OER Project AI Agent Options
CHOOSING THE RIGHT AI AGENT With so many AI tools available, it can be tricky to know which one is best for your needs. Whether you’re planning lessons, creating activities, designing assessments, or building classroom resources, each AI agent has its own strengths. This guide helps you understand what general AI search tools do best, and how you might use them.How Do AI Agents Get to “Know” You?AI agents use different means to learn how to help you. Some agents learn from the open internet, others from books and journals, and some use specific documents or even your own files. This means you’ll want to choose the agent that best matches the task. Just as you wouldn’t ask a barista for advice on primary sources for your lesson on the Meiji Restoration, you wouldn’t ask an AI agent about differentiation strategies if it doesn’t “understand” the concept.Quick Comparison TableAI agentBest forExample classroom useThings to watch out forGeminiMultimodal lessons, Google Classroom usersCreate a lesson using text, images, and videos saved on your Google Drive; export to Google Docs or ClassroomAdvanced features require payment; check source accuracyClaudeLarge documents, iterative planning, standardsUpload a PDF of your curriculum, get lesson ideas aligned with standardsNeeds editing for clarity; content may be too much at once; sometimes the “tone” of the responses needs a bit of massaging before you can put it in front of students PerplexityResearch, fact-checking, organizing resourcesFind up-to-date info and sources for a history lesson; organize prompts for reusePro version needed for more features; slower with larger prompts; not as integrated with classroom tools so still needs a bit of work to add results to your LMS ChatGPTQuick lesson ideas, wide subject supportGenerate a lesson plan or worksheet draft in secondsMay be out of date; needs careful promptingHow Teachers Can Use Each AI AgentGemini• What it’s good for: Combining text, images, and video; works with Google Classroom.• Try this: Make a lesson on Ancient Egypt by uploading artifact images, a Nile River video, and a primary source. Ask Gemini to make discussion questions and a quiz, and then share it to Google Classroom.• Teacher tip: Always check the sources for accuracy.
2Choosing the Right AI Agent for TeachersClaude• What it’s good for: Handling big files, planning with standards, and breaking down complex topics.• Try this: Upload your state standards for a specific topic (for example: the civil rights movement or the Industrial Revolution,). Ask Claude to draft a lesson plan, suggest sources, and create debate or role-play ideas. As with any role-play, be very thoughtful about appropriate topics. • Teacher tip: Edit Claude’s output to keep it clear and focused. Sometimes it’s overly complex.Perplexity• What it’s good for: Research, finding reliable sources, and keeping your prompts organized.• Try this: Research the impact of a topic or event (for example: colonialism, the Russian Revolution, the Black Death). Ask Perplexity for recent articles, data, and primary sources, and then use the citations for a research activity or debate.• Teacher tip: Use Perplexity to teach students how to check facts and spot bias.ChatGPT• What it’s good for: Quick lesson ideas, worksheets, and adapting content for different learners.• Try this: Ask ChatGPT to make a choice board for the Middle Ages, a rubric for speeches on the Lost Colony, or a conversation between Julius Caesar and Marc Antony.• Teacher tip: Be specific in your prompts for better results.More AI Tools for Social Studies• Eduaide.AI: Make source analysis questions, team activities, and timeline games.• Diffit: Adapt articles or textbook sections for different reading levels.• MagicSchool.AI: Explain common misconceptions, give multiple explanations, and create DOK questions.• SchoolAI: Let students “chat” with historical figures for interactive learning.• QuestionWell: Make question sets from any text and export them to quiz platforms.• NotebookLM: Need unit overviews or slide decks to drive your lectures? Upload links and click a button and voilà, its created in minutes. Final TipsEvery AI tool has something special to offer. Pick the one that fits your needs—whether you want to work with Google Classroom, do research, plan detailed lessons, or get quick ideas. Use what works for you and enjoy having more time to focus on your students!