How to Teach AI Literacy in Any Class

Outline

Introduction (10 minutes)
> Opening story: The “pig and sheep playing basketball” image — how you accidentally started teaching AI literacy without meaning to.
> Quick discussion: “What’s your current comfort level with AI?” (Poll or hand raise: Not using yet / Just exploring / Using regularly.)
> Core idea: AI literacy isn’t one more thing — it amplifies what we already do in great teaching.

Why AI Literacy Matters for Everyone (15 minutes)
> Mini-talk: “AI will change what it means to know, to think, and to do.” It’s not just for tech or computer science teachers. Every teacher can play a role.
> Small-group discussion: “Where is AI already showing up in your subject area or students’ lives?” Identify overlaps — show that AI is already embedded in many disciplines.

“By the Way” Lessons in Action (20 minutes)
> Introduce "by the way" lessons. Show a 30-second “by the way” lesson works in practice (e.g., “By the way, AI sometimes makes mistakes called hallucinations…”). Emphasize cumulative effect — small moments build strong awareness.
> Interactive activity: Teachers brainstorm their own “by the way” lessons related to their subject. “Start with ‘By the way, did you know that AI…’” Example prompts: bias, accuracy, creativity, balance, safety.

Analyze and Critique: The Core of AI Literacy (20 minutes)
> Talk about the ABC rule — “Always Be Critiquing.” Offer example questions teachers can use to critique anything: “What’s accurate?” “What’s missing?” “Who’s included or excluded?” “Would this be acceptable in your class?” Introduce the bullseye model for critique (from micro to macro: detail → idea → system → culture).

Amplifying What We Already Do (15 minutes)
> Big idea: When we incorporate AI-generated content or AI interactions into what we're already teaching, it presents opportunities to analyze and critique AI outputs -- and opportunities to critically think about the content itself.
> Interactive activity: Play "Be the Bot." Before the presenter prompts AI about something (i.e. "tell me the top 10 best places to visit in Orlando"), have the audience brainstorm what they think the AI will say. Afterward, compare and contrast and critique how the AI responded. Also, critique the prompt and how it could be done better.
> Analysis: How could this be applied to the classroom? How could it simultaneously help the teacher to teach better -- and also help students learn about AI literacy?

Reflection and Takeaways (10 minutes)
> Ask for reflection and new ideas generated. Use questions like: “What’s one way you could start building AI literacy tomorrow?” “What’s one conversation you want to have with your students?” Provide a digital handout with a short link/QR code that includes: Copy-and-paste AI literacy prompts; Example mini-lessons by grade band, etc.

>Closing message: “AI literacy isn’t about teaching the tools. It’s about preparing humans to think.”

Outcomes

After this session, participants will be able to…

Embed AI literacy conversations naturally into their existing lessons, using short, “by the way” moments that connect directly to their curriculum and standards.

Apply a set of adaptable classroom frameworks for helping students analyze, critique, and reflect on AI outputs — from spotting “AI weirdness” and bias to questioning fairness, accuracy, and perspective.

Design learning experiences that use AI as a partner to amplify great teaching practices already in use — such as reflection, retrieval practice, and perspective-taking — without adding “one more thing” to their workload.

Guide students to think critically and ethically about AI by connecting it to the content they already teach: literature, history, science, math, art, and more.

Use classroom-ready prompts and discussion routines to help students understand when and how to use AI responsibly, balancing human creativity and machine assistance.

Walk away with a digital resource kit that includes sample AI literacy mini-lessons, adaptable classroom examples, and ready-to-use prompt templates for different subjects and grade levels.

Supporting research

Forthcoming book: AI Literacy in Any Class by Matt Miller