🎓 Fourth Grade AI Curriculum - 12 Weeks 🎓

Week 1: Revisiting Human vs. AI Thinking

• Compare how humans and AI solve multi‑step, open‑ended problems (e.g. planning a school event).

• Introduce algorithms: students write a step‑by‑step procedure, then compare it to a simple program’s output.

Week 2: Data Literacy & Preparation

• Teach data concepts: clean vs messy data, labels, features.

• Activity: curate their own dataset (e.g. various leaves tagged by color/shape) and discuss why labeling matters.

Week 3: Smart Systems in Action

• Explore real AI systems—smart homes, traffic lights, voice assistants.

• Hands‑on: plan a “smart garden” or student‑invented smart object using sensors and flowcharts.

Week 4: AI in Entertainment & Media

• Analyze recommendation systems: how YouTube/Spotify alex AI suggests content.

• Students design their own “AI DJ” or game‑character AI by specifying inputs/outputs.

Week 5: Intro to Machine Learning Models

• Compare types of models—classification vs regression—with non‑technical games.

• Activity: predict outcomes (e.g. estimating reading progress) using sample data.

Week 6: Generative AI & Art

• Use an AI tool to generate images or music—then refine prompts together.

• Compare generated pieces to human‑made art; emphasize process and iteration.

Week 7: AI‑Boosted Writing & Storytelling

• Students co‑write short stories with tools like chatbots.

• Focus on editing: students refine AI suggestions, learning how to guide and evaluate.

Week 8: AI Research & Careers

• Deep‑dive into real AI applications—robots, environmental monitors, medical diagnostics.

• Guest speaker or virtual interview with an AI professional or researcher.

Week 9: Fairness, Bias & Responsibility

• Examine biased outcomes: e.g. datasets that misidentify skin tones or accents.

• Activity: create a “bias detective” checklist to evaluate AI examples.

Week 10: Prototyping Simple AI Tools

• Students build basic AI programs—e.g. a personality quiz, or weather predictor—using block‑based coding (e.g. Scratch with data or micro:bit).

• Emphasize testing, debugging, and refining logic.

Week 11: Ethics & Decision‑Making

• Discuss if AI “should” do certain tasks—e.g. driving cars, grading essays.

• Debates and role‑plays: “You are a town mayor—should we use AI for X?”

Week 12: Capstone “AI Solutions” Project

• Student teams identify a real-life problem (e.g. school traffic, waste management) and conceive an AI‑based solution.

• Create prototypes (paper, flowchart, simple code) and pitch to parents/classmates.

Real‑World Relevance

• How AI informs weather forecasts, medical scanning, environmental monitoring.

• Parents’ use of AI in phones, apps, and home devices.

• Future roles: AI ethicist, data scientist, robotics engineer—even creatives using AI tools.

Assessment: AI Journals & Portfolios

Students will:

1. Document discoveries, questions, and reflections weekly.

2. Save artifacts—diagrams, code screenshots, output examples.

3. Reflect on personal growth: e.g., “What ethical challenge surprised me?” or “How did I improve my prompt to the AI?”

Getting Started

• Equip students with accessible tools: Scratch, block‑based ML platforms (like ScratchML or Cognimates), free AI art/generation sites (safely curated).

• Balance demonstration, guided experimentation, and peer work.

• Integrate ethical check‑ins and reflection consistently.

What do you think? Will this help a fourth grader understand AI?