Yes, AI can now draft a usable, standards aligned lesson plan in a couple of minutes, but you still need to check it against your curriculum and your students. For most K to 12 teachers we recommend Brisk Teaching: its lesson plan generator is free, applies the standards you select, and exports straight to Google Docs or Word. If you want stronger differentiation tools, MagicSchool's free plan is the next stop, with Plus at $8.33 a month billed yearly.
Teachers use these generators every day and several are free, but Common Sense Media rates AI teacher assistants as moderate risk and every plan still needs a teacher's review before it reaches students.- Our pickBrisk TeachingFree for teachers; school and district plans by quote
- Best for differentiationMagicSchoolFree; Plus $8.33/month billed yearly or $12.99 monthly
- Best free for US teachersKhanmigoFree for teachers; learners $4/month or $44/year
- Best for planning whole unitsChatGPT for TeachersFree for verified US K to 12 educators through June 2028
Brisk Teaching: our pick
Best for teachers who plan in Google Docs or Word and want a free, standards based first draft.
Brisk's lesson plan generator is free on its Educator Free plan Brisk lesson plans ↗. You describe the topic, grade and subject, select the standards you are teaching, and Brisk applies them; you can set a lesson length from 20 to 120 minutes or start from a lesson you already have Brisk lesson plans ↗. Each plan includes objectives, activities, timing and assessments, and Brisk can write plans in more than 50 languages for multilingual classrooms Brisk lesson plans ↗.
The output goes straight to Google Docs or Microsoft Word, where you edit it like any other document Brisk lesson plans ↗. Brisk's browser extension also works inside Docs, Slides, YouTube and your LMS, and includes a presentation maker for turning a plan into slides Brisk plans ↗. Brisk does not describe a dedicated differentiation step for lesson plans; you adjust grade level, activities and pacing by asking for changes Brisk lesson plans ↗.
Privacy is a strength. Brisk says user input is not used to train AI models, that it acts as a school official under FERPA, and that it has signed the National Data Privacy Agreement with 25 states Brisk privacy ↗. It does store your prompts and outputs, including any student names you type, so keep names out of lesson prompts Brisk privacy ↗. Brisk claims a 95 percent Common Sense Privacy rating and says it is working toward SOC 2 Type II Brisk plans ↗. School and district plans, which add pacing and scope and sequence alignment, are priced by quote Brisk plans ↗.
Why we like Brisk Teaching
- Lesson plan generator free for teachers
- Applies the standards you select
- Exports to Google Docs or Word
- Says inputs are not used to train AI
- Signed state data privacy agreements in 25 states
Where Brisk Teaching falls short
- No dedicated differentiation step for lesson plans
- Stores prompts, including any student names you type
- Curriculum pacing alignment only on paid school plans
MagicSchool: best for differentiation
Best for teachers who plan one core lesson and need versions for different reading levels and needs.
MagicSchool's lesson plan tool asks for subject, grade, standards, class time and differentiation needs, and builds the standards into the objectives, activities and assessment MagicSchool lesson plans ↗. Its strength for mixed classrooms is adapting: you can start from one core lesson and adapt it for different grade levels, reading levels or student needs while keeping the same objective MagicSchool lesson plans ↗. It sits alongside more than 80 other teacher tools, including quizzes and rubrics, in the free plan MagicSchool pricing ↗.
MagicSchool's pricing table lists one click export of AI outputs to Google Docs and Slides on its Free, Plus and Enterprise plans MagicSchool pricing ↗. Plus costs $8.33 a month billed yearly ($99.96 a year) or $12.99 monthly and adds unlimited generations, unlimited output history and editing, and 50+ student tools MagicSchool pricing ↗. The free plan does not publish its generation caps, so heavy planners may hit limits MagicSchool pricing ↗.
MagicSchool says it is FERPA, COPPA, SOC 2 and GDPR compliant and Common Sense Privacy Certified MagicSchool pricing ↗. A custom data privacy agreement and single sign on come only with district Enterprise plans MagicSchool pricing ↗. MagicSchool's own survey claims about saved hours are vendor figures, not independent results MagicSchool lesson plans ↗.
