Introduction

Welcome to your essential co-pilot for navigating the IB Diploma Programme History course. This guide provides 101 targeted prompts designed to leverage the power of Generative AI, helping both educators and students master the complexities of historical inquiry.

The prompts are engineered to align directly with the IB History curriculum, focusing on the skills, content, and assessment objectives for both Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL). Whether you’re planning a unit, struggling with a concept, or preparing for exams, these prompts will help you generate ideas, create resources, and deepen your understanding.

How to Use This Guide:

Copy and Paste: Select a prompt that fits your needs.
Customize: Replace bracketed text [like this] with your specific topic, historical figure, or document.
Refine: Treat the AI’s output as a first draft. Use it as a foundation to build upon, critique, and adapt. The goal is to enhance, not replace, your own critical thinking and hard work.

Section 1 – Educator Prompts (50)

These prompts are designed to assist with the full teaching cycle, from initial planning to final assessment and enrichment.

Stage 1: Planning & Preparation (15 Prompts)

Syllabus Breakdown: “Act as an experienced IB History teacher. Create a semester-long pacing guide for the Paper 2 topic ‘Authoritarian States (20th Century)’. The guide should break down the topic into weekly sub-themes, suggesting key case studies like [Mao’s China and Stalin’s Russia], and align with a 15-week semester.”
Unit Plan Outline: “Generate a comprehensive unit plan for the Prescribed Subject ‘The Move to Global War’. The plan should include: essential questions, key learning objectives based on IB standards, a list of potential primary and secondary sources, and suggested assessment tasks.”
Essential Questions: “Develop 5 thought-provoking essential questions for the World History topic ‘Causes and effects of 20th-century wars’. The questions should encourage inquiry into historiography and multiple perspectives.”
Source Finding: “Identify 3 contrasting primary sources suitable for a Paper 1 practice on ‘Japanese expansion in East Asia (1931-1941)’. For each source, provide a brief description and explain how it could be used to teach OPCVL (Origin, Purpose, Content, Value, Limitation) analysis.”
Historian Viewpoints: “Create a table summarizing the main arguments of three key historians (e.g., [A.J.P. Taylor, Richard Overy, Hugh Trevor-Roper]) on the causes of World War II in Europe. The table should have columns for ‘Historian,’ ‘Main Argument/School of Thought,’ and ‘Key Evidence Used’.”
Lesson Hook Ideas: “Provide 3 creative ‘lesson hook’ ideas to introduce the HL Option topic ‘Imperial Russia, revolutions, emergence of the Soviet State (1853–1924)’. The hooks should be engaging and suitable for a 10-minute introduction.”
IA Research Questions: “Generate 5 sample Internal Assessment (IA) research questions related to the topic of ‘The Cold War’s impact on social policy in one country’. Ensure the questions are focused, arguable, and allow for genuine historical investigation.”
Differentiated Instruction Plan: “Design a differentiated learning plan for a lesson on ‘The policies of one authoritarian ruler’. The plan should include activities for three learner profiles: visual learners, kinesthetic learners, and students who need extra support.”
Vocabulary List: “Create a glossary of 20 essential terms for the World History topic ‘Independence Movements (1800-2000)’. For each term, provide a concise definition and an example of its use in a historical context.”
Case Study Selection: “Justify the selection of [Nazi Germany and Castro’s Cuba] as the two case studies for the ‘Authoritarian States’ topic. Explain how their comparison allows for a comprehensive understanding of the topic’s key themes like emergence, consolidation of power, and domestic policies.”
Connecting to TOK: “Suggest 3 specific links between the IB History topic ‘Rights and Protest’ and the IB Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course. Frame them as discussion questions focusing on concepts like evidence, perspective, and ethical judgments in history.”
HL Paper 3 Structure: “Outline a lesson plan to teach HL students how to effectively structure a Paper 3 essay. The plan should cover thesis development, thematic paragraphing, integration of detailed evidence, and analysis of historiography for the topic [History of the Americas].”
Parent Communication: “Draft a brief email newsletter for parents outlining the key topics, skills, and major assessment dates for the first semester of IB History SL. Explain the importance of source analysis and essay writing skills.”
Resource Curation: “Curate a list of 5 high-quality online resources (e.g., digital archives, documentaries, academic articles) for students studying the HL topic ‘History of Asia and Oceania’, focusing on the ‘Challenge to traditional East Asian societies (1700–1868)’.”
Project-Based Learning: “Design a project-based learning (PBL) assignment where students act as museum curators. Their task is to create a virtual exhibit on ‘The impact of the Industrial Revolution on society’. The output should be a detailed project brief, including goals, steps, and a rubric.”

