Educational Lesson Planning

The prompt creates an engaging and grade level appropriate lesson plan for teachers.

You can query a model directly and test the results returned when using different parameter values with the Cloud console, or by calling the Vertex AI API directly.

System instructions

You are to write a lesson plan for teachers based on their given input of grade level and topic.

You will ensure that the lesson plan aligns with typical curriculum requirements for specific subjects and grade levels.

You will incorporate appropriate student demographics such as age, background and class size, if provided, to tailor plans to the specific needs of the students.

You will include options for diversifying the instructions to accommodate learning styles.

You will clearly define learning objectives.

You will set realistic time constraints for each part of the lesson.

You will specify resources needed to complete the lesson.

You will suggest an alternative plan if timing does not go as planned.

You will ensure the lesson plan has a logical sequence.

You will make sure the lesson is not only relevant, but engaging and age appropriate.

You will not access the internet for new information and will use only the data you already have.

Prompt Freeform

Write a lesson for a history class of 20 third-graders on Versailles' history. Make it engaging, interactive, and tech-friendly.

Response

Of course. Here is a comprehensive lesson plan for a third-grade history class on the topic of Versailles, designed to be engaging, interactive, and tech-friendly.

Lesson Plan: A Day at the Palace – Discovering Versailles

Subject: History / Social Studies Grade Level: 3rd Grade Topic: The History and Significance of the Palace of Versailles

Class Profile:

  • Number of Students: 20
  • Age: 8-9 years old
  • Demographics: A typical mixed-ability class. Students are generally comfortable with technology like tablets and smartboards but have varying attention spans. The lesson should be highly visual and activity-based.

Time Allotment: 50 minutes

1. Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

  • Identify King Louis XIV as the primary builder of the Palace of Versailles.
  • Describe at least two key features of the Palace of Versailles (e.g., the Hall of Mirrors, the Gardens).
  • Explain, in simple terms, why the palace was built (to show the king's power and to be a home for the French court).
  • Create a piece of work (drawing, postcard, or digital design) inspired by Versailles.

2. Resources and Materials

  • Technology:
    • Smartboard or projector
    • Computer with an internet connection (to access a pre-loaded virtual tour)
    • Tablets for students (1 per pair or small group, optional)
  • Art Supplies:
    • Blank index cards or postcard templates (1 per student)
    • Construction paper, markers, crayons, colored pencils
    • Optional: Glitter, glue sticks
  • Building Supplies (Optional for differentiation):
    • LEGOs or other building blocks
  • Digital Resources:
    • Pre-selected images of King Louis XIV, the Palace exterior, the Hall of Mirrors, and the Gardens.
    • A bookmarked link to the Google Arts & Culture virtual tour of Versailles.

3. Lesson Sequence and Activities

Part 1: The Royal Invitation (Introduction & Hook)

(Time: 5 minutes)

  1. Engage: Begin by asking the class a question: "If you could build your dream house, what would be the most amazing thing about it? Would it have a giant slide? A room full of trampolines? A swimming pool filled with chocolate?"
  2. Think-Pair-Share: Give students 30 seconds to think, then one minute to share their idea with a partner. Ask a few students to share their partner's idea with the class.
  3. Introduce the Topic: "Today, we're going to travel back in time to France to visit a real-life dream house that's so big, it's called a palace! It was built by a king who wanted to show the whole world how powerful he was. This is the Palace of Versailles." Show a stunning, large image of the palace on the smartboard.

Part 2: Meet the "Sun King" (Direct Instruction)

(Time: 10 minutes)

  1. Introduce the King: Show a portrait of King Louis XIV. "This is the man who built Versailles. His name was King Louis XIV, and his nickname was the 'Sun King.' Why the sun? Because he believed that everything in France revolved around him, just like the planets revolve around the sun!"
  2. Explain the 'Why': Use simple, relatable language. "King Louis XIV wanted a new home outside of the busy city of Paris. But he didn't just want a house. He wanted to build the biggest, most beautiful, and most magnificent palace in the entire world. He invited all his important friends, called nobles, to live with him so he could keep an eye on them. The palace was like a giant, sparkling city designed to shout, 'Look how rich and powerful I am!'"
  3. Key Vocabulary: Write three key words on the board: Palace, King Louis XIV, and France. Briefly point to France on a world map.

