COG3 Literacy Teacher Professional Development Discussion Starters: Sample AI-Produced Inquiry Unit Designs
These examples provide evidence of what Smith4 can do using the design principles distilled from a chat that I kept open and extended for almost a week. Ordinarily, I don’t sustain the same conversation over several days. My intent here was to test the extremes of an off-the-shelf state-of-the-art bot’s current ability to adhere to an original task prompt following considerable wandering into nooks and crannies. I’m not so sure it’s ready for prime time in this regard. It had a tendency to misfire (regress to mainstream assumptions about lesson design) as I continued to layer the discussion. I can’t even speculate about why. In any case, here are a few examples of COG3 inquiry unit designs almost completely generated by AI with minimal correction and commands to regenerate output during production. I have added my touches in italics.
*****
EXAMPLE 1
Smith4: For a unit plan centered on Ancient Greece and specifically the Pre-Socratic era, the goal is to help students understand how early Greek philosophers shaped the foundations of Western philosophy and the Western world with their inquiries into the nature of existence, reality, and the cosmos.
**Unit Title:** The Dawn of Western Thought: Pre-Socratic Philosophers
**Grade Level:** 10th Grade
**Duration:** 2 weeks
### Objectives:
- Students will identify key Pre-Socratic philosophers and their contributions.
- Students will analyze and compare Pre-Socratic views on cosmology, metaphysics, and reality.
- Students will create a digital timeline illustrating the evolution of Pre-Socratic thought.
- Students will experience guided small group use of a language bot as a research tool.
### Materials:
- Excerpts from primary sources by Pre-Socratic philosophers
- Secondary sources providing historical context and analysis
- Access to a natural language algorithm in the classroom
- Access to computers/internet outside of the classroom for digital timeline creation (e.g., Tiki-Toki, TimeToast)
- Access to technology to create presentations or on Pre-Socratic philosophy
### Activities:
**Day 1-2: Introduction to Pre-Socratic Philosophy**
- Ask students to consider the idea of free will. Lead a discussion evoking their thoughts on the matter. Ask them to consider the idea that that humans can never comprehend a thing in itself as it exists in reality. Explain that these are philosophical ideas.
- Introduce the period, its historical context, and its significance.
- Discuss what is known about the philosophers of the time and the sources of our knowledge.
- Assign short reading materials to be read individually on Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes, with guided questions.
- Invite an Exit Slip from each student with questions about the unit.
**Day 3-5: Deep Dive into Individual Philosophers**
- Small group activities researching assigned philosophers using AI in class.
- Focus on one philosopher per group: Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Pythagoras, Heraclitus, Parmenides.
- Groups prepare short presentations summarizing their philosopher's key ideas and questions.
**Day 6-8: Comparative Philosophy and Group Discussions**
- Provide students with a strategy to take notes and organize information from the presentations
- After presentations, host discussions comparing the varied approaches and theories. Call on students to share information they noted that seemed important and explain why.
- Introduce concepts like the "unity of opposites" (Heraclitus) and "being vs. becoming" (Parmenides).
- Analyze how these ideas contrast with one another and their legacy in Western thought (optional use of AI as a whole class)
**Day 9-10: Digital Timeline Creation**
- Provide mini-lessons on using the chosen digital timeline tool.
- Using notes from the presentations and from inquiry group work, students work in out-of-group pairs to create digital timelines that chronologically arrange philosophers and their key ideas.
- Emphasize the importance of historical context in understanding each philosopher's thought.
- Host a symposium where students in their groups formally present their conclusions. Invite questions and discussion to model the ancient Greek tradition of philosophical dialogue.
Assign individuals to write a memo reflecting on the philosophers and their significance to them personally. The memo should include questions that remain unanswered for them.
### Assessments:
- Participation in discussions and group work (self, peer, and teacher assessments).
- Presentations on assigned philosophy.
- Digital timeline, assessed on accuracy, comprehensiveness, and presentation
- Final reflective memo on the influence of Pre-Socratic philosophy on their personal worldviews.
**Note:** As always, check for accuracy in the use of primary and secondary sources, ensure all digital tools comply with school guidelines, and differentiate instruction based on individual student needs.
EXAMPLE 2
Applications of AI integration for the Industrial Revolution unit could include the following:
1. Teacher Demonstrations:
- AI-Powered Slide Presentations: Teachers can use AI tools like Beautiful.AI to create dynamic slide presentations that highlight key events and innovations of the Industrial Revolution. These can serve as a visual aid to provide an overview of the era.
- Virtual Reality (VR) Industrial Tour: Teachers might employ VR to lead students through a virtual tour of an Industrial Revolution-era factory, using AI to simulate the environment and machinery, enhancing the understanding of working conditions and technological advancements.
2. Small Group Uses:
- AI Chatbots: Small groups can interact with an AI chatbot designed to answer questions about the Industrial Revolution. Teams can quiz the chatbot to clarify facts, inquire about historical figures, and understand concepts.
