Dragon Kim Foundation Winners ✦ Aligned With UN SDG Goals 8, 9, And 10 ✦
AI Basics
Curriculum for Elementary and Middle School Students
AI Explorer Mission Statement
At the AI Explorer Foundation we recognize that today’s kids will live and work in the age of AI. We provide modern, hands-on AI education accessible to all students, equipping them with the skills to thrive in an AI-powered world.
We have developed a detailed curriculum to do hands-on learning experiences in over a dozen schools around the world and many more along the way. Check out our news tab to see photos and video clips from the lessons, and key insights from the lessons are also incorporated into the app.
This is a 60-minute AI workshop that will be presented by Benji and Mattia
1
What is AI?
(10 Minutes)
Explanation:
AI is when machines or computers can think and learn, just like people. For example, when you talk to Siri or Alexa, that's AI helping you out.
Interactive Discussion:
Ask students, “What kind of robots or smart devices do you know?” and list examples on the board (e.g., voice assistants, smart speakers, AI-powered streaming like Netflix, smart TVs).
2
How Do We Build AI?
(15 Minutes)
Explanation:
Just like how you learn from doing things over and over, AI learns from seeing examples (called “training”). For example, a robot can learn to recognize a dog by looking at many pictures of dogs.
Activity: “Meet an AI expert”
We have partnered with AI experts who work on the coolest AI innovations. They will talk about how leading companies like Spotify, Disney and Nike use AI. The AI expert will share how they have trained AI to do incredible things. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions.
3
Fun with AI
(10 Minutes)
Activity 1: AI Guessing Game
Use a simple online game or app like Google’s Teachable Machine to show students how to “train” the AI to recognize different objects or sounds (e.g., students can show pictures of fruits or animals, and the AI guesses them). (We will set up demonstrations to do this on a computer)
4
Where Do We See AI?
(10 Minutes)
Explanation:
AI is everywhere! It’s in video games, on your phone, and even in some toys.
Interactive Activity:
Show a few examples (e.g., talking to Siri, recommendations on YouTube, or a game where the computer learns) and ask students, “What other things do you think AI can do?” Write their answers on the board.
5
Wrap-Up & Fun Quiz
(5 Minutes)
Review the Key Points:
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AI is when machines learn to do things like humans.
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AI can help with tasks like recognizing pictures, talking, and making decisions.
Simple Quiz:
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Ask fun, easy questions like:
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“What does AI help you do?”
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“Can AI learn from pictures?”
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“Where have you seen AI in your life?”
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Materials Needed
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Paper, markers, or a whiteboard for group discussion and drawing.
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We will also share our AI Explorer T-shirts for students.
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We will also provide money to buy in food and snacks for the students
