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Using AI Tools with OER Project Resources Guide

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USING AI TOOLS WITH OER PROJECT RESOURCES: A GUIDE FOR TEACHERS(Grades 5–12)Tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s CoPilot, Google’s Gemini, and Perplexity AI are opening exciting new possibilities for teaching and learning with OER Project resources. It’s this potential of AI tools that drives our certainty: We need to bring AI into the classroom. Our students will grow up in a world shaped by AI, and it’s our job to prepare them—not just to use these tools but to understand them. But what does that mean? Here’s the good news: You don’t need to be a tech expert to get started. Think of AI as a powerful tool—but think of it as a scalpel, not a hammer. When used thoughtfully, it can enhance your teaching and empower your students. But before we dive into the nuts and bolts, let’s get clear on what AI can and can’t do.AI is fantastic at memorization and synthesis. It can pull together information faster than any student (or teacher) could. It’s even pretty good at helping with certain skills-based tasks. But here’s where it falls short: AI doesn’t truly understand the information it “sees.” Instead, it sees information as a series of patterns. It can’t analyze, interpret, or evaluate without specific guidance. It’s great at Jeopardy, but it’s not going to write a thoughtful essay or lead a deep classroom discussion.That’s why, before using AI in the classroom, we have to ask ourselves: What can AI be responsible for? What requires a human touch? When we set these boundaries, AI becomes an ally, not a threat. Ready to explore the possibilities? Let’s get started!ContentsWhy Support AI in the Classroom? .........................................................................................................2Preparing Students to Use AI Tools Academically .................................................................................2Using AI with Students ...........................................................................................................................3How Teachers Can Use AI .....................................................................................................................4Best Practices for Teachers ....................................................................................................................6Conclusion ...............................................................................................................................................6
2OER Project ImpactWhy Support AI in the Classroom?We recognize the varied opinions about using AI in education. However, AI can save teachers time and support student learning—when used thoughtfully. Like all teaching tools, AI should be applied purposefully and in ways that empower both students and teachers. It should enhance, not replace, the teacher’s role. AI can:• Provide personalized student support.• Encourage critical thinking and problem-solving.• Streamline lesson planning and instructional materials.• Offer creative engagement with historical and interdisciplinary topics.By incorporating AI thoughtfully, we help students develop the skills they need to navigate the future. It’s about using AI to elevate learning without overshadowing the essential human elements of teaching.Preparing Students to Use AI Tools AcademicallyBefore introducing AI, ensure students understand how to use the tools responsibly and effectively. These fundamentals will help:1. AI Has Great Capabilities...and Limitations§AI doesn’t “know” anything—it generates responses based on patterns in data. While it can handle tasks like grammar checks or summarizing, its outputs always need human review.§Why this matters: Teaching students to understand AI’s strengths and weaknesses ensures they will use it thoughtfully and won’t rely on it blindly. This skill is crucial in a world where misinformation is rampant.2. Effective Prompts Are Key§Teach students to ask clear, specific questions. “Tell me about history” isn’t an effective prompt for an AI tool. “What caused the Industrial Revolution?” is.§Have students introduce themselves to the AI ( “I’m a tenth-grade history student studying the Industrial Revolution using OER Project resources”) to ensure the responses are age-appropriate.§Why this matters: Crafting precise prompts ensures that AI generates responses aligned with learning goals. It also helps students learn how to communicate effectively with digital tools—an essential skill in the modern world.3. Digital Literacy Is a Must§Show students how to cross-reference AI-generated information with reliable sources, like those in their OER Project courses. AI can make errors, especially with complex or specific content.§Why this matters: Cross-checking and fact-checking are vital habits, like claim testing, in an era where information is at our fingertips. By emphasizing digital literacy, you prepare students to be discerning consumers of both AI and non-AI content.4. AI Must Be Used Ethically§Discuss the ethical implications of AI use, including data privacy and intellectual property concerns. Remind students that AI is like any other tool—it’s helpful in moderation but loses value if over- or misused.
