AI Resources for Teachers

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AI Resources for Teachers

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Resources for Teachers

This past year has seen a seeming flood of articles and marketing pitches bombarding TK-12 teachers with promises about the game-changing nature of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education. From tutoring students to grading papers to searching for images, the breadth of AI tools and platforms can seem intimidating, exciting, overwhelming, and puzzling. 


Whether you love exploring new tech, or you’re a bit wary, the CRS team knows all teachers are looking for ways to manage your workload tasks more efficiently, to engage families, to differentiate for learner needs, and to empower your young learners to better understand computer science and technology that will impact their lives and futures. And, you want to understand how to ensure safety, equity and ethical use as you bring these new technologies into your classrooms.


CRS has reviewed a wide range of information and curated a set of online resources to help you get started. We’ve grouped the info and links into categories to help you find just what you’re looking for, when you need it. We will continue to revise, update and fine tune the resource page.

We’ve organized information into the following categories:

What is AI?

Haven’t we always had ‘spell checker’ and smart tools? How is this different?  We’ve curated some of the many, many resources that provide background information, courses, toolkits and more to learn about machine learning and generative artificial intelligence.

Want a basic understanding? Here’s a good, brief introductory video “What is Generative AI - And What isn’t it” 

Noodle around a bit: You may have experimented a bit with ChatGPT (or other AI platforms in the news) perhaps to learn about how to save an ailing houseplant or what meal you can prepare with ingredients on hand. Here’s another place you can ‘just try AI’: Google recently released this ‘learn about AI – just experiment’ page.  Pick a topic and ‘converse’ with the AI as it provides information and prompts you to ask more. What do you want to learn about?  

Want a deeper dive? There are several good sources for extended video talks, and even courses. There is so much to learn, and new developments are happening at a very rapid pace!

Tools for teachers

We’ve heard from teachers and reviewed many, many reports and articles highlighting some of the ways TK-12 teachers are exploring AI tools to help save time and bring creativity to a range of tasks, including:

  • Background or refresher on a topic
  • Differentiation for learners
  • Translation for ELL students into home language
  • A list of common student misconceptions on this topic, and how to address them
  • A “hook” or hands-on activity to go with a text-heavy lesson
  • Summaries
  • Alternative assignment for absent students
  • Quick exit ticket

Here are a couple of sites that have free educator-focused tools and resources, and that have earned good ratings for privacy, safety, people-centered, and reliability:


What platforms have you tried? Any you would recommend to fellow educators? Email us at crs@crscience.org, and we’ll be happy to share.

Guidelines and Guardrails: Rubrics, policies, and evaluation

Example of an AI Policy

Here is our CRS AI policy, as an example:

General Policies

  1. Be intentional about platform and purpose
  2. Check against rubric or rating such as Common Sense Media
    https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ai
    https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ai-risk-assessments
  3. AI uses must align with our mission and values.
  4. Understand ‘privacy’ – what information is collected, and potentially shared; Understand if this platform uses your ‘input’ to ‘train’ AI
  5. ALWAYS check for accuracy before sharing or publishing content generated from AI
  6. ALWAYS check for bias and representation. Is the content or image in line with CRS values of inclusion, representation, and diversity? Ensure that what is produced and shared does not cause harm or perpetuate stereotypes.
  7. No mindless ‘copy and paste’
  8. Be intentional about audience
  9. Be transparent about AI usage when appropriate, as we would cite or credit any sources
  10. We will continue to revise the acceptable uses and guidelines as the technology and our professional skills continue to advance.
  11. We, as an organization, need to keep informed about AI developments and offer appropriate professional development, for our staff, and for the educators we serve.
Becoming a prompt engineer: Building the skill that will put you in charge

CRS’ Tips for effective AI prompt engineering:

