U.S. Entrepreneurship Class Teaches Third Grade

In late February, students from Yael Newman’s and Sarah Gaunt’s classes were visited by Director of Instructional Technology Kristina O’Connor’s entrepreneurship class to discuss effective AI usage in preparation for the third graders’ upcoming Market Day. 

Market Day is the grand finale for the third graders’ weeks-long study on economics where they’ll sell different goods they’ve prepared themselves.

The juniors and seniors helped the budding business owners create marketing materials for their shops by using AI, including images, songs, and commercials.

“Part of my goal when my class visited the third graders, was for the younger students to better understand how older students and adults can responsibly use AI,” O’Connor said. “My entrepreneurship class guided students step-by-step through the process and gave advice about how to create images, songs, and commercials that better fit the third graders’ goals. One of my favorite parts was seeing the connections forming, whether it was the third graders gaining a stronger understanding of AI’s abilities, or students creating friendships across divisions. Both the Upper School and Lotspeich students had a lot of fun spending time and learning together.”

In mid-February, the Upper School economics class also visited the third graders to discuss different parts of economics that would be applicable to their Market Day such as sunk cost analysis, supply and demand, and the importance of understanding their market.