8th Grade Science Guide

Canyons School District

Instructional Supports Department

Appropriate Use of AI in Science

General Guidelines for Appropriate Use of AI for Educators

AI has the potential to enhance personalized learning, support teacher workload, and improve assessment quality. It is critically important to select AI tools that have been approved through CSD’s LearnPlatform. For specific guidelines, refer to VIEW of AI in Canyons, visit www.canyonsdistrict.org/ai . At the same time, AI should be used thoughtfully and responsibly in the classroom. Educators and students should be aware of important cautions related to privacy, accuracy, bias, over reliance on technology, and the environmental and economic impacts of AI systems. AI tools require significant energy and computing resources, which contribute to environmental concerns, and rapid advances in AI may also affect future workforce demands and economic equity. Classroom use of AI should therefore prioritize critical thinking, ethical use, human connection, and balanced instructional practices while ensuring technology supports, rather than replaces, meaningful teaching and learning. Support Teacher Lesson Planning Use AI to generate data sets for students to analyze, gather data, create informational text, etc. Ensure to read, as AI makes mistakes and includes bias. Support Engineering Brainstorming Use AI to generate multiple possible design ideas or constraints for an engineering challenge, then evaluate tradeoffs and test solutions themselves. Support Data Analysis Use AI to help students organize large data sets, where students would still interpret the evidence, explain patterns, and construct scientific arguments. Proving Feedback on Science Writing Use Ai to give students feedback on clarity, organization, use of evidence and scientific vocabulary without replacing the student’s own thinking or conclusions. Ways You Can Use AI in Science to Support Teaching & Learning Some examples of how AI can be used to support teaching and learning are: