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For this activity, I would plan a lesson for 5th/6th Class local history lesson. There would e links to English (Oral Language/Report Writing ) and the Digital Learning Framework. The learning objective would be for pupils to understand that while AI can generate useful information, it can also make mistakes, so they need to question and evaluate what they read. As I teach in Longford town I would focus on the burning of the Cathedral on Christmas Eve night a few years ago. I think it is well linked to looking at primary and secondary sources of information too. The lesson will begin with a whole class KWL chart.
The AI concept that I would like to explore is misinformation and accuracy. I would begin by showing pupils a short video clip from the news about the event and then present them three pieces of information about the fire-one a newspaper article, one from a local historian (first hand witness) account and one AI generated. Working in pairs, children would then compare the accounts, highlighting similarities and differences, and they would look for facts/evidence within each piece to support their argument.
The critical question to ask would be: “How do we know if the information produced by AI is true?” This would encourage children to check facts rather than accepting the initial AI responses straight away.
An important consideration for staying safe online would be reminding pupils never to share personal information with AI tools.
Pupils will be supported in their critical thinking by modelling how to analyse and examine a piece of information ensuring it’s from a trusted source and we will have a think aloud when examining it and encourage pupils to explain the evidence behind their decisions.
Evidence will be gathered through observation, learning journal, class discussion and by completing the L section in the KWL chart.HI Linda,
I really enjoyed reading your lesson plan in particular the Maths linkage. I think you have used AI as a great way to generate ‘Maths Talk’ amongst children in small groups/pairs. I like how your activity helps pupils to question each answer and to encourage them to examine their own understanding of Maths and to be able to justify their own thinking too. This will both develop their deeper understanding of a Maths concept but also their oral language skills.
The demo I chose was Minecraft Education-Fantatsic Fairgrounds. I chose this particular one as it is visually appealing and the topic is one which all children enjoy. It is beginner level and is geared for 8-18 year olds which lends itself very well for the middle and senior classes. The world encourages users to explore AI’s impact on everything from blocky beekeeping where students track the bees using AI or to laser light shows and the Art pavilion where kids are encouraged to use their creativity with AI.
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
• Understand the foundations of AI (Artificial Intelligence)
• Practice with data analysis in different fields
• Identify and address ethical dilemmas in AI
• Explore careers in AII was pleasantly surprised with the lesson plans. They are clear and easy to follow. You can share or assign the lesson or print it off as a hard copy. I thought this an excellent idea if as a teacher you weren’t too confident with the steps. It also has links to a PowerPoint presentation and an educators and AI Foundations Curriculum guide. It is easily aligned to the Irish Curriculum e.g. ( Science /Art) Bees- Living Things, Bee Life Cycle. Light-Environmental awareness and care-light pollution, circuits-how to light a bulb. Art-Construction
In my own classroom, I would use the world as a whole class lesson until I become more confident with it. We would discuss each demo zone initially and try and connect them to real life scenarios.HI Michaela,
Thank you very much for sharing this with us. It sound like a wonderful demo world and lesson plans to explore.
You have included some excellent ideas on how to link the Cyber Saftey Home Sweet HHm with many curricular areas and I admire your particualr focus on developing pupil’s awareness of safe and responsible beahviours online.It really is so important to explicitily teach these behaviours and I think using minecraft is an excellent way to do this.
One further way that this could be utilised would be to perhaps use it as a focus for Safer Internet Day in early Februaury as a whole school activity. I like they way you mentioned you could adjust the pacing of each lesson so to provide opportunities for discussion. A great way this ‘world’ could be used throughout the entire school.
I created a Timed game called Burstin’ Ballonos-Two Player Party.
Game Link: https://arcade.makecode.com/S19078-66372-09971-97474
Curriculum Area and Learning Objective:
Maths- date & number. Counting the number of clicks. By clicking the letter the mouse will inflate the balloon as fast as possible within 20 seconds.
The pupils will be using their quick decision making and hand eye co-ordination when playing the game.
Simple Storyboard:
Location: An carnival booth
Player: A mouse controlled by pressing A or B
Game Elements: A mouse pressing a lever to inflate a balloon, a countdown timer, and a score counter. The player inflates the balloon and tries to get it to the top before time runs out.
Computational Thinking:
I used the computational strategy of debugging while creating my game. I used the instrauctions within make code arcade and found them relativelt easy to follow unti l I introduced a second mouse and tried to get it to work. I used decomposition to work through each part and try and find the solution. I also went back and compared the second mouse’s algorithm to the first to figure it out.Hi Michaela, I really liked your idea of the bubbles and fish game.
It is one which is very appealing to both young and old. It was an excellent choice to integrate with Science when completing a unti of study on local natural environemnts and might be an ideal way to extend learnng or as an early finishers task.
Similarly I had a lot of issues with my own arcade game in particualr getting the second mouse to do what I wanted it to. It required a lot debugging, checking, rechecking and studying of the algorithim. I still don’t think I’m quite there and did find it frustarting but it was a great way of empathising with the struggles children in class may have.
Hi Michaela
I really like your choice of the Rock Paper Scissors as it is a simple but effective way to introduce coding in a fun way. It really links well with STEM, especially the Maths strand with the focus being strong on chance/probability. It strongly supports computational thinking, particularly the ideas of sequencing, selection, and randomness.
