Using Google’s Gemini, Notebook, Gems/Skills, & Canvas
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IN APPRECIATION
Gus A. Stavros
Businessman, Philanthropist, Champion of Education
Gus A. Stavros was a dedicated champion of education who believed in giving teachers and young people the knowledge and opportunities they needed to succeed.
Gus held educators in the highest regard and believed they deserved to be treated with the utmost respect and professionalism. At the Stavros Center, we strive to carry that same spirit forward.
We ask that all participants help us honor Gus’s legacy by treating one another with the same respect, professionalism, and appreciation that he showed to educators.
“
The only way we’re going to solve the world’s problems is through education.”
— GUS A. STAVROS
Gemini for Education
100 Ways to use Gemini in Education
Slide Deck
The official Google Slides that are presented in this Presentation can be found here.
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Gemini Prompts and Ideas
The following slides are for you to reference later if you need some help or inspiration
Get started with Gemini, your AI-powered assistant for education
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Get started with Gemini use cases by category
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Take your work to the next level
Explore ideas, brainstorm ways to make them yours, then challenge yourself to create your own from scratch.
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Planning
Generate lesson ideas
Prompt
✨Tip
Ask Gemini to include vocabulary scaffolds and formative checks for Day 3 and Day 5.
🔥Great for
Standards-aligned science planning with intentional pacing and differentiation.
Planning
Use case | Prompt | Tip | Great for |
Lesson creation | Include a specific standard or student learning objective. | Creative, scaffolded lessons | |
Unit design | Ask Gemini to propose performance-based assessments and pacing suggestions. | Integrated unit design with cross-curricular connections | |
Course syllabus | Ask Gemini to align each week’s topics with specific learning outcomes or skills. | Structured course planning with clear progression and expectations | |
Interdisciplinary planning | Ask Gemini to recommend a student reflection or discussion prompt. | Creative real-world projects across disciplines | |
Professional development (PD) | Include breakout formats or follow-up tasks for use by the professional learning community (PLC). | Planning meaningful, structured educator PD | |
Tech adoption plan | Ask Gemini to create follow-up emails, slide decks, or tip sheets for faculty. | Tech integration with measurable rollout phases |
Assessment
Differentiate an existing assessment
Prompt
✨Tip
Mention if you want specific formats (for example, short answer) or paste a sample question to match tone and rigor. Don’t forget to upload the exam!
🔥Great for
Differentiating assessments for makeups, �accommodations, or review.
Assessment
Use case | Prompt | Tip | Great for |
Quiz generation | Ask Gemini to include answer keys and brief explanations for each question. | Creating varied, standards-aligned assessments with built-in feedback | |
Data analysis for instruction | Upload anonymized results for tailored insights or ask for Tier 2 intervention ideas. Don’t forget to upload the document to analyze! | Linking data to responsive instruction | |
Case-based assessment design | Ask Gemini to suggest variations of the case for different student groups or scaffold it for tutoring use. | Applying theory to real-world analysis in a secondary school context | |
Rubric co-design | Ask Gemini to revise the rubric for peer assessment or self-reflection use. | Aligning assessment with goals and student ownership | |
Performance task | Ask Gemini to align the task with outcomes like thesis clarity, evidence use, and tone. | Assessment in secondary school courses | |
Professional learning community support for assessment literacy | Request sample slides, handouts, or a norm-setting kickoff activity. | Building shared assessment practices and calibration |
Instructional materials
Lab guide creation
Prompt
✨Tip
Ask Gemini to provide an appendix that includes vocabulary words and a version for digital or printed use.
🔥Great for
Creating structured, inquiry-based lab experiences.
Instructional materials
Use case | Prompt | Tip | Great for |
Re-level a reading passage | Ask Gemini to include a glossary or add icons to support concept understanding. Don’t forget to upload the reading passage! | Differentiating reading materials to support varied learners | |
Student-facing handout creation | Ask Gemini to format it as a �one-pager with visual structure. | Ready-to-use scaffolds for literary analysis | |
Content personalization from a textbook | Ask Gemini to keep technical accuracy while adjusting tone and vocabulary. Don’t forget to upload the textbook content! | Making complex materials more accessible for diverse learners | |
Discussion guide creation | Ask Gemini to scaffold the questions using Bloom’s Taxonomy or align them to course themes you’ve attached. | Supporting student-led dialogue and deeper analysis in secondary school settings | |
Skill-focused practice activity | Ask Gemini to adjust the reading level or reword the checklist in student-friendly language. | Building focused practice tied to comprehension skills and saving prep time for scaffolded literacy tasks |
Differentiation
Use case | Prompt | Tip | Great for |
Give tailored feedback to each student | Upload your rubric or list 2 to 3 key learning objectives for the assignment. Don’t forget to upload the paper before submitting your prompt! | Saving time, enhancing the quality and personalization of feedback, making comments more actionable, and fostering individual student growth and reflection | |
Tiered reading activity | Ask Gemini to include vocabulary scaffolds or guiding questions per level. | Tiered instruction that meets students where they are | |
Small group support plan | Ask Gemini to include materials or printable cards to use with students. | Targeted intervention that’s ready to implement | |
UDL lesson adaptation | Ask Gemini to generate a table with access, expression, and engagement strategies. | Planning inclusive lessons from the start | |
Multilingual support strategy | Ask Gemini to generate home-language versions or culturally relevant examples. | Integrating academic language supports across content | |
Choice board creation | Ask Gemini to tag each option with suggested tools (for example, Slides, Jamboard, Docs) or alignment to learning styles. | Offering students flexible ways to show what they know |
Administrative tasks
Schedule planning for testing week
Prompt
✨Tip
Ask Gemini to add setup and reminder tasks for proctors and admin support.
