Being specific — the more detail, the better!

⏱ 20 min build Ages 9 & 12

💡 The big idea

Every great prompt has four ingredients: Task (what to do), Context (background info), Format (how to present it), and Audience (who it's for). Use all four and you'll almost always get a brilliant answer.

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The 4 ingredients

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Task

What do you want AI to DO? (write, explain, list, compare, create...)

Context

What background does AI need? Topic, setting, special details...

Format

How should the answer look? (list, steps, story, table, short/long)

Audience

Who is this FOR? (a 9-year-old, a beginner, a teacher...)

[Task] Write a poem [Context] about a robot learning to bake [Format] in 4 rhyming verses [Audience] for a 9-year-old

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Build prompts — upgrade these weak ones

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Take each weak prompt and add all 4 ingredients. Then try both versions in Claude!

Weak prompt 1

"Write a poem"

Your stronger version:

Weak prompt 2

"Explain history"

Your stronger version:

Weak prompt 3

"Help me with my project"

Your stronger version:

🗣 Try: Enter both versions in Claude and compare the results side by side. Which ingredient made the biggest single difference?

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Lesson quiz — test yourself!

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Wrap-up discussion questions

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1️⃣ Name the 4 ingredients of a great prompt without looking.

2️⃣ Take this prompt: "Help me write something for school" — add all 4 ingredients.

3️⃣ Which ingredient do you think makes the biggest difference? Why?