Activity 1: Mystery Helpers
Working Together with Robot Friends (Grades K-2)
This activity introduces the youngest learners to the concept that people and computers work best as a team. Using a simple classroom mystery, students discover that their robot helper (AI) is good at some things, and people are good at other things—and together they solve problems better!
Duration: 25-30 minutes Grade Levels: K-2 Group Size: Whole class with teacher leading Technology: Teacher device only (students do not need devices)
Learning Goals
By the end of this activity, students will:
- Understand that computers can be helpers, not just toys or tools
- Recognize that people and computers are good at different things
- Experience working together with a computer helper to solve a problem
CYBER.org Standards Alignment (K-2)
- K-2.DC.ETH: Basic technology ethics and responsible use
- K-2.SEC.ACC: Understanding who should access information
The Mystery
Oh No! The Class Pet Picture Is Missing!
Setup: Tell students that the class computer had a picture of the class pet (real or imaginary) saved on it, but now it’s gone! We need to figure out what happened.
The Clues (show on screen or as printed pictures):
- 🖥️ The computer screen shows: “File not found”
- 👀 Someone saw a student at the computer during snack time
- 🗑️ The recycling bin icon on the computer looks full
- 📝 There’s a note that says “oops” near the computer
Activity Flow (25-30 minutes)
Part 1: Look at the Clues (5 minutes)
Teacher says:
“We have a mystery! Our class pet picture is missing. Let’s be detectives and figure out what happened. First, let’s look at the clues together.”
Show each clue. Ask students:
- “What do you see?”
- “What do you think this means?”
Part 2: Ask Our Robot Helper (10 minutes)
Teacher says:
“Now, I have a special helper—a robot friend on the computer! The robot is really good at remembering things and finding patterns. Let’s ask our robot helper what it thinks.”
Open your AI assistant (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) and say to students:
“I’m going to ask our robot helper. Listen to what it says!”
Type this prompt (read it aloud as you type):
“You are a friendly robot helper talking to kindergarten and first grade students. We have a mystery: a picture file is missing from the class computer. Here are our clues: the screen says ‘file not found’, someone was at the computer during snack time, the recycling bin looks full, and there’s a note that says ‘oops’. What do you think might have happened? Use simple words.”
Read the AI response in a fun “robot voice” if you like!
Part 3: What Did We Each Figure Out? (5 minutes)
Discussion questions:
- “What did our robot helper notice?”
- (AI probably mentioned: recycling bin, accidental deletion, checking the trash)
- “What did WE notice that the robot might not understand?”
- (Humans noticed: the “oops” note suggests someone feels bad, someone was there at snack time, this was probably an accident not on purpose)
- “Who solved the mystery—us or the robot?”
- (Answer: BOTH! We worked together!)
Part 4: Check the Answer Together (5 minutes)
Teacher says:
“Let’s see if we can find our picture! Our robot helper said to check the recycling bin…”
Demonstrate opening the recycle bin and “finding” the picture (pre-stage this).
Celebrate: “We found it! Our robot helper knew WHERE to look, and WE understood that it was probably an accident. Together we solved the mystery!”
Key Teaching Points
What to Emphasize
Robot helpers are good at:
- Remembering where things are on computers
- Finding patterns
- Knowing computer rules (like “deleted files go to recycling bin”)
People are good at:
- Understanding feelings (the “oops” note)
- Knowing about our classroom and friends
- Deciding what to do next
Together:
- We solve problems better than either one alone!
Simple Vocabulary
| Word | Kid-Friendly Meaning |
|---|---|
| Robot helper | A computer program that can answer questions |
| Clue | Something that helps us figure out a mystery |
| Pattern | When things happen the same way again and again |
| Team | People (or people and robots!) working together |
Variations
For Kindergarten
- Use only 2-3 clues
- Focus on the “together is better” message
- Skip the AI interaction and use a pre-written “robot helper says…” card
For 2nd Grade
- Let students suggest questions to ask the robot helper
- Discuss: “What questions would you ask?”
- Introduce the word “partner”
Low-Resource Option
If you don’t have AI access, use this pre-written robot helper response:
“Beep boop! I am a robot helper. I see the recycling bin is full—that is where deleted files go! I think someone might have accidentally put the picture in the recycling bin. We should check there! But I don’t know who was at the computer or why they might have done it. Can you help me understand that part?”
Follow-Up Activities
Art Connection
- Draw a picture of “Me and My Robot Helper” solving a problem together
Discussion Circle
- “When else might a robot helper be useful?”
- “What are YOU good at that a robot might not understand?”
Take-Home Connection
- Simple note to families: “Today we learned that people and computer helpers work best as a team!”
Assessment
Observation Checklist
| Student Behavior | Observed? |
|---|---|
| Participated in identifying clues | ☐ |
| Listened to robot helper response | ☐ |
| Contributed to discussion about human vs. robot strengths | ☐ |
| Expressed understanding that teamwork helped solve mystery | ☐ |
Exit Ticket (for 1st-2nd grade)
Draw or write: “One thing I’m good at, and one thing a robot helper is good at”
Assessment Connection
This table shows how activity elements connect to the Human-AI Collaboration Rubric criteria:
| Rubric Criterion | Developed Through | Evidence Source |
|---|---|---|
| AI Partnership Framing | Listening to robot helper as team member | Observation: Does student talk about robot as “helper” or “friend”? |
| Complementary Strengths | Discussion of human vs. robot abilities | Exit ticket drawing/writing |
| AI Limitation Awareness | Teacher emphasis on what robot couldn’t understand | Verbal responses during Part 3 discussion |
| Synthesis Quality | “Together we solved it” celebration | Student articulation of teamwork message |
Teacher Notes
Why This Matters
Even our youngest learners are growing up with AI assistants (Alexa, Siri, Google). This activity helps them develop a healthy mental model: AI is a partner, not magic, and humans bring important things that AI can’t do.