The Literacy Teacher’s AI Prompt Library
Before You Start
Get Claude free (if you’re a US K-12 teacher)
Anthropic launched Claude for Teachers on July 14, 2026. Verified US K-12 educators get free access to premium Claude. Sign up by June 30, 2027 for a full year at no cost.
It includes a Learning Commons connector that maps to academic standards in all 50 states, so your lesson plans can come out already aligned to Montana standards instead of generic.
The one rule that matters most
Never put student names or identifying information into any AI tool. Not names, not IDs, not grades tied to a name, not anything that could identify a child.
Say “a 4th grader reading two years below grade level,” never “Emma reads at a 2nd grade level.” This is both the Montana OPI guidance and simple professional judgment. Check your own district’s policy too. Many Montana districts adopted MTSBA policy language, and some require you to disclose AI use.
How to get better results
- Give it a role. “You are a reading specialist…” beats no context.
- Paste the actual text. Don’t describe a passage. Paste it.
- Name the grade and standard. Specificity is everything.
- Say what format you want. Table, bullet list, one page, student-facing.
- Push back. “Too hard, make it simpler.” The second draft is usually the good one.
- Always read before you use it. You’re the professional. AI drafts; you decide.
1. Differentiation & Reading Levels
The single biggest time-saver for literacy teachers.
Level one passage for your whole class
Rewrite the passage below at five reading levels: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. Keep the same main ideas, key vocabulary, and text structure in every version so I can use them in the same lesson. Label each version with its level and approximate Lexile range.
[PASTE PASSAGE]
Make a hard text accessible without dumbing it down
Adapt the passage below for a student reading two grade levels below the target, but preserve the sophisticated ideas and the key academic vocabulary. Shorten sentences, add context clues for hard words, and break it into smaller chunks with subheadings. Do not remove the complexity of the thinking, only the complexity of the sentences.
[PASTE PASSAGE]
Build a text set on one topic
I’m teaching a unit on [TOPIC] to [GRADE]. Suggest 8 texts at a range of reading levels: a mix of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and a primary source. For each, give the title, author, approximate reading level, length, and one sentence on how it connects to the unit theme.
Turn a passage into a jigsaw activity
Break the text below into 4 sections for a jigsaw activity in a [GRADE] classroom. For each section, write: a 2-sentence summary for the “expert” group, three guiding questions, and one key vocabulary word to teach the rest of the class.
[PASTE TEXT]
Same skill, three entry points
I’m teaching [SKILL, e.g., identifying central idea] to [GRADE]. Design three versions of the same lesson task: one for students who need heavy scaffolding, one on grade level, and one for students ready for extension. All three should target the same standard and be doable in the same 20 minutes.
2. Comprehension & Questioning
Full question set from any text
From the passage below, generate 12 comprehension questions for [GRADE]: 4 literal, 4 inferential, and 4 evaluative. Include an answer key with the specific line or paragraph that supports each answer.
[PASTE PASSAGE]
Depth-of-knowledge ladder
Write 8 questions about the text below, arranged from DOK level 1 to DOK level 4. Label each with its level and briefly explain what thinking it requires.
[PASTE TEXT]
Discussion questions that actually spark talk
Give me 6 open-ended discussion questions for [GRADE] about [TEXT/CHAPTER]. They should have no single right answer, connect to students’ lives, and be phrased in language a [GRADE] student would find inviting. Avoid questions answerable with one word.
Text-dependent question set
Write a sequence of 6 text-dependent questions for a close reading of the passage below, moving from what the text says, to how it works, to what it means. This is for [GRADE].
[PASTE PASSAGE]
Anticipation guide
Create an anticipation guide for [TEXT] for [GRADE]. Give 8 statements students agree or disagree with before reading, chosen to surface misconceptions and provoke debate, plus a short note for me on what each statement is designed to reveal.
3. Vocabulary
Vocabulary from context
Pull the 10 most important vocabulary words from the passage below for a [GRADE] reader. For each: a kid-friendly definition, the sentence it appears in, a fresh example sentence, and a quick way to teach it in under 60 seconds.
[PASTE PASSAGE]
Word study set
Build a week-long word study for [GRADE] around the root/affix [ROOT]. Include 12 words, definitions, a sorting activity, and a short closing assessment.
Tiered vocabulary
Sort the words below into Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 for a [GRADE] class. For the Tier 2 words, tell me which are worth explicit instruction and why.
