Lesson 1: What is Artificial Intelligence?

Learning Objectives

Define artificial intelligence in simple terms and provide real-world examples that students encounter in daily life
Distinguish between tasks that humans do well versus tasks that AI can help with, understanding the complementary nature of human and artificial intelligence
Identify AI applications in everyday life including voice assistants, recommendations, image recognition, and predictive text
Understand basic concepts of how AI learns from examples and patterns, similar to how humans learn through experience

Standards Alignment

CSTA 1B-CS-02: Model how computer hardware and software work together as a system to accomplish tasks
CSTA 1B-AP-10: Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and conditionals
CSTA 1B-IC-18: Discuss computing technologies that have changed the world, and express how those technologies influence, and are influenced by, cultural practices
ISTE 1.5.d: Understand how automation works and use algorithmic thinking to develop a sequence of steps to create and test automated solutions

Materials Needed

Computer or tablet with internet access (one per group of 2-3 students)
Printed sorting cards (included in downloadable materials) - "Human vs. AI" task cards
Chart paper or whiteboard for class discussion and recording student ideas
Student handout: "AI Around Us" worksheet (printable PDF included)
Optional: Access to Teachable Machine (https://teachablemachine.withgoogle.com) or similar demo tool
Projector or large screen for class demonstrations
Exit ticket slips or digital exit ticket tool

Lesson Procedure

Hook and Engagement (5 minutes)
Begin with a "mystery demonstration" where you show students several examples of AI in action. Display voice recognition responding to commands, image identification tools recognizing objects in photos, or predictive text suggesting words as you type. Generate excitement and curiosity!

Guiding Questions:
- "How do you think the computer knew what to do?"
- "Have you ever used technology that seemed to know what you wanted?"
- "What makes this different from a regular computer program?"
Collect student responses on chart paper. Introduce the essential question: "What is artificial intelligence and how does it work in our daily lives?"
Direct Instruction (10 minutes)
Present age-appropriate definitions and examples of AI. Use concrete analogies to make abstract concepts accessible:

Key Teaching Points:
- The Pet Analogy: "Think about teaching a dog a trick. You show them the trick many times, reward them when they do it right, and eventually they learn. AI learns in a similar way - by seeing many examples and getting feedback!"
- Pattern Recognition: "AI is really good at finding patterns, just like you might notice that every time it's cloudy, it usually rains later."
- Human + AI Partnership: "AI doesn't replace humans - it helps us do things better and faster. Humans are still needed to teach AI, make important decisions, and be creative!"
Show Visual Examples:
- Voice assistants (Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant)
- Recommendation systems (YouTube suggestions, Netflix recommendations)
- Smart devices (thermostats that learn your preferences)
- Game opponents (AI that learns from how you play)
Emphasize that AI helps humans but doesn't replace human creativity, empathy, and judgment.
Hands-On Activity: "Human vs. AI" Sorting Game (15 minutes)
Divide students into small groups of 3-4 and distribute the sorting cards with various tasks. Students will categorize tasks into three groups:
- "Humans do best" - Tasks requiring creativity, empathy, or complex judgment
- "AI helps" - Tasks involving pattern recognition, large-scale data, or repetitive actions
- "Both work together" - Tasks where humans and AI collaborate
Example Task Cards:
- Recognizing a friend's face in a crowd
- Calculating 1,847 × 563
- Creating a piece of art that expresses feelings
- Finding patterns in weather data
- Showing empathy to someone who is sad
- Playing chess
- Translating languages
- Diagnosing a medical condition
- Driving a car
- Writing a story
Group Discussion Prompts:
- "Why did you put this task in this category?"
- "Can you think of real-world examples where AI helps with this task?"
- "What would happen if AI tried to do this completely alone?"
Circulate among groups, ask probing questions, and note interesting insights to share with the whole class.
Interactive Demonstration (10 minutes)
If technology permits, demonstrate a simple AI training tool like Google's Teachable Machine. This concrete experience helps students understand that AI learns from examples.

Demonstration Steps:
1. Show students an "untrained" model that doesn't know anything yet
2. Collect examples of 2-3 different classes (e.g., "thumbs up," "thumbs down," "peace sign")
3. Train the model by showing it many examples of each gesture
4. Test the model and show how it gets better with more training data
5. Demonstrate what happens when you show it something it wasn't trained on
Discussion Questions:
- "What did we have to do to teach the AI?"
- "How is this similar to how you learn new things?"
- "What happened when we showed it more examples?"
- "Why did it make mistakes sometimes?"
Connect this demonstration back to the concept that AI learns from patterns in data, just like students learn from practice and examples.
Closure and Reflection (5 minutes)
Distribute the "AI Around Us" worksheet where students identify three places they encounter AI in their daily lives. Students should:
- Draw or write about the AI application
- Explain what the AI does
- Describe how it helps people
Class Sharing: Invite 3-5 volunteers to share one example from their worksheet.

Formative Assessment - Exit Ticket:
Students answer two questions on their exit ticket:
1. "Turn to your partner and explain what AI is in your own words." (Teacher observes and records)
2. "What is one thing you learned about AI today?"
3. "What is one question you still have about AI?"
Collect exit tickets to inform future lessons and address misconceptions.

