AI Foundations for Middle Grades
Students uncover how AI perceives, learns, and reasons, connecting technology to real-world challenges
- Teachers
- Curriculum & Resources
- AI Foundations for Middle Grades
Age:
This is a combination of the "What is AI?" and "How Do Machines Learn?" Units!
Approximate Total Time: 2-3 hours
Summary:
In this unit, middle school students dive deeper into the world of artificial intelligence, exploring how machines learn, reason, and make decisions. Through real-world examples and hands-on activities, students examine datasets, design algorithms, and test their own models using Google’s Teachable Machine. They also analyze bias and fairness in AI systems, connecting their discoveries to the five big ideas of AI—Perceive, Reason & Plan, Learn, Interact, and Impact.
Lessons:
Lesson 1: What Is AI? – Define artificial intelligence, explore the five big ideas of AI, and identify examples of AI in the real world.
Lesson 2: Can Machines Really Learn? – Use Google Quick Draw to understand datasets, predictions, and bias in machine learning.
Lesson 3: What Is an Algorithm? – Write and debug algorithms to solve problems and understand how computers follow rules.
Lesson 4: How Do Machines Learn? – Train and test a model using Google’s Teachable Machine to experience supervised learning.
Lesson 5: Bias in Artificial Intelligence – Investigate algorithmic bias and fairness, and design creative ways to explain it to others.
Video Tutorial Playlist for Educators