Why we like MagicSchool
- Differentiates one lesson for levels and needs
- Standards built into objectives and assessment
- Export to Google Docs and Slides
- Plus is $99.96 a year
Where MagicSchool falls short
- Free plan limits not published
- Custom privacy agreement only on district plans
- Many tools can feel like a lot at first
Khanmigo: best free for US teachers
Best for US teachers who want standards aligned plans tied to Khan Academy content.
Khanmigo's teacher tools are free, and Khan Academy says they are free for every US educator through a partnership with Microsoft Khanmigo pricing ↗ Khanmigo free for teachers ↗. Its lesson planning is described as standards aligned and differentiated and is tied to Khan Academy's content library, so plans can point straight to videos and practice your students can use Khanmigo pricing ↗. Teachers also get tools for objectives, rubrics and exit tickets, and summaries of student work Khanmigo pricing ↗.
Khan Academy says Khanmigo handles more than 20 teacher tasks and was trained on standards from across the country, though it does not name specific frameworks Khanmigo free for teachers ↗. Its announcement does not mention exporting to Google Docs or Slides, so plan on copying the text into your own template Khanmigo free for teachers ↗.
One caution: Khan Academy lists help with IEP development among its tasks Khanmigo free for teachers ↗. Common Sense Media's review of AI teacher assistants, which included Khanmigo, advises teachers not to use AI for high stakes documents like IEPs and behavior plans Common Sense Media risk report ↗.
Why we like Khanmigo
- Free for US teachers
- Standards aligned, differentiated planning
- Links to Khan Academy content
- Student work summaries
Where Khanmigo falls short
- Export to Google Docs or Slides not stated
- Specific standards frameworks not named
- Best value only if you use Khan Academy
ChatGPT for Teachers: best for planning whole units
Best for US teachers mapping a multi week unit who want an unlimited general assistant at no cost.
ChatGPT for Teachers is free for verified staff at accredited US K to 12 schools and districts through June 2028 ChatGPT for Teachers FAQ ↗. OpenAI's examples include planning a multi week unit with daily guiding questions and hands on activities, and matching ISTE standards to a curriculum ChatGPT for Teachers ↗. You can bring in existing lesson plans from Google Drive or Microsoft 365 and build presentations with Canva inside ChatGPT ChatGPT for Teachers ↗.
Because it is a general assistant, the quality of the plan depends on your prompt. Paste the exact standard, your pacing guide and a past lesson you liked, and ask for differentiation for specific groups. You can save your grade level, curriculum and preferred format so you do not repeat them ChatGPT for Teachers ↗.
OpenAI says content is not used to train models by default and that the plan includes FERPA aligned protections and a student data privacy agreement ChatGPT for Teachers FAQ ↗. It is not for students, and OpenAI says pricing may change after June 2028 with advance notice ChatGPT for Teachers FAQ ↗.
Why we like ChatGPT for Teachers
- Free through June 2028 for US K to 12 staff
- Pulls in files from Google Drive and Microsoft 365
- Good for multi week unit planning
- Not used to train models by default
Where ChatGPT for Teachers falls short
- US K to 12 staff only, not students
- No built in standards picker; you supply standards
- Plans are only as good as your prompt
Compare them
| Tool | Price for one teacher | Standards alignment | Differentiation | Export | Student data privacy | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brisk TeachingOur pick | Free | Select standards; applied automatically | Adjust grade, activities, pacing | Google Docs or Word | No training on inputs; NDPA in 25 states | Planning inside Google Docs |
| MagicSchoolBest for differentiation | Free; Plus $8.33/mo billed yearly | Select or enter standards | Adapt by grade, reading level, needs | Google Docs and Slides | Claims FERPA, COPPA, SOC 2; custom DPA on Enterprise | Differentiated versions of a lesson |
| KhanmigoBest free for US teachers | Free for teachers | Standards aligned; frameworks not named | Differentiated planning | Not stated | Not reviewed here | Khan Academy users |
| ChatGPT for TeachersBest for planning whole units | Free through June 2028 (US) | You supply standards | By prompt | Files from Google Drive, Microsoft 365; Canva | No training by default; student DPA | Multi week units |
| Diffit | Free Basic; $14.99/mo | Standards and DOK on school plan | Leveled readings | PDF free; Google, Canva, Microsoft on school plan | Collects no student data | Leveled materials for a lesson |
| Curipod | Free | National and state standards | Bilingual writing practice on school plans | PDF on school plans | No training on data; FERPA, COPPA | Writing practice, not full lesson plans |
Prices and features from each vendor’s site, checked Oct 9, 2026. Prices change often.
