Creating engaging, interactive slides just got easier with Gemini in Google Slides. This built-in AI assistant helps you brainstorm, adapt, and personalize content without leaving your slide deck.
Whether you’re pulling fresh information from the web, summarizing student feedback, generating quiz questions, or tweaking content for different grade levels, Gemini works right alongside you. In this post, I’ll walk you through practical ways to use Gemini to make your presentations more dynamic, relevant, and student-centered.
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Using Gemini in Google Slides to Create Engaging Slides
Here are 10 important ways to use Gemini to enhance your Google Slides:
1. Ask Questions from the Web with Gemini
If you want Gemini to pull real-time info from the web, you need to be a bit specific. When writing your prompt, make sure to include something like “Use Google Search” or “Using web search.” Otherwise, Gemini will just rely on what it already knows.
Here are a couple of examples:
- Write a paragraph describing the weather today in Mountain View, California using web search.
- Help me write a paragraph explaining if lightning can strike the same place twice using only information from the web.
Once you enter your prompt, Gemini will search online and respond with a paragraph based on fresh results. It’s a handy way to bring current info into your slides without switching tabs.
2. Turn Student Input into Slides
If you have a shared Google Doc with students’ ideas or feedback, reference it with the @ symbol and ask Gemini to turn it into a summary slide: “Create a slide summarizing feedback from @Student Ideas document.”
3. Brainstorm Lesson Ideas with Gemini
If you’re planning a lesson and feeling stuck, Gemini can give you a boost. Just open your Slides presentation, click Ask Gemini, and type in a prompt like:
- Suggest engaging activities to teach photosynthesis to 6th graders.
- Give me ideas for a history project on Ancient Egypt.
Gemini will respond with tailored suggestions that you can either insert directly into a slide or use as inspiration. You can also tweak the prompt and click Retry Refresh to explore different directions.
4. Adapt Slide Content for Different Grade Levels
Sometimes you need to tweak your lesson so it fits your students’ level. With Gemini, you can do that in seconds. Just highlight a slide or a chunk of text, then click Ask Gemini and write a prompt like:
- Simplify this slide for 3rd grade students.
- Rewrite this explanation to suit high school biology students.
Gemini will adjust the language and complexity to match the grade level you ask for. If it’s not quite right, you can refine the prompt or click Retry Refresh for another version.
5. Generate Quiz or Discussion Questions with Gemini
If you need quick questions to check understanding or spark a discussion, Gemini can help. Open your presentation, click Ask Gemini, and type something like:
- Create three comprehension questions based on this slide.
- Generate exit ticket questions from this presentation.
Gemini will respond with questions that match your slide content. You can insert them directly or tweak them to fit your teaching style. If you want more options, just click Retry Refresh.
6. Add Fun Visuals to Keep Students Engaged
Visuals can make a big difference, especially with younger learners. Instead of searching online, let Gemini generate the images for you. Click Ask Gemini and try a prompt like:
- Generate a cartoon image of a volcano erupting.
- Suggest visuals for a lesson on recycling.
Gemini will give you image suggestions based on your prompt or the slide content. You can insert the one you like with a click, or ask for more by hitting Show more. It’s a simple way to make your slides more lively and fun.
7. Turn Student Input into Summary Slides
If you’ve collected ideas or feedback from students in a shared Google Doc, Gemini can help you turn that into a clean summary slide. In your Slides deck, click Ask Gemini and type something like:
- Create a slide summarizing feedback from @Student Ideas document.
- Summarize the key points from @Class Brainstorm Notes.
Gemini will scan the referenced file and generate a concise slide using your current theme. You can insert it as-is or tweak the prompt for a better version. It’s a handy way to involve students and showcase their input.
8. Ask Questions from the Web with Gemini
If you want Gemini to pull real-time info from the web, you need to be a bit specific. When writing your prompt, make sure to include something like “Use Google Search” or “Using web search.” Otherwise, Gemini will just rely on what it already knows.
Here are a couple of examples:
- Write a paragraph describing the weather today in Mountain View, California using web search.
- Help me write a paragraph explaining if lightning can strike the same place twice using only information from the web.
Once you enter your prompt, Gemini will search online and respond with a paragraph based on fresh results. It’s a handy way to bring current info into your slides without switching tabs.
9. Summarize Your Presentation and Write Content with Gemini
Gemini can help you quickly make sense of your slides or even come up with new content. When you open a presentation that already has text in it, the side panel will show a short summary right away.
You can also use Gemini to write new content. Just open your presentation, click Ask Gemini, and type in a prompt. For example:
- Summarize this presentation in 3 sentences.
- Create a slide that celebrates a colleague’s work anniversary.
Hit Enter and Gemini will respond. If you like what it gives you, click Insert to drop it into your slides. Want to see a different version? Click Retry Refresh.
10. Reference Drive Files with Gemini
Gemini lets you pull content straight from your Google Drive to help you build your slides. Open your presentation in Google Slides, then click Ask Gemini.
In the prompt, just reference the files you want using the @ symbol. For example:
Create a slide outlining the next steps from @meeting notes and @core team sync.
Once Gemini generates a response, you can see which files it used by clicking Sources at the bottom.
If the response looks good, hit Insert to add it to your slide. If not, click Retry Refresh to get a new version.
Conclusion
Gemini in Google Slides opens up a range of possibilities for teachers looking to streamline slide creation and make lessons more engaging. From generating fresh content and visuals to tailoring materials for different learners, it’s a flexible tool that adapts to your needs. Give it a try, you might be surprised by how much easier it makes your planning.
