How to use this sheet: Copy any prompt below, paste it into AI Math Coach, fill in the [bracketed fields], and hit send. Each prompt is labeled with the assistant that works best for that task.
Pedagogy Assistant Use for instructional strategies, menu planning, activity ideas, and coaching support.
Intervention Assistant Use for structured, student-specific intervention plans.
Use when: You have student work and want help figuring out where their understanding currently sits.
I'm uploading a photo of [student name or initials]'s work on [concept, e.g., solving equations, fraction operations]. Based on what you see, where do you think they are with this concept, and what would be a good instructional starting point?
Use when: A student keeps making the same error and you need fresh ideas about what's behind it.
My [grade level] student keeps [describe the pattern — e.g., adding numerators and denominators when adding fractions, or treating all equations as requiring inverse operations regardless of structure]. What might be driving this, and what are some ways I could help them build a more flexible understanding?
💡 Tip: Describing the pattern in detail — not just "they get it wrong" — leads to much more useful suggestions.
Use when: You have a student who is missing foundational skills from a previous grade and you're not sure where to begin.
I have a [current grade level] student who seems to be missing some foundational understanding from earlier grades. Here's what I've observed: [describe what you've seen — e.g., work samples, interview responses, assessment results]. Where would you suggest I start, and why? My core curriculum is [name of curriculum].
Use when: You want a strong number sense routine or warm-up to open a lesson.
I'm teaching [unit and lesson or topic, e.g., Grade 7 proportional relationships]. Can you suggest a launch or number sense routine that would activate prior knowledge and get students talking mathematically before the lesson begins? I want something that has multiple entry points and doesn't require me to explain the concept first.
💡 Tip: Mention the specific unit, lesson, or topic for the most targeted suggestions.
Use when: You want to understand the deeper mathematical goal behind a lesson.
I'm planning a lesson on [topic or unit]. What High Leverage Concept (HLC) does this connect to for [grade level]? How can I frame the lesson so students are building toward that bigger idea, rather than just completing the activity?
Use when: You want to prepare for the range of strategies and misconceptions students might bring to a task.
I'm planning to use this task with my [grade level] students: [paste or describe the task]. Can you help me anticipate the different strategies students might use, as well as common misconceptions I should be ready for? I want to be prepared to ask questions that push their thinking rather than correct them.
💡 Tip: Paste the actual task text for the most specific response.
Use when: You want a task that every student can enter but that has room to grow.
I'm teaching [concept, e.g., ratios, integer operations, linear equations] to my [grade level] class. Can you help me design or adapt a task that has a low floor and high ceiling — meaning all students can get started, but there's room for deeper thinking and extension? I want students to construct their own understanding rather than follow a procedure.
Use when: You're starting a new unit and want to build out menu offerings that support the big mathematical idea.
I'm starting a unit on [topic, e.g., ratios, expressions and equations] and want to build a math menu to run alongside it. My students have a range of readiness levels. Can you help me think through what the menu offerings should include — problem solver, skill practice, game, and journal prompt — that connect to the big mathematical idea of this unit and allow for differentiation?
💡 Tip: Share what you know about your students' range of readiness for even more targeted suggestions.
Use when: You want to make sure your menu has entry points for students working below, at, and above grade level.
I'm designing menu offerings for [concept]. I have students working at [grade level], some who are still developing [prior grade skill], and a few who are ready for extension. Can you help me think through how to differentiate the offerings so everyone is working on something meaningful and appropriately challenging?
Use when: You want a journal prompt that pushes students to explain their mathematical reasoning.
Can you write a math journal prompt for [grade level] students working on [concept]? I want a prompt that asks students to explain their thinking or justify a claim — not just compute an answer. It should be open enough that students at different levels can all respond meaningfully.
Use when: You want to use what students produce during menu time to inform your next instructional steps.
Here is a sample of student work from menu time: [upload image or describe]. Based on what you see, what does this tell me about where this student is with [concept]? What should I focus on next — in small group, in the next menu cycle, or in the whole-class lesson?
