Student Guidelines for Responsible Generative AI Use: Grades 6–8

Artificial Intelligence has become a common part of everyday life.  Warren Township Schools has developed guidelines for teachers and students that govern the use of generative AI.  In elementary grades, all use of generative AI will be led and facilitated by the teacher.  

Students in grades 6-8 will have opportunities to use generative AI independently following these guidelines:

1. Focus on Learning to Produce Original Work:

💡 Your primary goal for using AI is to enhance your learning and skill development, not to finish an assignment quickly. We expect you to invest the time and energy necessary to truly learn the skill and produce accurate, original content that reflects your own thinking, effort, and unique perspective.

2. Verify All Information and Own Your Submissions:

✅ Maintain full accountability for all content you submit. You must evaluate all AI output for accuracy, bias, and relevance by checking it against trusted sources. Always present information in your own voice and words; do not submit direct copies of AI responses.

3. Gain Permission and Use Only Approved Tools:

👌 You must seek and receive explicit permission from your teacher before using AI for any assignment. When using Generative AI, you are expected to use only the specific, district-approved tools: Canva, Gemini, and NotebookLM.

4. Practice Critical and Ethical AI Skills:

❓ Develop your skills by learning to ask effective questions (prompts) and interpreting the AI's responses critically. Always treat AI as a tool for support, not a replacement for your effort, and respect the principles of originality and academic honesty at all times. When using AI, the source should be cited. This includes the URL, date of response/output/, the prompt as entered, and the name of the AI tool.

5. Reflect and Explain Your Learning Process:

💭 Demonstrate your growing awareness of what AI is and when its use is appropriate. Be prepared to explain and reflect on precisely how the AI helped you understand the material, clarify a concept, or practice a skill, rather than just explaining how it helped you complete the assignment.