Few-Shot Prompting

Overview

Few-shot prompting involves providing the AI with a small number of examples to demonstrate the desired output format, style, or approach. This technique helps the AI better understand your expectations and generate more consistent results.

Learning Objectives

Understand the concept and benefits of few-shot prompting
Learn how to select and present effective examples
Practice creating few-shot prompts for educational tasks
Develop strategies for choosing appropriate examples

Key Concepts

When using few-shot prompting:

Choose examples that clearly demonstrate the desired output
Include a variety of examples to show different aspects
Make sure examples are relevant to the task
Keep the number of examples manageable (typically 2-5)
Clearly separate examples from the actual task

Examples

Example 1: Lesson Plan Format

"Here are two examples of lesson plans I like. Please create a new lesson plan about fractions following the same format: Example 1: Title: Introduction to Addition Grade: 2nd Objectives: - Students will understand basic addition concepts - Students will practice adding single-digit numbers - Students will apply addition to real-world scenarios Materials: - Number cards - Counters - Whiteboard Procedure: 1. Warm-up activity (5 min) 2. Direct instruction (10 min) 3. Guided practice (15 min) 4. Independent practice (10 min) 5. Wrap-up (5 min) Assessment: - Observation during activities - Worksheet completion - Exit ticket Example 2: Title: Exploring Shapes Grade: 1st Objectives: - Students will identify basic shapes - Students will describe shape attributes - Students will create shapes using different materials Materials: - Shape cutouts - Playdough - Construction paper Procedure: 1. Shape hunt (10 min) 2. Shape sorting (15 min) 3. Shape creation (20 min) 4. Share and discuss (5 min) Assessment: - Participation in activities - Shape identification quiz - Shape creation project Now create a lesson plan about fractions for 3rd grade following this format."

This prompt provides clear examples of the desired format and structure.

Example 2: Assessment Questions

"Here are some examples of good multiple choice questions. Create 5 similar questions about the water cycle: Example 1: What is the main source of energy for the water cycle? A) Wind B) Sun C) Moon D) Earth's core Correct answer: B) Sun Explanation: The sun provides the energy needed to evaporate water. Example 2: Which process turns water vapor into liquid water? A) Evaporation B) Condensation C) Precipitation D) Collection Correct answer: B) Condensation Explanation: Condensation occurs when water vapor cools and changes into liquid water. Now create 5 new questions about the water cycle following this format."

This prompt shows the desired format for questions, answers, and explanations.

Practice Activity

Create a few-shot prompt for generating educational content. Make sure your prompt includes:

2-3 clear examples of the desired output
Examples that demonstrate different aspects of the task
A clear instruction for the new task
Proper formatting to separate examples from the task

Interactive Prompt Tester

This is a safe environment to practice your prompting skills. Try crafting a prompt based on what you've learned. Your prompt and the response will be saved for your reference and to help improve this course.

Reflection Questions

How does providing examples improve the quality of AI-generated content?
What makes an effective example in a few-shot prompt?
How can you ensure your examples are relevant and helpful?

Lesson 2: Few-Shot Prompting