Large Language Model Artificial Intelligences (LLM AI’s) are fast becoming commonplace. As such, it is useful to know how to use and leverage these powerful tools.
Table of Contents
What is Prompt Engineering?
First, let’s define what prompt engineering is. We have the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of prompt: “to move to action/to serve as inciting cause of” and the definition for engineering: “calculated manipulation or direction (as of behavior)”. According to this definition, prompt engineering is an action to cause the careful manipulation of behavior. We asked Anthropic’s Claude2, OpenAI’s ChatGPT 3.5, and Google’s Bard (which we will refer to as “LLM’s” or “AI’s” further in this writing) to help define prompt engineering in five to seven words. Google’s Bard was the most succinct: “[Prompt Engineering is] The art of telling LLMs what to do”. We then asked each of the AI’s to expand on this definition further, from five to seven words to two to three sentences. ChatGPT’s was the most rounded:
“Prompt engineering involves the strategic formulation of input instructions for AI models to elicit desired responses. It encompasses choosing appropriate wording, context, and task-specific cues to guide the model’s output effectively. Effective prompt engineering maximizes the model’s potential and enhances its ability to generate accurate and coherent outputs across various applications.“
-ChatGPT 3.5, October 2023
As we go through the Prompt Engineering Tips, we will focus on one or the other AI’s. However, we encourage you to try the prompts or tips on the other AI’s and see what the results are. Prompts will have gold backgrounds while replies from the AI will have white backgrounds.
Prompt Engineering Tips
In this section, we will be providing some tips as well as using AI’s. We will provide the prompt on this page and a summary of the output(s), unless they are especially interesting. Feel free to copy the prompts and experiment yourself! Otherwise, take a look at the AI Prompt Engineering Page for all prompts and outputs.
Additionally, a word of caution. While the following tips will help you achieve the desired outcome with LLM’s, this does not mean that they will not hallucinate/make things up. LLM’s do not really know anything, past the likelihood that one word comes after another which comes from their training corpus. So always double check the AI’s response to your query and ensure that it is responding factually.
Be Descriptive with your Prompts
Be thorough in your prompt as well as the expected or desired outcome. This means being “…specific about the context, outcome, length, format, style, etc. “ (OpenAI, Shieh, 2023). Anthropic encourages us to “Think of Claude [and other LLM’s] as similar to an intern on their first day on the job. Claude [and other AI’s] is eager to help you but doesn’t yet know anything about you, your organization, or your task. It is far more likely to meet your expectations if you give it clear, explicit instructions.” (2023).
Our first prompt will be:
Create a lesson plan about Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
Bard’s response:
Lesson Plan: Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
Grade Level: 9-12
Subject: English Language Arts
Learning Objectives:
Students will be able to identify and analyze Shakespeare’s use of poetic language and dramatic devices in Romeo and Juliet.
Students will be able to understand and explain the major themes of the play, such as love, hate, fate, and family rivalry.
Students will be able to develop their critical thinking and communication skills by participating in class discussions and writing assignments.
Materials:
Copies of Romeo and Juliet (one for each student)
Whiteboard or projector
Markers or pens
Paper
Procedure:
Introduction:
Begin by asking students what they already know about Romeo and Juliet. What is the story about? What are the main characters like? What have they heard about the play from friends, family, or popular culture?
Next, introduce the students to some of the basic elements of Shakespeare’s language and style. Explain that Shakespeare wrote in iambic pentameter, a type of verse with five pairs of syllables per line, with the stress on the second syllable of each pair. Shakespeare also used a variety of poetic devices, such as metaphor, simile, and personification.
Reading and Discussion:
Divide the class into small groups and assign each group a section of the play to read. Have students read their assigned section aloud and then discuss the following questions:
What are the main events in this section?
What are the characters like? What are their motivations?
What themes are explored in this section?
How does Shakespeare use poetic language and dramatic devices in this section?
After each group has discussed their assigned section, lead a class discussion on the following questions:
What are the main themes of the play so far?
How do the characters develop and change over the course of the play?
How does Shakespeare use poetic language and dramatic devices to create a sense of suspense and tragedy?
Writing Assignment:
Have students choose one of the following writing assignments:
Write a character analysis of Romeo or Juliet. Be sure to discuss the character’s motivations, personality traits, and development over the course of the play.
Write an essay about one of the major themes of the play, such as love, hate, fate, or family rivalry. Be sure to support your claims with evidence from the text.
Write a creative piece of writing inspired by Romeo and Juliet. This could be a poem, a short story, or even a scene from the play from a different character’s perspective.
Assessment:
Assess students’ learning by observing their participation in class discussions, reviewing their writing assignments, and giving them a quiz or test on the play.
Differentiation:
For students who need more support, provide them with a simplified version of the play or a list of key vocabulary words.
For students who are ready for a challenge, have them research the historical context of the play or write a comparative essay comparing and contrasting Romeo and Juliet to another tragedy.
Extension Activities:
Have students watch a film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet and compare and contrast it to the play.
Have students stage a scene from the play.
Have students research the Elizabethan era and create a presentation on one aspect of Elizabethan culture, such as fashion, food, or music.
ChatGPT’s response:
Here is a brief lesson plan on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet:
Objective: Students will analyze the themes of love, fate, and conflict in Romeo and Juliet.
Introduction (5 mins): Do a quick review of Shakespeare and his most famous plays. Introduce Romeo and Juliet as one of his most popular tragedies.
Reading (15 mins): Have students read Act 2 Scene 2 of the play, which contains the famous “balcony scene” where Romeo and Juliet profess their love for each other.
Analysis (15 mins): In pairs or small groups, have students discuss the major themes present in the scene – love, fate, conflict. What do Romeo and Juliet’s words reveal about these themes?
Discussion (10 mins): Bring the class back together and have groups share their analysis. List the themes on the board. Discuss how these themes drive the plot and shape the characters.
Wrap-up (5 mins): For homework, have students write a short journal reflection answering the question: What is Shakespeare trying to say about love through Romeo and Juliet?
Let me know if you would like me to expand on any part of this lesson plan! I aimed to give a brief overview that could be adapted to suit your class’ needs.
Claude’s response:
Lesson Plan: Exploring Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
Objective:
Students will analyze and appreciate the themes, characters, and language used in William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” They will gain a deeper understanding of the cultural and historical context of the play and develop critical thinking skills through discussions and activities.
Grade Level: High School (9th-12th grade)
Duration: 2 weeks (10 class periods)
Materials:
Copies of “Romeo and Juliet” for each student or access to online versions.
Whiteboard and markers.
Projector for multimedia presentations.
Handouts for activities and assignments.
Week 1: Introduction to “Romeo and Juliet”
Day 1: Overview and Context
Begin with a brief introduction to William Shakespeare and the Elizabethan era.
Provide historical context, discussing the social and political climate of the time.
Introduce the themes of love, fate, and conflict in “Romeo and Juliet.”
Day 2: Character Analysis
Discuss the major characters: Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, Tybalt, etc.
Assign character analysis essays for homework.
Day 3: Language of Shakespeare
Explore the unique language of Shakespearean plays.
Conduct activities to decode and understand Elizabethan language.
Discuss iambic pentameter and poetic devices used in the play.
Day 4: Act 1 – Reading and Analysis
Read Act 1 of “Romeo and Juliet” as a class.
Analyze key scenes, focusing on character introductions and conflicts.
Discuss the use of foreshadowing.
Day 5: Act 2 – Reading and Analysis
Continue reading as a class, focusing on the development of the love story.
Discuss the role of Friar Laurence and the choices made by the characters.
Week 2: Deepening Understanding and Culmination
Day 6: Act 3 – Turning Point
Read Act 3 as a class and analyze the pivotal moments.
Discuss the consequences of the characters’ actions.
Day 7: Acts 4-5 – Resolution
Read and discuss the final acts of the play.
Explore the resolution and its impact on the characters.
Day 8: Themes and Symbolism
Identify and discuss themes and symbols in “Romeo and Juliet.”
Analyze how these elements contribute to the overall meaning of the play.
Day 9: Modern Connections
Discuss how the themes of “Romeo and Juliet” are relevant in modern society.
Connect the play to contemporary literature, film, or real-life situations.
Day 10: Culminating Project and Reflection
Assign a final project (e.g., creative writing, a modern adaptation, or a visual representation).
Students present their projects and reflect on the enduring relevance of “Romeo and Juliet.”
Assessment:
Class participation and discussions.
Character analysis essays.
Project presentation and reflection.
Quiz or test on key themes, characters, and events.
Note: Adjustments can be made based on the pace of the class and the specific needs of the students. Incorporate multimedia resources, guest speakers, or field trips to enhance the learning experience.
