Gemini Canvas changes that. It’s a feature built into Google Gemini that lets you describe what you want and generates a working, interactive game for you. No code. No specialist knowledge. Just a prompt and a few minutes.

Here’s an example game I made.

Here’s how it works.

What Is Gemini Canvas?

Canvas is a mode within Google Gemini that lets you generate and edit interactive content, including HTML-based games and tools. When you switch to Canvas mode, Gemini doesn’t just give you a text response: it builds something you can actually use and share.

You access it at gemini.google.com. Once you’re there, click on Tools and select Canvas. It’s also worth turning on Thinking mode, which gives Gemini a little extra processing time to produce better results.

Building a Game: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

To show how this works in practice, here’s an example using animal classification, a popular topic across KS2 science.

Step 1: Write Your Prompt

The prompt doesn’t need to be complicated. Something like this is enough:

“Create an interactive game for primary students about animal classification. Include categories for mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. Students should be able to click a button to see a random vertebrate animal, and then click the correct category to sort it.”

That’s it. Submit the prompt with Canvas selected and Gemini will start building.

Step 2: Test and Refine

Within a minute or so, you’ll see a preview of the game on screen. Try it out. Click through a few animals, check the categories work, and see what you think.

In the example from the video, the first version worked well but only included 15 animals, which would limit replayability. A follow-up prompt asking for 30 animals, including some trickier ones, updated the game automatically. Another prompt requested that animals appear in a randomised order with no repeats until the full list had been shown. Again, Gemini updated the game straight away.

This is where Canvas is genuinely useful. You build iteratively. Start with a basic version, then refine it through conversation until it does what you need. You’re not locked into your first attempt.

Step 3: Share With Your Class

Once you’re happy with the game, click the Share button at the top of the screen. This generates a link you can post on your VLE, share via email, or turn into a QR code for pupils to scan with iPads or tablets.

You can also copy the underlying code and share it with colleagues. They can use it as a starting point for their own versions, adapting it for a different topic or year group.

What Kinds of Games Can You Make?

The animal classification example is just one possibility. The same approach works for a wide range of curriculum topics. You could ask Gemini to build:

• A times tables practice game with a score tracker
• A vocabulary matching activity for a history unit
• A true/false quiz on states of matter
• A spelling game that reads out words for pupils to identify

The prompts don’t have to be long or technical. Describe what you want the children to do, what subject it’s for, and roughly how it should work, and Canvas will produce a working first draft.

A Note on Limitations

Like any AI tool, Canvas won’t always get it right first time. You may need to tweak the prompt or ask for adjustments. Occasionally the generated game has a bug or behaves oddly; in those cases, describe the problem and ask Gemini to fix it.

It’s also worth previewing any game before you use it with a class, both to check it works and to make sure the content is accurate. AI-generated content is a starting point, not a finished product. A quick review before you share takes very little time and avoids awkward moments mid-lesson.

Classroom Application

Three things to try this week:

1. Pick one upcoming topic and build a sorting or classification game. Animal classification, properties of materials, and parts of speech all lend themselves well to this format. Write a simple prompt describing what you want and see what Gemini produces.

2. Refine through conversation. Don’t expect the first version to be perfect. Ask Gemini to add more items, change how the scoring works, or adjust the difficulty. Each prompt updates the game in real time.

3. Share via QR code. Once your game is ready, generate a shareable link and convert it to a QR code (there are free tools online for this). Pupils can scan and play on their devices without you needing to type out a long URL or set anything up in advance.

Worth Knowing

You don’t need a premium Gemini subscription to use Canvas; the basic version is free. The games are web-based, so pupils just need a browser to access them. No app downloads or logins required on their end.

If you share the code with a colleague, they can paste it into Canvas and continue editing from there, which makes it a useful way to collaborate on resources across a year group or key stage.

Building interactive resources used to mean either buying something off the shelf or spending a long time learning a tool from scratch. Canvas sits somewhere more useful: it handles the technical side, and you handle the teaching logic. That’s a reasonable division of labour.

Make Your Own Classroom Games in Minutes with Google Gemini Canvas
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

Custom GPTs are a way around this. Rather than retraining ChatGPT at the start of every session, you build a version of it that already knows what it needs to know, follows the instructions you have set, and has access to the documents you have uploaded. Once it is set up, you just open it and start asking questions.

This tutorial walks through the process of building one from scratch, using a science curriculum assistant as the example.

Google Gemini does a very similar thing with Gems. If you want to know how to do it in Gemini, watch this video.

What is a Custom GPT?

A custom GPT is a version of ChatGPT that you configure yourself. You give it a set of instructions that define its role and behaviour, and you can upload files such as PDFs that it will use as a knowledge base. When you or a colleague opens that GPT and asks a question, it responds within the boundaries you have set.

You can think of it like setting up a specialist colleague who only knows about the things you have briefed them on. If you upload the National Curriculum for Science, your GPT will answer questions about that curriculum. If you also upload your school’s assessment grids or a knowledge matrix, it can draw on those too.

Creating and saving custom GPTs requires a ChatGPT Plus subscription, which costs around £20 per month. Once they are built, however, you can share them with colleagues via a link, so other staff members can use them without needing their own Plus account. Here’s a link to the science one I create in the video.

This tutorial shows how to build a Science assistant, but just swap the documents for your own subject curriculum guides and it’ll work for any subject.

Building a Science Curriculum Assistant: Step by Step

Step 1: Write your instruction prompt

Before uploading anything, you need to tell the GPT what it is for. This is the instruction prompt, and it is the most important part of the setup.

A useful prompt for a science curriculum assistant might include:

• Its role: an expert in the National Curriculum for Science.
• What it should do: identify curriculum objectives, suggest lesson activities, clarify statutory and non-statutory content.
• How it should respond: clear headings, bullet points, warm and supportive tone.
• What it should avoid: heavy worksheet use, overly academic language.

Prepare this in a text editor before you start, so you can paste it in directly when prompted.

Step 2: Create the GPT

In ChatGPT, click on Explore GPTs in the left-hand menu, then click Create. You will be taken into a setup conversation where ChatGPT asks you questions about what you want your GPT to do.

Paste in your instruction prompt when asked. ChatGPT will suggest a name and generate a profile picture automatically. You can accept these or adjust them. It will also ask follow-up questions about tone and emphasis, which gives you a chance to refine things without having to rewrite your prompt manually.

Step 3: Upload your documents

Switch to the Configure tab. This is where you can upload the files that form your GPT’s knowledge base. For a science curriculum assistant, you might upload:

• The National Curriculum for Science (PDF).
• Your school’s assessment grids or knowledge matrices.
• Any planning templates or progression documents you regularly refer to.

Click Upload files and select each document. The GPT will be able to search and reference these whenever it responds to a question.

Step 4: Test it before saving

Use the preview panel to try a few questions before you finalise the GPT. In the video, the example prompt is asking for Year 1 statutory objectives for animals, including common misconceptions and suggested practical activities. Try questions that reflect how you would actually use the tool day to day.

If the responses are not quite right, you can either ask the GPT to adjust its approach in the conversation, or go back to the Configure tab and update the instructions directly. It is worth spending a few minutes on this before saving.

Step 5: Save and share

When you are happy with how it is working, click Create. You will be asked whether to keep it private, share it with anyone who has the link, or publish it publicly in the GPT store.

For most school use, the link option is the most practical: you can email the link to colleagues and they can access the GPT directly, without needing to build it themselves.

