Introduction

This guide provides 101 targeted prompts for leveraging Generative AI to enrich the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme’s Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) component. CAS is a journey of experiential learning, personal discovery, and meaningful engagement. These prompts are designed to help educators facilitate that journey and to empower students to take ownership of their CAS program.

How to Use These Prompts:

Copy and paste a prompt into a Generative AI tool (like Gemini, ChatGPT, or Claude). For best results, customize the bracketed [text] with your specific details. The prompts are structured to provide the AI with a clear role, context, task, and desired output format, ensuring you receive relevant, high-quality responses.

Section 1 – Educator Prompts

These prompts are designed for CAS Coordinators and teachers to streamline planning, delivery, and assessment.

Stage 1: Planning & Introduction (15 Prompts)

1. Introductory Presentation: “Act as an experienced IB CAS Coordinator. Generate a 10-slide presentation outline to introduce the CAS program to new DP students. The outline should cover the core philosophy of CAS, the three strands, the seven learning outcomes, the CAS project, and the role of reflection. For each slide, provide key talking points and suggest a visual element.”
2. Parent Information Handout: “Create a one-page FAQ handout for parents about CAS. Use clear, non-jargon language to explain what CAS is, its benefits, the time commitment involved, and how they can support their child without doing the work for them.”
3. Brainstorming Workshop Plan: “Design a 60-minute interactive workshop plan for students to brainstorm initial CAS experience ideas. The plan should include an icebreaker, a group activity for differentiating between C, A, and S, and a structured brainstorming session based on personal interests and community needs.”
4. Learning Outcome Posters: “For each of the seven CAS learning outcomes, generate a concise, student-friendly ‘I can…’ statement. Format these as text for seven separate A4 posters to be displayed in the classroom.”
5. Local Opportunities List: “Act as a research assistant. Generate a list of 10 potential organizations in [Your City/Region] that could offer CAS opportunities for students, categorized by Creativity, Activity, and Service.”
6. CAS Plan Template: “Create a comprehensive CAS Plan template for students. The template should include sections for the proposed experience, its connection to a CAS strand, intended learning outcomes, potential challenges, and necessary resources. Format it as a simple table.”
7. Ethical Guideline Scenarios: “Develop five short scenarios describing potential CAS experiences. For each, write a discussion question that prompts students to consider the ethical implications, such as voluntourism, cultural sensitivity, or environmental impact. Provide a brief ‘teacher’s note’ for each scenario.”
8. CAS Project Proposal Form: “Design a proposal form for the mandatory CAS Project. It should require students to outline the project goal, identify team members and roles, detail the plan for collaboration, and connect the project to at least two CAS strands and multiple learning outcomes.”
9. Digital Portfolio Setup Guide: “Create a step-by-step guide for students on how to set up their digital CAS portfolio using [e.g., Google Sites, ManageBac, Toddle]. The guide should include screenshots (described in text) and tips for organizing their evidence and reflections.”
10. Differentiated Support Strategies: “Generate a list of 5 differentiated support strategies for students with diverse needs (e.g., anxiety, physical limitations, executive functioning challenges) to help them successfully engage in CAS.”
11. Risk Assessment Form: “Create a simple yet effective risk assessment form template for student-led CAS experiences. It should include fields for identifying potential risks (physical, emotional, social), likelihood, severity, and mitigation strategies.”
12. Connecting CAS to IB Learner Profile: “Create a matrix that connects each of the three CAS strands to the 10 attributes of the IB Learner Profile. For each intersection, provide one example of a CAS experience that develops that attribute.”
13. First Interview Questions: “Generate a list of 10 open-ended questions for the first formal CAS interview with a student. The questions should focus on their initial plans, understanding of CAS, and personal goals.”
14. Email Template to Community Partners: “Write a professional and adaptable email template to send to potential community partners, introducing the IB CAS program and inquiring about collaboration possibilities for students.”
15. Year-Long CAS Timeline: “Create a sample year-long CAS timeline for DP Year 1. Break it down by month, suggesting key milestones like ‘First Interview,’ ‘CAS Project Proposal Deadline,’ and ‘Submit 3 Reflections.’ Format as a table.”

