Free for teachers
Lesson hook generator
Tell Sparky what your students are about to learn. Sparky suggests several hooks, each a different kind, with notes on how to run it, then writes out the one you pick for the minutes you have.
Used by 250,000+ teachers, and built to FERPA, COPPA and GDPR standards.
How the lesson hook generator works
Say what's coming next
Type the topic, like "hooks for teaching negative numbers", and add the grade if you know it. Sparky may ask about the grade or the mood you want first.
Pick one
Sparky answers in the chat with several hooks, often three to five, each a different kind, with notes on how to set it up and run it. Ask for more if none fits.
Get it ready to run
Tell Sparky which hook and how long, and it writes out the minutes and the questions to ask. Ask for a slide, an image or a document to go with it.
What a lesson hook can be
A question to argue about
A short problem students can disagree on, such as a temperature that drops below zero, with no answer given until the lesson.
A story
A true story or a short scene that sets up the lesson's question, told in a minute or two.
A demonstration
Something you do at the front of the room, such as a can that crushes itself, that students try to explain.
A picture
A photo or a diagram to look at closely. Sparky says what to point out and what to ask about it.
A challenge
A quick task for pairs or the whole class, like walking an elevator's moves on a number line taped to the floor.
Notes for running it
Each hook comes with what to prepare and what to say, and Sparky's instructions tell it to keep the hook pointed at the lesson's objective.
Ways teachers use it
A novel or a reading
Open a book or an article with a scene, an image or a question students argue about before they read.
Your anticipatory set
Many lesson plan templates ask for an anticipatory set. Sparky writes one that fits the minutes you have.
The pictures and slides
Get the hook and the slide or image you'll project to show it, in the same chat.
Data privacy
Safe to use with student work
What happens to the files you upload and what your students write in Flint.
Not used to train AI
Student data in Flint is never used to train AI models.
Not shared
Flint does not share student data, or any other user data, with third parties.
Kept separate
Each school's data is kept apart from every other school's, and the AI providers Flint runs on can't reach it.
Signed agreements, on request
Flint signs a data processing agreement with any school that needs one, written to US state law and EU GDPR.
What teachers say about Flint
"Flint promotes inquiry-based learning, fosters independent scientific thinking, and [leads] to deeper student engagement and more meaningful reflections in scientific inquiry."
Aldo Hutagalung
MYP Science and DP Physics at Changchun American International School
"I've asked Flint to include movement breaks and humor during sessions, which has been fantastic for keeping the energy up. After a particularly lively 20-minute session, one of my 3rd graders exclaimed, 'I just learned so many new things!'"
Michael Dragoni
Lower School Gifted Specialist at Kirkwood School District
"Flint makes it easier for teachers to personalize lessons and save time on routine tasks. Students get to use AI more as a study partner - not just for answers, but for guiding their thinking and building confidence."
Somkid Leewan
Educational Technology Specialist
Frequently asked questions
What is a lesson hook?
The first few minutes of a lesson, spent making students curious about what comes next. Many lesson plan templates call it the anticipatory set, a term Madeline Hunter coined in the 1960s for her lesson plan model.
Is the lesson hook generator free?
Yes, it's free for teachers, and there's no limit on how many hooks you can ask for.
Where do the hooks show up?
In the chat, as in the demo above. Copy the one you like into your plan, or ask Sparky to put it in a document or on a slide.
Will a hook give away the lesson?
Sparky is told to write hooks that lead into the lesson without revealing what students are meant to figure out. Each one ends on a question for the lesson to answer.
Can Sparky make the picture or video for a hook?
Yes. In the same chat, ask for an image, a slide or a short video, and Sparky makes it beside the chat. For a real photo, such as Badwater Basin, Sparky can point you to where to find one.
Can it write the anticipatory set for my lesson plan?
Yes. Paste your objective, or attach the lesson plan, and ask for an anticipatory set. Say how many minutes you have, and Sparky times it.
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