By Jim Shimabukuro (assisted by ChatGPT)
Editor
Introduction: For a better grasp of the advancements in GPT-4, I’ve asked ChatGPT to explain, in language aimed at 10th-grade high school students, the critical differences between GPT-3.5 (current free version) and GPT-4 (paid version). Keep in mind that I have been and am using the free GPT-3.5 version in all my articles on chatbots — along with other free chatbots such as Claude, Gemini, Copilot, and Perplexity.
To clarify the explanations, I’ve asked ChatGPT to provide actual examples of how 10th graders might apply these advanced features to real-world learning activities in typical courses such as English, Math, History, Art, and Science.
As this conversation progressed, I realized the power of chatbots in developing curricula and lessons. I’m sure many if not most educators are already making use of this potential. Along the same lines, students could use chatbots to plan their school assignments and projects. This article focuses on high school students, but I believe the ideas can be scaled to lower grades and college as well.
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with OpenAI or any of its partners. This article reflects my independent research and perspective, and is not endorsed, reviewed, or influenced by OpenAI in any way. -js
Prompt #1: In language that a 10th-grade high school student can understand, explain how GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 differ. In short, spotlight the primary advantages of GPT-4. To clarify the difference, show the reader, in side-by-side charts, how that same 10th grader in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, could use GPT-3.5’s and GPT-4’s features to complete projects for the following classes: English (creative writing), Math (application to real-world community problem), History (interview of elderly cultural leader), Art (multimedia project), Science (experiment in real-world community). A glance at the chart should clearly show the advantages, if any, of GPT-4. Please append an annotated list of references, in APA style, that have informed your response.
ChatGPT’s reply: Sure! Here’s a student-friendly explanation of how GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 are different, followed by a side-by-side comparison chart showing how a 10th-grade student in Honolulu, Hawai‘i might use each version for school projects. After that, you’ll find an annotated APA reference list showing sources that informed this explanation.
🧠 GPT-3.5 vs GPT-4: Simple Explanation for a 10th Grader
GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 are both artificial intelligence (AI) tools made by OpenAI that can help people write, solve problems, and learn new things. Think of them like really smart digital tutors or writing assistants.
What’s the big difference?
- GPT-4 is smarter, more accurate, and better at understanding complex ideas than GPT-3.5.
- GPT-4 makes fewer mistakes, especially when solving math or science problems or helping with creative writing.
- GPT-4 also does a better job understanding pictures, charts, and longer instructions.
📊 Side-by-Side Project Comparison Chart
For a 10th Grader in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
| Subject | Project Description | Using GPT-3.5 | Using GPT-4 (Better!) |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Write a short story set in ancient Hawai‘i | Helps with grammar and basic story ideas, but may be repetitive or generic. | Creates more original and culturally respectful stories; better at style and voice. |
| Math | Solve a real-world community math problem (like tracking beach erosion) | Can do basic calculations and explain formulas. May struggle with real-world data. | Understands real data, interprets graphs, and explains steps clearly. Fewer mistakes. |
| History | Create an interview script for a kūpuna (elder) about Hawaiian history | Offers general questions, but may miss local or cultural sensitivity. | Suggests respectful, thoughtful questions that reflect local values and history. |
| Art | Make a multimedia project combining words, art, and sound | Can help write captions and scripts. Doesn’t understand visual elements well. | Suggests how to blend visuals, music, and storytelling; interprets image ideas if you upload art. |
| Science | Plan a simple community-based science experiment (e.g., measuring rainfall in your neighborhood) | Gives generic experiment ideas. May not connect well to local community context. | Gives realistic, place-based experiment ideas; helps design steps, track results, and explain findings clearly. |
📌 Key Takeaways
- GPT-4 is more advanced and reliable, especially for projects that need creativity, local understanding, or complex thinking.
- GPT-4 is like working with a really sharp tutor, while GPT-3.5 is more like using a helpful but basic search tool.
📚 Annotated APA Reference List
- OpenAI. (2023). GPT-4 Technical Report.
https://openai.com/research/gpt-4
→ This report outlines how GPT-4 works, how it improves upon GPT-3.5, and examples of its performance in areas like reasoning and language understanding. - OpenAI. (2022). Introducing ChatGPT.
https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt
→ This blog post explains the purpose and abilities of GPT-3.5, including how it responds to user prompts and its limits. - Ouyang, L., et al. (2022). Training language models to follow instructions with human feedback. arXiv.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2203.02155
→ This paper explains how instruction-following was improved between models like GPT-3 and later versions. - Anthropic. (2023). Claude model card.
https://www.anthropic.com/index/claude
→ Used for comparative understanding of how GPT-4 stacks up to other chatbot models like Claude (relevant for showing GPT-4 strengths). - Bubeck, S., et al. (2023). Sparks of Artificial General Intelligence: Early experiments with GPT-4. Microsoft Research.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.12712
→ This detailed study shows that GPT-4 handles complex tasks better than earlier models and has early signs of advanced reasoning.
Would you like a printable or visual version of this chart for classroom use?
Prompt #2 (English): Develop the first 500 words of a hypothetically original and culturally respectful story, with appropriate style and voice. The finished work would be about 3,000 words in length.
ChatGPT’s reply: Here is the first 500 words of a hypothetically original and culturally respectful story set in Hawaiʻi. It aims to reflect local values, storytelling style, and voice appropriate for high school-level creative writing. The tone is rooted in Hawaiian cultural sensitivity and realism, combining narrative with environmental and intergenerational themes.
Title: Ka Wai Ola (The Living Water)
The first time Mālia saw the ʻauwai run dry, she was eight years old. Her papa told her it was a fluke — just the upstream dam needing repair — but even then, something in her small heart knew it wasn’t right. Wai, the water, had always flowed. Quietly. Steadily. Like breath. Like memory.
Now, at sixteen, Mālia watched the same ʻauwai with narrowed eyes, the summer sun casting long shadows over the empty ditch behind her grandmother’s loʻi. The taro leaves had begun to curl at the edges, like they were sighing.
“Eh, Tūtū,” she called, brushing mud from her legs. “It’s dry again.”
Tūtū Lehua didn’t answer right away. She was kneeling by the last patch of wet earth, her knuckles deep in the soil, testing its moisture the way her mother had taught her, and her grandmother before that.
“No rain for weeks,” Tūtū said finally. “And someone’s taking too much upstream.”
Mālia frowned. “Again? Didn’t we talk to the county?”
Tūtū sat back on her heels and looked out over the ʻāina, the land, her eyes calm but sharp. “Some things don’t change fast, keiki. But that doesn’t mean we stop trying.”
There was silence between them for a few moments, but it was a good silence. The kind that holds respect. The kind that listens.
Mālia stood and stretched, letting the breeze tug at her shirt. From here, she could see the green curve of the valley, the crooked lines of old lava walls swallowed by time, and beyond that, the glint of the ocean like a distant promise.
They had lived in this part of Windward Oʻahu for generations — tending loʻi, harvesting huli, caring for the land like it was family. Her great-great-grandfather had dug the first channel with his bare hands and his back hunched from years of labor. Mālia had heard the story every year on Makahiki, when the family gathered at the old hale near the forest and shared chants, laughter, and poi eaten from the same wooden bowls.
Now, though, Mālia felt a different story tugging at her — one not yet told. She was thinking of school starting again, of climate change reports, of the resort up the ridge that had expanded their golf course last year. She was thinking of Kanoa from science class, who’d said he wanted to measure stream flow for his community project, and maybe even fly a drone to track erosion.
Mālia didn’t know all the answers. But she knew this: water is life, and the loʻi couldn’t wait another year.
She reached for her phone, then stopped. “Tūtū, what if we made a video? Show what’s happening here. Interview you. Auntie Momi. Even Kumu Alika.”
