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This sounds like an excellent lesson Louise! I really like how you’ve connected the topic of Fairtrade with a practical, hands-on approach that pupils can easily relate to. The “bean-to-bar” summaries are a brilliant way to help them understand the journey of chocolate, and the use of iPads for creating diagrams or short explanations makes the learning active and creative. The Quizizz activity adds a fun element to check understanding, and finishing with a personal reflection on Seesaw is a lovely way for pupils to connect with the values of fairness and ethical trade. This lesson blends clear learning outcomes with enjoyable activities that will really stick with the class.
Lesson Plan:
Topic: The Great Famine
Class: Second class
Duration: 60 minutesLearning Objectives:
Understand the causes and consequences of the Great Famine.
Analyse primary sources to gain insight into lived experiences.
Develop empathy and historical perspective.
Materials & AI Tools:
AI-generated presentation – tailored slides explaining the timeline, causes, and effects of the famine, with relevant images.
AI image generator – historically accurate depictions of famine scenes and daily life.
AI text summariser – simplifies complex historical documents for easier comprehension.
AI quiz maker – creates comprehension questions for instant assessment.
AI writing assistant – helps students draft diary entries from the perspective of someone living through the famine.
Lesson Outline:
Hook (5 min) – Display an AI-generated image of an Irish family during the famine. Ask students: “What might life have been like for them?”
Introduction (10 min) – Use an AI-generated slide deck to outline the potato blight, British government response, and mass emigration.
Source Analysis (15 min) – Students examine a short AI-summarised extract from a historical letter or newspaper article. Discuss tone, key details, and reliability.
Creative Empathy Task (15 min) – Students write a short diary entry from the perspective of a young person in 1847, using AI prompts for vocabulary and historical details if needed.
Interactive Quiz (10 min) – Use an AI-generated quiz to check understanding of key facts and ideas.
Reflection (5 min) – Students share one surprising fact they learned and one question they still have.
Reflective piece:
Upon completion of this course, I’m feeling really inspired about how I can bring new tools and ideas into my teaching. I’ve realised how quickly I can now put together presentations, quizzes, and activities that are made specifically for my class, instead of spending ages searching for something that only half fits. This means I can respond more easily to what my students need in the moment and make lessons that feel more engaging and personal. Preparing for lessons doesn’t feel as overwhelming anymore, it now feels exciting and manageable with the help of these new AI resources. This course has given me a fresh boost of energy and shown me practical ways to work smarter, not harder. My students will be getting the best of me, with more time to focus on them and their learning.
That actually sounds like a great idea for your class Pamela. I think they’d get a real kick out of the dance idea, and it’s such a nice way to make AI feel fun and hands-on. Starting with a whole-class dance and then letting them come up with their own in groups is a smart way to ease them into it.
I like the percussion instruments idea too – it would be interesting to see if the machine could actually tell them apart. You’re right, it might take a bit of practice beforehand and a quick check on the policies, but it sounds like something your 3rd class would really enjoy and remember.
From the tools in this module, I’d like to try out Magic School with my class. I think the colourful long multiplication generator would be a fun way to make maths more engaging, especially for pupils who find it a bit more challenging or boring. I’d start by showing them on the board how it works, creating a few problems and solving them together so they get the hang of it.
At the start, I’d put them in pairs so they can chat through their answers and help each other out. Once they’re confident, they could use it on their own to practise at their own speed.
I like that it’s bright and child-friendly, so it feels more like a game than a worksheet. We could even have little challenges or a friendly class leaderboard to keep it fun while helping everyone improve their skills.
I was the same before this course Louise, I’d only really used AI for planning and creating resources, not actually during lessons. Magic School sounds brilliant! I love that it’s more fun and child-friendly, because let’s be honest, some AI tools just aren’t that engaging for kids. I can definitely see how students would enjoy using it, especially since many of them are already curious about AI.
The YouTube translation tool is a great shout too! I hadn’t thought about using it for EAL support, but it makes so much sense. And translating videos into Irish? That’s a brilliant idea it would be amazing for language learning and making lessons more inclusive.
