AI can draft a lesson plan in seconds. Whether that plan is any good depends entirely on how you use the tool.
Start with your objectives, not the AI's suggestions
Write down what students should be able to do by the end of the lesson before you open any AI tool. This keeps the AI in service of your goals, not the other way around.
Ask for options, not a final answer
Request three different approaches to teaching a concept rather than one plan. Comparing options sharpens your own judgment about what will actually land with your specific students.
Use it for the parts you dread, not the parts you enjoy
If you love designing discussion questions but hate formatting handouts, let AI handle the formatting and keep the parts where your expertise adds the most value.
Always adjust for your actual classroom
A generated lesson plan doesn't know your students' current level, the quiet kid who needs a different entry point, or that last week's lesson ran long. That context is still entirely yours to add.