Artificial intelligence can feel overwhelming when you're looking at generic prompts and empty text boxes. But when you anchor AI to your own trusted curriculum materials, everything changes. That’s the magic of Gemini Notebook: it works directly from the sources you upload—your slides, PDFs, YouTube videos, and notes—giving you accurate, grounded support without the hallucinations.

Educators enrolled in our Getting Started with Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) course how they are using Gemini Notebook to solve real classroom challenges and they shared some fantastic ideas.

These are 25 of their ideas.

Use them as inspiration. Adapt them to your grade level, subject, students, and goals.

Here are 25 low-prep, high-impact ideas you can adapt for your grade level, subject, and students today!

1. Create catch-up resources for absent students

The idea: Create a Gemini Notebook resource that helps students catch up when they miss a lesson.

Why a teacher might use it

Absent students often need the same explanation their classmates received—but teachers don't always have time to reteach an entire lesson while also getting the rest of the class started.

Gemini Notebook can help turn your existing lesson materials into another way for students to access what they missed.

Sources to add:

• Lesson slides
• Handouts
• Assigned readings
• Class notes
• Relevant videos
• Teacher-created resources

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Create a student-friendly overview of the key ideas from these sources. Organize it so a student who missed class can understand what they need to know before the next lesson.

Try this next

Create an audio or video overview students can use to review the lesson independently.

2. Turn existing resources into study guides

The idea: Use the materials you've already created to generate study resources for students.

Why a teacher might use it

You may already have everything students need to study—but those resources aren't necessarily organized into a student-friendly review tool.

Gemini Notebook can help you transform existing materials into new formats.

Sources to add

• Unit notes
• Slides
• Textbook chapters
• Review materials
• Standards
• Previous assignments

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Create a study guide based only on these sources. Organize the guide around the most important concepts students should understand before the assessment.

Try this next

Create several versions of the same study content: a written guide, slides, an infographic, and an audio overview.

3. Build a notebook from multiple types of sources

The idea: Bring different types of resources together around one topic.

Why a teacher might use it

Your best lesson might pull from a textbook, a video, a primary source, a website, and something you've created yourself.

Instead of treating those resources separately, put them together in one Gemini Notebook notebook.

Sources to add

• PDFs
• YouTube videos
• Websites
• Google Slides
• Teacher-created materials
• Primary sources
• Podcasts

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Compare the ideas presented across these sources. Identify the major themes, areas of agreement, and important differences.

Try this next

Build a notebook for an upcoming unit and add sources gradually as you find them.

4. Create audio reviews for students

The idea: Turn your course materials into podcast-style audio students can listen to.

Why a teacher might use it

Some students benefit from hearing information explained rather than only reading it.

Audio can also give students another way to review while traveling, studying, or preparing for class.

Sources to add

• Unit materials
• Readings
• Slides
• Notes
• Review documents

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Create an engaging audio overview that reviews the most important concepts students should understand from these sources.

Try this next

Ask students to listen to the audio and write down three questions they still have.

5. Support multilingual learners

The idea: Create audio, video, or other resources in another language.

Why a teacher might use it

Students can sometimes understand complex ideas more easily when they have access to explanations in a language they are more comfortable using.

Gemini Notebook's language options can open up additional possibilities for language-learning classrooms, too.

Sources to add

• Class readings
• Vocabulary resources
• Teacher-created explanations
• Cultural resources
• Unit materials

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Create a student-friendly overview of these sources in Spanish. Preserve the key academic vocabulary and concepts.

Try this next

Have students compare the original and translated versions and identify important vocabulary choices.

6. Differentiate materials for students

The idea: Start with the same core content and customize the way different students access it.

Why a teacher might use it

Students don't always need different learning goals. Sometimes they need different paths to the same learning goal.

Gemini Notebook can help you adapt source materials for different reading levels, modalities, or learning needs.

Sources to add

• Grade-level readings
• Standards
• Curriculum materials
• Supplemental resources
• Teacher-created materials

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Using these sources, create a version of this material that is accessible to students reading below grade level while preserving the essential concepts and vocabulary.

Try this next

Create two or three versions of the same resource and compare what changed—and what stayed the same.