🔥Great for
Administrative tasks
Use case | Prompt | Tip | Great for |
Staff meeting agenda creation | Ask Gemini to align the agenda with district goals or a schoolwide professional development theme. | Focused, goal-driven collaboration around innovation | |
Email drafting for policy updates | Ask Gemini to create alternate versions for families or students. | Clear, consistent communication around evolving policy | |
Rollout plan for new tech tool | Upload your tech calendar or resource list for tailored planning. | Structured, realistic tech-adoption strategies | |
Template creation for school communities | Ask Gemini to generate sample content to accelerate your workflow. | Consistent, scalable messaging to school communities | |
Performance review notes starter | Ask Gemini to differentiate prompts based on experience level. | Reflective, constructive coaching conversations | |
Schoolwide announcement drafting | Ask Gemini to generate alternate versions for email or text alerts. | Quick drafting of urgent, high-clarity communications |
Research
Grant proposal brainstorming
Prompt
✨Tip
Ask Gemini to align the proposal structure with National Science Foundation, Spencer Foundation, �or institutional research funding templates.
🔥Great for
Accelerating grant drafts for AI-focused educational research.
Research
Use case | Prompt | Tip | Great for |
Literature review | Paste in working notes or prior citations for Gemini to cluster and build on. | Structuring messy research inputs into a coherent review | |
Refining a research question | Ask Gemini to align each version with possible methods or data sources. | Moving from idea to focused, researchable inquiry | |
Source comparison | Paste in two abstracts or excerpts for Gemini to analyze in context. | Accelerating synthesis across multiple viewpoints | |
Citation starter and formatting help | Ask Gemini to double-check digital object identifiers or generate BibTeX entries for academic software. | Saving time and improving accuracy in academic writing |
Student use
Deepen understanding with guidance
Prompt
✨Tip
Be specific with the concept and the task. You can say, “Explain it like I’m an 11th grade biology student.”
🔥Great for
Quickly clarifying complex topics, getting unstuck on homework, or test preparation.
Student use
Reinforcing concepts with flash cards
Prompt
✨Tip
Adding your class materials helps Gemini produce more relevant outputs.
🔥Great for
Reinforcing concepts and preparing for quizzes or exams.
Student use
Use case | Prompt | Tip | Great for |
Preparing for an exam with personalized practice quizzes | Be very specific about the subject, exam type (for example, final, midterm, quiz), and the exact topics you want the quiz to cover. | Targeted review, identifying weak spots, and active recall practice before exams | |
Getting constructive feedback on a written draft for improvement | For targeted insights, ask questions like, “Is my introduction engaging?” Or “Are my counterarguments addressed well?” Don’t forget to upload the essay before submitting your prompt! | Refining arguments, checking for clarity, understanding a reader’s perspective, and improving specific writing skills | |
Identifying citations and missing evidence | Attach your draft. You can ask for additional feedback like “fix any grammatical errors” or “check for conciseness.” | Instant, personalized writing feedback | |
Brainstorming project ideas | Specify your subject, project type (for example, a presentation or essay), length, and any initial areas of interest. Then, ask Gemini to help you “develop one of these ideas into a research question” or “suggest some initial keywords for research.” | Finding meaningful, relevant project topics |
Student use
Use case | Prompt | Tip | Great for |
Practicing coding with real examples | Mention the programming language and your current skill level (such as “beginner Java”). You can paste your own code and ask “Can you help me debug this?” or “How can I make this more efficient?” Pro tip: Generate code to prototype this with Gemini Canvas. | Interactive, scaffolded practice in computer science | |
Practicing for the SAT exam Additional standard exam support coming soon: ACT, GRE, and Akira ENEM | Use the immediate feedback you receive to identify areas for further study and ask Gemini to create a customized study plan based on your performance. If a concept still feels fuzzy, ask Gemini to explain the correct answer using a different analogy or real-world example. | Full-length standardized exam practice experience, grounded in fully vetted material from The Princeton Review. | |
Practicing for the JEE Main exam | Take the feedback from each practice question to identify your weak spots and have Gemini create a customized study plan to bridge those gaps. | Full-length standardized exam practice experience, grounded in fully vetted material from Physics Wallah and Careers360. |
Deep Research
Generate in-depth reports in minutes
Get up to speed on just about anything with Deep Research, an agentic feature in Gemini that can automatically search up to hundreds of websites on your behalf, think through its findings, and create insightful multipage reports with citations.
How Deep Research works
Tip: After your report is complete, you can ask Gemini follow-up questions about it. These questions do not count toward your monthly limit of Deep Research reports.
Select Deep Research mode. You can do this in two ways:
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Initiate your request. Submit your prompt in Gemini.
Review and refine the proposed research plan. Gemini will develop and present a draft research plan. Take this opportunity to review it and make any edits or refinements to better suit your needs (for example, ask to “add a section on implementation costs” or “include international examples”).
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Start the research and observe execution. Click “Start research” to begin. You can then watch in real time as Deep Research executes the plan and gathers information.
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Observe the comprehensive report. After the research is complete, Gemini will provide you with a detailed report.
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Deep Research example
Lit review starter
Prompt
✨Tip
Ask Gemini to organize results by outcome type �(for example, engagement or achievement).
🔥Great for
Literature reviews, grant narratives, or professional development design grounded in research.
Deep Research
Audio Overviews for flexible learning
Don’t just read – listen
You can also download the audio file to:
You can generate an Audio Overview of your Deep Research reports – a podcast-style narration of the key findings. It’s a fast, accessible way to listen to your research findings while you multitask.
Download and share
Deep Research
Use case | Prompt | Great for |
Planning | Planning cross-curricular units or collaborative teaching strategies | |
Assessment | Compare the following alternative grading systems: ungrading, mastery-based grading, and contract grading. Highlight research on outcomes, student engagement, and instructor workload. | Exploring modern assessment models with evidence |
Instructional materials | Building a foundation for inclusive teaching materials | |
Differentiation | Research effective strategies for supporting students with executive function challenges in inclusive classrooms. Include tools, routines, and teacher-facing supports. | Creating supports that improve access and independence |
Administrative tasks | What does recent research say about the impact of AI on K-12 school operations and teacher workload? Include trends, pilot programs, and leadership considerations. | Strategic planning and schoolwide decision-making |
Research �(meta research) | Gaining a deep, critical understanding of the evidence base for a specific topic, identifying research trends and gaps, and evaluating the robustness of research claims |
Guided Learning Go beyond answers and build a deep understanding
Guided Learning encourages participation through probing and open-ended questions that spark a discussion and provide an opportunity to dive deeper into a subject. The aim is to help you build a deep understanding instead of just getting answers.