Assessment Strategies

Formative Assessment

Observation during sorting activity - Are students engaging with the concepts? Can they justify their categorization choices?
Quality of group discussions - Listen for use of vocabulary, logical reasoning, and collaborative problem-solving
Exit ticket responses - Check for understanding of core concepts and identify common questions
Worksheet completion - Review for accurate identification of AI applications
Partner explanations - Assess ability to communicate understanding to peers

Summative Assessment

Complete "AI Around Us" identification task with accurate descriptions
Oral presentation of findings (2-3 minutes per student)
Written explanation of AI concepts using proper terminology
Optional: Create an "AI in My Life" poster showing understanding through visual representation
Short quiz on AI definitions and applications (end of unit)

Success Criteria

Students demonstrate mastery when they can:

Define AI in own words with appropriate examples
Identify 3 or more real-world examples of AI
Understand that AI learns from data and patterns
Recognize the collaborative relationship between humans and AI
Distinguish between tasks suitable for AI vs. human intelligence

Differentiation Strategies

For Advanced Learners:

Challenge students to research a specific AI application (facial recognition, recommendation systems, or natural language processing) and present how it works to the class
Introduce basic coding concepts related to pattern recognition using age-appropriate platforms like Scratch
Have students design their own AI application that could help solve a problem in their school or community
Explore the mathematics behind AI (simple pattern recognition, sorting algorithms)

For Struggling Learners:

Provide pre-sorted examples with explanations as a reference during the sorting activity
Use more concrete, tangible examples that students encounter daily (smart home devices, video games)
Partner with stronger students for group activities, assigning specific roles to ensure participation
Reduce the number of required examples on the worksheet (2 instead of 3)
Provide sentence starters for written responses: "AI is...", "I see AI when...", "AI helps people by..."

For English Language Learners:

Use visual aids extensively - pictures, videos, and demonstrations rather than text-heavy materials
Provide vocabulary list with pictures and translations in native language
Allow responses in native language with translation support from bilingual peers or apps
Use gestures, physical demonstrations, and real objects during explanations
Pre-teach key vocabulary (artificial intelligence, pattern, recognition, algorithm) with visual supports

For Students with Special Needs:

Provide extended time for activities and assessments
Offer alternative formats for demonstration of learning (video, audio recording, visual presentation)
Use assistive technology as appropriate for individual needs
Break activities into smaller, more manageable chunks with clear checkpoints

Extension Activities

At Home - Family AI Scavenger Hunt:

Students interview family members about where they see AI in daily life and create a family AI map. Challenge: Find AI in 5 different places in your home! Document with photos or drawings.

Cross-Curricular Connections:

Art: Explore AI-generated art using tools like Google Deep Dream. Discuss: "Is AI-created art really 'art'? What makes art meaningful?"
Literacy: Read age-appropriate books about robots and AI such as "The Wild Robot" by Peter Brown or "Hoot and Howl" by Jonathan Stutzman
Math: Create simple pattern recognition games where students identify patterns, connecting to how AI finds patterns in data
Social Studies: Discuss how AI is changing jobs and communities. What new jobs exist because of AI?

Long-term Project - AI Observation Journal:

Start an ongoing AI observation journal where students track and document AI encounters throughout the school year. Each entry should include:

Date and location
Description of the AI encounter
What the AI did
How it helped (or didn't help)
Reflection on the experience

STEM Challenge - Build a "Smart" Device:

Using simple materials, design a device that "acts" smart by responding to input. Example: A paper robot that "sorts" objects by color using a simple if-then algorithm that students manually execute.

Research Project:

Students choose an AI application that interests them (self-driving cars, medical diagnosis, space exploration) and create a presentation explaining:

What problem does it solve?
How does it work? (simplified explanation)
How does it help people?
What are the challenges or concerns?

Teacher Notes and Tips

Common Misconceptions to Address:

Misconception: "AI is like a human brain and can think like us."
Clarification: AI processes information differently than humans. It's very good at specific tasks it's trained for, but doesn't have general intelligence or consciousness like humans.
Misconception: "AI will take all our jobs."
Clarification: AI changes jobs but also creates new ones. It works best when partnering with humans.
Misconception: "AI is always right."
Clarification: AI makes mistakes, especially if it's trained on incomplete or biased data. Humans are needed to check AI's work.

Preparation Tips:

Test all technology (websites, demonstration tools) before the lesson
Print and cut sorting cards ahead of time, store in envelopes for each group
Have backup activities ready in case technology fails
Review vocabulary and prepare simple definitions appropriate for grade level

Classroom Management:

Establish clear expectations for group work before starting activities
Use a timer and provide time warnings for transitions
Have extension activities ready for groups that finish early
Consider assigning specific roles in groups (recorder, presenter, materials manager, timekeeper)

Troubleshooting:

If Teachable Machine won't load, use pre-recorded videos or images of AI demonstrations
If students finish sorting quickly, ask them to create 3 new task cards to challenge other groups
If discussions lag, have prepared follow-up questions to deepen thinking