Introduction

This guide is designed to help IB Geography educators and students leverage the power of Generative AI. The 101 prompts below are engineered to assist with every stage of the teaching and learning process, from initial planning to final exam preparation. They are directly aligned with the IB DP Geography syllabus (first assessment 2019), its core themes, optional topics, assessment objectives, and key geographical concepts.

How to Use This Guide:

Copy and Paste: Select a prompt that fits your needs.
Customize: Replace the text in [brackets] with your specific details (e.g., topic, case study, number of questions).
Iterate: Refine the AI’s output by asking follow-up questions. For example, ask it to “make this simpler,” “add more detail about [a specific point],” or “format this as a table.”

Section 1: Educator Prompts (50)

A. Planning & Preparation (15 Prompts)

Syllabus Breakdown: “Act as an IB curriculum developer. Create a detailed scheme of work for the IB Geography SL Core Theme, ‘Geographic perspectives – global change.’ Break down the four core units (Population, Climate, Resources, Global risks) into a 12-week teaching schedule, suggesting key topics, learning objectives, and one potential case study for each week.”
Lesson Plan (Standard): “Generate a 60-minute lesson plan for an IB Geography HL class on the topic of ‘Global interactions and global power.’ The lesson should include a starter activity, direct instruction on KOF and AT Kearney indices, a short video discussion activity (suggest a type of video to find), and a plenary that uses the command term ‘Discuss’.”
Lesson Plan (Inquiry-Based): “Design an inquiry-based lesson plan for the Optional Theme ‘Oceans and coastal margins.’ The central question is ‘To what extent are hard engineering strategies the most effective way to protect coastlines?’ The plan should guide students to explore different management techniques through provided resources (you will create summaries of 3 hypothetical online articles) and conclude with a structured debate.”
Case Study Finder: “I am teaching the ‘Food and health’ sub-topic. Identify and summarize three diverse, real-world case studies that illustrate the concept of food security. For each case study (e.g., one from an HIC, one from an LIC, one focusing on a specific intervention), provide the location, key issues, stakeholders involved, and the geographic processes at play.”
Resource Curation: “Create a list of 10 high-quality online resources (e.g., documentaries, interactive maps, academic articles, NGO reports) for the Optional Theme ‘Geophysical hazards.’ For each resource, provide a URL, a brief description, and explain how it connects to specific syllabus points like hazard vulnerability and risk management.”
Differentiated Worksheet: “Generate a differentiated worksheet for a mixed-ability SL class on the Demographic Transition Model (DTM). The worksheet should include:

Part 1 (All students): Labeling the stages of the DTM graph.
Part 2 (Most students): Matching descriptions of population structures to the correct DTM stage.
Part 3 (Advanced students): A short-answer question asking them to ‘Examine the limitations of the DTM when applied to [a specific country like the UAE or Japan].'”

Key Term Glossary: “Create a glossary of the 20 most important command terms and key vocabulary for the HL Core Extension unit ‘Global interactions.’ For each term, provide a simple definition and an example of how it might be used in an exam question.”
IA Brainstorming: “My SL students are starting their Internal Assessment. Based on the Optional Theme ‘Urban environments,’ generate 5 potential research questions suitable for a fieldwork investigation. For each question, suggest a possible location for study (e.g., a CBD, a residential zone), primary and secondary data to be collected, and a relevant geographic theory to frame the investigation.”
Connecting Concepts: “Create a table that links the six key IB Geography concepts (Place, Process, Power, Possibility, Scale, Spatial Interaction) to the SL/HL Core unit ‘Changing population.’ For each concept, provide a one-sentence explanation of its relevance and a question that encourages students to think through that conceptual lens.”
TOK Integration: “Develop three ‘Theory of Knowledge’ (TOK) discussion prompts related to the Optional Theme ‘Leisure, sport and tourism.’ The prompts should challenge students to consider the ethics of tourism, the validity of development indices, and how perspective shapes our understanding of cultural landscapes.”
Fieldwork Technique Guide: “Explain three quantitative and two qualitative fieldwork techniques suitable for investigating changes in a river’s channel characteristics downstream. For each technique (e.g., measuring velocity, pebble sampling, field sketches), describe the methodology, necessary equipment, and potential limitations.”
Infographic Content Plan: “Outline the content and structure for an infographic titled ‘The Global Climate Crisis Explained.’ The outline should be based on the ‘Climate change—causes and consequences’ unit and include sections for the enhanced greenhouse effect, feedback loops, impacts on ice sheets, and the concept of resilience.”
Starter Activity Creator: “Generate five different 5-minute starter activities for the topic ‘Water scarcity and stress.’ Include a ‘spot the difference’ image prompt, a keyword anagram puzzle, and a ‘what’s the connection?’ slide with three images (e.g., a dam, a center-pivot irrigation field, a protest sign).”
Homework Task Grid: “Create a 3×3 homework grid for the ‘Geophysical hazards’ theme. The tasks should vary in difficulty and style, from creating a labeled diagram of a volcano to writing a news report on a recent earthquake event, to evaluating the effectiveness of tsunami warning systems. Label the tasks by skill (e.g., ‘Creative,’ ‘Analytical,’ ‘Research’).”
Cross-Topic Linkages: “Explain the key connections between the ‘Global resource consumption’ unit and the ‘Urban environments’ optional theme. Focus on how urbanization drives resource demand and creates challenges like waste management and water security.”

