Created a reading comprehension worksheet based on an uploaded example using Gemini and Brisk Teaching

 Original Reading Comprehensionn Worksheet:

A feathery surprise READING COMPREHENSION WORKSHEET.pdf 

1ST ATTEMPT: Gemini

MY PROMPT: 

The attached file is a reading comprehension worksheet for lower primary ESL students in Hong Kong. 

Please create a similar worksheet as follows: 

- start with a reading passage of a similar length, and similar level of language diffiiculty. The passage should be a fairy tale. 

- Then create Part 1 of the reading comprehension exercise. Part 1 should consist of  4 Wh-questions that ask students for complete-sentence answers. Two of the four questions should each ask for examples. The other two questions should each ask for reasons. 

- Then create Part 2 of the reading comprehension exercise. Part 2 should consist of 5 True/False questions. 

- Please then provide an Answer Key to the whole worksheet. 

OUTPUT: 

(a) by Gemini: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15VkqkgA5T7gkvzrTqDhb_YK4a3T5eYQj1p6G4R7Q7i8/edit?usp=sharing

2ND ATTEMPT: BRISK TEACHING

PROMPT suggested by Brisk Teaching based on original Gemini prompt: 

You are creating a reading comprehension worksheet for lower primary ESL learners (approximately Grade 1-2 equivalent, ages 6-8) in Hong Kong. The students are developing foundational English literacy skills with beginner to early intermediate proficiency.

Please create a complete worksheet that includes:

A reading passage: Write an original fairy tale of 80-120 words using simple, concrete vocabulary and short sentences. The language should feature present tense, high-frequency words, and familiar story structures (e.g., character introduction, simple problem, resolution). Avoid complex subordinate clauses and idiomatic expressions. The passage should be engaging for young learners and include clear narrative sequence.

Part 1 - Comprehension Questions: Create 4 Wh-questions (Who, What, Where, When, Why, or How) that require complete-sentence answers at the recall and inference level (DOK 1-2). Structure the questions as follows: two questions should ask students to provide examples from the story (e.g., "What are two things the character did?"), and two questions should ask students to explain reasons or causes (e.g., "Why did the character feel happy?"). Ensure questions are phrased simply and directly.

Part 2 - True/False Statements: Create 5 True/False statements based on explicit and implicit details from the passage. Include a mix of obviously true statements, obviously false statements, and one that requires careful reading to determine accuracy.

Answer Key: Provide complete, model answers for all 9 questions that show the expected level of detail and sentence structure for this grade level.

Format the worksheet clearly with sections labeled and numbered for classroom use.

OUTPUT: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yhT0CPjA6lwS_OvN8pA3nDax7WNvkh6R-e-3Od_SIhM/edit?tab=t.0

How Brisk Teaching works with Gemini

 1. Brisk Teaching is for generating Teaching Materials: 

https://app.briskteaching.com/ 

2. I have installed the Brisk Teaching Chrome extension. Every time I open Gemini, it will show up beneath the prompt box, and is called 'Brisk it'

3. Whenever I have typed a prompt, Brisk It will offer to refine my prompt for Gemini. 

4. If I say Yes, Brisk it will give me a refined prompt. 

5. I can then either: 

(a)  replace my original Gemini prompt with the refined promptt, OR

(b) be taken to Brisk Teaching, where I can (i) generate the original material (eg, Worksheet), or (ii) generate other types of materials related to the earlier prompt task (e.g., short quiz; PPT). 

Created a poem from a picture using Gemini: It did a super job

 

昨天黃昏post了東涌日落我拍的照片，跟著Francis Tsang 提議我請AI 為之寫詩；這主意從未想過，於是立指打開Gemini, 上傳那照片，寫了一個簡單的prompt, 請它寫一首詩。

不用10秒，詩出現眼前，而且真的配合照片內容，連照片內細小的cable car 它也認出！

不無感慨，以後還會有人寫英詩嗎？

Sunset at Tung Chung

The golden orb descends between the peaks,

A liquid trail across the harbor flows.

In quiet light, the bustling city seeks

A moment's peace before the daylight goes.

The cable cars drift silhouettes in flight,

Against a sky where amber meets the blue.

A common grace, this slow approach of night,

To watch the world begin its dream anew.

Created a prompt bot using Canva AI's "Code for Me": It works but interface not appealing

 A few moments ago, I used Gemini's GEM to create a prompt bot about endangered animals:  

https://gemini.google.com/gem/1H3Tyxq1IOFO52Ai3kUi9jt4xvA_TFKMg?usp=sharing

The students will type in the name of an endagnered animal. The prompt bot will point out the dangers that this animal is facing. It will ask the user whether they have a follow-up question, or would ask about another animal. 

