Google Workspace AI for Education: Top Features to Use With Students in 2026

The 2025-2026 school year brought a wave of powerful AI-enhanced tools to Google Workspace for Education. These aren't just shiny new features—they're practical classroom tools designed to save you time, personalize learning, and unlock student creativity. Best of all? Most are free for educators and students. Now that 2026 is upon us, I am excited to share with you some of my favorite new features that can be used in your classroom with your students. If you are already using these, I'd love to hear from you and learn how you are exploring AI and Google Workspace in your classrooms.

Let's walk through the standout Google features you should try with your students this year.

Google Gemini for Education: Your AI Teaching Assistant

Google Gemini isn't just another chatbot. It's an AI assistant built directly into the Google apps you already use—Docs, Slides, Sheets, Gmail, and Classroom. No more copying and pasting between tabs.

• Why it matters: Gemini 2.5 Pro incorporates LearnLM, making it the world's leading model for learning. It's purpose-built for education with enterprise-grade data protection. Your data isn't reviewed or used to train AI models.
• Try this on Monday: Ask Gemini to “Create a lesson plan on photosynthesis aligned to NGSS standards” or “Generate a 25-question multiple choice practice exam from this syllabus.”

Key Features for K-12 Classrooms:

Deep Research — Students can research complex topics and receive synthesized reports with sources and citations in minutes. Instead of spending hours searching, they get a comprehensive report they can then explore further.

Gemini Canvas — Create quizzes, practice tests, study guides, and visual timelines in one interactive space. Go from blank slate to dynamic preview in minutes. Students can build interactive prototypes and code snippets without knowing how to code.

Gemini Live — Students can talk through complex concepts, get real-time help, and even share their screen or camera for personalized feedback on problem sets.

What Are Google Gems?

Think of a Gem as a specialized AI assistant you create for a specific purpose. Instead of writing the same prompt over and over in Gemini, you build a Gem once with custom instructions, and it becomes your go-to expert for that task.

The difference: Regular Gemini is a generalist. A Gem is a specialist.

For example, instead of typing “Create a Jeopardy game about the water cycle for 5th grade” every time you need a review game, you create a “Jeopardy Game” Gem that already knows your grade level, subject area, and preferred format. Then you just give it the topic.

Creating Custom Gems: Build Your Own AI Experts

Once you're comfortable with Gemini, Google Gems let you create custom AI assistants tailored to your classroom needs.

How it works: Give Gemini instructions, examples, and resources so it behaves exactly how you need it to. Upload unit plans, pacing guides, rubrics, or anchor texts so your Gem can reference them when creating content.

Teacher-facing Gems:

• Lesson Plan Generator — Aligned to your specific standards and teaching style
• Parent Communicator — Drafts emails that match your tone and school policies
• Emergency Sub Plan — Creates ready-to-go activities when you're out sick
• Standards Unpacker — Breaks down complex standards into teachable chunks

Student-facing Gems: Create a Gem and share it with your class through Google Classroom. Students interact with your custom AI expert independently.

• AI Tutor — Provides step-by-step help without giving away answers
• Writing Coach — Gives feedback on essays and helps students revise
• Study Partner — Creates practice questions from their notes
• Career Explorer — Helps students research potential career paths

EduGems: Pre-Made Gems by Eric Curts

Don't want to build Gems from scratch? Eric Curts (Control Alt Achieve) created EduGems—a growing library of ready-to-use Gems organized by category.

How to use EduGems:

1. Visit edugems.ai
2. Browse by category or search for what you need
3. Click any Gem to see details
4. Click “Use” to open it in Gemini, or “Copy” to customize it

Popular EduGems for Students:

• 🧑‍🏫 AI Tutor — Guides students through problems with questions, not answers. Great for homework help and independent practice.
• 🎭 Reader's Theater — Converts stories or historical events into scripts students can perform. Brings content to life through drama.
• ❓ Jeopardy Game — Creates Jeopardy-style review games on any topic. Perfect for test prep and engagement.
• 🤔 Student Brainstorming — Helps students generate and organize ideas for projects and writing assignments.
• 💼 Career Explorer — Students explore career paths, learn about required education, and discover related occupations.

Popular EduGems for Teachers:

• 📋 Lesson Plan — Generates complete lesson plans with objectives, activities, and assessments.
• 📦 Standards Unpacker — Takes complex standards and breaks them into clear learning targets.
• 🚨 Emergency Sub Plan — Creates complete sub plans with activities, materials, and instructions.
• 🔀 Re-level Text — Adjusts reading level of any text for differentiation.
• 📊 Assessment Data Analyzer — Analyzes assessment results and suggests targeted interventions.

EduGems Categories:

• Curriculum & Lesson Design (13 Gems) — Lesson plans, unit plans, choice boards, station rotations
• Student Activities (11 Gems) — Games, simulations, debates, interviews
• Assessment (15 Gems) — Quizzes, rubrics, test prep, data analysis
• Support (14 Gems) — Accommodations, scaffolds, behavior plans, social stories
• Literacy & Language (6 Gems) — Decodable texts, discussion prompts, sentence starters
• Professional Tasks (11 Gems) — Newsletters, recommendation letters, PD plans

Pro tip: Start with EduGems to see how effective Gems work, then customize them for your specific needs. You can also submit your own Gems to be added to the collection.

Learn more: Watch Eric Curts' complete Gems tutorial video or explore his AI resources at controlaltachieve.com.

NotebookLM: Your AI Research Assistant

Teachers and students work with overwhelming amounts of information. NotebookLM becomes an instant expert on whatever documents you upload.

What makes it special: It grounds all responses in the specific documents you provide—no hallucinations, no random internet sources.