B. Delivery & Engagement (15 Prompts)

Role-Play Scenario: “Create a role-play scenario for a group of 4 students. The topic is a proposed dam project on a major river (like the Mekong). Assign roles: Government Official, Local Farmer, Environmental NGO Representative, and Corporate Investor. Provide each role with a short profile outlining their main goals, arguments, and key data points to use.”
Debate Statement: “Formulate a compelling debate statement for an HL class on the topic of globalization. The statement should be ‘Globalization is an overwhelmingly positive force for cultural diversity.’ Then, generate 5 supporting arguments for the proposition and 5 for the opposition, each backed by a specific, real-world example.”
Analogy Generator: “Explain the complex concept of ‘positive and negative feedback loops’ in the context of climate change using three simple, everyday analogies that an SL student can easily understand.”
Data Interpretation Prompt: “Provide a simple table of data showing the GDP, literacy rate, and internet penetration for 5 anonymous countries. Create a series of scaffolding questions that guide students to analyze the data, identify patterns, and draw conclusions about the relationship between development and global interactions.”
Visual Analysis Prompt: “Act as a teacher projecting a photograph of a large-scale commercial farm in an HIC. Write a script of questions you would ask the class to deconstruct the image, prompting them to identify inputs, processes, and outputs, and to discuss the environmental and social impacts of this agricultural system.”
Guest Speaker Briefing: “Imagine you are inviting a guest speaker who is an urban planner. Write a briefing document for them. It should outline that the class is studying the ‘Urban environments’ theme, explain key concepts they’ve learned (like urban stress and sustainable cities), and list 5 key questions you’d like the speaker to address in their talk.”
Mystery Case Study: “Create a ‘Guess the Location’ case study. Provide 5-7 geographic clues about a specific place experiencing significant environmental or social change (e.g., ‘This city is a megacity in Southeast Asia,’ ‘It is extremely vulnerable to sea-level rise,’ ‘It recently moved its capital city functions’). Students must use the clues to identify the city [e.g., Jakarta] and explain the processes at play.”
Simplifying Complexity: “Take the complex geopolitical concept of ‘Malthusian vs. Boserupian theories’ on population and resources. Rewrite it as a simple dialogue between two characters, Tom (who represents Malthus) and Sarah (who represents Boserup), to make the core ideas accessible for all learners.”
Diagram Explainer: “Generate a step-by-step explanation of how to draw and label a diagram illustrating the soil profile (horizons O, A, B, C). Specify the key characteristics of each horizon that students must include.”
Real-Time Event Link: “Find a recent news story (from the last 6 months) about a significant migration event. Summarize the story and create three discussion questions that link it directly to the IB Geography syllabus on ‘Forced migration and internal displacement’.”
Ethical Dilemma: “Present an ethical dilemma related to the ‘Leisure, sport and tourism’ unit. For example: ‘A remote indigenous community in [Peru] has been offered a large sum of money by a multinational company to build a luxury eco-lodge on their ancestral land.’ Pose questions that force students to consider the economic benefits versus the cultural and environmental costs.”
Video Summary Task: “You are a teacher who has just shown a 15-minute documentary on desertification in the Sahel. Create a 3-part follow-up task: 1) List 5 key facts from the video. 2) Explain the main human and physical causes of desertification shown. 3) Propose one ‘possibility’ for mitigating the problem, as suggested in the video.”
Map Skills Drill: “Describe a hypothetical topographic map extract. Create 5 map-reading questions based on this description, including: calculating the distance between two points, identifying a specific landform from contour lines, giving a six-figure grid reference for a feature, and describing the relief of the area.”
Storytelling Prompt: “Write a short, first-person narrative (300 words) from the perspective of a teenager living in a rapidly growing megacity like Lagos. The story should subtly incorporate key geographic concepts like rural-urban migration, informal economy, and urban stress.”
Exit Ticket Creator: “Generate three different ‘exit ticket’ questions for the end of a lesson on ‘globalization.’ One should be definitional, one should ask for an example, and one should be a higher-order thinking question asking for an opinion.”

