Washoe County School District

Welcome to the WCSD AI Hub for Teachers

AI you can actually use, made simple and safe for the classroom. District-approved tools, clear guardrails, and ready-to-use prompts that save you real time. No tech skills required.

Our Three Core Guardrails

To guide safe and effective AI use, WCSD follows three core guardrails.

Always Protect Student and Staff Confidentiality

Staff are prohibited from entering personally identifiable information into public AI tools, to safeguard privacy and remain compliant with FERPA.

See safe and ethical use →

Use AI Purposefully and Transparently

AI use should align with the district's mission and professional standards. Staff and students acknowledge when AI contributes to their work.

Explore the TEACH framework →

Always Keep a Human in the Loop

All AI-generated content must be reviewed, verified, and approved by a human expert. Human judgment and professional standards are always maintained.

See the Human Agency Scale →

District-Approved AI Tools

Open ↗ Open ↗ Open ↗ Open ↗

One simple framework: TEACH

Five commitments, built by WCSD teachers, that keep AI safe and useful. It is how we make sure AI enhances your teaching and never replaces your judgment.
TThoroughly Evaluate EEngage with Curriculum AAdhere to Approved Tools CCommit to Safe & Ethical HHarness the Potential

Explore the TEACH framework →Download TEACH Quick Reference

Write a prompt that works

A prompt is just a sentence: Who, Why, What, And, How. Read them in order.
A strong prompt, color-coded
As a 6th grade science teacher in WCSD, for my mixed-readiness class with limited devices, create student directions and a rubric, aligned to NGSS MS-ESS3-2 across three 60-minute periods on one hazard, so students build a model of how weather and climate create natural hazards.
What each color means
Whothe role
Whythe context
Whatthe task
Andthe parameters
Howthe product

See the full prompt guide

AI ideas for every part of your week

Real classroom examples across instructional planning, instruction, student supports, assessment and reflection, and communication. Pick an area, see how AI helps, then grab a ready prompt.
Start the week with a plan that holds up
  • Turn a standard into student-friendly learning targets
  • Draft a full lesson in minutes, then make it yours
  • Get bell-ringers, agendas, or a sub day ready to go
See planning prompts →
Sharpen the lesson once you are in it
  • Open with engagement that activates prior learning
  • Generate questions that push past recall
  • Pull the academic vocabulary and build quick visual supports
See instruction prompts →
Same standard, more ways in
  • Scaffold one text for every reader in the room
  • Add sentence stems and scaffolds in seconds
  • Support multilingual learners in their language
See student support prompts →
See what they learned, faster
  • Build a rubric students can actually understand
  • Spin up a question bank with an answer key
  • Get real feedback in the minute, during the lesson
See assessment prompts →
Say it clearly, in every home language
  • Turn a rough note into a warm message home
  • Draft a monthly family newsletter in minutes
  • Translate a message into a home language
See communication prompts →

Real questions, straight answers

The things teachers actually ask. More on the TEACH framework page.
No. Teachers have always used resources: curriculum guides, Teachers Pay Teachers, that binder from your mentor teacher. AI is a faster version of the same thing. The professional judgment about what reaches your students is still 100% yours, and that part doesn't change.
Strip it first. Remove names, student numbers, and anything identifying, then use Copilot while signed in with your district account. Never paste student work into free public tools where you're not signed in. When in doubt, describe the work instead of pasting it.
No. This hub exists for when you want the help, not to add one more requirement to your plate. If a colleague is saving three hours a week with it, we want you to know how they're doing it. That's all.
We don't recommend it. Detectors guess, and they miss in both directions: they pass polished AI work and flag honest writing. Stanford researchers found they disproportionately flag multilingual writers. If authorship matters, build it into the process: drafts, quick conferences, and writing that happens where you can see it.
Openly and simply. AI helps teachers with drafts, planning, and translation, and a human reviews everything before it reaches students or families. Student information never goes into AI tools. If a family wants to know more, the TEACH Framework page is written plainly enough to share.

AI Adoption

The TEACH Framework

How WCSD uses AI to enhance, not replace, intentional lesson design and district resources. Five commitments, built by WCSD teachers.

TThoroughly Evaluate EEngage with Curriculum AAdhere to Approved Tools CCommit to Safe & Ethical Use HHarness the Potential
Download our one-page reference documentThe whole framework on a single page, ready for your desk, planning space, or staff meeting.
Download PDF
T

Thoroughly Evaluate

You are the expert. AI is the draft.

  • Review all AI-generated content for accuracy, bias, and appropriateness.
  • Ensure materials align to grade level and student needs.
  • Use professional judgment before using anything with students.
See the do / don't chart → Where AI gets it wrong →
E

Engage with Curriculum

AI serves your standards, not the other way around.

  • Align AI use to standards, curriculum, and pacing guides.
  • Support your learning intentions and success criteria.
  • Prioritize district-adopted instructional resources.
Browse AI ideas → How to write a strong prompt →
A

Adhere to Approved Tools

Four tools, signed in with your district account.

  • Approved tools meet privacy, security, and compliance standards.
  • They protect student data and PII far more completely than public tools.
Microsoft Copilot
Your everyday AI for planning, drafting, and thinking out loud.
GuideOpen Copilot ↗
Diffit
One article, every reading level. The SPED and multilingual workhorse.
GuideOpen Diffit ↗
Khanmigo
Khan Academy's AI tutor and teaching assistant.
Open Khanmigo ↗
MagicSchool
80+ single-purpose teacher tools. Mind the student-info caution.
Open MagicSchool ↗
C

Commit to Safe & Ethical Use

No student PII. Ever. This is the line that doesn't move.

