[Moira White]

At first, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when it came to using AI in the classroom. It felt a bit overwhelming, and I wasn’t sure how it would fit into my teaching. But after completing this course, exploring some tools and seeing what’s possible, I’ve really started to see the potential benefits. I’ve decided to begin introducing AI in small, manageable ways to keep things simple for both myself and my students next year. Tools like Teachable Machine are especially appealing, they’re easy to use and offer a hands-on way for students to understand how machines learn. I think pupils will be excited by the idea of actually training an AI model themselves and seeing how it responds in real time. It’s a fun and interactive way to introduce key concepts like pattern recognition and machine learning. My goal is to spark curiosity and encourage them to think critically about how AI works in the real world.

[Moira White]

SESE Lesson Plan – Local Sea Life (First Class)
Subject: SESE – Science & Geography
Strand: Living Things / Environmental Awareness & Care
Topic: Local Sea Life (Irish coastal animals)
Class Level: First Class
Duration: 45 minutes

Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils will:

Identify 3 local sea creatures (e.g., crab, starfish, seaweed).
Describe key features (habitat, diet, movement).
Recognise the importance of protecting marine life.
Use AI tools to support reading, speaking, and exploring information.

Resources Needed
Laptops/tablets with internet access
Images of sea life (printed/digital)
AI Tools:

Microsoft Reader Coach, Speaker Coach
Gamma (for interactive slides)
Ari Assistant (Q&A)
Copilot Image Generator
Teachable Machine

Lesson Structure
1. Introduction (10 mins)
Chat: “What sea animals have you seen?”
Show AI-generated images via Copilot Image Generator.
Begin exploring key local species.
2. Exploration (15 mins)
Interactive Gamma presentation: fun facts, images, quizzes.
Children match sea creatures to their habitat.
3. Literacy & Speaking (10 mins)
Use Reader Coach for short reading passages.
Pupils practice and present sea creature facts using Speaker Coach.
4. Optional Extension (10 mins)
Use Teachable Machine to create a basic sea life identifier.
Pupils help train the machine using images.
5. Wrap-Up / Assessment (5 mins)
Class quiz or vote using Gamma.
Pupils ask Ari Assistant a question about a sea creature.
Display student-chosen animals with AI-generated images.

Differentiation:
Learners Strategies
Struggling Readers -Use Reader Coach, paired reading
EAL Learners-Visuals, audio tools, sentence stems
High Achievers-Create their own mini presentations or quiz questions

Assessment
Teacher observation during activities
Reading fluency via Reader Coach
Oral presentation with Speaker Coach
Participation in quizzes/discussions

Linkage/Integration
Art: sea creature collages
Nature walk or beach visit
Literacy: Create a class sea life book with AI-generated images

[Moira White]

This is a really inspiring lesson idea Natasha. I think it would be suitable for a range of ages also and easy to differentiate.

[Moira White]

I love the idea of calling it a ‘clever helper’, so child friendly and also emphasises that AI is a tool and helps us, but does not replace our own input to learning. I thought younger classes but if I have the opportunity to work with older students again I think your idea on Michael Collins is great! I’d almost just do it myself for fun!

[Moira White]

Teachable Machine seems great for sparking curiosity and conversation. I’d use it to build early digital literacy, confidence, and critical thinking skills in a playful, accessible way. I would introduce my 1st class pupils to the idea of how computers can learn through patterns and examples. We’d start by creating a very simple image recognition model together, maybe teaching the computer to recognise happy and sad faces, or different classroom objects. I’d model the process on the interactive whiteboard, showing how to take example photos and train the machine, helping the children understand that we’re “teaching” the computer just like they learn from us. To differentiate, I’d give extra support to pupils who need it by working with them in small groups or pairing with a more confident student and keeping the activity very hands on. For children who find the concept abstract, we’d act out the idea, pretending to be the “machine” and responding to input like claps or hand signs. More confident pupils could try collecting their own data or testing different categories. I think my 1st class last year would have really enjoyed using it and it would be something that many of them could have tried independently.

[Moira White]

Hi Emma, I feel the same way, slightly overwhelmed by so much available. I think I’ll take your approach and just pick one or two to use and try become confident using in September, rather than trying them all.