From the course: One educator wrote, “My thought is to use Gemini Notebook for differentiation. You could differentiate by source material and through customization.”— Carrie Baker

7. Make higher-level texts more accessible

The idea: Use more sophisticated source materials while creating student-facing versions that are accessible to your learners.

Why a teacher might use it

Teachers sometimes have the opposite problem from “not enough resources.”

They have great resources that are too difficult for their students to access independently.

Sources to add

• College-level texts
• Professional articles
• Primary sources
• Advanced textbook chapters
• Research

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Identify the essential ideas in these sources and create a student-friendly explanation that preserves the important content while making the language more accessible.

Try this next

Compare the original and adapted versions with students. Ask them what information was preserved, changed, or left out.

From the course: One educator described using Gemini Notebook to work with materials at higher reading levels and customize resources for students.Commenter: Course participant — Community member Carrie Baker

8. Create visual study tools

The idea: Turn your content into infographics or visual references students can use while learning.

Why a teacher might use it

A well-designed visual can help students quickly see relationships between ideas, vocabulary, processes, and concepts.

Sources to add

• Unit materials
• Vocabulary lists
• Notes
• Textbook chapters
• Diagrams
• Standards

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Create an infographic that highlights the most important concepts and relationships students need to understand from these sources.

Try this next

Ask students to explain why the information was organized the way it was—and then create their own version.

From the course: A seventh-grade math teacher said they had used infographics as quick-reference study tools during independent practice.Commenter: Course participant — Community member Jack Z Sanders III

9. Create materials for independent learning

The idea: Build resources students can use when they aren't working directly with the teacher.

Why a teacher might use it

Independent-learning environments require students to have accessible resources they can return to when they get stuck.

Sources to add

• Lesson materials
• Textbook chapters
• Standards
• Worked examples
• Practice materials

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Create a student-friendly resource that explains the essential concepts in these sources and provides guidance for a student working independently.

Try this next

Create a “When you're stuck…” resource students can use before asking the teacher for help.

From the course: A high school math teacher described teaching self-paced, independent learning pathways and wanting to create resources students could learn from.Commenter: Course participant — Bethany Shehan

10. Build review materials for math

The idea: Use NotebookLM to create review resources around concepts students have already learned.

Why a teacher might use it

Students often need to revisit foundational skills before they're ready for a new concept.

Gemini Notebook can help you create additional ways to review those skills.

Sources to add

• Standards
• Previous lesson materials
• Worked examples
• Textbook pages
• Practice problems

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Create a review resource that helps students revisit the foundational skills needed to understand this upcoming topic.

Try this next

Have students use the resource before beginning a new unit, then identify which skills they still need to practice.

11. Make resources more accessible

The idea: Adapt classroom materials to provide additional scaffolding and multiple ways to access information.

Why a teacher might use it

Students receiving special education services may need materials presented in different formats or with additional support.

Sources to add

• Original class readings
• Lesson slides
• Standards
• Vocabulary
• Teacher-created materials

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Adapt this material for students who need additional reading support. Preserve the essential concepts while making the text more accessible.

Try this next

Create an audio version alongside the adapted text so students can choose how they access the content.

12. Create sub-day resources

The idea: Prepare resources students can use when you're out of the classroom.

Why a teacher might use it

A substitute teacher may not have the same subject expertise or context you do.

A Gemini Notebook-generated resource can give students another way to access the content you're teaching.

Sources to add

• Lesson plans
• Slides
• Readings
• Videos
• Review materials

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Create a student-friendly overview of this lesson that students can use independently during a substitute-teacher day.

Try this next

Create a reusable “sub day notebook” for each major unit.

13. Create resources for language classes

The idea: Use Gemini Notebook's audio, video, and visual capabilities to create language-learning activities.

Why a teacher might use it

Language learners need repeated opportunities to practice listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Gemini Notebook can provide another source of content for those activities.

Sources to add

• Grammar resources
• Vocabulary
• Cultural readings
• Class notes
• Videos

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Create an audio review focused on the most challenging grammar concepts in these sources.

Try this next

Have students listen, pause, write down what they hear, and explain the grammar or vocabulary they noticed.

