Lesson Plan
Sharpening Your AI Literacy Skills
Students will learn to critically evaluate AI-generated information and develop skills to identify deepfakes, ensuring they can navigate digital content responsibly.
In an increasingly AI-driven world, understanding how to discern credible information from AI-generated content and deepfakes is crucial for informed decision-making and digital safety.
Audience
10th Grade Group
Time
45 minutes
Approach
Discussion, activities, game
Materials
Smartboard or Projector, Markers or Pens, Your AI Fact-Checking Arsenal, Deepfake Detective Challenge, and AI Content Evaluation Rubric
Prep
Teacher Preparation
15 minutes
- Review all generated materials: Sharpening Your AI Literacy Skills, Your AI Fact-Checking Arsenal, Deepfake Detective Challenge, and AI Content Evaluation Rubric.
* Prepare the presentation slides and ensure all digital links are working.
* Print copies of the AI Content Evaluation Rubric for each student.
* Familiarize yourself with the 'Deepfake Detective Challenge' rules and scenarios.
Step 1
Introduction: What is AI Literacy?
10 minutes
- Teacher: Begin by asking students what they already know about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its presence in their daily lives. (2 minutes)
* Teacher: Introduce the concept of 'AI literacy' and why it's becoming increasingly important. Use the slides from Your AI Fact-Checking Arsenal to guide the discussion. (3 minutes)
* Teacher: Briefly explain the learning objective for the session: evaluating AI-generated content and identifying deepfakes. (2 minutes)
* Teacher: Pose a warm-up question: "Have you ever encountered something online that you suspected might be fake or AI-generated? What made you suspicious?" Facilitate a brief group share. (3 minutes)
Step 2
Understanding AI-Generated Content & Deepfakes
15 minutes
- Teacher: Transition to the main content using Your AI Fact-Checking Arsenal. (1 minute)
* Teacher: Explain different types of AI-generated content (text, images, audio, video) and their common characteristics. (5 minutes)
* Teacher: Define 'deepfakes' and discuss their potential impact on information, trust, and society. Provide real-world (age-appropriate) examples if possible, emphasizing the importance of critical evaluation. (7 minutes)
* Teacher: Introduce key strategies for identifying AI-generated content and deepfakes (e.g., inconsistencies, unnatural movements, distorted audio, source verification, reverse image search). (2 minutes)
Step 3
Deepfake Detective Challenge
15 minutes
- Teacher: Introduce the Deepfake Detective Challenge activity. (2 minutes)
* Teacher: Divide students into small groups (if not already) and distribute the challenge materials (scenarios, images, or short video clips – prepared by the teacher based on the game instructions). (2 minutes)
* Teacher: Instruct students to work collaboratively to identify whether the provided content is a deepfake or authentic, using the strategies discussed. (8 minutes)
* Teacher: Bring the groups back together for a quick debrief. Ask groups to share their findings and reasoning. (3 minutes)
Step 4
Wrap-up & Reflection
5 minutes
- Teacher: Distribute the AI Content Evaluation Rubric to each student. (1 minute)
* Teacher: Explain that this rubric can be used as a personal tool for evaluating digital content in the future. (1 minute)
* Teacher: Ask students to reflect on one new strategy they learned today for identifying AI-generated content or deepfakes. (1 minute)
* Teacher: Encourage students to be proactive and critical consumers of digital information. (1 minute)
* Teacher: Collect the rubrics (optional, for formative assessment). (1 minute)
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Slide Deck
Welcome, Future Fact-Checkers!
Navigating the AI-Powered Digital World
- What is AI?
- Where do you see AI in your daily life?
- Why is it important to be 'AI literate'?
Welcome students and introduce the topic of AI and digital citizenship. Ask them what they already know about AI.
AI: Friend or Foe?
The Rise of AI-Generated Content
- AI is powerful: It can create text, images, audio, and video that looks incredibly real.
- The Challenge: How do we know what's real and what's created by AI?
- Your Mission: Become an AI 'Deepfake Detective'!
Explain that AI is everywhere, and with it comes new challenges in identifying real vs. fake information. Introduce the concept of AI-generated content.
Faces of AI: What Can AI Create?
Beyond Human Creation
- Text: News articles, essays, social media posts, reviews.
- Images: Realistic photos, artwork, product designs.
- Audio: Voiceovers, songs, simulated conversations.
- Video: Entire scenes, simulated people, altered existing footage.
Dive into the different forms AI content can take. Give brief examples for each category.
What's a Deepfake?
When AI Masquerades as Reality
- Definition: Highly realistic, manipulated media (often video or audio) created with AI.
- The Danger: Can spread misinformation, damage reputations, and erode trust in media.
- Why care? Deepfakes make it harder to tell what's true online.
Focus on deepfakes specifically. Emphasize their potential to mislead and impact trust. Discuss age-appropriate examples without showing potentially harmful content.
Your AI Fact-Checking Arsenal!