Each AI gave us laudable lesson plans. All AI’s gave lesson or learning objectives, procedures, and assessments. ChatGPT and Bard also gave a list of materials required and the proposed grade level. Interestingly, Bard’s and Claude’s target grade levels were 9th through 12th grade. However, Claude was the only AI to give specific timings on when to move on from one activity to the next. Of additional interest, ChatGPT thought we only had one class period (and wants us to start with Act 2, Scene 2!).Though, to be fair, Bard’s lesson plan also seems to be one class period (though it does focus on the whole play) where as Claude wanted to devote ten class periods! Obviously, this is great for a rough draft of a lesson plan.
But let’s try to take it further by updating the prompt a bit. We want the AI’s to create a lesson plan for a college classroom. We will put aside approximately four one-hour and fifteen minute class periods. We also want the AI’s to include timings where possible. We also want the lesson plan to be based on the ADDIE model: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. If the AI is going to include assessment, we also want it to provide a rubric for grading.
Here is the new prompt:
Create a lesson plan about Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. This will be for a college-level English course. This lesson plan should include what to do during four one-hour and fifteen minute class sessions. The Class session breakdowns should include in-class activities and timings. Each session should follow the ADDIE model: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. The assessment should be a 1,250 word writing assignment. Include a give point rubric using the following as categories: Grammar, Spelling, Voice. The rubric should be in a table.
Note the spelling error: “Include a give point rubric…” instead of “Include a five point rubric…”. While the AI can interpret what we want sometimes, it is best to ensure that we have proper spelling and grammar in our prompts.
Bard’s response:
Lesson Plan: Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
Course Level: College-Level English
Class Sessions: Four, 1-hour and 15-minute sessions
ADDIE Model Breakdown:
Session 1:
- Analysis:
- Review students’ prior knowledge of Shakespeare and Romeo and Juliet.
- Discuss the play’s historical and cultural context.
- Introduce students to the basic elements of Shakespeare’s language and style.
- Design:
- Choose a scene or passage from the play to focus on in this session.
- Develop a plan for how to lead students in a close reading and analysis of the text.
- Development:
- Prepare any necessary materials, such as handouts or presentation slides.
- Implementation:
- Lead students in a close reading and analysis of the chosen scene or passage.
- Discuss the following questions:
- What is the meaning of the text?
- How does Shakespeare use language and dramatic devices to create meaning?
- What are the themes and ideas that the text explores?
- Evaluation:
- Observe students’ participation in the discussion and ask open-ended questions to assess their understanding of the text.
Session 2:
- Analysis:
- Review the key themes and ideas discussed in the previous session.
- Introduce students to a new critical lens through which to view the play, such as feminist criticism, Marxist criticism, or postcolonial criticism.
- Design:
- Choose a scene or passage from the play to focus on in this session that can be examined through the chosen critical lens.
- Develop a plan for how to lead students in an analysis of the text from this new perspective.
- Development:
- Prepare any necessary materials, such as handouts or presentation slides.
- Implementation:
- Lead students in an analysis of the chosen scene or passage from the perspective of the chosen critical lens.
- Discuss the following questions:
- How does the chosen critical lens change our understanding of the text?
- What new insights does this critical lens offer into the play’s themes and ideas?
- How does the chosen critical lens relate to other issues and debates in contemporary society?
- Evaluation:
- Observe students’ participation in the discussion and ask open-ended questions to assess their understanding of the text and the chosen critical lens.
Session 3:
- Analysis:
- Review the key themes, ideas, and critical lenses that have been discussed in the previous sessions.
- Introduce students to the writing assignment for this unit.
- Design:
- Develop a rubric for the writing assignment that assesses students’ ability to:
- Analyze Shakespeare’s use of language and dramatic devices
- Understand and explain the major themes of the play
- Develop a thesis statement and support it with evidence from the text
- Write in a clear and concise style
- Develop a rubric for the writing assignment that assesses students’ ability to:
- Development:
- Prepare any necessary materials, such as handouts or presentation slides on how to write a strong essay.
- Implementation:
- Discuss the writing assignment with students and answer any questions they may have.
- Provide students with time to work on their essays in class.
- Evaluation:
- Collect students’ essays for review.
Session 4:
- Analysis:
- Review students’ essays and identify any areas where they need additional support.
- Design:
- Develop a plan for how to provide students with feedback on their essays.
- Development:
- Prepare any necessary materials, such as handouts or presentation slides.
- Implementation:
- Provide students with feedback on their essays, either individually or in small groups.
- Discuss any common areas of improvement that students need to address.
- Evaluation:
- Observe students’ engagement with the feedback and ask open-ended questions to assess their understanding of their strengths and weaknesses as writers.
Assessment:
The assessment for this unit is a 1,250-word writing assignment in which students will choose one of the following prompts:
- Conduct a close reading and analysis of a scene or passage from Romeo and Juliet, using one or more critical lenses to inform your interpretation.
- Write an essay that explores one of the major themes of Romeo and
ChatGPT’s response:
Lesson Plan: Exploring Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” – College Level English Course
Session 1: Analysis
Objective: Analyze the historical and cultural context of “Romeo and Juliet” and introduce key themes.
- Introduction (15 minutes)
- Welcome students and introduce the course objectives.
- Briefly discuss the importance of understanding the historical context of Shakespearean plays.
- Historical Context Analysis (30 minutes)
- Provide a presentation or lecture on the Elizabethan era, highlighting key cultural, political, and social aspects.
- Discuss how these elements influenced Shakespeare’s writing and the themes in “Romeo and Juliet.”
- Group Discussion (30 minutes)
- Break students into small groups to discuss and analyze specific excerpts from Act 1.
- Encourage students to explore how cultural and historical factors shape character motivations and relationships.
Homework Assignment:
- Read Act 1 of “Romeo and Juliet.”
- Write a brief reflection on how understanding the historical context enhances their interpretation of the play.
Session 2: Design
Objective: Analyze Act 1 of “Romeo and Juliet” with a focus on character development and language.
- Class Discussion (20 minutes)
- Begin with a brief review of the homework reflections.
- Engage in a whole-class discussion about Act 1, exploring character motivations and the use of language.
- Character Analysis Activity (40 minutes)
- Assign specific characters to each student or group for in-depth analysis.
- Have students explore the language, motives, and relationships of their assigned characters.
- Wrap-up (15 minutes)
- Discuss the impact of language on character development.
- Introduce the concept of iambic pentameter and its role in Shakespearean plays.
Homework Assignment:
- Read Act 2 of “Romeo and Juliet.”
- Write a character analysis essay focusing on one character of their choice.
Session 3: Development
Objective: Explore the development of the love story and poetic elements in Act 2.
- Class Reading and Discussion (30 minutes)
- Read key scenes from Act 2 as a class, emphasizing the development of the love story.
- Discuss the role of Friar Laurence and the choices made by the characters.
- Poetic Elements Workshop (45 minutes)
- Conduct a workshop on iambic pentameter and poetic devices used in “Romeo and Juliet.”
- Have students analyze specific lines to identify and discuss these elements.
- Reflection and Connection (15 minutes)
- Lead a class discussion on the impact of poetic elements on the emotional tone of the play.
- Discuss how these elements contribute to the overall themes.
Homework Assignment:
- Read Acts 3-4 of “Romeo and Juliet.”
- Prepare for a discussion on the turning points in the play.
Session 4: Implementation and Evaluation
Objective: Analyze the climax, resolution, and overarching themes in Acts 3-5.
- Class Discussion (40 minutes)
- Discuss the turning points in Acts 3-4 and the consequences of characters’ actions.
- Explore the resolution of the play and its impact on characters.
- Thematic Analysis Activity (30 minutes)
- Break students into groups and assign each group a theme to analyze (e.g., love, fate, conflict).
- Have groups present their findings and discuss how their assigned theme is woven throughout the play.
- Culminating Activity (15 minutes)
- Introduce the final project: a written analysis of a theme in “Romeo and Juliet” with connections to modern society.
- Discuss expectations, requirements, and grading criteria.
Homework Assignment:
- Work on the final project.
Assessment:
Final Project – Theme Analysis Essay (1,250 words)
| Criteria | Excellent (5) | Good (4) | Satisfactory (3) | Needs Improvement (2) | Unsatisfactory (1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grammar | Demonstrates an exceptional command of grammar with no errors. | Shows a strong command of grammar with minimal errors. | Contains occasional grammatical errors that do not significantly impact readability. | Numerous grammatical errors that distract the reader. | Frequent and significant grammatical errors that hinder comprehension. |
| Spelling | Contains no spelling errors. | Contains very few minor spelling errors. | Contains occasional spelling errors that do not impede understanding. | Contains frequent spelling errors that may impede understanding. | Contains numerous spelling errors that significantly impede understanding. |
| Voice | Consistently maintains a strong and engaging voice throughout the essay. | Mostly maintains a strong and engaging voice, with occasional lapses. | Demonstrates an adequate voice, with occasional inconsistencies. | Lacks a consistent voice, making the essay less engaging. | Lacks a discernible voice, making the essay difficult to follow. |
Note: The rubric is designed to assess key writing skills, including grammar, spelling, and voice. Each criterion is assigned a point value (5 being the highest and 1 the lowest), and the total points can be used to determine the overall grade for the assignment. Adjustments can be made to the rubric based on specific course expectations and objectives.