14. Create primary-source history resources

The idea: Use Gemini Notebook to help students investigate multiple historical sources.

Why a teacher might use it

History students need to do more than learn what happened. They need to examine evidence, compare perspectives, and determine how sources support claims.

Sources to add

• Primary sources
• Historical documents
• Articles
• Textbook excerpts
• Maps
• Teacher-created resources

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Compare these primary sources. Identify the different perspectives, evidence, and claims presented by each source.

Try this next

Ask students to verify every important claim against the original source.

From the course: One history educator wanted to use Gemini Notebook to help students work with document-based questions and see where information came from.Commenter: Course participant — Community member Mary Catherine Keating 

15. Help students practice AI literacy

The idea: Don't just have students consume AI-generated material. Have them analyze it.

Why a teacher might use it

AI literacy includes understanding how AI produces information, recognizing limitations, checking sources, and evaluating outputs.

Gemini Notebook's source-based approach gives students an interesting environment for practicing those skills.

Sources to add

• Articles
• Primary sources
• Textbook materials
• Student readings
• Research

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Summarize these sources for students. Then identify the evidence from the sources that supports each major point.

Try this next

Ask students:

• What did the AI emphasize?
• What did it leave out?
• What surprised you?
• What would you change?
• Can you find evidence for its claims?

From the course: One digital learning coach suggested having students verify AI content and discuss what the AI included, left out, or interpreted differently.Commenter: Course participant — Community member Christa Polzin

16. Teach students to follow the sources

The idea: Use Gemini Notebook's citations as an opportunity to teach students how to verify information.

Why a teacher might use it

Students shouldn't simply accept an AI-generated answer because it sounds convincing.

They should be able to ask:

Where did this come from?

Sources to add

• Research articles
• Websites
• Textbooks
• Primary sources
• Teacher-approved materials

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Answer this question using only the uploaded sources. Cite the source supporting each major claim.

Try this next

Give students an AI-generated response and ask them to trace every major claim back to its original source.

From the course: One educator wrote, “When you know the source you can judge how valid the response is.”Commenter: Course participant — Community member Laurie Moretti

17. Turn standards into planning resources

The idea: Add your standards alongside your curriculum materials.

Why a teacher might use it

Standards can help you keep AI-generated resources connected to what students actually need to learn.

Sources to add

• State standards
• Curriculum documents
• Unit plans
• Assessments
• Textbook materials

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Analyze these curriculum materials alongside the standards. Identify where the unit addresses each standard and where additional instruction may be needed.

Try this next

Create a notebook for each major unit and keep the relevant standards in the notebook throughout your planning process.

18. Create materials from existing curriculum

The idea: Use Gemini Notebook as a thought partner for curriculum you've already been given.

Why a teacher might use it

You don't always need another curriculum.

Sometimes you need a better way to understand, organize, and personalize the curriculum you already have.

Sources to add

• Curriculum materials
• Teacher guides
• Standards
• Unit plans
• Supplemental resources

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Analyze these curriculum materials and identify the key concepts, learning goals, and opportunities for student-centered activities.

Try this next

Ask Gemini Notebook to help you identify places where you could add choice, collaboration, or differentiation.

19. Create professional development resources

The idea: Gemini Notebook isn't only for student-facing materials.

Use it to organize and transform professional learning resources.

Why a teacher might use it

Teachers, coaches, and administrators have enormous amounts of professional learning content to synthesize.

Gemini Notebook can help turn that information into usable reference materials.

Sources to add

• PD presentations
• Articles
• Frameworks
• Research
• District documents
• Handbooks

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Create a concise overview of these professional learning materials for educators. Organize the key ideas into practical takeaways.

Try this next

Turn the resulting report into an infographic or slide deck.

20. Create resources for new staff

The idea: Put important onboarding information into one searchable notebook.

Why a teacher might use it

New teachers and staff often have to navigate enormous amounts of information at once.

A Gemini Notebook resource can make that information easier to explore.

Sources to add

• Staff handbook
• Policies
• Procedures
• Training materials
• School information
• District documents

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Create a new-staff guide using these sources. Organize it around the questions a new employee is most likely to have.