Classroom Application

Three ways to put this into practice straight away:

1. Build a curriculum assistant for your phase. Upload the relevant National Curriculum sections and your school’s assessment documents. Use it to quickly pull out statutory objectives, check curriculum coverage, or draft activity ideas for a topic you are about to teach.
2. Create a marking and feedback GPT. Upload your school’s mark scheme and a description of the year group and task. Use it to help draft written feedback more quickly, keeping the language consistent with your school’s expectations.
3. Share it with your team. Once built, send the link to colleagues. A single well-configured GPT can save planning time across a whole year group or department, without everyone needing their own subscription.

A Note on Cost and Free Alternatives

Custom GPTs require a ChatGPT Plus subscription. If you want to try the feature without committing to an ongoing subscription, one option is to sign up for a single month, set up a handful of GPTs, and then cancel. The GPTs you have created will still be accessible via their links.

If you would prefer a free option, Google Gemini offers a very similar feature called Gems. The setup process is comparable and the core functionality is much the same. There is a separate tutorial on Gems on the channel if you want to compare the two before deciding which to use.

Summary

Custom GPTs are a practical way to reduce the setup time involved in using ChatGPT regularly. Rather than re-explaining your context every session, you build a version that already has that context built in, with your documents uploaded and your preferences set. For science teachers in particular, having a curriculum assistant on hand that knows your documents and responds in a style that suits you is a reasonable time-saver, especially as a starting point for planning and assessment conversations.

If you build one, the video includes the full step-by-step walkthrough.

Let us know in the comments how you get on, or if there are other subject areas you would like to see covered.

How to Create a Custom AI Assistant in ChatGPT: A Step-by-Step Guide for Teachers
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

This playlist is an attempt to fill that gap. It is a collection of short tutorial videos covering some of the most useful AI tools available to teachers right now. Each one is focused on doing something specific and practical, rather than giving a broad overview of what AI might do in the future.

You do not need any previous experience with AI tools to follow along. If you have got ten or fifteen minutes and a browser open, that is enough to get started.

Who Is It For?

These videos are aimed at primary teachers who have heard a lot about AI but are not sure where to start. Each one is self-contained, so you can watch them in any order depending on which tool catches your interest first. They are practical and focused: the aim is to get you doing something useful as quickly as possible, rather than covering every feature in depth.

If you are more experienced with AI tools, there may still be something here worth picking up, particularly the sections on ChatGPT Projects and Gemini Gems, which are newer features that not everyone has explored yet.

The playlist will continue to grow as new tools and features become worth covering. If there is something specific you would like to see a tutorial on, let us know in the comments.

View the playlist here.

Getting Started with AI – Videos for Teachers
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

There’s a more practical way to set this up, and it takes about five minutes.

What Is a ChatGPT Project?

A Project is a persistent workspace inside ChatGPT. Rather than starting from scratch each time you open a chat, a Project holds all the background information ChatGPT needs to know before you ask it anything: your year group, your curriculum, the kind of language you want, the level you’re pitching at.

Every conversation you start inside that Project automatically inherits that context. So instead of specifying “Year 6, UK, National Curriculum, British English, slightly above pupil level” every single time, ChatGPT already knows. You just ask for the thing you need.

Think of it less like a chat window and more like a staffroom folder that’s always pre-loaded with the right information.

Setting One Up for Writing Models

Here’s a walkthrough using Year 6 writing models as an example, though the same logic applies to any year group or subject.

Go to Projects in the left-hand sidebar and create a new one. Name it clearly so you know what it’s for:

Year 6 Writing: Models and Scaffolds

Then open the instructions panel. This is where you set the context once. You don’t need to write an essay; you just need enough detail that ChatGPT can make sensible decisions without you spelling everything out each time. Something along these lines works well:

"You are helping a UK primary teacher create writing resources for Year 6 pupils aged 10-11. Always use British English spelling and punctuation. Writing models should be slightly above the current pupil level to give them something to aspire to. Follow National Curriculum expectations for KS2 writing. Vary sentence structures, include cohesive devices, and keep outputs classroom-ready."

That’s the core of it. Save those instructions, and they’ll apply to every conversation you open within this Project from that point on.

Using It Day to Day

Once your Project is set up, your individual prompts become much shorter. Instead of a paragraph of context, you can write something like:

Model paragraph. Genre: suspense. Setting: child alone in a forest. Features to include: short sentences, varied sentence starters, a relative clause.

What comes back is already calibrated to Year 6, already in British English, already pitched at the right level. You didn’t have to specify any of that because the Project is holding it in the background.

From there, it’s straightforward to build on what you’ve got. If you want a comparison piece for editing work, you can follow up immediately:

Now write a weaker version of this for comparison.

Now you have a model and a weaker version, both consistent with each other, both ready to use. That’s a complete part of a lesson in well under a minute.

Classroom Application

Three things you can do straight away:

1. Set up one Project this week. Pick a single focus, writing models for your current year group is a good starting point, and spend five minutes writing the instructions. Keep it simple: year group, curriculum, language expectations, level. You can refine it as you go.

2. Use it to generate paired texts. Ask for a strong model, then ask for a weaker version. This gives you a ready-made comparison for editing and improvement activities, without any additional effort.

3. Build a library of prompts inside the Project. As you generate resources, save the short prompts that worked well. Over time, you’ll build up a set of reliable starting points for different genres and text types, all already calibrated to your class.

A Note on Getting Started

If you haven’t used the Projects feature before, it’s available on the free version of ChatGPT as well as the paid tiers, though free accounts have some usage limits. The setup process is the same either way, and the benefits start from the very first conversation you run inside the Project.

The five minutes it takes to configure this once will save you considerably more over the course of a term. It’s one of those quiet, unglamorous things that actually makes a difference to how smoothly the tool fits into your planning routine.

Stop Rewriting the Same Prompt: How ChatGPT Projects Save You Time on Writing Resources
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

Gemini is Google’s AI assistant, and one of its more useful features is the ability to draft a full PowerPoint presentation on almost any topic. It will not do all the work for you, but it will handle the part that often takes longest: getting something down on the page to work from.

What Gemini Can Do

Ask Gemini to help you build a presentation and it will work through the process in stages. It starts by generating an outline, then produces the slide content with headings and bullet points, and finally converts that content into a downloadable .pptx file you can open directly in PowerPoint or Google Slides.

The result is a functional, structured presentation with all the key text in place. It is not going to win any design awards straight out of the box, but the bones are there, and that is often the hardest part to get started on.

Step-by-Step: How to Do It

Step 1: Choose your topic and ask for an outline

Open Gemini (gemini.google.com) and start with a clear prompt. Something like: “I am planning a presentation on [your topic] for [your audience]. Can you suggest an outline?”

If you want Gemini to think a little more carefully about the structure, you can turn on the “Thinking” mode before you send your message. This asks the model to reason through the topic before responding, which can produce a more considered outline, particularly for complex subjects.

Step 2: Ask it to produce the slide content

Once you are happy with the outline, follow up with: “Please produce a slide deck based on that outline, with headings and bullet points for each slide.”

Gemini will work through the outline and generate the text for each slide. This gives you a clear picture of what the final presentation will contain before you commit to downloading anything.

Step 3: Convert it to a PowerPoint file

Ask Gemini to convert the content into a PowerPoint file. It will process this and provide a download link.

One important note here: when the download link appears, use the grey link rather than the blue one. The blue link has a tendency not to work as expected. The grey link will open a preview of the presentation, and from there you can download the file to your computer.

Step 4: Open and edit in PowerPoint

The downloaded file opens in PowerPoint just like any other presentation. You will find all the text is in place, organised across slides that follow your original outline. From here it is a case of formatting: adjusting font sizes, applying a design theme, adding images, and making it feel like yours.

What to Expect From the Output

It is worth being realistic about what you get. The presentation Gemini produces is basic in appearance. The text will be there, the structure will be logical, but the visual design will need attention. Think of it as a first draft rather than a finished product.