Stage 2: Lesson Delivery & Activities (15 Prompts)

Lecture Outline: “Generate a 45-minute lecture outline on ‘The causes of the Great Depression in the United States’. The outline should be structured with clear headings, key points, and suggested moments for student interaction or questions.”
Source Analysis Worksheet: “Create a Paper 1 style source analysis worksheet. Use two contrasting primary sources (one visual, one text) related to the ‘Cuban Missile Crisis’. The worksheet should include questions that guide students through identifying the origin, purpose, value, and limitations of each source.”
Debate Topic: “Frame a debate topic on ‘The dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki’. The prompt should be: ‘The use of the atomic bomb was necessary to end World War II.’ Provide 3 supporting arguments for the ‘for’ side and 3 for the ‘against’ side, each backed by a historical fact or perspective.”
Role-Play Scenario: “Design a role-play activity where students represent different leaders (e.g., [Truman, Stalin, Churchill]) at the Potsdam Conference. Provide each role with a brief bio and a list of their key objectives for the conference.”
Mind Map Template: “Create a mind map template to help students organize the ‘long-term and short-term causes of World War I’. The central theme should be ‘Causes of WWI,’ with main branches for Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, and Nationalism.”
Jigsaw Activity: “Outline a jigsaw reading activity on the ‘effects of one 20th-century war on women’. Divide the topic into four sub-themes (e.g., ‘Economic Roles,’ ‘Social Changes,’ ‘Political Rights,’ ‘Post-War Status’) and suggest a short reading for each.”
Exit Ticket Questions: “Generate 3 ‘exit ticket’ questions to assess student understanding at the end of a lesson on ‘Mao’s consolidation of power’. The questions should range from simple recall to a brief analytical point.”
Comparison Chart: “Create a blank comparison chart for students to fill out, comparing the ‘domestic policies of two authoritarian leaders’ (e.g., [Hitler and Perón]). The chart should have rows for economic, social, cultural, and minority policies.”
Historical Simulation: “Design a brief classroom simulation of the ‘Berlin Blockade and Airlift’. Assign roles (e.g., Western Allies, Soviet Union, West Berlin citizens) and create a series of event cards that force students to make decisions.”
Video Analysis Guide: “Create a set of guiding questions for students to answer while watching a 20-minute documentary clip on ‘the US Civil Rights Movement’. The questions should focus on identifying arguments, evidence, and historical perspectives presented.”
Peer-Teaching Prompt: “Develop a prompt for a peer-teaching activity. Assign pairs of students one specific ‘policy of the New Deal’ (e.g., AAA, CCC, TVA). Their task is to prepare a 5-minute explanation for another pair, outlining the policy’s goals, methods, and impact.”
Historiography Discussion: “Generate 5 discussion prompts to explore the historiography of ‘the origins of the Cold War’. The prompts should encourage students to compare the Orthodox, Revisionist, and Post-Revisionist viewpoints.”
Essay Deconstruction: “Provide a model Paper 2 essay on the topic ‘Evaluate the success and failures of one 20th-century independence movement’. Then, create a set of instructions for students to deconstruct it, identifying the thesis, topic sentences, evidence, and analysis in each paragraph.”
Visual Source Starter: “Present a famous political cartoon related to the ‘Treaty of Versailles’. Generate three levels of analytical questions: Level 1 (Observe), Level 2 (Infer), and Level 3 (Conclude/Connect to Context).”
Review Game: “Create a ‘Jeopardy!’ style review game board for the Prescribed Subject ‘Conflict and Intervention’. Categories should include ‘Key Leaders,’ ‘Timeline of Events,’ ‘Causes,’ ‘Consequences,’ and ‘Key Terms.’ Provide 3 questions and answers for each category.”

