Teach children how AI works — without putting them in front of AI
Understanding AI: Unplugged. A practical half-day or twilight workshop that gives KS2 teachers five ready-to-use, screen-free lessons for introducing AI literacy.
Using five connected, Roman themed lessons, pupils explore:
Learning → Prediction → Bias → Mistakes → Collaboration
Children do not need individual screens, AI accounts or access to AI tools. Instead, they learn through storytelling, class voting, physical activities, discussion and collaborative decision-making.
The aim is not simply to show children how to use AI, using prompts It is to help them begin understanding how it works, why it sometimes gets things wrong and where human judgment remains essential.
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AI literacy begins with understanding
Many children will encounter AI long before they understand what it is doing.
Understanding AI: Unplugged gives teachers an accessible and age-appropriate way to introduce the ideas behind artificial intelligence before pupils begin using and relying on AI tools.
Guided by Maximus, a Roman character who appears throughout the course, the class investigates five important concepts.
1. Learning
How can a machine learn to recognise something?
Pupils examine a mixture of Roman and non-Roman images and look for patterns. They experience how examples can be used to train a system and discover why the quality of those examples matters.
2. Prediction
What is likely to come next?
Through timed questions, class voting and collaborative storytelling, pupils experience prediction as a series of choices. The class physically builds a story one decision at a time, reflecting how a language model generates a response.
3. Bias
What happens when the examples are incomplete or unbalanced?
Children discover that an AI system can reproduce patterns found in its training information. They explore fairness, representation and the role people play in selecting examples and interpreting results.
4. Mistakes
Can something sound confident and still be wrong?
Pupils meet the confident machine, test its claims and learn why a convincing answer is not necessarily a correct answer.
The lesson encourages informed trust not fear, cynicism or blind acceptance.
5. Collaboration
What can people and AI achieve together?
The class brings its learning together by creating a four-part Roman exhibition with Maximus and the machine.
Pupils decide the purpose, assess suggestions, improve the work and remain responsible for the final result.
Where does human judgment fit?
Judgment runs through all five lessons.
Children are encouraged to ask:
- What examples were used?
- What might be missing?
- Does this prediction make sense?
- How could we check this claim?
- Is the result fair?
- Who is responsible for the final decision?
The course concludes with an important message:
“Working with AI is a conversation, not a handover. People set the purpose, question the output and remain responsible for the result.”
A complete classroom resource
The training can be delivered as a half-day or twilight session for primary school staff.
Teachers experience selected activities themselves, explore the thinking behind each lesson and consider how to introduce AI confidently and thoughtfully.
Every participating school receives the complete resources for all five lessons, including:
- Ready-to-use PowerPoint presentations
- Timed questions and class voting activities
- Answer reveals
- Teacher discussion prompts
- Collaborative storytelling exercises
- Classroom decision-making activities
- Guidance for exploring bias, judgment, trust and responsibility
There is no specialist technical knowledge required, and teachers do not need to be confident AI users before attending.
Designed for primary classrooms
Understanding AI: Unplugged is particularly suitable for Key Stage 2 and can support learning across computing, English, PSHE, citizenship and digital literacy.
It offers schools a way to begin discussing AI that is:
- Accessible
- Age-appropriate
- Creative
- Collaborative
- Screen-free
- Focused on responsible use
The Roman theme gives the five lessons a shared story and visual identity, while Maximus provides a familiar guide as the ideas become more challenging.
About Oscar Stringer
Oscar Stringer has more than 25 years of experience working in schools, teaching children and training teachers to use stop-motion animation as a creative tool for learning.
He has also spent more than ten years designing and delivering creative learning experiences through Apple Developer Academies in four countries. His workshops have helped learners develop their skills in storytelling, communication, presentation and the development of technology ideas.
Understanding AI: Unplugged brings these experiences together, helping primary teachers introduce artificial intelligence through creativity, participation and critical thinking.
Why unplugged?
Understand before using
Children explore how AI learns, predicts and makes mistakes before being asked to use AI tools.
Less screen time
Pupils learn through discussion, voting, storytelling and collaborative activities rather than individual devices.
Human judgement stays central
The programme teaches children to question outputs, recognise bias and understand that people remain responsible for decisions.
Bring Understanding AI: Unplugged to your school
The training can be delivered as a half-day or twilight session for your teaching team.
Teachers leave with a clearer understanding of the ideas behind AI and a complete set of resources that can be used immediately in the classroom.
To request further information or arrange an introductory conversation, please get in touch.