Claude’s Response:
Here is a 4 session lesson plan on Romeo and Juliet for a college-level English course, following the ADDIE framework:
Analysis: Students will analyze themes of love, fate, conflict, and examine Shakespeare’s use of literary devices in Romeo and Juliet. This will prepare them for a 1,250 word essay analyzing the play’s key themes.
Session 1 (75 mins):
Introduction (15 mins)
- Overview Shakespeare and the play
- Discuss themes of love, fate, conflict
Reading (25 mins)
- Students read Act 1 excerpts highlighting key scenes
Discussion (20 mins)
- Discuss main characters and their motivations
- Analyze use of foreshadowing, imagery, metaphors
Design essay prompt (15 mins)
- Introduce essay analyzing play’s themes
Session 2 (75 mins):
Reading (30 mins)
- Read Act 2 balcony scene closely
Themes analysis (25 mins)
- In groups, analyze passages related to key themes
Troublesome lines (15 mins)
- As a class, clarify confusing lines/phrasing
Wrap up (5 mins)
- Review major themes and literary devices
Session 3 (75 mins):
Reading (20 mins)
- Read Act 3 fight scene excerpts
Tragic heroes (25 mins)
- Compare Romeo and Juliet as tragic heroes
- Relate to essay prompt
Writing workshop (25 mins)
- Outline essay, draft intro/thesis statement
- Peer review outline
Session 4 (75 mins):
Writing (60 mins)
- Write complete first draft of essay
Wrap up (15 mins)
- Submit essay, final questions
Evaluation: 1,250 word essay analyzing Romeo and Juliet’s themes. Rubric:
| Category | 5 | 3 | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grammar | No errors | A few minor errors | Many errors impede readability |
| Spelling | No errors | A few minor errors | Many errors impede readability |
| Voice | Clear, engaging voice and style | Somewhat engaging voice/style | Unclear or inappropriate voice/style |
Let me know if you would like me to modify or expand on any part of this lesson plan!
This time, the AI’s gave a much better response to the prompt. All of them provided activities that followed the ADDIE model and provided a description for the final essay. However, it seems that Bard ignored that we wanted a rubric, while ChatGPT had the most detailed (and, frankly, more useful) rubric. Bard was also the least detailed out of the three, not even providing timings as ChatGPT and Claude did.
Give the AI an Out
Another Anthropic tip is to give the AI an out. In the first tip, Anthropic encourages us to think of LLM AI’s as an over-eager intern. The same is true for this tip. The AI, whichever you choose, will attempt to complete the task(s) as quickly and as best as possible. Similarly, a nervous intern will likely not want to say “I don’t know” right away. However, the AI does not know how to say “I don’t know how to do that” (usually). So, when you are trying to get the AI to tell you a fact or something similar, where accuracy and veracity are important, tell the AI it is OK to say “I don’t know”.
Our initial prompt:
What is the square root of 50 multiplied by the length of a Canon Powershot camera (2023 model)?
Note: There are multiple cameras that are under the Canon Powershot name, with different specifications and hardware.
Bard gives us the best example of what happens when we do not give the AI and out:
The square root of 50 multiplied by the length of a Canon Powershot camera (2023 model) is 79.19595949289332.
We then asked Bard the following:
Where did you get the information for the length of the Canon Powershot camera?
Bard’s reply:
I apologize for my previous response. I do not have access to information about the length of the Canon Powershot camera (2023 model). I generated a random number for the length of the camera, which is why the square root of 50 multiplied by the length of the camera resulted in a number that is not realistic.
I am still under development, and I am always learning. I will try my best to avoid making similar mistakes in the future.
We started a new session with Bard and told it that it was OK to say I don’t know.
Here is our new prompt:
What is the square root of 50 multiplied by the length of a Canon Powershot Camera (2023 model). It’s OK to say I don’t know.
Bard’s response:
I don’t know the length of a Canon Powershot camera (2023 Model), so I can’t calculate the square root of 50 multiplied by it.
When asked to do the calculation without telling Bard it was OK to say I don’t know in the same chat, Bard replied that it still could not do the calculation because it did not know the length of the camera. Instead, it did try to be helpful by providing the square root of 50 to the nearest hundredth (7.07, if you were wondering). Check out the conversation below:
Our prompt:
What is the square root of 50 multiplied by the length of a Canon Powershot camera (2023 model).
Bard’s reply:
I still don’t know the length of a Canon Powershot camera (2023 model), but I can tell you that the square root of 50 is approximately 7.07.
Break Down your Prompt
Break more complex tasks into smaller task-components. According to Microsoft, “Large language models (LLMs) often perform better if the task is broken down into smaller steps.” (2023). If we think about this, it is not dissimilar to what we humans do or need to do to complete various tasks. For example, doing the dishes is a task. However, there are several smaller tasks (i.e, rinsing the dishes, placing the dishes in the dishwasher, adding the detergent, etc.) required to achieve that larger, more complex task.
Going back to our lesson plan example, creating a lesson plan requires a lot of smaller tasks to be completed. However, we can break a lesson plan into smaller components:
- Crafting Learning Objectives
- Creating Activities
- Creating Assessments based on those activities
- Creating Evaluations based on the assessments
Here is our prompt:
Create four learning objectives for a unit on William Shakespeare’s Rome and Juliet. The course is an English course and will spend approximately four course sessions on this unit. Each session will be one-hour and fifteen minutes long. After creating these learning objectives, create two activities for each learning objective. Finally, create a twenty point rubric for each activity.
ChatGPT’s response (modified for clarity):
“Learning Objective 1: Literary Analysis
Students will analyze the key themes and literary devices in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, demonstrating an understanding of how they contribute to the overall narrative.
- Activity 1: Theme Exploration (Session 1)
- Students will work in pairs to identify and discuss the major themes present in Romeo and Juliet.
- Each pair will select a specific scene from the play that exemplifies a chosen theme and present their analysis to the class.
- Rubric (20 points):
- Identification of themes (5 points)
- Clear explanation of chosen scene’s relevance to the theme (5 points)
- Depth of analysis of literary devices within the scene (5 points)
- Presentation clarity and engagement (5 points)
- Activity 2: Character Analysis (Session 2)
- Students will individually select a character from the play (Romeo, Juliet, Mercutio, Tybalt, etc.) and create a character analysis chart. The chart will include details about the character’s personality traits, motivations, and actions, supported by textual evidence. Students will then participate in a “character gallery walk,” where they provide insights on other characters based on their classmates’ charts.
- Rubric (20 points):
- Comprehensive character traits and motivations (5 points)
- Effective use of textual evidence (5 points)
- Thoughtful analysis of character’s role in the play (5 points)
- Constructive engagement in the character gallery walk (5 points)
Learning Objective 2: Language and Style
Students will analyze Shakespeare’s use of language and poetic techniques in Romeo and Juliet, demonstrating an appreciation for his unique style.
- Activity 1: Language Unpacked (Session 2)
- Students will collaboratively analyze a selected passage from the play, focusing on Shakespeare’s use of metaphors, similes, and other poetic devices.
- They will then rewrite the passage in modern language while preserving the core meaning.
- Each group will present their modernized version, explaining their choices.
- Rubric (20 points):
- Accurate identification of poetic devices (5 points)
- Thoughtful modernization of the passage (5 points)
- Justification of modernization choices (5 points)
- Presentation clarity and engagement (5 points)
- Activity 2: Soliloquy Performance (Session 3)
- Each student will choose a famous soliloquy from Romeo and Juliet (e.g., Juliet’s “Gallop apace” speech) and prepare a dramatic recitation.
- They will perform their chosen soliloquy, focusing on tone, emotion, and clarity of delivery.
- After each performance, the class will engage in a brief discussion on the significance of the soliloquy in the play.
- Rubric (20 points):
- Effective expression of tone and emotion (5 points)
- Clear and articulate delivery (5 points)
- Demonstrated understanding of the soliloquy’s context and meaning (5 points)
- Active participation in the discussion (5 points)
Learning Objective 3: Cultural and Historical Context
Students will examine the cultural and historical context of Romeo and Juliet, exploring how societal norms and values influenced the characters’ decisions and actions.
- Activity 1: Contextual Timeline (Session 3)
- Students will collaboratively create a timeline that highlights key historical events and societal norms during Shakespeare’s time.
- They will then analyze how these factors might have impacted the characters’ choices in the play.
- Each group will present their findings, discussing specific instances from the play that align with the historical context.