Who this is for
This guide is for K to 12 teachers who want help with one job: turning a standard into a lesson plan they can teach tomorrow. Our broader guide to AI tools for teachers covers feedback, grading, quizzes and student facing chat. Here we judge only the lesson plan, so different things decide the pick.
A lesson plan generator has to start from the standard you are actually teaching, plan for students who need support or challenge, land in Google Docs, Slides or Word so you can edit and share it, and keep student data out of the vendor's hands. A tool can be great at feedback and still produce generic lessons, and the reverse is true too.
If your district hands you a scripted curriculum, you may get more from AI that adapts existing lessons than from one that writes new ones. Common Sense Media recommends using AI to enhance high quality curricula rather than replace them Common Sense Media risk report ↗.
How we picked
We read each vendor's lesson planning, pricing and privacy pages, checked prices on October 12, 2026, and read Common Sense Media's risk assessment of AI teacher assistants and federal guidance on student privacy. We did not generate and grade lessons ourselves, so we report what each vendor documents. No vendor paid for placement.
- Standards alignment: you choose the standard and it shapes objectives and assessment
- Differentiation for reading levels, English learners and students who need support or challenge
- Export to Google Docs, Slides or Word
- Student data privacy: no training on inputs, signed data privacy agreements
- A free option for an individual teacher
- Works without a district purchase
What AI lesson plans can and can't do
They can produce a solid first draft fast: objectives, a hook, guided and independent practice, an exit ticket and timing. Brisk and MagicSchool both build your selected standard into the plan Brisk lesson plans ↗ MagicSchool lesson plans ↗, and MagicSchool can spin one lesson into versions for different reading levels MagicSchool lesson plans ↗.
They cannot know your students, your pacing or what you taught last week. Common Sense Media rated AI teacher assistants, including MagicSchool, Khanmigo and Curipod, as moderate risk, warning that lessons generated outside a coherent curriculum can fragment learning, that easy sharing can outsource instructional decisions to the AI, and that tools can show bias based on students' perceived backgrounds Common Sense Media risk report ↗. Read every plan before it reaches students.
Student data privacy for lesson planning
The simplest rule: lesson plans do not need student names. Brisk, for example, stores the prompts and outputs you create, including any student names you type Brisk privacy ↗. Describe groups instead, such as three English learners at a beginning level.
Check whether your district has approved the tool. The US Department of Education's student privacy guidance says schools should have policies to evaluate and approve online educational services, apply the same vetting to free tools as paid ones, and that teachers should not accept click through terms outside district approval channels Dept. of Education privacy guidance ↗. Brisk has signed state data privacy agreements in 25 states Brisk privacy ↗, ChatGPT for Teachers includes a student data privacy agreement ChatGPT for Teachers FAQ ↗, and MagicSchool offers a custom agreement on Enterprise MagicSchool pricing ↗.
A five minute setup that gets better plans
Whatever tool you pick, the same inputs improve the output. Paste the exact standard code and text, the lesson length, what students learned yesterday, and the materials you have. Then ask for specific supports by group instead of a generic differentiation section.
- Select or paste the exact standard
- Give lesson length and prior knowledge
- Name the groups to support or extend, without student names
- Ask for an exit ticket that checks the objective
- Export to Google Docs or Slides and edit there
- Compare against your curriculum before teaching
What it costs
For an individual US teacher, all four picks can cost nothing: Brisk's lesson plan generator is free Brisk lesson plans ↗, MagicSchool has a free plan MagicSchool pricing ↗, Khanmigo is free for teachers Khanmigo pricing ↗, and ChatGPT for Teachers is free through June 2028 ChatGPT for Teachers FAQ ↗.
