From Theory to Practice: Design Your First Lesson with ChatGPT-5

Reading time: approx 8 min

Congratulations! You have now reached the final lesson in the course "Master ChatGPT-5". You have gone from understanding the basic updates to being able to handle advanced content production, ethical dilemmas, and integration in your workflow. Now it is time to transform all this knowledge into concrete action.

The goal of this final lesson is for you, with the help of a clear template, to design a complete and well-thought-out AI-supported lesson activity that you can use in your own teaching.

Summary: Your new toolbox

Before we begin, let us quickly review the powerful tools and insights you have collected during the course:

• Basic understanding: You know that GPT-5 has thinking built in, the model is designed to think deeper when the task requires it (Lesson 1 & 2).
• Effective prompting: You master the CRAV method for writing clear and detailed instructions that give the results you want (Lesson 3).
• Special tools: You can use built-in features like Study Mode for Socratic guidance and Personalities for perspective exercises (Lesson 4).
• Advanced production: You can generate everything from complete lesson plans to differentiated materials and working code examples (Lesson 5).
• Ethical compass: You have strategies for handling source criticism and cheating, as well as a template for classroom rules (Lesson 6).
• Time-saving: You understand how Connectors can link AI to other apps (Connectors depend on plan and region, in 'Deep Research' Gmail and Google Calendar are supported for Team/Enterprise/Edu. Plus/Pro is rolled out selectively and EEA/UK/CH are excluded currently) (Lesson 7).

Now we put it all together.

Workshop: Design your AI-supported lesson activity

Use the following five steps as a template to build your own lesson activity.

Step 1: Define the pedagogical goal

All good teaching begins with "why".

• What should the students learn? What ability or knowledge requirement are you addressing?
• Why should AI be used in this particular lesson? Is the purpose to save time for you? Increase engagement? Offer new perspectives? Individualize learning? Be specific.

Step 2: Choose the right AI function for the job

Based on your "why", choose the most appropriate function in ChatGPT-5.

• Content generation? Use the standard chat with a strong CRAV prompt.
• Problem solving and guidance? Use Study Mode. (Tip: Turned on via Tools → Study and learn.)
• Perspective-taking or argumentation? Use Personalities. (Tip: Selected under Customize ChatGPT → Personality.)
• Retrieve external information? Use Connectors (if available for your plan/region, Gmail/Calendar in 'Deep Research' mainly for Team/Enterprise/Edu).

Step 3: Write your CRAV prompt

Regardless of which function you choose, a good prompt is crucial. Fill in this template:

• Context: For which grade, subject, and student group is this? What prior knowledge do they have?
• Role: What expert role should the AI take? (E.g. "experienced historian", "creative English teacher", "encouraging math tutor").
• Action: What exactly is the task? Use strong verbs like create, compare, analyze, act as.
• Values: What frames and format requirements do you have? (E.g. "max 200 words", "answer in bullet points", "use simple language", "avoid giving direct answers").

Step 4: Plan for ethics and implementation

How do you take this from your screen to the classroom in a responsible way?

• Introduction: How do you explain the task and the AI's role to the students?
• Rules: Which rules from your "AI traffic light" (from Lesson 6) apply?
• Source criticism: How do you ensure that students examine the AI's answers? Should they triangulate the information?
• Assessment: What is it you will assess? The student's prompt? Their analysis of the AI's answer? The final product?
• Data protection: Do not share personal information (PII) about students in open accounts. Use the school's sanctioned tools like ChatGPT Edu first or anonymize all material carefully.

Step 5: Test and iterate

Run your prompt in ChatGPT. Evaluate the result. Did it turn out as you intended? If not, go back to Step 3 and refine your instruction. Maybe you need to be more specific in your values or give the AI a clearer context.

The course is over, your journey has just begun

Congratulations again! You now have a solid foundation to stand on. AI development is moving at a breakneck pace, but the principles you have learned here, to give clear instructions, to think critically, and to always put pedagogy first, will be timeless.

Continue to experiment, share your successes and challenges with colleagues, and remember: AI is an incredibly powerful tool, but your pedagogical judgment and your relationship with the students is and remains the most important thing.

Good luck!