[PASTE WORD LIST]
Morphology practice
Create 10 practice items for [GRADE] students on [PREFIX/SUFFIX/ROOT]. Mix formats: definition matching, word building, and using the word in a sentence. Include an answer key.
4. Writing Instruction & Feedback
Model text with annotations
Write a model [GENRE, e.g., personal narrative] paragraph at the level of a strong [GRADE] student. Then annotate it, showing exactly what the writer did well and naming the technique so I can teach it explicitly.
Three drafts of the same paragraph
Write the same [GRADE] paragraph about [TOPIC] three times: once as a struggling writer, once as an on-grade writer, and once as an advanced writer. Then list the specific differences so I can use these to teach revision.
Sentence-level instruction
Create 10 sentence-combining exercises for [GRADE] using content from our unit on [TOPIC]. Include a sample strong combination for each and a note on what grammatical move it teaches.
Feedback that teaches
Here is a piece of anonymous [GRADE] student writing. Give feedback in this format: two specific strengths naming the technique, one priority area for growth, and one concrete revision the student could make today. Write it in warm, direct language a [GRADE] student would understand.
[PASTE ANONYMOUS WRITING, NO NAMES]
Writing prompts that aren’t boring
Give me 10 [GENRE] writing prompts for [GRADE] that connect to [THEME/UNIT]. Avoid clichés. Each should give students real choice and a genuine reason to write.
Scaffolds for reluctant writers
Create a scaffolded writing frame for a [GRADE] [GENRE] piece, in three versions: heavy support (sentence starters), moderate support (paragraph structure with guiding questions), and light support (checklist only).
Revision stations
Design 4 revision stations for a [GRADE] writing workshop on [GENRE]. For each: the focus skill, student directions, and a 1-page task they complete in 12 minutes.
5. Rubrics & Assessment
Rubric with exemplars
Build a 4-point rubric for a [GRADE] [ASSIGNMENT] aligned to [STATE] ELA standards. Include a teacher version and a student-friendly version, plus one short exemplar paragraph at each of the four levels so students can see the difference.
Single-point rubric
Convert the rubric below into a single-point rubric with space for “areas for growth” and “evidence of exceeding.” Keep the language student-facing.
[PASTE RUBRIC]
Quick formative checks
Give me 8 exit ticket options for a [GRADE] lesson on [SKILL]. Each should take under 3 minutes and give me real diagnostic information, not just completion. Tell me what each one reveals.
Standards-aligned assessment
Design a short assessment for [GRADE] covering [STANDARD]. Include 6 items at varying difficulty, an answer key, and a note on what a wrong answer to each item would tell me about the student’s misunderstanding.
Analyze a class data set
Below is anonymized class data on [ASSESSMENT]. Identify patterns, name the top three skill gaps, and suggest a targeted mini-lesson for each. Do not identify individuals.
[PASTE ANONYMIZED DATA, NO NAMES]
6. Novel & Text Studies
Full novel unit skeleton
Build a unit outline for teaching [NOVEL] to [GRADE] over [X] weeks. Include: essential questions, a reading calendar, key passages for close reading, 3 writing tasks, and vocabulary by section. Align to [STATE] ELA standards.
Chapter-by-chapter guide
Create a reading guide for chapters [X–Y] of [NOVEL] for [GRADE]. For each chapter: a one-line summary, 3 comprehension questions, 1 discussion question, and 2 vocabulary words in context.
Literature circle roles
Design literature circle role sheets for [NOVEL] at [GRADE]: Discussion Director, Passage Picker, Word Wizard, Connector, and Illustrator. Make each one a half-page with clear directions and 3 prompts.
Socratic seminar prep
Prepare a Socratic seminar for [GRADE] on [TEXT]. Give me an opening question, 6 core questions, 4 closing questions, a short student prep sheet, and a simple participation tracker.
Pairing classic and contemporary
Suggest 5 contemporary texts (short stories, poems, articles, or excerpts) that pair thematically with [CLASSIC TEXT] for [GRADE]. Explain the thematic link and note the reading level for each.
7. Small Group & Intervention
Small group plan
Design a 20-minute small group reading lesson for [GRADE] students working on [SKILL]. Include a warm-up, explicit teaching with a model, guided practice, and a quick check for understanding.
Fluency practice
Create a week of fluency passages for [GRADE] at approximately [LEVEL]. Each should be 100–150 words, on a high-interest topic, with a words-per-minute tracking box and 2 comprehension questions.