Tūtū gave her a long look — part surprise, part approval. “Hawaiians are storytellers, Mālia. If you’re going to tell our story, make sure it honors the water.”
“I will,” she said, already imagining the opening shot: the dried ‘auwai, a whisper of wind, and her voice saying, “This is where our story begins.”
Would you like the next section or a full outline of how the story might unfold?
Prompt #3 (Math): Apply the GPT-4 advantages to a real-world math problem, climate warming on Oahu, and demonstrate, in a 500-word essay, the use of real data, graph interpretations, and step-by-processes.
ChatGPT’s reply: Certainly! Here’s a 500-word essay demonstrating how GPT-4 can be applied to a real-world math problem related to climate warming on Oʻahu, specifically showing its strengths in interpreting real data, analyzing graphs, and explaining step-by-step processes — all in language accessible to a high school student.
Using GPT-4 to Solve a Real-World Math Problem: Climate Warming on Oʻahu
Climate change isn’t just something happening far away — it’s already affecting our home on Oʻahu. One of the clearest signs is the rising average temperature across the island over the past few decades. Understanding this change involves using real data, interpreting graphs, and applying math skills to solve community-relevant problems. This is where GPT-4 can make a big difference.
Let’s say you’re working on a math project to find out how much Oʻahu’s average temperature has increased since 1975 and what might happen by 2050 if the current trend continues. GPT-4 can help guide you through each step of the process by organizing your data, explaining how to build graphs, and using equations to make predictions.
Step 1: Using Real Data
First, GPT-4 helps you locate trustworthy climate data. For example, NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) provides temperature records from Honolulu’s weather station. According to historical data, the annual average temperature in Honolulu was about 75.2°F in 1975, and in recent years (e.g., 2020–2023), it has risen to 77.4°F.
That’s a +2.2°F increase over 48 years.
Step 2: Graph Interpretation
You can plot these numbers on a graph with the x-axis showing the years (1975 to 2023) and the y-axis showing average temperatures. GPT-4 can help create this graph using a spreadsheet or graphing calculator, labeling each axis and title correctly.
When the points are plotted, GPT-4 can help fit a line of best fit (linear regression) to the data. Based on that line, you can find a slope (rate of change).
Slope = (77.4°F – 75.2°F) / (2023 – 1975) = 2.2°F / 48 ≈ 0.0458°F per year
This means that every year, Oʻahu’s average temperature increases by about 0.046°F.
Step 3: Predicting the Future
Next, GPT-4 helps you create an equation to model this trend:
T(y) = 75.2 + 0.0458 × (y – 1975)
Where T(y) is the temperature in year y.
To predict the average temperature in 2050:
T(2050) = 75.2 + 0.0458 × (2050 – 1975) = 75.2 + 3.435 = 78.635°F
So by 2050, if the trend continues, Oʻahu’s average temperature could rise to around 78.6°F — more than 3°F warmer than in 1975.
Step 4: Local Impact
With this math complete, GPT-4 helps you understand and explain what these numbers mean: hotter days, more heat-related illness, changing rainfall patterns, and stress on native ecosystems. It can also help create charts, slides, or community infographics to show your findings clearly.
Conclusion
Unlike simpler tools, GPT-4 goes beyond giving quick answers. It helps students on Oʻahu learn how to analyze real data, explain every step, and connect math to environmental and cultural issues that matter in their communities. Whether it’s calculating a temperature rise or predicting its future effects, GPT-4 acts like a smart partner for real-world learning.
Would you like a visual graph based on this data or suggestions for how to present this as a school project or science fair board?
Prompt #4 (History): Develop a 500-word essay that explains how our 10th-grader will plan and carry out a personal interview with a renowned kupuna on Oahu. Demonstrate and explain respectful, thoughtful questions that reflect local values and history.
ChatGPT’s reply: Certainly! Here’s a 500-word essay explaining how a 10th-grade student on Oʻahu might thoughtfully plan and carry out a personal interview with a renowned kūpuna (elder). The essay emphasizes respectful cultural practices, interview preparation, and the value of preserving local knowledge.