3OER Project Impact§Why this matters: Discussing ethics ensures students understand the broader societal and personal implications of technology, helping them make responsible decisions as digital citizens.Using AI with StudentsHere are practical ways to integrate AI into OER Project lessons:1. Brainstorming and Research§Activity: Have students use AI to brainstorm questions about a topic (the Agricultural Revolution, for example). Refine their ideas with AI-generated suggestions.§Tip: Specify that the AI tool’s sources must come from OER Project materials or provide a link to guide its responses. This ensures the brainstorming process is aligned with your curriculum.§Why this matters: By directing AI to use OER Project resources, you ensure students stay on track with your lesson plan. Doing this will automatically create a ring fence around the information that students have access to. It also gives students a sense of ownership in the learning process while maintaining curricular focus.§Prompt example: “I’m learning about the Agricultural Revolution and need help brainstorming questions to explore this topic. Can you suggest some open-ended and thought-provoking questions about its causes, effects, and significance in world history aligned to information from World History Project?”2. Writing Assistance§Activity: Students can easily fall into the trap of allowing AI to “draft” an essay for them. Instead, once a student has drafted their assessment, have them paste their writing in an AI agent, and then ask: “What arguments am I overlooking?” “Have I overlooked any evidence?” §Tip: Treat AI outputs as starting points—students should refine and personalize their work. They can point to specific materials in their question for which they want more-specific feedback from the AI agent (see the prompt example, below). §Why this matters: AI is not a shortcut for completing an assignment, but a coach to help students think more deeply and critically about a topic. This is a way for AI to enhance the writing process without overriding your work as the teacher. §Prompt example: “Here is my draft essay on the Agricultural Revolution. Can you analyze my argument and tell me what perspectives or evidence I might be overlooking? Are there any gaps in my reasoning or areas where I could strengthen my claims?”3. Critical Analysis Practice§Activity: Provide students with AI-generated responses to analyze. Ask them to identify inaccuracies, biases, or gaps, and then compare them with the evidence they’ve gathered from OER Project materials.§Tip: Make this a collaborative activity to encourage discussion and critical thinking. You could also use AI-generated essays for students to assess using the OER Project Writing Rubric.§Why this matters: AI-generated content is not infallible—this activity teaches students to think critically about all information, helping them build analytical skills that will serve them in any context.
4OER Project Impact§Prompt example: “Ask an AI tool to write an essay that would score a 2 on the OER Project Writing Rubric and answers the Big History Investigation question, ‘When and why do people change their minds?’ Include links in your AI prompt to the DBQ resources and the OER Project Writing Rubric. Use the output to collaboratively edit, adjust, and analyze the writing with your class. When you’ve edited the essay, ask AI to now assess the essay using the OER Project Writing Rubric and see what score you now receive, and what feedback the tool gives you for further enhancement.” 4. Exploring Scenarios§Activity: Use AI to imagine alternative outcomes in history (“What if the printing press had never been invented?”). Compare AI-generated ideas with historical facts.§Tip: Guide students to assess the plausibility of AI-generated scenarios using evidence from OER Project content. This could also be a forward-thinking exercise, where students ask AI to predict outcomes based on current events.§Why this matters: Using AI to explore “what if” scenarios sparks curiosity and encourages deeper engagement with historical events. This also helps students connect past events to present-day issues. It’s a great way to practice continuity and change over time. §Prompt example: “What if the printing press had never been invented? Generate possible alternative historical outcomes, considering impacts on literacy, communication, and societal change. Then, compare these ideas with actual historical developments to see how history might have unfolded differently.”How Teachers Can Use AI Prompt creation is key when using AI for planning. Just as students should introduce themselves to the tool, teachers should do the same. Share your grade, state (to ensure standards are met), and any specific learning needs in your classroom. Always include the OER Project lesson guide link (found in the Hammer) or any relevant OER Project resource link in your prompt. This ensures the AI-generated materials are tailored to your unique context.AI can streamline planning and enhance lessons when paired with OER Project resources:1. Lesson Planning§Use AI to generate outlines, activities, and discussion questions tailored to OER Project topics.§Why this matters: AI speeds up the planning process, giving you more time to focus on teaching and adapting lessons to meet students’ needs.§Prompt example: “I’m teaching a lesson on [OER Project topic: for example, the Agricultural Revolution] and need help generating an outline, student activities, and discussion questions. The lesson should encourage critical thinking, use primary sources when possible, and align with historical thinking skills. Can you provide a structured lesson outline with engaging activities and thought-provoking discussion questions?”2. Adapting Materials§Adjust OER Project content for different grade levels or simplify complex topics using AI.§Why this matters: AI makes it easy to differentiate instruction, ensuring that all students are challenged appropriately, and that content remains accessible to diverse learners.