Try this next

Create a notebook specifically for new teachers and invite them to use it as a reference throughout their first year.

21. Support instructional coaching

The idea: Use Gemini Notebook to bring observation notes, instructional frameworks, and best practices together.

Why a teacher might use it

Instructional coaches often need to synthesize multiple sources when giving feedback.

Gemini Notebook can help create a consistent starting point for that work.

Sources to add

• Instructional framework
• Observation notes
• Best practices
• District goals
• Literacy frameworks
• Coaching resources

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Using these sources, identify evidence from the observation notes that connects to the instructional framework. Suggest questions and possible next steps for the teacher.

Try this next

Have multiple coaches use the same source materials and compare how they interpret the evidence.

22. Turn meetings Into searchable knowledge

The idea: Create a notebook containing resources from recurring meetings.

Why a teacher might use it

School teams accumulate notes, documents, presentations, and decisions over time.

A notebook can provide a way to search across that information.

Sources to add

• Meeting notes
• Agendas
• Presentations
• Handbooks
• Policies
• Previous documents

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Identify the major decisions and recurring topics across these meeting notes. Organize them by date and topic.

Try this next

Create a shared notebook for a team or committee and use it as a searchable reference.

23. Create practice questions from lesson materials

The idea: Use your lesson plans and notes to generate practice questions.

Why a teacher might use it

You don't have to start from scratch every time students need additional practice.

Your existing materials can become the source for new practice opportunities.

Sources to add

• Lesson plans
• Slides
• Notes
• Textbook chapters
• Standards

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Create 10 practice questions based only on these sources. Include a mixture of recall, application, and analysis questions.

Try this next

Have students answer the questions, then use the results to decide what needs additional instruction.

24. Create a “same content, different format” learning experience

The idea: Give students multiple ways to engage with the same content.

Why a teacher might use it

The goal isn't necessarily to create completely different content for every student.

Sometimes the better move is to give students different ways to access the same essential information.

Sources to add

• Unit readings
• Slides
• Notes
• Teacher explanations
• Videos

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Using these sources, create resources that present the same key ideas in text, audio, visual, and video-friendly formats.

Try this next

Let students choose which format they want to use for review—and then ask them to explain which format helped them learn and why.

From the course: One educator described using text, audio, and video to give students “another mode to engage with the information.”Commenter: Course participant — Community member Christa Polzin

25. Let students become the teachers

The idea: Use Gemini Notebook-generated materials as the starting point for student thinking—not the final product.

Why a teacher might use it

If AI can create a summary, infographic, study guide, or presentation, students can evaluate, improve, question, and recreate those resources.

That turns AI from an answer machine into an object of inquiry.

Sources to add

• Class readings
• Research
• Primary sources
• Student notes
• Teacher-approved resources

What to ask Gemini Notebook

Create a summary of these sources for students. Identify the major ideas and evidence used to support them.

Then ask students:

What did the AI get right? What did it leave out? What would you change? What evidence supports its claims? How would you create a better version?

Try this next

Have students create their own infographic, study guide, summary, or explanation—and compare their choices with the AI-generated version.

Ready to Supercharge Your Teaching with Gemini Notebook?

Knowing what AI can do is a great start, but taking action in your classroom is where the magic happens. If you're ready to move from curiosity to confidence, we’ve built a practical, step-by-step course tailored specifically for busy educators.

But there's a big difference between knowing Gemini Notebook can do something and actually knowing how to use it well.

That's why we created:

Getting Started With Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) for Teachers

A practical, educator-focused course designed to help you move from:

“I've heard about Gemini Notebook…”

to

“I know exactly how I could use this with my students.”

Inside the course, you'll explore how to:

• Add and organize different types of sources
• Interact with your sources
• Create audio and video overviews
• Make slides and infographics
• Generate additional resources
• Use Gemini Notebook for practical classroom workflows
• Share your work with others
• Think critically about how students use AI

Ready to try it yourself?

First join the Ditch That Textbook Community and then...

One More Thing…

You don't need to try all 25 ideas.

Pick one.

Find a real problem you already have in your classroom.

Then ask:

Could Gemini Notebook help me solve this?

That's where the most useful AI workflows usually begin.