Listening to the Source: Interviewing a Kūpuna with Respect and Purpose
When a 10th-grade student in Hawai‘i chooses to interview a kūpuna — an honored elder — it is more than just a school assignment. It’s a chance to listen to history in living form. Kūpuna carry deep knowledge passed down through generations. Their stories are not just facts — they are expressions of family, land, values, and the spirit of aloha. To interview a kūpuna is to enter into a space of humility, respect, and cultural responsibility.
The first step is planning. Before reaching out to anyone, the student must think about their purpose. Is the interview for a history project? A cultural portfolio? A video documentary? Knowing the goal helps focus the questions and format. Next, the student should talk with a parent, teacher, or family member who can help connect them to a kūpuna known for their storytelling, service, or cultural expertise — such as a hula elder, fisherman, healer, or longtime community leader.
When the student is ready to make contact, it’s important to approach with respect. A phone call or letter might begin like this:
Aloha, my name is Kaimana. I’m a 10th-grade student at Kaimukī High School. I’m doing a project to learn about the stories and wisdom of our kūpuna. Would you be willing to share some of your life experiences with me? I would be honored.
Once the kūpuna agrees, the student prepares questions in advance — not just out of politeness, but to show that they value the kūpuna’s time. The questions should be open-ended, thoughtful, and connected to the land, family, and history of Oʻahu. Here are a few examples:
- “Can you tell me about your childhood growing up on Oʻahu? What are your strongest memories?”
→ This invites storytelling and emotional connection. - “What lessons did your parents or grandparents teach you that you still follow today?”
→ Shows respect for generational knowledge. - “How has the land or ocean near your home changed in your lifetime?”
→ Connects to ʻāina (land) and environmental awareness. - “What values do you think are most important for young people in Hawaiʻi to learn and keep alive?”
→ Centers values like aloha, kuleana (responsibility), and mālama (care).
The interview itself should be held in a quiet, comfortable place, perhaps at the kūpuna’s home or a shaded outdoor space. The student should begin with a warm aloha and a small gift — even just fruit or flowers — as a gesture of gratitude.
During the interview, the student must listen more than speak, offering time for the kūpuna to pause, reflect, or tell stories in their own way. Recording is fine, but always ask permission first. At the end, the student should say mahalo sincerely and follow up with a thank-you note or copy of the finished project.
In doing so, the student doesn’t just complete an assignment. They become part of a living tradition — honoring the voices of the past to shape the values of the future.
Would you like a printable interview guide or cultural protocol checklist to pair with this?
Prompt #5 (Art): Write a 500-word essay guiding our 10th-grader in the creation of a multimedia art project that blends visuals, music, and storytelling.
ChatGPT’s reply: Certainly! Here’s a 500-word essay guiding a 10th-grade student in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi through the process of creating a multimedia art project that thoughtfully blends visuals, music, and storytelling, while honoring cultural values and creative expression.
Blending Art and Story: A 10th-Grader’s Guide to Creating a Multimedia Project
Creating a multimedia art project is a powerful way for a 10th-grade student to share a meaningful story through images, sound, and words. It’s not just about being creative — it’s about expressing identity, honoring place, and connecting with others in a way that moves the heart and mind.
The first step is choosing a theme. A strong multimedia project has a clear purpose or story at its center. For a student in Hawaiʻi, this might be “The Voice of the ʻĀina (Land),” “A Day in the Life of My ʻOhana,” or “Echoes of Waikīkī: Then and Now.” The theme should reflect something personally meaningful — something the student feels connected to, whether it’s their neighborhood, a family tradition, or a local issue like climate change or cultural preservation.
Next comes the story planning. Even though the final project might include photos, drawings, videos, and music, it should still follow the basic structure of a good story: a beginning, middle, and end. The student should outline what they want to say in each part. For example:
- Beginning: Introduce the setting — the place, people, or idea at the heart of the story.