- Rubric (20 points):
- Accurate timeline of relevant historical events (5 points)
- Thoughtful analysis of societal influences on character decisions (5 points)
- Clear connection between historical context and play examples (5 points)
- Presentation quality and engagement (5 points)
- Activity 2: Parallel Analysis (Session 4)
- Students will explore modern situations that parallel themes or conflicts in Romeo and Juliet (e.g., feuding families, forbidden love).
- They will discuss how the play’s lessons and insights remain relevant in today’s world, using specific examples.
- Students will then create multimedia presentations or short essays that showcase the connections between the play and contemporary society.
- Rubric (20 points):
- Identification of meaningful modern parallels (5 points)
- Clear articulation of the play’s relevance to contemporary issues (5 points)
- Effective use of examples to support arguments (5 points)
- Presentation quality (for multimedia presentations) or essay structure and coherence (5 points)
Learning Objective 4: Creative Expression
Students will demonstrate their understanding of Romeo and Juliet by engaging in creative activities that reinterpret or extend the play’s themes.
- Activity 1: Alternative Ending (Session 4)
- Students will work in groups to create an alternative ending to Romeo and Juliet that diverges from the tragic conclusion.
- They will present their alternate endings, explaining their creative choices and discussing how these changes impact the play’s themes.
- Rubric (20 points):
- Inventive and coherent alternate ending (5 points)
- Clear explanation of creative choices and thematic impact (5 points)
- Group collaboration and presentation quality (5 points)
- Engaging and thought-provoking discussion (5 points)
- Activity 2: Modern Adaptation (Session 4)
- Students will choose a contemporary setting (e.g., high school, corporate world) and reimagine Romeo and Juliet with the characters and themes adapted to that context.
- They will produce a short scene or creative writing piece that captures the essence of the original while addressing relevant issues in the modern context.
- Students will share their adaptations, discussing how the changes highlight the play’s enduring relevance.
- Rubric (20 points):
- Successful adaptation of characters and themes to the modern setting (5 points)
- Compelling scene or writing piece (5 points)
- Thoughtful reflection on thematic continuity and modern relevance (5 points)
- Effective communication and engagement during the presentation (5 points)
Rubric for Each Activity:
- Content Mastery: Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter and relevant concepts.
- Critical Thinking: Engages in analytical thinking, offers insights, and makes connections.
- Creativity: Demonstrates originality and creativity in approach or presentation.
- Communication: Clearly and effectively conveys ideas through verbal, written, or visual means.
- Collaboration (if applicable): Works well within a group, contributes positively, and respects diverse perspectives.
- Presentation Quality: Exhibits clarity, organization, and engagement during presentations.
- Relevance to Learning Objective: Demonstrates a clear alignment with the learning objectives of the unit.
(Note: The above rubric components are general guidelines and can be adjusted to suit the specific requirements and expectations of the course and the instructor.)”
ChatGPT went further than the prompt even asked for, creating a general “rubric” guide for each activity while also creating a specific rubric for each activity. Overall, this is quite interesting and a great start to a lesson or series of lessons, though it may, as ChatGPT itself noted, require some adjustments and editing to fit the expectations of the instructor.
Prompt Chaining
Prompt Chaining is very similar to breaking down the steps. Except, you go one prompt at a time and include the AI’s response in your prompt. According to Anthropic, Prompt Chaining is “Another way to accomplish tasks with known and well-defined sub-tasks [is by] feeding [the AI’s] response to a prompt into the input for another prompt” (2023).
Anthropic points out that prompt chaining allows you to write less complex instructions, easily identify which parts of the task that the AI is having difficulty with, and allows you to check the AI’s output at those stages (2023).
We will use the previous example (i.e., creating a lesson plan for teaching Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet) to help explain prompt chaining.
Our prompt:
Create four learning objectives for a teacher teaching a unit on William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
Bard’s response:
Sure, here are four learning objectives for a teacher teaching a unit on William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet:
- Identify the major characters and their relationships. Students should be able to identify the main characters in the play, as well as their relationships to each other. They should also be able to describe the characters’ personalities, motivations, and conflicts.
- Trace the major themes of the play. Students should be able to identify the major themes of the play, such as love, revenge, fate, and family. They should also be able to explain how these themes are developed throughout the play.
- Analyze the use of language in the play. Students should be able to analyze the use of language in the play, such as Shakespeare’s use of imagery, metaphor, and symbolism. They should also be able to explain how the language contributes to the meaning of the play.
- Evaluate the play’s impact on popular culture. Students should be able to evaluate the play’s impact on popular culture, such as how it has been adapted into movies, TV shows, and other works of art. They should also be able to discuss the play’s continuing relevance today.
These are just a few examples of learning objectives that a teacher could use when teaching Romeo and Juliet. The specific objectives that a teacher chooses will depend on the age and level of the students, as well as the teacher’s own teaching style.
Here are some additional learning objectives that a teacher could consider:
Understand the historical context of the play.
Analyze the play’s structure and plot.
Compare and contrast Romeo and Juliet to other Shakespearean tragedies.
Write a creative response to the play, such as a poem, essay, or play.
Perform a scene from the play.
These are just a few ideas, and there are many other possibilities. The most important thing is to choose learning objectives that will help students to understand and appreciate Romeo and Juliet as a work of literature.
In the same chat, we further asked Bard:
Based on these four learning objectives, create a learning activity for each.
To which, Bard replied (which we modified a bit for clarity):
Sure, here are four learning activities that can be used to help students achieve the learning objectives listed above:
- Learning Objective 1: Identify the major characters and their relationships.
- Activity: Have students create a character map for each of the major characters in the play. The character map should include the character’s name, appearance, personality traits, motivations, and relationships to other characters.
- Assessment: Have students share their character maps with the class and explain their choices.
- Learning Objective 2: Trace the major themes of the play.
- Activity: Have students create a Venn diagram that compares and contrasts the major themes of Romeo and Juliet. The Venn diagram should include the following themes: love, revenge, fate, and family.
- Assessment: Have students explain the similarities and differences between the themes in their Venn diagrams.
- Learning Objective 3: Analyze the use of language in the play.
- Activity: Have students choose a scene from the play and analyze Shakespeare’s use of language in that scene. The analysis should focus on the use of imagery, metaphor, and symbolism.
- Assessment: Have students present their analyses to the class and explain their findings.
- Learning Objective 4: Evaluate the play’s impact on popular culture.
- Activity: Have students research how Romeo and Juliet has been adapted into movies, TV shows, and other works of art. They should also research the play’s continuing relevance today.
- Assessment: Have students write a paper or give a presentation on their findings.
- These are just a few examples of learning activities that can be used to help students achieve the learning objectives listed above. The specific activities that a teacher chooses will depend on the age and level of the students, as well as the teacher’s own teaching style.
I hope this helps!
Note that Bard has also pre-empted our next prompt by providing an assessment for each activity too. However, while we did not need to ask it to create an assessment for each activity, we went ahead and did anyway:
Create an assessment for each activity.
Continuing with Bard (which we modified for clarity):
Sure, here are some assessments that could be used for each of the activities:
- Learning Objective 1: Identify the major characters and their relationships.
- Character Map Assessment: The teacher could give students a blank character map and ask them to fill in the names, appearance, personality traits, motivations, and relationships to other characters for each of the major characters in the play. The teacher could then assess the character maps based on the following criteria:
- Accuracy: Does the student correctly identify all of the major characters and their relationships to each other?
- Organization: Is the character map well-organized and easy to read?
- Completeness: Does the student include all of the relevant information for each character?
- Learning Objective 2: Trace the major themes of the play.
- Venn Diagram Assessment: The teacher could give students a blank Venn diagram and ask them to label the two circles with the major themes of the play (love, revenge, fate, and family). The teacher could then assess the Venn diagrams based on the following criteria:
- Accuracy: Does the student correctly identify all of the major themes of the play?
- Organization: Is the Venn diagram well-organized and easy to read?
- Completeness: Does the student provide clear and concise explanations of the similarities and differences between the themes?
- Learning Objective 3: Analyze the use of language in the play.
- Scene Analysis Assessment: The teacher could give students a copy of a scene from the play and ask them to analyze Shakespeare’s use of language in that scene. The analysis should focus on the use of imagery, metaphor, and symbolism. The teacher could then assess the scene analyses based on the following criteria:
- Accuracy: Does the student correctly identify the use of imagery, metaphor, and symbolism in the scene?
- Depth: Does the student provide a detailed and insightful analysis of the language?
- Connections: Does the student make clear connections between the language and the meaning of the scene?
- Learning Objective 4: Evaluate the play’s impact on popular culture.
- Paper or Presentation Assessment: The teacher could ask students to write a paper or give a presentation on the play’s impact on popular culture. The paper or presentation should discuss how the play has been adapted into movies, TV shows, and other works of art, and it should also discuss the play’s continuing relevance today. The teacher could then assess the paper or presentation based on the following criteria:
- Depth: Does the student provide a comprehensive and well-argued evaluation of the play’s impact on popular culture?
