AI in Action for Educators

As educators, we plan lessons intentionally — and sometimes, real-world events shift what our students and communities need most. Recent events in Minnesota have highlighted how quickly inaccurate, AI-generated, or misleading information can spread online, including images and claims with no basis in fact.

This isn’t about the events themselves — it’s about the information environment: the speed at which content spreads, the confidence with which falsehoods are shared, and the challenge this poses for critical thinking in students and adults alike. Because of this, it felt important to move this topic up in the AI in Action for Educators sequence, so teachers can focus on practical skills to help students (and themselves) navigate a landscape where seeing isn’t always believing.

With generative AI creating text, images, audio, and video in seconds, it’s getting harder to know what’s real online. Students, families, and educators are encountering content that can be inaccurate, biased, or intentionally deceptive.

We know AI-generated content can:

• Appear authentic even when false

• Be shared faster than it can be verified

• Reinforce biases and misinformation patterns

That’s why strengthening media literacy and verification skills is just as important as traditional reading and writing skills — maybe more so right now.

In this issue of AI in Action for Educators, you’ll explore practical ways to help students — and yourself — navigate today’s information landscape. You’ll learn how AI changes what “credible” looks like online, simple strategies for teaching students to pause and verify information, and classroom-ready tools and activities for any grade level to build critical thinking and media literacy skills.

You’ll also find simple visuals, classroom posters, and ready-to-use resources you can share with students right away.

You don’t need a new unit or specialized technology to help students navigate AI-generated and misleading content. Small, consistent habits make a real difference — across all grade levels and subject areas.

Try these classroom practices:

• Focus on the source, not just the content

• Compare information across multiple trusted sources

One source isn’t enough anymore — especially online.

• Normalize uncertainty

Show students that saying “I’m not sure — let’s check” is a strength, not a weakness.

• Remind students (and yourself) that AI can sound confident and still be wrong

Professional-looking content isn’t the same as accurate content.

💡 Start with questions, not tools

• “What makes this believable?”
  

• “Where else can we check this claim?”

💡 Teach verification habits (not just AI)

• Pause before sharing or trusting a claim
  

• Check the source and look for multiple reliable confirmations
  

• Use real tools like reverse image search and fact-checking sites
  

These thinking skills are more valuable than any specific detection app — many detection tools do not provide perfect answers and judgments still require human verification.

💡 Embed this across subjects

• English: Evaluate sources in research projects
  

• History/Social Studies: Compare multiple accounts of events
  

• Science: Check claims in infographics or health news

• Math: Analyze data presented in misleading charts

• Ask better questions about information

• Recognize that not everything online is trustworthy

• Understand that AI tools can produce errors and bias

• Take responsibility for what they believe and share

These skills support literacy, civic engagement, and digital citizenship at every age.

If you’d like structured lessons or interactive experiences, here are research-based tools and activities that reinforce these skills:

• PBS NewsHour Classroom — AI Unlocked

• PBS NewsHour — ChatGPT: Separating Fact From Fiction

• University of California Workshop — Detecting AI-Generated Misinformation

• Minecraft Education — Reed Smart: AI Detective

• Human or AI Chat Activity

• “Spread of Misinformation” Game Lesson

• Ready to Use Lesson Plans to Teach AI

We can’t expect students (or ourselves!) to instantly know what’s real online. But we can help them ask better questions and use tools that make verification a habit. Think of this as building “information confidence” rather than just teaching fear of misinformation. 👍

Below are a few resources teachers may want to reference — download or copy the items to create posters, share with students, or use in your classroom activities. 👇

Next week, we return to NotebookLM to explore standards — aligning curriculum, clarifying meaning, and planning with purpose. You might be surprised at how much NotebookLM can do to make the standards come alive!

Let's keep exploring and creating!

Laurie

Laurie Conzemius
Technology Integration and Media Specialist
Park Rapids Area Schools

🔍 Why This Matters

AI can create text, images, audio, and video that look real — even when they’re inaccurate or intentionally misleading.

The most important skill today isn’t finding information — it’s deciding whether to trust it.

🛑 Pause Before You Believe or Share

Ask:

• What is this asking me to feel?
  

• Who benefits if I believe or share this?

🔎 Check (Not Just Once)

Look for:

• A real, named source (not just a logo)
  

• Multiple reliable sources reporting the same thing
  

• Evidence that can be traced (quotes, data, original context)

🔁 Compare

• Do other trusted outlets say the same thing?
  

• Does this change when I search outside social media?

🤖 Remember About AI

• AI can sound confident and still be wrong
  

• AI reflects bias from its training data
  

• AI may “fill in gaps” with false information
  

• Professional-looking ≠ accurate

💬 ASK A QUESTION

“Is this real?”

“Can a teacher help me check?”

⭐ Classroom Message

Smart kids ask questions.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Notes

• Read-alouds
  

• Morning meeting
  

• Show-and-tell images
  

• Simple research projects
  
  

To help me make these lessons most useful (and to use my time wisely), I’d love your input:

How do you prefer to receive these AI lessons?

☐ Short written newsletters like this

☐ Short video walkthroughs

☐ A combination of both

You don’t need to reply unless you’d like to—this is just helpful feedback.

And finally, if you would like a short video or Google Meet walkthrough of anything we cover, please let me know. I’m happy to create videos or meet virtually with you when you'd like help.

You can view all of the AI in Action for Educators lessons on our district website through this link: https://www.parkrapids.k12.mn.us/departments/technology-homepage/ai