AI in the Classroom- Magic School

 Part 1:  Use the Lesson Plan generator to create a lesson for the grade level/content area you teach using a specific standard/objective for your state as well as ISTE Student Standards. 

This is my first time using MagicSchool, and I am impressed by its AI capabilities. To be honest, I've struggled with this unit for some time. I had some ideas outlined, but MagicSchool expanded on them, making them more well-rounded. I asked MagicSchool to implement three different Common Arts Standards for my 7th-grade students:

• Envision and describe a scripted or improvised character’s inner thoughts and objectives in a drama/theatre work.

• Demonstrate mutual respect for self and others and their roles in preparing or devising drama/theatre work.

• Use various character objectives in a drama/theatre work.

Additionally, I wanted MagicSchool to incorporate the ISTE standard: Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations. The end goal of this lesson is to perform a monologue as a performance assessment, which aligns well with the types of assessments I already use in my classroom.

This lesson is appropriate for my 7th graders, especially with the technology integration aspect. Using collaborative tech tools like GoogleDocs is appropriate for their tech level and something that I can easily monitor appropriate usage of. I appreciate how this lesson plan explores different work scenarios, starting with brainstorming in pairs and then moving to independent work. I also like the extension activity for early finishers, which allows for differentiation and enables students to work at their own pace.

One change I would make is to adjust the timing of this lesson. While it is designed for one period, I would spread it out over four lessons since I only see my 7th graders for 40-minute blocks. This would also give sufficient time for the memorization of the monologue. I would also provide a more guided structure for using the technology. However, I prompted MagicSchool to suggest technology tools for the lesson, and it made some excellent recommendations.

Overall, this technology tool is fantastic for creating lesson plans. I have used AI for lesson planning in the past, but I usually received more general guidelines. By inputting specific standards into MagicSchool, I was able to get detailed, level-appropriate content that would be rigorous and challenging for my students.

Lesson Plan: Creating, Preparing, Performing Monologues.docx

Part 2: Interact with at least one AI-powered tool of your choosing on the Magic School page.

I used the Rubric Generator tool to create my rubric for this lesson. In the past, I have used AI for rubric creation as I find that the variations in wording can save a lot of time while providing diverse expectations for students. While I typically use AI to create rubrics, I've gone about it in a slightly different way. Typically, I input the category and describe what a score of 5 would look like. The AI then generates the scale, which I format. This process significantly streamlines my work. I was excited to find a new way of creating rubrics using grade-level standards as the input.

MagicSchool’s tool requires you to input standards and assessments. While this method has potential, I feel the categories and performance objectives it generates aren't specific enough for my needs. For instance, MagicSchool created a category called "Respect for Others," which seems like a buzzword extracted from the lesson objectives. I would prefer to make it more specific, such as "Audience Participation." This still addresses respect in the context of being an audience member but is tailored to the classroom setting. It helps students understand how to demonstrate attentive listening and support their peers effectively.

Improving the input I provide to the AI, such as being more precise about the desired outcomes, would enhance the rubric's effectiveness for grading. Overall, using rubrics is crucial for assessing student performance, as they clearly outline how students can improve. Relying solely on letter grades for performance assessments makes it challenging to justify their meaning.

Part 3: Reflection

I am thoroughly impressed by Magic School and the tools it offers teachers. While many people view AI as “cheating” or a way to cut corners, I see it as a valuable resource. When used responsibly, AI can significantly enhance both personal and professional efficiency. I would recommend Magic School to my colleagues.

One feature I’m excited to introduce is the “Create Teacher Joke” tool, which allows you to input specific contexts for lessons and generate relevant jokes. A colleague of mine loves incorporating humor into his teaching, and I think this feature could be a fun addition to his classroom. I’ve already tested a few joke topics and plan to try them out as well.

However, one challenge with Magic School is the temptation to use it as a “one-size-fits-all” guide. While it provides many helpful tools, it’s essential to tailor them to your specific classroom needs. I still prefer to create my own PowerPoint to ensure I fully understand how to apply the content in my classroom. I’ve seen instances where educators rely on AI without fully grasping the material, leading to a clear disconnect in their teaching. AI can provide a general overview, but it's crucial to ensure that this generality doesn’t translate into the classroom.

Despite these challenges, the benefits of using Magic School far outweigh the drawbacks. As someone who already incorporates AI technologies into my teaching, I appreciate that Magic School consolidates various tools into one platform tailored specifically for educators. I’m also interested in exploring the student side of this technology. By modeling responsible AI use, we can teach students how to effectively leverage these tools to enhance their lives.

Magic School. (2024). MagicSchool: A Comprehensive Platform for Educators.  MagicSchool. https://www.magicschool.ai