- Relevance: Does the student discuss how the play is still relevant today?
- Organization: Is the paper or presentation well-organized and easy to follow?
These are just a few examples of assessments that could be used for each of the activities. The specific assessments that a teacher chooses will depend on the age and level of the students, as well as the teacher’s own teaching style.
I hope this helps!
And our final prompt:
Create a twenty point rubric based for each assignment. There should only be four categories. Each category should only be worth five points of the total grade.
Bard’s response (modified for clarity):
“Sure, here is a 20-point rubric based for each assessment, with each category worth 5 points:
Assessment 1: Character Map
- Category 1: Accuracy
- 5 points: Student correctly identifies all of the major characters and their relationships to each other. The character map is well-organized and easy to read.
- 4 points: Student correctly identifies most of the major characters and their relationships to each other. The character map is somewhat organized, but there are some errors.
- 3 points: Student correctly identifies some of the major characters and their relationships to each other. The character map is poorly organized and difficult to read.
- 2 points: Student does not correctly identify any of the major characters or their relationships to each other.
- 1 point: Student does not complete the activity.
Assessment 2: Venn Diagram
- Category 2: Identification of Major Themes
- 5 points: Student correctly identifies all of the major themes of the play and provides clear and concise explanations of the similarities and differences between them. The Venn diagram is well-organized and easy to read.
- 4 points: Student correctly identifies most of the major themes of the play and provides some explanations of the similarities and differences between them. The Venn diagram is somewhat organized, but there are some errors.
- 3 points: Student correctly identifies some of the major themes of the play but does not provide any explanations of the similarities and differences between them. The Venn diagram is poorly organized and difficult to read.
- 2 points: Student does not correctly identify any of the major themes of the play.
- 1 point: Student does not complete the activity.
Assessment 3: Scene Analysis
- Category 3: Analysis of the Use of Language
- 5 points: Student provides a detailed and insightful analysis of Shakespeare’s use of language in the chosen scene. The analysis focuses on the use of imagery, metaphor, and symbolism, and the student makes clear connections between the language and the meaning of the scene.
- 4 points: Student provides a somewhat detailed and insightful analysis of Shakespeare’s use of language in the chosen scene. The analysis focuses on the use of imagery, metaphor, and symbolism, but the student does not make clear connections between the language and the meaning of the scene.
- 3 points: Student provides a basic analysis of Shakespeare’s use of language in the chosen scene. The analysis focuses on the use of imagery, metaphor, and symbolism, but the student does not make any connections between the language and the meaning of the scene.
- 2 points: Student does not provide a clear analysis of Shakespeare’s use of language in the chosen scene. The analysis is superficial and does not focus on the use of imagery, metaphor, and symbolism.
- 1 point: Student does not complete the activity.
Assessment 4: Paper or Presentation
- Category 4: Evaluation of the Play’s Impact on Popular Culture
- 5 points: Student provides a comprehensive and well-argued evaluation of the play’s impact on popular culture. The student discusses how the play has been adapted into movies, TV shows, and other works of art, and they also discuss the play’s continuing relevance today.
- 4 points: Student provides a somewhat comprehensive and well-argued evaluation of the play’s impact on popular culture. The student discusses how the play has been adapted into movies, TV shows, and other works of art, but they do not discuss the play’s continuing relevance today.
- 3 points: Student provides a basic evaluation of the play’s impact on popular culture. The student discusses how the play has been adapted into movies, TV shows, and other works of art, but the discussion is superficial and does not make any connections to the play’s continuing relevance today.
- 2 points: Student does not provide a clear evaluation of the play’s impact on popular culture. The discussion is superficial and does not focus on how the play has been adapted into other works of art.
- 1 point: Student does not complete the activity.
This is just a sample rubric, and the specific criteria that you use may vary depending on the specific learning objectives and activities that you choose. However, this rubric should give you a good starting point for creating your own rubric.
I hope this helps!”
This is not quite what we were looking for. Bard seems to think that we wanted each learning objective to be a category of the rubric. However, this may be because our prompt was incorrectly formatted (note the grammatical error in the first sentence of the prompt). This may be solved by further asking Bard to re-evaluate the activities and create a rubric for each. Regardless, this is a solid start on a lesson for Romeo and Juliet.
Give the AI “Time/Space to Think”
According to Anthropic, “By prompting it [the AI] to write down relevant background information first (the quotes in this case), we can increase its chance of predicting a relevant answer after” (2023). As the quote alludes to, Anthropic’s example uses a document, asks Claude to go through it, pull out some quotes, and then answer a question. For the demo of this, we converted Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare from Project Gutenberg. We specifically focused on Act 1, scene 1. Note: We used from “Enter Francisco and Barnardo, two sentinels.”
Following Anthropic’s example, we prompted each of the AI with the following:
What is this document about? (we had to modify this a bit for Bard and ChatGPT, as, at the time, they do/did not natively accept PDF’s: <text>pasted in text from Act 1, Scene 1</text>)
When you reply, find exact quotes from the provided text relevant to the query and write them down inside of <thinking></thinking> XML tags. This is a space for you to write down relevant content. After you are done getting the necessary quotes, put the answer inside <answer></answer> XML tags.
Each, of course, got the answer correct, going so far as to state that this is Act 1, Scene 1 from Hamlet. From here, we can ask the AI about specific characters, themes of the provided text, and more. It should also be noted that Bard, with access to the web, also used outside sources and linked to them.
Prompts are Iterative
Our first prompt is unlikely to get the desired result (in fact, most of the previous prompts were the result of at least some trial and error to get decent examples). With that in mind, we need to be able to modify our prompts as needed. Let’s change pace a bit and ask the AI to create an itinerary for a first time visitor to Buffalo, New York (where Canisius University is located). Here is our prompt:
Create an itinerary for a first time visitor to Buffalo, New York.
Each of the AI’s assumed that we were only going for about three days. Here is Claude’s response (which we modified only slightly for clarity):
- “Here is a suggested 3-day itinerary for a first-time visitor to Buffalo, New York:
- Day 1:
- Morning:
- Start your day at the Buffalo Zoo (300 Parkside Ave). See the exhibits and visit the sea lions.
- Afternoon:
- Grab lunch and a beer at Resurgence Brewing Company (1250 Niagara St). Try one of their signature craft beers.
- Visit Canalside (44 Prime St) along Lake Erie and take in the views. Go on a boat tour or rent a kayak.
- Check out the Buffalo History Museum (1 Museum Ct) to learn about the city’s past.
- Evening:
- Have dinner at Anchor Bar (1047 Main St), the birthplace of Buffalo wings! Order wings with blue cheese dressing.
- Catch a show or concert at Shea’s Performing Arts Center (646 Main St).
- Morning:
- Day 2:
- Morning:
- Have breakfast at Betty’s Restaurant (370 Virginia St) a popular local spot.
- Tour the Frank Lloyd Wright houses like Darwin D. Martin House (125 Jewett Pkwy).
- Afternoon:
- Grab lunch at West Side Bazaar (25 Grant St), a international food court with vendors.
- Shop along Elmwood Avenue and stop into local stores.
- Relax in Delaware Park (199 Lincoln Pkwy) and visit the Albright Knox Art Gallery (1285 Elmwood Ave).
- Evening:
- Experience the nightlife on Chippewa Street. Have dinner at a restaurant and check out the bars and clubs.
- Morning:
- Day 3:
- Start your day browsing the farmer’s market at the Broadway Market (999 Broadway).
- Tour the Buffalo Naval Park (1 Naval Park Cove) and tour 3 WWII era vessels.
- Have a classic beef on weck sandwich for lunch.
- On your way out of town, stop at Niagara Falls State Park (332 Prospect St, Niagara Falls) and view the falls.
- Day 1:
- Let me know if you would like me to modify or adjust this itinerary in any way! I’m happy to provide more recommendations for Buffalo.”
As a native to Buffalo, this is a pretty decent plan for someone who is interested in checking out Buffalo (though, they mention Niagara Falls which, while close to Buffalo, is not in Buffalo).
However, let’s assume that we are visiting Buffalo for a business meeting and are only available to explore Buffalo in the late afternoon to early evening. Plus, we will need restaurant recommendations. Here is our modified prompt:
Create an itinerary for a first-time visitor to Buffalo, New York. The visitor will only be coming for the day and is only available from late afternoon to early evening. Include restaurant recommendations and descriptions.
And Claude’s response (modified for clarity):
“Here is a suggested evening itinerary for a first-time visitor to Buffalo who is coming for just one day:
- 4pm – Arrive in Buffalo and head downtown. Take a walk along Canalside (44 Prime St) and enjoy the views of Lake Erie and the historic Erie Canal. Browse the shops and grab a snack.
