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✅ Aligned to AI4K12 · ISTE 2024 · Common Core ELA — Grades 5–8

Your Students Are Already
Using AI. Now They Can
Understand It.

5 complete curriculum books that take students from "what is AI?" to building their first real agent — no coding required, no tech setup, no guesswork. Each book includes printable worksheets, chapter quizzes, and a full Teacher & Parent Supplement.

See the Books →
5
Books in the Series
40
Full Chapters
80+
Activities & Quizzes
3
Standards Frameworks

Standards Alignment — Every Book, Every Chapter

AI4K12
Five Big Ideas in AI
Grades 6–8 Band
ISTE 2024
Student Standards
Digital Citizen + Computational Thinker
Common Core ELA
RI · RST · WHST · SL
Grades 6–8

Every book includes a Standards Alignment Table mapping each chapter to specific standard codes — ready for curriculum review.

What's Inside Every Book

This Is a Full Curriculum Unit.
Not Just a Textbook.

Each book is built for the classroom from the ground up. Everything a teacher needs is already in the book — no additional prep required.

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8 Full Chapters

Each chapter has core reading content written at Lexile 850–1000L with bolded vocabulary, Pro Tip callouts, and real-world examples students already know.

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Printable Worksheets

Every chapter includes a standalone 2-page student worksheet — vocabulary match, short answer, application scenario, and reflection. Print and go.

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25-Point Chapter Quizzes

10 multiple choice + 3 short answer + 1 extended response with scoring rubrics printed on the quiz. Answer keys in the Teacher Supplement.

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Exit Tickets

3-question formative assessments at the end of every chapter. Recall, understanding, and real-world connection. Takes 5 minutes. Tells you who needs re-teaching.

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Teacher & Parent Supplement

Lesson planning guides, differentiation strategies for ELL and IEP students, discussion prompts, all answer keys, and standards alignment notes — in every book.

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Master Glossary

50+ vocabulary terms alphabetized with page references. 6–8 new terms introduced per chapter with definitions and real-world examples students recognize.

The Complete Series

5 Books. 5 Skills. Zero Confusion.

Each book is a standalone guide with study material, structured activities, and assessment questions — or assign all five and take students from zero to building their first AI agent.

1
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What Is AI?

What Is AI? A Middle Schooler's Field Guide

Zero to AI in 8 chapters. Students learn what AI actually is, how it learns, where it lives in their daily life, and how to think critically about it. Standards: AI4K12-1, AI4K12-2, AI4K12-3 · ISTE 1.1d, 1.3b · CCSS RI.6.1, RST.6-8.8

  • 8 full chapters — narrow AI vs. general AI, how machines learn, AI you use every day
  • Printable worksheet + 25-point quiz + exit ticket every chapter
  • 50+ vocabulary terms with student-friendly definitions and real-world examples
  • Guided class activities — "AI or Not AI?", "My AI Map", "Spot the AI Error"
  • Complete Teacher & Parent Supplement — lesson plans, differentiation, all answer keys
  • Standards Alignment Table maps every chapter to specific AI4K12, ISTE, and CCSS codes
  • ~88 pages · Grades 5–8 · No tech setup required
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Talk To It

Talk To It — How To Ask AI The Right Questions

Prompt engineering at the middle school level. Students learn to build precise requests, evaluate AI responses critically, spot hallucinations, and apply an ethics framework to school work. Standards: AI4K12-4, AI4K12-3 · ISTE 1.3b · CCSS RST.6-8.8, WHST.6-8.7

  • 8 full chapters — the 4 building blocks of a prompt, role prompting, few-shot examples, iteration
  • Printable worksheet + 25-point quiz + exit ticket every chapter
  • Students build a personal "AI Output Review Checklist" — a reusable tool they keep
  • Hallucination, bias, and outdated info — how to find them and what to do
  • Academic integrity framework — when AI use crosses the line and why it matters
  • Complete Teacher & Parent Supplement — lesson plans, differentiation, all answer keys
  • ~88 pages · Grades 5–8 · No prior AI experience required
3
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AI Tools You Can Use

AI Tools You Can Use Right Now

A structured survey of 6 AI tool categories students already encounter — writing assistants, image generators, voice AI, search tools, recommendation engines — with guided critical evaluation of each. Standards: AI4K12-1, AI4K12-4, AI4K12-5 · ISTE 1.2b, 1.2d, 1.3b · CCSS RI.6.6, RI.6.8

  • 8 full chapters — language models, image generators, deepfakes, AI search, voice AI, filter bubbles
  • Printable worksheet + 25-point quiz + exit ticket every chapter
  • Students build an AI Tool Report Card — a personal evaluation framework they keep
  • Real or Generated? — students examine images and identify AI-generated content
  • Two-Source Check — verify AI claims against non-AI sources, build research habits
  • Complete Teacher & Parent Supplement — lesson plans, differentiation, all answer keys
  • ~88 pages · Grades 5–8 · Updated for 2025–2026
4
Build Your First Agent

Build Your First AI Agent

Students deploy a real, working AI agent using a free no-code platform — no coding required. From understanding how agents think to presenting a live demo. Students finish with something they built. Standards: AI4K12-2, AI4K12-3, AI4K12-4 · ISTE 1.5b, 1.5c · CCSS WHST.6-8.7, SL.6.1

  • 8 full chapters — agents vs. tools, inputs/logic/outputs, designing before building, testing and debugging
  • Printable worksheet + 25-point quiz + exit ticket every chapter
  • Agent Design Planning Worksheet — students map trigger, logic, and output before touching the platform
  • Step-by-step guided build across 2 class periods — every click described, errors anticipated
  • Students run 5 test cases and fix at least one real issue — the debug mindset in action
  • Agent Demo Day — students present their working agent and explain how it works
  • ~88 pages · Grades 5–8 · Requires internet + free platform account
5
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AI Rules

AI Rules — Staying Smart, Safe & In Charge

AI ethics, data privacy, deepfakes, algorithmic bias, academic integrity, and responsible use — examined through real case studies and structured debate. Students write a personal AI Code of Conduct. Standards: AI4K12-5 · ISTE 1.2a, 1.2b, 1.2c, 1.2d · CCSS RI.6.6, RI.6.8, SL.6.1

  • 8 full chapters — data privacy, deepfakes, bias, academic integrity, algorithmic influence on wellbeing
  • Printable worksheet + 25-point quiz + exit ticket every chapter
  • SIFT method for verifying information — Stop, Investigate, Find coverage, Trace claims
  • Academic Integrity Scenarios — students evaluate 8 real situations: appropriate, gray area, or dishonest
  • Privacy Audit activity — students examine what data an AI tool actually collects
  • Students finish with a personal AI Code of Conduct — 8–10 rules, each with a specific "why"
  • ~88 pages · Grades 5–8 · Standalone unit or full-series capstone
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All 5 Books — Available on Amazon

The complete Ground Up AI Academy series is published on Amazon. Buy with your existing Amazon account — teachers, homeschool families, and district coordinators already shop there.

$24.99 per book

Book 1 live now — Books 2–5 arriving by end of April 2026

Buy Book 1 on Amazon →
Get notified when Books 2–5 drop →
Built Different

Why Ground Up AI Academy Works

Every student deserves a head start on the skills that will define their future. We build AI education from the ground up — clear, hands-on, and built for the way students actually learn.

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Hands-On, Not Theoretical

Every chapter includes a structured activity. Students learn by doing — the same way a tradesperson learns on a job site, not from a lecture. Comprehension follows application.

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Classroom Ready

Each book includes a teacher section, discussion questions, and printable quizzes with answer keys. Assign it the same week you receive it.

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Parent-Accessible

A dedicated parent section in every book gives families the context to continue the conversation at home. AI literacy is now a household topic, and parents need tools too.

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Honest, Not Alarmist

No sensationalism. No apocalyptic framing. Clear, accurate, age-appropriate information that builds critical thinking rather than anxiety.

Students Build Something Real

Book 4 walks students through deploying a functional AI agent — no coding required. Moving from consumer to builder changes how a student sees and interacts with technology permanently.