  • Never enter student PII: names, IEPs or 504 details, grades or assessment data, photos, or identifiers.
  • Use anonymized prompts. Describe the student, never name them.
  • Follow FERPA and WCSD policy.
The Human Agency Scale → The do / don't chart →
H

Harness the Potential of AI

Spend the time it gives back on the work only you can do.

  • Differentiate instruction to meet diverse learner needs.
  • Increase engagement, creativity, and accessibility for all students.
  • Support college, career, and future readiness.
Browse AI ideas by category → Free professional learning →

Human Agency Scale for AI Use

To help students and staff understand the appropriate balance between human effort and AI assistance, the district has developed the Human Agency Scale for AI Use. In plain terms, agency means how much of the thinking stays with you. Use this scale to decide when and how much to lean on AI for a task. The do/don't chart below covers what is and is not allowed. The framework outlines four levels of agency:
1
Fully HumanHigh agency
You do the work. AI sits this one out. The right call for anything where the thinking is the point, or where policy says hands off.
2
Human-Led with AI SupportBalanced agency
AI brainstorms, drafts, and organizes. You direct it, shape it, and decide what survives. This is where most teacher work lives, and where most of our prompts are tagged.
3
AI-Led, Human-ReviewedLow agency
AI produces something near-final, like a quiz bank or a draft newsletter, and you inspect every line before it counts. Use with care. Reflection and revision are required, not optional.
4
Fully AINo agency
Not allowed. Work that's all AI and no human violates our integrity policies. If you didn't review it, it doesn't represent you, and it doesn't go out.

The do/don't chart

Green, yellow, red: what Tuesday morning actually looks like, with a clear go, slow, or stop for everyday tasks.
Green · Go
  • Brainstorm lesson ideas, hooks, and activities
  • Level a text or build vocabulary supports
  • Draft rubrics, question banks, and exit tickets
  • Draft newsletters and routine family communication (no names)
  • Build sub plans, agendas, and duty schedules
  • Summarize public articles and research

Standard habits apply: review everything before it reaches students or families.

Yellow · Go carefully
  • Feedback drafts on student work (strip names first)
  • IEP-adjacent drafting for team discussion (never PII, decisions stay with the team)
  • Translating official communication (human speaker verifies when stakes are high)
  • Data summaries (aggregate numbers only, never student-level data)

Yellow means: approved tools only, signed in, human review required, and you own the result.

Red · Never
  • Entering student or staff PII into any AI tool
  • Letting AI grade or make placement, discipline, or eligibility decisions
  • AI-written IEP decisions, goals, or services
  • Using AI to surveil or counsel students
  • Presenting AI work as your own without acknowledgment
  • Using unapproved tools with anything school-related that's sensitive

Red protects the decisions that must stay human, and the data that must stay protected.

Getting the most out of AI

Prompting AI

A prompt is just a sentence. Learn the five parts, see one strong example, then watch a prompt go from good to best.

Writing prompts

A prompt is just a sentence. Tell AI exactly what you need, in order: Who, Why, What, And, How.

The five parts

Whothe role

Your role, subject, and grade.A 6th grade science teacher in WCSD.

Whythe context

The background and purpose that shape the whole task.My students, materials, and tech.

Whatthe task

What you're asking AI to do.Create directions and a rubric.

Andthe parameters

Standards, must-includes, and time limits.NGSS MS-ESS3-2 · 3 periods · one hazard.

Howthe product

What students make or show.A model of weather and climate hazards.

Before you copy: these example prompts are starting points, not scripts. Swap in your grade, your standard, and your students, and never include student names.
See what this looks like in a real prompt
Read the colors in order
Elementary · Differentiation
As a 2nd grade teacher, for a small group reading below grade level, rewrite this passage about animal habitats at three reading levels, each with a five-word vocabulary preview and three comprehension questions, and no student names, so every group can discuss the same topic together.
Middle school · Assessment and instruction
As a 6th grade science teacher in WCSD, for my mixed-readiness class with limited devices, create student directions and a rubric, aligned to NGSS MS-ESS3-2 across three 60-minute periods on one hazard, so students build a model of how weather and climate create natural hazards.
High school · Family communication
As a 9th grade English teacher, for families who speak a range of home languages, draft a warm back-to-school newsletter introducing me and my class, in plain, family-friendly language, around 200 words, with no student names, so every family feels welcome and knows how to reach me.
What each color means
Whothe role
Whythe context
Whatthe task
Andthe parameters
Howthe product
1Good
Make a reading passage about animal habitats.
1 of 5 parts. Just the topic, so the reading level is a guess.
2Better
As a 2nd grade teacher, rewrite a habitats passage at three reading levels.
3 of 5 parts. Adds the grade and the leveling, but not who it is for or why.
3Best
The full Who, Why, What, And, How sentence above.
5 of 5 parts. The group, the three levels, the vocabulary, and the shared discussion.
1Good
Create a lesson on natural hazards.
1 of 5 parts. Just the task, so AI fills the rest with guesses.
2Better
As a 6th grade teacher, create a lesson aligned to NGSS MS-ESS3-2.
3 of 5 parts. Adds the role and the standard. Closer, still generic.
3Best
The full Who, Why, What, And, How sentence above.
5 of 5 parts. Role, context, task, parameters, and product. It lands what you pictured.
1Good
Write a back-to-school newsletter.
1 of 5 parts. No audience, no length, no tone.
2Better
As a 9th grade English teacher, write a 200-word back-to-school newsletter.
3 of 5 parts. Adds the role and the length, but it is still one-size-fits-all.
3Best
The full Who, Why, What, And, How sentence above.
5 of 5 parts. Adds the families, the plain language, and the welcome.

