# Generate teaching materials in the humanities


prompt used: "teaching material for a class, a diagram of early marine life"

## description
Instructors can use AI tools like chatGPT to help them develop preliminary ideas about course content (such as course topics), the organization of course modules, and ideas about the types of materials that students could engage with throughout the course. It could also be used to generate ideas about class-specific activities, especially if one prompts the AI to respond to the recent topics covered in the course and to structure an activity around those topics.

## activity
1. Log into chatGPT using the Harvard AI Sandbox
2. From search bar at the bottom of the page, specify that you'd like to use GPT 4.
* We recommend selecting GPT-4 32K for the best results, especially with long prompts
3. In a prompt to chatGPT, describe a course that you've recently taught--or would like to teach, ask chatGPT:
* to help you come up with a succinct/1-paragraph course description (like the sort you'd use in a syllabus)
* to help you brainstorm 10 activity ideas that you could do in class to help them deepen their understanding of this topic
* **note**: We recommend writing long/complex prompts outside of the chat window. This makes it easier to add to, edit, and structure your prompt. Then, you can copy and paste it right into the chat window without worry.
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## transcript of activity example:
* USER:
* I am teaching a course on Beowulf. I would like the course to cover similar themes as JRR Tolkien’s 1936 Lecture titled “Beowulf: “The Monsters and the Critics.” Here is some extra information to help you in your tasks.
* the field/discipline for this course:
* Folklore/Mythology, English, Comparative Literature
* the types of materials you’d like students to engage with in the course:
* Beowulf in various translations, Beowulf in the original Old English (both transcribed and images images of the manuscript), and all media created around Beowulf (movies, songs, artwork, plays, video games, etc.).
* the key themes or ideas or concepts you’d like students to understand by the end of the course:
* By the end of the course, students should understand the cultural and historical significance of “Beowulf”, appreciate its thematic depth, recognize its place in the evolution of English literature, and be able to critically analyze and engage with the text in relation to contemporary issues and values.

* Now for your tasks. I want you to help me:
1. come up with a succinct/one-paragraph course description (like the sort you’d use in a syllabus)
2. brainstorm 10 activity ideas that I could do in class to help them deepen their understanding of this topic
* AI:
* Course Description:
This course on Beowulf explores the epic poem's cultural and historical significance, thematic depth, and its place in the evolution of English literature. Students will engage with Beowulf in various translations, the original Old English text, and explore all forms of media created around the poem. By the end of the course, students will develop an appreciation for Beowulf's enduring relevance and be able to critically analyze and engage with the text in relation to contemporary issues and values.
* Activity Ideas:
* Group discussion: Have students analyze different translations of Beowulf and discuss the impact of language choices on the interpretation of the text.
* Character analysis: Assign each student a character from Beowulf and have them create a presentation exploring the character's motivations, actions, and significance within the poem.
* Creative writing: Ask students to write a modern-day adaptation of Beowulf, incorporating contemporary themes and issues.
* Visual analysis: Show students different artistic representations of Beowulf (paintings, sculptures, etc.) and have them analyze how the artists interpret and depict key scenes or characters.
* Film screening: Watch a film adaptation of Beowulf and discuss the director's interpretation of the story, comparing it to the original text.
* Historical research: Assign students a specific historical event or figure mentioned in Beowulf and have them research its significance and relevance to the poem.
* Performance art: Have students create and perform a scene from Beowulf as a play, incorporating elements of Old English language and style.
* Comparative analysis: Compare Beowulf to other epic poems, such as The Iliad or The Odyssey, and discuss common themes and narrative structures.
* Guest speaker: Invite a scholar or expert in Old English literature to give a lecture on the historical and cultural context of Beowulf.
* Contemporary connections: Have students research and present on how Beowulf's themes and values resonate in modern society, drawing connections to current events or popular culture.