Must-Try AI Tools for Science Teachers

Discovering the world through science is one of the purest joys of teaching—but let’s face it, it comes with plenty of admin work, planning, and the challenge of making complex ideas stick. This year, I’ve been on a quest to try as many quality AI tools as possible to make my science classroom more efficient, engaging, and yes, a little more fun for all of us. Here’s what I’ve learned—and what I’d recommend if you teach science in 2025.

1. Effortless Unit Planning with Kuraplan

Science standards are notoriously dense (hello, NGSS!), and wrangling them into a coherent sequence used to eat hours of my weekend. Kuraplan changed my workflow: I feed in my standards, grade, and desired outcomes, and it spits out unit skeletons, daily objectives, and customizable activities. Even better, I can adjust for honors, regular, or inclusion classes. I still tinker with the plan, but having a solid, standards-aligned starting point is a serious sanity saver.

2. Turn YouTube Demos into Custom Resources with Diffit

We all turn to dramatic chemistry demos, biology documentaries, or TED-Ed explainers, but not every video is classroom-ready. Diffit doesn’t just add questions—it transforms virtually any science video into classwork: quizzes, discussion prompts, or custom vocab lists (a big help for ELL/ESOL students). My favorite move? Paste in a video link and instantly generate differentiated resources, making screen time truly instructional.

3. Data Visualization (with a Little Help from Gamma)

Graphing labs or test data used to mean tediously tweaking spreadsheets or drawing rough axes on the whiteboard. Gamma lets me enter results—whether that’s growth curves for plants, pH titrations, or population graphs—and turns them into professional-looking slides or visual stories in seconds. It’s also great for visualizing the scientific method or creating interactive lab presentations students can review independently.

4. Instant Practice Problems and Quizzes with Conker

When my students need more practice balancing equations, solving genetics crosses, or prepping for a tricky concept, Conker is my go-to. It instantly writes standards-based questions at any desired Bloom’s level, making it effortless to create do-nows, exit tickets, or differentiated review packs. I also like that it gives me a bank of questions to pull from throughout the semester, way beyond what comes with the textbook.

5. Making Science Visual (and Audible) with Fliki

Not every student clicks with dense reading or static slides. I started using Fliki to turn my notes and key concepts into bite-sized explainer videos with realistic narration or even animated experimental walk-throughs. It’s especially handy for flipping the classroom or supporting students who need material presented in alternative ways (think neurodiverse learners, ELLs, or homebound students).

6. Smart Grading for Labs and Assessments with Gradescope

Rubrics for labs and open-ended responses used to mean stacks of paperwork. With Gradescope, I scan or upload my students’ submissions and the AI helps group similar responses, spot common errors, and autofill feedback. I still review final grades, but it’s freed me up to spend more time giving targeted feedback where it matters most—and less on repetitive grading.

7. Student-Led Discovery with Jungle (Flashcards in a Flash)

For vocabulary-dense units—think cell parts, minerals, or the periodic table—Jungle whips up sets of flashcards and quick quizzes from a word list or topic in seconds. I assign these for self-study or as review games. Students love the instant feedback and the sense of accomplishment as they master tough content.

My Honest Advice

As a science teacher, the most important thing is still sparking curiosity and making science feel accessible. No AI tool can replace your passion or ability to connect with students. But the right tools can absolutely give you precious time and open new creative doors. I’d suggest:

• Start with ONE tool for a unit or topic you always find challenging.
• Test the results with your students and fine-tune—your professional judgment matters.
• Share your favorites with your department! Science is about collaboration, after all.

Have you found an AI tool that changes the game in your science classes? I’d honestly love to hear what’s working for you—send me a message or drop your tips below! Let’s get more science magic (with a dash of AI) into our classrooms this year.