[Moira White]

There was such a wealth of information in this module. The range of AI tools available already is outstanding and will really benefit teaching, learning and assessment in our classrooms. The only one I had heard of before this course was Magic School and had looked it up but didn’t use it. I’m really excited to experiment with the different features of Microsoft. I’m looking forward to giving it a try in September. I particularly liked the Microsoft Reading Coach App, I am going into SET in September and feel this will benefit many students who find reading challenging. It will also allow me to create more tailored and appropriate texts, particularly for older students who are reading at a level below their age. Many of the guided readers we have at school are very babyish and we have students who in 4th or 5th would be at a 2nd class level. Diffit looks very interesting too, however when I tried it out there to generate work for 1st class level on Volcanoes I felt it might be too challenging for my school, but its great that you can adapt it easily. Gamma looks great for creating presentations, and is a great place to start and such a time saving tool for teachers.  My favourite idea was using Co Pilot Image creator to generate images to help children with descriptive writing, particularly in the narrative writing genre. This would also be great for oral language discussions.

[Moira White]

Hi Deirdre, I never thought of Aladdin as a form of AI but you’re right, it does a lot of the heavy lifting for us calculating the scores for Drumcondra, Sigma -T  tests and also with attendance patterns.

I hope the department will develop a sanctioned AI programme we can use in schools that will cater to the individuality of each learner, Squirrel and Carnegie look very interesting but probably expensive to sign up to I imagine.

[Moira White]

I’m very familiar with Microsoft Word but I hadn’t come across immersive reader before, It looks like it would be an excellent tool to support reading next year. In our DEIS band 1 school we have many children who are reading at a significantly lower level and I think this tool would really help them feel more independent at completing tasks.

Google Forms looks great for giving quizzes and doing assessments, up to now I’ve been using Kahoot which the children love but I will try out Forms next year. I also know that Minecraft Education would  be very popular in my school and would support problem solving skills and could even be used with SESE topics. I will definitely looks into this further and try to implement it next year in learning support.

I was both fascinated and horrified by the video about how AI is being used in school in China. I understand this is only being piloted there but I really hope the future of education does not look like this. The poor children, the headbands don’t take into account if the child is not paying attention because they are tired, sick, difficulties at home or other worries going on. I think as teachers we all know the children in our class so well, we don’t need AI to tell us if they are not concentrating or absorbing the information. I feel AI would be better used in helping children who do find it hard to concentrate to engage in the lesson.

[Moira White]

I chose this course because, over the past year, I’ve started to think more seriously about how AI tools could fit into our classrooms and what this might mean for the future of teaching, learning, and assessment. I’ve experimented a little with AI, mainly using ChatGPT, and it’s sparked my curiosity. I’m eager to learn how to use it in more meaningful and impactful ways.

With the increasing emphasis on differentiated instruction in the Primary Language and Mathematics Curriculum, I see huge potential in AI to support personalised learning. It can instantly generate multiple ways to adapt a task for a struggling reader or create a more challenging extension activity for a high-achieving pupil. As a busy teacher, there are days when inspiration just doesn’t come easily, especially at the end of a long week. I’ve found AI incredibly helpful in those moments, offering a starting point or a fresh idea when I need it most.

Beyond lesson ideas, AI’s ability to streamline time-consuming tasks like drafting emails, writing letters to parents, creating PowerPoint content, rubrics, lesson plans, and IEPs is hugely appealing. The time saved could be better spent engaging directly with pupils, teaching more creatively, and offering individual support to those who need it.

This year, I’ve also noticed some of my pupils using AI, particularly during SESE lessons. As the course progresses, I’m interested in exploring how we can guide children to see AI as a valuable learning tool, rather than just a shortcut for finishing work or sourcing quick answers.

Of course, I’m conscious of the limitations too. Many Irish primary schools still face issues with digital infrastructure and reliable access to devices. Not every classroom is equipped to fully benefit from these tools. We also need to remain cautious about data protection and avoid becoming overly dependent on technology.

That said, I believe AI has a place in our classrooms when used thoughtfully and in line with the child-centred ethos of the Irish primary curriculum. It won’t replace the teacher, but it can enhance how we teach and how children learn. Ultimately, it holds the potential to support more inclusive, efficient, and engaging learning experiences for all our pupils.

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