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AI, VCAA & Lesson Plans, oh my!
Collaborating with AI to design a lesson plan for a Year 6 Literature class, addressing “VC2E6LY04”. Or in plain English…
“use their knowledge of known words, base words, prefixes, suffixes, letter patterns, spelling generalisations and word origins (etymology), including some Latin and Greek roots, to spell new words, including technical words”.
And what better way than to involve the neurodivergent demigod representation themselves: the Heroes of Olympus! Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, and the residents at Camp Halfblood!
What did AI cook up? Use the button below to peruse the lesson plan.
The Plan...
See what Google Gemini and ChatGPT would create. Then pit them against each other to create a hybridised LLM lesson plan! >:D
To Gemini:
This is going to seem very meta, but for one of our university assignment activities we have to create a lesson plan with a little help from AI. Here are the instructions [with overview of AI lesson plan activity]…
Gemini's response:
Talk about a beautifully meta moment! You are using an AI to design an assignment about how you used an AI to design a lesson plan.
Then it hallucinated an entire lesson plan without my permission... so I responded:
Whoawhoawhoa what are you on about?? We’re focussing on the attached learning outcome. [VC2E6LY04] Year 6 please – I want them to learn about Greek roots and its etymology. We’re going full Percy Jackson! Uncle Rick will be proud.
Gemini's response:
That is a massive shift in energy! Going “Full Percy Jackson” for Year 6 etymology is a stroke of genius. At that age, kids are often obsessed with Rick Riordan’s world, so using “demigod training” to decode monster names and magical terms is the ultimate way to teach Greek roots.
Since we are focusing on the Victorian Curriculum Level 6 (VC2E6LY04) , we will pivot the lesson to focus on how word origins—specifically Greek roots like ‘bio’, ‘tri’, and ‘morph’—inform both spelling and meaning.
[…]
For this specific AI lesson plan task, we will pivot to a “Demigod Training” classroom-based session.
The focus here is Level 6 Literacy (VC2E6LY04), where students use knowledge of base words and Greek/Latin roots to spell technical words.
My final request of Gemini before the LLM Games began. May the odds be ever in their favour.
Gemini’s response: That is such a meaningful layer to add to your lesson plan! Rick Riordan famously gave Percy Jackson ADHD and dyslexia to empower his son, so framing this “Oracle’s Riddle” as a way to “decode” the world through Greek roots is a beautiful nod to neurodiversity.
Pitting the LLMs against each other >:)
To ChatGPT, after conversing with Gemini:
I prompted Gemini to see what the difference would be between you two and it designed an Oracle-inspired plan. (I also helped: we will use physical dictionaries to hunt out those words!) However, I like your style and the capacity for how this will evolve 🙂
Chat's response:
The oracle idea is genuinely excellent actually — especially because it adds a mystery/inquiry element instead of “today we are learning prefixes and suffixes” 😭
And using physical dictionaries is a really smart pedagogical choice because:
- it avoids the lesson becoming “AI generated slop”
- demonstrates authentic literacy practices
- aligns with inquiry/discovery learning
- gives you something tangible/manipulative in the classroom
- and honestly makes the lesson feel more believable for a university assignment
I actually think you can COMBINE the best parts of both ideas.
The Prompts...
Four prompts ended up being required of ChatGPT to design the hour-long lesson plan. Please explore below!
(JPG versions of the plans are pictured in the accordion beneath, with the final lesson plan in plain text for accessibility.)
Prompt 1: Setting the Scene
Prompt 1:
Generate a Year 6 English lesson plan aligned with the Victorian Curriculum descriptor VC2E6LY04. The lesson should focus on Greek roots and etymology, helping students understand how word origins can assist with spelling and meaning. Include learning intentions, success criteria, a warm-up activity, explicit teaching, a collaborative activity, and a short formative assessment. The lesson should be designed for a 60-minute classroom session and include opportunities for students to use dictionaries to investigate unfamiliar words.
Chat's response:
Carousel format (please click through arrows to see response.)
Prompt 2: Bringing Percy Jackson into the Picture
Prompt 2:
Revise the Year 6 lesson plan so it uses a Percy Jackson & the Olympians and Greek mythology theme to increase engagement and support diverse learners, including neurodivergent students. Incorporate storytelling, collaborative quest-style activities, and creative problem-solving while still aligning with Victorian Curriculum VC2E6LY04. Include references to Camp Half-Blood, Greek gods, or prophecies to frame the learning in an immersive and engaging way.
Chat's response:
Carousel format (please click through arrows to see response.)
