Smarter Week

How to automate it

How to automate “plan lessons and build slides”

Here are 2 ways to spend less time on this, best first. Each comes with steps you can follow today and, for AI fixes, a prompt to copy.

240 min
typically, once a week
45%
of the time can be automated
Easy
to set up

Fix 1 of 2

AIBest fix

Have a teacher AI tool draft the lesson plan, slides and sub plans

Teacher AI tools draft a lesson, slides, an exit ticket or a full sub plan aligned to your standards in minutes. You bring the judgement and your class; it does the first draft.

Typically saves about 40% of the time10 min to set up
  1. 1Use the tool your school provides: MagicSchool, Brisk, Gemini for Education, Microsoft Copilot or Khanmigo for teachers.
  2. 2Give it the standard, grade level, time and what your class already knows.
  3. 3Use the prompt below, then edit for your students.
  4. 4Save good plans so you and your team can reuse them next year.
  5. 5Use only tools your school or district has approved for student data (FERPA). Leave out student names and private details unless the tool is approved for them.
Prompt to copy
Plan a [LENGTH]-minute lesson for [GRADE/YEAR] [SUBJECT] on [TOPIC], aligned to [STANDARD]. My students already know [PRIOR KNOWLEDGE]; [NUMBER] need extra support with [NEED]. Include: learning objective in student-friendly words, a 5-minute hook, direct teaching, guided practice, independent practice, a 3-question exit ticket with answers, and one extension task. If this is for a substitute, add clear step-by-step instructions and timings a non-specialist can follow.

Tools: MagicSchool, Brisk, Gemini for Education, Microsoft Copilot or Khanmigo for teachers

Fix 2 of 2

Process fix

Split planning with your team and keep everything in one shared place

When each teacher in a grade or department plans one unit and shares it, everyone plans less. Posting materials online also cuts photocopying.

Typically saves about 25% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1Agree with your team who plans which units this term.
  2. 2Keep plans, slides and worksheets in one shared drive or course.
  3. 3Post materials in Google Classroom, Canvas, Schoology or Teams instead of printing everything.
  4. 4Keep a ready-made emergency sub plan folder for each class.

Tools: Google Classroom, Canvas, Schoology or Microsoft Teams for Education · Shared drive

Quick wins

Have you tried…

Have you used a teacher AI tool like MagicSchool, Brisk or Gemini to draft a lesson or sub plan?
You give the topic, grade and standard, and it drafts the lesson, slides and an exit ticket in minutes. You edit it for your class.

Who does this task

Roles in our library that list this as one of their common tasks. Each guide covers the rest of that role’s week.

HourLeak · the 8-minute work audit

How many hours does this cost you?

The free 8-minute check works out where your week goes and gives you your top fixes. The team scan does the same for everyone and adds it up, so you know which leaks to fix first.

Answers are anonymous. Leaders only see team totals.

Other common tasks for Teachers