Advancing AI Literacy Lessons

Unseen by the Machine: When People and Rocks Are Misread

Science | 9-12
Duration: 60 minutes
Author: Travis Garcia, Computer Science Teacher

This lesson introduces students to the concept of bias in technology through a relatable lens: moments when humans feel “unseen” by machines. Students begin by sharing personal experiences with tech missteps, then connect these ideas to Dr. Joy Buolamwini’s work on coded bias. Through discussion and bias scenario analysis, students explore how incomplete or skewed data can lead to harmful outcomes in AI systems. The lesson concludes by bridging to scientific contexts, asking students to consider how misclassification might also occur in geology and other fields—laying the foundation for the next lesson on rocks and AI.