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ARKAI Readiness Kollective
AI Literate · Grades 6-8Module 6

Facilitator guide: Ethical Dilemmas in AI

60 minutesReview status: Being checked
Open the lessonsSlide deck (Google Drive)

Materials

  • Projector for the slide deck
  • Copies of the pre/post check
  • Paper and pencils for Reflect
  • Group labels (Group 1, Group 2) for the debate

Lesson steps

  1. 1. No easy answer (Explainer, 5 min)
  2. 2. Four questions for hard calls (Explainer, 7 min)
  3. 3. The post that got taken down (Scenario, 6 min)
  4. 4. Quick check (Quick check, 4 min)
  5. 5. Cameras in public (Reflect, 5 min)
  6. 6. Recap (Recap, 3 min)

Timing

Part 60 min 90 min
Pre-check 4 5
Step 1: No easy answer 5 8
Step 2: Four questions for hard calls 7 10
Step 3: The post that got taken down 6 8
Step 4: Quick check 4 5
Step 5: Reflect 5 6
Step 5: Debate rounds 1 and 2 12 24
Step 6: Recap 3 5
Post-check 4 5
Buffer 10 14
Total 60 90

Before you start

  • There is no single right answer in these cases. Assign sides for the debate so no one has to defend a personal view in front of the class.
  • Reflect is private. Do not ask learners to share what they wrote.
  • Every case is made up. Do not name a real company or product as the bad example.
  • The camera topics can touch home or neighborhood life. Keep talk on the made up cases, not on learners’ families.
  • Split the class into Group 1 and Group 2 before Step 5. Give each group two minutes to prepare, then one minute per side.

Discussion prompts

  • Which of the three ideas matters most for a hiring tool? Why?
  • What should the removal notice in Step 3 have said?
  • Did anyone change their mind during the debate? What changed it?
  • Who pays the price when a tool makes a mistake?

Answer notes

  • Step 1: no right answer. Look for learners naming a gain and something given up.
  • Step 2 worked example: accept other reasonable answers if they name a person and a reason. The tool puts fairness at risk most. Transparency is at risk if applicants are not told.
  • Step 3: B is the strongest because it asks someone to answer and asks what was flagged. Accept any choice a learner can explain with accountability or transparency.
  • Step 4: B, C, A, D, C.
  • Pre/post: C, A, B.
  • Debate: judge the reasons, not the side. Praise a clear reason with a “because” in it.

Vocabulary sources

Words to know

ethics
Thinking carefully about what is right, fair, and good.
fairness
Treating people in an equal and reasonable way.
accountability
Someone is answerable when things go wrong.
transparency
People can find out how a decision was made.
trade-off
Getting more of one thing by giving up some of another.

Workshop quick checks

Learners can answer these on their own phones with no account. Answers count toward ARK's anonymous totals.