**Opening / Welcome** 3 minutes
Presenter introductions for Sue Thotz and Merve Lapus. Brief framing of session goals and agenda.
**Section 1: Setting Context** 7 minutes
Present the data landscape: teen AI companion use, declining in-person socialization, and the "friction-maxxing" cultural moment. Goal is urgency without overwhelm, landing on the core tension that technology may be making it harder to develop essential human skills at the exact moment kids need to be building them.
Presenter-led with data slides. Close with a single reflection question to the room.
**Section 2: Grade 1 Lesson, Curiosity Tellers** 12 minutes
Hands-on activity using an origami Curiosity Teller to practice asking questions and active listening with a partner. Debrief connects the experience back to the core message: curiosity is the foundation of real human connection.
Peer-to-peer interaction. 8 minutes paired activity, 4 minutes debrief.
**Section 3: Grade 5 Lesson, Friends vs. Followers** 12 minutes
Pop culture warm-up using Taylor Swift, MrBeast, and Simone Biles to surface the concept of parasocial relationships. Padlet sorting activity (Friend, Follower, or Both) anchors the key vocabulary and distinction.
Device-based activity with whole-group debrief. 8 minutes activity, 4 minutes discussion.
**Section 4: Grade 8 Lesson, AI Chatbots and Friendships** 18 minutes
Logan scenario drives small group discussion through three questions: how is AI helping her, should she consider it a friend, and what friendship qualities is it missing? Presenter introduces the four AI design concerns (anthropomorphism, sycophancy, parasocial relationships, and emotional mirroring) and shares Common Sense's Unacceptable Risk ratings for Social AI Companions and Meta AI.
Small group discussion followed by whole-room synthesis. 12 minutes discussion, 6 minutes debrief.
**Section 5: Resources and Closing** 8 minutes
Brief walkthrough of the Digital Literacy and Well-Being Curriculum, implementation resources, and family engagement tools. Facilitator feedback request and open Q&A.
After this session, participants will be able to:
- Review research findings and risk assessments on teen experiences with AI companions.
- Explain why AI companions appeal to youth and identify key motivations behind their use.
- Analyze the risks of emotional dependency and exposure to inappropriate content associated with social AI companions.
- Implement ready-to-use lessons and strategies that help students build healthy relationships and understand the risks and limitations of AI companions.
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/report/talk-trust-and-trade-offs_2025_web.pdf
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ai-ratings/social-ai-companions?gate=riskassessment
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/pug/csm-ai-risk-assessment-characterai_final.pdf
https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/committee-activity/hearings/examining-the-harm-of-ai-chatbots
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