Stage 2: Delivery & Facilitation (15 Prompts)

1. Reflection Prompt Generator: “Generate 10 thought-provoking reflection prompts based on the Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle (Description, Feelings, Evaluation, Analysis, Conclusion, Action Plan). The prompts should be general enough to apply to any CAS experience.”
2. Mid-Project Check-in Questions: “Create a set of 5 guiding questions for a mid-project check-in with a CAS project group. The questions should focus on collaboration, progress towards goals, and problem-solving.”
3. Worksheet on a Learning Outcome: “Design a worksheet to help students understand Learning Outcome 4: ‘Show commitment to and perseverance in CAS experiences.’ The worksheet should include a definition, examples, and a self-assessment checklist.”
4. Facilitating Group Conflict: “Act as a guidance counselor. Provide a script with 3 strategies a teacher can use to facilitate a discussion with a CAS project group experiencing internal conflict over responsibilities.”
5. Analyzing a Sample Reflection: “Write a sample student reflection (approx. 250 words) on a fictional service activity. Then, write a corresponding ‘teacher analysis’ that annotates the reflection, highlighting its strengths and areas for improvement against the CAS learning outcomes.”
6. Video Reflection Guide: “Create a ‘best practices’ guide for students who want to submit a video or audio reflection. The guide should include tips on structure (e.g., ‘talk for 3-5 minutes’), content (e.g., ‘go beyond just describing what you did’), and technical quality.”
7. CAS Experience ‘Exit Ticket’: “Generate 3 quick ‘exit ticket’ questions for students to answer immediately after completing a CAS experience. The questions should capture their initial thoughts and feelings to aid later, more detailed reflection.”
8. Role-Play Scenarios for Interviews: “Develop three short role-play scenarios for students to practice their CAS interview skills. One scenario for each interview: beginning, middle, and end of the program. Specify the student’s role and the interviewer’s goal.”
9. Connecting CAS to TOK: “Generate 5 discussion prompts that connect CAS experiences to Theory of Knowledge (TOK) concepts. For example, ‘How did your service activity challenge your perspective on ‘knowing’ a community’s needs? (Connection to Ways of Knowing: Emotion/Reason)’.”
10. Feedback Starters: “Provide 15 sentence starters for giving constructive written feedback on student reflections. Group them into categories: ‘Praise,’ ‘Questions to Deepen Thinking,’ and ‘Suggestions for Next Time.'”
11. CAS Showcase Event Plan: “Outline a plan for a ‘CAS Showcase’ event where students can present their experiences and projects to the school community. The plan should include a timeline, logistics, and ideas for student presentation formats.”
12. Guest Speaker Invitation: “Draft a compelling invitation letter to a local community leader asking them to speak to students about the importance of service and community engagement.”
13. Elevator Pitch Activity: “Design a classroom activity where students develop a 30-second ‘elevator pitch’ for their CAS project. Provide a simple structure for them to follow.”
14. Managing Documentation: “Create a short guide for teachers on how to efficiently manage and review student CAS portfolios in [e.g., ManageBac, Google Drive], including tips for batch feedback and progress tracking.”
15. ‘Stuck’ Student Support: “Generate a flowchart of steps a teacher can take to support a student who feels ‘stuck’ or unmotivated in their CAS program.”

Stage 3: Assessment & Feedback (10 Prompts)

1. Final Interview Rubric: “Create a simple rubric for the final CAS interview. The rubric should assess a student’s ability to articulate their growth, provide evidence for the 7 learning outcomes, and reflect on their overall CAS journey. Use a 3-point scale: ‘Exemplary,’ ‘Meeting,’ and ‘Developing.'”
2. Report Card Comment Bank: “Generate a bank of 10 sample report card comments for CAS. Include comments for students who are excelling, meeting expectations, and needing further support.”
3. Analyzing Portfolio Evidence: “Create a checklist for assessing the quality and sufficiency of evidence in a student’s CAS portfolio. The checklist should prompt the reviewer to look for variety, clarity, and a clear link to the reflection.”
4. Feedback on a Weak Reflection: “Given this weak student reflection: ‘This month I coached the junior soccer team. It was fun. We practiced twice a week. I learned to be a leader.’ Rewrite it as a constructive feedback comment that guides the student to add depth and connect to specific learning outcomes without being discouraging.”
5. Self-Assessment Questionnaire: “Design a final self-assessment questionnaire for students to complete before their final interview. The questions should be structured around the 7 learning outcomes, asking them to rate their confidence and provide a key example for each.”
6. CAS Project Evaluation Form: “Create a peer and self-evaluation form for students to complete after their CAS project. It should include criteria like ‘Collaboration,’ ‘Initiative,’ and ‘Contribution to Goals.'”
7. Preparing for IB Authorization: “Act as an IB evaluator. Generate a list of key questions that might be asked about the school’s CAS program during an authorization or evaluation visit. Provide brief notes on what a strong answer would include.”
8. Identifying Patterns in Reflections: “Provide a list of 5 common ‘red flags’ to look for in student reflections that might indicate a lack of genuine engagement or understanding (e.g., only descriptive, no challenges mentioned, generic statements).”
9. Summative Report Template: “Create a template for the final summative report on a student’s CAS program, which confirms their completion of all requirements.”
10. Communicating ‘At Risk’ Status: “Provide a sensitive and supportive script for a conversation with a student (and their parents) who is at risk of not meeting the CAS requirements.”

