Vienna Elementary School has introduced the Vienna.i.Lab, a dedicated space where students from kindergarten through sixth grade learn about artificial intelligence (AI) and related technologies. The lab, developed over two years by School-Based Technology Specialist Dave Reynolds Jr., is located in a corner of the school’s library.
The program aims to provide foundational knowledge about AI and generative AI tools. Students engage in hands-on activities that teach them how these technologies work and emphasize ethical and responsible use. Due to safety concerns, many AI tools are blocked on Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) student laptops, but Reynolds noted that students often encounter these technologies outside of school settings.
“My biggest fear is the students will walk out of elementary school, and they’ll start using some of these generative AI tools, and they’ll just be using them like a Google search and not understanding what is happening or how they’re getting what they’re getting,” said Reynolds.
In one lesson, sixth graders programmed Ozobots—small robots—using code blocks to control their movement, sounds, and lights. Student Oscar Mineiro described his experience: “I think this is a great learning opportunity for the entire school. It gives a chance for kids to learn more about programming and how the world actually works, because you’re going to need to do a lot of programming when you grow up.”
Students also participated in challenges such as programming robots to navigate mazes. Through trial-and-error problem-solving, partners Eleanor Charnoff and Caroline Thayer successfully completed such tasks. Reynolds commented on the broader impact: “If you walk out of here, but you’ve been practicing being resilient through challenges that were fun, you’re going to come out better on the other side. You’re going to have tools that you didn’t even realize you were developing.”
Reynolds explained basic concepts behind AI during lessons: “[AI is] just feeding out tokens and math and patterns,” he said. “It doesn’t know that cats like to sleep at night, it just knows that, after ‘cat’ and ‘sleep’ usually comes ‘night.’ It just knows the most likely word based upon all of its data and pattern recognition.” Students learned about writing effective prompts for AI systems as well as choosing reliable sources for information. As Caroline stated: “You have to go to a trustworthy AI site so you know that the information you’re getting is correct.”
The Vienna.i.Lab began with support from donations by the Vienna Elementary PTA. The initiative aligns with Goal 5 of FCPS’s 2023-30 Strategic Plan: Leading for Tomorrow’s Innovation by preparing students for future education phases and potential technology careers.
Looking ahead, Reynolds plans to expand the lab into its own classroom space. He concluded: “The better prepared we can get students for what we don’t know is ahead by giving them some solid base level concepts, the better off they’re going to be.”
