North Side School’s fourth graders at the East Williston School District have been actively engaging in discussions about the role of artificial intelligence in the workplace and its growing impact on society.
As part of a hands-on digital design project led by teacher Michael Mazur, the students generated creative AI prompts to produce images, such as “space pizza,” a “neon ghost” and a “banana scoring a touchdown.”
“After multiple discussions on the importance of crafting detailed and concise prompts when asking AI to produce a product or complete a task, students had the opportunity to practice their prompting skills using various experiences from Google’s experiments,” Mazur said in a press release.
Building on their prompt-writing skills, the students used Adobe’s AI image generator to design illustrations for some of their favorite picture books. Through these activities, they learned to specify the medium, subjects and context when asking AI to generate specific images, discovering how precise language opens a world of digital art creativity — limited only by their imagination.
The immersive lesson empowered students with the essential tools for the future, such as creating structured prompts and fostering critical thinking, problem-solving skills and digital literacy. By engaging with real-world AI applications, the students embraced an iterative learning process that nurtured independence, resilience and creativity.
Throughout the project, the students evaluated and improved their work, embodying a growth mindset by viewing challenges as opportunities for development. Additionally, they collaborated with peers to deepen their understanding and enhance their communication skills, promoting a strong sense of community within the classroom.
Mazur’s integration of real-world AI applications prepares North Side School students to become future-ready, tech-savvy individuals. As they develop essential digital literacy skills, the students can confidently navigate and contribute to an increasingly technology-driven world.