Stage 4: Enrichment & Extension (10 Prompts)

1. CAS and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): “Generate a list of project ideas that connect a CAS strand to one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. For example, ‘Activity + SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Organize a school-wide fitness challenge.'”
2. Interdisciplinary Project Ideas: “Create 3 detailed interdisciplinary CAS project ideas that connect with other DP subjects. For example, ‘A ‘Service’ project that involves creating a historical walking tour of your town (History), designing the brochure (Visual Arts), and leading the tour (Activity).'”
3. CAS for College Applications: “Write a short guide for students on how to effectively articulate the value of their CAS experiences in their university applications and interviews.”
4. Alumni Speaker Series: “Develop a plan to create a CAS Alumni Speaker series, where former graduates return to share how CAS impacted their post-secondary life and career.”
5. Advanced Reflection Techniques: “Introduce three advanced reflection techniques beyond basic questioning, such as the ‘What? So What? Now What?’ model or creating a ‘reflection-as-metaphor’ piece.”
6. Global Collaboration Project: “Outline a plan for a virtual CAS project that connects students with students from another IB school in a different country, focusing on a shared global issue.”
7. CAS ‘Zine’ Project: “Generate a creative brief for a student-led project to produce a CAS ‘Zine’ (a small, self-published magazine) that showcases outstanding work from their peers.”
8. Funding a CAS Project: “Create a list of 5 fundraising ideas suitable for a student-led CAS project. Also, draft a template for a sponsorship request letter.”
9. Long-Term Service Learning: “Develop a framework for a multi-year service-learning project that a student could start in DP Year 1 and continue through Year 2, showing significant growth and impact.”
10. Teacher Professional Development: “Design a 1-hour professional development session for other teachers in the school to help them understand CAS and identify cross-curricular links within their own subjects.”

Section 2 – Student Prompts

These prompts are designed to help students navigate every stage of their CAS journey, from brainstorming to final reflection.

Stage 1: Understanding & Brainstorming (15 Prompts)

1. Explain a Learning Outcome: “Act as a friendly tutor. Explain CAS Learning Outcome 1: ‘Identify own strengths and develop areas for growth’ in simple terms. Give me 3 different examples of an activity that would meet this outcome.”
2. Idea Generator: “I am interested in [e.g., environmental issues, playing guitar, and video games]. Act as a creative mentor and generate 5 CAS experience ideas for me, with at least one for each strand (Creativity, Activity, Service).”
3. C, A, or S?: “I want to [describe an activity, e.g., ‘volunteer at the animal shelter by walking dogs and helping clean’]. Is this Creativity, Activity, or Service? Explain why, and suggest how I could add another strand to it.”
4. Turn a Hobby into CAS: “My hobby is [e.g., painting]. How can I turn this into a meaningful ‘Creativity’ experience and maybe even a ‘Service’ project? Give me 3 concrete ideas.”
5. CAS Project Brainstorm: “My friends and I want to start a CAS project related to [e.g., mental health awareness]. Give us 5 potential project ideas that would require collaboration and have a real impact.”
6. Overcoming Shyness: “I’m shy and nervous about starting CAS. Suggest 3 ‘low-risk’ CAS experiences that I can start with to build my confidence.”
7. Finding Local Opportunities: “How can I find CAS opportunities in my local area of [Your City/Town]? Give me a list of 5 search terms I could use on Google and 3 types of places I could contact directly.”
8. Goal Setting: “I’m starting a new ‘Activity’ experience: [e.g., learning to rock climb]. Help me set 3 specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for this experience.”
9. Questions for My CAS Coordinator: “I have my first meeting with my CAS Coordinator next week. What are 5 important questions I should ask them to make sure I start off right?”
10. Is This a Good CAS Project?: “My idea for a CAS project is [describe project idea]. Act as a CAS Coordinator and evaluate my idea. What are its strengths? What potential challenges should I consider? Does it meet the requirements?”
11. Understanding ‘Global Significance’: “My teacher mentioned my CAS experience should have ‘global significance.’ I’m just [e.g., tutoring a younger student]. How can I connect this small act to a bigger global issue in my reflection?”
12. Planning a ‘Creativity’ Experience: “I want to learn [e.g., a new software like Photoshop]. Help me create a 3-month plan to develop this skill as a ‘Creativity’ experience. What should my weekly goals be?”
13. Choosing Learning Outcomes: “For my experience of [e.g., organizing a beach cleanup], which 3 of the 7 learning outcomes would be the best fit? Explain your choices.”
14. Budgeting for a Project: “My CAS project group needs to create a budget for our [e.g., community garden]. Create a simple budget template for us to fill out, including categories like ‘Materials,’ ‘Promotion,’ and ‘Contingency Fund.'”
15. Differentiating Myself: “Everyone on my sports team is using it for their ‘Activity’ strand. How can I make my experience unique and show personal growth beyond just attending practices?”

