Bonus: A Biodiversity Coding Project That Teaches Kids (and Adults) How to Ask Smarter Questions
We’ve got to stop panicking about kids using AI and instead coach them on how to use it.
People said the same thing when calculators showed up in classrooms.
“They won’t learn math anymore.”
Yes, some kids let the calculator do all the work and skipped the fundamentals.
But others?
It unlocked them. They learned faster. Went deeper. Solved real-world problems while the rest of us were still trying to carry the one.
Same thing happened when Google showed up.
And Wikipedia.
All this talk about “they won’t know how to do research.”
Please.
Some used it to cut corners — that’s true.
But others used it to light a fire. They fell into rabbit holes, pulled up studies, biographies, satellite maps — you name it.
It’s not the tech that’s the problem. It’s what we teach people to do with it.
Be Honest With Ourselves
Will some students use ChatGPT to cheat?
Of course.
Just like some used CliffNotes, copied homework, or had cousins doing their book reports back in the day.
But let’s not act brand new.
Others are using AI to:
- Learn how to code for the first time
- Explore what species grow in their backyard
- Ask better questions and get meaningful feedback
- Call their elders and compare what AI says to what Granny says
That’s called learning with layers.
And if you ask me, that’s exactly what learning should look like.
After teaching at public and private universities for over a decade and supporting climate-focused, service-learning in STEM classrooms for grades 6–12 in public schools across the city, I saw the power of layered learning with tech, coaching, peer-to-peer mentoring, and civic engagement in shaping a love of learning and building skills.
And yes, it only happens when teachers and parents have the support.
Shout out to my long-term colleagues in the federal government who made this possible — especially at NOAA and NASA, who funded our work at CCNY-CUNY and middle schools and high schools citywide.
If You’re Reading This, You’re Already Using AI
Yes, AI has problems.
Big ones.
The environmental toll, labor exploitation, surveillance — it’s real. And if it rubs you the wrong way, you should be talking about it.
Call your reps.
Write the letters.
Tell folks: we don’t want tech that’s built on extraction — not of resources, not of people.
But don’t act like the solution is to unplug and walk away. Especially not for our kids.
Because here’s the truth:
If they don’t learn how to use these tools now, it could lock them out of opportunities for the rest of their lives.
For too many in our communities, that means generational hardship.
We can’t afford to let that happen.
Real Tools, Real Learning
Around the world, hundreds of researchers and citizen scientists are helping to make data about the environment free and widely available. One project, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), is a massive open-data initiative making 300+ years of species data freely accessible to the public.
I’ve been exploring my family’s land in the hills of St. Mary, Jamaica — tracing the species we’ve seen when visiting over the years.
Sea grapes, yams, and “bush” — the local herbs and healing plants we’ve known by sight and story for generations.
Using ChatGPT as my coding coach and Google Colab, I pulled biodiversity records from GBIF.
And now, it’s not just memory. It’s mapped, confirmed, and teachable.
Teach Kids to Use the Tools — But Keep One Foot in the Soil
This is what we need to be doing for the next generation.
Let kids:
- Use GPT as a tutor, not just a trick
- Learn and teach prompt engineering — how to talk to AI
- Ask it questions, then go ask their elders too
- Learn to code, explore maps, and connect tech to real experiences — their gardens, neighborhoods, rivers, and memories
This is how we stay grounded in life, culture, and curiosity while using AI — just as we would any other tool.
As Dr. Andrew Ng, one of the world’s leading AI researchers, puts it: “Everyone should learn how to code — even my receptionist practices coding daily — because understanding how computers work helps us make the most of them.”
That mindset isn’t about turning everyone into a software engineer — it’s about building confidence, awareness, and power. And kids need that just as much as anyone else.
AI isn’t going away. But we shape how we use it.
Try This: A Mini Prompt Library for Curious Kids (and Adults)
If they’re ready to go further, kids (and adults) can also learn to code with open biodiversity data using platforms like Google Colab and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).
Here’s an extra coding-focused prompt to get them started:
- Role: You are a Biodiversity data coach
Mission: Teach me how to search for species using open data
Task: Show me how to write Python code to pull species data from GBIF
Context: I want to learn about what plants or animals live near [insert place or coordinates]
Format: Step-by-step coding tutorial using Google Colab
And here are more thoughtful prompts rewritten using the role–mission–task–context–format framework:
Here are a few thoughtful prompts rewritten using the role–mission–task–context–format framework to help kids (and grown-ups) engage more deeply with ChatGPT:
- Role: You are a Local ecology guide
Mission: Help me discover local species
Task: Share native plants and animals in my region
Context: I’m working on a science fair project about biodiversity
Format: Bullet list with fun facts - Role: You are a Tree expert
Mission: Help me describe a local tree species
Task: Write a short report with fun and useful facts
Context: I saw this tree in my neighborhood
Format: Paragraph for a student report - Role: You are a Cultural historian
Mission: Help me connect family knowledge with nature
Task: Give me questions to ask my grandparents
Context: I’m learning about how plants were used for healing and cooking
Format: 5–7 interview-style questions - Role: You are a Kid-friendly coding coach
Mission: Teach basic programming concepts
Task: Explain how coding works and give me a beginner’s challenge
Context: I’m 10 years old and curious about computers
Format: Friendly explanation plus 1–2 coding tasks - Role: You are a Science mentor
Mission: Guide me through designing a nature-based AI project
Task: Suggest 3 ways I can use AI for a science fair
Context: I want to study nature using AI tools
Format: List with short descriptions - Role: You are a Biodiversity navigator
Mission: Help me explore plant life using coordinates
Task: Tell me what grows near a location
Context: I have GPS coordinates of a place I’m researching
Format: Table or list of species with brief notes
To deepen learning, try these prompts where GPT asks the questions:
- Role: You are a Learning coach
Mission: Help me design a nature project
Task: Ask me 5 questions to guide my thinking
Context: I want to build my own idea, not just copy one
Format: Series of thoughtful, open-ended questions - Role: You are a Curious interviewer
Mission: Help me reflect on what I really care about
Task: Ask follow-up questions based on my answers
Context: I’m not sure what part of nature I want to focus on
Format: Ongoing dialogue with questions - Role: You are a Biodiversity scientist
Mission: Teach me about native species from [insert region]
Task: Quiz me and explain any answers I miss
Context: I’m practicing for a class presentation
Format: Multiple-choice or fill-in-the-blank quiz with feedback
Use these as-is or remix them. The point is: curiosity + structure = real learning.
You don’t need to be an AI expert to make sure of it – just be curious.