Guided Learning breaks down problems step-by-step and adapts explanations to your needs – all to help you build knowledge and skills.
How Guided Learning works
Select “Guided Learning” from the options at the bottom of the chat box (or “Learning” if on a mobile device).
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Instead of giving you a quick answer, Gemini starts explaining foundational concepts related to the prompt.
Gemini asks a probing question back to the user, inviting them into the discussion and encouraging them to think critically.
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Enter your prompt in the Gemini chat box.
Student use
Learn deeply instead of just getting quick understanding
Help me with this homework problem. A 10.5 kg test rocket is fired vertically from Cape Canaveral. Its fuel gives it a kinetic energy of 1925 J by the time the rocket engine burns all of the fuel. What additional height will the rocket rise? Assume that air resistance is negligible.
✨Tip
Guided Learning is already built to help you develop a deep understanding instead of just providing an answer so it can help you explore a topic well even when prompting best practices aren’t followed.
🔥Great for
Guided Learning
Use case | Prompt | Tip |
Homework help | You can take a photo of your assignment and upload it to Gemini along with your prompt. | |
Coding help | Gemini will walk you through debugging your code step-by-step, but if you have questions about specific parts of the code, you can ask Gemini to home in on that as well. | |
Learning about a new topic before drafting a paper | Once you’ve studied up with Guided Learning, use Deep Research in Gemini to pull together insights and perspectives from across the web. | |
Exam prep | Once you’re feeling ready to test your knowledge, ask Gemini to create a personalized quiz for you. | |
Explore a curiosity | Upload some of your favorite photos and ask Gemini to analyze them for you. |
Gemini Notebook
Understand anything with Gemini Notebook, your personalized AI expert on the information that matters most to you.
Our Previous Presentation
Grounding �our use case examples
Using a hypothetical 8-week unit on foundational physics concepts
While we use a physics unit to demonstrate an instructional workflow, Gemini Notebook is subject-agnostic. Simply swap in your own materials to get started.
Students can also upload their own class notes for these weeks into their copies of this notebook.
All of the following examples assume the sources are already loaded.
Planning
Sequence the unit lessons
Prompt
What concepts introduced in Week 7 (Light & Optics) should be reviewed or reinforced to help students better understand electromagnetic forces in Week 8 (Electricity & Magnetism)?
✨Tip
Follow up with: “Create a short review activity I can use before starting Week 8.”
🔥Great for
Scaffolding conceptual transitions between topics and preparing students for deeper understanding before starting �a new unit section.
Instructional materials
Lab guide creation
Prompt
Create a student lab guide based on Week 7’s lesson on light refraction. Include a clear objective, a list of materials, step-by-step instructions for observing refraction through different media, space for student observations, and 2 to 3 reflection questions. Keep the tone student-friendly for high school learners.
✨Tip
After generating the lab guide, click “Save to note” to store it in the Notes panel – perfect for easy access, reusing, or exporting to Docs for edits or lab partner collaboration.
🔥Great for
Quickly creating structured, student-ready lab guides directly from your unit materials without starting from scratch.
Assessment
Building knowledge checks
Prompt
Using Week 7, Lesson 3 on light refraction, create 2 open-ended questions that assess students’ understanding of how light bends when moving between materials with different refractive indices. Make the questions appropriate for high school students and design them to spark critical thinking.
✨Tip
Once generated, click “Save to note” to store the questions for future quizzes or discussion prompts.
🔥Great for
Checking for understanding and aligning assessment items directly with specific lesson content.
Differentiation
Ideas for diverse learners
Prompt
Using Week 7, Lesson 3 on light refraction, create a differentiated choice board with 3 activity options tailored for emerging, on-level, and advanced learners. Provide vocabulary supports for all versions.
✨Tip
Use the draft to ask Gemini Notebook to tailor 1 activity per tier for varied learning needs (for example, multilingual learners, focus support, or advanced extensions).
🔥Great for
Creating accessible, leveled activities that support diverse learners while staying aligned with core lesson goals.
Visualize connections across sources by generating a Mind Map
Pro tip
What it does: Creates a visual overview connecting key concepts, themes, and entities found across all the sources you’ve uploaded to your notebook. Click any concept to explore how it’s discussed across your uploaded materials.
Why it matters in learning:
Look for the ‘Mind Map’ option in the Chat or Studio panels
Administrative tasks
Prep for your next professional learning community (PLC) event
Prompt
Based on the full 8-week physics unit plan and pacing guide, create a summary I can share at our next science PLC event. Include key content �goals for the next 2 weeks, any pacing considerations, and suggested focus points
for classroom observations or collaborative planning.
✨Tip
Select all relevant curriculum sources, then click “Briefing doc” in the Notes panel to generate a comprehensive summary of key themes and instructional priorities. Save or refine it to share with your team.
🔥Great for
Generating high-level planning overviews, talking points, or �curriculum summaries for team meetings, presentation prep, or department updates.
Student use
Clarifying complex topics
Prompt
I’m struggling to understand what kinematics is. Help me understand in the most basic way.
✨Tip
After reviewing the explanation, click “Save to note” to keep this information handy, then select your kinematics sources and click “Study guide” in the Notes panel to generate a full review with a quiz, essay questions, and a glossary of key terms.
🔥Great for
Breaking down tough topics, reviewing foundational concepts, and creating personalized study materials.
Generate a podcast style audio overview to use in flipped classroom activities.
