Introducing CurricuLLM to your class
The way you introduce CurricuLLM to your students matters. A good introduction sets expectations, builds trust, and makes the first interaction much smoother.
Explain what it is and what it isn't
Students will assume CurricuLLM is like ChatGPT. Set this straight early — it's a learning tool, not an answer machine.
Set the tone
Let students know it's OK to get things wrong. CurricuLLM is designed to work with mistakes — that's where the learning happens.
Connect it to what you're learning
Frame it in the context of your current unit. Students engage more when there's a clear purpose.
Give them their first prompt
A clear starting prompt removes blank-screen anxiety and gets every student into a productive conversation quickly.
Stay in the room
Circulate and use Live mode to see themes across the class. Your presence signals this is a real part of the lesson.
Debrief afterwards
Leave five minutes at the end to talk about the experience. This helps students reflect and gives you valuable feedback.
About the prompts below
These prompts are designed to be given directly to students as their starting point. You can use them exactly as written, adapt them to your current unit, or use them as inspiration for your own. Each prompt includes a note on what to expect from CurricuLLM so you know what a good response looks like.
Primary (Year 5–6)
| Try this prompt | What to expect |
|---|---|
| "I'm writing a persuasive text about whether schools should ban homework. Can you help me build my argument?" | CurricuLLM will ask the student to state their position first, then guide them through structuring their argument with reasons and evidence. It won't write the text for them. |
| "We're reading a book in class and I need to analyse a character. The character is really brave but also makes bad decisions. How do I write about that?" | CurricuLLM will help the student explore complexity in characterisation, prompting them to find evidence from the text and consider how a character can have contradictory traits. |
| "Can you help me understand what an inference is? I keep getting it wrong on my reading tasks." | CurricuLLM will explain inference using age-appropriate examples, then walk the student through practising it step by step rather than just giving a definition. |
| Try this prompt | What to expect |
|---|---|
| "I don't understand how to multiply fractions. Can you teach me?" | CurricuLLM will break the concept into steps, use visual or concrete examples appropriate for Year 5–6, and check understanding along the way before moving to the procedure. |
| "We're doing a maths project on data. I need to survey my class and present the results. Where do I start?" | CurricuLLM will guide the student through the statistical inquiry cycle — formulating a question, collecting data, choosing a display, and drawing conclusions — aligned to the Year 5–6 curriculum. |
| "I keep getting word problems wrong. I can do the maths but I don't know which operation to use." | CurricuLLM will work through strategies for interpreting word problems, helping the student identify key language and connect it to operations, using practice examples. |
| Try this prompt | What to expect |
|---|---|
| "We're learning about the water cycle. Can you explain what evaporation is?" | CurricuLLM will explain evaporation at a Year 5–6 level, connect it to the broader water cycle, and ask the student questions to check they understand the process rather than just the definition. |
| "I need to design an experiment to test whether plants grow better in sunlight or shade. Can you help?" | CurricuLLM will guide the student through fair testing — identifying variables, making predictions, and planning a method — without designing the experiment for them. |
| Try this prompt | What to expect |
|---|---|
| "We're studying Australian democracy. What does Parliament actually do?" | CurricuLLM will explain the role of Parliament in age-appropriate terms, connecting to the Year 5–6 civics and citizenship curriculum, and may prompt the student to think about why it matters. |
| "I have a geography assignment on bushfire management. How do communities prepare for bushfires?" | CurricuLLM will help the student explore preparation strategies, linking to the concepts of place, environment, and human responses in the geography curriculum. |
Secondary (Year 7–10)
| Try this prompt | What to expect |
|---|---|
| "I need to write an analytical essay on how a poet uses language to convey meaning. I don't know how to start." | CurricuLLM will help the student develop a thesis, identify language techniques, and structure their analysis paragraph by paragraph. It will prompt them to use evidence from the text. |
| "What's the difference between a theme and a motif? We keep talking about them in class but I'm confused." | CurricuLLM will explain both concepts with clear examples, then ask the student to identify them in a text they're studying to check understanding. |
| "I have to create a multimodal presentation. Can you help me plan it?" | CurricuLLM will guide the student through purpose, audience, and mode selection, then help them plan content and consider how visual and written elements work together. |
| Try this prompt | What to expect |
|---|---|
| "I'm stuck on algebra. I don't understand how to solve equations with variables on both sides." | CurricuLLM will work through the concept step by step, starting from where the student's understanding breaks down. It will use worked examples and ask the student to try each step. |
| "We're doing trigonometry and I can't remember when to use sin, cos, or tan." | CurricuLLM will help the student understand the ratios conceptually, connect them to right-angled triangles, and practise identifying which to use in different problems. |
| "How do I find the probability of two events happening together? Like rolling a 6 and flipping heads." | CurricuLLM will guide the student through compound probability using tree diagrams or area models appropriate to their year level, building from simple to combined events. |
| Try this prompt | What to expect |
|---|---|
| "We're studying chemical reactions. What's the difference between a physical and a chemical change?" | CurricuLLM will explain both concepts with examples, then challenge the student to classify borderline cases to deepen their understanding. |
| "I need to write a scientific report on our prac about reaction rates. I have my results but I don't know how to write the discussion." | CurricuLLM will guide the student through structuring a discussion section — explaining results, linking to theory, identifying errors, and suggesting improvements — without writing it for them. |
| "Can you help me understand natural selection? I get confused between adaptation and evolution." | CurricuLLM will work through the mechanism of natural selection step by step, clarifying the distinction between individual adaptation and population-level evolution over time. |
| Try this prompt | What to expect |
|---|---|
| "We're studying the Industrial Revolution. Why did it start in Britain and not somewhere else?" | CurricuLLM will guide the student through the contributing factors — resources, technology, trade, social conditions — prompting them to consider cause and effect rather than just listing facts. |
| "I have a geography report on urbanisation. How does urbanisation affect the environment?" | CurricuLLM will help the student explore environmental impacts systematically, connecting to geographical concepts of place, space, and interconnection at the appropriate depth. |
| "What's the difference between needs and wants in commerce? And why does it matter for budgeting?" | CurricuLLM will explain the concepts and help the student apply them to real-world scenarios, building financial literacy skills aligned to the curriculum. |
Tips for using these prompts
You don't need to use these word for word. They're starting points.
Adapt to your unit
Swap the topic for whatever you're currently teaching. The structure of the prompt matters more than the specific content.
Use Studio Mode
Upload your existing lesson plan and use Studio Mode to generate prompts and activities tailored to your specific content and class.
Set the scene for students
When introducing a prompt, give students context first. Tell them what they're learning, then give them the prompt as a way to explore it further.
Encourage follow-ups
The first prompt starts the conversation, but the real learning happens in the back-and-forth. Encourage students to keep asking questions and going deeper.