes a simple prompt or uses a gesture/AAC button.
Teacher Prompt: “Pass the turtle. Press your button/say: ‘My brain is special.’ Now pass it to [Peer’s Name].”
Option C: Guided Sensory Brain Reset (Interoception & Somatic Closing)
Activity: Led dim-light deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation exercise.
Teacher Prompt: “Let’s give our brains a rest. Squeeze your hands tight like lemons… now melt them soft. Breathe in for 3… out for 3. Our brains worked hard today.”Gemini then suggested that I ask it to create a social story for this activity.
I love that Gemini gives so many options, however, you would have to wonder at how well some of the language in the teacher prompts would work. ‘High Five’ ‘My brain is special’, won’t work for everyone.
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Hi Orla, welcome to the course and thank you for this detailed and child centred reflection to Module 1.
Prompting Gemini for multi-ability SPHE ideas for an autism class and selecting the “Understanding My Brain” focus is a great approach to fostering self-advocacy.
Your critical review of the AI’s language demonstrates excellent teacher intuition, as terms like “High Five” may not suit every learner. Adapting prompts to fit your pupils’ specific communication styles is precisely where professional judgement shines.
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One of the most useful ways I used Gemini during this module was to help plan a 6th class lesson on World War II. By providing a detailed prompt, Gemini generated a lesson outline, key learning objectives, discussion questions and age-appropriate activities that aligned well with the topic. It also suggested ideas for cross-curricular links, such as analysing historical photographs, writing diary entries from different perspectives and locating key countries on a map. This gave me a strong starting point and significantly reduced my planning time.
One adaptation I would make is to review and edit the information before using it in class. As World War II is a complex historical topic, I would ensure the facts are accurate, age-appropriate and linked to the Irish Primary Curriculum. I would also adapt the activities to suit the abilities and interests of my pupils.
A key boundary for responsible AI use is recognising that Gemini should support, not replace, teacher expertise. It can generate excellent ideas, but it is the teacher’s responsibility to make professional decisions about the content, ensure historical accuracy and create meaningful learning experiences that meet the needs of the class.
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I entered the following statement:
I am a 6th class Irish primary teacher. Can you create a Math’s lesson with interactive stations to revise topics and assess understanding of previous learning?
Gemini gave a breakdown of four simple stations Station1: Code breaker – covering place value, Station 2: The Estimation Station (Rounding and Operations) Station 3 Fraction and Decimal Match Ups and Station 4: Real world problems. Gemini also included classroom management and rotation guide.
I would adapt these through differentiation. Although, above gives a good interactive guide of how it could be done, it does not take into account the many different levels of learning needs in a large classroom. The rotation guide also suggested a minimal time for each station which wouldn’t suit students who work at a particular pace. A boundary that should be in place is careful review of any response given as well as ensuring no personal information is entered. Upon reflection I am aware that I did not go into enough specific detail when writing the statement, but I was also conscious of sharing any information of the class.
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Hi Eva, welcome to the course and thank you for your engagement in Module 1!
Prompting Gemini for a 6th Class Maths revision lesson with interactive stations is a great way to structure formative assessment in a creative way.
Your realisation that station rotations and timing must be adapted for diverse learning paces highlights crucial classroom management expertise.
Reviewing initial AI outputs carefully and maintaining absolute data privacy are vital boundaries for responsible practice. -
I really like your idea of using interactive maths stations. It is a good way to make revision more active and enjoyable for pupils. I also agree that Gemini’s ideas would need to be adapted to suit the different needs and abilities in the class. One practical suggestion could be to have different levels of challenge at each station. You could also make the rotation times more flexible so that pupils do not feel rushed.
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Eva thank you for sharing such a practical reflection! Using Gemini to design station-teaching for 6th Class Maths is a brilliant application, especially for revision and assessment.
Your point about differentiation and timing is spot on. AI often provides a standardized “ideal scenario,” but in a primary classroom, flexibility is essential. I really liked how Gemini broke down the four key domains, but your proactive approach to adjusting the station timings and tailoring the task difficulty shows just how crucial the teacher’s judgment remains.
Regarding your privacy boundary, you handled it perfectly. Framing prompts with general parameters (e.g., “tier 3 support strategies” or “mixed-ability extension tasks”) allows Gemini to offer differentiated options without needing specific student details.
For School Self-Evaluation (SSE), this approach could be really valuable. Staff could use Gemini in Google Docs to quickly generate differentiated assessment rubrics or analyze anonymized maths attainment data to track target outcomes across year groups.