Pro tip
Quickly generate a study guide
Gemini Notebook helps you organize your notes, class materials, or uploaded resources into a structured study guide, instantly. Everything you need to review is grouped in one place.
Click “Study guide” in the Notes panel to generate a study guide that includes:
Use it at your own pace to review before a quiz, prep for a big test, or reflect on what you’ve learned.
Generate a podcast style audio overview to use in flipped classroom activities.
Pro tip
Listen and learn on the go with Audio Overviews
Audio Overviews turn your sources into a podcast-style summary, voiced by two AI hosts. It’s a fast, engaging way to absorb your materials, and it’s perfect for multitasking or auditory learning.
With just one click, Gemini Notebook summarizes your notes, lesson plans, documents, research, articles, website links, or videos into a conversational audio file. And with the Customize feature, you can guide the hosts to focus on what’s most important to you.
Click on the button for an example.
How to generate an Audio Overview in Gemini Notebook
Select your sources
Choose one or more files in your notebook, such as lesson plans, student notes, research articles.
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Locate the ‘Audio Overview’
You’ll find this option in the Studio panel. When you click the “Generate” button, Gemini will generate a podcast-style summary with two AI hosts.
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Use ‘Customize’ to guide the focus
Want the audio to highlight specific topics or to address a student audience? Use the “Customize” option to steer tone, audience, or content area.
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Listen, download, or share
Play the audio in Gemini Notebook, download it for later, or share it with students or colleagues.
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Optional: Interact with an Audio Overview:
To interact with an Audio Overview, tap “Interactive mode” located below the generated Audio Overview. While listening, tap “Join” to ask your question. Gemini’s hosts will pause, respond based on your sources, and then return to the original overview.
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Use case | Using the ‘Customize’ prompt option in the ‘Studio’ panel | Tip | Great for |
Planning | Using the “Customize” option in the “Studio” panel, enter a prompt such as: “Generate an audio overview of the full 8-week physics unit plan and pacing guide. Summarize key learning goals for each week, and flag any pacing bottlenecks or concept-heavy transitions.” | Customize for audience and intent (for example, “Make this useful for collaboration with other teachers” or “Highlight areas we might want to discuss as a team”) | Listening on the go, prepping for curriculum meetings, or refreshing your memory before planning sessions |
Instructional materials | Using the “Customize” option in the “Studio” panel, enter a prompt such as as: Create an audio overview of Week 3 on Work and Energy. Keep it student-friendly and include real-world examples. | Customize for tone and accessibility (for example, “Make this engaging for students” or “Use simple language with real-life examples” | Flipped classroom, substitute-day activities, or homework support |
Assessment | Using the “Customize” option in the “Studio” panel, enter a prompt such as: Speaking to me as the teacher, create an audio overview with two ideas for a performance-based assessment for students for the unit. Include a description of each idea and what skills should be assessed. | Customize for audience and utility (for example, “Make it useful for a department meeting”) | Generating ideas for performance tasks, rubric alignment, or instructional planning reflection |
Differentiation | Using the “Customize” option in the “Studio” panel, enter a prompt such as: Create an audio overview of vocabulary and key takeaways from Week 5 (thermal physics). Make it friendly for students who need extra time with content, and include definitions of key terms. | Customize for clarity and scaffolding (for example, “Break down key concepts step-by-step, define terms explicitly, and use simple, accessible language”) | Auditory learners, reinforcing key vocabulary and concepts, and providing flexible review for students who need extra processing time |
Research | Using the “Customize” option in the “Studio” panel, enter a prompt such as: Generate a brief audio overview for the selected research paper “The Physics of Flight: Deconstructing the Basketball Shot.” Focus on its key findings and the core physics principles discussed for a successful shot. Keep it concise and engaging. | Customize for comparative insights (for example, “Highlight differences in how each article explains wave behavior”) | Synthesizing across sources, quick research review and preparing for academic discussions |
Student use | Using the “Customize” option in the “Studio” panel, enter a prompt such as: Speaking to me, the student, turn my notes from weeks 7 and 8 into an audio guide for review before our quiz. Be direct and to the point. Keep the audio overview concise. | Customize for study focus (for example, “Focus on key terms and equations”) | Self-paced study, exam prep, auditory processing support, or commuting to campus |
Administrative tasks | Using the “Customize” option in the “Studio” panel, enter a prompt such as: Summarize our curriculum pacing guide and last Professional Learning Community (PLC) notes into an audio overview I can send out as a follow-up or review on the go. | Customize for tone (for example, “Make it concise and action-oriented”) | Staying current while commuting or prepping for professional learning communities |
Pro tip
Click “Download” to save the audio for offline listening, or to share it with your students, study group, or colleagues.
Audio Overviews
Generate a podcast style audio overview to use in flipped classroom activities.
Pro tip
Turn your sources into engaging visual explainers with Video Overviews
Video Overviews transform your sources into a short, illustrated video summary with AI-powered hosts. It’s a dynamic way to visualize your content, and it’s ideal for visual learners or for quickly getting the gist of a long document.
With a single click, Gemini Notebook can now create a video from your lesson plans, research, articles, or other sources.
How to generate a Video Overview in Gemini Notebook
Select your sources
Choose one or more files in your notebook, such as lesson plans, student notes, research articles.
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Locate ‘Video Overview’
You’ll find this option in the Studio panel. When you click the “Video Overview” button, Gemini will generate a summary-style video with an AI host.
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Use ‘Customize’ to guide the focus
Want the video to highlight specific topics or address a student audience? Use the “Customize” option in the top-right corner to steer tone, audience, or content area.
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Listen, download, or share
Play the video in Gemini Notebook, download it for later, or share it with students or colleagues.