C. Assessment & Feedback (10 Prompts)

SAQ Generator (Paper 1): “Create three short-answer questions (SAQs) for Paper 1, Section A, based on the Optional Theme ‘Urban environments.’ One question should be a 3-mark ‘describe’ question based on a resource (provide a description of a hypothetical graph showing land value). The other two should be a 3-mark ‘explain’ and a 4-mark ‘explain’ question.”
Essay Question Generator (Paper 2): “Generate two 10-mark essay questions for Paper 2 (SL/HL Core) based on the unit ‘Global climate vulnerability and resilience.’ The questions must use the command terms ‘Examine’ and ‘To what extent,’ and be answerable with commonly taught case studies.”
HL Essay Question (Paper 3): “Act as an IB examiner. Create one 12-mark and one 16-mark essay question for the HL Paper 3, Section B, on the topic ‘Power, places and networks.’ The questions must require synthesis across different parts of the HL extension and encourage evaluative arguments.”
Mark Scheme Creator: “For the following essay question: ‘Examine the environmental and social consequences of increasing global resource consumption’ (10 marks), create a detailed, level-based mark scheme. Include indicative content, descriptions for each mark band, and guidance on how to award marks for structure and use of examples.”
Quiz Builder: “Create a 15-question multiple-choice quiz for an SL class on the ‘Changing population’ sub-topic. Include questions on population pyramids, the Demographic Transition Model, and factors affecting fertility rates. Provide a separate answer key.”
Feedback Generator: “I have a student essay that [lacks detailed case study knowledge]. Write three constructive ‘what to do next’ comments. The feedback should be encouraging and provide specific, actionable advice on how to find and integrate supporting examples more effectively.”
Model Answer Paragraph: “Write a model paragraph for an essay answering: ‘Explain two strategies for managing water scarcity.’ The paragraph should focus on the strategy of desalination, clearly explaining how it works and evaluating its strengths and weaknesses with reference to a specific case study like [Saudi Arabia or Israel].”
IA Checklist: “Create a student-friendly checklist for the IB Geography Internal Assessment based on the official assessment criteria. Rephrase the criteria (e.g., ‘Introduction,’ ‘Analysis,’ ‘Conclusion’) into a series of ‘I have…’ statements that students can use for self-assessment.”
Command Term Practice: “Create a worksheet that helps students differentiate between the command terms ‘Explain,’ ‘Discuss,’ and ‘Evaluate.’ For each term, provide its definition and a simple, non-geography example. Then, provide a single geography topic (e.g., ‘managing traffic in urban areas’) and ask students to write a single sentence outlining how they would approach an essay for each command term.”
Peer Assessment Form: “Design a simple peer assessment form for students to use after a practice presentation. The form should have sections for ‘What I liked,’ ‘What I learned,’ and ‘One suggestion for improvement,’ and should prompt the assessor to comment on the clarity of explanation and use of geographic terminology.”