  1. Tell AI “who” you want it to be (You are a _____ planning a ______ for _____)
  2. Tell AI the “audience” for the information (Write a message for ________ with the following information _______.)
  3. Choose clear, precise, specific words – avoid vague or overly general phrases
  4. Tell AI to ask you questions if it needs more information or to clarify the task. (I want ____. What information do you need from me?)
  5. It may take several rounds to get closer to what you want; the process is iterative
  6. It is ok to tell the AI “that is incorrect” when an initial response is wrong.
  7. Be human. Tell the AI: “I want to…. How can you help me?”
  8. Use specific instructions to modify initial responses (such as to make more concise, use simpler language, make sentences shorter, make it catchier or friendlier or funnier or more serious or more scholarly)
AI literacy: a component of digital media literacy skills (for students)

Talk with your school or district librarian. Are they planning to introduce AI in their overall digital media literacy lessons with students?

Curriculum resources:

Where to begin with Elementary students:

Many educators recommend beginning to talk about AI with learning about digital images students are likely to encounter as they use Internet searches for projects and homework. Students as young as 1st and 2nd grade may be using Google and other search engines to find images for reports and posters, both at school and at home. To help them better sift through the search results, set up some whole-class lessons to examine images that come up in Google or other browser searches. You can also create your own AI images for this lesson to compare with non-AI images. Animals such as sharks, tree sloths, and butterflies might be good examples

Show students select images and ask them to find clues to whether they are “real” photographs, or AI generated images.

Questions you can ask to help them examine the images

  • Are the animals “posed” or “smiling” or seeming to be doing things that are not natural behaviors for this animal?
  • What is the source of the image? 
  • Compare the image to reliable sources such as major zoos or wildlife organizations, or news publications such as Science News for Kids or National Geographic for Kids.

Look to our local museums for field trips and resources:

  • The Lawrence has had recent or ongoing exhibits for families and classes on field trips to learn more about AI.
AI in lessons: Teaching ABOUT AI, and designing lessons that intentionally incorporate AI

Resources from The Tech Interactive

  • For grades 4-12: Machine Learning Unplugged (45-60 minute lesson plan), Students take the role of a wildlife biologist, and explore how to use algorithms to sort data, and build a basic understanding of machine learning.
  • For grades 4-12: Video & Discussion lesson exploring examples of organizations using AI for creating change. A series of brief videos and discussion guides, introducing AI and machine learning through actual case studies for students to discuss. Select the videos that are most relevant for your class.
  • Annual Tech “AI Laureate” honorees: See how some local and international organizations are using AI for projects in wildlife conservation, preservation of Native languages, and improve food production on farms. 
Knowing which tool is right for the task! (Under Construction)

Under Construction! 

Toothbrush, paint brush, broom? You know how to select the right tool for the job. AI is no different.

Want to make a graphic image? Write a note? Generate an exit ticket for a lesson? There are many AI platforms, bots and services – and more every day. Common Sense Media is one place you can turn to learn more about a particular platform’s benefits and risks.

Looking to create some clever graphics?

  • Canva ‘s Magic Media tools for generating graphics, images, and short videos.
  • pixlr.com (there is a free pixlr for education)
Larger issues surrounding AI – background information for consideration, discussion, and continuing research (Under Construction)

Under construction...

Climate impacts: use of energy, water

Ethical implications of AI

Parental support and training: 



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The mission of CRS is to empower teachers and STEM professionals serving schools in historically marginalized communities to activate TK-8 students’ curiosity about the world, foster critical thinking, and inspire children to imagine future career pathways. We envision a community of educators, scientists, families and partners working together to build school cultures that equip all children to explore the world around them and build the skills needed to become innovators, problem solvers, environmental stewards, life-long learners and leaders. CRS leads a dynamic network, fostering relationships and collaborations that leverage expertise and resources to transform science teaching and learning toward greater equity, opportunity, and success for all students.

 

Our goal is simple: help teachers give students more opportunities to “do science” – to ask questions, test ideas, get their hands on real science activities. We need to inspire the next generation of thinkers, makers, problem solvers, and leaders!