Unlock generative AI safely and responsibly—classroom toolkit

Generative AI brings exciting opportunities for education, alongside important questions about its impact. Microsoft supports educators in helping students explore these tools safely and responsibly, with curiosity and critical thinking.

As with any new technology, students need the knowledge and practical habits to make informed choices. Digital literacy, online safety, and media and AI literacy help them question what they see and consider the role they want AI to have in their lives.

The Classroom Toolkit: Unlocking generative AI safely and responsibly is a teacher-led resource for educators and students aged 13–15. It blends engaging narrative stories with instructional information to create an immersive learning experience. New media and AI literacy lesson plans extend the original toolkit with further opportunities to practice critical thinking.

The toolkit helps educators initiate important conversations about responsible AI practices, including content fabrications, privacy considerations, bias awareness, and mental wellbeing. The new lessons build on these conversations through practical activities that encourage students to check information and protect personal data.

Use this resource

The original toolkit gives students opportunities to explore generative AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot and prompting techniques, while developing practical digital safety skills. These skills include:

  • Fact-checking
  • Cultivating good digital hygiene habits
  • Safeguarding their data privacy
  • Adopting strategies to manage their mental wellbeing effectively

Educators can deliver the original toolkit in a single lesson or across four parts. This rough guide suggests how long each section may take, but we encourage extra time for discussion:

  • Introduction (20 minutes)
  • Gina’s Fight for the Ocean (30 minutes)
  • Game On with Alex (30 minutes)
  • Key Takeaways for Students (10 minutes)

The two new media and AI literacy extensions each take approximately 30 minutes, with extra time for discussion encouraged. Topics covered include AI-content labeling, source verification, and AI fabrications. The interactive quiz can be an introductory or ice breaker activity. We recommend completing the original toolkit first; the new lessons can then be used in either order or as standalone activities for a class, group, or independent study. Student use of AI tools is optional.

  • The Climate Campaign (30 minutes)
  • The Helpful Bot (30 minutes)
  • What’s Your AI Type? Quiz (10 minutes)

Microsoft developed this resource in partnership with Cyberlite, a social enterprise specializing in cybersafety, digital wellbeing, and AI education in Singapore.

Explore these resources for the materials available in each language. The original toolkit is available for download in English (US), English (UK), Chinese (ZH), Dutch (NL), French (FR), German (DE), Indonesian (ID), Japanese (JP), Korean (KO), Malaysian (MY), Portuguese (PT), and Thai (TH).

Availability of the new lesson plans and quiz varies by language, with additional languages added as they become available.

Train the trainer

This video is a comprehensive guide for educators on using the classroom toolkit. Educators learn to grasp the foundational concepts of generative AI, emphasizing safety and responsibility, with the help of the toolkit.

Learn to use the lesson’s slides to effectively engage and educate students aged 13-15, ensuring they navigate AI technology with confidence and care. This is the perfect starting point for enhancing classroom learning of generative AI tools and wanting to leverage the classroom toolkit as a key resource.

Teach with the classroom toolkit

This video is a quick guide for educators on effectively planning and pacing lessons using the classroom toolkit. It offers practical tips on structuring your teaching sessions, ensuring students grasp the essentials of generative AI at a comfortable pace. Ideal for teachers looking to maximize the impact of their lessons with these resources. If you're comfortable with generative AI concepts and ready to dive into using the toolkit, this may be the easiest place to start.

Applications in education

This video explores the essential considerations educators need to address before introducing generative AI tools in the classroom, including privacy concerns and ethical implications. It also showcases practical use cases, such as using generative AI tools to support diverse learners, helping teachers harness the power of generative AI to enhance educational experiences while maintaining a safe and responsible learning environment.

Classroom in session - student workshop

This live demonstration explains how the Classroom Toolkit can be delivered directly to students. It walks through key concepts of generative AI, reads Gina’s story, and explores Alex’s adventure together. Students are encouraged to engage in the hands-on "Try It Yourself" exercises to become familiarized with AI tools and prompt engineering. This video is for teachers who want an example of the workshop in action and seek ideas on framing the content in the classroom.

Resources: New lesson plans

English (US)

Indonesian (ID)

Thai (TH)

Resources: New plans coming soon

English (UK)

Chinese (ZH)

Dutch (NL)

French (FR)

German (DE)

Japanese (JP)

Korean (KO)

Malaysian (MY)

Portuguese (PT)

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