Teaching Through the AI Transformation

Unit Plan

Understanding the AI Shift

Activities

Teaching with E.L.O.N.  (Enriched Learning Opportunity Nexus) that seamlessly integrates AI 
Week 1: 
Theme: Foundations of AI, Historical Context, and Labor Impact
Essential Questions
  • What is AI, and how is it already shaping society?
  • What jobs are being disrupted—and why?
Learning ObjectivesBy the end of Week 1, participants will be able to:
  • Define artificial intelligence, machine learning, generative AI, and automation.
  • Draw parallels between past technological revolutions and the current AI shift.
  • Analyze which jobs are most and least likely to be automated and explain why.
  • Reflect on how AI is already influencing education and local employment.
Required Readings and Videos (with URLs)
  1. What is Artificial Intelligence?
    IBM Cloud Learn Guide
    https://www.ibm.com/cloud/learn/what-is-artificial-intelligence
  2. What is Generative AI?
    MIT Sloan Management Review
    https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/what-generative-ai
  3. The Industrial Revolution: Primary Sources
    Library of Congress
    https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/primary-source-sets/industrial-revolution-in-the-united-states/
  4. How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming the World
    Brookings Institution
    https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-artificial-intelligence-is-transforming-the-world/
  5. What is AI? (Video)
    CrashCourse on YouTube
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ePf9rue1Ao
Learning Activities
Activity 1: Job Automation Mapping
Objective: Connect AI's impact to the local workforce and school setting.
Instructions:
  • Brainstorm a list of at least 10 common jobs in your school or community.
  • Use this tool: https://willrobotstakemyjob.com/ to find the automation risk level for each.
  • Categorize each job as High, Medium, or Low risk.
  • Discuss: What patterns emerge? Why are some roles more protected?
Follow-Up: Create a digital or physical display of your findings to share with students or colleagues.

Activity 2: Video Discussion Using "See-Think-Wonder"
Instructions:
  • Watch the CrashCourse video “What is AI?” (link above).
  • Complete a three-part response:
    • What did you see that stood out?
    • What did you think it meant or implied?
    • What do you wonder about AI going forward?
Debrief: Share responses in small groups or a shared document.

Activity 3: Timeline of Technological Shifts
Objective: Compare the current AI transformation with prior labor disruptions.
Instructions:
  • Use the Library of Congress primary sources and a timeline creator (paper, Google Slides, or Canva).
  • Include key events and changes in:
    • The Industrial Revolution
    • The Digital Revolution
    • The AI Revolution
  • Highlight new inventions, jobs gained/lost, and societal reactions.
Optional: Include quotes or images from the sources to deepen the comparison.

Formative Assessment and Reflection

Exit Ticket Prompts (Choose One)
  • Describe one way AI is already influencing your school or local community.
  • What is one question you still have about AI?
  • Which job from your mapping activity surprised you most, and why?
Quiz (Use a Google Form or printed copy)
Sample questions:
  1. Define artificial intelligence in your own words.
  2. What is one key difference between traditional AI and generative AI?
  3. Provide an example of a job highly susceptible to automation and explain why.
  4. What was a major labor shift caused by the Industrial Revolution?

Optional Homework or Extension Activity
​The following activities include AI tools that enhance student engagement, provide data-driven insights, and facilitate personalized learning. 
​Group Activity 1: ChatGPT for Job Risk Analysis
Format: Small Groups (3–4)
Tool: ChatGPT (https://chat.openai.com)
Objective: Use generative AI to assess which jobs are most/least vulnerable to automation.
Instructions:
  1. Choose 5 local jobs (e.g., school librarian, custodian, nurse).
  2. Prompt ChatGPT:
    “Analyze the likelihood that [job title] will be automated in the next 10–20 years. What tasks can and cannot be automated? Why?”
  3. Summarize ChatGPT’s response for each job.
  4. Compare responses with data from https://willrobotstakemyjob.com.
Reflection:
  • What insights did ChatGPT offer that the website did not?
  • How reliable do you think ChatGPT's responses are? Why?

Group Activity 2: AI vs. Human Judgment – Job Skills Debate
Format: Small Groups
Tool: Curipod (https://curipod.com)
Objective: Use AI to generate arguments for/against AI replacing specific roles.
Instructions:
  1. Enter the prompt in Curipod:
    “Create a classroom debate: Will AI replace [job title]? Include points for both sides.”
  2. Assign roles: AI Proponent, AI Opponent, Moderator.
  3. Use the AI-generated debate slides to run a 5–7 minute classroom-style discussion.
Reflection:
  • Did the AI capture real concerns and strengths of each side?
  • What human skills did the debate process reveal?

AI-Integrated Individual Activities
Individual Activity 1: Generating AI Definitions
Format: Individual
Tool: Diffit (https://www.diffit.me)
Objective: Use AI to personalize explanations of core concepts.
Instructions:
  1. Go to Diffit and enter a term (e.g., “machine learning” or “automation”).
  2. Generate:
    • A student-friendly explanation
    • A quiz question
    • An image suggestion
  3. Save and share your set as a slide or printout.
Reflection:
  • Was the AI-generated explanation accurate and understandable?
  • How might you use this with your own students?

Individual Activity 2: Historical Parallel Generator
Format: Individual
Tool: Eduaide (https://eduaide.ai)
Objective: Connect historical shifts to modern AI trends.
Instructions:
  1. Prompt Eduaide:
    “Compare the impact of the Industrial Revolution with the current rise of AI on jobs.”
  2. Review the comparison generated.
  3. Revise or expand it for classroom use.
Reflection:
  • What similarities did the tool draw?
  • How could you adapt this output for a student-facing assignment?

Individual Activity 3: Canva Magic Write Timeline Builder
​Format: Individual
Tool: Canva Docs (Magic Write) (https://www.canva.com)
Objective: Create a visual timeline showing AI’s emergence.
Instructions:
  1. In Canva Docs, use the prompt:
    “Generate a timeline showing key events in the development of artificial intelligence from 1950 to today.”
  2. Transfer generated events to a Canva timeline template.
  3. Add 2–3 images, icons, or links.
Reflection:
  • Did the AI provide relevant milestones?
  • How might students benefit from this type of task?

Optional Add-on: AI Tool Reflection JournalGoal: Encourage metacognitive awareness of tool strengths, limitations, and potential classroom uses.
Prompt Examples:
  • What did this AI tool do well?
  • Where did it fall short?
  • How would you scaffold or adapt this for students at different levels?
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