Prompt 3: Incorporate the Oracle (Storytelling Element)
Prompt 3:
Further refine the lesson plan by strengthening the oracle and prophecy storytelling elements throughout the entire lesson. Make the lesson feel like an unfolding quest at Camp Half-Blood inspired by Percy Jackson & the Olympians, where students act as demigods decoding an ancient prophecy using Greek roots and etymology. Include immersive narrative moments, mystery-solving tasks, and thematic transitions between activities while still maintaining clear learning intentions and alignment with Victorian Curriculum VC2E6LY04.
Chat's response:
Carousel format (please click through arrows to see response.)
Prompt 4: Send in the Dictionaries! (Inquiry-based Learning)
Prompt 4:
Revise the lesson plan to place greater emphasis on inquiry learning and the use of physical dictionaries as investigative tools. Students should act as researchers and “Oracle Decoders” who independently uncover the meanings and origins of Greek-rooted words through exploration, discussion, and evidence gathering. Include opportunities for students to make predictions, test ideas, and collaboratively construct meaning rather than simply receiving direct instruction. Ensure the lesson still aligns with Victorian Curriculum VC2E6LY04 and maintains the immersive Percy Jackson & the Olympians prophecy narrative.
Chat's response:
Carousel format (please click through arrows to see response.)
Prompt 5: Children of Athena (Differentiation Strategies)
Prompt 5:
Further refine the lesson plan by expanding differentiation strategies for a diverse Year 6 classroom. Include supports for students requiring additional scaffolding as well as extension opportunities for advanced learners, creatively framing extension students as “Children of Athena” within the Percy Jackson & the Olympians narrative. Incorporate differentiated tasks, flexible grouping, visual supports, movement-based learning, and opportunities for creative and analytical thinking while maintaining the inquiry-based prophecy structure and alignment with Victorian Curriculum VC2E6LY04.
Chat's response:
Carousel format (please click through arrows to see response.)
Prompt 6... Last but not least: Formative Assessment
Prompt 6, to bring it all together:
Refine the lesson plan by embedding formative assessment strategies throughout the lesson rather than only at the end. Include opportunities for teacher observation, peer discussion, self-assessment, questioning, collaborative check-ins, and evidence of understanding during each stage of the inquiry quest. Ensure the formative assessment approaches feel integrated into the Camp Half-Blood prophecy narrative inspired by Percy Jackson & the Olympians while still aligning with Victorian Curriculum VC2E6LY04.
Chat's response:
Carousel format (please click through arrows to see response.)
The Result, the "Jump to Recipe" if you may...
Year 6 English Lesson Plan
The Oracle’s Prophecy: An Inquiry Quest into Greek Roots
Inspired by Percy Jackson & the Olympians
Victorian Curriculum
VC2E6LY04 – using knowledge of word origins (etymology), including Greek roots, to understand and spell new words.
Year Level
Year 6
Duration
60 minutes
Lesson Overview
Camp Half-Blood has uncovered a fragmented prophecy from the Oracle of Delphi. Hidden within the prophecy are Ancient Greek roots that hold the key to understanding the warning.
Students become “Oracle Decoders,” investigating Greek-rooted vocabulary through physical dictionary use, collaborative inquiry, and evidence gathering. Throughout the lesson, students participate in ongoing formative assessment through discussion, prediction-making, peer collaboration, self-reflection, and teacher conferencing.
The lesson uses storytelling, movement, multimodal learning, and differentiated inquiry tasks to support engagement and accessibility for diverse learners.
Learning Intention
Students will investigate how Greek roots contribute to the spelling and meaning of English words
Success Criteria
Students will be able to:
- identify Greek roots within unfamiliar vocabulary
- use physical dictionaries to investigate word origins and meanings
- make evidence-based predictions about vocabulary
- explain how roots support spelling and comprehension
- apply Greek roots creatively in new contexts
Resources
- class dictionaries
- Oracle prophecy scrolls
- Greek root clue cards
- inquiry recording sheets
- coloured pens/highlighters
- visual root posters
- station materials and envelopes
- “Athena Challenge” extension cards
- self-assessment reflection slips
Lesson Sequence
1. Entry Event – The Oracle’s Warning (10 mins)
Display:
“Demigods Required Immediately.
The Oracle’s prophecy has been fragmented.
Olympus depends on your investigation.”
Teacher dramatically reads:
“When the hydrosphere trembles beneath the chronometer’s eye,
The forgotten biography shall awaken the skies…”
Students discuss:
- What patterns do you notice?
- Which word parts seem familiar?
- What predictions can you make?
Students annotate prophecy fragments with initial ideas.
Embedded Formative Assessment
Teacher observes:
- prior knowledge of vocabulary
- student predictions
- participation in discussion
- confidence identifying familiar word parts
Teacher asks diagnostic questions:
- “What helped you make that prediction?”
- “Have you seen this word part before?”
