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Code a chatbot in this two-week AI course for elementary and middle school students on the University of Michigan campus.
Course Description
A chatbot can greet you, answer a question, or get something wrong. Changing its code gives students a way to find out why.
In this course your child will use Python code to create a chatbot. Guided Google Colab notebooks introduce variables, loops, choices, and functions. Then students explore health data with decision trees, which sort examples through a series of questions. They also train a computer to recognize images.
Can its answer be trusted? Testing brings up mistakes, fairness, and the people affected by AI. Classmates use what they have learned to create a team project that helps others, then share it in a showcase.
This two-week Summer Discovery course for elementary and middle school students takes place on the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Students explore the subject through guided activities and projects.
What You Will Do
• Code loops and choices in guided Python notebooks
• Customize a chatbot that responds to questions
• Explore health-data patterns with charts and a decision tree
• Train a computer to sort images into groups
• Discuss AI mistakes and their effects on people
• Build and present a team AI project for social good
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Explain how instructions and examples help a computer solve a problem
• Use Python coding ideas to build a guided AI project
• Explain why AI can make mistakes and how these affect people
You’ll leave with your team-created AI project, showcase presentation, and a certificate of completion.
Why Artificial Intelligence Skills Matter
A computer follows the instructions it is given, even when they lead to a mistake. Changing code and testing the result helps students connect an idea with what actually happens. Working with data adds another question: what do the examples really show?
Those habits help with school projects and everyday technology. Students practice checking an answer, explaining their thinking, and considering who a tool might help or leave out.
Is This Course Right for You?
For students who have completed 5th, 6th, 7th, or 8th grade.
If your child wonders how chatbots work or likes making things with code, this course gives that curiosity a place to grow. Guided activities welcome beginners and students who have coded before. The focus is on trying ideas and learning how technology can help people.
Your Summer at University of Michigan
Ann Arbor is a college town where the University of Michigan campus and the surrounding community meet. Tree-lined streets, bookstores, and cafés give the setting a character of its own. Students spend their summer learning on campus with other young people who share their curiosity.
Clear routines and supportive staff help students settle into a new place. There is room to make friends, share interests, and enjoy being part of a group. It is a welcoming way to try a campus summer without needing to have a future major in mind.
Summer Discovery Certificate of Completion
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive