Week 4 Blog : Magic School AI

 Magic School AI Lesson plan : https://app.magicschool.ai/tools/lesson-plan-generator?share=c90f45fe-bddd-47c8-8e77-2ead98df8931

Part 1 :

I used Magic School AI to generate a lesson plan for my 4th grade students working on an informational paragraph related to Geology.  The Nebraska State Standard LA.4.W.5 states students will “Write informative/explanatory pieces to examine a topic or text and convey ideas and information.”  The ISTE standards it is meant to align with are Innovative Designer, “Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful, or imaginative solutions” and Knowledge Constructor, “Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.” (ISTE, 2016) 

After looking through the lesson plan, it does align well with the Nebraska state standard of writing an informative piece that examines an idea. I think it somewhat aligns with Innovative Designer and Knowledge Constructor, with the use of a resource packet. However, from my own experience, I think an online “choice board” for students to use would give them more resources, allow for everything to be found in one place, and ensure that all students have access to correct content. As my 4th graders are currently in their Geology Unit, I have put together a choice board that gives them access to videos, online articles, student-friendly websites, and online books. This choice board can be organized into slides based on the topic they choose. Volcanoes, Tsunamis, and Earthquakes will each have their own slide of resources. The AI lesson also goes on to explain that their paragraph needs to have 3-5 sentences. I would change this expectation to at least 5 sentences. We talk a lot about stamina and grit in my class, and students know that a paragraph is 5 full sentences. I also have a whole class of gifted and high ability learners, so the expectation is that they are academically challenged to go above and beyond. In my lesson, I will model the paragraph to students with a topic related to Geology, but not one of their choices. This way students aren’t able to copy or think back on any of my specific facts or details. I will model the research process with Geysers as my paragraph topic. I would pull up the Geology choice board, show students the Geysers slide, and begin talking aloud as I click on different resources. I would show them that I have a lined piece of paper in front of me, and go over how to take paraphrased notes. We have spent a lot of time throughout this unit discussing proper note taking. As I read through some articles and watch short videos, I will use my docu-camera to show bullet point notes I am writing down about Geysers. Then, I would show how to transfer these notes on to a graphic organizer students will use to write their rough draft. The AI lesson plan didn’t include students following the draft, revise and edit, peer feedback, and final copy system that we have used this year. So, I would change this and have students write their rough draft on the graphic organizer (including topic sentence, at least 3 detailed sentences, and a concluding sentence). I would also remind students of how to re-read aloud to check for grammar errors, and using the online dictionary to check for words they are unsure on how to spell. Then, when I have seen all students rough drafts, they will be given a peer review partner. This partner will listen to their paragraph and give them 2 stars and a wish. Meaning, two things they loved and one thing they wish they would have included or changed. Finally, students will be able to type their final draft on a Google Doc. I will go over with students how to access their Google Drive and how to open a blank Google Doc. When students have typed their final draft, they will be asked to include a graphic of some kind at the bottom. This graphic should be related to their topic, and can be digitally added from the web or hand-drawn and air dropped onto their doc. I believe this tool is useful for the bones of a lesson plan, but does not accurately represent a classroom or rigorous lesson. Only teachers know what is best for their specific classroom and for their students. AI can come up with one hundred different ways an assignment can be completed, but it still might not be the best thing for the students in your class, or for what they have already learned throughout the year. For example, my class has referred to a specific writing process all year that AI wasn’t aware of and did not include. Also, AI doesn’t know the expectations in your classroom. For example, AI in this case didn’t know I expected at least 5 sentences in a paragraph.

The lesson reflects Kolb’s Triple E Framework. Students begin the lesson by being engaged with a model of the paragraph and by technology, the Geology Choice Board.  The Choice Board is made for kids, so it is appealing to their eye and catches their attention right away. This technology is also centered towards the task students are to be completing. Students are also able to enhance their learning through using technology to take research notes and go over how to take proper paraphrased notes on a topic. Finally, students are able to extend their learning to the real world, as the Geology topics (Volcanoes, Tsunamis, and Earthquakes) are real-world occurrences. Students will have access to a live cam of YellowStone National Park, and videos of active Volcanoes in Hawaii. This will help them understand that these things really do happen, and encourage their research efforts. Students will also be able to use this Geology Choice Board at home through Google Classroom. 

Part 2 : 

I used the Magic Student option and accessed the Writing Feedback tool. I took one of my students' writing samples from last quarter and plugged it into the writing feedback tool. The tool is supposed to allow students to get direct feedback on things they can improve and strengths their current piece already has. After plugging in a persuasive writing pitch from one of my 4th grade students, the tool came up with three areas of strength, three areas of growth, and three general writing mechanics tips. I think the feedback was very useful, as it gave ideas on how to make two ideas connect better with a transition word, how to write a stronger concluding sentence, and how to break some longer sentences into shorter ones for easier reading. I would use this tool for my students during the editing and revising portion of their writing process. I worry about giving them direct access to it all the time, because I don’t want them to use it to give them all of their ideas. I want them to still do the thinking and writing for themselves. So, this tool might only be helpful if allowed during a certain short time period and only for editing and revision purposes. 

Part 3 : 

My overall thoughts on Magic School is that it is a wonderful resource for both students and educators. I think it can provide teachers with ideas on how to extend lessons, how to adjust lessons, and further enhance student learning. However, only teachers truly know what is best for their class and their specific students. So, I wouldn’t advise teachers to rely on Magic School completely. I also think it’s a helpful resource for students, but some challenges might be in the delivery of Magic School expectations and trusting students to only use it when they are supposed to. My biggest concern would be students using it to do the thinking and work for them, or turning it into an online toy. I think it could benefit student writing and provide great feedback, ideas, and suggestions. I don’t currently use AI tools in my 4th grade classroom, mainly for the reason I mentioned above. I think my students already have a lot of access to technology and AI at home, and school is a place for them to be creative on their own. They also have grown up with AI, and now question whether real things are AI or not. For example, looking at a picture of the Grand Canyon, students in my class suggested immediately that it was AI. When in fact, it was a real picture of a real national park. If used for the right reasons, taught correctly, modeled efficiently, and given a strong purpose, then Magic School AI is a great resource.

Citations : 

International Society for Technology in Education. (2016). ISTE standards for students.

Nebraska Department of Education. (2021). Nebraska English language arts standards.

Kolb, L. (2020). Triple E Framework. Triple E Framework.