Learning Resource Type

Learning Activity

Real or Artificial?

Subject Area

Digital Literacy and Computer Science

Grade(s)

6

Overview

In this learning activity, students will watch small video clips similar to text-to-speech technology. This video shows artificial intelligence-generated sound clips that have been matched to each short video clip. Students will try to guess which audio clip is real and which one has been artificially generated. 

    Digital Literacy and Computer Science (2018) Grade(s): 6

    DLCS18.6.29

    Define artificial intelligence and identify examples of artificial intelligence in the community.

    Unpacked Content

    UP:DLCS18.6.29

    Vocabulary

    • artificial intelligence

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • that artificial intelligence is the use of computer systems to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence and include services such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision
    • making, and translation between languages.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • identify examples of artificial intelligence.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • while artificial intelligence is designed to aide, it also has negative side effects.

    Phase

    After/Explain/Elaborate
    Learning Objectives

    Learning Objectives

    The students will be able to define artificial intelligence and identify examples of artificial intelligence in the community. 

    Activity Details

    This learning activity should be completed after students have been introduced to artificial intelligence. 

    1. The teacher will kick off the activity by asking the students to turn and talk to their partners about some ways they use artificial intelligence every day. Allow time to briefly review student answers.
    2. Explain to the students that you will be showing a video of various sound clips. One of the sound clips is artificially generated and the other is real. They will be playing a game called "Barometer" as they guess which sound is the real one and which sound is artificially generated. 
    3. Show the video, Video to Sound - Artificial Intelligence Generates Sound Clips to Match Video. Stop the video after each sound clip (should stop after the dog, chainsaw, water flowing, rail transport, fireworks, baby crying, printer, helicopter, and drum) before the answer is revealed to allow time for students to move to the designated area in the classroom for real, artificially generated, or unsure. Before showing the answer, call on one or two students to defend their reasoning and allow students to move if their position has changed after hearing the student's reasoning. 
    4. After playing the Barometer game, the teacher will call the students back together and ask them which sound was the hardest to guess, which sound was the easiest to guess, and why?

      How to play Barometer (Also Known as Take a Stand or Forced Decision)
      The students will be required to make a decision about which sound clip is "real", "artificially generated", or they are "unsure."  If students think the sound clip on the right is real, instruct them to move to the right, if they believe the sound clip on the left is real, instruct them to move to the left. If students are unsure, instruct them to stand near the middle. Have the students explain why they are standing where they are standing. If after hearing another student's position a student would like to move to another side, allow for this movement before showing the correct answer. 
    Assessment Strategies

    Assessment Strategies

    The teacher will assess the students through observation during the "Barometer" game. Students should be able to defend their stance on whether a sound is real or artificial and why they have chosen that stance. 

    Background and Preparation

    Background / Preparation

    Digital Tools / Resources

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