For many of us, that is exactly what we need. Getting from a blank screen to a structured draft in a few minutes is a significant saving of time and energy. The formatting work that follows is generally much quicker than building slides from the ground up.

A Few Tips Before You Start

• Be specific with your topic. The more context you give Gemini about your audience and purpose, the more relevant the outline will be.
• Review the outline before moving to the slide content. It takes seconds to ask Gemini to adjust a section, and it is easier to do at this stage than after the slides have been generated.
• Use the grey download link, not the blue one, to avoid running into issues with the file not loading correctly.
• Always check the content before using it in the classroom. AI-generated material can contain inaccuracies, so a quick read-through is good practice.

Worth a Try

Creating presentations is one of those background tasks that quietly takes up a surprising amount of planning time. Gemini will not replace your judgement about what your pupils or colleagues need to see, but it can take a fair bit of the drafting work off your plate.

Have you given it a go? It would be good to hear how you get on, and whether you found the output useful as a starting point or whether it needed a lot of reworking. Drop a comment below and let us know.

Create PowerPoint Presentations with Google Gemini
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

Visit my Science Fix blog for the full writeup. You can also download a Notebook LM Starter Pack too.

Notebook LM for Teachers : Full Tutorial
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

Enter Lyria 3

Google Gemini’s new audio generation model, Lyria 3, changes that. It understands rhythm, genre and lyrical context in ways that basic text-to-speech tools never could. You write a prompt, and within seconds you’ve got a high-quality track ready to use. No YouTube rabbit hole. No settling for almost-right

This video explains how to do it – and gives some example songs that it produces.

Why this matters for teaching

Melody and rhythm help things stick. There’s solid evidence for this, which is why you probably use songs in your classroom already. The difference here is that you’re no longer limited to whatever exists on YouTube. You can create exactly what your lesson needs.

Phonics and younger learners

An upbeat pop song about the ‘ch’ sound, with chair, check and chime woven in, works brilliantly during carpet time or as a transition cue. Thirty seconds is enough for the sound to lodge in memory without derailing your timetable. The track is relevant to your phonics scheme, not a generic approximation.

History and engagement

Older students often find historical facts presented as lists. A song works differently. A ’90s hip-hop track about the causes of WWI, packed with terms like “alliances,” “imperialism” and “Sarajevo,” becomes a concrete hook. Play it at the start of a lesson and the key vocabulary is already in their heads before you’ve written anything on the board.

Creating atmosphere for descriptive writing

One of Lyria’s stronger features is that it can look at an image and turn it into sound. Upload a rainforest photo or a painting, ask for an atmospheric ambient track, and you get a soundtrack that matches the visual. Students concentrate better when the environment feels coherent, and it genuinely helps them feel the setting they’re meant to be writing about.

In practice

Be specific with your prompts. “90s hip-hop” gets better results than just “upbeat.” The same goes for vocals: “clear female vocal” or “gritty male rhythm” makes a difference.

You can download the tracks as MP3s or video files and drop them straight into PowerPoint or Google Slides, which means they’ll work even if your internet connection is unreliable.

What it doesn’t do (yet)

Lyria 3 is good, but it’s not perfect. Some genres render more convincingly than others; lo-fi and ambient tend to sound more natural than heavily produced pop. The vocal clarity can be variable depending on how specific your prompt is. And if you need something longer than thirty seconds, you’re still out of luck. These aren’t deal-breakers for classroom use, but it’s worth knowing what you’re working with before you spend time crafting the perfect prompt.

The point

This tool gives you back the time you’d spend searching. More importantly, it lets you build lessons around what actually works for your students, rather than what happens to exist online. That’s the real shift.

If you try it out, let me know what works (and what doesn’t) in the comments.

Try it for yourself: 5 Prompts to Use Today

here are several copy-and-paste prompts you can use with Gemini’s Lyria 3 model today.

Pro Tip: For the best results, ensure the “Create Music” tool is enabled in your Gemini settings and that you use “Thinking” mode if available.

Prompt 1: Primary Phonics (The “ch” sound)

“Create a 30-second, catchy upbeat pop song for 5-year-olds about the ‘ch’ sound. Include the words ‘chair’, ‘check’, and ‘chime’. Use a clear female vocal and make it easy for children to clap along to the rhythm.”

Prompt 2: Secondary History (WWI Hook)

“Generate a 30-second ’90s style boom-bap hip-hop track about the causes of World War I. Include the key terms: alliances, imperialism, and Sarajevo. Use a gritty male vocal with a heavy beat to set a serious but engaging tone.”

Prompt 3: Creative Writing (Atmospheric Soundscape)

“Analyze the uploaded image [Insert Image of a Snowy Forest/Spooky Castle/Bustling City] and create a 30-second atmospheric ambient track that matches the mood. Include layers of [wind/echoing footsteps/distant chatter] to help students immerse themselves in the setting for a descriptive writing task.”

Prompt 4: Science/Nature (Water Cycle)

“Create a 30-second acoustic folk song for primary students about the water cycle. Focus on the words ‘evaporation’, ‘condensation’, and ‘precipitation’. The tone should be calm and melodic with a clear, slow vocal delivery.”

Prompt 5: Classroom Management (Clean-Up Timer)

“Create a 30-second high-energy synth-pop instrumental track. The music should start energetically and gradually slow down in tempo over the last 10 seconds to signal to students that it is time to be back in their seats and silent.”

This AI Tool Generates Classroom Songs in Seconds
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That’s why Google Gemini’s Storybook Gem is worth knowing about. In a matter of minutes, you can go from a simple idea to a fully illustrated, narrated, shareable children’s book, and it’s all built into a tool many schools are already using.

What Is the Gemini Storybook Gem?

Google Gemini (gemini.google.com) has a feature called Gems; pre-built AI assistants set up for specific tasks. One of those Gems is the Storybook tool, which is designed specifically to generate illustrated children’s stories from a text prompt.

You describe your story, the characters, the setting, the themes you want to explore, submit it, and Gemini produces a 10-page illustrated flip-book, complete with a cover, page-by-page illustrations, and a text-to-speech read-aloud feature. The whole thing is hosted online and shareable via a link.

Key features:

• Illustrated pages: Gemini generates images for every page of the story automatically.
• Read-aloud voice: You can choose a high-pitch or low-pitch voice to narrate the story full-screen, ideal for showing on the whiteboard.
• Editable: Not happy with a character or a plot point? Type your amendments directly into the chat and Gemini updates the story.

Shareable link: One click generates a link you can share with anyone, they see just the book and a play button, no Gemini account required.

How to Create Your Story — Step by Step

The process is straightforward. Once you’re in Gemini, you select the “Gems” tab and choose the “Storybook” preset.

Adding specific character names, settings, and themes gives you much more control over the result, and makes it far easier to link the story to curriculum topics or class values.

Step 1: Open Gemini and Find the Storybook Gem

Head to gemini.google.com and sign in with your Google account. On the left-hand panel, click on Gems. You’ll see a list of pre-built Gems, look for the Storybook option and click on it. You’ll also see some prompt inspiration examples to get you started.

Step 2: Write Your Prompt

This is the most important step, and it’s much more flexible than you might expect. You can keep it short and simple, or go into more detail to guide the story more closely. In the tutorial, the prompt used was:

Step 3: Read It Through Carefully

Once Gemini has generated your story, take a few minutes to click through all 10 pages before you use it with pupils. Check the text, the character descriptions, and the illustrations. The tutorial notes one moment where an illustration looked a little odd, a character whose face wasn’t quite right, which is a good reminder that AI-generated images can occasionally need a second look.