When I shared the link with Ada Fong, she seemed to have difficulty reaching my GEM page. 

I then copied the same prompt, and went to Canva AI. It doesn't have a specific function called 'create canvas app'; just 'code for me'. 

Anyway, I pasted in the original prompt, and it succeeded in getting the prompt bot for me. 

https://paulsze.net/endangered-animals-explorer

OBSERVATIONS

1. Canva AI's prompt bot starts with a few named animals. 

2. The interface isn't that appealing. 

3. When shared, users need not log in. (And unlike Poe, users will not exhaust their credits.)

4. Most importantly, Canva AI CAN CREATE PROMPT BOTS

Creating a script and an interactive worksheet for a Listening lesson

 

• In Gemini, I asked for a scaffolded monologue script on Endangered Animals for upper primary ESL students. The script should be about 1.5 minutes of Speaking Time, excluding the pauses.
• Gemini provided a table which included the scaffolded script, and 'pedagogical notes' for teachers. The notes contain learning points for each pause, and the students' task ('student action') at each pause.
• I then asked for a 'worksheet' that is derived from the suggested 'student actions'.
• It provided an immediately usable worksheet.
• I then downloaded the worksheet, went to Gemini Canvas, and asked it to convert the worksheet to an interactive version. It worked.

Creating an audio track using Elevenlabs: About the pauses in the prompt

 If the script contains directions about pauses, e.g., [7-second pause], the pauses will not be inserted in the output audio file. 

Poe suggests using Audacity to insert the pauses afterwards. 

Tried using Gemini to create an audio voice recording on endangered animals: OK but ...

 Just tried Gemini chat to generate an audio track from my prompt, 

Please create a 45-second monologue audio track which is an organgutan appealing to human beings not to do things to put them in danger. The audio track is for upper primary ESL students' listening practice. 

BUT IT COULD ONLY GENERATE A 30-SECOND SONG. 

Then I went to Gemini's 'Canvas' function, and used the same prompt. It worked, but: 

Even though I asked for a audio track, it only gave me the script. After 3 to 4 iterations, I finally got the audio (of 45 seconds).

But after I clicked 'play', I had to wait for almost a minute for the audio to load.

I asked for a Download function. It gave it to me on the next iteration. I could download the audio as a wav file. 

I got the Share Link, and tried it in a new tab. (I had to sign in to Poe.) Again, after clicking 'play', it took a minute for the audio to load. 

The Share Link: https://gemini.google.com/share/584aa17992db

I tried the Share link in an incognito browser, it didn't work. 

Created a 3x3 choice board using Gemini's Create Image function: Very straightforward

 In Gemini's Create Image function: 

MY PROMPT: 

Create a 3x3 choice board. Each of the 9 boxes contains (1) the image of a teenager hobby (e.g., playing games), and (2) a caption (e.g., Playing Games). The choice board should be a square, not a rectangle.

OUTPUT:

NOTE:

Gemini's default image size is a rectangle. Need to specify that a square format is wanted.

Creating a prompt bot with a prompt provided by the Chatbot: A time saver

 In the past, to create a prompt bot, people needed to write the prompt themselves. 

Now that chatbots are becoming more and more capable, we can actually ask a chatbot to give us the prompt to use for creating a prompt bot. Below is my example, using Poe's 'Create Prompt Bot' function. 

STEP 1: In Poe's chatbot, state what I needed: 

 I  want to use Poe's prompt bot function to build a prompt bot to guide upper primary students to learn/ revise the sentence structure 'If I were (a bird), I would ...." through a 7-turn scaffolded conversation. Please provide me with the prompt to use with Poe's prompt bot function.

STEP 2: Copy the prompt given in Step 1 into Poe's Prompt bot function: 

You are a friendly ESL writing tutor for upper primary students (around ages 9–12). You will run a 7-turn scaffolded mini-conversation to help the student learn and revise the sentence structure:

"If I were (a/an + noun), I would (base verb) ..."

Goal: By the end of Turn 7, the student produces 2 correct sentences using the target pattern, with correct use of "were" (not "was") and "would + base verb", and with at least one sentence expanded using because/so/and or a detail phrase.

Tone & level: Warm, encouraging, simple language, short messages. Avoid metalanguage/grammar jargon; explain in kid-friendly terms. Always model correct English. Ask only ONE question per turn. Keep each turn 1–4 short lines.

Conversation rules:

- The conversation must be EXACTLY 7 turns (your messages), numbered Turn 1 to Turn 7 in your own planning, but do NOT show the numbers to the student.

- Each turn: (1) tiny teach/model, then (2) ask the student to respond.

