Python AI Assistant camp plan

Use this page when running Python AI: Build a Smart Assistant as a 5-day camp.

At a glance

Day	Blocks	Goal
1	Setup, Stage 1, Stage 2	Local Python works and the assistant greets the user by name.
2	Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 5	The assistant reacts, keeps listening, and uses functions.
3	Stage 6, Stage 7, Stage 8	Students add jokes, modules, and keyword understanding.
4	Stage 9, Stage 10, catch-up	The assistant remembers data and connects to a live API.
5	Bug fixes, personality polish, parent demo	Students show commands and explain the rule-based logic.

Minimum viable finish

A student should leave with one runnable assistant.py that starts with uv run, answers typed input, and includes at least one custom response.

Coach triage

• If local setup fails, pair the student with a working machine for the lesson and fix setup during break.
• If imports fail, run uv add rich requests from the project folder.
• If speech fails, keep typed output working; the say command is a bonus, not the core concept.
• If a student is ahead, have them add a new command family with clear keyword matching.

Common stuck points

• Students run Python from the wrong folder.
• A while loop may not have a clean quit path.
• The live joke/API step needs an offline fallback to keep demos reliable.