- 5:30pm – Stop into Resurgence Brewing Company (1250 Niagara St) for a pre-dinner craft beer tasting. Try their unique flavors like the jalapeño cream ale or blueberry wheat beer.
- 7pm – Have dinner at Toutant (437 Ellicott St), a cajun-creole restaurant in a trendy downtown area. Be sure to try their fried chicken, po’boys, and gumbo for a taste of New Orleans.
- 8:30pm – Walk over to Fables Cafe (1322 Niagara St) for dessert, coffee and live music. They have a cozy, quaint atmosphere and decadent treats like tiramisu. You may be able to catch a local singer-songwriter performing.
- 10pm – End the night with a drink on the rooftop bar at the Curtiss Hotel (210 Franklin St). Take in views of the Buffalo skyline and enjoy the trendy, artistic vibe.
This gives you a perfect taste of Buffalo’s culinary and arts scene, beautiful waterfront, and charming neighborhoods, all in just one evening! Let me know if you need any other suggestions or help planning your quick trip to Buffalo.”
Again, not exactly what we are looking for, since the focus seems to be almost entirely on going to different restaurants rather than various places to check out in Buffalo. Though perhaps that is what Claude thought we wanted, since we did mention that we wanted restaurant recommendations (plural). We can refine our prompt a bit by saying, instead, include a dinner recommendation. We can then include any dietary restrictions or allergies that we have. This may change the itinerary to include other sites and places in Buffalo to check out.
Use Examples/Starters/Show-and-Tell
According to Shieh (2023), the “Show-and-Tell” method allows “…the model to respond better when shown specific formats.” Basically, if we show the AI our desired output, it is more likely to provide that as the output. Here is our prompt:
List out the top ten laptops for a teacher. Follow this format when presenting the information:
Laptop name:
Cost:
Where to by:<company_name01><website>,<company_name02><website>,…
Description:
Year:
Pros:<Pro1>,<Pro2>,<Pro3>,…
Cons:<Con1>,<Con2>,<Con3>,…
Here is ChatGPT 3.5’s response (remember, the data that 3.5 has is only up to 2021. ChatGPT even reminds us of this later in it’s response):
“Certainly, here’s a list of top laptops for teachers presented in the format you requested:
1. **Laptop name:** Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)
**Cost:** Starting at $999
**Where to buy:** [Apple Store](https://www.apple.com/)
**Description:** The MacBook Air features the powerful M1 chip, a sleek design, and a high-resolution Retina display.
**Year:** 2020
**Pros:** Long battery life, lightweight, efficient M1 chip
**Cons:** Limited port variety, relatively expensive
2. **Laptop name:** Dell XPS 13
**Cost:** Starting at $999
**Where to buy:** [Dell](https://www.dell.com/)
**Description:** The Dell XPS 13 offers a borderless display, compact design, and strong performance.
**Year:** Varies by model
**Pros:** Premium build, impressive display, powerful performance
**Cons:** Higher price point, awkward webcam placement
3. **Laptop name:** Microsoft Surface Laptop 4
**Cost:** Starting at $999
**Where to buy:** [Microsoft Store](https://www.microsoft.com/)
**Description:** The Surface Laptop 4 combines performance and portability with a high-resolution touch display.
**Year:** 2021
**Pros:** Premium design, excellent display, comfortable keyboard
**Cons:** Limited ports, higher configurations can be expensive
4. **Laptop name:** HP Spectre x360
**Cost:** Starting at $1,149
**Where to buy:** [HP Store](https://www.hp.com/)
**Description:** The HP Spectre x360 is a versatile 2-in-1 laptop with a flexible hinge.
**Year:** Varies by model
**Pros:** Premium build, versatile design, strong performance
**Cons:** Average battery life, relatively high starting price
5. **Laptop name:** Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
**Cost:** Starting at $1,349
**Where to buy:** [Lenovo Store](https://www.lenovo.com/)
**Description:** The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is known for its keyboard, durable build, and security features.
**Year:** Varies by model
**Pros:** Excellent keyboard, durable construction, solid performance
**Cons:** Higher price point, design might not appeal to all
6. **Laptop name:** Asus ZenBook 14
**Cost:** Starting at $799
**Where to buy:** [Asus Store](https://www.asus.com/)
**Description:** The Asus ZenBook 14 offers a balance of affordability and performance.
**Year:** Varies by model
**Pros:** Slim and lightweight, affordable, good performance
**Cons:** Display could be brighter, build quality not top-tier
7. **Laptop name:** Acer Swift 3
**Cost:** Starting at $699
**Where to buy:** [Acer Store](https://store.acer.com/)
**Description:** The Acer Swift 3 is a budget-friendly option with decent performance.
**Year:** Varies by model
**Pros:** Affordable, decent performance, portable
**Cons:** Build quality isn’t premium, average battery life
8. **Laptop name:** LG Gram 14
**Cost:** Starting at $999
**Where to buy:** [LG Store](https://www.lg.com/)
**Description:** The LG Gram 14 is incredibly lightweight with good battery life.
**Year:** Varies by model
**Pros:** Extremely lightweight, good battery life, relatively large display
**Cons:** Build quality can feel less sturdy, simple design
9. **Laptop name:** Lenovo Yoga C740
**Cost:** Starting at $799
**Where to buy:** [Lenovo Store](https://www.lenovo.com/)
**Description:** The Yoga C740 is a versatile 2-in-1 laptop suitable for work and entertainment.
**Year:** Varies by model
**Pros:** Flexible 2-in-1 design, good performance, touch display
**Cons:** Display could be brighter, build quality not top-tier
10. **Laptop name:** Google Pixelbook Go
**Cost:** Starting at $649
**Where to buy:** [Google Store](https://store.google.com/)
**Description:** The Pixelbook Go is a lightweight Chromebook offering simplicity and security.
**Year:** 2019
**Pros:** Lightweight, good battery life, Chrome OS security
**Cons:** Limited software compared to traditional laptops, not ideal for resource-intensive tasks
Please keep in mind that the information provided is based on data available up until September 2021. It’s recommended to check the latest reviews and specifications before making a purchase.”
Overall, a pretty decent lineup of recommendations. However, as ChatGPT itself notes, these are slightly older laptops. Here are Claude’s recommendations (modified for clarity):
“Here are the top 10 laptop recommendations for teachers with the requested format:
- Laptop name: Dell XPS 13
- Cost: $799
- Where to buy: Dell, dell.com, BestBuy, bestbuy.com
- Description: Ultraportable 13-inch laptop with great battery life
- Year: 2022
- Pros: Lightweight, excellent battery life, nice keyboard, bright display
- Cons: Expensive, lacks USB-A ports
- Laptop name: Microsoft Surface Laptop 4
- Cost: $999
- Where to buy: Microsoft, microsoft.com, BestBuy, bestbuy.com
- Description: Well-built thin and light Windows laptop
- Year: 2021
- Pros: Bright touchscreen display, excellent keyboard, good battery life
- Cons: Expensive, limited ports
- Laptop name: Acer Chromebook Spin 713
- Cost: $629
- Where to buy: Acer, acer.com, BestBuy, bestbuy.com
- Description: Versatile Chromebook with 2-in-1 design
- Year: 2021
- Pros: Sturdy build quality, good battery life, nice 2K display
- Cons: Average speakers, smaller storage space
- Laptop name: HP Envy x360
- Cost: $849
- Where to buy: HP, hp.com, BestBuy, bestbuy.com
- Description: Affordable convertible laptop
- Year: 2022
- Pros: Solid performance, good battery life, plenty of configuration options
- Cons: Heavy, fans can get noisy
- Laptop name: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
- Cost: $1,953
- Where to buy: Lenovo, lenovo.com
- Description: Lightweight business laptop with great keyboard
- Year: 2022
- Pros: Sturdy and slim design, best-in-class keyboard, long battery life
- Cons: Expensive, dim display
- Laptop name: Asus Zenbook 13
- Cost: $849
- Where to buy: Asus, asus.com, BestBuy, bestbuy.com
- Description: Stylish and slim 13-inch laptop
- Year: 2022
- Pros: Gorgeous design, vibrant OLED display option, good performance
- Cons: No Thunderbolt ports, awkward touchpad
- Laptop name: Apple MacBook Air M1
- Cost: $999
- Where to buy: Apple, apple.com, BestBuy, bestbuy.com
- Description: Thin and lightweight MacBook with excellent battery life
- Year: 2020
- Pros: Silent operation, instant wake, best-in-class battery life
- Cons: Limited to just two Thunderbolt ports, lacks touchscreen
- Laptop name: LG Gram 17
- Cost: $1,597
- Where to buy: LG, lg.com, BestBuy, bestbuy.com
- Description: Large screen productivity laptop that is surprisingly lightweight
- Year: 2022
- Pros: Giant 17-inch screen, super lightweight, long battery life
- Cons: Expensive, lacks discrete graphics
- Laptop name: Samsung Galaxy Book Pro
- Cost: $1,099
- Where to buy: Samsung, samsung.com, BestBuy, bestbuy.com
- Description: Thin and lightweight laptop with OLED display
- Year: 2021
- Pros: Stunning AMOLED display, ultra-slim design, good battery life
- Cons: No Thunderbolt ports, expensive
- Laptop name: Microsoft Surface Pro 7
- Cost: $749
- Where to buy: Microsoft, microsoft.com, BestBuy, bestbuy.com
- Description: Versatile Surface Pro tablet with kickstand and Type Cover
- Year: 2019
- Pros: Premium design and build, vivid display, excellent stylus
- Cons: Short battery life, Type Cover sold separately”
A much more current list of laptops is presented to us. Again, good recommendations overall. Additionally, note that ChatGPT actually linked to the website (which is why there is a slightly wonky [name](link) convention going on) whereas Claude only provided the website.
