Advancing AI Literacy Lessons

Teacher-crafted lessons that bring Artificial Intelligence literacy into the classroom

The Advancing AI Literacy project brought together outstanding educators to design universally-appropriate, teacher-crafted lessons that bring Artificial Intelligence literacy into the classroom. These lessons — created by teachers, for teachers — serve as a foundation for building welcoming AI literacy across K–12 classrooms and are now freely available for your use!

 

Project Team

Allen Antoine

Project Director

Toni Dunlap

Instructional Designer

The Advancing AI Literacy project is supported by Google.org, and is part of the AI education initiatives at the Texas Advanced Computing Center.

Special thanks to lesson reviewers: Blanca Gonzales, Joseph Vega, Judy Lau, Molly Stacey, Elaine Soares, Jimmy Newland, Sofía De Jesús, and Sheryl Roehl.

Grade Level 6-8 Lesson Plans
Technology Applications

AI Around Us – Exploring Everyday Examples
Duration: 60 minutes

In this lesson, students begin by brainstorming examples of artificial intelligence (AI) they encounter in daily life, such as recommendation systems, voice assistants, and smart devices. Using a collaborative mind map, they will organize these examples into categories like apps, games, and home technology.

Tracing AI’s Journey – From Turing to Today
Duration: 60 minutes

In this lesson, students will investigate the historical development of AI, tracing its evolution from early ideas like the Turing Test to modern breakthroughs in deep learning. Working individually or in pairs, they will research key milestones and create a visual timeline using tools like Google Slides or Canva.

AI in Daily Life – Helpful or Risky?
Duration: 60 minutes

Students will critically examine the benefits and risks of AI through a real-world case study involving facial recognition errors. After watching a short video, they will work in groups to create a Claim Evidence Reasoning (CER) poster answering the question: “Is AI more helpful or more risky in everyday life?”

Author: Rabiaa Ezzedine, Physics and CTE Teacher

Behind the Numbers: How Data Shapes AI Decisions
Duration: 70 minutes

In this hands-on lesson, students will explore how artificial intelligence systems rely on data to make decisions—and how that data can reflect real-world biases.

Beyond the Numbers: The Ethics of AI Decisions
Duration: 70 minutes

In this follow-up lesson, students will build on their data analysis by engaging in ethical reflection and collaborative discussion.

Author: Jennifer Simmons, CTE Teacher

Grade Level 6-12 Lesson Plans
Technology Applications

Social Media, You and A.I.
Duration: 50 minutes

This lesson engages students in examining the connections between social media, personal identity, and artificial intelligence. Students analyze how AI shapes the content presented on social platforms and consider the ethical implications of these systems. Through reflection and discussion, they develop strategies for navigating digital spaces more thoughtfully. The lesson strengthens media literacy while fostering critical awareness of AI’s influence on daily life.

Author: Cordney Smith, CTE Teacher

Grade Level 9-12 Lesson Plans
English

Critical Thinking with LLMs: A Storytelling Exploration
Duration: 60 minutes

In this lesson, students explore how artificial intelligence (AI)—specifically large language models (LLMs)—can influence personal storytelling.

Finding My Voice: Exploring Personal Narratives
Duration: 50 minutes

In this lesson, students analyze exemplar personal narratives to understand what makes them compelling and authentic.

Prompting for Ideas: Using AI to Brainstorm and Outline
Duration: 60 minutes

In this lesson, students learn how to use large language models (LLMs) as brainstorming tools to generate ideas and outlines for personal narratives.

Revising with AI: Strengthening Your Narrative
Duration: 60 minutes

In this lesson, students use AI writing tools to revise and improve their personal narratives by seeking targeted feedback on clarity, organization, and emotional impact.

Author: Christopher Walker, Computer Science Teacher

Mathematics, Technology Applications

How AI ‘Thinks’ – Spam Filters and Math Basics
Duration: 60 minutes

In this lesson, students are introduced to the foundational concepts of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) through engaging multimedia and discussion.

You Be the AI – Sorting Emails and Analyzing Patterns
Duration: 60 minutes

In this lesson, students take on the role of an AI spam filter to understand how mathematical reasoning drives AI predictions.

Can AI Be Fair? Ethics, Bias, and Building Trust
Duration: 60 minutes

In this lesson, students examine the ethical implications of AI systems and explore how bias and fairness impact decision-making.

Author: Sunaja Ajayan, Mathematics Teacher

Science

Unseen by the Machine: When People and Rocks Are Misread
Duration: 60 minutes

This lesson introduces students to the concept of bias in technology through a relatable lens: moments when humans feel “unseen” by machines.

Voices in the Stone – Science Meets Culture
Duration: 60 minutes

In this lesson, students deepen their investigation into geology and cultural narratives by completing the Voices in the Stone exploration.

Teaching the Machine – Classifying Rocks with AI
Duration: 65 minutes

Students shift from human classification to machine learning as they build or test an AI classifier using tools like Teachable Machine.

Author: Travis Garcia, Computer Science Teacher

Earth Under Observation: Exploring AI, Satellites, and Land Cover
Duration: 60 minutes

In this environmental science lesson, students explore how artificial intelligence (AI) and remote sensing technologies, such as satellite imagery, are used to detect and classify deforestation.

Mapping Change: Visualizing Deforestation Patterns Over Time
Duration: 70 minutes

In this lesson, students analyze satellite imagery to uncover patterns of deforestation over time and represent these changes using layered maps and overlays.

Deforestation and Machine Learning
Duration: 70 minutes

In this lesson, students explore how artificial intelligence (AI) and satellite imagery can be used to monitor deforestation.

Author: Gary Leary, Science Department and Instructional Technology Chair

Understanding AI in Renewable Energy Systems
Duration: 70 minutes

In this introductory lesson, students explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming renewable energy systems.

Designing Ethical AI Solutions for Environmental Challenges
Duration: 85 minutes

In this lesson, students apply their newfound understanding of artificial intelligence and renewable energy systems to explore real-world environmental challenges.

Author: Leslie Llamas, Science, Robotics, and CTE Teacher

Launching Into Stars & AI Prompting
Duration: 60 minutes

In this introductory lesson, students embark on a journey to understand the life cycle and classification of stars through the lens of data science and artificial intelligence.

Exploring Star Data with AI
Duration: 60 minutes

Students dive into the practical application of AI by using it to collect and organize data on stars, including temperature, luminosity, and classification.

Analyzing & Reflecting on AI’s Role in Astronomy
Duration: 60 minutes

In this lesson, students synthesize their learning by presenting and analyzing HR diagrams created through different methods.

Author: Veronica Romero, CTE and Science Teacher

AI Meets Medicine: A New Lens on the Cell Cycle
Duration: 70 minutes

In this lesson, students will explore how artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare and scientific research.

Cracking the Code: DNA Replication with AI Insights
Duration: 70 minutes

This lesson dives into the intricate process of DNA replication while leveraging AI as a learning partner.

When Cells Misbehave: Cancer Research with AI
Duration: 70 minutes

In this lesson, students will explore how normal cell differentiation keeps tissues healthy and what happens when this process goes wrong, leading to cancer.

Hacking the Cell Cycle with AI
Duration: 60 minutes

In this culminating lesson, students will synthesize their knowledge by creating AI-assisted projects such as infographics, video scripts, or interactive quizzes.

Author: Dr. Vashunda Warren, STEM Teacher, High School Principal