5OER Project Impact§Prompt example: “I’m teaching [OER Project topic: for example, the causes of the French Revolution], but I need to adjust the content for [specific grade level—for example: ninth-grade students] or simplify some of the more complex ideas. Can you break down the key concepts in a way that’s accessible for my students while keeping the content engaging and historically accurate?”3. Creating Scaffolding Tools§Design graphic organizers, guided questions, and summary sheets with AI to support complex topics.§Why this matters: AI-generated scaffolding tools help students navigate challenging content more easily, allowing for a more supportive learning environment.§Prompt example: “I’m teaching [complex topic: for example, the Industrial Revolution], and I need graphic organizers, guided questions, and a summary sheet to help students grasp the key concepts. Can you design a set of tools that break down the topic into manageable parts and guide students through understanding the cause-and-effect relationships and main ideas?”4. Developing Assessments §Place the link to an OER Project lesson in an AI agent, and the tool will create tailored assessments, such as multiple-choice questions, short answers, stimulus-based prompts, and differentiated rubrics.§Why this matters: It saves time, enhances fairness, and ensures assessments align with learning goals, ultimately improving student outcomes.§Prompt example: “Create a 30-question assessment for tenth-grade world history students that has multiple-choice questions, stimulus-based short-answer questions, and a writing prompt based on the information found in this lesson https://www.oerproject.com/World-History-Origins/Unit-1/History-Stories.”5. Professional Development§Use AI for strategies on teaching interdisciplinary concepts or integrating primary sources into lessons.§AI can also analyze classroom data to provide insights for setting learning objectives.§Why this matters: AI supports your own professional growth by offering tailored suggestions and analyzing data that can help you refine your teaching practices.§Prompt example: “I’m working with OER Project materials on [specific topic: for example, the rise of empires] and want to develop my professional practice in facilitating student discussions. Can you suggest strategies to help me engage students in critical conversations about the topic, and provide tips on how to assess their understanding of complex historical ideas effectively?”Best Practices for TeachersAs with other tools you’ve introduced in your classroom, it’s imperative that you explain to your students the role that AI will play in your instruction. 1. Model AI Use: Demonstrate thoughtful, critical use of AI. Show students how to verify and improve AI-generated content. Use AI together as a class to set expectations and collaboratively use the tool. Fall back on the teaching credo of “I do, we do, you do” when using AI.
6OER Project Impact2. Set Clear Expectations: Define acceptable uses of AI (brainstorming versus completing assignments, for example). Provide examples of correct and incorrect uses, and explain why certain uses aren’t acceptable. You might even need to provide clear examples of acceptable and unacceptable use to thoroughly illustrate the point. 3. Encourage Collaboration: Pair AI use with group activities to promote discussion and collective learning. Or, set up a situation where its students learning versus an AI-created response. This positions AI as another “contributor” in the classroom, one that that can be disagreed with or questioned. 4. The Final Product Is Not AI: When students use AI, have them include the generated content in their final work to show how they developed it further.Why this matters: By modeling AI use and setting clear expectations, you help students understand how to engage with the tool responsibly and creatively. These practices ensure that AI complements—and doesn’t shortcut—the learning process.ConclusionWhen used responsibly, AI tools paired with OER Project resources can transform teaching and learning. By preparing students to use AI thoughtfully, you’ll equip them with the skills they need to thrive in a world where technology and critical thinking go hand in hand.