Have you considered asking Gemini to provide three tiered variations of each station task in your initial prompt to save extra adaptation time?
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Every year to inspire creative poetry writing in my 5th or 6th class pupils I use the poem Pied Beauty by Gerard Manley Hopkins as my stimulus. I gave Gemini the prompt to design three activities around this poem and lesson objective.
The three suggestions were: 1. To create descriptive compound words, 2. Poetry writing based on things that are imperfect. 3. A snapshot based on a common scene to be done in three minutes.
I chose number 3 as it aligns well with my usual repertoire but adds a more polished product to demonstrate learning. While the activity was well conjured by Gemini I felt that it needed more scaffolding for weaker students and asked it to tweak the lesson by adding more discussion, vocabulary and words at the start of the lesson.using the term word thief to encourage word smithery within the class. As no pupils’ names are ever shared, Gemini does not use any personal information about pupils within its ideas.
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I ACCIDENTALLY ADDED THIS AS A REPLY TO SOMEONE ELSE BELOW. THIS IS THE ORIGINAL ANSWER.
I work in SET. One child in particular has no interest really in anything as he has a very low IQ and a number of other issues. I have used Gemini book creator to put him as the centre of every book. So if I want him to internalise 3D shapes we research places like the Pyramids, the Sphere in Las Vegas et. Then I make the story about him travelling the world visiting them and build his work outwards from there. The child in question is very vulnerable and would have a very innocent view of the world. It’s important when using Gemini that I kept his profile simple. A first name, basic description and his favourite sports jersey for the illustrations etc. Ten attempts to create a story for him will give ten different illustrations of him. So I use the first one and upload that image very time. I include no surname or DOB, give his school and general area where he lives. At the end of the year the conditions around Gemini books changed and it didn’t work as well unfortunately
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As I am working in EAL this year, I chose to focus on oral language and weather vocabulary with 1st/2nd class EAL pupils. I asked Gemini to create a practical activity and it developed a weather reporter activity. One useful suggestion was using progressive sentence frames to support pupils at different levels. Beginners could say “Today is rainy” while pupils with more English could extend this to “ Today is windy and cold. Please wear your coat” I also liked the idea of using weather visuals, modelling the language first and allowing beginners to work with a peer.
I would adapt the activity by keeping it short and focusing on a small number of new words at a time. I would use pictures, repetition and teacher modelling before introducing the weather reporter.
Gemini provides useful ideas but I would use my professional judgement to adapt them to the individual language needs of my pupils. -
Topic: Scientific Inquiry / Forces
Class Level: 5th Class
Course Reflection
Reflecting on my experience incorporating Gemini into my teaching, I found its ability to generate differentiated reading passages and comprehension questions based on a single core text to be exceptionally useful. It saved significant planning time while ensuring all ability groups could access the lesson material.However, one adaptation I found necessary was refining the complexity of the initial output. AI-generated prompts often required tweaking to match the exact vocabulary level and curriculum objectives appropriate for primary students. Additionally, a major boundary I enforce for responsible AI use is ensuring that student data remains completely anonymized; no personal details, names, or identifying work are ever entered into AI prompts.
Looking ahead, Google Workspace and Gemini offer brilliant potential for School Self-Evaluation (SSE). Gemini can help synthesize staff survey responses, identify key themes in student learning data, and streamline the drafting of SSE action plans directly within Google Docs, allowing our team to focus more on reflective dialogue and implementation.
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I used the prompt guide to trial Gemini for an introductory unit on basic fractions with my 3rd-grade class. One highly useful suggestion it provided was an engaging, hands-on activity using folded colored paper strips to help students visually and physically model half, quarter, and eighth fractions.
However, an adaptation concern arose when Gemini generated follow-up word problems; the language and reading complexity were far too advanced for typical eight-year-olds, which required me to simplify the vocabulary significantly before classroom use.
As a professional boundary for responsible AI use, I established a rule to never copy and paste content directly into student worksheets without a rigorous line-by-line editorial check against our curriculum standards. While the AI is an incredible partner for sparking fresh lesson formatting ideas, maintaining human professional judgment remains essential to ensure that materials remain safe, accurate, and age-appropriate.
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Great reflection! I completely agree that AI-generated language levels can occasionally skew a bit too high or formal for primary students. Your paper strip modeling activity sounds like a fantastic way to anchor the concept visually. When you modified the complex word problems, did you find that rewriting them took more time than creating them from scratch, or did Gemini still save you time overall?
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