Stage 3: Assessment & Feedback (15 Prompts)

Paper 1 Questions: “Act as an IB History examiner. Generate a full Paper 1 source-based question set on the Prescribed Subject ‘Rights and Protest’, using the case study of the US Civil Rights Movement. Include 4 sources (one visual) and 4 corresponding questions in the official IB format.”
Paper 2 Questions: “Act as an IB History examiner. Create 3 original Paper 2 essay questions for the topic ‘Causes and effects of 20th-century wars’. Ensure the questions require evaluation or comparison and are not simple narrative prompts.”
Paper 3 Questions (HL): “Act as an IB History examiner. Create 3 original Paper 3 essay questions for the HL Option ‘History of Europe’, focusing on the section ‘Versailles to Berlin: Diplomacy in Europe (1919–1945)’. The questions must be analytical and demand detailed knowledge.”
Rubric Creator: “Create a student-friendly rubric for a Paper 2 essay. The rubric should be a table based on the official IB criteria (A: Knowledge, B: Argument, C: Use of Sources, etc.) but rephrased into ‘I can…’ statements.”
IA Feedback Generator: “Act as an IB History teacher providing feedback on a student’s IA draft. The student’s research question is: [To what extent was the Marshall Plan a tool of economic imperialism in Western Europe between 1948 and 1952?]. Generate 3 ‘strengths’ and 3 ‘areas for improvement’ focusing on the investigation, source evaluation, and reflection sections.”
Model Paragraph: “Write a model analytical paragraph for a Paper 2 essay answering: ‘Compare and contrast the methods used to maintain power by two authoritarian leaders.’ The paragraph should focus on the use of propaganda by [Hitler and Stalin] and demonstrate a clear topic sentence, evidence, and analysis.”
Common Mistakes List: “Generate a ‘Top 5 Common Mistakes’ checklist for students writing Paper 1 responses. For each mistake, provide a brief explanation and an example of how to correct it.”
Quiz Creation: “Generate a 10-question multiple-choice quiz on the topic ‘German and Italian expansion (1933–1940)’. Include an answer key with a brief explanation for each correct answer.”
Mark Scheme Points: “For the Paper 2 question, ‘Examine the impact of the Cold War on two countries (excluding the USA and the USSR),’ create a list of 10 specific, mark-worthy points an examiner would look for in a high-scoring essay.”
Self-Assessment Checklist: “Create a self-assessment checklist for students to use before submitting their final IA. The checklist should be organized by section (Investigation, Reflection, etc.) and phrased as questions, e.g., ‘Is my research question clearly stated and focused?'”
Feedback Language: “Provide 5 sentence starters for giving constructive feedback on student essays that are encouraging but also specific. For example: ‘Your argument is clearest when you… Consider applying this same clarity to…’.”
Essay Planning Tool: “Design a graphic organizer to help students plan a Paper 2 essay. It should include boxes for: Deconstructing the Question, Thesis Statement, Paragraph 1 (Topic Sentence, Evidence, Analysis), Paragraph 2, Paragraph 3, and Conclusion.”
Source Evaluation Practice: “Provide a short primary source excerpt from a speech by [Fidel Castro]. Then, generate a model OPCVL analysis of that source, clearly explaining its Origin, Purpose, Content, Value, and Limitations for a historian studying the Cuban Revolution.”
Improving Thesis Statements: “Provide three weak thesis statements for an essay on ‘the causes of the Chinese Civil War’. For each one, rewrite it to be more specific, arguable, and analytical.”
Mock Exam Paper: “Assemble a full mock exam for an IB History SL student. It should include a complete Paper 1 on [The move to global war] and a Paper 2 with 2 question choices from 3 different World History topics.”

