[Sarah Keogh]

Hi Martina, I love what you have created here. This really demonstrates the huge potential of using AI tools for cross curricular integration, skills based learning and multiple methods of assessment, which are is the foundation of the redeveloped primary curriculum. Copilot and Magic School will now be my “go to” AI support tools in september.

[Sarah Keogh]

Part 1 Personal Reflection

This module has given me a much better understanding of how I can safely and ethically incorporate the use of AI tools in my classroom. It has given me great insight into the immense potential of AI for cross curricular integration and differentiation in my classroom. It has solidified the notion that AI can support the pedagogical theory of Howard Gardners multiple intelligences and the concept of multimodal learning.

Given the fact that there is such a variety of AI tools available and that they are constantly advancing at a rapid pace, I plan to focus my attention on just a few initially, namely Copilot, MagicSchool AI, Google Lens, Mash Plus, and RoboGarden. I hope to use these tools to support my lesson planning, to create engaging and creative resources, to develop personalised targets for my SEN pupils, to create multimodal methods of assessment and to help me reflect on my teacher competencies.

Part 2 Lesson Plan

This Science lesson plan, assessment quiz and pupil refelection was generated with the assistance of Copilot and MagicSchool AI. This lesson also introduces the pupils to the safe and ethical use of AI tools in the classroom.

Science Lesson Plan – 4th Class

Topic: Plant & Animal Life in Our Local Environment

AI Tool Used: Image‑recognition tool (Google Lens)

Duration: 45–50 minutes

Learning Objectives:

• Observe and explore how plant and animal behaviour is influenced by environmental conditions.
• Identify and investigate plants and animals in the local environment.

Concise Takeaway

Students explore the school grounds, take photos of plants and animals, use an AI tool to identify them and learn how their features help them survive.

Lesson Steps

1. Starter – What Lives Around Us? (5 minutes)

Show students a few familiar local species using an image carousel:

Ask:

• “Where have you seen these before?”
• “What helps them live in their environment?”

2. Outdoor Exploration (10–15 minutes)

Students go outside in pairs to:

• Take one photo of a plant
• Take one photo of an animal/insect
• Note where they found each (shade, sun, wall, grass, tree, soil)

3. AI Identification Activity (10 minutes)

Back in the classroom, students use Google Lens to:

• Identify the plant or animal
• Read a short description provided by the tool
• Write down one adaptation (e.g., “The woodlouse hides under stones to stay damp.”)

4. Whole-Class Sharing (10 minutes)

Students share:

• What they found
• Where they found it
• One adaptation they learned from the AI tool

Teacher highlights patterns:

• Shade-loving plants
• Insects hiding under logs
• Birds staying near trees or fences

Assessment

Students complete a short digital quiz generated by MagicSchool AI:

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4th Class Science Assessment Quiz – Plant & Animal Life in Our Local Environment

1. Which behaviour shows how an animal responds to temperature changes in its environment?

1. A bird building a nest in springB. A frog hiding under a rock on a hot day

   C. A bee visiting flowers for nectar

   D. A squirrel burying a nut in autumn

1. A plant growing toward a sunny window is showing a response to which environmental factor?

1. Soil typeB. Light

   C. Water

   D. Temperature

1. You find a small patch of moss on a damp, shaded wall. Which two conditions most likely helped the moss grow there?

1. Full sunlight and dry soilB. Shade and moisture

   C. High wind and sandy soil

   D. Low moisture and clay soil

1. Which observation best shows how water affects both plants and animals?

1. A rabbit sleeping during the dayB. A tree dropping leaves in winter

   C. Fish swimming near the surface after rain

   D. A grasshopper jumping high in summer

1. Which local plant could you identify using an image-recognition tool like Google Lens?

1. The type of shoes someone is wearingB. A photo of the leaves of a sycamore tree

   C. The color of a garden fence

   D. The brand of a bicycle

1. When using an AI image-recognition tool to identify a flower, which step helps make the result more accurate?

1. Blurring the photo before uploadingB. Taking a clear close-up of the petals and leaves

   C. Taking a photo of the whole street instead of the plant

   D. Using a photo of a different plant

1. Which animal behavior shows how light influences activity?

1. Owls hunting at night and foxes hunting at duskB. Fish building nests in reeds

   C. Worms digging tunnels underground

   D. Deer eating bark in winter

1. In a group investigation, your class is studying how soil affects plant growth. Which method best follows good observation and collaboration?

1. Each student plants seeds in the same pot and writes one shared noteB. Different groups plant seeds in different soil types, record daily observations, and compare results

   C. Only one student looks after all the plants and tells others the results later

   D. Guessing which soil will be best and not checking the plants

1. Which example shows a plant adapting to survive in a dry local environment?

1. A water lily with large flat leavesB. A cactus with thick stems that store water

   C. A fern that grows in deep shade

   D. A moss that needs constant moisture

1. Which statement is true about using image-recognition tools to help classify local living things?

1. They always give 100% correct answers without needing verificationB. They can suggest identifications but users should check information with books or experts

   C. They can only identify animals, not plants

   D. They replace the need to observe and record details during investigations.

Pupil Reflection Activity: “How AI Helped Me Learn Today”

Instructions for Pupils

Think about the plant and animal you found today. Think about how the AI image tool helped you understand them. Write or draw your answers in your copy.

Reflection Prompts

1. What I Found Today

• Write the name of your plant or animal.
• Draw a quick picture of it.