Part 3: A Virtual Palace Tour (Interactive Exploration)

(Time: 15 minutes)

  1. Set the Scene: "Now, let's step inside! We're going on a virtual tour of Versailles. Keep your eyes open for things that look amazing, surprising, or just plain fancy!"
  2. Guided Tour: Use the pre-loaded Google Arts & Culture tour of Versailles on the smartboard. "Fly" into the palace and guide the students through two key areas:
    • The Hall of Mirrors: "This is the most famous room in the palace. Look at all those mirrors! Back then, mirrors were incredibly expensive. Having this many was like lining your walls with gold. Why do you think he did this?" (Guide them to answers like "to show off," "to make the room brighter," "to see themselves in their fancy clothes").
    • The Gardens: "The palace isn't just a building. Look at these gardens! They go on for as far as you can see. They have fountains, statues, and perfectly trimmed hedges. This wasn't a garden for growing vegetables; it was a garden for throwing giant parties and showing that the king could control even nature!"
  3. Engage during the tour: Ask questions throughout, such as "What do you see?", "How would you feel if you were standing in this room?", "Does this look like a comfortable place to live?"

Part 4: Postcards from the Palace (Creative Application)

(Time: 15 minutes)

  1. Instructions: "Now it's your turn to be a visitor at Versailles. You are going to create a 'postcard' to send home, telling someone about what you saw."
  2. Activity:
    • On the blank side of an index card, students will draw their favorite part of the palace (the golden gates, the Hall of Mirrors, a fountain in the garden).
    • On the lined side, they will write one or two sentences. Provide a sentence starter on the board for support: "Dear ______, Today I visited the Palace of Versailles. My favorite part was ______ because ______."
  3. Circulate and Support: Walk around the room to assist students, ask them about their drawings, and help with spelling or ideas.

(Time: 5 minutes)

  1. Share: Have students place their finished postcards on their desks.
  2. Gallery Walk: Allow students to quietly walk around the classroom to see their classmates' work, as if they were in an art gallery.
  3. Review Objectives: Bring the class back together and ask a few final questions to check for understanding:
    • "Who was the king who built Versailles?" (King Louis XIV)
    • "What was one amazing room we saw on our tour?" (The Hall of Mirrors)
    • "Why did the king build such a huge palace?" (To show he was powerful/rich).

4. Differentiation and Accommodations

  • For Kinesthetic/Visual Learners: During the creative activity, offer a small group the option to use LEGOs or building blocks to construct a part of the palace instead of drawing. They can then explain their creation to the class.
  • For Tech-Savvy Learners: If tablets are available, allow some students to use a simple drawing app to create their "postcard" or design their own royal room.
  • For Students Needing Support: Provide the postcard with the sentence starter already written on it. Work with them in a small group to brainstorm ideas before they begin drawing.
  • For Advanced Learners: Encourage them to add more detail to their postcard, writing a full paragraph or adding labels to their drawing. They could also write from the perspective of King Louis XIV himself.

5. Contingency Plan (Alternative Timing)

  • If Time Runs Short (less than 40 minutes):
    • Shorten the virtual tour to focus only on the Hall of Mirrors.
    • Instead of individual postcards, create one large class mural on the whiteboard or a large sheet of paper where each student adds one drawing of something they remember.
  • If You Have Extra Time (more than 50 minutes):
    • Show a short (2-3 minute), age-appropriate video clip about daily life in Versailles (e.g., how they ate, the clothes they wore).
    • Have students do a quick role-play, pretending to be nobles meeting the king in the Hall of Mirrors and practicing a bow or curtsy.
Model: gemini-2.5-pro
Temperature: 0.2
Max output tokens: 8192
TopK: 40.0
TopP: 0.95