What strategies help me design prompts for character and world-building?

[EleanorT]

I'm a high school English teacher trying to revitalize my creative writing unit, and I'm tired of the same generic prompts that leave my students uninspired. I want to develop a bank of engaging, specific prompts that can cater to different genres and skill levels. For other writers or educators, what are your most successful methods for generating unique prompts that spark genuine creativity? How do you structure prompts to encourage character development or world-building over just plot, and are there any resources or techniques you use to break through writer's block when designing assignments? I'm aiming for prompts that feel more like invitations to explore than rigid tasks.