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Issue 53 • February 19, 2026
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This newsletter is arriving a day later than usual. I’ve been hunkered down creating the video and content for Week 1 of Classy Vibing with AI. I sped up the 50-minute video into a 30-second preview in case you’d like a quick look at what’s inside. But don’t blink! For the next four weeks, I’ll be living and breathing vibe coding as nearly 100 educators and I explore building tools, apps, widgets, and interactive resources with AI. You know I’ll be sharing some of the awesomeness that comes out of the workshop.
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For one of the vibe coding demos in my instructional video, I built a Mystery Tile Reveal web app using ChatGPT. A teacher uploads a picture, and it’s placed behind a grid of tiles. The teacher then shows the grid on a classroom screen and invites students to remove tiles and guess what the picture might be. I love showing students mystery pictures before a lesson. The right picture can spark discussion and curiosity. To help brainstorm ideas, I instructed this Gemini Gem to generate image ideas along with lesson connections. Examples of possible mystery images include: A half-eaten lollipop connects to a third grade lesson about erosion A melted ice cube connects to a second grade lesson about states of matter A wrapping ribbon around a box connects to a lesson about perimeter A shadow that looks different from the object casting it connects to a lesson about perception versus reality A satellite image of Earth at night connects to a twelfth grade lesson about population and urbanization
After you find the right mystery image, upload it to the Mystery Tile Reveal and watch curiosity pull students into your content.
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While my new workshop focuses on vibe coding simple apps that don’t require hosting services, databases, or advanced setup, I’ve also been working on something much bigger. What started two months ago as a small project to host my own apps has grown into something far more ambitious. And I’d love for you to be part of it. I switched to using Claude Code in the Mac Terminal for more advanced coding, and I’ve been amazed at what it can do. It picked up where Gemini hit its limits and helped me build a platform designed specifically for teachers. I’ll be honest. I wanted to quit many times. Setting up Node.js, API keys, Firestore rules, DNS settings, security, and privacy protections was frustrating and overwhelming. But with AI helping me along the way, I kept going. So what did I create? App Hive at apphive.us.
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Teachers are vibe coding simple apps, tools, and games with AI. App Hive gives those creations a home that works in schools. Bring your code to the hive and publish it with a simple link. No banners. No student logins. No distractions. Just clean, easy-to-share apps. Publishing with Canva Code or Google Sites works pretty well, but App Hive adds some important advantages: Apps are hosted at go.apphive.us, where each app gets a custom URL Apps can be added to Home screens with a custom icon on phones, tablets, and Chromebooks Teachers get a public profile page to share their creations Anyone can discover new apps by browsing collections
App Hive is new, and only a small number of teachers have contributed apps so far. Accounts are invite-only, and you are personally invited to request access using this form. Once approved, you’ll receive an email with instructions to create your account.
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I’ve gotten a lot of use out of the FormLimiter add-on for Google Forms over the years. It allowed me to stop a form from accepting submissions at a specific date and time or after a set number of responses had been received. FormLimiter is no longer available, but that’s okay because Google has added this feature directly into Google Forms. No add-on needed! In a form’s Publish Options screen, there’s a new option: Set close date or response limit. Choose either On a date or After a number of responses. You can also customize the message responders see when the form is closed, though the default is “This form is no longer accepting responses.” Cutting off responses at a certain date or time is handy for limited seat registrations, forms with deadlines, contest entries, volunteer sign-ups, and other situations where timing matters. And now it’s easier than ever, with no add-on required.
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Recently, I recorded first graders who had written scripts about holidays around the world. The kids were adorable. When my phone snapped onto my magnetic tripod, they were amazed. But then I brought out my wireless microphones. They were giddy and so excited to clip one onto their shirts. Pretty much every kid said they felt like a YouTuber. And they sounded like one, too! Using a microphone captures audio much closer to the source, resulting in crystal-clear sound. I’ve had this set of wireless mics (Amazon affiliate link) for a couple years. The receiver plugs into my phone, and both mics can record at once, which makes them perfect for interviews. All three components charge in a case, just like AirPods.
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To make those first graders feel even more like YouTubers, I created thumbnails for them. I took a group photo, uploaded it to Gemini, and prompted it to generate YouTube-style thumbnails. I provided the video’s title and topic, and Gemini created some amazing results. Note that I used a Gemini account through Google Workspace for Education, which includes additional privacy protections. Gemini for Education does not use uploaded images or data for training, and that content remains protected. We did not upload the thumbnails to YouTube, but I did use them in the videos’ introductions.
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If vibe coding sounds interesting to you, consider joining my Classy Vibing with AI online workshop. If you can’t make this one, I’m planning another session this summer. I’ll keep you posted. Smiles from Iowa,
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Subscribe at learninginhand.com AI gave me a hand with brainstorming, drafting, and polishing this issue. Of course, I reviewed and adjusted everything before sharing it with you.
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