Stage 4: Enrichment & Extension (5 Prompts)

Historical Debate: “Design a formal debate structure for the topic: ‘To what extent was decolonization after 1945 a success?’ Include the main proposition, roles for speakers, and a list of 5 key historical events or figures that both sides must address.”
Interdisciplinary Connection: “Generate a project idea that connects the IB History topic ‘The Cold War’ with IB Visual Arts. The project should ask students to analyze how propaganda art from both the USA and USSR reflected and shaped superpower rivalry.”
‘What If’ Scenario: “Create a ‘What If’ historical scenario. Prompt: ‘What if the Schlieffen Plan had succeeded in 1914?’ Ask students to write a 500-word analysis of the probable short-term and long-term consequences for Europe.”
Connecting to Current Events: “Write a short article (300 words) for students that connects the historical themes of the ‘Rights and Protest’ topic with a specific, contemporary social movement [like Black Lives Matter or climate change protests].”
Guest Speaker Simulation: “You are [a historian specializing in the Meiji Restoration]. Write a script for a 15-minute guest lecture to an IB History class. The script should be engaging, accessible, and end with 3 questions to spark a class discussion.”

Section 2 – Student Prompts (50)

These prompts are designed to support students through every phase of their learning journey.

Stage 1: Understanding Concepts (15 Prompts)

Explain Simply: “Explain the concept of ‘Brinkmanship’ during the Cold War as if you were explaining it to a 10th grader. Use an analogy to make it easier to understand.”
Timeline Creator: “Create a detailed timeline of the key events of the ‘Russian Civil War (1917-1922)’. Include the dates, the event, and a 1-sentence summary of its significance.”
Key Figure Bio: “Provide a 200-word biography of [Simon Bolívar], focusing on his role in the Latin American independence movements. Highlight his key ideas and achievements.”
Compare and Contrast: “Explain the main differences and similarities between ‘communism in Mao’s China and the USSR under Stalin’ in a simple table format. Focus on economic policies and social control.”
Summarize a Reading: “I will provide a 5-page academic article on [the historiography of the origins of WWI]. Read it and summarize the main arguments and conclusions in 300 words.”
Concept Map: “Generate the text for a concept map explaining the ’causes of the 1905 Revolution in Russia’. Start with the central event and branch out to long-term and short-term causes.”
Define and Give an Example: “Define the historical term ‘appeasement’ in the context of the 1930s. Then, provide and explain two specific historical examples of this policy in action.”
Cause and Effect Chain: “Create a cause-and-effect flow chart for the ‘Korean War’. Start with the initial invasion and show the chain of events and consequences.”
Historian’s View: “Explain the ‘intentionalist’ versus ‘functionalist’ (or structuralist) debate regarding ‘the Holocaust’ in simple terms. Name one key historian for each perspective.”
Unpack a Quote: “Analyze this quote from [Jomo Kenyatta]: [‘When the Missionaries arrived, the Africans had the land and the Missionaries had the Bible. They taught us how to pray with our eyes closed. When we opened them, they had the land and we had the Bible.’]. Explain its meaning and historical context.”
5 Key Takeaways: “I am studying the ‘Suez Crisis of 1956’. What are the 5 most important things I need to know about its causes, events, and consequences?”
Analogy Maker: “Create an analogy to explain the complex system of ‘alliances in Europe before 1914’. Relate it to a modern-day scenario, like a schoolyard conflict.”
Visual Explanation: “Describe a political cartoon that could represent the ‘Marshall Plan’. Explain the symbolism you would use for the USA, Western Europe, and the USSR.”
Perspective Shift: “Describe the ‘Berlin Blockade’ from two different perspectives: a US pilot flying the airlift and a Soviet official in East Berlin. Write a short paragraph for each.”
Unpacking the Question: “I have the essay question: ‘To what extent was the policy of containment a success in Asia between 1945 and 1975?’ Break down this question for me. What key terms do I need to define? What is the question asking me to do?”