We can also modify the response by instead telling the AI to put the information into a table.
Use Several Sets of Data
Use a few sets of data when testing with the AI. There should be at least one test set that we train the AI on before we use AI to look at our “real” data. If we know the categories of data, we can even have the AI create the test data for us. This will allow us to better see any misconceptions or issues the AI may have, either with the instruction or with the data itself, before testing it on the larger data set. This also uses the “show and tell” method described earlier. The dataset we will be using is Metal Bands by Nation on Kaggle, but we will create our fake data first. Here is the prompt we used:
Can you create for me a table about 10 fake Metal bands that includes:
<band name>,<country of origin>,<formation date>,<date parted>,<styles>
Styles can include one to three of the following:
Heavy, Thrash, Power, Viking, Pirate, Doom, Gothic, Symphonic, Folk, Teutonic, Black, Celtic, Industrial
Each of the AI’s did a great job with coming up with fake bands. Bard and Claude pre-empted us and put the bands into a table for us, before we even asked. Bard even went so far as to create a Google Spreadsheet for us. After we have our test data, we can start a new session and start telling the AI what we want to do, such as sort by formation date, or band name, remove bands that were formed before a specific date, remove duplicates, and more. This will help us figure out what the AI will do when we ask it to make changes to our actual data without accidentally messing up the actual data. Once we have it working well with our test data, we can then start a new instance and follow the same (or similar) steps for our actual data.
Number the Instructions
Particularly for sequential tasks, it may be a good idea to not only list the tasks in order but also number them (Del Vecchio, 2023). This gives the AI less room to re-interpret the steps and move them around or potentially skip steps altogether. Additionally, this saves us time as we do not have to chain the prompts one at a time. Instead, we can put everything into one prompt and watch the the AI’s work. In the following example, we asked the AI’s to pull some information from the article The Ethics of AI Ethics: An Evaluation of Guidelines by Thilo Hagendorff and then do something with the information:
Read the attached article. Then, follow the steps below:
- Pull the article’s information, including the author’s name(s), article’s title, publishing data, and journal the article was published in. If there is a link, include that as well.
- Using the information from step 1, create a bibliographic citation in APA formatting.
- Pull important quotes and facts. Include the paragraph that they come from.
- Using the quotes and facts from step 3, create a summary of the article.
- Using the previous steps, create an annotated bibliography in APA formatting.
Only Claude was able to accomplish this. Unfortunately, copying and pasting the text into ChatGPT 3.5 made the prompt too long. Interestingly, Bard started to do the above but then stopped, erased it’s response, and said that it could not help. In one of it’s responses, Bard responded “I’m not programmed to assist with that”.
Here is Claude’s Response:
Here is the requested information for the article:
- Author name(s): Thilo Hagendorff
Article title: The Ethics of AI Ethics: An Evaluation of Guidelines
Publishing data: Published online: 1 February 2020
Journal: Minds and Machines (2020) 30:99–120
Link: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11023-020-09517-8
- APA citation:
Hagendorff, T. (2020). The ethics of AI ethics: An evaluation of guidelines. Minds and Machines, 30(1), 99-120. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11023-020-09517-8
- Important quotes and facts:
“Current advances in research, development and application of artificial intelligence (AI) systems have yielded a far-reaching discourse on AI ethics.” (Paragraph 1)
“In consequence, a number of ethics guidelines have been released in recent years.” (Paragraph 1)
“This paper analyzes and compares 22 guidelines, highlighting overlaps but also omissions.” (Paragraph 1)
“As a result, I give a detailed overview of the field of AI ethics.” (Paragraph 1)
“Finally, yet importantly, I also examine to what extent the respective ethical principles and values are implemented in the practice of research, development and application of AI systems—and how the effectiveness in the demands of AI ethics can be improved.” (Paragraph 1)
- Summary:
This paper provides an analysis and comparison of 22 major AI ethics guidelines that have been released in recent years. It highlights the overlaps between the different guidelines on key ethical issues like privacy, accountability, and fairness, but also points out significant omissions on topics like political abuse of AI systems. The paper gives a detailed overview of the current landscape and main priorities in the field of AI ethics based on the guidelines. Importantly, it also critically examines whether and to what extent the ethical principles and values put forth in these guidelines are actually being implemented in the real-world practice of AI research, development, and application. The paper argues that there is often a wide gap between the ideal ethical objectives stated and the actual business and research realities surrounding AI. It concludes by providing ideas for how to make AI ethics guidelines more effective through technical instructions and virtue ethics approaches.
- Annotated bibliography:
Hagendorff, T. (2020). The ethics of AI ethics: An evaluation of guidelines. Minds and Machines, 30(1), 99-120. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11023-020-09517-8
This paper analyzes and compares 22 major AI ethics guidelines, highlighting overlaps and omissions between them to give a detailed overview of the current landscape of AI ethics priorities. Importantly, it also critically examines the implementation of ethical principles in real-world AI practice, often finding a gap between ideals and actual research/business realities. The author argues for improving guideline effectiveness through increased technical instructions and virtue ethics approaches. This source provides a useful semi-systematic review of prominent ethics guidelines and their effectiveness. Key topics covered include privacy, accountability, fairness, omitted issues like political abuse of AI, and ideas for practical improvements to guidelines.
Claude did a brilliant job over all, though it only focused on the Abstract to create the summary for the annotated bibliography. We may help this a bit by modifying step 3, “Pull important quotes and facts from throughout the article. Include the paragraph where the quote comes from.” If we wanted to include some of the quotes that Claude found, we might rewrite either step 4 or 5 (or both!) to include the quotes it identified as important.
Spelling and Grammar
While the AI’s are pretty “smart” and can discern what you need, proper spelling and grammar help out a lot. Imagine reading an email that has misspellings, punctuations in odd places, etc. It would take you a little bit to discern what the email is trying to say. With AI, this is even more important. Again, AI’s currently do not know anything. If you misspell a word, it could have a drastic affect on the AI’s response to your prompt. Let’s see this in action. We took one of our first prompts:
Create a lesson plan about Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. This will be for a college-level English course. This lesson plan should include what to do during four one-hour and fifteen minute class sessions. The Class session breakdowns should include in-class activities and timings. Each session should follow the ADDIE model: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. The assessment should be a 1,250 word writing assignment. Include a five point rubric using the following as categories: Grammar, Spelling, Voice. The rubric should be in a table.
and modified it, ensuring that there are grammatical issues and misspellings. Here is our new prompt:
Create a lesson plan about Shakespeares Rome and Juliet. This will be for a collegelevel English course. This lesson plan should include what to do during for one-hour fifteen minute class sessions. The Class session breakdowns should include in-class activities and timings. Each session should follow the ADDIE model: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. The assessment should be a 1,250 word writing assignment include a give point rubric using the following as categories: Grammar, Spelling, Voice. The rubric should be in a table.
Notice specifically that Romeo is not spelled correctly, nor is “five” for the five point rubric. Additionally, there are a number of grammatical issues. Let’s see how the AI’s faired.
Bard’s Response:
Lesson Plan: Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
Course: College-Level English
Grade Level: 11-12
Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Learning Objectives:
- Students will be able to analyze and interpret Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
- Students will be able to identify and discuss the major themes of the play, including love, violence, and fate.
- Students will be able to write a critical essay on the play, demonstrating their understanding of the text and its thematic significance.
Materials:
- Copies of Romeo and Juliet
- Whiteboard or projector
Class Session Breakdowns:
Session 1
Analysis:
- Begin by asking students if they have any familiarity with Romeo and Juliet. What do they know about the story? What have they heard about Shakespeare’s language?
- Next, read the prologue of the play aloud to the class. Discuss the following questions:
- What is the setting of the play?
- What is the conflict between the Montagues and Capulets?
- What does the prologue foreshadow?
