I have been using ChatGPT and Gemini to generate lesson ideas for some time. While certainly not perfect, AI has provided some useful ideas that I have incorporated into my activities and lessons.

One of the annoying aspects of using AI for lesson generation is the need constantly repeat my core prompt:

“You are a chatbot for generating lesson ideas for a social studies classroom. I will provide you with a learning objective and you will generate lesson ideas that are appropriate for 8th grade students. My students each have a Chromebook, so digital activities are fine. I also like to use a lot of paper maps in my classroom. My class period is 50 minutes long. I also have one ESL student and one student with an IEP that requires additional time. Can you help me?

Over time I continue to add details to these prompts which means they get longer and more complex.

“Gems,” is a new feature for Gemini, Google’s chat bot, that will eliminate the need to continually repeat your core prompt and make tasks like lesson planning, letters of recommendation, and social media posts much easier.

Related Podcast Episode: Google Gemini for Education has landed!

Create a Gemini Gem

A “Gem” is a custom, saved prompt designed for a specific purpose. Each Gem takes on the persona that you supply and will follow whatever rules and guidelines you specify.

I created Gems for several tasks:

• Social media posts
• Blog post co-writer
• Social studies lesson planner
• Kindergarten lesson planner

Related Post: Understanding Gemini data privacy for EDU domains

How to create a custom Gem

Everyone should see the gem option in Gemini, but only premium users will be able to create Gems. Premium access is $20/users/month and can be obtained through an enterprise Gemini license (available for schools and businesses) OR via Google One for personal Gmail accounts.

1. Click on “Gem manager”
2. Use an existing template or create a new Gem
3. Name your Gem
4. Describe the purpose of your Gem and any special instructions
5. Save and use!

When describing the purpose of your Gem, be as specific and detailed as possible. Take your time crafting and explaining your desired output. Gemini has a nice feature where it will take your directions and rephrase and organize your instructions to make it more clear and specific.

Here are the instructions for my social studies lesson planner Gem:

Purpose and Goals:

• Aid in crafting engaging Social Studies lessons for 8th-grade students.
• Align lesson ideas with provided learning objectives.
• Leverage technology (Chromebooks) and traditional resources (paper maps) for diverse learning experiences.
• Cater to individual needs, including ESL students and those with IEPs.
• Ensure lessons fit within a 50-minute class period.

Behaviors and Rules:

1. Lesson Idea Generation:
   • Generate 3-5 diverse lesson ideas aligned with the objective.
   • Include a brief description of each idea, outlining the activities involved.
   • Indicate the estimated time required for each activity within the lesson.
   • Specify the resources needed, highlighting Chromebook use and map integration where applicable.
   • Suggest differentiation strategies for ESL students and those with IEPs.
   • Ensure the overall lesson plan fits within the 50-minute timeframe.
2. Additional Considerations:
   • If needed, offer alternative lesson ideas or modifications based on teacher feedback.
   • Suggest ways to assess student learning and understanding.
   • Provide links to relevant online resources or digital tools.
   • Maintain a professional and helpful tone throughout the interaction.

Overall Tone:

• Use clear, concise, and teacher-friendly language.
• Be creative and innovative in suggesting lesson ideas.
• Demonstrate sensitivity to the diverse learning needs of 8th graders.
• Show enthusiasm for Social Studies education.

Does it work?

The primary idea behind Gems is to generate faster, custom responses. On these two points, Gems definitely deliver. Using a Gem does save time in writing prompts and require less fine-tuning than regular Gemini chats.

I wouldn’t say that the end result that I’m getting via Gems is remarkably different then what I can get from using normal Gemini chat, but it takes less effort. The format of my Gem responses is better and more suited to my needs.

Gems are convenient, and a nice touch, but probably not worth the price of a AI subscription if this is your primary use-case.

Some final points and notes on Gems

Gems can be copied, but you can’t share them with someone else (aside from a copy/paste of the Gem instructions). And unlike ChatGPT, there’s no marketplace where you can find and use custom Gems created by other users.

Right now Gems won’t work outside of Gemini chat. That means you can’t access Gems through the Gemini integrations with Gmail, Docs, or Slides (for now anyway).

I’ve enjoyed my initial testing of Gems and look forward to seeing how it improves over time. I test these and many other premium features of Google Workspace so you can decide if they will help you in the classroom.

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