- The Gemini tab: what teachers can make
- Web, mobile and the catches at a glance
- Feedback on written work needs a higher edition
- Setting a Gemini Notebook for your class
- What students can and can't do with it
- Notebook insights: a planning aid, not a grade
- Gems and the two dates for your diary
- Where I'd start as a teacher
- Frequently asked questions
Gemini for teachers lives inside Google Classroom as a Gemini tab, with tools to outline a lesson plan, generate a quiz, build a rubric, re-level text and more. As of Nov 2026 Google's Classroom help says it's available with all Google Workspace for Education editions, but your administrator decides who gets it and one of the most wanted tools needs a higher edition.
This page sticks to the teacher side: planning, notebooks, insights and the dates to put in your diary. For the student tutor, see my guide to Gemini Guided Learning.
The Gemini tab: what teachers can make
On the web, the most used tools sit at the top of the Gemini tab: lesson plan outlines, presentations and images. The full list on Google's help page includes:
- Outline a lesson plan, with learning objectives.
- Generate a quiz, using Google Forms AI.
- Create a rubric with evaluation criteria and expectations.
- Re-level text for a specific reading level.
- Create a vocabulary list with definitions and usage examples.
- Create an audio lesson, a podcast-style summary of your materials.
- Translate text into over 100 languages to share with your class.
- Build a choice board, a jigsaw activity or interactive activity slides.
Beyond the tool cards, Gemini can turn a rubric saved in Drive or on your device into a Classroom rubric, and help write personalised stories for Read Along practice. For custom requests about your own classes and assignments there's the Classroom Gemini extension, which is only available in English as of Nov 2026.
Web, mobile and the catches at a glance
| Task | Where it works or the catch |
|---|---|
| Outline a lesson plan, create a rubric, re-level text | Web; not on the Classroom mobile app list |
| Generate a quiz, brainstorm project ideas, craft a hook | Web and the Classroom mobile app |
| Tackle common misconceptions, starter prompts for the Gemini app | On the Classroom mobile app list |
| Draft feedback on written assignments | Only with Education Plus or the Teaching & Learning Add-on |
| Classroom Gemini extension | English only |
| Gemini Notebook for a class | Your admin must enable it; up to 50 source documents |
| Gems for a class | Up to 10 source documents; ending for Workspace for Education users from June 1, 2027 or later |
| Gems on a student's personal account | Stop working for the student from November 17, 2026 |
Google's line on mobile is blunt: anything not on the mobile list isn't currently available on the Classroom mobile app. Plan lessons at a computer, and use your phone for a quick quiz or a hook on the way in.
Feedback on written work needs a higher edition
Gemini can draft feedback suggestions for written assignments based on a student's work, their grade level and the focus areas you choose. It's the tool many teachers want most, and it's the one with an edition catch. As of Nov 2026 it's only available if your school uses Google Workspace for Education Plus or the Teaching & Learning Add-on.
If your school is on another edition, the rest of the tab still works but this won't appear. Ask your admin or business manager which edition you're on before you plan a marking routine around it, and check Google's own page for the current price.
Setting a Gemini Notebook for your class
- On your computer, open Google Classroom and select the class.
- Click Classwork, then Create, and choose Gemini Notebook, Material or Assignment. On an Assignment or Material page you can also pick Gemini Notebook under Attach.
- To reuse a notebook, choose Select existing and pick one from My notebooks, or paste a notebook URL. To start fresh, choose Create new.
- Optional: click Choose class content and tick previously published materials, such as Drive files and links, to import them as sources.
- Click Create notebook. A new tab opens where you add or edit sources and generate studio items, such as an audio overview or notes.
- Go back to the Classroom tab to distribute it.
A notebook supports up to 50 source documents, and one notebook can serve several classes. Edit it once and the change applies to every class it's shared with. Your admin must have switched on Gemini Notebook for you, and students need admin-enabled access to open it.
One catch: deleting the Classroom post doesn't remove students' access to the notebook. To take access away, change the notebook's sharing settings in Gemini Notebook.
What students can and can't do with it
Students get read-only access to the notebook's sources, and they don't need access to your original files. They can chat with the notebook and use the studio items you've generated, such as audio overviews, study guides and FAQs. They can't generate studio items, and they can't add or edit sources. Students and teachers on personal Google accounts can't access notebooks or Gems assigned through Classroom at all.
On the student Gemini tab, Google says data is not reviewed by humans or used to train AI models. Admins decide who has access, and some students may only see some of the tools, so ask your administrator what your classes can see. Teachers can view the student tab too, which is the quickest way to check.
Notebook insights: a planning aid, not a grade
Insights summarise how students used an assigned notebook: how many opened it or started a conversation, an overall summary, and themes such as areas to support, areas of strength and common questions. When Gemini activity is on you can also read individual chat transcripts. Insights are available on all Google Workspace for Education editions.
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Know the limits. Google says insights are generated by AI, can make mistakes, and "are not intended for assessment or placement". They're built from text conversations only, so time spent on audio overviews, quizzes or flashcards doesn't show. They cover notebooks assigned through Classroom only. And if a student deletes their chat history, it disappears from your transcripts view. Use insights to plan the next lesson, never to mark.
Gems and the two dates for your diary
Gems are custom versions of Gemini that you can assign in Classroom, with up to 10 source documents each. My guide to Gemini Gems explains them in general. Here's what matters for a teacher right now, as of Nov 2026:
- Starting June 1, 2027 or later, Gems will no longer be available to Google Workspace for Education users. Existing Gems convert into skills in the Gemini app in a draft state, keeping their name, description, instructions and knowledge files, and each one has to be activated manually.
- Gems assigned to a student's personal account rather than their school account stop working for that student from November 17, 2026.
Until then you can keep creating and using Gems in Classroom. I just wouldn't build a year's scheme of work on them.
Where I'd start as a teacher
I'd start with the lesson outline and quiz tools, skip assigning a Gem for now because of the 2027 end date, and read every question before it reaches a student. Google says the same: Gemini can make mistakes, so check and refine anything you generate until it fits your context and local policies before you assign it. If your school uses ChatGPT instead, my page on ChatGPT for teachers is the one to read, and for wording ideas try these time-saving prompts for teachers. Features and dates change, so check Google's Classroom help for the latest.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Gemini available to every teacher in Google Classroom?
As of Nov 2026 Google says Gemini in Classroom is available with all Google Workspace for Education editions, but your administrator controls who has access, and feedback drafting needs a higher edition.
Can I use Gemini on the Classroom mobile app?
Partly. The mobile app offers quiz generation, project ideas, hooks, common misconceptions and starter prompts. Other tools are on the web.
How many sources can a Gemini Notebook hold?
Up to 50 source documents. A Gem supports up to 10.
Are Gems going away for schools?
As of Nov 2026 Google says Gems will no longer be available to Google Workspace for Education users starting June 1, 2027 or later, and existing Gems convert into draft skills in the Gemini app.
Can I use Notebook insights to grade students?
No. Google says insights are an aid and aren't intended for assessment or placement.