Why we prompt

Prompting well is a teaching move, not a tech trick. A clear prompt the first time saves the back-and-forth, and it keeps you in charge of the thinking. Here is what a strong prompt buys back.

Enhance instruction

Win back the time spent on busywork for the teaching and relationships only you can build.

Differentiate learning

Level a text, translate a note, or build three versions of one task so every learner reaches the same standard.

Scaffold understanding

Break a big task into steps, add sentence frames and supports, and meet students where they are.

The point: a prompt is designed to support an instructional goal, not just to generate content. That's the "E" in TEACH: engage with curriculum.

Habits worth building

Every habit ties straight back to our three core guardrails: protect confidentiality, use AI purposefully and transparently, and keep a human in the loop.

Talk to it like a student teacher

Smart, eager, and brand new to your classroom. It needs your context: grade, students, constraints, and what good looks like. The more it knows, the better it helps.

Never trust a number you didn't check

Math, dates, stats, and citations are where AI is most confidently wrong. If a number is going in front of students, families, or your principal, verify it first.

Strip names before you paste

"A 4th grader reading two years below level" works as well as a name, and it keeps you on the right side of the guardrails every time.

Ask for three options, pick one

One draft invites you to settle. Three drafts make your taste the deciding factor, which is exactly where it belongs.

Re-prompt instead of settling

"Make it more student-centered." "Cut it in half." "Sound less like a robot." The first answer is a starting point, not a verdict. Push back like you would with any draft.

Save your best prompts

When something works, keep it. Paste it into a doc, name it, reuse it. Your good prompt is another teacher's saved hour, so pass it along.

Using AI to Assist

AI Ideas and Use-Cases

Real ways AI can save you time, grouped by the work you actually do. See what it helps with in each area, then grab a ready prompt and make it yours.

Instructional Planning

Build a lesson or unit starting with the standard(s), grounded in our district-adopted curriculum.
Considerations
  • Adhering to the TEACH framework: you evaluate every draft
  • Starting from the exact standard, not a paraphrase
  • Grounding prompts in our district-adopted curriculum
  • Uploading supporting docs (units, pacing guides) to assist
Elementary
As a 2nd grade teacher, for a class new to opinion writing that needs visible goals, break the standard W.2.1 (write an opinion piece with reasons that support the opinion) into three student-friendly learning targets and matching success criteria, in simple language I can post on the board, so that students can name what they are aiming for.
Middle
As a 7th grade math teacher, for a mixed-readiness class starting a new unit, unpack standard 7.RP.A.2 (recognize and represent proportional relationships) into a sequence of four to five learning targets that move from concrete to abstract, aligned to grade-level expectations, so that I can plan a coherent unit progression.
High
As a high school biology teacher, for students who will track their own progress, break standard HS-LS1-7 (cellular respiration) into measurable learning targets with success criteria at three levels of mastery, so that students can self-assess as we move through the unit.
Elementary
As a 3rd grade teacher, here is a lesson from our district-adopted reading curriculum: [paste or upload the lesson]. Keep the standard, sequence, and pacing exactly as written, and enhance it with a stronger opener, one movement break, and one extension task for early finishers, so that the lesson fits my students without losing the program's intent.
Middle
As an 8th grade U.S. history teacher, here is a lesson from our adopted materials: [paste or upload]. Within one 50-minute period, add a short primary-source station and a structured discussion routine while keeping the lesson's objective and assessment unchanged, so that students do more of the analytical thinking.
High
As a high school teacher, here is a unit from our adopted course materials: [paste or upload]. Design a culminating task with a rubric aligned to [your standard], reusing the unit's own texts and problems wherever possible, so that the unit ends in applied work instead of a packet.
Elementary
As a 1st grade teacher, for a class just beginning to write, turn standard W.1.1 (write an opinion piece) into three learning intentions and matching success criteria in simple, postable language, one for each day of a three-day writing sequence, so that students understand each day's goal before we start.
Middle
As a 6th grade science teacher, for a two-week unit on the water cycle aligned to MS-ESS2-4, write learning intentions and success criteria phrased as "I can" statements students can check off, with a suggested day or lesson for each, so that students can monitor their own learning across the unit.
High
As a high school algebra teacher, for a five-day sequence on systems of equations aligned to A-REI.6, write learning intentions and tiered success criteria that describe approaching, meeting, and exceeding, so that students always know what proficient work looks like and when we will get there.
Elementary
As a 2nd grade teacher, for a [half or full] day with a guest teacher who does not know my class, write self-running sub plans with a morning meeting, a read-aloud of [book title] with three discussion questions at DOK levels 1 to 3, and a review of [the math lesson to be reviewed], with an exact time frame for each block, formatted as a template I can refill for future absences, so that the day runs smoothly without me.
Middle
As a 7th grade ELA teacher, for a full day with a substitute, build a sub plan with a bell-ringer, an independent reading task from [text or novel], and a low-prep writing activity with two DOK 2 questions, including timing for each segment and directions a sub can read aloud, so that students keep working productively.
High
As a high school chemistry teacher, for a day when I am out and lab work is not possible, create a meaningful sub plan with a short video task from [resource] and DOK-leveled questions plus a written reflection, aligned to our current unit, with time frames for each segment, so that the day still moves learning forward.
Specials and electives
As an elementary specials teacher [PE, music, art, or library], for a sub day, create a station-based plan that works in my space with simple materials, clear timing, rotation directions, and behavior expectations a guest teacher can read aloud, so that any substitute can run the class confidently.
Elementary
As a 1st grade teacher, here is a lesson from our adopted curriculum: [paste]. Break it into a paced agenda with minutes for each part, including one whole-group segment, one small-group rotation with a targeted scaffold for students still building fluency, and one quick 1:1 check-in, so that every minute of the block has a purpose.
Middle
As a 6th grade teacher, for this lesson [paste], suggest three engagement strategies by name (for example, turn-and-talk, numbered heads together, quick-write), where each fits in the lesson, and a five-minute opening that builds background knowledge for students who need it, so that more students participate from the first minute.
High
As a high school teacher, for tomorrow's practice segment on [topic], outline three ways to run it (whole group, small groups, or 1:1 conferring), with what each structure is best for and what to watch for, so that I can match the structure to what my class needs tomorrow.

