The plan
Why?
<!-- /wp:heading -->| This lesson plan introduces AI as a modern tool to enhance math education, specifically in developing and solving story problems. It leverages generative AI’s capabilities to create engaging, context-rich math problems, fostering critical thinking and real-world application skills among students. This integration showcases the intersection of technology and education, preparing students for a tech-savvy future. |
| Materials Needed | Time needed | ||||
| - Computers or tablets with internet access |
- Access to AI text generator (links at end of document)
- Printouts of AI-generated story problems (optional) | | | Approximately 30 minutes | | | | Objectives | | | | | | | * Students will be able to interact with an AI tool (such as ChatGPT) to generate math story problems.
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Students will be able to use their problem-solving skills by tackling unique, AI-created scenarios.
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Students will be able to critically assess and revise AI-generated content for clarity and relevance. | | | | | | | Lesson | | | | | | | Introduction to AI text generator:* Briefly explain AI and introduce AI text generator, focusing on its ability to create story problems.
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Illustrate the process of creating story-based problems for whatever process currently being studied in the class. (See examples at the end of the lesson.)
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Warn students that AI text generators do not necessarily have a perfect understanding of mathematical facts, so they may struggle at times to create solvable problems.
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There are several different ways to respond if the AI text generator provides a problem that does not fit with the task requested:
- Keep prompting it to revise problems until it comes up with one using the requested skills
- Ask students to analyze the problem to try to understand what it is actually askingGenerating Story Problems:* Divide students into pairs or small groups. Each group interacts with an AI chatbot to request math story problems relevant to their current topic of study.Suggestions: * Ask the AI to write a story in a particular setting or genre that is interesting to students. (such as medieval, sci-fi, etc.)
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If the problems are too easy or too difficult, prompt the AI with a request to modify. (For example, “The story problem is too complicated. Make it a bit simpler.”)
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Request the story problems unsolved. That way students will be able to do the math themselves.
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Request the story problems without the mathematical equations included. That way students will get practice extracting relevant information.Solving Problems* Students print out the stories, or share with each other in documents, or project them in the classroom.
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Students work on the problems individually or in groups, writing out their solutions. | | | | | | | Discussion Questions | | | | | | | 1. How did the AI-generated story problems compare to traditional problems?
- What are the benefits and limitations of using AI to create math problems?
- Discuss any unexpected or unusual problems generated by AI and how they were tackled. | | | | | | | Supplemental Activity Ideas | | | | | | | Graphing AI Data: Generate a series of AI-created data sets for different mathematical scenarios (e.g., sales over time, temperature changes). Students can graph these data sets, interpret trends, and make predictions.Cross-Subject Integration: Use generative AI to generate story problems that incorporate elements of history, science, or literature, encouraging interdisciplinary learning. | | | | | | | Sources to Learn More | | | | | | | AI Chatbots to try for this assignment1. ChatGPT: chat.openai.com
- Anthropic Claude: claude.ai/
- Google Gemini: gemini.google.com/chat
- Microsoft Copilot: https://copilot.microsoft.com/ | | | | | |
-AI-and-Mathematics-Story-Problems-1