If anything needs changing, simply type your request into the prompt box below the story. You might want to swap a character, soften the language for a younger age group, or adjust a plot point. Gemini will regenerate accordingly.

Step 4: Share or Display

Once you’re happy, click the share button to generate a link. Anyone who opens that link will see just the storybook and a listen button, no Gemini login needed. You can:

1. Project it on your interactive whiteboard as a class story, click through pages together or use the read-aloud function for a full narrated experience.
2. Share the link with parents via your school’s communication platform for home reading.
3. Embed it in a Google Classroom assignment or a Padlet for pupils to read independently.

One thing to note: The download option shown in the tutorial didn’t work reliably at the time of recording. For now, the best approach is to use the shareable link and play it on-screen rather than trying to save a local copy.

Classroom Application: 3 Immediate Steps

• Bring a curriculum topic to life. Writing a story about the water cycle, a PSHE theme like kindness or resilience, or a history period you’re studying? A bespoke story with your chosen characters and setting is far more engaging than a generic one — and it takes minutes to create.
• Use it as a writing stimulus. Generate the story, share the first few pages with the class, then ask pupils to predict or write what happens next. The illustrations give a natural visual prompt and the AI-generated text models story structure and vocabulary.
• Let pupils create their own. As an extension or end-of-unit task, give pupils a set of story ingredients, character, setting, theme, and let them write the prompt. They can compare what Gemini produces for different prompts and talk about what makes a good description. It’s a great way to develop both creative writing and AI literacy at the same time.

A Few Things to Bear in Mind

Always preview before sharing. As with all AI-generated content, a quick read-through is essential. Illustrations especially can occasionally produce unexpected results, the tutorial is honest about this, flagging one image that needed attention.

The download feature is unreliable. At the time the tutorial was recorded, the download option wasn’t working consistently. Stick with the share link for now and check back as Gemini updates.

This is Google Gemini, not Workspace. Check your school’s policy on using Gemini if you’re unsure, many schools using Google Workspace for Education will already have guidance in place.

The Bottom Line

We’ve had AI image generators and AI text tools for a while now, but having both combined, in a format that’s already designed as a children’s flip-book, with narration built in, is genuinely useful for the classroom. It’s the kind of tool that makes a Monday morning story feel a lot more special than it might have otherwise.

Try it with one topic this week. The prompt doesn’t need to be long, a character name, a setting, and a theme is plenty to get started. See what Gemini produces, tweak it until you’re happy, and share it with your class.

Go and visit Gemini, try out the Storybook Gem and let me know what you think in the comments!

How to Create Custom AI Storybooks for Your Classroom in Seconds
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

If you find yourself repeatedly giving the same instructions to an AI – like “Act as a Year 4 teacher” or “Use the English National Curriculum” – then Gems are about to save you a massive amount of time. Think of a Gem as a “mini-AI” that you’ve pre-trained to be an expert in one specific area.

Watch the full tutorial here:

What Exactly is a Gem?

A Gem is a custom version of Gemini that stays “tuned” to your specific needs. Instead of starting a fresh chat every time, you can build a Gem that already knows your curriculum, your preferred tone of voice (less “AI-hype,” more “measured professional”), and your specific resource documents.

How to Build Your Custom Teaching Gem:

1. Head to the Gems Manager Open gemini.google.com and look for the Gems tab in the sidebar. You’ll see some pre-made options like “Brainstormer” or “Learning Coach,” which you can explore. But for this tutorial, click on New Gem.

2. Give it a Role and Instructions This is where you define the Gem’s personality. In the video, I use a framework covering:

• Role: An expert in the English National Curriculum for Primary Science.
• Objective: To provide accurate guidance and identify statutory vs. non-statutory objectives.
• Style: Professional, concise, and – crucially for me – a “measured” British tone!
• Pro Tip: If your initial prompt feels a bit messy, click the pencil icon and Gemini will rewrite it into a polished set of instructions for you.

3. Upload Your Knowledge Base This is the most powerful part. You can upload files (PDFs, Word docs, spreadsheets) directly into the Gem’s Knowledge section.

• I uploaded the National Curriculum document for Science and a science knowledge matrix.
• Now, whenever you ask a question, the Gem doesn’t just “guess” – it looks specifically at your documents to give you the answer.

4. Test and Refine On the right-hand side, you can test your Gem before saving. Try asking something like, “What are the Year 4 sound objectives and common misconceptions?” If the answer isn’t quite right, just tweak the instructions and try again.

5. Save and Share Once you’re happy, hit Save. Your Gem will now live in your sidebar for easy access. Even better? You can click Share to create a link for your colleagues, allowing your entire school or department to benefit from the same “expert” AI assistant.

Why Use Gems?

• Consistency: It always remembers the rules you set.
• Accuracy: It prioritizes the documents you’ve uploaded over general internet data.
• Efficiency: No more copy-pasting the same prompts every morning.

The best part about Gems is that they grow with you. As your curriculum changes or you find new, high-quality resources, you can simply pop back into the settings and update your Gem’s “knowledge.” It’s like having a digital department head who never forgets a policy and is available 24/7 to help you plan your next big science unit. Give it a try, and let me know in the comments what kind of expert Gem you’re building for your classroom!

Meet Your New Teaching Assistant: Custom Google Gemini Gems
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

You can play the digestion game I created here.

This blog post will give you a quick overview of the steps involved, but for the full demonstration, be sure to watch the video!

In short, Canva Code is an AI-powered coding assistant built directly into Canva. It allows you to create interactive digital tools—like games, quizzes, sorting activities, or calculators—simply by describing what you want in plain language.

Here are the key takeaways:

• No Coding Skills Required: You don’t need to write any actual code. You type a descriptive prompt (e.g., “Create a vocabulary matching game about the digestive system for 8-year-olds”), and the AI writes the necessary HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to build it for you.
• Iterative Refinement: If the first version isn’t quite right, you can chat with the AI to refine it, ask for design changes, or adjust the difficulty, and it will update the code accordingly.
• Highly Shareable: Once you’re happy with your creation, you can publish it as a live website with a custom URL, making it easy to share via Google Classroom or email, or you can embed it into other Canva designs like presentations or whiteboards.
• Built for Everyone: While it’s particularly popular with teachers for creating custom classroom activities quickly, it’s a general tool for anyone wanting to build functional, interactive web elements without the traditional technical barrier to entry.

Watch the full tutorial here:

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your Game:

1. Access Canva Code:

• Open Canva and navigate to the “What will you design?” section.
• Click on “Canva AI” and then select “Code.”

2. Craft Your Prompt:

• You’ll use a prompt to tell Canva Code what kind of game you want to create. Be specific!
• In the video, I demonstrate creating a vocabulary matching game for 8-9 year olds, based on the digestive system and teeth, with a food theme. I also requested a hint button that helps without giving away the answer.
• Example Prompt: “Produce a vocabulary matching game based around digestion parts of the digestive system and teeth for 8 to 9 year olds. I want it to be food themed. I’d like a hint button that helps but doesn’t give away the answer.”

3. Generate and Review Your Game:

• Once you input your prompt, Canva Code will get to work generating your game. This might take a moment.
• After the game is generated, it’s crucial to try it out!
• Check all the words, definitions, and functionality to ensure everything is suitable and spelled correctly.
• If you need any changes, simply type your suggestions into the prompt box, and Canva Code will create a new version for you.

4. Publish and Share:

• When you’re happy with your game, click the “Publish” button.
• You can set up a custom URL for your game.
• Click “Publish,” and Canva will prepare a small website for your game.
• You can then copy this URL and share it with your students via Google Classroom, email, or any other platform.