D. Enrichment & Extension (10 Prompts)

Connecting to the SDGs: “Choose three of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and explain how they directly connect to the IB Geography HL Core Extension topic ‘Geopolitical and economic forces.’ Use specific examples to illustrate the links.”
Future Scenarios: “Based on current trends in AI and automation, create two contrasting future scenarios (‘possibilities’) for the ‘Global economy and employment’ in 2050. One scenario should be utopian, the other dystopian. Describe the potential impacts on different groups of people and places.”
Geographic Film Review: “Write a short review of the documentary ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ or ‘Cowspiracy’ through the lens of an IB Geography student. Analyze how the film presents geographic data, which stakeholders’ perspectives it prioritizes, and evaluate its effectiveness in communicating the core issues.”
Local Fieldwork Idea: “Propose a simple, ‘mini-IA’ style fieldwork investigation that students could conduct in their own school or local neighborhood. The investigation should focus on the concept of ‘place’ and ‘sustainability.’ Suggest 3 simple data collection methods.”
Synoptic Linkages (HL): “Explain how an understanding of ‘transboundary water resources’ from the core syllabus is essential for analyzing ‘national sovereignty’ and ‘global governance’ in the HL extension. Use the Nile Basin as an illustrative example.”
Careers in Geography: “Generate a list of 10 modern careers that directly use the skills and knowledge gained in IB Geography. For each career (e.g., GIS Analyst, Sustainability Consultant, Disaster Risk Manager), provide a brief description and list the key IB skills it requires.”
Geographer Profile: “Write a short biography of a famous geographer or environmentalist, such as [Doreen Massey or Carl Sauer]. Explain their key theories and their contribution to the field of geography.”
Creative Writing Prompt: “Write a poem or a short piece of flash fiction (under 300 words) that captures the sense of place of a specific landscape, such as a retreating glacier, a bustling megacity market, or a tranquil coastal mangrove forest.”
Infographic Design Challenge: “Challenge students to design an infographic to explain the complex issue of ‘the global supply chain for a smartphone.’ Ask the AI to generate a list of the key elements, data points, and visuals that must be included, from resource extraction to manufacturing to disposal.”
Problem-Solving Challenge: “You are the head of a city’s sustainability department. Your city, [e.g., a coastal city in a HIC], is facing increased flood risk due to climate change. Propose a multi-faceted strategy combining hard and soft engineering, policy changes, and community engagement to enhance the city’s resilience. Justify your choices.”

Section 2: Student Prompts (50)

A. Understanding Concepts & Content (15 Prompts)

Simple Explainer: “Explain the concept of ‘[the enhanced greenhouse effect]’ to me as if I am 12 years old. Use a simple analogy to help me understand.”
Case Study Summary: “Summarize the key details of the [Haiti 2010 earthquake] as a case study for geophysical hazards. I need to know the causes, impacts (social, economic, environmental), and the short-term and long-term responses. Please format this as a bulleted list.”
Concept Comparison: “Create a simple table that compares and contrasts ‘physical water scarcity’ and ‘economic water scarcity.’ Include definitions, causes, and two example locations for each.”
Flashcard Creator: “I am studying the ‘Urban environments’ optional theme. Create a set of 10 digital flashcards for me. On the front of each card, put a key term (e.g., ‘suburbanization,’ ‘counter-urbanization,’ ‘urban heat island,’ ‘megacity’). On the back, provide a clear definition and a simple example.”
“Explain it Differently”: “My teacher explained the ‘core-periphery model,’ but I’m still confused. Can you explain it in a different way, perhaps using an analogy of a school or a party?”
Diagram Annotation: “I have a diagram of a constructive and destructive wave. Can you write a short description for each, explaining the key differences in terms of swash, backwash, and their effect on the beach profile?”
Keyword Connections: “Take these three keywords: ‘globalization,’ ‘transnational corporations (TNCs),’ and ‘cultural diffusion.’ Explain how they are connected in a single paragraph.”
Acronym Buster: “What do the acronyms ‘GDP,’ ‘GNI,’ and ‘HDI’ stand for? Explain what each one measures and what the main limitations are of using just one to measure development.”
Theory Explainer: “Explain [Rostow’s Modernization Theory]. What are the stages, and what are the main criticisms of this model?”
Video Learner: “I am watching a documentary about [fast fashion]. What are the 5 key IB Geography concepts I should be looking for in this video? For each concept, give me a question I should be asking myself as I watch.”
Process Walkthrough: “Describe the process of ‘eutrophication’ in a lake step-by-step. Start with the input of excess nutrients and end with the death of aquatic life.”
Example Finder: “I need a specific, named example of a ‘top-down development project’ and a ‘bottom-up development project.’ For each, tell me the location, the goal, and one advantage and one disadvantage.”
HL Concept Deep Dive: “For my HL course, can you explain the concept of ‘glocalization’? How is it different from globalization, and can you give me two real-world examples (e.g., McDonald’s menus, MTV content)?”
Mind Map Structure: “Give me a mind map structure for revising the entire ‘Food and Health’ sub-topic. The central bubble should be ‘Food and Health,’ and you should suggest the main branches and sub-branches I need to include.”
“Why does this matter?”: “Why is studying ‘soil degradation’ important? Connect it to three other parts of the geography course, such as population change, food security, and river processes.”

