AI Explorers · lesson 18 of 24 · 25 min
Ask a vague question, get a vague answer. “Help with my essay” gets you something generic. A clear request gets you something useful. That skill is called prompting.
Age rules come first
Before using any AI chat tool, check its age rules. Many AI chat tools require users to be at least 13, and some require 18 or older. For example, Claude.ai is for adults 18 and up. Rules differ by tool and change over time, so read the current terms with a parent.
If you are under 13, use AI chat tools only with a parent or guardian, on their account if the tool allows it, with them sitting with you. You can also practice everything in this lesson on paper, with no tool at all.
What is a prompt?
A prompt is the instruction or question you give to an AI system. Better prompts usually get better results. A strong prompt often includes:
| Part | Question it answers | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Who should the AI act like? | “Act as a friendly science tutor.” |
| Task | What do you want? | “Explain how plants make food.” |
| Audience | Who is it for? | “For a 12-year-old.” |
| Format | What shape should the answer take? | “In 5 short bullet points.” |
| Limits | What should it avoid or include? | “Use one sports example. Don’t use big words.” |
Compare these two prompts:
- Weak: “Tell me about photosynthesis.”
- Strong: “Act as a friendly science tutor. Explain photosynthesis to a 12-year-old in 5 short bullet points, using one basketball example.”
Iterate
Prompting is a conversation. If the first answer isn’t right, follow up. “Make it shorter.” “Give me a different example.” “Quiz me with 3 questions.” Changing your prompt and trying again is called iterating, the same improve-and-retry habit you used when training models.
Some of the best uses of AI for students make you do the thinking: “Ask me questions to help me find a topic,” “Quiz me on these vocabulary words,” or “Explain this step, but don’t give me the answer.”
Stay safe and honest
- Protect your privacy: never type your full name, address, school, phone number, passwords or photos of yourself into an AI tool. What you type may be stored.
- Check facts: remember hallucinations from the last lesson.
- Follow school rules: if a teacher says no AI, then no AI. If AI is allowed, say how you used it.
- Your voice matters: AI can help you get started, but your ideas, experiences and style are what make your work yours.
- Tell an adult if an AI tool says something upsetting, unsafe, or asks for personal information.
Try it
Do this on paper. If you are 13 or older and have permission for a tool that allows your age, you can test your prompts too.
- Pick something you want help with: studying for a test, planning a birthday party, or learning a game strategy.
- Write a weak, one-line prompt for it.
- Rewrite it as a strong prompt using all five parts: role, task, audience, format, limits.
- Write two follow-up prompts you could use to improve the answer.
- Look over your prompts and cross out anything that shares personal information.
Check yourself
What is a prompt?
The instruction or question you give an AI system.
Name three parts of a strong prompt.
Any three of: role, task, audience, format, limits.
How should a student under 13 use AI chat tools?
Only with a parent or guardian, on an account and tool whose rules allow it, with the adult present.
Key words
- Prompt: an instruction or question given to an AI.
- Iterate: improve something by trying, checking and trying again.
- Privacy: keeping your personal information under your control.
- Terms of use: the rules for using a tool, including age limits.
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