Instruction

Sharpen the lesson once you are in it.
Considerations
  • Adhering to the TEACH framework: AI enhances, never replaces
  • Focusing on enhancing Tier 1 instruction for all students
  • Naming the DOK level you want
  • Uploading the exact resource or excerpt you teach
Elementary
As a 4th grade teacher, for the start of a social studies lesson on Nevada state and local government, take the opener from our adopted materials [paste it] and adapt it to my students' backgrounds and interests [describe your class, no names], adding one surprising question and a quick turn-and-talk that surfaces what they already know, so that the lesson begins with curiosity.
Middle
As a 7th grade history teacher, for a class that tunes out during lectures, write an engagement opener for a lesson on ancient trade routes that starts with a mystery artifact, a prediction prompt, and one question connecting to something students already know, so that prior knowledge is activated before any new content.
High
As a high school economics teacher, for students who think economics feels abstract, write an opener on supply and demand using a real scenario about concert ticket prices, with a quick poll and one question that activates what students already know about buying and selling, so that students connect the idea to their own lives.
Elementary
As a 5th grade teacher, using this excerpt from our adopted social studies materials [paste or upload it], write six discussion questions across DOK levels 1 to 3, including one that asks students to compare two perspectives from the text, so that discussion pushes past recall.
Middle
As an 8th grade science teacher, using this section of our adopted curriculum [paste or upload it], write questions across DOK levels 2 to 4, including one that asks students to predict an outcome and justify it with evidence from the resource, so that students reason with the concept.
High
As a high school English teacher, for a Socratic discussion on [novel], using the chapter we are reading [paste the passage], write six questions across DOK levels 2 to 4, including one that asks students to judge a character's choice and defend it, so that we move past plot recall into analysis.
Elementary
As a 3rd grade teacher, for an upcoming social studies read on how communities change over time, pull eight key words from the passage, label which are Tier 2 academic words worth teaching across subjects, and give a student-friendly definition and a picture idea for each, so that I can pre-teach them before we read. Here is the text: [paste].
Middle
As a 6th grade science teacher, for an article many students find dense, identify the ten most important academic terms, flag which are Tier 2 words that travel across subjects and which are Tier 3 content words, and give a student-friendly definition and an example sentence for each, so that students can access the reading. Here is the text: [paste].
High
As a high school history teacher, for a primary-source excerpt with archaic language, pull the key terms, define them in context, flag any words whose historical meaning differs from today, and note which are Tier 2 words worth teaching explicitly, so that students read it accurately. Here is the text: [paste].
Elementary
As a 2nd grade teacher, for a STEM lesson, design a hands-on task where students build and test a paper bridge, with materials capped at paper, tape, and scissors, clear steps, a 30-minute time limit, and a reflection question, so that students explore how shape affects strength within what my classroom can actually manage.
Middle
As a 7th grade science teacher, for a unit on watersheds, design a weekly project where students model a watershed and predict how pollution travels, with constraints a middle school classroom can manage (time, materials, cleanup), a rubric for the hands-on work, and three checkpoints, so that the work stays on track and rigorous.
High
As a high school physics teacher, for a unit on energy, design a one-week PBL arc where students build and test a small marble run to demonstrate energy transfer, with constraints, milestones, a culminating demonstration, and a rubric, so that students apply the concept hands-on and end the unit with something to show.
Elementary
As a 2nd grade teacher, for the transition after lunch when energy runs high, design a five-minute SEL reset routine with a calming activity, a quick community-builder, and simple, repeatable language I can use every day, so that the class settles into learning faster.
Middle
As a 7th grade teacher, for a class working on respectful disagreement, write three short discussion scenarios with sentence stems for disagreeing productively, aligned to our schoolwide Tier 1 expectations, so that students practice the skill before they need it.
High
As a high school teacher, for re-engaging a student who has checked out of class, draft three conversation openers that are private, strength-based, and free of blame, describing the situation without any student names, so that the first conversation rebuilds the relationship instead of ending it.

