Tools to try

AI Toolkit

Hands-on AI tools for research, video, music, storytelling, and voice, with examples and prompts you can reuse.

Tool

NotebookLM

notebooklm.google.com (opens in new tab)

What it is: An AI-powered research assistant that “grounds” its answers in your specific documents. Unlike general chatbots that pull from the entire internet, NotebookLM only uses the sources you upload (PDFs, Google Docs, Slides, or website URLs), significantly reducing hallucinations.

Key Capabilities

  • Grounded Accuracy: Answers questions and generates summaries citing only your provided material, complete with inline citations.
  • Audio Overviews: Instantly converts uploaded documents into an engaging “Deep Dive” podcast featuring two AI hosts discussing the material—perfect for auditory learners or reviewing content on the go.
  • Multimodal Inputs: It can analyze text, audio files, and YouTube videos to synthesize information across different media formats.

Educator Use Case: Upload a course syllabus and reading list to generate a custom FAQ bot for students, or turn a complex research paper into an audio conversation for easier digestion.

Example: OpenStax’s Biology (opens in new tab)

A NotebookLM notebook titled OpenStax's Biology with 13 sources, including the preface and units on the chemistry of life, the cell, genetics, evolutionary processes, and biological diversity.
Video

Video created with Google’s Gemini Veo 3

Prompt

Create a video clip of a young Continental Army soldier at the Victory of Yorktown in 1781. He is holding a selfie stick and an iPhone, excitedly making a social media post to announce the end of the Revolutionary War. The background shows surrendered British troops, scattered cannons, and American flags waving. The soldier is smiling, slightly dirty from battle, and animatedly says: “Yo, it’s official—it’s a wrap, Redcoats! Cornwallis just threw in the towel. We out here at Yorktown, and freedom’s never looked so good. Six years of fightin’ and we finally did it. America’s about to glow up, y’all. Drop a like for liberty!” End with him giving a quick fist pump and a triumphant “Let’s gooo!” The vibe is celebratory, upbeat, and proud—like he just helped change history.

Tool

Suno AI (opens in new tab): Turning Content into Catchy Tunes

What it is: Suno AI is a generative audio platform that creates full songs—complete with lyrics, realistic vocals, and studio-quality instrumentation—from simple text prompts. You do not need any musical experience; if you can type a sentence, you can create a song.

How it works: Similar to how ChatGPT predicts the next word in a sentence, Suno’s “Chirp” model predicts the next piece of audio in a sequence. It is trained on a massive library of speech and music, allowing it to understand song structure (verse, chorus, bridge) and musical styles ranging from Opera to Bluegrass.

The “Sticky” Science: Using Music as a Mnemonic Device

Music is one of the most powerful tools for memory retention due to “dual coding”—processing information through both language (left brain) and rhythm/melody (right brain). This creates a “sticky” mental hook that makes recall automatic.

Educational Application: Educators can use Suno to turn dry, complex material into catchy, memorable songs.

  • Biology: A 90s Hip Hop track explaining the steps of Mitosis.
  • Math: A Country ballad about the Quadratic Formula.
  • History: An upbeat Pop song listing the order of U.S. Presidents.

Pro Tip: Have students write their own lyrics about a topic as an assignment, then use Suno to bring their lyrics to life. This forces them to synthesize the information before they even hear the music.

Submit a form at suno.com/teachers (opens in new tab) to access limited Suno Pro.

Suno AI was used to generate a soulful Gospel anthem dedicated to students across North Carolina’s 58 community colleges. Centered on three core affirmations—“Get an education and work hard,” “We believe in you,” and “You aren’t in it alone”—this project demonstrates how generative audio can be used to foster belonging and deliver emotional support at scale.

Video

xAI's Grok Imagine (opens in new tab)

Prompt with the original picture attached

Create a realistic dragon flying in to attack the battleship in the attached picture, and then the battleship explodes.

Tool

Gemini Storybook (opens in new tab)

Gemini Storybook is an interactive creative tool that allows users to generate fully illustrated stories. It combines advanced text generation with consistent character and scene visualization, making it easy to build cohesive narratives page by page.

Key Capabilities

  • Visual Consistency: Unlike standard image generators, Storybook is designed to keep characters and artistic styles consistent across multiple pages.
  • Interactive Editing: Users can refine the text and regenerate specific images for each page to perfectly match their vision.
  • Educational Engagement: A powerful way to visualize creative writing, historical events, or complex concepts for younger audiences.

Important Note for Educators: This tool is currently an 18+ feature. While excellent for teachers creating classroom materials, it may be restricted for direct student use depending on your district’s settings.

A Gemini Storybook spread: an illustration of a boy sitting by a bayou beside a history book, with text beginning “Jamal sighed, the Mississippi sun warming his back.”

Example story: https://gemini.google.com/share/d41c69acb0f8 (opens in new tab)

Tool

ElevenLabs AI Voice Generator