Below is a detailed **Lesson Plan** for **Week 1, Session 2** of the Prompt Engineering Specialization

course, titled *"Anatomy of a Prompt."* This session builds on the foundational knowledge from Session
1 by diving into the practical structure of prompts and giving students their first hands-on experience
crafting and testing them. It’s designed for a 90-minute class (1.5 hours), blending lecture,
demonstration, and interactive activities to solidify understanding and spark experimentation.

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### Lesson Plan: Week 1, Session 2

**Title**: Anatomy of a Prompt

**Date**: [Insert specific date, e.g., September 4, 2025, assuming a Tuesday/Thursday schedule]

**Duration**: 90 minutes

**Location**: Classroom or virtual platform (e.g., Zoom)

**Instructor**: [Your Name]

**Target Audience**: College students (beginner to intermediate level, mixed technical backgrounds)

**Prerequisites**: Attendance at Week 1, Session 1; basic computer literacy; optional homework (trying
an AI tool)

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### Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, students will:

1. Identify the key components of a prompt (instructions, context, examples).

2. Understand how each component influences AI output.

3. Craft and test simple prompts using a generative AI tool.

4. Reflect on initial successes and challenges to build confidence.

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### Materials Needed

- Access to a generative AI tool for live demo and student use (e.g., ChatGPT, Grok, or a free platform like
Hugging Face Spaces)

- Whiteboard or digital equivalent (e.g., Jamboard) for brainstorming and notes

- Handout: "Prompt Anatomy Cheat Sheet" (optional, listing components with examples)

- Internet-enabled devices: Instructor’s computer for demo; ideally, students bring laptops/tablets for
hands-on work (or use a lab if available)

- Homework submissions (if collected): Students’ notes from trying an AI tool

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### Session Schedule

#### 0:00–0:10 | Welcome and Homework Check-In (10 minutes)

- **Activity**: Quick Recap and Sharing

- Instructor welcomes students, briefly recaps Session 1 (generative AI basics, why prompts matter).

- Invite 2-3 volunteers to share their homework experience: “What prompt did you try? What did the AI
give back?”

- Example prompt shared: “Tell me a fun fact.” AI response: “Octopuses have three hearts!”

- Jot down 1-2 observations on the whiteboard (e.g., “AI was literal,” “Output was random”).

- **Purpose**: Connect prior session to today, surface initial insights, and energize the group.

- **Transition**: “Those examples show how prompts work—or don’t! Today, we’ll break down what
makes a prompt tick.”

#### 0:10–0:30 | Lecture: Anatomy of a Prompt (20 minutes)

- **Content**:

- **Instructions**: The core command (e.g., “Write,” “Explain,” “List”). Clear, specific verbs matter.

- **Context**: Background info to guide the AI (e.g., “You’re a historian,” “In 500 words”). Sets the
stage.

- **Examples**: Optional sample inputs/outputs to clarify intent (e.g., “Like this: ‘The sky is blue
because…’”).
 - How they interact: AI interprets prompts holistically; missing pieces can lead to vague or off-target
results.

- **Delivery**:

- Slides with examples:

- Basic: “Write a sentence.” → “The dog ran.”

- With context: “Write a sentence as a poet.” → “The dog danced through fields of gold.”

- With examples: “Write a sentence like ‘The cat slept.’ ” → “The dog barked.”

- Live Demo (5 minutes): Enter three prompts in a tool (e.g., Grok), tweaking components live:

- “Summarize a book.”

- “Summarize a book about space.”

- “Summarize a book about space in two sentences.”

- Show outputs and ask, “What changed?”

- **Engagement**: Pause at 0:25 to ask, “Which component do you think matters most?” (Quick show
of hands.)

- **Purpose**: Demystify prompts and show their modular nature.

#### 0:30–0:40 | Break (10 minutes)

- **Activity**: Students stretch or chat; instructor preps for hands-on activity.

- **Purpose**: Refresh focus for interactive work.

#### 0:40–1:15 | Activity: Craft and Test Simple Prompts (35 minutes)

- **Content**: Students write and test their own prompts using a generative AI tool.

- **Activity**: Guided Prompt Writing

1. **Setup (5 min)**:

- Instructor explains: “You’ll write two prompts—one basic, one with context—and test them.”

- Provide a starter task: “Get the AI to generate something creative (e.g., a story, poem, joke).”

- Ensure tool access (e.g., share a link to ChatGPT/Grok or use lab computers).

2. **Individual Work (15 min)**:

- Students craft:
 - Prompt 1: Basic instruction (e.g., “Write a story.”)

- Prompt 2: Add context (e.g., “Write a story about a pirate in space.”)

- Test both in the AI tool and note the outputs.

- Optional stretch: Add an example (e.g., “Like ‘The ship sailed over the stars.’”).

3. **Group Share (15 min)**:

- Form small groups (3-4 students).

- Each student shares one prompt and its output.

- Discuss: “What worked? What didn’t? How did context change things?”

- Instructor circulates, offering feedback (e.g., “Try specifying length next time!”).

- **Facilitation**: Prompt with questions like, “Why do you think the AI went off track?” or “What could
make this sharper?”

- **Purpose**: Hands-on practice reinforces lecture concepts; peer discussion builds collaboration.

#### 1:15–1:30 | Wrap-Up and Preview (15 minutes)

- **Content**:

- Recap: “Prompts have parts—instructions, context, examples—and each shapes the AI’s response.
You’ve started experimenting already!”

- Debrief Activity: Invite 1-2 groups to share a standout prompt/output (e.g., “Mine wrote a pirate
rap!”). Note insights on whiteboard (e.g., “Context adds flavor”).

- Next Session Preview: “Next time, we’ll explore zero-shot and one-shot prompting—ways to get
results with minimal setup.”

- Homework: “Test two more prompts at home. One should work well, one should fail. Bring both next
class and why you think they did.”

- **Activity**: Quick Q&A (e.g., “Any surprises from the tool?” “Need help accessing it?”).

- **Purpose**: Consolidate learning, celebrate early wins, and set up Session 3.

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### Assessment

- **Formative**:
 - Participation in homework sharing and group activity (observed engagement).

- Quality of prompts during activity (informal feedback from instructor).

- **No graded deliverables**: Emphasis on exploration and low-pressure practice.

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### Contingency Plans

- **If time runs short**: Shorten group share to 10 minutes, summarizing key takeaways.

- **If tech fails**: Use pre-written prompt examples and outputs (e.g., “Here’s what I got earlier…”).

- **If students lack devices**: Pair them up or do a whole-class demo with instructor inputting student-
suggested prompts.

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### Post-Session Notes for Instructor

- Reflect: Did students grasp the components? Any tools glitch?

- Prep for Session 3: Review zero-shot/one-shot examples; ensure tool access remains smooth.

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This plan keeps the momentum from Session 1, shifting from theory to practice with a clear, hands-on
focus. It’s beginner-friendly but flexible for students with some AI exposure to push further. Let me know
if you’d like tweaks—like more examples or a different activity!