Michigan Middle School Computer Science: AI and Safety Units, Grades 6–9
A Michigan middle school teacher starting computer science with no CS background can begin with the AI & Cybersecurity Units Bundle: six ready units on how AI works, prompting, recommendation algorithms, data protection, phishing and encryption, each with slides, a reading text, worksheets on four levels and full answer keys. It costs $89.99 and needs no software, only the devices your school already has.
See the AI and safety unitsThe AI & Cybersecurity Units Bundle ($89.99) holds six middle school units: How Artificial Intelligence Works; Working with AI Tools and Prompting; Recommendation Algorithms and Filter Bubbles; Data Protection and Cyber Safety; Cybersecurity: Phishing & Social Engineering; and Cryptography: Understanding Encryption. Every unit has worksheets on Basic, Standard, Plus and Project levels, a reading text, a hands-on deep-dive task, slides and answer keys with a marking guide. It is not aligned to the Michigan K-12 Computer Science Standards or MITECS.
The resources
AI & Cybersecurity Units Bundle, Grades 6–9
6 resources in one download: $89.99 instead of $149.94 bought separately.
Start with the first resource; the others are optional add-ons. Open any cover for the full contents and price.
AI & Cybersecurity Units Bundle | How AI Works, Prompting, Phishing, Encryption & Data Privacy | 6 Units | Grades 6–9
Coding & Computer Basics Units Bundle | Algorithms, Python, Binary & How the Internet Works | 4 Units | Grades 6–9
Computer Science Activities Bundle | Artificial Intelligence, Python Programming, Cybersecurity & Digital Literacy | Middle School Grades 7–10
AI Literacy & Cybersecurity Activities | Artificial Intelligence, Prompt Engineering & Online Safety | Grades 7–10
Digital Citizenship Activities | Cyberbullying, AI, Social Media & Media Literacy Lessons | Grades 7–10
The real problem
Why Michigan middle schools are adding computer science now
Michigan has two sets of expectations in this area: the Michigan K-12 Computer Science Standards, and the Michigan Integrated Educational Technology Competencies for Students, known as MITECS. There is no computer science graduation requirement. What has changed is 2024 PA 206, which requires every public high school to offer at least one computer science class by the 2027–28 school year. That is an offering rule for high schools, but it moves down the building quickly. Districts want students arriving in Grade 9 with some idea of how computers, data and networks work, and middle school technology, media or digital literacy slots are where that happens. The teacher handed this class is often a math, science or library teacher who has never taught CS. AI and online safety are the topics students ask about most, and also the ones where a new teacher is least sure what is accurate. Writing lessons on prompting, phishing or encryption from scratch means research time most teachers simply do not have.
Why it fits
Why these six units suit a teacher new to CS
The units are built so the teacher can lead from the slides and reading text, even without a computing degree.
- Each unit opens with a detailed reading text, so you learn the content the night before teaching it.
- Four worksheet levels let a Michigan Grade 6 class and a Grade 9 group use the same unit.
- Answer keys with a marking guide make grading fair even when the topic is new to you.
- Phishing and data protection units give practical online safety lessons students can use at home that evening.
- AI and prompting units explain how the tools work instead of only warning students away from them.
- No software or accounts are required, so lessons run on paper or any school devices you have.
Getting started
A suggested order for a semester elective
This sequence moves from what students already use toward how it works underneath. Adapt the timing to your schedule.
- Start with data protectionTeach Data Protection and Cyber Safety first. It starts from personal information and safety online, something every student has an opinion about, which builds confidence before the more technical units that follow.
- Move to phishingFollow with Cybersecurity: Phishing & Social Engineering. Work through the reading text and the deep-dive task, then ask students to list the warning signs of a phishing message in their own words.
- How AI worksTeach How Artificial Intelligence Works, then Working with AI Tools and Prompting. If your school allows an AI tool, students try their prompts; if not, the worksheets still work on paper.
- Algorithms in their feedsUse Recommendation Algorithms and Filter Bubbles to connect AI to the videos and posts students see every day. It pairs well with a class discussion about why two students can see very different feeds on the same app.
- Finish with encryptionClose with Cryptography: Understanding Encryption. The Project-level worksheet makes a good end-of-semester task for stronger students, and the marking guide keeps scoring consistent across the whole class.
What to buy
Which CS set to buy first
For AI and online safety, the AI & Cybersecurity Units Bundle at $89.99 is the place to start; the six units cost $149.94 on their own. If you want coding basics first, the Coding & Computer Basics Units Bundle ($69.99, parts $99.96) covers algorithms, Python, binary and how the internet works. A full-year elective for Grades 7–10 fits the Computer Science Activities Bundle ($119.99), with ten units and 30 lessons, including Python and networks. Shorter needs suit the AI Literacy & Cybersecurity Activities ($69.99) or the Digital Citizenship Activities ($69.99) on cyberbullying, influencers and AI responsibility.
Honest limits
Limits worth knowing
These units were not written for Michigan. They contain no references to the Michigan K-12 Computer Science Standards or MITECS and are not aligned to either, so compare each unit with the expectations your district uses. The bundle is not a programming course; coding sits in other bundles. No software, laptops or platform accounts are included. Any AI tool you use in class is your choice and must follow your district's rules. The licence covers your own teaching; a team needs to message Teach Lessons first. Within 7 days you can swap it for store credit of equal value.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is this aligned to Michigan's computer science standards?
No. It is not aligned to, approved under or endorsed by the Michigan K-12 Computer Science Standards or MITECS. The topics overlap with what those documents discuss, such as data, networks and safety, but you need to compare the units with your district's expectations yourself before treating them as standards coverage.
Do I need to know how to code?
No. None of these six units require programming. They explain how AI, recommendation systems, phishing and encryption work through reading texts, slides and tasks. If you later want to teach coding, the Coding & Computer Basics bundle includes a Python unit written for students who are brand new to it.
Does the 2027–28 requirement apply to middle schools?
2024 PA 206 is about public high schools offering at least one computer science class by 2027–28; it is not a middle school rule and not a graduation requirement. Middle school units like these can give students a starting point before they reach that high school class.
Do students need laptops or an AI account?
No device or account is included or required by the materials. The worksheets work on paper. If your school has devices and an approved AI tool, the prompting unit becomes more hands-on, but check your district's technology and student data policy before any student signs up for an outside service.
Can I use these units in a Grade 9 class?
Yes. The bundle is written for Grades 6–9, and the four worksheet levels, from Basic to Project, give older or stronger students more demanding work. With a Grade 9 class you might move faster through the reading text and give more time to the deep-dive task and the Project-level worksheets.
Can the whole technology department share the bundle?
The licence covers your own classes. If several teachers in your Michigan district want the units, send Teach Lessons a short message before buying to ask about team use. Please keep the files off public sites and open shared folders, since the licence does not allow redistribution or public posting.
Start your CS class with topics students already care about
Open the product page to see the six units and sample pages, then plan your first week.
See the AI and safety units