Design:
- Explain to students that they will be writing a critical essay on Romeo and Juliet at the end of the unit. The essay should focus on one of the major themes of the play, such as love, violence, or fate.
- Ask students to start thinking about which theme they would like to write about and what specific examples from the play they would like to use to support their argument.
Development:
- Divide students into small groups and have them choose one of the following activities:
- Create a timeline of the events of the play.
- Draw a diagram of the relationships between the characters.
- Write a short scene from the play in their own words.
- Identify and analyze a key quote from the play.
Implementation:
- Have students work on their chosen activity for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, have each group present their work to the class.
Evaluation:
- Observe students’ participation in the group activity and their ability to analyze and interpret the play.
- Collect students’ work and provide feedback on their understanding of the text.
Session 2
Analysis:
- Review the major themes of Romeo and Juliet with the class.
- Ask students to share their ideas for their critical essays.
- Discuss the following questions:
- What is the thesis statement of your essay?
- What evidence from the play will you use to support your argument?
- How will you structure your essay?
Design:
- Provide students with a handout on how to write a critical essay.
- Review the following elements of critical essay writing:
- Thesis statement
- Supporting evidence
- Organization
- Style and tone
Development:
- Give students time to work on their essays in class.
- Offer individual assistance to students who need it.
Implementation:
- Circulate around the room and observe students’ progress.
- Answer any questions that students may have.
Evaluation:
- Collect students’ essays at the end of class.
- Review the essays and provide feedback on students’ writing skills and their understanding of the play.
Session 3
Analysis:
- Review the rubric for the critical essay with the class.
- Ask students to identify any areas where they need improvement.
Design:
- Provide students with additional resources on writing critical essays.
- Schedule time for individual conferences with students to discuss their essays.
Development:
- Give students time to work on their essays in class or outside of class.
- Offer individual assistance to students who need it.
Implementation:
- Circulate around the room and observe students’ progress.
- Answer any questions that students may have.
Evaluation:
- Collect students’ final essays at the end of the unit.
- Grade the essays using the rubric.
- Provide students with feedback on their writing skills and their understanding of the play.
Assessment:
1,250-Word Critical Essay
Rubric:
| Category | Points | Possible Points |
|---|---|---|
| Grammar | 5 | 5 |
| Spelling | 5 | 5 |
| Voice | 5 | 5 |
| Thesis statement | 10 | 10 |
| Supporting evidence | 20 | 20 |
| Organization | 15 | 15 |
| Style and tone | 10 | 10 |
|
ChatGPT:
Lesson Plan: Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”
Session 1: Analysis
Objective: To introduce students to the historical and literary context of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.”
Activities:
- Introduction (15 minutes):
- Briefly discuss the historical and social context of Shakespeare’s time.
- Introduce the playwright and provide an overview of his works.
- Literary Analysis (30 minutes):
- Analyze the key themes and motifs in “Romeo and Juliet.”
- Discuss the elements of tragedy and how they apply to the play.
- Discussion (15 minutes):
- Facilitate a class discussion on initial impressions and expectations for the play.
Session 2: Design
Objective: To explore the characters and plot of “Romeo and Juliet.”
Activities:
- Character Analysis (30 minutes):
- Assign characters to students and have them analyze their assigned character’s traits, motivations, and relationships.
- Conduct a group discussion to share findings.
- Plot Overview (30 minutes):
- Provide an overview of the play’s plot, emphasizing key events and turning points.
- Discuss the role of fate and foreshadowing in the play.
- Group Activity (15 minutes):
- Divide the class into groups and have each group create a visual representation (diagram, chart, etc.) of the main characters and their relationships.
Session 3: Development
Objective: To delve into the language and poetic elements of “Romeo and Juliet.”
Activities:
- Language Analysis (30 minutes):
- Explore the use of iambic pentameter, metaphors, and other poetic devices in the play.
- Analyze famous quotes and passages.
- Close Reading (30 minutes):
- Conduct a close reading of a selected scene, focusing on the nuances of language and characterization.
- Discuss the significance of language in conveying emotions and themes.
- Writing Exercise (15 minutes):
- Assign a short writing exercise where students reflect on the impact of language in a specific scene.
Session 4: Implementation
Objective: To engage students in a critical discussion of key scenes and themes.
Activities:
- Scene Analysis (45 minutes):
- Break the class into small groups and assign each group a specific scene from the play.
- Groups analyze and discuss the scene, paying attention to character dynamics, language, and themes.
- Whole Class Discussion (30 minutes):
- Each group presents their findings, leading to a comprehensive discussion of the play’s development.
Session 5: Evaluation
Objective: To assess students’ understanding of “Romeo and Juliet” through a written assignment.
Assessment:
- Writing Assignment (60 minutes):
- Instruct students to write a 1,250-word essay analyzing a theme or character in “Romeo and Juliet.”
- Emphasize the use of evidence from the play to support their arguments.
Rubric:
| Categories | Excellent (4 points) | Proficient (3 points) | Adequate (2 points) | Needs Improvement (1 point) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grammar | Exceptional command of grammar with no errors. | Strong command of grammar with minor errors. | Adequate command of grammar with noticeable errors. | Poor command of grammar with frequent errors. |
| Spelling | No spelling errors. | Minor spelling errors that do not impede understanding. | Some spelling errors that may hinder understanding. | Numerous spelling errors that significantly impact readability. |
| Voice | Strong, engaging, and consistent voice throughout the essay. | Clear and generally consistent voice. | Adequate voice, but may lack consistency. | Weak or inconsistent voice that detracts from the essay. |
Feedback: Provide constructive feedback on each category to guide improvement.
Follow-Up:
- Schedule individual conferences to discuss the assignment and address any questions or concerns.
- Use student feedback to inform future lessons and adjustments to the course.
And Claude’s:
Here is a 3 session lesson plan on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet for a college-level English course following the ADDIE model:
Session 1 – Analysis (15 mins)
- Analyze the key themes and characters in Romeo and Juliet through a class discussion. Have students share their existing knowledge of the play.
Design (30 mins)
- Design the overall objectives of the unit:
- Analyze the development of Romeo and Juliet’s relationship
- Examine how family rivalry affects the characters
- Discuss the use of foreshadowing and fate in the play
Development (15 mins)
- Develop a 1,250 word essay assignment with rubric (see below)
Session 2 – Implementation (60 mins)
- Implement close reading strategies to analyze Act 1 Scene 5 (the first meeting of Romeo and Juliet)
- Have students work in small groups to annotate the text and find examples of foreshadowing and early signs of their forbidden love.
Evaluation (15 mins)
- Evaluate student comprehension through a short quiz on Act 1
Session 3 – Implementation (60 mins)
- Continue close reading analysis through Act 2 of Romeo and Juliet
- Focus on how the characters try to conceal their relationship from their families
Evaluation (15 mins)
- Self and peer evaluation of essay drafts using the rubric
Essay Rubric (1,250 words)
Category Excellent 4 pts Good 3 pts Fair 2 pts Poor 1 pt
Grammar No major errors A few minor errors Some errors Many errors
Spelling No errors 1-2 minor errors Several errors Many errors
Voice Writing is compelling and flows well Mostly clear writing Writing could be more engaging Writing is unclear and disjointed
Of interest is that, this time around, Bard did create a table for us, though it’s only the start of a rubric. Strangely, Claude did not give us a table, but it did provide a good rubric. Bard also saw that we wanted this for a college level English course, but still targeted grades 11-12. Out of the three, it seems only ChatGPT was able to provide us with something close to when we used the little to no spelling/grammar errors prompt.
Works Cited
- Definition of engineering. (2023, September 23). https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/engineering
- Definition of prompt. (2023, September 14). https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prompt
- Dr. Del Vecchio, J. (2023, September 28). Generative AI’s Impact Across Disciplines. https://discord.com/channels/1105854990054072425/1105865876814696518
- Hagendorff, T. (2020). The ethics of ai ethics: An evaluation of guidelines. Minds and Machines, 30(1), 99–120. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11023-020-09517-8
- Introduction to prompt design. (n.d.). Claude. Retrieved September 27, 2023, from https://docs.anthropic.com/claude/docs/introduction-to-prompt-design
- mrbullwinkle & eric-urban. (2023, July 18). Azure openai service—Azure openai. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/ai-services/openai/concepts/prompt-engineering
- OpenAI platform. (n.d.). Retrieved September 27, 2023, from https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/gpt-best-practices
- Shieh, J. (n.d.). Best practices for prompt engineering with OpenAI API| OpenAI help center. Retrieved September 27, 2023, from https://help.openai.com/en/articles/6654000-best-practices-for-prompt-engineering-with-openai-api
- suhridpalsule & eric-urban. (2023, July 18). Prompt engineering techniques with Azure OpenAI—Azure OpenAI service. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/ai-services/openai/concepts/advanced-prompt-engineering