- Timeline Creation: Groups could utilize AI timeline tools like Tiki-Toki or Time.Graphics to construct interactive timelines detailing significant milestones of the era. These digital timelines can include images, text, and even video to elaborate on the events.
3. Research Aid:
- AI Summarization Tools: Tools like SMMRY can help students condense lengthy articles or documents into shorter summaries, making the research process more efficient. Small groups can use these summaries as starting points for deeper dives into their subtopics.
4. Writing Assistance:
- Grammar and Writing Enhancement: AI tools like Grammarly or Hemingway Editor can assist students in polishing their group memos and reflective essays, ensuring clarity and coherence.
5. Reflection and Group Memos:
- Narrated Reflection Tools: AIs like Synthesia can generate avatars that speak text written by the students, allowing for a multimodal reflection experience. Students can script their reflections on AI sessions and submit them as narrated videos.
- AI-driven Analytics: After each AI session, groups could use analytics tools like Domo or Google Analytics to gauge their progress, understanding, and engagement level by analyzing time spent on tasks, resources used, and outcomes achieved.
When integrating these AI tools, it's crucial to ensure that students are reflecting on their experiences with AI and sharing insights. Group memos can be structured around few key prompts:
1. What new information did the AI tool help you uncover about the Industrial Revolution?
2. How did the AI tool enhance or hinder your understanding and analysis of the events you researched?
3. Describe how collaborative was the AI tool in your group's dynamic.
4. Reflect on any challenges you encountered while using the AI tool and how you overcame them.
5. How might you apply what you've learned through the AI session to other areas of your education?
By integrating AI tools effectively, not only can you augment the research and learning process but also foster critical thinking, collaboration, and reflective skills among students.
EXAMPLE 3
User: Consider the topic “The Coming Storm: The Civil War in the United States” and design a COG3 inquiry unit plan according.
Smith4: Topic: "The Coming Storm: The Civil War in the United States"
Grade: COG3 (Cognitive Level 3, appropriate for high school or advanced learners)
Unit Summary:
This inquiry unit explores the buildup to the American Civil War, examining the complex social, political, and economic factors that led to conflict. It involves critical analysis, primary source evaluation, and collaborative inquiry to help students understand the multifaceted causes of the Civil War.
Unit Plan:
1. **Engagement and Exploration (Weeks 1-2)**
- Introduction to the Antebellum period, focusing on key issues like states' rights, the expansion of slavery, and economic differences between North and South.
- Students form inquiry groups and use AI tools to research different perspectives, including those of abolitionists, slaveholders, industrialists, and politicians.
2. **Investigation and Analysis (Weeks 3-4)**
- Each group investigates specific events leading up to the Civil War, such as the Compromise of 1850, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and the Dred Scott decision.
- Groups create digital timelines using tools like TimeGraphics or Tiki-Toki to map out the events and their causal relationships.
3. **Synthesis and Deep Dive (Weeks 5-6)**
- Groups negotiate specific subtopics, e.g., economic factors, the role of specific individuals (like Lincoln or Douglas), and social movements (like the Underground Railroad).
- Facilitated class debates on pivotal issues, using structured argumentation and critique, guided by teacher and peer feedback.
4. **Sharing and Feedback (Weeks 7-8)**
- Intra-group presentations to share insights and findings.
- Inter-group gallery walks where students can view timelines and engage with other groups' findings, providing feedback and asking questions.
5. **Assessment and Reflection (Weeks 9-10)**
- Portfolio assessment: Each student submits a portfolio containing their research, timeline contribution, reflection on the debate, and responses to peer feedback.
- Culminating experience: A mock Constitutional Convention, where students role-play historical figures to discuss and negotiate solutions to avoid the war, followed by a reflective compare-and-contrast session with the real historical outcomes.
Strategies for Success:
- Facilitate group collaboration using online platforms (e.g., Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams).
- Incorporate AI-driven research tools (e.g., natural language processing [NLP] algorithms) to analyze primary source documents for bias, context, and subtext.
- Develop skills in sourcing, context analysis, and corroborating evidence.
- Use formative assessments through reflective memos where students articulate their group's progress and their individual learning journey.
This unit plan provides a scaffolded approach to understanding the complex events leading up to the Civil War, leveraging technology and collaboration to encourage deep inquiry and critical thinking, culminating in a rich understanding of this tumultuous period in American history.
EXAMPLE 4
User: Consider the topic “Birds of a Feather: Science on the Wing.” This inquiry unit is intended to be implemented in fourth-sixth grade during Science. Subtopics include 1) what science tells us about the evolution of birds, 2) how scientists study birds in the wild, 3) biological adaptations of interesting species from around the globe, 4) the physiology and physics of flying , and 5) scientific studies of bird intelligence. Include uses of reading, writing, mathematics, diagramming, and making tables. Provide ideas for in-class teacher demonstrations of scientific experiments.
