Whether you’re preparing a workshop at Incubator.org, creating course materials, or just trying to level up your own learning, these AI-powered prompt styles give you superpowers. Use them with ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or other LLMs to speed up understanding, boost memory, and personalize your study journey.

1. Explain Like I’m 5 

Break it down so even a kid could get it. 

Use for: Quick understanding of difficult topics

Prompt Template:

“Explain [insert concept or topic] as if you were talking to a 5-year-old child. Use simple language and everyday examples.”

Tools that support this:

• ChatGPT
• Claude
• Pi (empathy-first tone)

2. Examples and Analogies

Make abstract ideas click with real-world comparisons. 

Use for: Teaching abstract concepts or unfamiliar terminology 

Prompt Template:

“Explain [insert concept or topic] using three different real-world examples or analogies that would be easy for a beginner to understand.” 

Add-on Tip: Combine with visuals using Canva or Gamma to illustrate the analogies.

3. Motivation Boost

Stay inspired—even when things get tough.

Use for: Self-regulated learning, daily study habits 

Prompt Template:

“I’m struggling to stay motivated while learning [insert subject or skill]. Provide me with 5 practical strategies to boost my motivation and maintain consistency.”

AI wellness tools:

• Mindsera – AI-guided journaling
• Remente – Digital coaching for life goals

4. Role-Play a Scenario

Act out a real-life situation to test your knowledge.

Use for: Soft skills, interviews, customer service, leadership training 

Prompt Template:

“Let’s role-play a scenario where I’m [insert role] and you’re [insert another role]. Begin the scenario, and I’ll respond accordingly.” 

Bonus Tool: Try using Character.ai for more immersive role-play simulations.

5. Study Plan Generator

Map out your learning path in manageable chunks. 

Use for: Structuring courses, workshops, or study sprints 

Prompt Template:

“Create a detailed study plan for learning [insert subject or topic] from beginner to advanced. Include specific goals, resources, and milestones.” 

Pair With:

• Notion templates
• Tana for linked daily workflows
• Incubator.org’s LMS to publish the course!

6. Quiz Me!

Test yourself with AI-generated questions. 

Use for: Practice exams, flashcards, retrieval-based learning 

Prompt Template:

“Generate a 10-question quiz on [insert topic]. Use a mix of multiple-choice, true/false, short answer, and brief explanations.”

Flashcard Tools:

• Quizlet
• Brainscape
• ChatGPT custom GPTs with quiz-generation logic

7. Mindmap It

Visualize how everything connects.

Use for: Lecture planning, system design, learning complex topics

Prompt Template:

“Create a detailed mind map for the topic [insert topic], including branches, sub-themes, and key concepts or ideas for each.”

Mindmap Tools:

• Miro
• MindMeister
• Whimsical

8. Expert Roundtable

Get multiple expert views at once.

Use for: Exploring diverse viewpoints, research debates, or complex issues

Prompt Template:

“Simulate a roundtable discussion between 3 experts in [insert field] discussing [insert topic or question]. Present their unique viewpoints and any areas of disagreement.” 

Combine With:

• Google Scholar summaries
• YouTube transcripts via Glasp

9. Mental Associations 

Use clever memory tricks to remember better.

Use for: Memorization, studying for tests, language learning

Prompt Template:

“Help me create mental associations or mnemonic devices to remember key information about [insert topic or concept].”

Mnemonic Tools:

• RemNote
• Anki
• MemoryOS

10. Improve What You Have 

Refine writing, presentations, or slides with feedback from AI.

Use for: Draft reviews, blog editing, course materials

Prompt Template:

“Here’s something I’ve written/created/produced: [insert your work]. Please provide suggestions to improve it, focusing on [clarity / style / tone / structure / engagement]. Explain why each change would help.”

Used by teachers & learners to:

• Polish lesson plans
• Improve blog articles (like this one!) 
• Elevate student submissions

Enhancement Tools:

• Grammarly
• Wordtune
• Claude.ai (for longform clarity)

🗨️ Join the conversation at: https://incubator.org/applications/discussions/prompt-strategies-for-students-teachers-and-lifelong-learners 

Bonus for Incubator.org Users: You can remix these strategies directly inside your next post, course, or workshop.

