Artificial Intelligence Challenge Kit Spring 2025
This Challenge Kit is curriculum-connected for grades 6-12. No prior knowledge or experience of AI or the Real-World Problem Solving Journey required.
Students are coming of age in an era heavily influenced by artificial intelligence, with technologies such as ChatGPT, customized advertisements and photo-altering apps. Early indicators show that AI reflects concerning tendencies seen in society, including biases and the propagation of inaccurate information. If left unaddressed, the unbridled advancement of AI threatens human dignity and risks perpetuating existing oppressive systems. In a landscape where AI is the standard for young people today and likely in the foreseeable future, how can they actively participate in shaping its impact on their lives?
The AI Challenge Kit Experience
Our AI Challenge Kit Experience is a comprehensive program designed to demystify artificial intelligence for students. Over the course of 8 weeks, participants will explore the core concepts of AI, including machine learning, neural networks, and natural language processing. Through the Real-World Problem Solving Journey, and opportunities to learn from experts in the field, students will develop their own perspectives on the role of artificial intelligence to enhance the lives and possibilities for all students. This kit not only deepens student knowledge but also fosters critical thinking, creativity, and an understanding of AI’s potential impact on various industries and career paths.
Students’ guiding challenge is:
How might AI enrich the lives and possibilities for every student?
*Students will not be required to use AI as part of the Challenge Kit. The Kit includes student activities where AI can be used, both in and outside of the classroom to align with School Board rules. You choose – it’s all about your students and preference!
The Challenge Kit Experience
1 – Registration
To register, you need to know:
➜ Which class you’re doing this with
➜ Your availability in February for PD dates (listed below)
➜ Who is being invoiced for this experience
2 – Professional Development
➜ You’ll receive an email from us with your Professional Development Details.
➜ You need two days of release time for this experience. (Some school boards have alternative dates for the Introduction to Real-World Problem Solving)
➜ February 19th or 20th, 8:30AM – 3PM: Introduction to Real-World Problem Solving
➜ February 25th or 26th, 8:30AM – 3PM: Orientation
➜ You’ll receive physical materials here (or mailed to you if you join virtually), like the Facilitator Notebook and Classroom Poster.
3 – The Real-World Problem Solving Journey with your students, in your classroom
You’ll facilitate the Real-World Problem Solving Journey in your classroom, starting after March Break and wrapping up in early-to-mid May.
Frame the Problem
You launch the challenge with students by attending a live student Launch Event (or watch the recording) and inviting school admin to read a Letter (that you can customize) to launch the challenge.
Ignite Curiosity
This is where students build empathy, knowledge and understanding around the Challenge. We provide several Activity Plans and a live speaker series to help you do this.
Drive for Insights
This is where students dive into the complexity of the Challenge and use the Integrative Thinking tool called the Pro-Pro Chart.
Build Better Models
This is where students see the challenge in a new light through reframe questions and create recommendations that reflect their thinking from the other stages of the Real-World Problem Solving Journey.
Celebrate Success
After students present their thinking (there’s a slide deck to make this simple), join us for a virtual live event (or watch the recording) and celebrate your students’ thinking. After you fill out a post-survey, you’ll get a certificate template for your students.
Student Presentations to School Leaders
➜ Coordinate a date and time for students to present their thinking and recommendations to school administrators. Invite others interested in student voice.
➜ We provide a fill-in-the-blank template like this for students to share their thinking and insights.
4 – Teacher Celebration
Join us virtually to reflect on your and your students’ experience and get the conversation started on next steps. Teachers are supported throughout the experience through:
Professional Learning
Teachers will receive professional learning on Integrative Thinking, the methodology that underlies the Real-World Problem Solving Journey. Professional learning orienting you to the experience is mandatory for all participating teachers — this is where you’ll get everything you need to bring the experience to life in your classroom.
Coaching and Mentorship
You’ll have access to an I-Think Teacher Coach throughout this experience, who can help and support you in all the little and big things (really! Just ask – anything from logistics to how to get student thinking unstuck, and everything in between).
Resources and Materials
When you join the challenge, you’ll have everything you need to get your students solving a real-world problem. Together with our educator community, we’ve created a comprehensive facilitator notebook, customizable slide deck, reflective handouts and meaningful empathy lesson plans to take the guess-work out of bringing real-world problem solving to your classroom.
Cost
The cost of the Artificial Intelligence Challenge Kit is $1,000 per classroom. If there are more than 3 teachers in your school, there is a discount of $200 for every additional teacher.
Dates
| Professional Development: Introduction to Real-World Problem Solving | February 19th or 20th, 8:30AM – 3PM (In-person or virtual) |
| Professional Development: Orientation | February 25th or 26th, 8:30AM – 3PM (Virtual) |
| Real-World Problem Solving Journey with students in your classroom | March 17 – May 2, 2025 |
| Prepare Student Presentations | May 5-9th, 2025 |
| Students present their thinking & celebrate their success | May 12th-16th, 2025 |
Why Should We Participate?
Research indicates that community-connected challenges equip students with critical problem-solving skills—creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. Past data on Challenge Kits confirm their positive impact on these skills, fostering well-being across measures engagement, mattering and accomplishment.
I-Think is a proven mechanism to develop skills for future success:
AI Impact Report
In Spring 2024 we piloted our first Artificial Intelligence Challenge Kit with 25 schools and over 2,000+ students.
“All kids should have this opportunity.”
HDSB Student
“I had to think really hard. It was a lot of thinking.”
HDSB Student
“AI helping students who struggle is a whole world of possibilities unlocked. When students understand things they get so much more from their learning because they are actually learning things. This helps them succeed, feel confident in their work and even help mental health. This is important so that every student gets the best chance at a great future and they have lots of opportunities to show there new and creative ideas. Who knows, maybe they will invent something life changing…!”
HDSB Teacher
Those Who’ve Done It Before
I-Think Challenge Kits aren’t just learning resources—they’re experiences that bring real-world problem solving into the classroom in ways that students find meaningful and engaging. Through hands-on activities, collaboration and critical thinking, students get to explore issues that matter to them, from well-being to artificial intelligence, to Remembrance Day.
Take it from students at schools like Lisgar Middle School Peel DSB, Orchard Park Secondary School Hamilton-WDSB, Humber Summit Middle School Toronto DSB, and Castlebar Junior School kindergarten students, who’ve shared how these kits make learning come alive. They tell us that Challenge Kits help them think deeply, solve complex problems, and feel connected to their peers. Students love using their creativity to find solutions, and they thrive when given the chance to make real changes in their communities. We’ve also included a video from the adults at Market Lane Junior and Senior Public School, Toronto DSB!