Use when: You're starting to work with a student on unfinished learning and want to set up the conversation.
I'm starting to work with a [current grade level] student in a small group focused on unfinished learning. Here's what I know so far:
Student: [first name or initials]
Skill or concept they're working on: [describe the focus area, e.g., fraction operations from Grade 5]
Where we are: [e.g., just getting started, midway through, close to ready to move on]
Can you orient to this student so I don't have to re-explain in future messages?
💡 Tip: Sending this once at the start of a new conversation means you won't have to repeat the basics every time.
Use when: You're planning a small group pull during menu time and want a clear focus.
I'm pulling a small group of [number] students during menu time. They're all working on [skill or concept from a previous grade level]. Here's a quick snapshot of each:
[Student 1: what they can do and where they're stuck]
[Student 2: what they can do and where they're stuck]
[Student 3: ...]
Can you help me plan a session that gives everyone something meaningful to work on and keeps the focus on building understanding — not just practicing procedures?
Use when: You want to decide which foundational skill to prioritize based on what's happening in the current whole-class unit.
I have a [grade level] student who needs to work on [foundational skill A] and [foundational skill B] from previous grades. Their class is currently working on [describe the current unit or topic]. Which of these should I tackle right now, and how does it connect to what they're doing in the whole-class lesson?
💡 Tip: Connecting small group work to the current unit helps students see the relevance and transfer their learning more readily.
Use when: Students in your small group are at different points and you want everyone engaged.
One student in my small group isn't ready to move on, but the others are. What are some ways I could structure the session so everyone is engaged while I give [student name or initials] more time with [concept]?
Use when: You've finished a round of small group sessions and aren't sure if a student is ready for the next focus.
We've been working on [skill or concept] with [student name or initials] for [number of sessions]. I'm not sure if they're ready to move on. Here's what I've seen: [brief description of what the student can and can't yet do]. Can you help me think through whether they're ready, and what "ready" should actually look like for this skill?
Use when: You want questions that push students to explain, justify, and connect ideas — not just answer.
I'm teaching [concept] to my [grade level] class. Can you give me 4–5 discussion questions I can use during the lesson that push students to explain their reasoning, compare strategies, or make connections? I want questions that work for students at different levels and that I can use to facilitate a whole-class discussion.
Use when: A student did something unexpected and you want to figure out what to do with it.
During [lesson or activity], a student did the following: [describe the strategy or response]. I wasn't sure what to do in the moment. Can you help me understand what this student might be thinking, and what I could ask or do next to build on it?
💡 Tip: Unexpected student moves are often the richest teaching moments — this prompt helps you mine them.
Use when: Something happened in a lesson and you want help making sense of it for next steps.
Here's what happened in today's lesson with my [grade level] class on [concept]: [brief description — what went well, what was confusing, what surprised you]. Can you help me figure out what it means for tomorrow's lesson or the next time I teach this?
Use when: You want a simple, session-ready tool to track what you see during small group.
I'm working on [skill or concept] with a small group of [grade level] students. Can you make me a simple observational checklist I can use during sessions to track their progress? I want something I can fill in quickly while I'm teaching — not a formal assessment.
Use when: You want to loop families in on what a student is working on and give them something concrete to try at home.
I'm working with [student name or initials] on [skill or concept]. Can you help me write a short family note that explains what we're working on, what models or strategies we're using, and one activity or game they could try at home? Keep it friendly and jargon-free.
Use when: You're looking at work from multiple students and want to identify shared gaps or priorities.
I'm looking at work from several students after [lesson or assessment]. Here's a quick snapshot of what I noticed:
[Student 1 or group: what they did/didn't understand]
[Student 2 or group: what they did/didn't understand]
[Student 3 or group: ...]
Can you help me identify any patterns and think through what to prioritize — in whole-class instruction, in menu offerings, or in small group?
💡 Tip: Even rough notes work here — you don't need a formal data set to spot useful patterns.
