The Problem with AI Lesson Plans—And How Curipod Is Different

What kind of classroom does AI actually build?

That’s the question a recent study from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan set out to answer. Researchers analyzed lesson plans generated by widely used AI tools and found a consistent pattern:

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“A general tendency toward passive learning, lack of interactivity, and lack of critical thinking activities.”
- Chen et al., The Hidden Curriculum of AI Lesson Plans (2024)

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The problem isn’t that AI lacks access to good pedagogy. It’s that most AI models are trained on everything — best practices and outdated methods alike — without a clear pedagogical compass.

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“AI reflects the average, not the visionary.”
- Chen et al., 2024

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Without this pedagogical framework, even powerful AI can end up reinforcing the most common instructional approaches, not necessarily the most effective ones.

The Curipod Difference: Lessons That Start with Purpose

At Curipod, we take a different approach.

We didn’t just train AI to generate slides—we built a lesson generator grounded in pedagogy. Designed by educators, our updated Dynamic Lesson Generator builds on Curipod’s foundation of interactive, student-centered tools, but adds new layers of intentionality and instructional design.

Here’s how Curipod lessons are designed differently:

✅ Purposeful, backward-designed structures

Curipod doesn’t leave the structure of a lesson up to AI. Instead, it asks: What’s the purpose of this lesson?

• Are you introducing something new?
• Reteaching or reviewing?
• Practicing a skill for mastery?

Each path activates a research-backed structure that guides instructional flow with best practices built in, from the Gradual Release of Responsibility and Checks for Understanding (CFUs) to multimodal application and principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

✅ Built-in 100% active participation 

In a Curipod lesson, students never go more than a few minutes without doing something: thinking, writing, sharing, voting, drawing, reflecting. Because calling on just one student doesn’t close the achievement gap—it widens it. Talking is thinking, and when students engage with each other’s ideas, they build deeper understanding.

Curipod’s open-ended prompts, polls, and peer-to-peer tools ensure every student is part of the learning, not just watching it happen. It’s not just interactive. It’s intentionally designed to keep every student engaged, every step of the way.

✅ Flexible, teacher-paced flow

Curipod gives teachers control of the lesson flow. Activities start and end together, allowing the whole class to stay focused on the same content and come together for discussion and reflection. This shared pacing creates space for curiosity-rich conversations that deepen learning and build connection.

And because Curipod lessons are grounded in pedagogy and powered by AI, the best instructional practices are already woven in—so what’s good for students is also easy for teachers.

✅ Academic vocabulary in context

Students don’t learn vocabulary just by memorizing definitions—they learn it by using it.  The fastest way to acquire new vocabulary is to use it authentically and repeatedly in meaningful contexts.

Curipod weaves academic language throughout the lesson, introducing terms naturally and prompting students to apply them through writing, discussion, drawing, and peer interaction.

From creative activities like vocabulary drawing to games like Vocabulary Hustle, Curipod gives students playful, low-stakes ways to deepen their understanding of new terms, right when they’re learning them. And because vocabulary appears in the flow of instruction—not as an isolated word list—it’s more likely to stick.

✅ A balance of onscreen and offscreen

Not every moment of learning happens on a screen—and Curipod is designed with that in mind. Many prompts are built to launch offscreen interactions, like Think-Pair-Share, class discussions, or movement-based activities that bring learning to life.

This approach reflects UDL principles—offering students multiple ways to engage with content, show what they know, and connect ideas to the real world. By embedding these moments directly into the lesson flow, Curipod helps teachers keep students active, collaborative, and curious—without needing to toggle between platforms or prep extra materials.

It’s all part of making the best thing to do the easiest thing to do.

Lesson Types That Do More Than Deliver Content

The updated Dynamic Lesson Generator lets teachers select the purpose—and Curipod takes it from there. Whether you’re introducing new content, revisiting a tricky concept, or reinforcing skills through practice, Curipod adapts the lesson structure and the type of feedback students receive.

In the early phases of a lesson, AI feedback is facilitative—prompting students to explore, revise, and deepen their thinking. Later, when it’s time to apply learning, feedback becomes evaluative—helping students clarify and demonstrate what they know.

It’s not just personalized—it’s purposeful:

🎯 Teach Something New

• Introduce concepts or skills with modeled instruction
• Scaffold understanding with CFUs and guided practice
• End with application and reflection aligned to the Gradual Release of Responsibility model

🔁 Reteach & Review

• Address gaps in understanding or common misconceptions
• Activate prior knowledge
• Provide supported practice and opportunities to rebuild mastery

🧠 Practice a Skill

• Strengthen fluency and reinforce prior instruction
• Deepen learning with opportunities for critical thinking and transfer
• Focus on repetition with variation, not redundancy

What Kind of Classroom Do You Want to Build?

AI can be a powerful tool for teachers—but only when it’s guided by purpose. At Curipod, we’re not building classrooms full of silent worksheet completion and static slides. We’re building classrooms that buzz—with curiosity, connection, and real student thinking.

Because the goal isn’t just to make planning faster. The goal is to fuel great teaching that generates real learning. Let’s build some buzz together. 

👉 Want to go deeper on how we think about AI, pedagogy, and participation? Check out Why We’re Betting on Learning Together for a closer look at how Curipod is designed to bring classrooms to life by helping students think out loud, together, instead of just clicking through playlists.

Citations

• Chen, B., Cheng, J., Wang, C., & Leung, V. (2024). The Hidden Curriculum of AI Lesson Plans. OSF Preprints