Document Type
Presentation
Publication Date
7-2026
Keywords
artificial intelligence, AI literacy, AI in education, K-6 education, elementary education, generative AI, responsible AI, AI safety, critical thinking, AI-generated content, teacher professional development
Disciplines
Education
Abstract
This group project explores strategies for making artificial intelligence engaging, educational, and safe for K-6 students. The project addresses concerns associated with irresponsible AI use, including risks to children, unnecessary use of natural resources and computing power, and the development of unproductive AI habits. It presents classroom activities designed to help young students understand AI as a technology rather than simply a toy. One activity uses AI-generated images to encourage creativity, clear communication, critical analysis, collaboration, and reflection on the computational costs and limitations of generative AI. A second activity, “AI Detective,” teaches students to critically evaluate AI-generated responses for inaccurate, biased, or missing information and determine whether information should be trusted, verified, or not trusted. Together, the activities promote age-appropriate AI literacy, critical thinking, responsible AI use, and realistic expectations about the capabilities and limitations of artificial intelligence.
Community Engaged/Serving
Part of the UMass Boston Community-Engaged Teaching, Research, and Service Series. //scholarworks.umb.edu/engage
Recommended Citation
Jimenez, Anshi Moreno; Klein, Fred; Dong, Mason; Jain, Kunal; Gu, Jasmine; and Mao, Yuanheng, "Making AI Interesting and Safe for K-6 Students" (2026). Paul English Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute Publications. 40.
https://scholarworks.umb.edu/ai_pubs/40
Rights
© 2026 Learning Educators About Generative AI for Understanding and Engagement (LEAGUE)
Comments
Free and open access to this work is made available to the UMass Boston community by ScholarWorks at UMass Boston. Those not on campus and those without a UMass Boston campus username and password may gain access to this work through Interlibrary Loan. If you have a UMass Boston campus username and password and would like to download this work from off-campus, click on the “Off-Campus Users” button.