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There was loads of helpful resources in this module. However, one tool I’m really interested in trying is the Microsoft Reading Coach. I find it so hard to give every child enough time to read aloud and get proper feedback, especially in a busy classroom. What I love about Reading Coach is that kids can record themselves reading, get personalised feedback, and even do follow-up tasks. It would make a big difference for pupils who need a bit of extra help with reading. We mainly use Google tools in our school though, so I’m curious if there’s a Google version of it out there.
Another resource I liked was Microsoft Copilot for helping with writing. It’s not always easy to get pupils to see how important it is to use detail and description in their work. I think it’d be really effective and fun if they could type in a short bit of writing and then see how it could be improved or expanded. It would make it so much clearer for them, and I reckon they’d enjoy using it too.
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I can definitely see AI being a big help in the classroom if it’s used in the right way. For starters, it could save teachers loads of time. Tools like Gamma and Diffit look really handy for creating lessons, presentations, and worksheets without spending hours on them. I could also see students using Gamma to present their own work in a more creative way, which would be a nice change from the usual poster or slideshow.
AI could also help make learning more personal. Instead of giving every student the same task, you could tweak it to suit different levels really easily. Plus, some tools give students instant feedback, which is great because they don’t have to wait for the teacher to go through everything first.
That said, we do need to be careful – not all schools have access to the same tech, and we have to make sure student info is protected. But overall, I think AI could make teaching and learning more fun, flexible, and a bit less stressful for everyone.
Karin, I felt the same way after watching the video of the school in China – it was really unsettling. Kids should be able to enjoy their childhood without feeling like they’re being watched all the time. Learning should be about growing and learning from mistakes not being constantly monitored for every movement or facial expression. It just felt a bit too much, and I agree that it could easily take away a child’s sense of ownership over their learning.
I’ve also been using ChatGPT and Co-Pilot for planning, and admin bits, and they’ve been a real help.
Looking ahead, I’m really keen to keep using tools like Immersive Reader and MASH Plus in the classroom. Immersive Reader is especially helpful for students who struggle with reading or have additional needs. From experience with a previous student who found it really difficult to concentrate when there’s too much text on the page, being able to adjust the spacing, change the background colour, or have the text read aloud has made a big difference for him. It helped him feel more confident and less overwhelmed when faced with a piece of reading/classwork.
On the practical side, AI tools have been a big help with planning and admin. They’ve helped me save loads of time by suggesting lesson ideas, adjusting work for different ability levels, and even helping draft reports or emails. It’s taken a lot of pressure off and given me more time to focus on actually teaching and supporting my students. I’m really looking forward to seeing how I can use these tools even more next year.
Hi Rachel, I’ve had the same experience. I’ve used ChatGPT quite a bit to help with lesson planning and making worksheets too. It’s really handy when you’re short on ideas or just need a bit of inspiration. Like you said, it’s not always spot on – I’ve had to reword things or fix small mistakes before using anything in class. But overall, it’s been a useful tool to get the ball rolling. Before this module, I didn’t realise how many other tools were out there either, so it’s been eye-opening to see what’s possible. I think as long as we’re using it to support our work rather than relying on it completely, it can be a really helpful resource.
As a newly qualified teacher, i have found this course extremely interesting already. I believe in the generation we are living in now, AI plays a massive role in so many aspects of life, and can be very advantageous for education.
From the start of this course, it is evident that AI tools have a lot of potential to change how we teach, learn, and assess students in the classroom. They can help tailor lessons to fit each student’s needs, making it easier for everyone to learn at their own pace. We can also save time by using AI to help with tasks like marking or giving feedback, which means they can spend more time actually supporting students. When it comes to assessment, AI can help track progress over time and spot where students might be struggling, meaning more tailored, beneficial support can be given at an earlier stage. It could also make learning more interactive and engaging. That said, it’s important to use AI in a smart and fair way, making sure all students benefit and no one gets left behind. In the future, teachers might focus more on guiding and coaching students, helping them think critically and use technology responsibly.