B. Practicing Skills & Application (15 Prompts)

Practice SAQ: “Give me a 4-mark SAQ on the topic of ‘[coastal erosion landforms]’ and then provide a model answer so I can check my work.”
Data Analysis: “Here is a set of data: [Country A: Birth Rate 45/1000, Death Rate 15/1000; Country B: Birth Rate 12/1000, Death Rate 10/1000]. Calculate the natural increase rate for both countries and suggest which stage of the DTM each country is likely in, justifying your answer.”
Graph Description: “I have a climate graph for a [tropical rainforest]. Describe the patterns of temperature and precipitation shown on the graph using specific data points.”
Essay Plan Creator: “I have to write an essay on this question: ‘To what extent have attempts to reduce global climate change been successful?’ (10 marks). Create a balanced essay plan for me, including an introduction, two paragraphs for ‘successful’ and two for ‘unsuccessful,’ and a conclusion. Suggest a case study for each point.”
Argument Builder: “I need to argue that ‘TNCs bring more advantages than disadvantages to host countries.’ Give me three strong points to support this argument, each with a specific piece of evidence or an example.”
Counter-Argument Builder: “Now, give me three strong counter-arguments for the same statement (‘TNCs bring more advantages than disadvantages to host countries’), again with specific evidence.”
IA Methodology Practice: “I am planning to do my IA on the impact of tourism on a town center. What is a good way to use ‘bipolar surveys’ to collect data? Explain how to set one up, what kind of data it collects, and how I could present the results graphically.”
Command Term Application: “Take the topic ‘strategies to manage urban traffic.’ How would my answer be different if the command term was ‘Describe,’ ‘Explain,’ or ‘Evaluate’?”
Photo Analysis: “You are showing me a photo of a shanty town or slum. Guide me through analyzing it like a geographer. What specific questions should I ask about the housing, infrastructure, and environment to understand this place?”
Connecting the Dots: “Explain the link between ‘deforestation in the Amazon’ and ‘global climate change.’ Make sure to use the keywords ‘carbon sink,’ ‘albedo,’ and ‘transpiration’.”
Practice Essay Introduction: “Write a model introduction for the essay question: ‘Discuss the effectiveness of strategies designed to manage global migration.’ (16 marks, HL). The introduction should define key terms, outline the scope of the essay, and state the main argument.”
Map to Text: “Describe the location and site of [a specific city, e.g., London] as if you were describing it from a map. Mention its relationship to physical features like rivers and its position relative to other places.”
Critiquing a Source: “Give me a short, hypothetical newspaper article extract about a new dam project. Then, guide me with questions to help me critique the source for bias, purpose, and origin, just like I would for my IA.”
HL Synthesis Practice: “How does the concept of ‘time-space convergence’ (from the HL core) help explain the changing ‘patterns of international trade’ (also HL core)? Give a specific example.”
Self-Correction: “Here is my answer to a question: [Student pastes their short answer]. Can you review it against a typical IB mark scheme and tell me what I did well and how I could improve it to get full marks?”