Pair these prompt types with our platform’s tools—like Courses, Blogs, or Discussions —to level up your content creation and learning.

Who this is for: classroom teachers, homeschoolers, after‑school mentors, club leaders, and self‑directed student learners using Incubator.org.

How to use it: pick a goal, choose 1–2 tools in each section, copy a prompt or setup checklist, and ship your project today.

Planning Tools → Lesson & Project Planning

• ChatGPT — Draft lesson plans, project briefs, rubrics, checks for understanding, differentiated options, study plans.

  • Quick Start:

    • Paste standards or your project goals

    • Use the Copy Prompt below to ask for a 60‑minute plan with agenda, materials, accommodations.

    Copy Prompt

    You are my instructional designer. Create a 60‑minute hands‑on activity about [topic] for [grade/age]. Include: 1) hook, 2) mini‑lesson, 3) practice options at three difficulty levels, 4) exit ticket, 5) homework choice board, 6) materials list.

• • For Students
    • Ask for a weekly study plan or step‑by‑step project roadmap.

• MagicSchool — Teacher‑centric generators (objectives, IEP‑friendly supports, reading level adjustments).

• • Getting Started:

    • 1) Sign in with school email

    • 2) Pick a template (e.g., Lesson Planner)

    • 3) Export to Docs.

• Eduaide — Activity types (anticipatory sets, stations, exit tickets) with toggles for Bloom’s level and modalities.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Create an account

    • 2) Select activity type

    • 3) Adjust grade/reading level and download.

Planning Tools → Resource Curation

• Wakelet — Drag‑and‑drop visual collections of links, PDFs, and videos; great for “one‑page” project hubs.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) New Collection

    • 2) Add links/PDFs

    • 3) Share the public link.

• Flipboard — Magazine‑style curations, collections; assign a student to curate weekly discoveries.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Create a Magazine

    • 2) Flip articles from the web

    • 3) Invite collaborators.

• Instapaper — Save articles to read later; highlight and export quotes for research notes.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Install the browser button

    • 2) Save 3 sources

    • 3) Highlight quotes and export.

Try this workflow:

Students save articles to Instapaper → highlight key quotes → export → paste into Notion/Docs with citations → publish a Wakelet collection.

Planning Tools → Calendar & Scheduling

• Google Calendar — Class calendars, reminders, and shared schedules.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Create a course calendar

    • 2) Add repeating sessions

    • 3) Share with view permissions. 

• Calendly — Bookable office hours, tutoring slots, and project check‑ins without email ping‑pong.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Connect your calendar

    • 2) Create a 15–20 min event type

    • 3) Share the booking link.

• Trello — Visual Kanban boards for unit planning or capstone milestones (“To Do / Doing / Done”).

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Make a board (To‑Do/Doing/Done)

    • 2) Add cards for milestones

    • 3) Add due dates & checklists.

Organization Tools → Digital File Management

• Google Drive  — Cloud storage & sharing.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Create Starter folder template (duplicate per course/project): 

      • 01_Admin 
      • 02_Resources 
      • 03_Lessons 
      • 04_Student_Work 
      • 05_Assessment
      • 06_Archive

    • 2) Set sharing defaults

    • 3) Add naming rules (e.g., Last_First_Project_v1).

Organization Tools → Note‑Taking Systems

• Obsidian — Local markdown vault with backlinking; perfect for Zettelkasten‑style research.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Create a Vault

    • 2) Add notes for concepts

    • 3) Use [[links]] to connect ideas.

• Notion — All‑in‑one workspace (notes, databases, tasks). Great for class portals & student portfolios.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Create a Workspace

    • 2) Add databases for Lessons/Assignments

    • 3) Build a “This Week” view.

• Evernote — Clipped notes with search.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Install web clipper

    • 2) Create notebooks per unit

    • 3) Tag for fast retrieval.

Copy Prompt

Design a Notion dashboard for a high‑school/college course on [topic]. Include databases for lessons, assignments, readings, and reflections, with properties for due dates, difficulty, tags, and status. Provide a roll‑up “This Week” view.

Organization Tools → Workflow Automation

• Zapier — Connect apps (e.g., Form → Spreadsheet → Email).

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Choose a trigger (Google Forms)

    • 2) Add an action (Google Sheets)

    • 3) Add email/slack summary step.

