Grade & subject
Designed for elementary students (grades K–5), with a teacher guiding the youngest learners. A gentle first introduction to AI.
Is this right for my class?
Time & prerequisites
Flexible. Works as one class or across a few short sessions. No prior AI experience needed - this is the starting point.
Devices & internet
Optional. The story, discussion, and exit ticket run offline. The linked tools (Scratch chatbot, Code.org) need devices.
What students will learn
Essential question: What is artificial intelligence, and where do we already meet it in everyday life?
By the end, students can
- Describe, in their own words, what artificial intelligence is.
- Give examples of AI they already use or see.
- Talk about how machines can seem to 'think' and where they can be wrong.
- Show curiosity about how AI works through stories and media.
Big idea
AI is all around us. Long before students build anything, they can name where AI already shows up and start asking good questions about it.
Prepare & materials
Required (works offline)
- Printed copies of the Cece story.
- The printable Exit Ticket, one per student.
- The resource list (books, movies, and tools) for choosing follow-ups.
Prep time: about 10 minutes to print the story and exit ticket.
Optional (needs devices)
- Devices for the linked activities (Scratch "Build an AI chatbot," Code.org AI for Oceans, SpriteBox).
- A screen to show one of the listed movie clips.
Suggested teaching flow
This unit is a set of materials rather than a scripted agenda. Here is a suggested way to teach it.
- Read the Cece story and talk about what "artificial intelligence" might mean.
- Spot AI in daily life - students name places they already meet AI (voice assistants, recommendations, games).
- Explore together - pick a book, movie clip, or a tool from the resource list to go deeper.
- Wrap up with the Exit Ticket to capture what students now understand.
Assessment
Along the way (formative)
- Class discussion of what AI is and where it appears.
- Students' own examples and questions.
At the end
The included Exit Ticket captures each student's understanding of what AI is.
Open the Exit Ticket ↗Differentiate & extend
Support
- Read the story aloud and pause to discuss.
- Offer a word bank of AI examples.
- Let students draw an example of AI instead of writing.
Stretch
- Try the Scratch "Build an AI chatbot" activity.
- Compare two of the listed movies and how they show robots or AI.
What's included
Download everything at once, or grab the pieces you need. All files are PDFs.
- Cece story - an illustrated intro-to-AI story. Open ↗
- Exit ticket - the end-of-lesson check. Open ↗
- Resource list - books, movies, and tools to go further. Open ↗
Good to know
This intro pack does not include a formal standards map yet. Grade band: elementary (K–5). Pair it with the Facial Recognition or Machine Learning lessons for a standards-aligned session.