Advancing AI Literacy Lessons

Launching Into Stars & AI Prompting

Astronomy | 9-12
Duration: 60 minutes
Author: Veronica Romero, CTE and Science Teacher

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. They begin by observing stellar patterns and engaging in a “Notice & Wonder” activity to spark curiosity. The class then transitions into a hands-on mini-lesson on AI prompting, where students learn how to craft effective queries to extract meaningful information from AI tools. This foundational experience sets the stage for deeper exploration of how AI can support scientific inquiry.

Lesson Plan Series

  1. Launching Into Stars & AI Prompting
  2. Exploring Star Data with AI
  3. Analyzing & Reflecting on AI’s Role in Astronomy

Lesson Objectives

  • Describe the purpose and structure of the Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagram.
  • Distinguish key stellar properties (temperature, size, luminosity, color, mass, chemical composition).
  • Explain what makes an effective AI prompt.
  • Analyze examples of AI prompts to determine characteristics of effective prompting.
  • Create AI prompts tailored to specific scientific questions and gathering scientific information.

Essential Questions

  • What can we learn about stars by analyzing their properties?
  • How does the Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagram help us classify stars?
  • What makes an AI prompt effective?
  • How can AI help us explore scientific questions?

Digital Resources

Lesson Plan

Assessment Rubric

Cosmic Collaborators Worksheet

Instructional Considerations

Articles