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William & Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation

Family Lesson: Play to Understand Together

Part of the AI for Families resources for schools developed as part of the online professional development course The AI-Empowered Teacher, this activity aims to help parents and caregivers understand how AI systems are designed, where bias can creep in, and what questions to ask as technology becomes part of schooling and everyday life.

Activity

Purpose for Families

AI isn’t just a classroom topic—it shapes the tools, decisions, and opportunities your children will encounter daily. This family session helps parents and caregivers understand how AI systems are designed, where bias can creep in, and what questions to ask as technology becomes part of schooling and everyday life.

Instructions for Facilitators

  • Choose Activities: Select one online and one unplugged activity that best fits the grade level and comfort of families.
  • Set the Time: Each activity takes 15–30 minutes (depending on discussion). Plan for at least one unplugged activity and one online activity.
  • Create the Space: Arrange families in small groups (mixed children + adults). Provide clear printed directions and materials (images, handouts, or devices if needed).
  • Guide Reflection: After playing, invite families to discuss:
    • What surprised you about how the system worked?
    • Where did bias show up?
    • What questions should we ask before trusting or using AI?
  • Connect to Daily Life: Help families link the activity back to their context: How does this show up in schools? Social media? Everyday technology use at home?

Example Activities

Online

  • Most Likely Machine: Play the algorithm. You’ll be asked to make judgments and then experience how those decisions are shaped by the data you were given.
    • Great for exploring how training data shapes outputs and reinforces patterns.
  • Survival of the Best Fit: You’re in charge of hiring. This game puts you in the role of an algorithm and shows how even fair-seeming decisions can amplify bias.
  • Can You Mix a Standout Track Using an AI Music Generator? Test your creative instincts with an AI music tool. See how much of the final product feels like you, and how much is shaped by the system.
    • Fun entry point into thinking about human-AI collaboration and creative agency.
  • QuickDraw: This accumulates data from interactions with users to allow AI to quickly guess what users are drawing. Play through the game once (6 drawings) or twice before returning to reflect. Pay close attention to the drawings AI guesses almost instantly and the ones it struggles to guess.

Unplugged

  • AI Facial Recognition: Use character images to simulate how facial recognition works.
    • A powerful, quick activity to explore algorithmic bias, especially in visual data.

Facilitator Notes by Grade Level

  • Elementary School: Choose hands-on, unplugged activities (e.g., Most Likely Machine or Facial Recognition) with simplifed instructions. Use concrete examples (“What happens if the computer only learns from a few kids?”).
  • Middle School: Mix unplugged with online activities. Encourage students to explain to parents what they notice, putting them in the role of teacher.
  • High School: Select more complex simulations (e.g., Survival of the Best Fit or How Should My Data Be Used?). Prompt families to connect insights to career, college, or social implications.

Closing Step

End the session by asking families to name one question they will now ask about AI in their child’s education. Collect these as a shared list to show the power of critical, informed engagement.

About This Activity

This resource was developed with support from the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) through a collaboration with the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation and the Kentucky Department of Education, New Mexico Public Education Department, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and Wyoming Department of Education. The materials reflect shared priorities across the four states while allowing schools and districts to adapt them for their local communities.