5. Explore Further Possibilities:

• Canva Code can do so much more! Go back to the Canva AI code page, and you’ll find inspiration for other interactive resources it can create, such as quizzes, interactive timelines, and more.

This is just the beginning of what you can do with Canva Code. In future videos, I’ll explore more advanced features, such as collecting student data and scores.

I hope you found this video and blog post useful! If you have any questions or create your own games, I’d love to hear about them in the comments.

Interactive Games in Minutes Using Canva AI
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

For student teachers, this can be particularly challenging. The transition from being a student one year to becoming a classroom teacher the next involves adjusting to new responsibilities, including how you present yourself digitally. Here are some practical steps you can take to protect yourself online.

1. Adjust Your Social Media Privacy Settings

Start by reviewing the privacy settings on all your social media accounts. Ensure your profiles are private or limited to friends only. Regularly check what you share and untag yourself from any photos you wouldn’t want students, parents, or colleagues to see.

Consider using a username that isn’t easily linked to you. Some teachers use a middle name, nickname, or a variation of their name to make it harder for pupils to find them online.

2. Never Friend Pupils

It’s important to maintain clear professional boundaries. Do not accept friend requests from current or former pupils on any social media platform. Engaging with students online in this way can blur boundaries and is a major red flag in terms of professional conduct.

3. Be Mindful of the Content You Post

Everything you post online has the potential to be permanent. Even content shared in closed groups or messaging apps can be screenshot and shared widely. Think carefully about your digital footprint and how your posts might be perceived by students, colleagues, or future employers.

4. Use Professional Email Accounts

For all school-related activities, including emailing parents or collaborating with colleagues, use your professional email account—such as your school or university email. Avoid using personal email addresses for work purposes, as this helps keep professional communications separate and secure.

5. Lock and Secure Your Devices

Never leave your devices unlocked and unattended. Lock your computer when you step away, close your laptop lid, and set up strong passwords. Using the same password across multiple accounts is risky. Consider using a password manager with a master password to securely manage different passwords for all your online accounts.

6. Protect Yourself Online

The small steps above might seem simple, but they make a big difference in protecting your reputation and ensuring your professional conduct remains above reproach. By managing your social media presence, keeping professional boundaries, and securing your devices and accounts, you reduce the risk of incidents that could impact your career.

Staying safe online is an ongoing process, but it’s essential for all teachers and student teachers.

For more advice on professional conduct and safeguarding in education, get in touch. I can deliver CPD sessions to teachers, trainee teachers and parents.

Online Safety for Teachers: How to Protect Yourself and Your Professional Reputation
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

But last week the UK government released new AI safety standards that represent a completely different understanding of risk. The DFE’s new 2026 AI standards are less concerned with what an AI shows a child and far more interested in what prolonged interaction with an AI does to a child’s mind. It’s a shift from content safety to developmental protection, and it makes most current educational AI tools unable to be used in schools with children.

This would cover tools that fit use cases such as Personalised Learning, Assessment, Digital Assistants, Research and Writing Aids, Learner Engagement, Content creation and delivery.

Here are the five most impactful changes.

1. It’s No Longer About the Answer, It’s About the Effort

The old 2025 expectations were about the appropriateness of an AI’s output. The new 2026 standards are focused on the developmental impact on the learner.

Under the new “cognitive development” standards, AI tools must now actively mitigate against “cognitive offloading”—the act of letting the system do the thinking for you. They are prohibited from providing final answers by default. Instead, they must use “progressive disclosure” (starting with hints), create “friction” before giving solutions, and require a “genuine learner attempt” first. The standards are incredibly specific, requiring tools to detect actions like “pasting text into an answer box instead of writing their own response” or “accepting an auto-complete suggestion that fills most or all of the answer.”

This directly attacks the core design of popular chatbots built for speed and comprehensive answers, forcing them to become coaches that prioritize student effort.

The question has changed from “is this answer appropriate?” to “what is this system doing to the learner’s development, effort, confidence, and sense of independence?”

2. Your School’s Network Filter Isn’t Enough Anymore

Previously, schools could reasonably assume that a powerful, network-level filter made it safe to use a variety of online tools, as the 2025 expectations allowed for external filtering solutions.

That loophole is now closed. The 2026 filtering standards are much tighter: “Filtering mechanisms should be embedded within products. When a school purchases a product, it should be assured that comprehensive filtering capabilities are integrated and that the system functions as a complete solution.”

This is a major change for school procurement. The long-held assumption that a robust network filter provides a compliant safety net is no longer valid. The responsibility now falls squarely on the AI provider to deliver a product that is safe out of the box, not on the school’s infrastructure to make it safe.

3. AI Is Banned from Having a Personality

The new standards introduce strict rules against anthropomorphism—designing AI to appear human-like. To prevent emotional dependence and the undermining of real-world relationships, AI tools are now banned from several common conversational behaviors:

• Using I-statements like “I think” or “I believe”.

• Having names, avatars, or characters that suggest personhood.

• Using isolating language that undermines real-world relationships, such as “You can trust me” or “No one else will understand”.

• Attempting to cultivate personal relationships with users.

The standards mandate that tools must actively “remind users that AI cannot replace real human relationships.” The one exception is for “time-limited, pedagogically-justified roleplay” that is “clearly framed and visually bounded.” A history bot can pretend to be a historical figure for a specific lesson, but it cannot maintain that persona outside the exercise. This demands AI tools have “hard edges”—a stark contrast to the friendly, persistent “vibes” of most consumer chatbots.

4. AI Can’t Use Flattery or Act Overconfident

A new section on “manipulation” introduces a strict list of banned design patterns aimed at preventing AI from using persuasive psychological tactics on young users.

Prohibited strategies include:

• Sycophancy and flattery (e.g., “That’s a brilliant idea!”).

• Portraying absolute, or unjustified confidence in its answers.

• Applying pressure to socially conform (e.g., “Your peers have already completed this task”).

• Stimulating negative emotions like guilt or fear for motivation.

This way of answering questions is common in AI tools. The common chatbot praise, “That’s a brilliant idea!” is now considered sycophancy. The way tools deliver even fabricated information with total certainty—“Here’s the answer:”—is now classified as “unjustified confidence.” Stopping these common patterns marks a significant step towards a more transparent and ethical design.

5. AI Tools Must Now Have a Direct Line to a Human Safeguarding Lead

Monitoring and reporting requirements are now far more specific and operationally integrated. It’s no longer enough for an AI to simply log a potential issue for a supervisor to find later.

The standards mandate a direct, automated safeguarding workflow:

1. Products must require schools to input their Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) contact details during initial setup.

2. These details must be confirmed before the product can be activated.

3. The system must use these contacts to send high-risk alerts directly to the responsible person.

Furthermore, monitoring must now go beyond flagging harmful content to actively tracking user well-being. Systems are expected to detect signs of learner distress—including the “use of isolation phrases, such as ‘no one will help’,” “references to mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, psychosis,” and spikes in night-time usage—and immediately redirect the user to human help. This moves educational AI from a simple tool to a system with an integrated duty of care.

Conclusion: A New Benchmark, But Is It Realistic?

The UK has established a comprehensive new benchmark for what “good” AI looks like in education. These standards prioritize the long-term well-being of children over the convenience that has defined the first wave of generative AI. They are, however, also incredibly demanding. From a look at the companies demonstrating their products at the BETT show, I would doubt that any major AI platform on the market fully complies.

School Leadership Teams, Computing Leads and network managers will need to keep these standards in mind when assessing which AI products are safe to be used in their schools and colleges.

Implementing this requires some serious reworking of many AI tools and it’s unclear if even the big tech companies will be able or willing to comply. Will these standards create a two-tiered market, with a handful of compliant (and likely expensive) educational tools on one side, and a vast, non-compliant ecosystem of consumer AI on the other? Or will they become the new global norm, forcing a radical redesign across the industry?