Student Supports

Meet students where they are, then scaffold up. Access and enrichment, never lowered expectations.
Considerations
  • Adhering to the TEACH framework: supports stay teacher-led
  • Scaffolding up to grade level, never lowering it
  • Naming strategies: GLAD, ELLevation, Kagan, UDL
  • Describing student needs without ever identifying students
Elementary
As a kindergarten teacher, for emerging readers who cannot yet access a grade-level read-aloud, take this text about community helpers and make a picture-supported version with a mini glossary, four simple comprehension questions, and sentence stems, keeping the grade-level ideas intact, so that every child joins the same discussion. Here is the text: [paste].
Middle
As a 6th grade teacher, for a class with a wide reading range, scaffold this science passage with a student-friendly glossary, margin notes that flag the key ideas, and one example and one non-example of the main concept, keeping the grade-level vocabulary in place, so that every reader works up to the same content. Here is the text: [paste].
High
As a high school history teacher, for students not yet ready for a dense primary source, produce a scaffolded version with a glossary and margin notes alongside the original, plus one example and one non-example question, so that students can work up to the full text rather than around it. Here is the text: [paste].
Elementary
As a 2nd grade teacher, for students who struggle to explain their math thinking aloud, write five student-friendly sentence stems, so that they can describe how they solved a problem.
Middle
As a 7th grade ELA teacher, for students new to argument writing, create a scaffold for writing a claim with sentence stems and a short checklist, so that they can structure an argument paragraph independently.
High
As a high school science teacher, for students learning to write evidence-based explanations, build a claim, evidence, reasoning scaffold with sentence stems and a criteria bank students check their work against before turning it in, so that they organize their reasoning clearly and self-assess first.
Elementary
As a 3rd grade teacher, this is my lesson from our district-adopted materials: [paste or upload]. Here are the needs in my room: [describe your groups, no names]. Show me how to scaffold it for students who need more support and enrich it for students ready for more, including language supports, so that one lesson reaches everyone at the same standard.
Middle
As a 7th grade teacher, this is my lesson: [paste]. Here are my students' needs: [describe, no names]. Suggest supports and enrichment, naming each strategy correctly (for example, GLAD strategies, ELLevation strategies, Kagan structures), and explain how to explicitly teach each strategy to students so they can use it on their own, so that the supports build independence instead of dependence.
High
As a high school teacher, this is my lesson: [paste]. Here are my students' needs: [describe, no names]. Suggest UDL-aligned options for how students take in the material and how they show mastery, including a graphic organizer for students who need structure and an extension for students who finish early, so that access and enrichment are both planned, not improvised.
Elementary
As a 1st grade teacher, for a multilingual student at an early English level, create a picture-and-word support sheet for a lesson on weather with key words and simple sentence frames, so that the student can participate fully. Describe the student, do not use a name.
Middle
As a 6th grade teacher, for a multilingual learner at an early English level, rewrite this passage at a more accessible reading level, add a six-word vocabulary preview with student-friendly definitions, keep the key terms, and suggest two GLAD or ELLevation strategies by their correct names that fit this lesson, so that the student reaches the same content. Describe the student, do not name them. Here is the text: [paste].
High
As a high school teacher, for newcomer multilingual students, adapt this assignment with a bilingual word bank and sentence frames, and name one discourse strategy that supports all students in academic discussion, so that they can show their understanding. Describe the students, no names. Here is the assignment: [paste].
Elementary
As a 3rd grade teacher, for students who need help planning before they write, design a simple graphic organizer for comparing two animals with labeled boxes and guiding questions, so that students organize their ideas first.
Middle
As an 8th grade history teacher, for a class learning to see connections, create a cause-and-effect graphic organizer for the events leading to a war with a prompt in each box, so that students map relationships rather than memorize facts.
High
As a high school English teacher, for students analyzing poetry, build a graphic organizer for tracing a poem's tone with sections for evidence and inference, offered in two formats (linear and web-style) in line with UDL, so that students structure their analysis in the way that works for them.
Elementary
As a 2nd grade teacher co-teaching with a special education teacher, take this lesson [paste] and suggest two co-teaching structures that fit it (for example, station teaching or parallel teaching), with what each teacher does in each segment, so that both of us are teaching, not one teaching and one circulating.
Middle
As a 7th grade teacher co-teaching an inclusion class, plan a station-rotation version of this lesson [paste] with a targeted small group for reteaching, an independent station, and a collaborative station, with both teachers' roles and timing spelled out, so that support lands where it is needed.
High
As a high school teacher co-teaching an inclusion section, map this unit's toughest lesson [paste] into a team-teaching plan with clear roles, a scaffolded note-taker, and an extension task, so that students who need support and students who need challenge both stay engaged.