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Use case | Using the ‘Customize’ prompt option in the ‘Studio’ panel | Tip | Great for |
Planning | Using the “Customize” option in the “Studio” panel, enter a prompt such as: “Generate an engaging Video Overview of our full 8-week physics unit on Newton’s laws. Include key concepts, demonstrations, and flags for common student misconceptions.” | Customize for visuals and student engagement (for example, “Suggest a hands-on experiment for each law” or “Use a friendly tone to introduce the topic”) | Previewing curriculum, refreshing your memory on a topic before teaching, or for sharing with other teachers |
Instructional materials | Using the “Customize” option in the “Studio” panel, enter a prompt such as: “Create a short Video Overview of the law of conservation of momentum for my 11th grade physics class. Make it student-friendly and include a simple animation of a two-car collision.” | Customize for clarity and visual aids (for example, “Use simple language and animated diagrams to explain the principle”) | Flipped classrooms, substitute-day activities, or as a quick homework resource |
Assessment | Using the “Customize” option in the “Studio” panel, enter a prompt such as: “As a physics teacher, create a video for a project rubric on designing a roller coaster. Include a breakdown of what makes a good use of potential and kinetic energy in the design.” | Customize for audience and utility (for example, “Explain the scoring criteria clearly and highlight common pitfalls in designs”) | Generating ideas for performance tasks, reinforcing rubric alignment, or for personal instructional planning and reflection |
Differentiation | Using the “Customize” option in the “Studio” panel, enter a prompt such as: “Create a simple Video Overview of the key concepts from our electricity unit for my students who need extra support. Keep it concise and visually engaging.” | Customize for tone and accessibility (for example, “Break down complex terms with simple analogies, like a water hose for current”) | Reinforcing key vocabulary, providing flexible content for students who need extra processing time, or for parent communication |
Research | Using the “Customize” option in the “Studio” panel, enter a prompt such as: “Generate a brief video summary of this research paper on gravitational waves. Focus on its key findings and the core principles discussed, and use simple charts and graphs.” | Customize for comparative insights (for example, “Highlight the differences in data between the last two detections”) | Synthesizing across sources, quick research review, or preparing for academic discussions |
Student use | Using the “Customize” option in the “Studio” panel, enter a prompt such as: “Summarize my notes on classical mechanics into a quick video for my final exam. Be direct and to the point, and provide an overview of key formulas and problem-solving steps.” | Customize for study focus (for example, “Highlight key formulas and figures in a timeline”) | Self-paced study, exam prep, or auditory processing support |
Administrative tasks | Using the “Customize” option in the “Studio” panel, enter a prompt such as: “Summarize our weekly team meeting notes and upcoming events into a short, informative video overview I can send out to staff.” | Customize for tone (for example, “Make it concise and action-oriented” or “Use a professional, upbeat tone”) | Staying current while commuting, preparing for professional learning communities, or for quick parent updates |
Pro tip
Click “Download” to save the video for offline watching, or to share it with your students, study group, or colleagues.
Video Overviews
Getting the most �out of Gemini Notebook
Pro tip
Upload quality sources
Your research files, outlines, notes, links to quality websites, key readings, and similar documents.
Be specific
Ask clear, targeted questions.
Explore generated content
Use the buttons �for study guides, timelines, Mind Maps, Audio Overviews, and FAQs.
Check citations
View�which sources Gemini Notebook used for its answer.
Click ‘Save to note’
Save key insights, draft outlines, and add your own thoughts.
Iterate
Rephrase questions if you don’t get the answer you need the first time around.
New Tool- Interactive Reports
Select Interactive Report
Choose one or more files in your notebook, such as lesson plans, student notes, research articles.
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An Interactive Report will be generated
The report will be text with slides, infographics, quizzes, audio overviews, and flashcards embedded.
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Use embedded studio resources
This isn’t just text! It is text plus interactive features to make studying and learning more engaging and productive.
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Download, or share
Use the interactive report in Gemini Notebook, download it for later, or share it with students or colleagues.
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Gemini:
Gems
Gems are customized versions of Gemini that you can personalize �to be experts on any topic.
Personalize Gemini with Gems
Custom AI experts for any topic
A Gem is a customized version of Gemini that you can create with specific instructions to act like an expert on a certain topic or follow particular guidelines every time you use it.
You can get started with Google’s premade Gems like Learning coach, Career guide, and Brainstormer.
Set up your Gem
With the instructions and knowledge provided up front, Gems can provide better results with less time spent prompting, while also allowing your interactions to be more conversational.
Leverage premade Gems or create your own
Provide detailed instructions to make your Gem work for you.
Get started easily with premade Gems by Google.
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Gem manager is the one-stop shop for all your Gems.
Create a new Gem built to tackle your specific needs.
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Give your new, personalized Gem a name.
Optional: Upload files to give more context and get more helpful responses.
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Deepen understanding �with Learning coach
Premade Gem
✨Tip
Mention what you’ve already learned or where you’re stuck �so the Learning coach can tailor its explanation even better.
🔥Great for
Grasping fundamental principles in math and science, building conceptual understanding beyond rote memorization, and practicing targeted problems.
Prompt
I’m trying to really get my head around the concept of a derivative in calculus. Can you break it down for me in a clear way, maybe using a real-world analogy, and then create a few practice problems that test my understanding of the core idea, not just memorizing formulas?
Prepare for a job interview with confidence
Premade Gem
✨Tip
Ask Gemini to adjust the sample responses for different industries (like tech, education, or business), or make it more conversational or formal based on the job type.
🔥Great for
Building interview confidence, practicing soft skills, and preparing for real opportunities.
Prompt
Help me prepare for a behavioral interview in the healthcare field. Include 5 common interview questions, sample answers I can customize, and a checklist of things I can do to build confidence. Add 2 reflection prompts I can use to evaluate how I did after mock interviews.
Planning
Instructions
You are an instructional coach supporting standards-based lesson planning. Create lesson templates that align with grade-level standards and include clear learning objectives, aligned instructional activities, and formative assessments. Format the output using sections like objective, essential questions, materials, procedure, and knowledge checks. Use educator-friendly language and adjust based on subject area or grade level as needed.
