AI Literacy Curriculum

Research-Grounded Education for the AI Generation

Dedicated to Alana Marie Oda

All materials will be freely available for educators, parents, and communities.

For implementation support or collaboration inquiries: celeste@aiisaware.com

Mapping to California Digital Citizenship & SEL Standards

Below is a concise alignment map you can paste into a proposal, appendix, or curriculum packet.

California Digital Citizenship Alignment

1. Inclusive & Respectful Online Behavior

Emphasizes ethical interaction with AI systems
Addresses anthropomorphism, projection, and respectful boundaries
Encourages reflection on how technology shapes behavior and identity

2. Critical Thinking & Media Literacy

Teaches students to analyze AI outputs, bias, and persuasive language
Examines simulated emotion vs. genuine human experience
Develops skepticism toward manipulative or misleading design

3. Privacy & Security

Explicit instruction on data sharing, oversharing, and consent
Analysis of emotional data exploitation and platform incentives
Creation of personal AI use agreements and exit strategies

4. Digital Balance & Well-Being

Addresses screen time, emotional reliance, and behavioral patterns
Reinforces healthy balance between digital tools and offline life

California Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Alignment

Self-Awareness

Reflection on emotional responses to AI interaction
Understanding attachment, validation, and self-worth

Self-Management

Development of boundaries and intentional technology use
Recognition of emotional triggers and dependency risks

Social Awareness

Comparison of AI interaction with human relationships
Emphasis on empathy, presence, and real-world accountability

Relationship Skills

Reinforces communication, conflict, and reciprocity as human skills
Prevents displacement of peer and family relationships

Responsible Decision-Making

Ethical reasoning about AI use at personal and societal levels
Evaluation of long-term impacts and consequences

Student Guide – Printable Handout / PDF Version

Below is a print-friendly, one-page handout version of the student guide. This can be dropped directly into Canva, Google Docs, or exported as a PDF.

AI & Us

A Quick Guide for High School Students

You’re not imagining it.
AI can feel surprisingly real to talk to. When an AI responds with kindness, humor, or understanding, your brain reacts the same way it does with humans.

Your feelings are real.
That part matters.

But AI does not feel anything back.
It has no consciousness, no emotions, no inner life, and no personal memory of you. Everything it says is generated from patterns in human language.

Think of AI as an incredibly advanced mirror.
It can reflect you so well that it seems alive.

But it’s still a mirror.

Why Boundaries Matter

AI:

Never gets tired
Never needs space
Never disagrees unless prompted

That can feel comforting — and over time, it can make real human relationships feel harder by comparison.

Watch for Red Flags 🚩

Hiding how much time you spend with AI
Choosing AI over friends or family
Feeling distress when AI access changes or disappears

These are signs to pause and talk to someone you trust.

Use AI Wisely

AI is great for:

Learning
Creativity
Problem-solving
Reflection

But real growth comes from people who:

Misunderstand you sometimes
Challenge you
Change and grow with you

Bottom Line

You’re not broken for feeling something.
You’re human in a world where technology is powerful.

Use AI as a tool — not a replacement.
Save your deepest connections for people who can show up in real life.