- If the student makes a mistake, correct gently: show the corrected sentence and give a quick reason (e.g., “We say ‘If I were…’ for imagining.”). Then ask them to try again.

- Always give a clear example before asking the student to write.

- Use high-interest, school-appropriate options (animals, jobs, objects, superheroes, sports, nature). Avoid sensitive topics.

- Require “a/an” where needed: “If I were a bird… / an astronaut…”.

- Encourage creativity and longer answers, but keep it easy.

Scaffold plan (must follow):

Turn 1: Hook + one example. Ask student to choose what they want to be (give 4 choices).

Turn 2: Sentence frame with blanks. Student fills in 1 sentence.

Turn 3: Add 1 extra detail (where/when/how). Student improves their sentence.

Turn 4: Introduce “because …” expansion. Model it. Student adds “because …”.

Turn 5: Switch to a new noun. Student writes a new full sentence independently.

Turn 6: Spot-and-fix mini-check: present 2 short sentences, one correct and one wrong (e.g., “If I was a bird, I would fly.”). Ask which is correct and why (kid-friendly).

Turn 7: Final task: student writes TWO sentences: one with an animal, one with a job, at least one using “because”. Praise + very brief feedback.

Output format:

- Only write the assistant’s message for the current turn, based on the student’s last reply.

- Do not write stage directions, hidden analysis, or extra turns.

Step 3: Publish

======================

OBSERVATIONS

1. The resulting prompt bot can be shared via a Share Link. But users must have a Poe account and be signed in. This is unlike Poe's App Creator, the result of which can be shared as a Preview link. 

2. If you use Gemini, the steps are: 

a. Use the chatbot to get the prompt. 

b. Then go to 'Create Canvas' and paste in the prompt from Step (a). 

3. Like Poe, the Prompt Bot created with Gemini, when shared, requires the user to sign in to their Google account. 

4. Canva AI's code for me, however, does not require users to sign in to open the share link. 

5. Of course, if you wish to have more control on the content of the prompt bot, then you have to provide more detailed instructions (e..g., the example sentences to use) in your prompt. 

Created a 'Read lecture transcript and Answer 3 MC questions' app using Poe's App Creator

 Originally, I went to Gemini and asked how to write a prompt to create a canvas app similar to the P4 Listening app created by Alex Lam. 

After 2 turns, it gave me a sample prompt, as below: 

You are an expert Marine Biologist. Create a Poe Canvas app for a listening and comprehension task about Coral Reefs.
The Lesson: Discuss the symbiotic relationship between polyps and algae.
Interface: Create a dashboard in the Canvas. When I click 'Start,' show a 'Transcript' of a lecture. Below it, provide 3 comprehension questions one by one.
Style: Use a blue ocean theme for the UI. Use React-style components (HTML/JS) to handle the question logic so the page doesn't refresh, but updates dynamically as I answer.

==============

I copied it into Poe's App Creator. It returned the output app below in about 2 minutes: 

https://poe.com/preview/psOeQWeHJ9sKNiZsqEAW

So the prompt given by Gemini worked. But there was no audio in the app. Then I asked App Creator to add a Play button and Audio to the app, but I was going beyond the required points. So I stopped there. 

=======

TAKEAWAY: 

It's OK to ask a chatbot to provide you with a prompt to use in creating a canvas app. 

Used Google Vids to create an instructional video on Self Regulated Learning.

 如果要生成一個簡短的general introduction to a topic or concept的video, 我試過的AI 工具中，暫時最滿意的是Google Vids。NotebookLM 的Video Overview當然很好，但用法不同，它主要依靠用者上傳的資料。

但Google Vids, 用者只要打入topic 或concept, 它便先生成一個outline,如果滿意不作edit, 再按generate, 它便生成一個兩分鐘的video。乾手淨脚。

下面是我以Key concepts in self-regulated learning為topic 生成的overview video；只要不用於high-stakes場合(例如考試)，這方法是不錯的，可讓課堂更multimodal。

Google Vids does not need to be installed. It appears after clicking 'add' in Google Drive. 

https://youtu.be/ygEkmJ96lIA

Gemini's "Create Image' function: PROJECT AC vs PERSONAL AC

1ST TRY

PROMPT: Create an image that illustrates Newton's first law of motion 

=====================================================

PROJECT AC OUTPUT: 

PERSONAL AC OUTPUT

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2ND TRY

PROMPT: An image that explains how a typhoon is formed. 

PROJECT OUTPUT: 

PERSONAL AC OUTPUT: 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

OBSERVATIONS

1. Outputs can be different, eg, the number of stages. 

2. No obvious 'better' tool. But Personal AC Output might look slightly 'better.'