Generate Essential Questions Using an AI Chatbot

In ChatGPT or your favorite AI chatbot, cut and paste the following prompt to help you generate essential questions for your unit of study. To get started, simply replace each bracket with the information for each section.

Essential Questions Prompt

You are an expert teacher and skilled curriculum writer. Generate [number] “essential questions” for my [grade level and subject] class studying [topic]. The questions should stimulate thoughtful engagement and critical thinking, and reflect real world applications. Each question should be open-ended and large in scope. The questions are intended to be continually revisited and reflected upon during this topic of study. Make sure the questions are appropriate for [grade level] students.

Example Prompt

You are an expert teacher and skilled curriculum writer. Generate 5 “essential questions” for my 8th grade Media Literacy class studying social media. The questions should stimulate thoughtful engagement and critical thinking, and reflect real world applications. Each question should be open-ended and large in scope. The questions are intended to be continually revisited and reflected upon during this topic of study. Make sure the questions are appropriate for 8th grade students.

Make the Prompt Work for You

• Enlist the chatbot to help you foster a dynamic and interactive learning environment. Ask the chatbot for ways to expand upon these questions into research projects, socratic seminars, expert interviews, debates, workshops, etc.

• Use the chatbot as a brainstorming partner to help you plan concepts for your class based on the essential questions.

• Have your students write their own essential questions. Depending on their age (over 13 with parental permission), then have the students asks the questions to the chatbot. Then, have a class discussion about the students' questions and the GenAI responses.