AI Literacy for Young Learners: A Co-Designed Robotics Unit for Students to Discover the World Beyond Human Senses
Nicole M. Hutchins, LaToya Chandler, Yuhan Lin, Jason McKenna, Aimee DeFoe, Maya Israel · 2025
This demo introduces a hands-on robotics module designed to cultivate AI literacy in elementary students through computational thinking and robotics. Co-designed with 20 elementary school teachers and instructional coaches, the module helps students differentiate between artificial intelligence and human intelligence, focusing on the AI4K12 Big Idea of Perception, and specifically how our senses differ from a robot's sensors. The centerpiece of the curriculum is the "alien planet" task, where students program a robot to explore an unseen planet created by a peer, using its sensors to identify objects like "aliens" (green), "water" (blue), and "unique materials" (red). This activity not only builds critical thinking and problem-solving skills but also introduces foundational AI concepts, such as how machines perceive the world differently than humans. By connecting to other subjects like art (e.g., hue values) and linking to students' real-world experiences, the module offers a truly interdisciplinary and relevant approach to early AI education.