• Asana — Project management with tasks, timelines, and stakeholder visibility.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Create a project

    • 2) Add tasks per week

    • 3) Assign owners & due dates.

• Monday.com — Visual workflows for multi‑team coordination.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Start with an Education template

    • 2) Add columns for status/owner

    • 3) Automate status updates.

Starter automations (Zaps):

1. Google Form (exit ticket) → Google Sheet (responses) → Slack/Email summary.

2. New Drive file in Student_Work → auto‑rename with student name/date → move to course folder.

3. Calendar event created → create Trello card with checklist.

Communication Tools → Family/Mentor Communication (a.k.a. “Home Base”)

• Remind — One‑way or two‑way SMS updates without sharing phone numbers.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Create a class

    • 2) Share join code

    • 3) Schedule weekly digests.

• ClassDojo — Class announcements + behavior points; works well for younger learners.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Create a class

    • 2) Add families

    • 3) Post weekly photos/notes (with consent).

• Google Classroom — Assignments, announcements, and feedback in one place.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Create a class

    • 2) Post your syllabus & first assignment

    • 3) Turn on guardian summaries.

Communication Tools → Virtual Meetings

• Google Meet — Live sessions, office hours, and guest speakers.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Schedule with waiting room

    • 2) Enable recording (if permitted)

    • 3) Post agenda & link.

  • Live‑session checklist:
    • waiting room on
    • record (if allowed)
    • auto‑mute on entry
    • screen‑share permissions
    • posted agenda
    • 5‑minute tech check

Communication Tools → Newsletters & Announcements

• Canva — Create newsletters quickly with drag‑and‑drop templates.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Choose an education template

    • 2) Drop in dates & CTA

    • 3) Export PDF/PNG.

• Piktochart — Infographic‑style content, announcements and data visuals.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Pick an infographic layout

    • 2) Add your class stats

    • 3) Download and share.

• Freepik — Icons and illustrations (check license & attribution requirements).

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Search by license

    • 2) Download vector/PNG

    • 3) Attribute if required.

Copy Prompt

Create a 200‑word newsletter announcing our new [unit/project/club]. Include: what we’ll learn, 3 key dates, how families/mentors can help, and a call‑to‑action to RSVP.

Engagement Tools → Gamification & Interactivity

• Kahoot — Fast live quizzes. Use “Team Mode” for collaborative play.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Create a kahoot with 10 questions

    • 2) Enable Team Mode

    • 3) Review report post‑game.

• Quizizz — Homework mode + power‑ups; great for spaced practice.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Import a quiz from the library

    • 2) Assign for homework

    • 3) Turn on redemption questions.

• Socrative — Quick checks with exit tickets and “space race” competitions.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Create a room

    • 2) Launch a Quick Question

    • 3) Export the report.

Engagement Tools → Digital Storytelling

• ChatGPT — Script drafts, character ideas, narration outlines.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Paste topic/goal

    • 2) Ask for 3‑scene outline

    • 3) Generate voice‑over text.

• Canva — Storyboards, comics, video edits with captions.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Choose “Video” template

    • 2) Add scenes & captions

    • 3) Export MP4.

• StoryboardThat — Drag‑and‑drop scenes for visual narratives.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Create a 6‑cell storyboard

    • 2) Add characters/scenes

    • 3) Download as PDF.

Copy Prompt

Outline a 3‑minute explainer video for [concept]. Include a hook, 3 scene beats with simple visuals, on‑screen text, and a 1‑sentence call‑to‑action. Reading level: 8th grade.

Engagement Tools → Polls & Quizzes

• Plickers — Paper cards + one device; perfect when students don’t have phones.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Print class cards

    • 2) Add a question set

    • 3) Scan with your phone.

• Mentimeter — Live polls, word clouds, and Q&A for assemblies or PD.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Create a deck

    • 2) Add 2 polls + 1 word cloud

    • 3) Share the join code.

• Google Forms — Autograding quizzes and quick surveys.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Create a quiz

    • 2) Add answer keys

    • 3) Turn on “Collect emails.”

Assessment Tools → Formative Assessment

• Quizlet — Flashcards & practice tests with images/audio.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Create a set from your vocab list

    • 2) Practice with “Learn”

    • 3) Share with class.