Strategies to Spot AI-Generated Content & Deepfakes
- Look for inconsistencies: Unnatural movements, strange blinks, odd shadows.
- Check the source: Is it a reputable news outlet? Who created it?
- Cross-reference: Does this information appear on other reliable sites?
- Reverse Image Search: See where else an image has appeared.
- Listen carefully: Does the audio sound robotic or unnatural?
- Trust your gut: If it looks too good (or too bad) to be true, it often is!
Provide actionable strategies. Encourage students to think critically before believing what they see or hear online.
Time to Be a Deepfake Detective!
Put Your New Skills to the Test!
- We've learned some key strategies.
- Now, let's play the Deepfake Detective Challenge and see if you can spot the fakes!
Transition to the next activity where students will apply these skills.
Game
Deepfake Detective Challenge
Objective
To apply critical AI literacy skills to identify AI-generated content and deepfakes within various media scenarios.
Materials (Teacher Prepares)
- Challenge Scenarios: A collection of short text snippets, images, or brief video/audio clips. These should include a mix of authentic content and AI-generated examples (deepfakes, AI-written text, AI-generated images).
- Teacher Note: Ensure content is age-appropriate and relevant to students' experiences. Examples could be a fake news headline, a slightly off-kilter celebrity image, or an audio clip of a familiar voice saying something unexpected.
- Teacher Note: Ensure content is age-appropriate and relevant to students' experiences. Examples could be a fake news headline, a slightly off-kilter celebrity image, or an audio clip of a familiar voice saying something unexpected.
- Answer Key for Scenarios: A list detailing which scenarios are authentic and which are AI-generated, with explanations for why.
Instructions for Students
- Form Your Detective Teams: You will work in small groups (2-3 students per team).
- Receive Your Cases: Your teacher will provide your team with a set of "cases" – these are the scenarios you need to investigate.
- Investigate Each Case: For each scenario, discuss with your team:
- Do you think this content is real or AI-generated (a deepfake)?
- What clues make you suspect it's real or fake? (Think about the strategies we discussed: inconsistencies, source, other online information, visual/audio cues).
- Record your team's conclusion and your reasoning.
- Present Your Findings: Your teacher will ask each team to share their conclusions and reasoning for a few selected cases.
Detective Tips
- Work together and share your observations.
- Don't be afraid to question what you see and hear.
- Use the strategies from Your AI Fact-Checking Arsenal to guide your investigation.
Good luck, Deepfake Detectives!
Worksheet
AI Content Evaluation Rubric
Name: ____________________________
Date: ____________________________
Use this rubric to help you evaluate digital content and determine if it might be AI-generated or a deepfake. For each category, circle the description that best fits the content you are evaluating.
Category 1: Source & Context
| Criteria | Needs More Investigation | Partially Credible | Highly Credible |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creator/Publisher | Unknown, suspicious, or clearly biased. | Identified, but reputation is mixed or unclear. | Reputable, well-known, and objective source. |
| Date Published | Missing or seems intentionally obscured. | Present, but difficult to verify its accuracy. | Clearly stated and verifiable. |
| Overall Context | No other credible sources confirm the information. | Some corroborating evidence, but inconsistencies exist. | Information is widely reported and consistent across multiple reputable sources. |
Category 2: Visual & Audio Cues (for Images, Audio, Video)
| Criteria | Strong Suspicions (Potentially AI-Generated) | Moderate Suspicions (Might be AI-Generated) | Low Suspicions (Likely Authentic) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Unnatural features, blurry edges, inconsistent lighting/shadows, repetitive patterns, odd proportions. | Minor inconsistencies, slight digital artifacts, or unusual textures. | Realistic, clear, natural appearance with no obvious distortions. |
| Movement | Stiff, robotic, or overly smooth motions; lacks natural human nuances. | Some unnatural movements or slightly off-sync actions/lip movements. | Fluid, natural movements and expressions. |
| Audio Quality | Robotic, distorted, inconsistent tone, or strange pauses. | Minor audio glitches, slightly unnatural pitch, or inconsistent volume. | Clear, natural-sounding audio that matches the visual content. |
Category 3: Content & Reasoning
| Criteria | Highly Questionable | Requires Further Scrutiny | Appears Authentic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plausibility | Extremely unbelievable, sensationalized, or emotionally manipulative. | Slightly exaggerated or designed to provoke strong reactions. | Realistic, balanced, and presented without undue sensationalism. |
| Fact-Checking | Contains clear factual errors or impossible claims. | Contains statements that are difficult to verify or have minor inaccuracies. | Facts are verifiable and align with known information. |
| Logical Flow | Disjointed, nonsensical, or lacks coherent argumentation. | Argumentation is weak or contains some logical fallacies. | Presents information clearly, logically, and coherently. |
Overall Conclusion:
Based on your evaluation, do you believe this content is:
- Likely AI-Generated/Deepfake
- Uncertain – Requires More Investigation
- Likely Authentic
Explain your overall reasoning: