Civics & Government · 10th Grade

Active learning ideas

The Ethics of Technology and Artificial Intelligence

Active learning works for AI ethics because the topic demands critical reflection on real-world power structures. When students step into roles like legislators or affected citizens, they move from abstract concerns to concrete consequences, making ethical trade-offs visible and personal.

• Common Core State Standards
• C3: D2.Civ.13.9-12
• C3: D4.7.9-12

• 25–55 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Role Play
• 55 min · Small Groups

Role Play: Congressional Hearing on AI Regulation

Students take roles as congressional committee members, AI company representatives, civil rights advocates, and affected community members in a mock hearing on AI regulation. Each role comes with a one-page brief outlining their position. The committee must produce a three-point regulatory proposal by the end of the session.

Analyze the ethical dilemmas posed by advancements in artificial intelligence.

Facilitation Tip

During the Congressional Hearing, assign each student a role card with a specific perspective (tech CEO, civil rights advocate, etc.) and require them to cite at least one real-world example in their testimony.

What to look for

Pose the following question to small groups: 'Imagine you are on a city council debating whether to implement AI-powered surveillance cameras. What are the top three ethical concerns you would raise, and what specific safeguards would you propose to address them?'

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Gallery Walk
• 35 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: AI Ethics Case Studies

Stations feature real-world examples , the COMPAS sentencing algorithm, Amazon's biased hiring tool, facial recognition misidentification errors, and AI-generated misinformation campaigns. Students rotate with a graphic organizer noting the harm caused, who was affected, and what accountability mechanism (if any) existed.

Predict the potential societal impacts of widespread AI adoption.

Facilitation Tip

For the Gallery Walk, place case studies at stations with guiding questions like 'Who benefits and who is harmed?' to focus student observations before discussion.

What to look for

Provide students with a short case study describing an AI application (e.g., an AI tutor, a loan application algorithm). Ask them to identify one potential ethical issue and one potential societal benefit, writing their answers in one to two sentences each.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Think-Pair-Share
• 25 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Where Should the Line Be?

Each student receives a specific AI application (medical diagnosis, hiring screening, predictive policing, content moderation). They individually decide whether regulation is needed and on what terms, then pair to compare reasoning before sharing with the class and discussing where agreement and disagreement cluster.

Justify the need for ethical guidelines and regulations for emerging technologies.

Facilitation Tip

In the Think-Pair-Share, give students 2 minutes to write privately before pairing, then 3 minutes to discuss, to ensure quieter voices are heard.

What to look for

On an index card, have students write down one specific example of how AI is currently impacting their lives or communities. Then, ask them to write one question they have about the ethical implications of that specific AI use.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Formal Debate
• 50 min · Whole Class

Formal Debate: AI Liability and Accountability

Half the class argues that AI companies should be legally liable for documented harms caused by their systems; the other half argues against. After preparation time, each side presents opening statements, rebuttals, and closing arguments. The class then votes and discusses what evidence or argument, if anything, shifted their thinking.

Analyze the ethical dilemmas posed by advancements in artificial intelligence.

Facilitation Tip

In the Structured Debate, require teams to cite at least one regulation example (e.g., GDPR, EU AI Act) and one ethical principle (e.g., fairness, accountability) in their arguments.

What to look for

Pose the following question to small groups: 'Imagine you are on a city council debating whether to implement AI-powered surveillance cameras. What are the top three ethical concerns you would raise, and what specific safeguards would you propose to address them?'

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should anchor discussions in documented cases where AI systems failed or succeeded, because abstract principles like 'fairness' become tangible when tied to real outcomes. Avoid letting debates drift into hypotheticals; instead, ground each argument in evidence. Research shows students retain ethical reasoning better when they experience the tension between competing values directly, rather than receiving top-down lessons on what to think.

Successful learning looks like students grounding arguments in evidence from case studies and policy examples. They should articulate trade-offs between innovation and protection, and recognize their own civic stake in how AI systems are governed.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Think-Pair-Share activity, watch for students asserting that AI is objective because it uses data rather than human opinions.

  Redirect the group to examine the case studies from the Gallery Walk, focusing on how biased data leads to biased outcomes. Ask them to identify specific examples where training data reflected historical discrimination.

• During the Structured Debate activity, watch for claims that regulating AI is just about slowing down innovation.

  Have students compare the EU AI Act’s risk-tiered approach with the U.S. approach using the debate materials. Ask them to categorize which applications would be prohibited, high-risk, or low-risk in each model, and discuss trade-offs.

• During the Congressional Hearing activity, watch for students assuming AI ethics is a concern only for computer scientists.

  After their testimonies, ask students to reflect on who is affected by the AI systems they discussed (e.g., loan applicants, patients, students). Have them revise their opening statements to include these stakeholders explicitly.

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Methods used in this brief

• Role Play
• Gallery Walk
• Think-Pair-Share
• Formal Debate