- Middle: Show change, movement, or a deeper understanding through visuals and sound.
- End: Offer a reflection or call to action — what does the audience take away?
Visuals are the backbone of the project. These could be:
- Original photos taken by the student (like a sunrise over Diamond Head, or loʻi kalo in Kāneʻohe)
- Hand-drawn or digital artwork
- Archival images with permission or proper citation
- Short video clips of people, places, or daily life
Visuals should support the story — not distract from it. Each one should be chosen carefully, with good lighting, strong composition, and cultural awareness.
Music and sound add feeling and rhythm. A student might choose:
- Background slack key guitar or ukulele (with permission)
- Natural sounds (like ocean waves, birds, or rain)
- A recorded voice — perhaps a chant (oli), a personal narration, or a kūpuna sharing words
If the student creates their own music or uses royalty-free Hawaiian instruments digitally, it adds a unique personal touch. GPT-4 can help generate or recommend culturally appropriate and license-free audio options.
Finally, storytelling ties everything together. The student may write a voiceover script that blends facts, memories, and poetic lines. Here’s a sample line:
“This is the ʻāina where my great-grandfather fished, where the sand still remembers his bare feet.”
The student can record their voice, use subtitles, or even write short paragraphs between clips. No matter the method, the goal is to tell a story that flows with both heart and clarity.
At the end, the student should reflect: Does this project honor my subject? Does it represent my voice and my values?
With planning, care, and creativity, a 10th-grader’s multimedia project becomes more than a school assignment — it becomes a living canvas, where past, present, and future meet in sound and image.
Would you like an editable project outline or sample storyboard to go along with this guide?
Prompt #6 (Art): Yes, thank you. Please provide a sample storyboard to accompany this guide.
ChatGPT’s reply: You’re welcome! Below is a sample storyboard designed to accompany the multimedia art project guide. This example is titled “The Voice of the ʻĀina” and outlines a 2–3 minute video blending visuals, music, and storytelling for a 10th-grade student in Hawaiʻi. The storyboard is simple, clear, and adaptable for student use.
🎞 Sample Storyboard: “The Voice of the ʻĀina”
Theme: Honoring the connection between land, family, and future on Oʻahu
Length: 2–3 minutes
Format: Photo/video + narration + background music + natural sounds
| Scene # | Visuals | Narration / Text | Sound / Music | Purpose / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunrise over Koʻolau mountains (video or photo) | “This is where my story begins — with the land that raised me.” | Gentle Hawaiian slack key guitar | Opening image to ground the story in place |
| 2 | Close-up of loʻi kalo (taro patch) | “My kūpuna taught me that the ʻāina gives life, but we must care for it in return.” | Light wind + birds | Cultural connection to the land |
| 3 | Photo of great-grandfather fishing | “He used to fish here, with hands strong from work, and stories deep as the sea.” | Ocean sounds + faint music | Personal connection to ancestor |
| 4 | Clip of urban Honolulu (cars, buildings) | “Now, the world has changed. But the land still remembers.” | Softer music fades | Contrast between past and present |
| 5 | Youth planting or cleaning in a community garden | “We plant again, learn again, mālama again.” | Tool sounds, footsteps | Showing kuleana (responsibility) |
| 6 | Artwork or drawing of future Hawai‘i (student-made) | “I imagine a future where our keiki still know the sound of the rain on leaves.” | Original or digital music loop | Creative reflection |
| 7 | Kūpuna smiling, or voice clip of them speaking (with permission) | “They say: ‘Listen to the land. It speaks in silence.’ I am listening.” | Kūpuna’s voice + soft wind | Powerful elder voice or image |
| 8 | Aerial view or wide landscape shot | “This is my home. This is the voice of the ʻāina.” | Fade-in full music + ambient nature | Closing with emotional strength |
🛠️ Notes for the Student
- Recording tips: Use a phone with good lighting and avoid noisy backgrounds.
