The most detailed public set of classroom AI activities comes from the AI Literacy Framework that the OECD and the European Commission released in 2026. It sorts 19 competences into four domains (Engage with AI, Create with AI, Manage AI, and Shape AI) and attaches a classroom scenario at three levels to each one. Several of the scenarios need no AI tool at all, which makes them usable in schools that restrict student accounts.
Key takeaways
- The framework is non-binding and lists 19 competences: seven for Engage with AI, four each for Create with AI, Manage AI, and Shape AI.
- Its three levels (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced) are not tied to ages or grades, so one activity can be rewritten for a different class.
- Offline scenarios include a game called "AI or Not," a four-corner debate, and a robot role-play for sorting trash.
- The scenarios are examples, not tested lesson plans, and the document reports no learning results for any of them.
Where the activities come from
The full text is titled Empowering Learners for the Age of AI: An AI Literacy Framework for Primary and Secondary Education. The OECD and the European Commission produced it jointly, with support from the nonprofit CodeAI and an expert group that includes a researcher from the University of Alberta. The OECD's PISA Governing Board approved and declassified it on April 8, 2026, and the project site reports a public launch on June 18, 2026. The framework also contributes to the PISA 2029 Media and Artificial Intelligence Literacy assessment.
Each competence comes with Learner Expectations at the three levels and an "In the Classroom" scenario for each level. The authors state that the progression levels do not match specific ages or grades and that teachers should adapt the scenarios to local context, guidance, and legislation. For a school in Ontario or Texas, that means the activity list below is a menu to be checked against district rules, not a curriculum.
Activities that need no device
In "AI or Not," learners sort everyday items such as smart home devices, social media feeds, and apps into groups according to whether each uses AI. The framework places it at the Basic level of the first Engage with AI competence, recognizing AI's role in different contexts.
In a four-corner debate, the teacher calls out an everyday task and learners walk to a corner labeled "AI Only," "AI-Supported," "Human Only," or "Not Sure." They defend the choice to classmates who picked another corner and may switch if persuaded. This is the Intermediate scenario for deciding whether to use AI for a task.
In the trash-sorting role-play, one learner acts as a robot and a classmate gives instructions. The class first discusses why random outputs would not sort items reliably, then watches how the "robot" handles an image that breaks the instructions, and finally considers how patterns from a class survey could improve the sorting. The scenario contrasts a rule-based approach with one that learns from data.
A language activity targets the second Engage competence. Learners read phrases such as "AI thinks" and "AI understands," decide which are misleading, and write more accurate descriptions.
Activities where a teacher shows AI output
Some scenarios use AI output, but the teacher supplies it and learners judge it. In one, groups plan a tourist itinerary for their hometown. The teacher hands over AI-generated restaurant recommendations, and learners check them against other sources for outdated or invented entries before deciding whether a visitor would enjoy the places.
A creativity scenario reverses the usual order. Learners brainstorm alone before seeing AI-generated ideas, then compare both sets and discuss how the suggestions may affect originality and confidence.
The Shape AI scenarios move toward design. Learners read model cards that describe an AI system's training data, intended uses, and limits, or they define success criteria for a music recommender and compare its suggestions for users with different listening histories. The framework says its goal is not for learners to build commercial products but to understand how human choices shape AI systems, and it notes that this domain may need extra time and partners.
Nine scenarios at a glance
| Domain | Activity | Level in the framework | Device needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engage with AI | "AI or Not" sorting game | Basic | No |
| Engage with AI | Rewriting misleading phrases such as "AI understands" | Basic | No |
| Engage with AI | Checking AI restaurant suggestions for a tourist itinerary | Intermediate | Teacher supplies output |
| Create with AI | Brainstorm alone, then compare with AI ideas | Intermediate | Teacher supplies output |
| Manage AI | Four-corner debate on AI use | Intermediate | No |
| Manage AI | Robot role-play for sorting trash | Basic | No |
| Shape AI | Reading model cards | Basic | Teacher supplies material |
| Shape AI | Success criteria for a music recommender | Basic | Teacher supplies output |
| Shape AI | Choosing training data for a recycling sorter | Basic | No |
What the framework does not show
The scenarios are illustrations written by an expert group. The document does not report a classroom trial, test scores, or attendance data for any of them, so it cannot say whether these activities improve learning. Teachers who adopt one can measure it the usual way, with a short task before and after, and compare results with a class that did something else. The domains are laid out as a possible learning sequence, with Engage with AI as the foundation and Shape AI last, but the authors present that order as one option.
FAQ
Is the AI Literacy Framework a requirement for schools?
No. The text calls it non-binding and says it is not guidance for enforcing the EU Artificial Intelligence Act. Canadian provinces and U.S. states keep their own curriculum and technology rules.
Can the activities be used with younger children?
The levels are not linked to grades, so a Basic scenario can suit a young class and an Advanced one an older class. The framework asks teachers to adapt each scenario to their learners and setting.
Do the activities require students to use chatbots?
Not in the scenarios described here. The sorting game, the four-corner debate, and the robot role-play use no AI tool, and the others use output that the teacher presents.
Who maintains the framework?
The OECD and the European Commission are the joint publishers. CodeAI supported project management, research, and drafting, according to the document's acknowledgments.
Related reading
- AI activities for English language learners
- Whether AI can be creative
- How AI is being used in schools
- The difference between AI and machine learning
More in AI in education.
Last verified: October 2026
Sources
- Empowering Learners for the Age of AI: An AI Literacy Framework for Primary and Secondary Education, OECD and European Union, OECD Publishing, 2026
- Empowering Learners for the Age of AI: Presenting the Finalised AI Literacy Framework, AI Literacy Framework project site, June 18, 2026