40% of students say they know of a deepfake shared at their school. Only 15% know who to tell. This 15-minute lesson closes that gap, giving teachers a clear-eyed look at AI-generated media and, more importantly, a response plan students can actually use.

Part of the AI Literacy in 15 Minutes micro-PD series, this self-paced lesson explains deepfakes in plain language, without hype and without a how-to. You'll learn the four ways synthetic media is hitting schools right now: peer harassment, sextortion scams, staff impersonation, and the "liar's dividend," where even real evidence gets dismissed as probably AI. Every statistic is sourced, from a nationally representative survey to the federal TAKE IT DOWN Act, which now requires platforms to remove reported images within 48 hours.

The heart of the lesson is a four-move response plan to teach students: don't share it, tell and document, support the target, and use the law. Because detection is a losing race, but a school community that knows what to do in the first ten minutes can contain the harm. The lesson closes with a challenge every educator should take on this year: find your school's reporting path for image-based harassment, and if it doesn't exist, ask why.

What's included: a 10-slide self-paced lesson with a self-check quiz, discussion-ready talking points, and links to two free classroom resources, including a training course co-created by a student survivor.

Designed for teachers and school staff, all grade levels. This lesson is built on a "plan, not panic" approach and contains no instructions for creating synthetic media.

Pairs with Lesson 7 (Privacy & Student Data) and Lesson 10 (Discussing AI With Parents).

Created by Larisa Black • teachwiseai.com