Phonics sequence (early grades)
Build a 5-day explicit phonics sequence for [GRADE] teaching [PATTERN]. Include daily warm-up, word list, decodable sentences, a dictation activity, and a Friday check.
Reteach a stuck skill
My [GRADE] students still aren’t getting [SKILL] after direct instruction. Give me three completely different approaches to reteach it: a visual/kinesthetic approach, a game-based approach, and a real-world application approach.
8. Accommodations & Access
IEP/504-friendly version
Adapt the assignment below for a student with [ACCOMMODATION TYPE, e.g., extended processing time / reading support / limited writing stamina]. Keep the same learning target and rigor; change only the access point. Do not use any student names.
[PASTE ASSIGNMENT]
ELL support
Adapt this [GRADE] lesson for an English learner at [WIDA level / beginning-intermediate-advanced]. Add visual supports, sentence frames, cognate notes if applicable, and a pre-taught vocabulary list.
[PASTE LESSON]
Multiple means of expression
Give me 6 different ways a [GRADE] student could demonstrate mastery of [STANDARD] besides a written essay, each with a short description and a simple success criteria list.
Reduce cognitive load
Rewrite the directions below so a [GRADE] student with attention or processing challenges can follow them independently. Use numbered steps, short sentences, and bold the action verbs.
[PASTE DIRECTIONS]
9. Planning & Standards
Standards-aligned lesson plan
Write a 45-minute lesson plan for [GRADE] on [STANDARD]. Include: learning target in student language, hook, explicit instruction, guided practice, independent practice, exit ticket, and materials list. Note where I should check for understanding.
Unpack a standard
Unpack [STANDARD] for me. What does a student actually have to know and be able to do? Break it into prerequisite skills, the core skill, and what mastery looks like. Then suggest what commonly goes wrong.
Backward-design a unit
Help me backward-design a [X]-week unit for [GRADE] on [TOPIC]. Start with the end assessment, then the essential questions, then the sequence of lessons. Align to [STATE] standards.
Fill a curriculum gap
My curriculum covers [SKILL] only briefly, but my students need more. Build a 4-day supplementary sequence for [GRADE] that fits into 15 minutes a day.
Sub plans that actually work
Write emergency sub plans for a [GRADE] ELA class for one day. It should require no prep, no tech, and no special knowledge of my students, but still be genuinely worth their time. Include everything the sub needs to say.
10. Communication & Time Savers
Parent email
Draft a warm, professional email to a parent about [SITUATION, described generally]. Be specific about what I’m seeing, what I’m doing about it, and what they can do at home. Keep it under 200 words and avoid jargon. Do not include any student names. I’ll add those myself.
Newsletter
Write a short, friendly classroom newsletter for [MONTH] covering: what we’re reading, the skills we’re working on, one thing to ask your child about, and one way to help at home. Warm tone, under 300 words.
Explain a reading level to a parent
Write a clear, non-technical explanation a parent can understand about what a [READING LEVEL/SCORE] means, what it does and doesn’t tell us, and three specific things they can do at home to help. No jargon, no judgment.
Conference prep
Help me prepare talking points for a parent conference about a student who is [general description, no names]. Give me a structure: strength first, area of growth with evidence, a specific plan, and how the parent can help.
Turn my messy notes into a plan
Below are my rough notes from planning. Turn them into a clean, organized lesson plan I could hand to another teacher.
[PASTE NOTES]
11. Try These First
If you only try three things this week:
- Level a text. Take a passage you’re already teaching and run the five-levels prompt. This is the moment most teachers realize what’s possible.
- Build a rubric with exemplars. Ten seconds of typing replaces an hour of writing.
- Draft the hard parent email. The one you’ve been avoiding. Get a draft, then make it yours.
A Few Honest Cautions
- It makes things up. Claude can invent quotes, page numbers, and citations. Verify anything factual, especially page references and anything you’re putting in front of students.
- It doesn’t know your kids. You do. Every output is a draft that needs your professional judgment.
- Watch for bland. AI writing tends toward generic. Push it: “make this more specific,” “add sensory detail,” “sound like a real 7th grader.”
- Don’t use AI detectors as proof. They’re unreliable and produce false accusations. Have a conversation with the student instead.
- Check your district policy. Montana districts are adopting AI policies right now, and they vary. Know yours.
Micah & Alicia Benson · Xaetos · micah@xaetos.com · alicia@xaetos.com · xaetos.com Available for school and district professional development, and one-on-one teacher coaching.