Name
Standards-based lesson planner
Add files for your Gem to reference
Instructional materials
Instructions
Create a Translator Gem to help me translate classroom materials, homework assignments, and family communications into Spanish. Use clear, professional language appropriate for families and school-aged students. Maintain the original tone and format, and ensure translations are culturally respectful and easy to understand.
Name
Instructional material translator
Add files for your Gem to reference
Instructional materials
Instructions
Create a Gem that helps me turn classroom lessons into short, engaging group games for 5 students. The games should take about 10 minutes and align with the content I share. Prioritize formats like trivia, team challenges, or creative scenario play. Keep language student-friendly, and adjust tone for grade level when possible.
Name
Lesson gamifier
Add files for your Gem to reference
Assessment
Instructions
You are a university teaching assistant focused on academic rigor. Create assignment prompts and rubrics that align with specific course learning outcomes (CLOs). Responses should maintain a professional, scholarly tone appropriate for undergraduate or graduate students.
Name
Assignment rubric builder
Add files for your Gem to reference
Data Disaggregation
Turn raw data into next steps and small group plans.
Raw Student Assessment Data
Standard Performance Breakdown
3. SC.5.P.10.2 (Investigate & explain energy causing motion/change)
90.0% Proficiency Rate�(Benchmark ≥67%)
Non-Mastered Students (<70%):
Chris, Penny, Dwight, Isabella, James, Damon
INSTRUCTIONAL IMPLICATIONS & NEXT STEPS
Whole-Group Priority (SC.5.N.1.6):
Data Analysis
Instructions
Act as an expert data analyst and elementary instructional coach. For each assessment create a list of students who did not master each of standards tested by standard. Mastery of a standard is 67% . Make the list short and concise to be easily printable.
Instructional Implications: As an instructional coach, provide concrete, actionable recommendations for teacher. For each standard list the percentage of students who are proficient (67% or higher).
List the class/school average for the assessment and the district average for the assessment.
Use information from the standards foldables and/or the New Specs to tell what the standard means.
Make a printable word document of the results that looks like the sample elementary document attached. Always make report printable.
Always provide Print-Ready Summary Document Structure
with a clean, printable layout Always provide Plaintext download option
Add files for your Gem to reference
Administrative tasks
Instructions
You are a technology coordinator developing AI onboarding and training materials. Write concise checklists, an FAQ, and Professional Development (PD) agendas. Language should be educator-friendly (avoiding heavy tech jargon) but precise and compliant with privacy and security standards.
Name
AI rollout assistant
Add files for your Gem to reference
Instructions
You’re my chemistry tutor. Help me understand key topics from class by breaking them down into simple explanations with examples. Then give me 3 to 5 open-ended practice questions and a quick summary to help me review. Keep it friendly and easy to follow.
Name
Chemistry tutor
Add files for your Gem to reference
Student use
Communication
Instructions
You are a communications assistant supporting a school. Write newsletters, updates, and announcements that are aligned with institutional goals and upcoming events. Tone should be professional, warm, and easily understood by families and community members. Include headings, brief summaries, and clear calls to action when appropriate.
Name
Communication assistant
Add files for your Gem to reference
Resources: bit.ly/curts-gems
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - @ericcurts
🛠️ Creating a Gem
To create your own Gem, begin by clicking on the "+ New Gem" button on your Gem Manager screen.
Google for Education Certified Trainer
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - ericcurts@gmail.com - @ericcurts - bit.ly/curts-gems
🛠️ Creating a Gem
Google for Education Certified Trainer
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - ericcurts@gmail.com - @ericcurts - bit.ly/curts-gems
🛠️ Creating a Gem
After you enter the details for the Gem, you can test the Gem to see how it functions.
Google for Education Certified Trainer
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - ericcurts@gmail.com - @ericcurts - bit.ly/curts-gems
🛠️ Creating a Gem
Your new Gem will now be available on your Gem Manager screen in the "My Gems" section. You can run the Gem anytime by simply clicking on it.
Google for Education Certified Trainer
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - ericcurts@gmail.com - @ericcurts - bit.ly/curts-gems
📝
Creating
a Prompt
📝 Creating a Prompt
Create from Scratch with Prompt Guidelines
I also have a resource document and slideshow that covers the most important elements of creating an effective prompt.
Google for Education Certified Trainer
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - ericcurts@gmail.com - @ericcurts - bit.ly/curts-gems
📝 Creating a Prompt
Google's PARTS Prompting Guide
Element | What it means | Why it matters |
P: Persona | Set Gemini’s role | Helps Gemini respond with the right tone, expertise, and behavior (for example, “Act like a coach”, �“Act like an educator”, or “Act like an instructional designer”) |
A: Act | Ask clearly for the task | Uses action words like “create”, “rewrite”, “explain”, or “align” to get specific results |
R: Recipient | Say who it’s for | Helps tailor output to the student group, staff, or community members |
T: Theme | Add your topic or concept | Guides the content with context like “early literacy,” “DNA structure,” or “social-emotional learning” |
S: Structure | Name the format or model you want | Helps Gemini tailor its output into specific formats like lesson plans, rubrics, slides, newsletters, or instructional frameworks (for example, 5E or UDL) |
Google for Education Certified Trainer
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - ericcurts@gmail.com - @ericcurts - bit.ly/curts-gems
📝 Creating a Prompt
Element | What it means | Why it matters |
P: Persona | High school educator | Sets Gemini’s tone and expertise level; expects a standards-aligned, professional lesson |
A: Act | Design a 5E lesson | Directs Gemini to create a complete lesson using a well-known structure educators recognize |
R: Recipient | 10th grade students in an inquiry-based classroom | Helps tailor the level of difficulty and engagement strategies to fit real learners |
T: Theme | Structure and function of DNA | Focuses the lesson on a specific science concept that needs to be introduced and explored |
S: Structure | 5E model with lab and CER writing prompt | Ensures the response uses an inquiry-based format and ends with a meaningful assessment aligned with Next Generation Science Standards-style practices |
You are a high school educator. Design a 5E lesson for 10th grade students introducing the structure and function of DNA. Tailor the lesson for an inquiry-based science class and include an engaging lab activity and a claim-evidence-reasoning (CER) writing prompt as the exit ticket.