2. What the AI Told Me

Choose one sentence starter:

• “The AI helped me learn that my plant…”
• “The AI showed me that my animal…”
• “The AI told me this important fact…”

You can use these Guided Links if you want to explore more:

• plant adaptations
• animal behaviour

3. What I Noticed Myself

Write one thing you observed outside:

• “I saw it growing in…”
• “I found it hiding under…”
• “It was moving toward…”

4. Putting It Together

Complete this sentence:

• “The AI helped me understand why my plant/animal lives there because…”

5. My Learning Check

Circle one:

• ⭐ I understand my plant/animal better because of the AI tool.
• ⭐ The AI helped me notice something I didn’t see before.
• ⭐ I want to learn more about plants and animals using AI.

 

• This reply was modified 3 months, 3 weeks ago by Sarah Keogh.

[Sarah Keogh]

I realised this in module 4 also Darragh, that a lot of the AI tools that I am familiar with such as Chat GPT, Gemini and Copilot are more tailored to the teacher or senior level pupils. I hadn’t really considered AI tools for pupil use such as Khan Academy, Robo Garden, Osmo, Microsoft Reading Coach and Google teachable. I’ll certainly be introducing them to my pupils now that I know about them.

[Sarah Keogh]

First and foremost, I believe that it is essential for me as the teacher to model the safe and ethical use of AI tools in the classroom. Then I would engage the pupils on a whole class discussion on what AI is, what types of AI the pupils know already, and the potential pros and cons they think are associated with AI. I would then ask the pupils to collaborate together to establish clear classroom guidelines for the safe use of AI in the classroom. Then, to introduce AI in an age appropriate way, I would use Robo Garden as a starting point. I have learned from completing module 4 that this provides AI tool provides children with hands on opportunities to coding and problem solving in a fun and playful way. I would guide the pupils through a digital learning mission, one pupil being the Robo and another as the coder. I believe that these introductory steps will enhance pupils critical thinking skills and their understanding of how AI works and how to use AI safely and ethically.

[Sarah Keogh]

I agree with your comment about the potential of MagicSchool.ai and the creation of personalised social stories for pupils, a few of my pupils came to mind alos and I’ll certainly be giving this a go in the new school year.

[Sarah Keogh]

Part 1:

As an SET, reading is one of the areas where I find the greatest level of differentiation. Whether it is the ability to decode texts, reading fluency, pace and or reading comprehension, I think that the Microsoft Reading Coach Tool creates targeted practice for each pupil to reda comfortably at their own level.

I’m also really looking forward to further exploring the applications on the Magicschool,ai website for creating personalised social stories for supporting the social and emotional development of my pupils. I have scrolled the internet time and time again looking for stories that were engaging and appropriate with success.

Part 2:

After completing this module, there is absolutely no doubt that AI tools have huge potential in enhancing teaching, learning and assessment at all levels of education. AI tools have the potential to both enhance curriculum integration and current teacher skills and I for ine will be interest to see if third level teacher education colleges will incorporate AI for Teachers into their own syllabus.

[Sarah Keogh]

I agree Helen, I am also very excited to try Mash+ and Copilot for tecahing and learning in the new school year!

[Sarah Keogh]

I think that AI has the potential to transform the teaching and learning in my classroom by making learning  more tailored to each pupils indiviual learning needs, more engaging for learners, more creative, and more effecient. AI is very beneficial for faster lesson planning, creative multimodal methods of assessment and for creating a diverse range of engaging resources. I believe that some of the potential challenges associated with using AI in the classroom might include teacher over relience, accuracy and false information, and too much screen time in classrooms.

[Sarah Keogh]

Firstly, the Khanmigo tutor bot in the Ted Talks video was so impressive!! Secondly, I loved how one of the other videos in this module compared the use of AI for teachers to a “teaching assistant”!!! For teachers, AI can support our role in so many practical ways such as creating those lengthy lesson plans we all dread, creating classroom displays and learning resources, targeted differentiation, assessment rubrics and simply generating exciting and engaging ways to teach a topic when we are all out of ideas. That said, it’s important to think of AI for teachers as being that “assistant” or “support” rather than a replacement for our own experienced teacher judgement. Thus, the teacher makes the final call on the content created by AI. Keeping in mind the ethical use of AI which was also referred to in module one.

[Sarah Keogh]

“One of my main takeaways from the video was that AI should be seen as a support for teachers rather than a replacement for them. It has huge potential to save time and improve learning, but professional judgement and human oversight are still essential.”

Hi Anne-Marie, that was exactly the same as me. The terms support and assistant are how I view the use of AI for teachers in education. At the end of the day the AI bot can’t and won’t be held responsible for the education of pupils so it’s important that teachers view AI creations through a critical and ethical lens.

[Sarah Keogh]

Firstly, the Khanmigo tutor bot in the Ted Talks video was so impressive!! Secondly, I loved how one of the other videos in this module compared the use of AI for teachers to a “teaching assistant”!!! For teachers, AI can support our role in so many practical ways such as creating those lengthy lesson plans we all dread, creating classroom displays and learning resources, targeted differentiation, assessment rubrics and simply generating exciting and engaging ways to teach a topic when we are all out of ideas. That said, it’s important to think of AI for teachers as being that “assistant” or “support” rather than a replacement for our own experienced teacher judgement. Thus, the teacher makes the final call on the content created by AI. Keeping in mind the ethical use of AI which was also referred to in module one.

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