Smith4: **Inquiry Unit Plan: Birds of a Feather: Science on the Wing**
**Grade Level:** 4th - 6th Grade
**Subject:** Science
**Duration:** 5 weeks (1 week per subtopic)
**Unit Description:**
Students will explore the fascinating world of birds and learn about the scientific practices used to gather knowledge in ornithology. Through hands-on activities, reading, writing, and analysis, students will develop a disciplined understanding of scientific inquiry methods.
**Week 1: Evolution of Birds**
- *Objective:* Understand scientific theories about the evolution of birds.
- *Activities:*
- Reciprocal Reading: Excerpts from science texts about bird fossils and evolution.
- Writing: Journal entries hypothesizing how birds may have evolved.
- Group Discussion: How fossils provide evidence for theories.
- Diagramming: Create a timeline of bird evolution.
- *Teacher Demonstration:* Show a fossil and demonstrate how scientists extract information from it.
**Week 2: Studying Birds in the Wild**
- *Objective:* Learn how scientists observe and study bird behaviors in their natural habitats.
- *Activities:*
- Mathematics: Calculate population estimates from sample counts.
- Data Collection: Use binoculars to observe birds and record data on species.
- Writing: Field notes on observations.
- *Teacher Demonstration:* Set up a bird feeder with a motion-activated camera to demonstrate field study equipment.
**Week 3: Biological Adaptations**
- *Objective:* Investigate unique adaptations in bird species and how they relate to their environments.
- *Activities:*
- Research: Use books and online resources to research specific bird species.
- Writing: Report on the adaptive features of a chosen bird species.
- Mathematics: Graphing beak sizes and shapes correlated to diet.
- Tables: Compare adaptations across species in a table format.
- *Teacher Demonstration:* Dissect an owl pellet to explore diet and predation.
**Week 4: Physiology and Physics of Flying**
- *Objective:* Study the mechanics of how birds fly and the evolution of flight.
- *Activities:*
- Experiments: Construct simple models of bird wings to understand lift.
- Physics: Investigate principles of aerodynamics and anatomy.
- Writing: Explain the mechanics of bird flight in an essay.
- Diagramming: Draw anatomical diagrams of bird wings.
- *Teacher Demonstration:* Demonstrate how air moves over different shapes with a wind tunnel and smoke or blowing paper streamers.
**Week 5: Bird Intelligence**
- *Objective:* Explore the cognitive abilities of birds and the methods used to study animal intelligence.
- *Activities:*
- Case Studies: Read and discuss scientific studies on bird intelligence.
- Experimentation: Conduct simple puzzles and mazes with class pets.
- Writing: Analyze experiment findings and reflect on implications for intelligence.
- Mathematics: Charting and interpreting data from intelligence studies.
- *Teacher Demonstration:* Show videos of birds solving problems and discuss the experiments' design.
**Portfolio Assessment Strategy:**
Students will maintain a science inquiry journal documenting their hypotheses, observations, data, analyses, and reflections. They will also compile a portfolio showcasing their research reports, diagrams, tables, and experiment outcomes. At the end of the unit, students will present their findings on one subtopic to the class, discussing both the scientific content and the inquiry methods used to study it.
**Culminating Experience:**
A classroom "bird science fair" where students showcase their portfolio pieces and demonstrate their understanding of scientific methods through interactive presentations and experiments.
To enrich the unit with direct experience in distributed knowledge construction using natural language algorithms :
**Small Group Inquiry with ChatBot:**
For each week, the teacher can set aside time for small groups to work with a ChatBot, which could provide guidance, answer questions, and offer resources related to their subtopic investigation. Each group would be assigned a specific area to research further and then share their findings with the class.
**Week 1: Evolution of Birds**
Students can be grouped and prompted to inquire about different prehistoric bird species. The ChatBot can offer information on the Archaeopteryx, the Hesperornis, and other ancient birds, guiding students to explore their features and speculate on bird evolution.
**Week 2: Studying Birds in the Wild**
Different small groups could investigate various bird-watching methods or study specific bird behavior patterns with assistance from the ChatBot. For instance, one group might inquire about migratory tracking, while another could learn about territorial calls.
**Week 3: Biological Adaptations**
Groups in this week could explore distinct bird adaptations. One group could investigate beak types whereas another might focus on wing structure. The ChatBot can guide them through scientific articles and videos demonstrating these adaptations.
**Week 4: The Physiology and Physics of Flight**
Groups could use the ChatBot to find resources explaining complex concepts like aerodynamics. Each group might focus on a different aspect of flight, such as lift, thrust, or energy efficiency.
**Week 5: Bird Intelligence Studies**
Students can work in groups to research bird intelligence, with each group focusing on a specific aspect such as tool use or communication skills. The ChatBot can provide focused materials and stimulate critical thinking through guided questions.
Each small group would be responsible for preparing a brief presentation at the end of the week to share what they learned with the whole class, promoting knowledge-sharing and a deeper collective understanding of the topic being studied.