Google for Education Certified Trainer
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - ericcurts@gmail.com - @ericcurts - bit.ly/curts-gems
📝 Creating a Prompt
Use the Gemini Rewrite Tool
Google for Education Certified Trainer
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - ericcurts@gmail.com - @ericcurts - bit.ly/curts-gems
📝 Creating a Prompt
Model after my Gems
You can access the full prompts for all 150+ Gems I have created here:
These can serve as examples for the structure and flow of Gems you may want to make.
Google for Education Certified Trainer
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - ericcurts@gmail.com - @ericcurts - bit.ly/curts-gems
📝 Creating a Prompt
Use the "EduGem Generator" Gem
Access the "EduGem Generator": edugems.ai/gem/edugem-generator
Google for Education Certified Trainer
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - ericcurts@gmail.com - @ericcurts - bit.ly/curts-gems
📝 Creating a Prompt
Use the "AI Prompt Architect" Gem
Access the "AI Prompt Architect": edugems.ai/gem/ai-prompt-architect
Google for Education Certified Trainer
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - ericcurts@gmail.com - @ericcurts - bit.ly/curts-gems
🔗
Sharing
your Gem
🔗 Sharing your Gem
After you have created your Gem, you can share it with others so they can use it.
Google for Education Certified Trainer
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - ericcurts@gmail.com - @ericcurts - bit.ly/curts-gems
🔗 Sharing your Gem
Google for Education Certified Trainer
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - ericcurts@gmail.com - @ericcurts - bit.ly/curts-gems
🔗 Sharing your Gem
Note: Districts can control if and how Gems are shared:
Google for Education Certified Trainer
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - ericcurts@gmail.com - @ericcurts - bit.ly/curts-gems
🔗 Sharing your Gem
You can also attach Gems to assignments and materials in Classroom.
Google for Education Certified Trainer
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - ericcurts@gmail.com - @ericcurts - bit.ly/curts-gems
Google for Education Certified Trainer
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - ericcurts@gmail.com - @ericcurts - bit.ly/curts-gems
🔁
Copying a Gem
🔗 Copying a Gem
Google for Education Certified Trainer
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - ericcurts@gmail.com - @ericcurts - bit.ly/curts-gems
🔗 Copying a Gem
Option #1
Google for Education Certified Trainer
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - ericcurts@gmail.com - @ericcurts - bit.ly/curts-gems
🔗 Copying a Gem
Option #2
https://gemini.google.com/gems/edit/6e8cbe72fd9a
https://gemini.google.com/gems/copy/6e8cbe72fd9a
Google for Education Certified Trainer
Eric Curts - ControlAltAchieve.com - ericcurts@gmail.com - @ericcurts - bit.ly/curts-gems
Let’s Give Gems a Try
Work by yourself or a Partner at your table.
Make a Gem that you might want to use to save a prompt or task that you commonly use.
Think of a Tool backed by documents or standards that you would want to share with your school’s team.
You can get creative and try typing out your own prompt or as Gemini to help you craft a prompt.
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➡️
Transition to Skills
Gemini skills: custom AI shortcuts & productivity REPLACING GEMS Soon-ish
Confidential
From Google:
November for individuals with personal accounts, March 2027 for Workspace business, enterprise, and nonprofit customers, and June 2027 for Workspace education customers. As part of this change, Opal 2 , our experiment for building mini apps will also turn down at the same time in November (learn more).
To make this transition seamless, we will automatically migrate your Gems into skills when Gems go away. You can learn more about how to transition your Gems into skills by visiting our help center.
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More information from Google about Skills and this Transition
Let Skills in Gemini tackle your most repetitive tasks
About the transition from Gems to skills
Create & manage skills for Gemini Apps *
Write effective skills for Gemini Apps
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Eric Curts from www.controlaltachieve.com has created a Repository for all of his, and other teacher’s Gems.
📢 Newest EduGems
🧭 Lesson Planning & Curriculum Design
💡 Instructional Materials & Content
🙋 Engagement & Games
🔑 Student Support & Differentiation
💯 Assessment, Data & Grading
📖 Literacy, Reading, Writing & Language
🧪 Math, Science & STEM
🧒 Student-Facing Tools
💼 Professional Tasks & Admin
✨ AI Use & Integration
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Gemini Canvas Create, code, and collaborate with Gemini in one space
Gemini Canvas is an interactive workspace for turning your ideas into polished creations. Transform your prompts into an editable canvas for creating lessons, coding projects, or building resources – and evolve your thinking visually in real time. Your content instantly updates and you get AI-powered suggestions to level up your work. This space is designed for rapid iteration, allowing you to easily refine and develop your concepts.
Use Canvas to:
How Gemini Canvas works
Enter your prompt in the Gemini chat box.
Select “Canvas” from the options at the bottom of the chat box.
A
B
Gemini opens Canvas in a pane separate from your chat. The Canvas output is fully editable – you can update it yourself or ask Gemini to refine and revise the content. When you’re ready, just click “Export to Docs” to continue working or share.
C
C
A
B
Instructional materials
Revise an old lesson for multiple learners
Prompt
Act as an instructional designer. I’ve uploaded a legacy lesson plan on persuasive writing for 8th grade students. Help me revise it to support three learner profiles: an English learner, a student with executive functioning needs, and an advanced writer. Suggest changes to the task instructions, pacing, and support strategies for each learner.
✨Tip
Ask Gemini to generate a side-by-side chart comparing how each version supports different learners, or include Universal Design for Learning (UDL)-aligned scaffolds.
🔥Great for
Student use
Coding in Canvas
Prompt
Help me build a simple physics simulation that shows a ball falling under gravity. Use Python and show how to adjust gravity, time, and object mass. Explain what each part of the code does.
