Modern Pioneers of AI

This worksheet is designed for students in Grades 6-8 to strengthen reading comprehension, vocabulary application, and analytical thinking through an exploration of contemporary leaders shaping artificial intelligence today. Using a structured fill-in-the-blank passage and word bank, students read about modern AI figures such as Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and Geoffrey Hinton, applying context clues to complete the text accurately while deepening understanding of current AI innovation.

Academic Focus

• Reading Comprehension with Context Clues (Grades 6-8) – Use surrounding information to select accurate vocabulary and ideas.
• Modern Artificial Intelligence Applications – Understand how present-day innovators influence AI research, development, and deployment.
• Biographical & Social Studies Connections – Connect individual contributions, leadership roles, and ethical discussions to technological progress.
• Critical Thinking & Analysis – Apply research-based reasoning to understand how modern AI builds on historical foundations.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Designed by educators to align with middle school ELA, science, and social studies standards.
• Word Bank Support – Provides scaffolding that supports accuracy and confidence with complex content.
• Real-World Relevance – Engages students with recognizable figures and current AI conversations.
• Flexible Use – Ideal for history of technology units, STEM integration, guided reading, or independent practice.

This printable worksheet helps students bridge the gap between early AI pioneers and today’s innovators by highlighting the people driving modern artificial intelligence forward. By completing the passage and applying vocabulary in context, learners strengthen comprehension, critical thinking, and awareness of ethical and technological issues shaping AI today. Suitable for classroom or homeschool use, this no-prep activity supports informed discussion and deeper understanding of contemporary innovation in artificial intelligence.

This worksheet is part of our History of AI collection.