• Socrative — Instant checks for understanding with reports.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Launch an Exit Ticket

    • 2) Project the live results

    • 3) Address the muddiest point.

• Gimkit — Game‑based review that rewards accuracy and speed.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Create a Kit from a question bank

    • 2) Choose a game mode

    • 3) Review the report.

Assessment → Rubric Generators

• Canva — Make rubric templates that look good and are easy to reuse.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Search “rubric”

    • 2) Customize criteria

    • 3) Export PDF for print/share.

• Eduaide — Generate analytic rubrics aligned to objectives.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Select Rubric tool

    • 2) Paste objectives

    • 3) Export to Docs.

• Brisk Teaching — Quick rubric and feedback tools for Google Docs/Classroom.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Install add‑on

    • 2) Open a Doc

    • 3) Insert rubric & comment bank.

Rubric skeleton (copy/paste)

Criteria (4) | Exemplary | Proficient | Developing | Beginning

--------------------------------------------------------------

Understanding of Content | … | … | … | …

Evidence & Reasoning | … | … | … | …

Communication/Design | … | … | … | …

Reflection & Iteration | … | … | … | …

Assessment Tools → Exit Tickets

• Google Forms — The quickest 3-question exit ticket with autograding and email summaries.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) New form (3 Qs)

    • 2) Turn on quiz mode

    • 3) Auto‑email summary.

• Quizalize — Differentiated follow‑ups based on results.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Create/import quiz

    • 2) Map to curriculum

    • 3) Assign follow‑up tasks.

• Quizizz — Quick pulse checks with auto‑feedback.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Make a 5‑question quiz

    • 2) Enable instant feedback

    • 3) Review mastery.

Copy Prompt

Draft 5 exit‑ticket questions for today’s lesson on [topic]: 2 multiple‑choice, 1 short explanation, 1 “muddiest point,” and 1 self‑rating of confidence with a 1–5 scale.

Professional Development & Growth Tools → Professional Learning Communities

• LinkedIn — Follow thought leaders, join educator and youth‑learning groups.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Follow 5 experts

    • 2) Save 3 posts/week

    • 3) Share one takeaway.

• X (Twitter) — Build a curated list of practitioners sharing strategies. Try engaging in real‑time idea exchange.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Make a private list of practitioners

    • 2) Participate in one weekly chat

    • 3) Ask one question.

• Facebook Groups — Niche communities for subject‑specific help.

  • Getting Started:

    • 1) Join two subject‑specific groups

    • 2) Search past threads

    • 3) Post a help request.

PD & Growth Tools → Online Courses & Webinars

• Coursera — University-backed micro-courses for pedagogy, assessment, data literacy, and more. 

  • Getting Started:
    • Take 60–90 minute modules or longer specializations; many courses offer free audit.
    • Capture notes in Notion and share 3-bullet takeaways with your PLC.

• Skillshare — Bite-size classes for classroom design, creativity, and productivity workflows.

  • Getting Started:
    • Use for “how-to” upskilling—templates, slide design, video editing, and visual communication you can reuse in parent/student comms.

• TED — Talks that spark pedagogy ideas, micro‑learnings, inspirations, student discussion, and mentor engagement.

  • Getting Started:

    • Use talks to launch inquiries, model concise storytelling, or anchor PBL entry events

    • pair with short reflection prompts in Docs/Notion.

PD & Growth Tools → Reflective Practice

• Google Docs — Keep a rolling reflection journal with headings and action-item tags.

  • Getting Started:

    • Use as a low-friction reflection log for weekly debriefs;

    • Pair with headers for each week/unit and tag action items you’ll roll forward.

• Notion — Linked database for reflections with properties (unit, standard, mood) and roll-ups.

  • Getting Started:

    • Build a reflections database to analyze trends across units/standards

    • Add views (calendar, board) and monthly reviews.

• Day One (Journal App) — Private, cross-device journaling for daily check-ins and professional reflection.

  • Getting Started:

    • Use for quick private PD notes, mood tracking, and photo/audio reflections.

Weekly reflection template

Wins: …

Stuck points: …

What the data says (exit tickets/quiz): …

One change for next time: …

Shout‑outs: …