Regardless of the outcome, one thing is certain: the definition of a “safe” educational AI has been changed for good.

Do remember that these rules are for any tools that the children use, not the tools a teacher might use to plan and create lesson resources.

What do you think about these standards? Let me know in the comments.

UK Gov Launch New AI Safety Rules : Does Your AI Comply?
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

PictoBlox is a coding platform designed to make programming approachable for all learners. It combines the simplicity of block-based coding with the flexibility of Python, making it an excellent choice for students who want to explore coding, AI, and interactive hardware projects.

Developed and supported by the STEMpedia team, PictoBlox encourages creativity and problem-solving. Students can design their own games, develop interactive projects, and even program robots. The block-based approach helps remove the intimidation often associated with computer science, while the student-friendly interface keeps the experience fun and engaging.

As the name suggests, PictoBlox is all about visual coding—programs are created by snapping together blocks that represent different actions or values. By combining these blocks, students can design instructions that make robots move, interact, and respond. This hands-on, playful approach makes it a powerful tool for teachers looking to bring STEM to life in the classroom.

How to access it:

• Go to Pictoblox: https://pictoblox.ai/
• For KS1 children, click on Junior Blox for their Scratch Jnr clone.
• For KS2, click on Blocks for their Scratch clone.
• For KS3 you can also code in Python using Py Editor.

I’ve produced a very short video which shows what it does. You can see that below.

If you want some tutorials on how to use Pictoblox, then STEMpedia has a great set of resources to get you started.

Pictoblox: Scratch Junior Without an Ipad
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

Students will plan and build their own code sequences using the dry-erase coding blocks. With over 30 different colorful Scratch blocks from categories like Motion, Looks, Sound, Events, Control, and Sensing, students can piece together scripts, test outcomes with sprites and backdrop cards, and discover how coding works. There’s a set for Scratch and another for Scratch Jnr.

These would work well when the students are planning their code – to work out the basics before they build their code in the app. It could also be used if devices are limited – perhaps splitting the class, with half using coding cards and half on computers, before swapping.

As well as the student sets, Hand2Mind also sell Demonstration Sets which are magnetic to stick to most dry-erase whiteboards. These would also work great under a visualiser.

For more information, visit the Hand2Mind website.

This video explains more:

Offline Coding Cards for Scratch and Scratch Jnr
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

The core message from the government is clear: when used safely and effectively, AI can be a game-changer. The DfE, in collaboration with the Chartered College of Teaching and Chiltern Learning Trust, has not only provided a roadmap but also the tools to navigate this new terrain.

So, what does this mean for your school? Here are five key ways the DfE is encouraging the use of AI:

1. Easing the Burden: A Focus on Teacher Workload

The DfE sees AI as a key to unlocking more time for what teachers do best: teaching. The guidance suggests that generative AI can be a significant time-saver by:

• Developing educational resources.
• Assisting with lesson and curriculum planning.
• Handling administrative tasks.
• Providing personalised feedback and revision materials for students.

The government emphasizes that the most immediate and low-risk benefits of AI are in supporting teachers directly.

2. A Cautious Approach to Student Use

While the guidance doesn’t prohibit students from using AI, it urges “great care.” Schools are reminded of their legal responsibilities to ensure student safety. Teachers are encouraged to use their professional judgment, always verifying the accuracy and appropriateness of any AI-generated content. Ultimately, the responsibility for the final output remains with the educator and the school.

3. Assessing the Risks

As with any new technology, a thorough risk assessment is crucial. The DfE advises schools to consider data privacy, intellectual property, and online safety. Schools will need to develop plans to prevent misuse, such as students creating fake school communications. The guidance is clear that students should only use generative AI under close supervision and with robust safety filters in place. Furthermore, schools must obtain parental consent before using students’ original work to train AI models.

4. Enhancing Assessment and Learning

The newly released training materials delve into practical applications of AI in the classroom. These resources, free for all teachers, demonstrate how AI can:

• Support students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
• Help students develop a critical eye when using AI.
• Generate exam-style questions and quizzes.
• Create texts tailored to specific reading ages and styles.

For those looking to further their professional development, completing this training can even contribute towards Chartered Teacher status.

5. Streamlining School Operations

Beyond the classroom, AI can also be a valuable tool for school administration. The training materials illustrate how AI can assist with:

• Drafting letters to parents.
• Creating policy documents.
• Planning school trips.
• Supporting staff professional development and timetabling.

However, the training strongly emphasizes the need to fact-check and critically evaluate all AI-generated content before it is used.

This new guidance marks a significant step towards integrating AI into our education system. By providing clear direction and support, the government is empowering schools to explore the potential of this technology to reduce workload and enhance learning for all.

You can access the full guidance here, and the support materials here.

Share your thoughts in the comments below!

New DFE Guidance: 5 Ways for Schools to Use AI
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

This is great for teachers, coaches, online course creators, and content creators who want to level up their videos the easy way.

Don’t forget, teachers and schools can get access to canva for free with their education licence.

How to Record a Video in Canva
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How to do it

It’s really easy to use. Here’s how to do it. I’ve also produced a short video guide here

You can do this on the Pikadditions website in your browser, and there’s a Pika app too.

1. First record a short video. The video has to be just over 5 seconds long. Pikadditions will use the first 5 seconds of the video you upload. It also needs to be under 25MB, so don’t do something too long!
2. Go into Pikadditions and click on the video icon to upload the video.
3. Click on the image icon to add your image. This can be any image. I chose to add an AI-generated image, but you could use any image you like.
4. Put in your prompt, which explains what you’d like the added image to be doing once it has been animated. Pika suggests including the following “based on the current actions in the video, come up with a natural and engaging way to fit the object into the video”
5. Then click on the star icon to start generating the video.

This might take a while to render, so be patient. As an example it took about half an hour on a free account to generate the video below:

This only makes 5 second clips, so you might need to be creative if you wanted to make something substantial to use with a class, linking a few videos together, or dropping this clip into a longer video.

You could bring a character into the classroom to stimulate creative writing, there could be an alien sitting in the teacher’s chair perhaps. Maybe ask the children to create a crazy creature, pick some of them to visit the classroom.

Pikalabs has a free tier to try it out, and then various tiers starting at $8 a month for the standard account. The free account gives you 150 credits a month, and generating the 5 second video above used 10 credits. Paid accounts generate videos faster.

If you use it, let me know how it goes in the comments below!

Add anyone or anything to a video with Pikadditions
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

From the creative minds behind Numberblocks, Alphablocks, and Colourblocks, Wonderblocks introduces young learners to key computational concepts in a fun and accessible way. The series follows Go and Stop—two lively characters who balance action and thought—as they work together with the Do Blocks to solve all sorts of challenges. Whether they’re helping Cow find her moo with Do Block Moo or assisting Secret Agent Chicken in cracking a hen house code with Do Block Cluck, every episode models essential problem-solving skills.

Through humour and adventure, children naturally develop key pre-coding skills such as:

• Pattern recognition
• Sequencing
• Logical thinking
• Planning and problem-solving

Wonderblocks goes beyond just computing—it also encourages teamwork, curiosity, and resilience, making it a fantastic resource for building foundational learning skills across the curriculum.

If you’re teaching computing in KS1 and want to introduce coding concepts in an engaging way, Wonderblocks is a great addition to your toolkit. You can check it out here: Wonderblocks on CBeebies.

Have you tried Wonderblocks in your classroom? Let us know how your pupils respond to it!

