AI literacy for young learners
Age-appropriate lessons that help elementary students understand AI — without the hype or the fear.
The gap
Everyone talks about AI for high schoolers. But what about the little kids? They're encountering AI in toys, games, smart speakers, and apps — and nobody's teaching them what it is.
"Huge gap for under 6th grade. What about the little kids?"
It's like when schools used to say, "Oh, little kids won't use the internet." Now AI is everywhere — and elementary teachers don't have resources.
What we provide
6-8 lessons per grade band
Designed to fit into existing digital citizenship time. No need for extra schedule slots.
K-2 curriculum
- • AI is a computer program that learns from examples
- • AI can make mistakes
- • "Smart" doesn't mean "always right"
- • AI is a tool, not a person or friend
Grades 3-5 curriculum
- • How AI learns from patterns in data
- • Privacy basics — what to share, what not to share
- • AI "friends" aren't real friends
- • AI can be helpful but has limits
- • Not everything AI says is true
Ready-to-teach materials
- • Lesson plans with clear learning objectives
- • Discussion guides for teachers
- • Student activities and worksheets
- • Parent communication templates
Sample activity: "AI or not AI?"
Show students examples and ask them to sort: Is this AI or not?
- • Siri answering a question (AI)
- • A calculator (not AI)
- • A book recommending another book (AI)
- • A lamp turning on (not AI)
- • Spell check fixing your word (AI)
- • A microwave timer (not AI)
This builds basic AI literacy without technical jargon.
Why this matters for foundational skills
AI makes certain skills MORE important, not less:
Reading fluency
AI can read aloud, but students still need to read themselves.
Handwriting
Physical writing develops brain connections keyboards can't replace.
Number sense
Understanding what numbers mean matters more when AI can compute.
Critical thinking
"Is this true? How do I know?" — essential when AI generates content.
Who this is for
Elementary schools that want to teach students about AI in an age-appropriate way — building awareness without adding screen time.
Ready to teach AI literacy to young learners?
Schedule a call to discuss K-5 AI curriculum for your school.