One idea to further strengthen the STEM linkage would be to encourage pupils to design their own investigations and link Science and Maths more explicitly through data analysis and discussion of probability after recording the amount of times each rock/paper/scissors appears.
One practical extension idea would be to have pupils to complete a task with whoever won or lost the round e.g. if the rock wins then the scissors has to do ten star jumps. It could allow children to be creative with the outcomes of the results.
In terms of assessment, you could have a checklist and see if kids can orally explain to you the elements associated with constructing a code.The tutorial I completed was micro:bit smiley buttons. It’s a simple way to learn how to code happy or sad emojis onto a microbit. I really liked the way the videos are clear, short and do-able-perfect for the junior end.
Here is my project https://makecode.microbit.org/S94126-84609-03455-21128
I would use this in many ways throughout the curriculum.
Firstly I think it would be an ideal way for self assessment at the end of any lessons instead of thumbs up/thumbs down. It could also be used during SPHE/oral language lesson or during a debating session where children could vote whether they agree or disagree with a statement given on their microbits. Similarly, It could also be a fun way of gathering information for completing Data activities in Maths. With a huge focus on wellbeing currenty in our school, children could also use it as a way of “checking in” easy morning as to how they are feeling. There are many wonderful opportunities to use it.My focus from the Looking at Our Schools Document is the domain of learner outcomes and learner experiences. One strength in my current practice would be my commitment to completing a coding session weekly using lego we do or scratch jr on the ipads to teach kids the fundamentals of coding. They really enjoy these sessions but one area I need to develop/improve on is how to challenge my more able children. I feel myself I’m limited in my abilities to teach the more complex lines of code and could do with upskilling. Another area I could develop would be the development of a vocabulary or stem wall within each class and have a target word of the fortnight similar to Frásaí na Seachtaine. I feel this by developing these areas all pupils will benefit.
Hi Deirdre, you have included many wonderful suggestions in your forum post. I particularly like the effort you put into topics when differentiating. The inclusion of a word/voabulary wall when teaching topic specific language/phrases is an excellent one and one which I will definitely use in my own room. We have quite a high number of EAL students in our school and have a constant visual reminder or the language expected of and from them will be extremely beneficial. Individuals can add to it then as the year progresses. Another member suggested using this as evidience of pupil learning for the SSE process which is ideal.
There is a growing emphasis on sustainability in our school. To promote sustainability in our school and local community, we do the following:
• Green Schools & Student Council– we have an excellent green school’s co-ordinator and active Green school committee who have achieved several Green Flags
• WOW/BOW days: Walk on Wednesday/ Bike on Wednesday is a whole school initiative where the children are encouraged to walk to school.
• SDG Microsoft di your bit Challenge – children from 4th – 6th classes complete lessons on the SDGs every year and then create a solution to one of the SDG using microbits. They show their projects at county level and then the winners proceed to Dublin.
• Link with tidy towns – the school links with tidy towns to do litter picking, guest speakers etc.
• Local Environmental Groups e.g. Tidy towns – the school links with local groups that have come in to chat the children about sustainability, looking after our waterways – children have gone on field trips to the local canal to explore the flora and fauna there.
• School Garden – strawberries, carrots, lettuce and other plants in our school garden and the children are very involved in this process.Hi Gillian & Michelle,
I agree with you both. think you’re right to start with a simple change and to begin in infants. That good practice will become engrained like any other school ‘norm’ during a child’s primary education.
I found this module very educational, informative and factual and personally learned a lot myself about the nutrition available in fish. Nutrition is an important part of maintaining a healthy body. I teach fifth class and generally spend the first few weeks back at school covering healthy eating and the food pyramid. We then discuss it more in depth and use the language associated with nutrition e.g. protein, iron, vitamins etc in SPHE, Science and then again, we cover it in Gaeilge through the ‘Bia’ topic. The images of the food pyramid alone provided in the module would be an excellent springboard for discussion along with the HSE healthy eating guidelines and the food for life links. I also really enjoyed the ‘Eye spy’ activity in the supermarket and getting the children to assess the labels on food. It could turn into an excellent Maths lesson too through the calculations/percentage of nutrients per product. These are ones I hope to use on return in September. For the younger classes I really like the use of the Irish legend, ‘The Salmon of Knowledge’ too as a stimulus.
Hi Shona, I really like your idea of using The salmon of knowledge as to show how wise old people really are/were. The lessons outlined in the module too are excellent practical activities to encourage the consumption of seafood too.
The lessons from ARC are simply wonderful. They are appealing, creative and engaging with a very good quiz at the end of each with good humour thrown in too-the ‘Who you gonna call?’ in particular! I have been lamenting all the years I compared & contrasted Donegal to the county I teach in Longford and never linked in the importance of focusing on the jobs available through aquaculture. It is one I will use going forward. Part of our SSE focus is the development of Oral Language as many of our students have English as their second language. These lessons would lend themselves very well to the development of this and has many cross curricular opportunities. Similarly, the lesson about the nutrition in seafood links in wonderfully with the food pyramid in Science and SPHe as well as the excellent link to the Salmon of Knowledge. There is a huge emphasis on the Sustainable Development Goals and through projects such as the Microsoft Dream space-Do your Bit. Using these lessons as a springboard to develop a solution to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development would be ideal. A great way to link in STEM also.