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Durable, Transferable Skills

AI literacy is becoming as foundational as reading comprehension. Students who can evaluate, prompt, and reason about AI systems carry an advantage into every academic and professional path they pursue.

What Educators Are Saying

Trusted in the Classroom

From public school teachers to homeschool families — here's what people are saying after using the series.

★★★★★

"I assigned Book 1 as a two-week independent unit for my 7th graders. By the end, they were correcting misconceptions they'd heard from adults. The vocabulary section alone is worth the price."

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Sarah M.
7th Grade ELA Teacher, Ohio
★★★★★

"My daughter is 11 and homeschooled. She finished Book 2 in four days and immediately started correcting how she prompts ChatGPT. She asked when the next one arrives. That says everything."

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James T.
Homeschool Parent, Texas
★★★★★

"We piloted the full series across three 6th grade classrooms last semester. Book 4 was the highlight — watching kids deploy an actual AI agent and explain what it does to their parents at back-to-school night was something else."

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Lisa K.
Technology Coordinator, K–8 School, Oregon
For Educators

Built for the Classroom.
Ready to Use Monday.

Every book in the series was written with one question in mind: can a teacher hand this to a student and have them working by the next day? The answer is yes — no training, no prep, no tech setup required.

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Lesson Planning Built In

Every chapter includes a 50-minute lesson plan — warm-up, reading, activity, worksheet, exit ticket. Pacing guide, materials list, and homework extension included.

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Differentiation Included

Every chapter has specific strategies for ELL students, IEP accommodations, advanced/gifted learners, and homeschool adaptation. Already written — no extra prep required.

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Standards Documentation

The Teacher Supplement maps every chapter to specific AI4K12, ISTE, and CCSS codes — with notes on exactly how each activity addresses each standard. Ready for curriculum review.

Teachers Pay Teachers — Coming Soon Join the Educator List →
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Our Mission

Closing the AI literacy gap — before it starts.

Ground Up AI builds educational tools that give students at every age the skills, confidence, and curiosity to understand artificial intelligence. Not someday. Now. AI is not something that happens to the next generation — it is something they should know how to use, question, and build with. We keep it clear, hands-on, and jargon-free, because the goal is students who can do things, not just students who sat through a lesson.

Common Questions

Everything You Need to Know

Questions from teachers, parents, and homeschool families — answered straight.

What grade levels are these books designed for? +

Grades 5–8 (ages 10–14). The language, activities, and case studies are written for middle school reading levels. Advanced 4th graders and high school students new to AI use them just as effectively.

Do students need devices, accounts, or special software? +

Books 1, 2, 3, and 5 need nothing beyond the book itself — no devices, no logins, no prep. Book 4 (Build Your First AI Agent) requires internet access and a free account on a supported platform listed inside the book.

Can I use just one book, or do I need all five? +

Every book is a complete standalone unit. Pick the one that fits your current unit scope and assign it without any of the others. The series is designed to build progressively — use all five and students go from zero knowledge to deploying a real AI agent.

Do these books support curriculum standards? +

Yes — every book is fully aligned to three national standards frameworks: AI4K12 Five Big Ideas in AI (grades 6–8 band), ISTE Student Standards 2024 (Digital Citizen + Computational Thinker), and Common Core ELA (RI, RST, WHST, SL grades 6–8). The Teacher Supplement in every book includes a Standards Alignment Table mapping each chapter to specific standard codes — the documentation curriculum directors look for.

Is there a preview I can read before buying? +

Yes — drop your email below and we'll send you Chapter 1 of Book 1 free. No purchase needed, no strings attached. See the writing style, activity format, and student materials before you decide.

Are the books available in print or on Amazon? +

Yes — all 5 books are published on Amazon. Book 1 is live now. Books 2–5 are arriving by end of April 2026. Join the educator list below and we'll notify you the moment each book goes live so you can grab it right away.

Help Us Build What You Need

What Should We Write Next?

We're expanding the Ground Up AI Academy series. Tell us which topic you need most — we write what teachers and families are actually asking for.

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