Dr. Michael Calvert
Assistant Superintendent, South Allegheny School District, Pennsylvania
Been using Humy in his district since 2024
“We enjoyed the program last year and used it frequently.”
Interview assignment
Exploring Columbus's Journey
With Christopher Columbus
Grade 6World HistorySocial StudiesGeographyHumy team
A ready-made interview for Grade 6. Students question an AI Christopher Columbus in a live chat. Humy grades the conversation against the rubric below.
Free teacher account · 20 AI messages a month · No credit card
- Format
- Interview
- Grade
- 6
- Grading
- Per criterion
Exploring Columbus's Journey
PreviewInteract responsibly with the AI and verify facts. Note that teachers have access to these conversations.
Hello, I'm Christopher Columbus. I'm ready for your interview. What's your first question?
The assignment
In this assignment, you will interview Christopher Columbus to learn about his motivations for setting sail across the Atlantic, the experiences he had during his journey, and the impact his discoveries had on the world. Think about the challenges he faced, his interactions with the indigenous people, and how his exploration changed history. Use your critical thinking skills to explore Columbus's perspective and ask insightful questions.
Rubric
Students see this rubric before they start. Humy scores the conversation against it and writes feedback for each criterion.
1. Communication Skills
- 1: Struggles to express thoughts clearly; many pauses and unclear language.
- 2: Some difficulty in expressing ideas; occasional unclear points.
- 3: Communicates ideas fairly well with minor hesitations.
- 4: Clearly expresses ideas with few pauses or stumbles.
- 5: Excellent articulation; ideas are communicated clearly and confidently.
2. Critical Thinking
- 1: Responses are shallow or off-topic; lacks analysis.
- 2: Some understanding but lacks depth in responses.
- 3: Shows moderate analysis; responses are relevant but not fully developed.
- 4: Demonstrates good analysis; responses are well thought out.
- 5: Excellent analysis; responses are insightful and fully developed.
3. Engagement
- 1: Minimal interest shown; little participation or interaction.
- 2: Limited engagement; participates only when prompted.
- 3: Some engagement; responds to questions but lacks enthusiasm.
- 4: Actively engaged; shows interest and asks questions.
- 5: Fully engaged throughout; shows high enthusiasm and curiosity.
Max score: "100%", min score: "1%", the score depends on the number of items a student scores in each skill (15 - 100%, 10 - 66%, 5-33%, 0 - 1%)
The historical figure in this assignment
Meet the AI Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Explorer who completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, opening the way for widespread European exploration and the eventual conquest of the Americas.
Students talk to an AI version of Christopher Columbus, grounded in a curated biography and selected historical sources. As with any AI, students should check important claims.
In your classroom
Ready for your class in three steps.
Open it in Humy
Create a free teacher account, open this assignment and choose Duplicate & edit to make it yours.
Share the link
Students open it and type their first and last name. No email, no password.
Humy grades the conversation
Each chat is scored against the rubric, with feedback for each criterion. You see every result.
Open this assignment in Humy
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What educators are saying
Jacob Chisom
World and American History, Monticello High School, Arkansas
Been using Humy in his classroom since 2024
“My students say it’s a welcome change of pace. I’m not a fan of the “sage on the stage” model, so I try to incorporate research-oriented and self-paced activities. With Humy, students have to take charge of their learning. They’ve become more adept at critical thinking, forming better questions, and improving their reading comprehension. The interview feature has been my go-to tool. I create assignments where students must ask historical figures a set number of questions, then summarize the responses to ensure they’re truly absorbing the material. This approach lets them actively explore the past rather than passively consuming information.”
Roger Campbell
7th-grade World History, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Been using Humy in his classroom since 2024
“Humy has helped me bring historical figures, sometimes long past, to life. When my students interact with these figures in real-time, it eliminates some of the perceived “ancient” characteristics of my curriculum. This has shifted my students’ thinking away from viewing history as abstract or irrelevant. Real-time interactions make historical figures relatable, even allowing students to ask off-topic questions that help put historical lives in a more relevant context for 13-year-olds. The feature I use the most is the interview feature. After teaching a topic, most recently Gandhi and Joan of Arc, I have the students ask pointed, focused questions. We practice good conversation techniques beforehand, teaching them to listen (or read) carefully and formulate thoughtful follow-up questions rather than just interrogating. It helps students practice effective conversation skills.”
Dr. Michael Calvert
Assistant Superintendent, South Allegheny School District, Pennsylvania
Been using Humy in his district since 2024
“We enjoyed the program last year and used it frequently.”
Jacob Chisom
World and American History, Monticello High School, Arkansas
Been using Humy in his classroom since 2024
“My students say it’s a welcome change of pace. I’m not a fan of the “sage on the stage” model, so I try to incorporate research-oriented and self-paced activities. With Humy, students have to take charge of their learning. They’ve become more adept at critical thinking, forming better questions, and improving their reading comprehension. The interview feature has been my go-to tool. I create assignments where students must ask historical figures a set number of questions, then summarize the responses to ensure they’re truly absorbing the material. This approach lets them actively explore the past rather than passively consuming information.”
Roger Campbell
7th-grade World History, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Been using Humy in his classroom since 2024
“Humy has helped me bring historical figures, sometimes long past, to life. When my students interact with these figures in real-time, it eliminates some of the perceived “ancient” characteristics of my curriculum. This has shifted my students’ thinking away from viewing history as abstract or irrelevant. Real-time interactions make historical figures relatable, even allowing students to ask off-topic questions that help put historical lives in a more relevant context for 13-year-olds. The feature I use the most is the interview feature. After teaching a topic, most recently Gandhi and Joan of Arc, I have the students ask pointed, focused questions. We practice good conversation techniques beforehand, teaching them to listen (or read) carefully and formulate thoughtful follow-up questions rather than just interrogating. It helps students practice effective conversation skills.”
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What do students do in "Exploring Columbus's Journey"?
They read the task and the rubric and ask their questions in a live chat. When they finish, Humy scores the conversation against the rubric with feedback for each criterion.
How is it graded?
Automatically against the rubric on this page. Each criterion gets a score and written feedback that points to the student's own work. You see every result. Students see their scores too.
Can I change it for my class?
Yes. Open it in Humy and choose Duplicate & edit. You get your own copy of the task, rubric, grade and questions to change before you share it.
Do my students need accounts?
No. Students open the link you share and type their first and last name. No email, no password.
Is Humy free to try?
Yes. A free teacher account includes 20 AI messages a month, shared with your students, plus all five assignment formats and auto-grading. No credit card.
Is Humy.ai safe and compliant for schools?
Yes. Humy.ai is used by more than 100 schools, universities and organisations. The platform is FERPA- and GDPR-aligned, supports SSO, and offers an IT-approval pack tailored for school procurement teams.
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Give this assignment to your class.
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