Stage 2: Doing & Reflecting (15 Prompts)

1. Writing My First Reflection: “I just completed my first [e.g., volunteering session at the library]. I’m not sure what to write. Give me 5 guiding questions based on the Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle to help me structure my first reflection.”
2. Reflection Sentence Starters: “I’m stuck staring at a blank page for my reflection. Give me 10 different sentence starters to help me begin writing about my experience.”
3. Deepen My Reflection: “Here is my draft reflection: [Paste your draft reflection here]. Act as my CAS Coordinator. Ask me 3 follow-up questions to help me add more depth and move from description to analysis.”
4. Showing Perseverance: “My CAS project [e.g., to build a website for a local charity] is much harder than I thought. I feel like giving up. Give me 3 strategies to show ‘perseverance’ (Learning Outcome 4) and what I should write in my reflection about these challenges.”
5. Evidence Ideas: “What are 5 different types of evidence I could include in my portfolio for my [e.g., dance performance] experience, besides just photos?”
6. Collaborating Better: “I’m in a CAS project group and one member isn’t doing their share of the work. Give me a script for how to start a respectful conversation with them about it.”
7. Writing a Mid-Point Reflection: “I’m halfway through my year-long commitment to [e.g., coaching an elementary school chess club]. What kind of things should I focus on in a mid-point reflection? Give me a short outline.”
8. From ‘I’ to ‘We’: “Help me rewrite this sentence from my CAS project reflection to better reflect collaboration: ‘I designed the poster for the event.’ “
9. Video Reflection Script: “I want to make a 3-minute video reflection about my ‘Activity’ experience of [e.g., training for a 5k run]. Give me a simple three-part script outline: 1. Introduction, 2. The Challenge & The Growth, 3. What’s Next.”
10. Describing a Challenge: “I faced a challenge during my service activity: [describe challenge, e.g., ‘a child I was tutoring was not interested in learning’]. How can I write about this in a positive way that shows what I learned from it?”
11. Connecting to the Learner Profile: “My ‘Creativity’ experience was learning to cook. How did this make me more of a ‘Risk-taker’ and ‘Reflective’ (IB Learner Profile attributes)? Help me brainstorm some points for my reflection.”
12. Captioning My Evidence: “I’m uploading a photo of [e.g., my project group and I presenting our findings] to my portfolio. What should I write in the caption to make it meaningful evidence?”
13. Interview Prep: “I have my second CAS interview soon. Based on the 7 learning outcomes, what are 3 key experiences I should be prepared to talk about in detail?”
14. Time Management: “I’m struggling to balance my CAS commitments with my schoolwork. Can you help me create a sample weekly schedule that blocks out time for academics, CAS, and rest?”
15. Ethical Dilemma Reflection: “I encountered an ethical dilemma during my service work: [describe dilemma]. How should I structure a reflection about this? What key questions should I address?”

