Day of AI Launches Nation’s First Free, Grade-by-Grade PreK–12 AI Literacy Curriculum

Day of AI Launches Nation’s First Free, Grade-by-Grade PreK–12 AI Literacy Curriculum

First-of-its-kind, research-informed curriculum gives students a developmentally appropriate pathway to understanding AI from early childhood through graduation, with ready-to-use resources designed for teachers of all subject areas and levels of AI expertise

New York, NY (August 19, 2026)- Day of AI today launched the first free, comprehensive PreK–12 AI Literacy Curriculum, providing a grade-by-grade pathway to ensure every student understands how artificial intelligence works and impacts their world before they graduate. 

“A first grader shouldn't learn about AI the same way a tenth grader does,” said Day of AI Curriculum Lead Valerie Brock. “We’ve combined years of research and classroom experience from educators in the U.S. and around the world with expertise from MIT researchers to create a pathway that meets students where they are at every stage of their education and development.”

The new curriculum ensures that young people have the knowledge to understand, question, and participate in decisions about the technology shaping their future, drawing on Day of AI’s work with major school systems, including New York City Public Schools and Boston Public Schools.

The new curriculum directly addresses:  

Responsible and Differentiated AI Use: Emphasizing independent critical thinking, human-led drafting, and oral verification of mastery

Crucial AI Literacy Topics: Incorporating units on algorithmic bias, data privacy rights, environmental impacts, and mandatory fact-checking of AI-generated content.  

Digital Ethics and Student Protections: Equipping schools to navigate modern issues like anti-harassment/deepfake rules, student privacy rights against algorithmic profiling, and protecting students with clear evaluation standards. 

AI Literacy That Grows With Students

The curriculum is built as a developmental progression rather than a one-time lesson about the latest technology:

• Early Childhood and Elementary (PreK–Grade 4): Young learners explore concepts through hands-on games, identifying the difference between natural and artificial objects, machine roles in daily life, and simple pattern recognition.
• Upper Elementary and Middle School (Grades 5–8): Students examine predictions, data, machine learning, bias, fairness, and privacy.
• High School (Grades 9–12): Students investigate complex questions around ethics, identity, career impacts, human agency, and societal decision-making.

“The goal isn’t to teach kids to rely on AI,” said Dr. Cynthia Breazeal, Professor at the MIT Media Lab and Director of MIT RAISE. “It’s to give them the knowledge and critical-thinking skills to understand it, question it, and make informed decisions about the technology shaping their world.”

Easy to Use and Extensive Resources

Teachers receive ready-to-use lesson plans, slide decks, student activities, assessments, and professional development resources, and a companion implementation guide provides role-specific guidance for  teachers, school leaders, instructional staff, and other members of the school community. The complete curriculum is available free to educators, schools, and districts at dayofai.org/curriculum-resources.

Register for our introductory webinar

Educators and district leaders are invited to join a free virtual curriculum launch webinar on September 2nd at 4:00 PM ET to explore the PreK–12 learning progression and classroom resources.

About Day of AI: Founded in 2021 through MIT’s RAISE initiative (raise.mit.edu), Day of AI helps K–12 students, families, and educators thrive in the age of artificial intelligence. Day of AI became an independent nonprofit in 2024 and continues to work closely with MIT researchers. Its mission is to equip educators worldwide with the tools and knowledge to teach AI responsibly through free curriculum and resources available at www.dayofai.org. To date, Day of AI has reached over 4 million students, with 93% of surveyed educators rating its materials “Good” or “Excellent.”