If you outgrow the free tiers, MagicSchool Plus is $99.96 a year MagicSchool pricing ↗. Diffit's individual teacher subscription is $14.99 a month, or $179.88 over 12 months Diffit teacher plan ↗. School and district plans from Brisk, Diffit, Curipod and SchoolAI are priced by quote Brisk plans ↗ Diffit pricing ↗ Curipod pricing ↗ SchoolAI pricing ↗.
The competition
DiffitFree Basic; school and teacher plans by quote
Diffit is excellent for one part of a lesson: adapting a reading to different levels. It says it collects no student data and needs no student logins Diffit pricing ↗. Basic is free with access to content made in the last 90 days, the individual teacher plan is $14.99 a month, and standards, DOK alignment and exports to Google, Canva and Microsoft are listed on the school plan Diffit pricing ↗ Diffit teacher plan ↗.
CuripodFree for teachers; school and district plans custom priced
Curipod's pricing page now centers on student writing practice in ELA, science and social studies, with national and state standards alignment on all plans Curipod pricing ↗. It says it is FERPA and COPPA compliant and does not use student or teacher data to train AI Curipod pricing ↗. Its pricing page does not mention full lesson plan generation, so it is a complement rather than a planner Curipod pricing ↗.
SchoolAIFree trial; Pro and Scale pricing by demo
SchoolAI offers lesson planning and rubric tools for teachers alongside monitored student chat Spaces, and says it is FERPA, COPPA and SOC 2 Type II compliant SchoolAI pricing ↗. The free trial allows 5 Space launches a year, and Pro and Scale pricing requires a demo, so it suits a school purchase more than one teacher SchoolAI pricing ↗.
Questions people ask
What is the best free AI lesson plan generator?
Brisk Teaching, for most teachers: its lesson plan generator is free, applies the standards you select and exports to Google Docs or Word Brisk lesson plans ↗. MagicSchool's free plan is close behind for differentiation MagicSchool lesson plans ↗ MagicSchool pricing ↗, and US teachers can also use Khanmigo and ChatGPT for Teachers at no cost Khanmigo pricing ↗ ChatGPT for Teachers FAQ ↗.
Can AI make standards aligned lesson plans?
Yes, if you give it the standard. Brisk and MagicSchool let you select standards and build them into objectives, activities and assessments Brisk lesson plans ↗ MagicSchool lesson plans ↗. Khanmigo says its planning is standards aligned Khanmigo pricing ↗. Still check the result against your curriculum, since Common Sense Media warns AI lessons can drift from a coherent curriculum Common Sense Media risk report ↗.
Which AI lesson planner exports to Google Docs or Slides?
Brisk exports lesson plans to Google Docs or Word Brisk lesson plans ↗, and its extension works inside Slides Brisk plans ↗. MagicSchool lists one click export to Google Docs and Slides MagicSchool pricing ↗. ChatGPT for Teachers can pull in files from Google Drive and build presentations with Canva ChatGPT for Teachers ↗.
Is it safe to put student information into an AI lesson planner?
Avoid it. Lesson plans rarely need student names, and some tools store what you type; Brisk says it stores prompts and outputs, including student names Brisk privacy ↗. Use tools your district has approved, as federal student privacy guidance recommends Dept. of Education privacy guidance ↗.
Should I use AI for IEPs?
Common Sense Media advises against using AI teacher assistants for high stakes documents like IEPs and behavior plans, because the tools lack the full student data those documents need Common Sense Media risk report ↗. Use AI for lesson materials and keep IEP decisions with your team.
Is ChatGPT for Teachers really free?
Yes, for verified staff at accredited US K to 12 schools and districts, through June 2028 ChatGPT for Teachers FAQ ↗. OpenAI says pricing may change after that with advance notice, and the plan is not for students ChatGPT for Teachers FAQ ↗.
Where this comes from
Checked Oct 9, 2026. Vendor pages describe their own products; independent sources add outside views. Built from 15 sources: the makers' own pages plus independent reviews and user reports. We have not run our own hands on test yet; if we do, the results will appear here.
01