When students use AI, does the thinking stop, or has it just begun? This session explores how the 14 Practices of Building Thinking Classrooms scaffolded a 7th-grade AI elective and a transdisciplinary 9th-grade project.
Participants trace a curricular journey from how the brain learns to the mechanics and ethics of AI. VNPS and Visibly Random Groups shifted AI from a solitary screen experience into a collaborative, social process, keeping student cognition visible alongside AI outputs.
Highlights include students identifying real-world problems and using AI as a thinking partner, BTC practices ensuring cognition remains visible, and collaborative thinking that turned local problems into service learning with real-world impact