Stage 3: Revising & Finalizing (10 Prompts)

1. Review My Portfolio: “Act as a CAS Coordinator doing a final review. Here is a list of my CAS experiences and the learning outcomes I’ve matched them with: [List your experiences and LOs]. Do you see any gaps? Am I missing evidence for any of the 7 outcomes?”
2. Final Reflection Outline: “Help me outline my final, summative reflection for my entire CAS program. What are the key themes I should cover to show my overall journey and growth?”
3. Strengthening a Reflection: “Here is a reflection I wrote a few months ago: [Paste older reflection]. Help me revise it to be stronger, more analytical, and more clearly linked to the learning outcomes.”
4. Preparing for the Final Interview: “Generate 10 potential questions my CAS Coordinator might ask me in my final interview. Include at least one question for each learning outcome.”
5. Articulating My Growth: “Help me brainstorm 3 key skills or insights I’ve gained from my CAS project on [project topic]. How can I phrase these to sound impactful in an interview?”
6. CAS and My Future: “How can I connect my CAS experiences to my future goals of [e.g., studying medicine or starting a business]? Give me some talking points.”
7. Curating My Portfolio: “My portfolio is a mess of 50 different entries. Help me choose the ‘Top 5’ entries that best demonstrate my journey and cover all 7 learning outcomes. What should I look for?”
8. Writing a ‘Thank You’ Note: “I want to write a thank you note to my supervisor at my service placement, [organization name]. Draft a professional but heartfelt note for me.”
9. Self-Assessment Check: “Before I submit my portfolio, help me do a final check. Create a simple ‘Yes/No’ checklist based on the official IB CAS requirements (e.g., ‘Have I demonstrated engagement for 18 months?’, ‘Is my project collaborative?’).”
10. CAS on My Resume: “How should I list my CAS Project on my resume or CV? Give me an example entry.”

Stage 4: Extension & Beyond (10 Prompts)

1. Continuing My Service: “I really enjoyed my service placement at [organization name]. How can I stay involved with their work even after my CAS requirement is over?”
2. Turning a Project into a Club: “My CAS project group wants to turn our initiative into an official school club. What are the 5 key steps we need to take?”
3. Presenting My CAS Journey: “I have to give a short presentation about my CAS journey. Help me create a compelling story arc to structure my presentation around.”
4. Mentoring Younger Students: “I want to create a short guide for next year’s students based on my own CAS experience. What are the ‘Top 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting CAS’?”
5. CAS and the Extended Essay: “Could my CAS experience with [experience] inspire an Extended Essay topic in [IB Subject]? Brainstorm 3 potential research questions.”
6. Publishing My Work: “I created [e.g., a collection of poems, a short documentary film] for my ‘Creativity’ strand. What are some platforms or competitions where I could share or submit my work?”
7. Advocacy Plan: “My service experience opened my eyes to the issue of [e.g., food insecurity in my city]. Help me create a simple advocacy plan to raise more awareness about this issue at my school.”
8. Skill Monetization: “I developed a skill in [e.g., graphic design] through CAS. What are some small ways I could start using this skill for freelance work or a small business?”
9. Podcast Episode Outline: “Outline a 10-minute podcast episode where I interview a classmate about their most impactful CAS project. Include intro, potential questions, and outro.”
10. Letter to My Future Self: “I want to write a letter to my future self to be opened in 5 years. What are 5 questions I should ask myself about how my CAS experiences have shaped the person I’ve become?”

Section 3 – Bonus Universal Prompt

This prompt can be used by both educators (as a project brief) and students (as a creative challenge) to foster interdisciplinary thinking.

1. The CAS-TOK-EE Nexus: “Act as an IB Chief Examiner. Design a ‘nexus’ project that requires a student to synthesize their learning across CAS, Theory of Knowledge (TOK), and the Extended Essay (EE). The prompt should be:

‘Choose your most significant CAS experience.
1.  **(CAS Lens):** Write a final, deep reflection on the experience, focusing on the most challenging ethical dilemma you faced and how it shaped your personal growth.
2.  **(TOK Lens):** Formulate a knowledge question that emerged from this ethical dilemma. Write a 500-word exploration of this question, referencing at least two Areas of Knowledge (AOKs) and two Ways of Knowing (WOKs) that were relevant in your decision-making process.
3.  **(EE Lens):** Propose a hypothetical Extended Essay research question that this CAS experience could inspire. Justify your choice of subject and explain the potential scope and methodology of the investigation.’ “