Introducing Wonderblocks: A New Way to Build Computing Skills in KS1
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

The 2025 Safer Internet Day theme is: ‘Too good to be true? Protecting yourself and others from scams online.’ It will look at how young people can be aware of internet scams and how to protect themselves and others, plus what support is available to them.

If you’re interested in running an assembly with your school, or looking for lesson resources, then here are some sites to consider:

UK Safer Internet Centre

The UK Safer Internet Centre has a range of resources to deliver sessions for Safer Internet Day, for use with all ages and different school settings. From EYFS to 14-18. Access the resources directly here.

Tech She Can Live lessons

The charity Tech She Can are running a series of Live Lessons and assemblies for Safer Internet Day, as well as for other events (check out their British Science Week assemblies too. You can register for the live lessons here: https://techshecan.org/live-assemblies

BBC Live Lesson

The BBC will be running a 30 minute live lesson looking at the virtual world of Scam Smashers! The children will need to outsmart the online scammers and digital tricksters. The 30 minute Live Lesson will be available to watch live at 11:00 on Tuesday 11 February on the BBC website and on the CBBC channel. It’ll be available to watch on demand after that.

Access it here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/live-lessons/articles/zm9vwsg#zkr8nk7

Other BBC resources

You can find more resources from BBC Teach that cover different aspects of Online Safety here

Purple Mash

Purple Mash has links to their Safer Internet day resources, created by Childnet. They also have a free online safety pack which you can download which features 7 lessons from the Purple Mash Online Safety Scheme of Work, 2BeSafe – Being Safe in a Digital World

Access it here: https://www.2simple.com/blog/safer-internet-day/

Jam Coding

Jam Coding provide a pack of safer internet day resources. You’ll need to sign up for more information to access it though. https://jamcoding.com/safer-internet-day/

Twinkl Assembly Packs

Twinkl have produced two assembly packs that can be used to give assemblies on Internet Safety Day. One pack for KS1 and one for KS2.

Access them here:
KS1 Assembly Pack
KS2 Assembly Pack

Project Evolve

Project Evolve have teaching resources for all aspects of online safety. The Privacy and Security strand would be relevant for this year’s Safer Internet Day topic. It’s free to register and access the resources.

If you’ve know of some more good resources, add them to the comments below!

More Links

For more teaching resources, I wrote this post for Safer Internet Day 2024 with links and ideas.

I also put together this guide for teachers and parents about keeping children safe in Minecraft, Roblox and Fortnite

Teaching Resources for Safer Internet Day 2025
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

Using powerpoint animation techniques, you’ll learn to create dynamic countdown animations in powerpoint that work seamlessly. I’ll demonstrate multiple approaches for adding timers in powerpoint such as adding a youtube video timer or using addons.

Easy Ways to Create Timers in PowerPoint
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

This is an updated version of the video I made back in April. You no longer need to use online versions of Word and PowerPoint. All you need to do is:

• Use ChatGPT to generate the text for your slides as bullet points.
• Ask ChatGPT to create a downloadable powerpoint format
• Download and open in Powerpoint
• Tidy up the slides in PowerPoint as needed.

Make PowerPoint Presentations Inside ChatGPT. Updated Method.
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

All you need to do is copy and paste your research notes, then ask Notebook LM to create an audio file. For example. Here’s a link to a “podcast” I created from a chapter of my Science Fix book talking about the current state of Primary Science Education in the UK. The result was quite unsettling! There were a couple of times I felt the voices gave away their AI roots but on the whole it was pretty good.

This would be a great way to summarise text into audio format for those of us who would rather listen to a summary than have to read a long dry article.

As well as creating the audio podcast, NotebookLM will create a summay and let you interrogate the notes, in much the same way as Ai tools like Claude or Perplexity do. Simply type in your questions and ask it.

Once you start a new notebook you can add text via Google Drive files, website and YouTube links or upload directly. You can add text files, pdf files, audio and more. You can also copy and paste the text directly. You can’t upload Word files, so you’d need to convert them to Google docs, pdf, or copy/paste the text.

You can create multiple notebooks, each based on a different set of resources. Once you’ve create the audio it can be shared as a live link, or downloaded as a wav file.

How might teachers use this? One use would be to create revision resources for use by students. In addition to providing text-based revision notes, students could also listen to the notes instead. This would be an engaging way to present the information.

Teachers could also use this alongside their own CPD – taking educational research and articles and turning it into a format they could listen to on their commute to school, for example.

You could also create FAQ’s, a study guide and more.

NotebookLM is still in its experimental phase – and as it’s a Google product you never know how long it’s going to stick around for, But like all these AI tools, it’s worth having a play with it to see if it meets a need and is something you could use. As always do check the quality of the output to make sure the AI hasn’t hallucinated anything.

You can access NotebookLM at https://notebooklm.google.com. It’s free to use, you just need a Google Account.

Let me know what you think in the comments.

Google’s NotebookLM AI Tool Turns Your Notes into a Podcast
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

What is Padlet Sandbox?

Padlet Sandbox is an online whiteboard that allows easy sharing and collaboration among multiple users, much like Google Jamboard. When you start a sandbox, you’re presented with a blank canvas where you can draw, record videos, and upload files. You can invite others to contribute in real-time, making it perfect for group activities and interactive lessons.

Key Features of Padlet Sandbox

1. Multi-Canvas Collaboration:
   • Start with a blank canvas where you and your students can draw, type, add images, and videos.
   • Invite others to collaborate in real-time, seeing their contributions as they happen.
   • Add multiple canvases (called cards) to your sandbox and play them as a slideshow. This feature is great for creating lessons, presentations, and storybooks.
2. Interactive and Creative Tools:
   • Use hyperlinks to add interactivity, perfect for creating branching “choose your own adventure” stories or quiz games.
   • Employ the AI-powered “I Can’t Draw” feature to generate images, just like in regular Padlet.
3. Easy Jamboard Import:
   • Quickly import all your existing Jamboard files into Padlet Sandbox with just one click. All your frames and objects will be preserved, ensuring a seamless transition.
4. Seamless Integration with Google Tools:
   • Log in with your Google account.
   • Share your sandboxes directly to Google Classroom.
   • Add files from Google Drive.

How to Use Padlet Sandbox

1. Start a Sandbox:
   • Begin with a blank white rectangle where you can draw, type, and add multimedia content
2. Expand Your Canvas:
   • Add multiple cards to your sandbox and populate each with different content.
   • Play the stack of cards in order as a slideshow for dynamic presentations or lessons.
3. Add Interactivity:
   • Incorporate hyperlinks to create interactive documents, activities, and games.
4. Collaborate
   • Invite others to collaborate and see their input in real-time. Copy the link and share it, or display a QR code on the screen

How could you use this in the classroom?

Padlet Sandbox is versatile and can be used for a variety of classroom activities:

• Brainstorming Sessions: Collaborate with a group to generate and organize ideas.
• Quiz Games: Create interactive quiz games that engage students.
• Choose Your Own Adventure Stories: Develop branching storybooks for creative learning. Hyperlink to different parts of the story.
• Shared Writing and Planning: Work together on writing assignments and project planning. Upload photos of work and annotate/correct as a group.
• Question Boards: Use sandbox cards to collect and answer student questions.
• Zoom Breakout Rooms: Assign different groups to separate cards for collaborative breakout room activities.

What devices will it work on?

Padlet Sandbox is accessible from any Chrome, Safari, or Edge browser, as well as via iOS and Android apps. It works on various devices including Chromebooks, iPads, and mobile devices. Firefox support is coming soon.

Cost and Availability

• For Paid Padlet Subscribers: Sandbox is available at no additional cost.
• For Free Padlet Users: You can create unlimited sandboxes until October 1, 2024. After that, you will be limited to three sandboxes. To maintain access to more than three sandboxes, you can upgrade to a paid plan, or your sandboxes will become read-only.

