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Intro to Machine Learning Facts & Worksheets

Most people may not be aware, but machine learning is working behind the scenes to make our lives better. It is present everywhere - in the products we use and the services we avail.

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Intro to Machine Learning Worksheets
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Most people may not be aware, but machine learning is working behind the scenes to make our lives better. It is present everywhere – in the products we use and the services we avail. This lesson will help us gain a basic understanding of machine learning and how it works in the world around us. We will use two platforms, Machine Learning for Kids and Scratch.

See the fact file below for more information on the machine learning or alternatively, you can download our 28-page Intro to Machine Learning worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Defining Machine Learning

  • In our digital world, the amount of data that we currently have can be overwhelming.
  • Think about the number of pictures, videos, documents, audio and the like that are present in every computer around the world; it is hard for anyone to wrap their head around this idea.
  • Machine learning is a powerful tool that helps people make sense of it all. Humans do not need to code or manually write rules to process data and accomplish what needs to be done. They can train machine learning models to do the work for them, saving time, effort and resources.
  • Yufeng G, a developer from Google Cloud, describes machine learning in the simplest way, that is “to use data to answer questions”.
  • This idea can be split into 2 parts: using data to train machine learning models and using the result to make inferences or predictions that can help solve specific real-world problems.
  • The collection of facts and information that machine learning models learn from are called training data.
  • Whatever we do, we create data. When we go online to shop, do homework, or simply surf the web, we leave digital footprints that tell something about us.
  • This data can be used by machine learning models at work to make inferences or predictions about things that might catch our interest or serve our needs. The model can somehow tell whether this movie is something you might like to watch or this article is something you might like to read.
  • Whatever we choose not to do tells a lot about us as users too. Ignoring certain ads on social media platforms or deciding not to watch a certain video on YouTube creates data that machine learning models feed on.
  • Buying goods and services from businesses offline can also create data.
  • Three most common types of machine learning are facial recognition technology, speech recognition technology, and self-driving cars.
  • To get a better understanding of this concept, we will use two platforms – Machine Learning for Kids and Scratch.
  • Machine Learning for Kids is a great tool for young people to gain practical experience in training machine learning models. They can apply these training models to other digital projects and build amazing things.
  • To get started, visit the Machine Learning for Kids website. You can create an account or try it without registering.
  • Click “Add a New Project” to proceed.
  • Name your new ML project and choose what type of data you want it to process: texts, images, numbers, or sounds. Click “Create” to proceed.
  • You will be shown your project list. Click on your current project to start.
  • These are the three steps in building your machine learning model. The order is from left to right.
  • Go to step 1 and start training your model. You need to collect the training data you need. For example, you want to build a model that recognizes a your face. Add a new label and enter your name. Add data as instructed. Since this project is about recognizing pictures, all you need to do is drag and drop images of you inside the bucket.
  • The goal is to have as much data as possible. It is better to have two buckets in this case, one labeled with your name and the other labeled “not (your name)”. Collect data for these two.
  • Once you have collected all your data, click “Back to Project” in the top left corner. Proceed to step 2.
  • In this phase, you will have your ML model learn the examples. Click “Train new machine learning model” to do so. It will ask you to add data so it can process it using the new model you just built. You will see if it is successful or not.
  • Once you confirm that it works properly, you can now proceed to step 3.
  • Choose Scratch 3.0 as your coding platform. Click “go to Scratch 3.0” to start your coding project.
  • Scratch 3.0 will provide you with ML coding blocks that will help you apply your ML model.
  • The screen consists of 7 main parts:
    • Tabs – switch from the blocks palette to the costume pane (where you can edit your sprites’ costume) or the sound pane (choose and edit sound).
    • Stage – shows your sprites (characters) in action once you are done creating your scripts.
    • Stage Info – where you can find information about the stage.
    • Script Area – where you assemble coding blocks to create scripts.
    • Toolbar – holds the different controls in your project.
    • Blocks Palette – all the blocks that can be used to program your sprites
    • Sprite Info – where you can find information about your sprites.

Learning the Scratch Coding Blocks

  • There are seven categories in the blocks palette:
  • Motion – These blocks control your sprites movement.
  • Looks – These blocks change the look of your sprites and background.
  • Sound – These blocks control the sounds in your project.
  • Events – These blocks signal the start of a script. They tell the sprite when it needs to do what is instructed in the script.
  • Control – These blocks help ensure the scripts are executed.
  • Sensing – These blocks help detect different elements in your project, e.g. if your sprite is touching a center color or object.
  • Operators – These blocks add calculations or equations to your project.
  • Variables – These blocks hold values in your project, e.g. game scores, timer.
  • My Blocks – These are custom blocks that hold operations for a particular sprite, e.g. you want to create a “jump” animation block for a sprite. You can customize a jump block by forming a script that makes your sprite jump. You can store this procedure in the MY BLOCKS section and use it again.
  • Choosing a backdrop for your project – Go to the Stage Info and hover your mouse pointer over the It will show four options: Choose, Paint, Surprise, and Upload. Select “Choose” and it will lead you to the backdrop catalog. Choose one by clicking that sprite.
  • Choosing a sprite – Our default sprite is Scratch Cat. If you want to change the sprite, go to Sprite info and click the trash button above Scratch Cat. Next, hover your mouse pointer over the button. It will show you four options: Choose, Paint, Surprise, and Upload. Select “choose” and it will lead you to the sprite catalog. Click the sprite of your choice.
  • Editing backgrounds and sprites – Click the Costume tab to go to your editor. You must click the sprite or backdrop you want to edit before doing this. Explore the different tools available. You may also add more costumes by choosing from the library, drawing, or uploading images as costumes.
  • Adding sounds to your project – Click the Sounds tab to add, edit, and upload sound effects to a sprite or backdrop.
  • Programming you sprite – Add your coding blocks to the script area. Assemble them to create your script. Note that the order of the blocks is important. The sprite will behave according to it. It will follow the blocks from top to bottom.
  • Running your program – Click the green flag button at the top of the stage.
  • To learn how to use the ML coding blocks in Scratch, follow the guide found in the Smart Bedroom worksheets.

Intro to Machine Learning Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the machine learning across 28 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Intro to Machine Learning worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the machine learning which is working behind the scenes to make our lives better. It is present everywhere – in the products we use and the services we avail. This lesson will help us gain a basic understanding of machine learning and how it works in the world around us. We will use two platforms, Machine Learning for Kids and Scratch.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • What is Machine Learning?
  • In Real Life
  • Collecting Data
  • Exploring and Organizing Data
  • Inferring from Data
  • Making Predictions
  • Smart Bedroom 1
  • Smart Bedroom 2
  • Smart Bedroom 3
  • Smart Bedroom Extra Challenge

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Link will appear as Intro to Machine Learning Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, December 4, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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