Features you'll use:

• Audio Overviews — Turn lecture recordings, textbook chapters, or research papers into podcast-style audio summaries. Students can study anywhere—on the bus, at practice, during their commute.
• Document synthesis — Upload PDFs, articles, unit plans, and curriculum resources. Ask questions and get answers pulled directly from your materials. Create summaries, study guides, and student-friendly resources instantly.
• Student independence — Help students understand complex texts without constant teacher intervention. They can ask clarifying questions and get explanations grounded in their assigned readings.

Google Vids: Create Professional Video Content in Minutes

Student attention spans are shrinking, and teachers need tools to deliver content that sticks. Google Vids is Google's answer: an AI-powered video creation tool that lives right in your Google Workspace.

What Makes Google Vids Different?

Think Google Slides turned 90 degrees—instead of slides arranged vertically, you work with scenes arranged horizontally. If you can use Google Slides, you can use Google Vids. But here's the game-changer: it's powered by Gemini AI.

The “Help me create” feature: Type what you want to create (“Make a 3-minute tutorial on the water cycle for 5th grade”), and Google Vids generates a complete first draft in under 60 seconds—script, visuals, timing, transitions, and all. You customize from there instead of starting from scratch.

Key Features Teachers Love:

• AI-Powered Creation — Describe your video in a sentence, and Gemini builds the first draft for you. Add your own screenshots, adjust the timing, choose AI voice or record your own.
• Convert Slides to Videos — Already have a Google Slides presentation? Import it into Vids and transform it into an engaging video with music, transitions, and narration in minutes.
• Stock Media Library — Access thousands of royalty-free videos, images, music tracks, sound effects, GIFs, and stickers without leaving the platform.
• Professional Templates — Start with beautifully designed templates for tutorials, announcements, student projects, and more.
• Real-Time Collaboration — Work together on video projects just like you would in Google Docs. Perfect for group projects or co-planning with colleagues.
• Seamless Google Classroom Integration — Assign videos as templates so each student gets their own copy. Review student work directly in Classroom and see their progress in real-time.

For Teachers: Scale Your Impact

Create professional development videos, flipped classroom content, and instructional materials in 20-30 minutes instead of 2-3 hours.

Practical use cases:

• Tool tutorials — Record once, share forever. Every new teacher gets instant access to training.
• Flipped lessons — Create micro-lectures students watch at home, freeing up class time for hands-on work.
• Lab procedures — Record safety demos and complex procedures students can review anytime.
• Personalized feedback — Send quick video messages instead of lengthy written comments.
• Professional development — Build a library of PD resources teachers can access on-demand.

For Students: Voice, Choice, and Creativity

Google Vids gives students an accessible way to demonstrate understanding without needing advanced tech skills.

Student projects:

• Video essays — Students explain their thinking, cite sources, and present arguments visually.
• Book reports — Create “movie trailers” for novels or informational texts.
• Science demonstrations — Record experiments with narration explaining the process.
• Digital portfolios — Showcase learning growth throughout the year.
• Public service announcements — Combine research with persuasive communication skills.

Scaffolding tip: Start simple. Have students brainstorm in Google Keep, create a 3-slide presentation in Slides, import those slides into Vids, replace slides with video B-roll, add music and transitions. This progression teaches cross-tool workflows while building video literacy skills.

Getting Started is Simple

Access Google Vids at vids.google.com or vids.new. No software to download, no complicated setup.

Three ways to start:

1. Record — Easiest for screencasts and quick tutorials on Chromebooks
2. Use templates — Start with professional designs for various purposes
3. “Help me create” — Describe what you want and let AI build the first draft

Videos save automatically to Google Drive. Share through Classroom, Drive links, or export as MP4 files.

Why It Matters for K-12

Google Vids democratizes video creation. Students and teachers without technical expertise or expensive software can now create professional-looking content. This levels the playing field and opens doors for creativity that were previously closed.

Want the complete guide? Check out these in-depth resources:

• Google Vids for Teachers: The AI Video Tool Every Instructional Coach Needs — What it is, how it works, and why it matters
• 5 Ways Instructional Coaches Use Google Vids to Transform PD — Real coaching scenarios and practical applications
• How to Create Your First PD Video with Google Vids — Step-by-step tutorial from opening the tool to sharing your video
• Unlocking the Power of Google Vids: A Game-Changer for Instructional Coaches — Comprehensive overview from a GEG Instructional Coaches session

Getting Started: Your Action Plan

This week:

1. Visit gemini.google.com with your school Google account
2. Ask it to create one lesson plan or assessment
3. Try Deep Research on a topic you're teaching next week

This month:

1. Create your first custom Gem for a unit you teach frequently
2. Have students upload their notes to NotebookLM and create an Audio Overview
3. Record one instructional video in Google Vids

This semester:

1. Share the college student offer with your seniors
2. Build a library of custom Gems for different units
3. Let students create their own Gems as study partners
4. Assign a Google Vids project—have students create a 2-minute video explaining a concept, book report trailer, or science demonstration

One Important Reminder

With all these powerful AI tools at our fingertips, don't forget that the most meaningful learning still happens through conversation, hands-on exploration, and human connection. Technology should enhance—not replace—the relationships and dialogue that make your classroom special.

Use these tools to reclaim your time and energy so you can focus on what matters most: your students.

Frequently Asked Questions

Want to Learn More?

Take a free course: Getting Started with Google AI from Google for Education

Explore use cases: 100+ ways to use Gemini in education

Deep dive: Teaching Channel's course 5381: Teaching with Google's AI Tools covers Gemini, NotebookLM, Google Vids, and image creation

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Ready to try one of these features? Pick just one from this list and test it this week. Reply and let me know which one you chose and how it went.

• Jeff Bradbury, your digital learning coach 🎸

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