- Voiceover: Practice reading your narration slowly and clearly before recording.
- Music: Choose culturally appropriate, royalty-free tracks, or create your own with help from apps like GarageBand.
- Credits slide (optional): Thank interviewees and list photo/music sources.
✅ Optional Final Slide (Credits / Reflection)
Mahalo: Tūtū Lehua, Mr. Kanoa (science teacher), Nā Keiki Loa Garden Project
Photos & Music: All original or public domain
Reflection: “This project helped me see that storytelling is a kind of planting — we place memories in the soil and trust that others will grow them.”
Would you like this storyboard in a printable format (PDF or Google Doc) or adapted to a specific topic like climate, native plants, or neighborhood change?
Prompt #7 (Science): Develop a 500-word essay that assists our 10th-grader in planning a community-based experiment in Waiʻanae, Oahu. The plan should prioritize a realistic, place-based experiment idea, design steps, tracking results, and explaining findings clearly.
ChatGPT’s reply: Certainly! Here’s a 500-word essay that helps a 10th-grade student in Waiʻanae, Oʻahu plan a realistic, place-based science experiment. It focuses on designing a meaningful project, step-by-step procedures, tracking results, and explaining findings clearly — all grounded in the local environment and community.
Science in Waiʻanae: Planning a Community-Based Experiment
Science doesn’t always happen in a lab — sometimes, it begins with a question in your own backyard. For a 10th-grade student in Waiʻanae, Oʻahu, a great science experiment connects classroom learning to real-life problems in the community. By designing a simple, place-based experiment, the student can learn about local issues, practice data collection, and make science meaningful for both school and home.
One realistic idea is to study how different types of ground surfaces affect soil temperature during hot days in Waiʻanae — a community that regularly experiences high heat and limited shade. This experiment can help raise awareness about urban heat islands, an important issue as the climate warms and neighborhoods seek cooler, greener solutions.
Step 1: Forming a Question
The student begins with a guiding question:
“How does soil temperature differ between shaded, grassy, and paved areas in my neighborhood?”
This question is testable, local, and relevant to climate adaptation, gardening, and urban planning.
Step 2: Designing the Experiment
Materials:
- Soil thermometer (or digital thermometer with probe)
- Notebook or digital spreadsheet
- Measuring tape or ruler
- Phone or camera (optional for photo documentation)
- Watch or timer
Locations:
- Shaded soil (e.g., under a tree in a park or yard)
- Grassy soil (e.g., lawn or open field)
- Bare or paved surface (e.g., sidewalk, parking lot, or dry dirt)
Procedure:
- Choose three nearby locations in Waiʻanae that represent the different surfaces.
- At each site, insert the thermometer into the ground about 2 inches deep.
- Take measurements at three set times during the day — for example, 9 AM, 12 PM, and 3 PM — for five consecutive days.
- Record the temperature, date, time, weather (sunny/cloudy), and surface type in a table.
- Optionally, take photos of each location for your report.
Step 3: Tracking and Analyzing Results
After collecting data, the student will:
- Organize temperatures into a table or spreadsheet.
- Use a bar graph or line chart to compare average temperatures for each surface type.
- Look for patterns — Which surface gets hottest at midday? Does shade really help?
GPT-4 or spreadsheet tools can help calculate averages and visualize the results with clean, easy-to-read charts.
Step 4: Explaining the Findings
In the final report or presentation, the student can explain:
- What the data showed: (e.g., “Paved surfaces were 8°F hotter than shaded areas at midday.”)
- Why it matters: (e.g., “These results show how planting trees or using shade cloth in public spaces could help cool our neighborhoods.”)
- What they learned: (e.g., “Science can help us make better choices for our health and the land.”)
Conclusion
A well-planned experiment in Waiʻanae helps students build real science skills while exploring important community questions. It teaches that even simple tools — and local curiosity — can lead to meaningful discoveries and change.
Would you like a printable experiment worksheet, Google Slides template, or sample data table to go with this plan?
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