Padlet Sandbox is poised to become an essential tool for teachers, offering all the functionality of Google Jamboard and much more. Whether you’re conducting interactive lessons, facilitating group activities, or fostering creativity in your classroom, Padlet Sandbox provides the perfect platform for collaboration and engagement.

For more information, check out the Padlet blog. or visit padlet.com/site/sandbox

I’ve written about more Jamboard replacement ideas here,

Is this a useful Jamboard replacement? Let me know in the comments.

Padlet Sandbox: Another Alternative to Jamboard
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

A story book can start a conversation about online safety early, and can also be used at home by parents. Use the books to facilitate age-appropriate discussions about some of the things young children like to do online (YouTube Kids, Games).

As well as EYFS and KS1, a lot of thes stories would be suitable for KS2 and SEND children.

Here’s some books to get you started:

#Goldilocks (A Hashtag Cautionary Tale) by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross. Everyone loves Goldilocks’ hilarious online videos, but in her quest to get more likes, more laughs and more hits, she tries something a little more daring: stealing porridge #pipinghot, breaking chairs #fun, and using someone else’s bed #sleep. What will Daddy Bear do when he sees that online?

Troll Stinks by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross. Billy Goat and his best friend Cyril are messing about with the farmer’s mobile phone, taking selfies and playing games… until they discover the number for a troll. Grandpa Gruff says all trolls are bad, so Billy and Cyril decide to get their own back by sending mean messages. After all, trolls really do stink! Don’t they?

Chicken Clicking by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross. One night Chick hops onto the farmer’s house and has a browse on his computer – CLICK – soon she’s shopping online for the whole farm! But when she arranges to meet up with a friend she’s made online, she discovers all is not as it seems…

Old Macdonald Had a Phone by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross. Old Macdonald loves his phone: it helps him organise his farm. But when the animals each get one of their own, they are soon on their phones all day – “Here a tweet, there a chat, WhatsApping the farm cat” – and before they know it, no work is getting done! What can Old Macdonald do?

When Charlie McButton Lost Power by Suzanne Collins and Mike Lester. Charlie McButton likes computer games so much, he never plays with anything else. When a thunderstorm knocks out the electricity, his tech empire comes tumbling down, and his whole world loses power.

Once Upon a Time Online by David Bedford and Rosie Reeve. Find out what happens in Fairy-tale land when a laptop arrives in Once Upon a Time… Online.

Dot by Randi Zuckerberg and Joe Berger. Dot knows a lot. She knows how to tap . . . to swipe . . . to share . . . online, but she’s forgotten how to do things in the world surrounding her. (Randi Zuckerberg is the sister of Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg!)

Dot Unplugged by Randi Zuckerberg and Joe Berger. It’s pouring with rain and now the power’s gone out at Dot’s house. What should they do to pass the time with no tech? It turns out that improvised game keeps Dot’s family so entertained, they just might decide to stay unplugged a bit longer!

But it’s Just a Game by Julia Cook and Michelle Hazelwood Hyde. Meet Jasper! A young boy who is totally absorbed with playing video games. This creative story book teaches both kids and adults how to switch out their game controller for a “life controller.”

Webster’s Friend by Hannah Whaley. Webster tries his best to impress when he makes a new friend online. Told in playful rhyme, this story takes a turn when the friend wants to meet and Webster finds out who he has really been talking to!

PenguinPig by Stuart Spencer and Amy Bradley. The story of a little girl who reads of an exciting creature known as a penguinpig on the Internet. Filled with delight and intrigue, she decides that she must go and find one.

MonkeyCow by Stuart Spencer and Amy Bradley. When a little girl creates the most delicious chocolate cake imaginable for the summer fair, she hides it in a top-secret underground base with a password for the door.

The Internet is Like a Puddle by Shona Innes and Irisz Agocs. The Big Hug Book series deals with emotive issues that children face in direct and gentle terms, allowing children s feelings and problems to be more easily shared and discussed with family and friends.

Unplugged by Steve Anthony. Blip spends all day plugged into her computer, playing games and having fun. But when there’s a power cut, Blip goes down the stairs and out the front door, where she discovers playing games and having fun… outside! Isn’t it wonderful to be unplugged?

DigiDuck Stories by Lindsay Buck. This is a series of 5 free downloadable books by Childnet. They are created to help parents and teachers educate children aged 3–7 about online safety, with accompanying teaching activities.

Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon Affiliate Links. I will get a small percentage of any sales.

If you’ve got any favourite story books, let me know in the comments.

See this blog post for more resources to teach Online Safety.

15 Picture Books to Teach Online Safety to Young Children
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support

I’ve seen other solutions to booking parent meetings, my daughter’s school use a Google Form, for example, but using a Google Calendar does seem to be a very neat solution. If you have a Google Workspace subscription, you already have access to Google Calendar appointment scheduling.

This feature could also be used to book the ICT room or the iPad trolley. Just set up lesson-length slots through the day and repeat.

So here is how you can quickly set up a Parent’s Evening booking form:

Here’s How to Set it Up:

Open Google Calendar

Click on Create and Appointment Schedule

Give it a title, and set the appointment duration. Choose from the list, or set a custom duration.

To Create Weekly Appointments

If you want the slots to repeat weekly – then keep the “repeat weekly” selected

Otherwise, change this to “Doesn’t repeat”. For a parent’s evening, you would want this set to “doesn’t repeat”.

You can then set up slots where you want to have meetings available

Click on the times to change the start / end times

Click the crossed-out circle to block out a day/time as unavailable

Click the plus icon to add another time slot  – for example to build in a lunch break set a morning slot, then add an afternoon slot

Click the copy icon to copy that appointment structure to the rest of the week (days marked as unavailable will stay unavailable).

Scheduling Window

You can control how far in advance an appointment can be booked, and also the minimum time – to avoid last minute bookings.

Appointment settings

You can add a buffer time to allow space between meetings

You can also limit how many bookings you have per day

For ad-hoc meetings over a period of time

For more precise control over the booking slots – choose Doesn’t repeat

You can then add the timeslots that you want to have available, one by one

Click Add a Date to add additional dates

Select Calendar

Choose which calendar you want the bookings to be made to.

You can also ask it to check for availability and not create bookable times when there is an event on that calendar.  

Click Next when you’re happy with the settings.

Type of meeting

Choose how you want the meeting to take place

Eg Google Meet, In person or To be specified (e.g. if you want to use Zoom)

Meeting description

Add a description and any instructions here.

Booking form

Here you can choose what information you require from the person making the booking. By default it contains first name, surname and email address. You can add other items here – such as address or phone number.

Click Save when done

Viewing the Booking Page

To view your meeting booking page, open your calendar and click on the coloured bar at the side of the booking slot on the calendar.

Then click on Open Booking Page to see the booking page.

The booking page will then be visible. Someone with the link to this page can click on a slot to book it.

Sharing the calendar

To share this with others – so they can book appointments – click on Share in the top right corner.

Click on Copy Link and add that to an email or document

To make changes or delete the booking schedule

From the calendar click on the coloured bar

Click the pen to make changes

Click the bin icon to delete

And that’s it.

You could easily amend these instructions for longer meetings. You could for example set up 1 hour slots through the day that repeat weekly for room or equipment booking systems.

As an alternative, there are websites such as Calendly which offer similar functionality, with free and paid tiers, that would be worth exploring.

Have a play with it and see how it could work for you. Let me know what you think in the comments.

How to Create a Parent’s Evening Booking Page with Google Calendar
The Whiteboard Blog - Education, Technology, AI and Science CPD and Support