Assessment & Reflection

See what they learned, faster, and use it to decide what happens next.
Considerations
  • Adhering to the TEACH framework: verify before it counts
  • Considering the exact standards you taught
  • Supplementing, never replacing, WCSD assessments
  • Using results the same day to adjust instruction
Elementary
As a 5th grade math teacher, for a fractions explanation task aligned to 5.NF standards and students who do their best work when expectations are clear, create a four-level rubric in student-friendly language with one example of work that meets standard, so that students know what good looks like before they start.
Middle
As a 7th grade ELA teacher, for an argument paragraph aligned to W.7.1, build a single-point rubric with clear criteria and room for feedback, so that students focus on exactly what to improve.
High
As a high school science teacher, for a lab report, create an analytic rubric across four levels covering claim, data, and analysis, aligned to our course standards, so that my grading stays consistent and students get clear feedback.
Elementary
As a 4th grade teacher, for quick daily checks on multiplication aligned to 4.NBT.B.5, generate a 12-question bank that mixes recall and word problems with an answer key, so that I can pull a fast check whenever I need one. I will verify every item before using it.
Middle
As an 8th grade science teacher, for a unit on forces and motion aligned to MS-PS2, generate a 15-question bank across DOK levels 1 to 3 with an answer key, so that I can mix and match for quizzes. I will check each item first.
High
As a high school biology teacher, for a genetics unit, build a 20-question bank with a mix of multiple choice and short answer plus an answer key, so that I can assemble a quiz quickly. I will verify accuracy before using it.
Elementary
As a 3rd grade teacher, for tomorrow's ELA lesson on main idea aligned to RI.3.2, build three quick checks I can run during instruction: a morning-work bell-ringer, a mid-lesson whiteboard check with two questions, and a short exit ticket, each under three minutes with an answer key, so that I catch confusion in the minute, not next week.
Middle
As a 7th grade math teacher, for a lesson on one-step equations, give me three ways to see student thinking during the lesson itself (a quick-write, an error-analysis problem, and a card sort), with what each one reveals and when to use it, so that I can adjust while the lesson is still happening.
High
As a high school English teacher, turn my rough observation notes from today's class [paste, no names] into same-day, student-friendly feedback students get while the work is still fresh: one strength and one next step each, so that feedback arrives in time to matter.
Elementary
As a 2nd grade teacher, at the end of an ELA lesson on retelling key details, write a five-question exit ticket with an answer key and one draw-your-answer option, so that I can see who needs more practice tomorrow.
Middle
As a 7th grade math teacher, for a check during a unit on one-step equations, write a short formative check with three problems and a quick self-rating, so that students gauge their own confidence.
High
As a high school chemistry teacher, for a mid-unit check on balancing equations, build a ten-question formative assessment across DOK levels 1 to 3 with an answer key, so that I can see who is ready to move on. I will verify every item first.

Keep in mind: AI-drafted checks are a supplement. They do not replace our district-adopted curriculum or WCSD assessments, and your school's assessment expectations always come first.

Communication

Say it clearly, for every audience: families, colleagues, and students.
Considerations
  • Adhering to the TEACH framework: you review before it sends
  • Keeping every message free of student names and PII
  • Using family-friendly language, with a fluent speaker checking translations
  • Uploading or pasting the source doc for better drafts
Monthly newsletter
As a teacher, create a monthly family newsletter template with sections I can fill in each month (what we are learning, dates to know, and one way to help at home), in warm, family-friendly language with no student names, so that the monthly update takes minutes instead of an evening. Here is this month's information to drop in: [paste or upload].
Adjust the tone
As a teacher, for a note going home that needs to sound caring, rewrite my rough draft in warm, family-friendly language, keeping it short and clear with no student names, so that it lands the way I mean it. Here is my draft: [paste].
Translate a message
As a teacher, translate this message for a family whose home language is [insert home language], in warm, family-friendly wording that keeps the meaning and the key dates, with no student names. Upload or copy and paste the message: [paste]. A fluent speaker will verify it before it goes out.
Call and conference starters
As a teacher, give me sentence starters (not full scripts) for these conversations with families: an attendance concern, a behavior update, a conference reminder, requesting an interpreter, an IEP meeting reminder, report cards coming home, how to check Infinite Campus, and missing assignments, each one caring and solution-focused with no student names, so that I can start any call with confidence.
PLC conversations
As a teacher preparing for a PLC, turn our team's data discussion notes [paste, aggregate numbers only, no student names] into three focusing questions and a suggested next step for each, so that our PLC time goes to decisions instead of formatting.
Deliver hard feedback kindly
As a teacher, help me phrase specific, honest feedback for a colleague about [describe the situation], keeping it kind, direct, and focused on the work, with two different ways to open the conversation, so that the message lands without damaging the relationship.
Shorten or synthesize an email
As a teacher, take this long email thread [paste, names removed] and give me a three-sentence summary plus a draft reply that answers every open question, so that I can respond well in two minutes.
Summarize a meeting
As a teacher, turn these rough meeting notes [paste, no student names] into a clean summary with decisions made, action items with owners, and open questions, so that the whole team leaves with the same understanding.
Accountable talk stems
As a teacher, create a set of accountable talk stems for a discussion on [topic], grouped by agree and build, question, and respectfully challenge, in student-friendly language for [grade level], so that every student has a way into the conversation.
Visual supports and boards
As a teacher, design a visual support board for [routine or lesson] using accessibility basics: high-contrast colors, large text, few words per line, and a picture cue for each step, so that every student can follow it at a glance.
Student-friendly directions
As a teacher, rewrite these directions [paste] into numbered, student-friendly steps with one action per line and a "you are done when" statement at the end, so that students can start and finish without re-asking.

Using specific AI Tools

AI Tools & Guides

Honest guides for each approved tool: what they're great at, where they stumble, and how to get real work out of them.

Microsoft Copilot

Microsoft Copilot

Our primary AI tool · copilot.microsoft.com · sign in with your district account

Why signing in matters: with your @washoeschools.net account, Copilot runs with enterprise data protection. Your prompts and responses are never used to train AI models, your chats are encrypted, and your work stays inside the WCSD environment. Look for the green shield once you're signed in. Without it, you're using a public tool and the guardrails change.

What it does for your week

Planning and drafting

Lesson ideas, leveled passages, rubrics, sub plans, newsletters, agendas. Anything that starts as a blank page.

The Teach module

Inside the Microsoft 365 Copilot app: standards-aligned lesson plans, quizzes that export straight to Forms, rubrics, flashcards, and reading-level adaptation.

Thinking out loud

Paste your draft and ask what's unclear. Ask it to argue the other side. Ask what a parent might misread. It's a tireless thought partner.