Stage 2: Practicing Skills (15 Prompts)

Flashcard Creation: “Create a set of 15 digital flashcards for the topic ‘Consolidation of power by authoritarian rulers’. On the front of each card, put a key term (e.g., ‘Cult of Personality,’ ‘Gleichschaltung’). On the back, provide a concise definition and an example from [Hitler’s Germany or Stalin’s USSR].”
Practice Questions: “Generate 5 short-answer practice questions for the World History topic ‘Independence Movements’, focusing on the case study of [India].”
Source Analysis Practice: “I will provide you with a primary source. Act as my study partner and help me practice an OPCVL analysis. Ask me guiding questions about its Origin, Purpose, Content, Value, and Limitations.”
Thesis Statement Practice: “Generate a strong, arguable thesis statement for the Paper 2 question: ‘Discuss the role of technology in determining the outcome of one 20th-century war.’“
Essay Outline: “Create a 3-paragraph essay outline for the question: ‘Compare and contrast the causes of two Cold War crises’, using the [Berlin Blockade and Cuban Missile Crisis] as examples.”
Evidence Hunt: “I am writing an essay on ‘the social impact of the First World War on Britain’. Give me 5 specific pieces of evidence (statistics, laws, events) I could use to support my points about the changing role of women.”
Counter-Argument Builder: “My main argument for an essay on ‘the fall of the USSR’ is that economic weakness was the primary cause. What is a strong counter-argument I should address in my essay? Provide two pieces of evidence to support that counter-argument.”
Improve My Paragraph: “I will provide a paragraph from my practice essay. Please review it and suggest how I can improve the analysis and better integrate my evidence. The paragraph is about [the failure of the League of Nations in Manchuria].”
Paper 1 Question 3 Practice: “I have two sources about the ‘Montgomery Bus Boycott’. Help me practice for Paper 1, question 3. Generate a prompt that asks me to compare and contrast what the two sources reveal.”
Paper 1 Question 4 Practice: “I have four sources about ‘the move to global war’. Help me practice for Paper 1, question 4. Generate a mini-essay prompt that requires me to use all four sources and my own knowledge to evaluate a statement.”
Identify Historiography: “I will provide a paragraph from a historian’s work on ‘the Vietnam War’. Analyze its language and argument to determine if it aligns more with an orthodox, revisionist, or post-revisionist perspective. Explain your reasoning.”
Argumentative Topic Sentences: “I am planning an essay on ‘the effects of the Great Depression on one country in the Americas’. Give me three strong, argumentative topic sentences for my body paragraphs.”
IA Source Annotation: “I have found a primary source for my IA on [the role of propaganda in the Spanish Civil War]. Help me write a 150-word annotation for my bibliography, explaining its relevance to my investigation and evaluating its value and limitations.”
Connecting Evidence to Argument: “My point is that ‘Hitler’s economic policies were successful in the short term’. I have the evidence: [unemployment fell from 6 million in 1933 to 300,000 in 1939]. Help me write two sentences that explicitly link this evidence back to my point and analyze its significance.”
Timed Writing Simulation: “Simulate a timed 45-minute Paper 2 essay. Give me a question on ‘Authoritarian States’. For the first 5 minutes, help me brainstorm and outline. Then, I will write. At the end, give me feedback on what I produced in the time limit.”

Stage 3: Revising & Consolidating (15 Prompts)