C. Revision & Consolidation (10 Prompts)

One-Page Summary: “Condense the entire Optional Theme ‘[Geophysical Hazards]’ into a single-page revision sheet. Use headings, bullet points, and bold keywords to structure the information for quick review.”
Quiz Me: “Quiz me on the ‘Water and change’ topic. Ask me 10 questions, one by one. Wait for my answer before giving me the correct one and moving to the next question.”
Mnemonics Creator: “I need to remember the factors affecting soil formation. Can you create a simple mnemonic for me using the acronym CLORPT (Climate, Organisms, Relief, Parent material, Time)?”
“Just the Facts”: “Give me the 10 most important, must-know facts or statistics for the case study of ‘[the Three Gorges Dam]’ for my exam.”
Compare and Contrast Table: “Create a revision table that compares and contrasts two different types of mass movement, such as ‘[soil creep]’ and ‘[mudflows].’ The columns should be: Speed, Water Content, and Type of Material.”
Audio Revision Script: “Write a 3-minute audio script that I can record and listen to for revising ‘the causes of global warming.’ The script should be clear, concise, and easy to follow.”
Past Paper Deconstruction: “Here is a past essay question: ‘[Paste a real IB question].’ Break this question down for me. What is the command term? What are the key terms I need to define? What specific syllabus content is it asking for?”
Synoptic Mind Map: “Create a mind map that shows the links between the core topic ‘Resource Stewardship’ and the optional theme ‘Food and Health.’ Show how concepts like ‘carrying capacity’ and ‘the circular economy’ apply to both.”
Exam Tips: “Give me your top 5 tips for managing my time effectively in the IB Geography Paper 1 exam.”
Error Analysis: “What are the most common mistakes students make when answering questions about ‘[population pyramids]’? Tell me what they are and how I can avoid them.”

D. Preparing for Assessment (10 Prompts)

IA Introduction Feedback: “Here is the draft of my IA introduction: ‘[Student pastes text].’ Can you review this against the IB criteria? Does it clearly state the research question, location, and link to geographic theory?”
Essay Conclusion Writer: “I’ve written the main body of my essay on ‘[the management of a global resource].’ Can you help me write a strong, evaluative conclusion that summarizes my main points and addresses the ‘to what extent’ part of the question?”
Structuring a 16-Mark Answer (HL): “How should I structure my answer for a 16-mark Paper 3 essay? Provide a paragraph-by-paragraph template, explaining what should go in each section, from the introduction to the final judgment.”
Improving my Vocabulary: “My teacher says I need to use more geographic terminology. Give me 5 sophisticated geographic terms I can use when writing about ‘[urban sustainability]’ and show me how to use them in a sentence.”
Pre-Exam Brain Dump: “It’s the night before my Paper 2 exam. Give me a structured list of the key theories, case studies, and concepts for the ‘Global Climate’ unit that I should review one last time.”
“What if?” Scenarios: “To help me think critically, give me a ‘what if’ scenario. For example, ‘What if China’s One-Child Policy had never been implemented?’ Ask me to predict the potential demographic, economic, and social consequences.”
Balanced Argument Check: “I’m planning an essay on the impacts of tourism. I have two points for positive impacts. Can you give me two well-developed points for negative impacts to make sure my argument is balanced? Please include a specific example for each.”
IA Data Presentation Ideas: “For my IA, I have collected data on [pedestrian counts and land use] in my CBD. Suggest three different and effective ways to present this data graphically (e.g., located proportional symbols on a map, a flow line map, a bar chart). Explain the strengths of each method.”
Decoding Examiner Reports: “Find a summary of a recent IB Geography examiner’s report. What were the key messages to students about what they did well and where they needed to improve in Paper 1?”
Final Confidence Booster: “Act as a supportive tutor. Give me a final, encouraging message before I go into my IB Geography exam, reminding me of the key skills I have and the strategies I should use.”

Section 3: Bonus Universal Prompt (1)

The Geo-Solver Challenge: “Act as a multidisciplinary team of experts (a geographer, an economist, a sociologist, and a political scientist). You have been tasked by the UN with creating a comprehensive, systems-thinking action plan to solve a major global challenge: [The Global Plastic Waste Crisis].
* The Geographer must map the spatial distribution of the problem, identify the physical processes (ocean currents) and human processes (trade routes, consumption patterns) that drive it, and propose place-based solutions.
* The Economist must analyze the economic drivers (costs of production vs. recycling), model the financial impact of the crisis, and propose market-based solutions (e.g., taxes, subsidies, circular economy models).
* The Sociologist must investigate the cultural attitudes towards consumption and waste, analyze the disproportionate impact on marginalized communities, and suggest strategies for behavior change and environmental justice.
* The Political Scientist must examine the challenges of global governance, analyze the failures of international agreements, and propose a new framework for international cooperation and enforcement.

Present the final output as a unified report with four distinct sections, followed by a concluding ‘Integrated Strategy’ that synthesizes the top recommendation from each field into a single, powerful plan of action.”