Step-by-step: do real work with Teach

Teach is Copilot's guided workspace for teachers, free with your district account (no paid Copilot license needed). Open it at m365.cloud.microsoft/teach or in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app on web, Windows, or Mac. These three walkthroughs come straight from Microsoft's documentation. Microsoft updates Teach often, so a button may move, but the flow stays the same.

  1. Open Teach and pick Lesson Plan (under Curriculum Planning).
  2. Set the essentials: subject area, grade level, and language. All three are required.
  3. Describe the lesson (at least 20 characters, and more is better). Give it the topic, your class context, and what success looks like. This is where your expertise does the heavy lifting.
  4. Attach content if you have it: up to 3 Word or PDF files (your unit plan, curriculum guide, an article). Grounding the plan in your real materials is the single biggest quality boost.
  5. Add standards: pick your standards set, then grade, subject, and strand, up to 10 strands. The picker covers all 50 states plus 35+ countries, so search for your set.
  6. Set the duration (anywhere from 5 to 180 minutes) and select Generate.
  7. Make it yours. Every section (Overview, Standards, Objectives, Materials, timed lesson sections) is editable. Use Enhance with AI to regenerate with a request like "more student discussion, less lecture," switch the tone (Instructional, Interactive, Creative, Inclusive) or length (Concise, Default, Expanded), and use the arrows at the top to move between versions.
  8. Save to OneDrive. It lands as a Word document that stays editable and shareable.
Watch for: first drafts tend to run teacher-centered and light on checks for understanding, so re-prompt for both. Microsoft also notes attachments work best with text-heavy content and can underperform on numeric or science-heavy material. Verify everything before it reaches students.
  1. In Teach, pick Quiz (under Homework & assessments).
  2. Set the essentials: subject, grade level, language.
  3. Describe the quiz: topic, focus areas, objectives. You can set points per question (or no points) right in the description.
  4. Attach source material if you want the questions grounded: your lesson plan, unit plan, syllabus, or curriculum docs. Add standards the same way as lesson plans.
  5. Pick your options: number of questions, duration (no time limit or up to 180 minutes), and practice mode. Practice mode lets students reveal answers and retry, which is great for review days and wrong for assessment days.
  6. Select Generate. The quiz is created directly in Microsoft Forms.
  7. Finish in Forms: adjust directions, questions, and answers, set points (the default totals 100), turn on math formatting if you need it, and mark questions required.
  8. Share it: copy the link or post it to your Teams class channel. Find it again later in Teach's History, your Forms library, or Assignments.
Watch for: check every item on the answer key yourself, math items especially. AI is most confidently wrong exactly where points are on the line.
  1. In Teach, pick Rubric (under Homework & assessments). Enter the grade level, language, rubric title, and a description of the assignment.
  2. Align to standards if you want: same picker as everywhere else (set, grade, subject, strand).
  3. Choose a scale: Excellent / Good / Fair / Poor, Exceeds / Meets / Below standard, Yes / No, or define your own custom scale.
  4. Shape the criteria: Teach suggests criteria that match your inputs. Add, cut, or refine before you generate.
  5. Generate, then refine. Use Enhance with AI to add indicators, change the length, or switch languages, and regenerate.
  6. Save it: to OneDrive as a Word document, or to your class team.
  7. Prefer to build it where you grade? In Teams: Assignments, then Create, then Add rubric, then Create AI Rubric. Same setup, plus a Points toggle that weights each row (the percentages need to total 100, and there's an even-redistribute reset). "Fill in row/column using AI" regenerates one row without redoing the whole rubric. Attach finishes the job.
Teacher move: hand students the rubric before the assignment, not after. And if the language runs above your students' reading level, Teach's Modify tools can re-level it with key terms preserved.

Teach also makes flashcards, and its Modify tools can align existing materials to standards, differentiate instructions, change reading level (with a glossary option), and add real-world, scientific, or historical examples. Fill-in-the-blanks is listed as coming soon. Teach is for faculty and staff with a district Microsoft 365 education license; students don't see it. If you don't see Teach, check with IT.

Where it stumbles (and what to do)

Math and facts

It's confident even when it's wrong. Check every number, date, and citation before it counts. Evaluate, Verify, Edit, Revise. You're responsible.

Teacher-centered defaults

First drafts of lessons skew lecture-heavy. Re-prompt: "Rebuild this around student discussion and a hands-on activity. Cut my talk time in half."

Generic first answers

A vague ask gets a vague answer. Give it a goal, context, expectations, and a source. The pattern below fixes most weak outputs.

Writing strong prompts

The full prompt structure, the five parts (Who, Why, What, And, How) and the good, better, best examples, lives on the Prompting page. One Copilot-specific tip: it doesn't save or share chats well, so when a prompt works, keep it.

Diffit

Diffit

Differentiation workhorse · web.diffit.me · the go-to for SPED and multilingual learners

One article, every reading level in your room. Every student gets the same ideas, the same standard, the same class discussion, each at a level they can comfortably access. Different on-ramps, same destination.

How it works

1

Feed it anything

Paste a text, a topic, a YouTube link, or an article URL.

2

Pick your levels

Choose grade or reading levels. Diffit rewrites the passage and keeps the core meaning.

3

Get the full packet

Leveled passage, vocabulary list with definitions, and question sets, all generated together.

4

Edit and export

Everything stays editable. Send to Google Docs, Slides, Forms, or print. You review before students see it.