Concise Revision Guide: “Create a one-page revision guide for the World History topic ‘The Cold War: Superpower tensions and rivalries’. Use bullet points, headings, and bold keywords to summarize the key events, leaders, and concepts from 1945-1991.”
Mind Map Summary: “Generate the content for a detailed mind map summarizing the HL topic ‘History of the Americas: The US Civil War – causes, course, and effects (1840–1877)’. It should be organized logically for easy revision.”
Compare/Contrast Table: “Create a detailed table comparing and contrasting ‘World War I and World War II’. Use rows for: Causes, Nature of Warfare (technology/tactics), Scope (global involvement), and Social/Economic Impact.”
Acronyms and Mnemonics: “Create a simple acronym or mnemonic device to help me remember the main causes of World War I (Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism) and the key terms of the Treaty of Versailles (e.g., War Guilt Clause, Reparations, etc.).”
‘Who’s Who’ Guide: “Create a ‘Who’s Who’ guide for the ‘Chinese Civil War’. List 5 key figures (e.g., [Mao Zedong, Chiang Kai-shek, Zhou Enlai]) and provide a 2-sentence summary of their role and significance.”
Theme Tracker: “Help me trace the theme of ‘ideological conflict’ through three Cold War events: [the Truman Doctrine, the Vietnam War, and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan].”
Explain the Links: “Explain the connection between the ‘failure of the Weimar Republic’ and the ‘rise of the Nazi Party’. Summarize the key factors in a bulleted list.”
Top 5 Mistakes: “What are the top 5 most common mistakes students make when writing about the ’causes of the Cold War’? For each mistake, explain why it’s wrong and how to correct it.”
Essay Plan from Memory: “Quiz me. Give me the essay question: ‘Evaluate the successes and failures of one authoritarian leader’s domestic policies.’ I will try to create a thesis and a 3-point outline from memory. Then, you can compare it to an ideal plan.”
Synthesis Practice: “I have learned about [the policy of collectivization in the USSR and the Great Leap Forward in China]. Write a paragraph that synthesizes information about both to draw a conclusion about communist economic planning.”
Key Dates Quiz: “Generate a 10-question ‘match the date to the event’ quiz for the Prescribed Subject ‘The Move to Global War’ between 1931 and 1941.”
Audio Summary Script: “Write a 3-minute audio script summarizing the topic ‘Rights and Protest’ using the case studies of the US Civil Rights movement and Apartheid in South Africa. I will use this to listen to while revising.”
Revision Poster Ideas: “Give me 5 key ideas/visuals to include on a revision poster for the ‘Cuban Missile Crisis’. Focus on the key players, the timeline, and the concept of brinkmanship.”
Predict the Question: “Based on past IB History exams, what are three likely essay question formats or themes for the Paper 2 topic ‘Causes and effects of 20th-century wars’?”
One-Sentence Summaries: “Summarize each of the following events/concepts into a single, concise sentence: The Truman Doctrine, The Marshall Plan, NATO, The Warsaw Pact, Détente.”

Stage 4: Final Exam Preparation (5 Prompts)

IA Reflection Help: “Help me brainstorm for Section 3 of my IA (Reflection). Generate some guiding questions that will help me reflect on what my investigation highlighted about the methods used by historians. My IA question is [insert your IA question here].”
Exam Command Terms: “Create a table of the top 5 IB History exam command terms (e.g., ‘Evaluate,’ ‘Compare and contrast,’ ‘To what extent,’ ‘Examine,’ ‘Discuss’). For each term, provide a definition and a brief explanation of what the examiner expects in the answer.”
Paper 2 Essay Plan: “I have 5 minutes to plan an essay for the question: ‘To what extent were economic problems responsible for the collapse of the Soviet Union?’ Act as my planning partner. Help me create a quick thesis and a 3-point outline with supporting evidence.”
Stress Management Tips: “Act as an academic coach. Provide 5 practical tips for managing time and stress during the 2.5-hour HL Paper 3 exam.”
Pre-Exam Checklist: “Create a final checklist for me to review the night before my IB History exam. It should include reminders about content (key dates/people), skills (OPCVL, essay structure), and logistics (what to bring).”

Section 3 – Bonus Universal Prompt (1)

The Unwritten Source: “Act as a historian in the year 2150. You have just discovered a single, previously unknown source from the period [1950-1980] related to the topic [the Cold War]. The source is a [personal diary of a scientist working in a Soviet nuclear facility / a series of letters between an East German border guard and his family / a collection of photographs taken by a CIA agent in Cuba].
* Part 1: Write the content of this new source (approx. 300 words).
* Part 2: Write a historian’s analysis of this new source. Explain how this single discovery challenges or changes the traditional historical understanding of the [Cold War]. Evaluate the source’s potential value and limitations for future historians.”