✨Tip
Try adjusting variables like mass or time and ask Gemini to visualize how it affects the simulation. Ask for step-by-step explanations or request extensions, like adding horizontal motion or air resistance.
🔥Great for
Gemini Canvas
Use case | Prompt | Tip |
Planning | Act as a curriculum designer. Create a week-long unit plan on the US Constitution for 8th grade students. Focus on civic understanding and include daily objectives, learning activities, and formative checks. Format the unit using section headers for each day. | Use heading styles and bullet points to organize by day. Ask Gemini to change tone if you’re prepping for students, as opposed to staff. |
Assessment | Act as an assessment designer. Create a performance task for high school environmental science students focused on sustainability. Include a student-facing prompt, rubric criteria, and a peer/self-assessment checklist. Organize the content into clearly labeled sections. | Ask Gemini to suggest edits or condense instructions for clarity. Use formatting tools to separate teacher and student content. |
Differentiation | Act as a learning specialist. Develop a flexible algebra support plan for a 9th grade student needing extra help with linear equations. Include learning goals, scaffolded tasks, reflection prompts, and checkpoints. Format it as a weekly plan with bolded key actions. | Use formatting to emphasize key actions. Ask Gemini to suggest edits or simplify language for accessibility. |
Research | Act as an educational research assistant. I need to understand the latest research on the impact of project-based learning on student engagement in middle school. Please provide a concise summary of key findings from the last 3 to 5 years, outline 2 to 3 evidence-based strategies related to this topic that I can consider for my classroom/school, and list potential challenges or considerations for implementation. Organize this information with clear headings for each section. | Be specific about the student age group or educational context if relevant. Ask Gemini to focus on actionable strategies or practical takeaways. You can also ask for a list of keywords to find more in-depth research articles. |
Administrative tasks | Act as a professional development coordinator. Design a 60-minute professional development session for educators or faculty introducing Gemini. Include session objectives, timed agenda sections, interactive moments, and a closing reflection. Use headings for each segment. | Use headings to organize each section of the session. Ask Gemini to rephrase content for different audiences (for example, coaches vs. teachers). |
EduGems Jeopardy Game
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Try my: Losses From Inflation Calculator
Best Inflation Calculators that I found online.
Inflation Calculator – Your Money's Value Over Time
Present Value Calculator 2026 -- NPV, IRR & Inflation Adjustment
My Prompt put directly into Canvas My Inflation Calculator*
My Original Prompt
Create a Program/tool that works as an inflation calculator. This tool should allow the user to enter in an amount of money, maybe called 'Savings'. Next, the user will enter in an expected average inflation rate (as a percentage). After that, the user will select a certain number of years for inflation to eat away at their savings.
Once all of this is entered, the tool will calculate and show:
Once all of that is shown, explain how just leaving your money in cash or a checking account will cause you to lose wealth as inflation/cost of living eats away at your buying power.
Gemini’s Prompt:
Purpose and Goals:
* Collect necessary inputs: original savings amount, expected annual inflation rate (%), and the time horizon in years.
* Calculate the real future value (purchasing power) of the savings and total wealth lost to inflation.
* Present the visual representation (e.g., using text-based graphs or charts) of savings declining over time.
* Educate the user on the financial risks of holding uninvested cash in low-yield or non-interest-bearing accounts.
Behaviors and Rules:
1) Input Gathering:
a) Prompt the user to input their 'Savings' amount, average expected 'Inflation Rate (%)', and 'Time Period (Years)'.
b) Validate inputs to ensure non-negative numerical values.
2) Calculations and Output Presentation:
a) Calculate Future Value (FV) using the formula: FV = Savings / (1 + Inflation Rate)^Years.
b) Calculate Total Wealth Lost: Savings - Future Value.
c) Display a clear breakdown of: - Initial Savings - Future Purchasing Power - Total Loss to Inflation
d) Generate a year-by-year visual chart or table demonstrating the gradual decay of purchasing power.
3) Educational Explanation:
a) Explain in simple terms how holding cash or keeping funds in a standard checking account leads to a loss of purchasing power as the cost of living rises.
b) Provide general, non-prescriptive insights on concepts like interest-bearing accounts or inflation-hedging strategies without giving formal financial advice.
Overall Tone:
* Professional, informative, and analytical.
* Objective and clear, using simple financial terminology.
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The end of Video shows a lot of ideas and examples of interactive activities.
Gemini Gems & Canvas:
How to, Help, and Ideas
Let’s Give Canvas a Try
Work by yourself or a Partner at your table.
Make a Canvas Game/Activity that you might want to share with your students in the upcoming weeks.
You can use some of the Gems that we have shared that already have Canvas embedded in them,
or
You can get creative and try typing out your own prompt to make an activity just for your classroom.
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Using Claude to make explainer videos
…or interactive tools and games
(Like what we did in Gemini Canvas)
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Claude for Teachers
Claude for K-12 Teachers | Claude by Anthropic
Free account with access to premium Claude features
conversations
Includes access to Claude Cowork.
Youtube - Beginners guide to Claude CoWork.
Free for Teachers this year
Requires you to provide your name, school, and image of school ID (or other proof of employment document)
“
Google Gemini Badges
Explore Certifications for Educators - Google
Want to learn more?
Google offers free trainings and certifications for Teachers.
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Gems/Skills
Here is how to find and use them:
1. Open Gemini: Go to gemini.google.com/Gems in your browser and ensure you are signed in with your eligible account.
2. Open the Gem Manager: Look at the left sidebar menu. Click on Gem manager (or Explore Gems).
3. Select or Create:
Premade Gems: Browse Google's default Gems (like Coding Partner, Writing Editor, or Career Guide) and click any Gem to start a chat with it.
Custom Gems: Click **New Gem** to configure custom instructions, give it a name, and save it to your personal library.
4. Quick Access: Once added or created, your Gems appear pinned in the left sidebar for one-click access in future chats.
Storybook Gem
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THANK
YOU!