Moves worth knowing

For Special Education

Re-level your core text to match IEP accommodation levels, chunk it into smaller sections, and generate comprehension checks at each level. Same rigor, accessible entry. Accommodations honored without building separate materials from scratch.

For Multilingual Learners

Generate the passage in English and a translated version side by side, add a vocabulary preview with student-friendly definitions, and pull sentence starters for discussion. For high-stakes family communication, have a human speaker verify the translation.

Stations and small groups

One article becomes three versions in about two minutes. Run the same content across your groups without anyone getting the "easy packet" stigma. The versions look the same.

Sub plans and intervention

Build a self-contained reading packet with questions and vocabulary in minutes. Tier 2 and Tier 3 materials at the right level, fast.

Same rule as everywhere: no student names or identifying details go into Diffit, and you review every passage before it reaches students. Leveling can occasionally flatten nuance. You're the rigor check.

Professional Learning

Grow Your AI Skills

Professional learning that fits a real schedule: most of these fit inside a planning period, and most include a free certificate when you finish. Every link verified live.

Nevada first

Start local. These carry weight here.

NWRPDP: The AI Frontier + regional trainings

Nevada PD credit Half-day events

Our regional PD program runs an annual AI conference in Reno (0.5 credit for 7.5 hours) and posts every session's materials free: NotebookLM, AI lesson planning, AI workflows, and more.

See the sessions

Nevada DOE: STELLAR AI hub

The state's official AI guidance: the STELLAR Pathway to AI Teaching and Learning, the ethics statement, and best-practice supports. It's the framework our guardrails anchor to.

Open the state hub

Copilot and Microsoft

Official paths, badges, and a credential, all free with your district account.

AI for educators learning path

Free badges

The flagship four-module path: how AI works, prompting, responsible use, and Copilot in your practice.

Start the path

Copilot Chat for educators

Free badge

Nine units on Copilot Chat itself: prompt design for teaching, Pages, images, and judging response quality.

Take the module

The Teach course

Free badge

Microsoft's newest educator module: lesson plans, quizzes to Forms, rubrics, and flashcards in Teach. Pairs with our step-by-step guides on the Copilot tab.

Take the course

Microsoft Elevate for Educators

Free credential

Microsoft's umbrella educator program: an AI literacy credential built with ISTE and ASCD, badges, and a global community.

Claim the credential

Elevate Explorer (AI) path

Recognition path

The five-module ladder into Microsoft's educator community, including AI for students with disabilities.

See the path

Prompts for Education

Microsoft's official educator prompt library: role-specific, copy-paste ready, and a great study in how strong prompts are built.

Browse the prompts

Diffit

Official guides, video walkthroughs, and a host-your-own PD kit.

Become a Diffit Certified Educator

~20 min Free badge

Diffit's official self-paced certification: leveling, scaffolds, question sets, and exports, with a badge at the end.

Get certified

Diffit's PD kit

An overview video, a ready-to-use PD slide deck, subject-specific how-to guides (including SPED and EL), and a host-your-own training kit they'll send you materials for.

Get the PD kit

Quick Start + Help Center

The fastest on-ramp: official getting-started tutorials for leveling texts, vocabulary supports, question sets, and exports.

Start here

Diffit for Teachers on YouTube

Weekly classroom-use videos, plus a library of thousands of ready-made teacher-created resources.

Watch and subscribe

See Diffit in a real classroom

Edutopia's short video demo: one article becomes differentiated materials for a whole class in minutes.

Watch the demo

Khanmigo and MagicSchool

Quick certifications for our other two approved tools.

Khanmigo for Educators

Free certificate

Khan Academy's certification course for teachers: AI essentials, ethics, prompting basics, and Khanmigo itself.

Get certified

Khan Academy: AI for Education

A free three-unit course: getting started with generative AI, getting ready to teach with it, and AI literacy lessons.

Take the units

MagicSchool certifications

~30 min each Free certificates

Level 1 and Level 2, about 20 to 30 minutes each: educator workflows, responsible use, and stronger prompts.

Earn Level 1 and 2

AI literacy, any tool

Tool-agnostic foundations from Google, Code.org, Common Sense, and more.

Generative AI for Educators

~2 hours Free certificate

Google's course, built with MIT RAISE: about two hours on saving time and personalizing instruction. The certificate is widely accepted for PD credit.

Earn the certificate

AI 101 for Teachers

Code.org's free video series with ETS, ISTE, and Khan Academy. The classic starting line for AI in the classroom.

Start the series

ChatGPT Foundations for K-12

~1 hour Free certificate

Common Sense Education with OpenAI: about an hour on capabilities, limits, and safe classroom use. Free educator account required.

Take the course

AI Basics for K-12 Teachers

Common Sense Education's foundational course: what AI is, how it works, safety, privacy, and ethics, with a reflection workbook.

Start with the basics

An Essential Guide to AI for Educators

~2 hours Free certificate

AI for Education's hands-on starter course, about two hours: prompting, time savers, ethics, and introducing AI to students.

Take the free course

Wharton: AI in Education

Free to audit

Ethan and Lilach Mollick's university-level course on Coursera: prompting, AI-driven assignments, and academic integrity. Watching everything is free; the certificate costs extra.

Audit for free

aiEDU professional learning

Free live webinars and a recorded library from the AI Education Project: academic integrity, evaluating AI outputs, and an AI readiness framework.

Join a webinar

Day of AI professional development

MIT RAISE's free webinars plus a free K-12 AI literacy curriculum with full teacher materials. Tool-agnostic and classroom-ready.

See what's offered