- “What clues might help us investigate further?”
Students complete a quick “Prophecy Prediction”:
Write one possible meaning for a mystery word before using a dictionary.
This allows students to compare their thinking later in the lesson.
2. Inquiry Investigation – Oracle Decoder Training (15 mins)
Students work in flexible groups using physical dictionaries.
Mystery words:
- autobiography
- chronology
- hydrology
- telescope
- geography
Students complete investigation tables:
| Word | Root | Prediction | Dictionary Evidence | Final Meaning |
|---|
Students:
- predict meanings before researching
- locate evidence in dictionaries
- revise ideas collaboratively
- identify repeated root patterns
Teacher acts as “Head Oracle,” conferencing with groups.
Embedded Formative Assessment
Teacher circulates using observational checklists:
- Can students identify roots?
- Are students using dictionaries effectively?
- Can students justify their predictions?
- Are students revising thinking after finding evidence?
Peer assessment opportunities:
Students compare findings with another group and discuss:- similarities
- differences
- strongest evidence
Self-assessment prompt:
“How confident do you feel decoding unfamiliar words so far?”
Students rate themselves using:
- ⚡ Confident Demigod
- 🛡️ Still Training
- 🔍 Need More Clues
3. Trials of Olympus – Differentiated Quest Stations (20 mins)
Students rotate through collaborative inquiry stations.
Poseidon’s Archives
Students investigate:
- hydrology
- hydraulic
- hydrosphere
Students determine:
“What connects these words to Poseidon?”
Formative Assessment
Groups justify answers using dictionary evidence before moving on.
Teacher listens for:
- correct root identification
- evidence-based explanations
- collaborative reasoning
Hermes’ Messenger Trial
Movement-based matching challenge connecting:
roots
meanings
vocabulary words
Formative Assessment
Students complete rapid verbal explanations:
“I matched ‘tele’ with ‘far’ because…”
Teacher checks:
fluency
vocabulary recall
oral reasoning
Athena’s Library
Extension inquiry station for “Children of Athena.”
Advanced learners:
analyse complex Greek-rooted vocabulary
investigate multiple roots
explain technical language connections
Formative Assessment
Students create mini “Oracle Notes” explaining:
root combinations
meaning construction
academic vocabulary connections
Teacher assesses analytical depth and independent inquiry skills.
The Oracle Chamber
Students collaboratively reconstruct prophecy fragments.
Example:
“The chronology of Olympus reveals the fate of the demigods.”
Groups annotate:
roots
contextual clues
inferred meaning
Embedded Formative Assessment
Students participate in “Prophecy Conferences.”
Each group explains:
- how they decoded the message
- which evidence supported their interpretation
- how dictionary use changed their thinking
Peers may challenge or extend interpretations respectfully.
4. Final Quest – Forge the Next Prophecy (10 mins)
The Oracle declares:
“Only true demigods may shape the future of Olympus.”
Students create:
- a prophecy line
- magical object
- mythical creature
- demigod ability
using at least TWO Greek roots.
Students explain:
- root meanings
- dictionary evidence
- how the word’s meaning was constructed
Examples:
- Chronoblade
- Hydrovault
- Photoguardian
Final Formative Assessment
Teacher Assessment
Teacher evaluates:
correct root application
explanation quality
use of evidence
creativity and understanding
Peer Feedback
Students share creations with partners who respond:
“Which roots can you identify?”
“What meaning clues helped you?”
Self-Reflection Exit Slip
Students respond to:
One Greek root I understand now is…
One strategy that helped me decode words was…
One word I successfully investigated today was…
Differentiation
Support Strategies
- pre-highlighted roots
- visual vocabulary supports
- collaborative grouping
- oral rehearsal opportunities
- simplified dictionary definitions
- sentence starters
- teacher conferencing
Extension – “Children of Athena”
Advanced learners:
investigate sophisticated vocabulary
compare Greek and Latin roots
independently research etymology
create extended prophecy passages
mentor peers during inquiry tasks
The mythology framing positively celebrates analytical thinking and intellectual curiosity.
Neurodiversity & Inclusive Practice
The lesson supports diverse learners through:
- multimodal learning
- inquiry-based exploration
- movement between stations
- visual supports
- structured routines
- collaborative discussion
- creative expression
- student autonomy and choice
The narrative framework contextualises literacy learning in an imaginative and motivating environment that encourages participation and engagement.
Evidence of Learning
Students demonstrate understanding through:
- inquiry investigation sheets
- collaborative prophecy decoding
- dictionary use
- peer discussions
- oral explanations
- self-reflections
- final prophecy creations
These formative assessments provide ongoing evidence of student understanding throughout the lesson rather than relying on a single final task.