AI and Civic Engagement

Chapter 3:
Activating Student Agency with AI

ISTE Standard: Empowered Learner

This chapter was inspired by the ISTE Empowered Learner standard.

Take a look at the videos below to see this standard in action in real world classroom settings!

Resources for Learning Plan 3.1: Prompting AI for Civic Learning

Prompt Literacy and Strategies for Prompting AI.
Prompt Literacy: A Key for AI-based Learning. Heidi Hayes Jacobs & Michael Fisher. ASCD (June 26, 2023).
10 ChatGPT Prompt Engineering Frameworks You Need To Know.
5 prompt frameworks to level up your prompts.
11 ChatGPT Prompt Frameworks Every Marketer Should Know.

ChatGPT-Generated Table of AI Prompt Literacy Frameworks

Here is a table with **5 Generative AI Prompt Literacy Frameworks**, including their acronyms, full names, descriptions, and tailored example prompts for **high school civics teachers**: | **Acronym** | **Framework Title** | **Description** | **Example Prompt for Civics High School Teachers** | | ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **RACE** | Role, Action, Context, Explanation | A structured prompt format that defines the AI’s role, the action it should take, the background info, and the expected outcome. | *“You are a constitutional law expert. Explain to my 11th-grade civics class how the First Amendment applies to student speech, using real-world examples.”* | | **TAG** | Task, Actions, Goal | This prompt format clarifies the task, outlines specific steps or actions, and names the learning goal. | *“Summarize three actions a student can take to influence local government, and explain how each action contributes to civic engagement.”* | | **CREATE** | Character, Request, Examples, Adjustment, Type, Extras | A detailed framework for designing persona-based prompts with multiple layers of specificity and output formatting. | *“Act as a journalist from the 1960s. Write a short article explaining the impact of the Voting Rights Act to high school students today. Provide two examples and format as a news article.”* | | **APE** | Action, Purpose, Execution | A concise framework for instructing the AI with a task, its goal, and how the output should be delivered. | *“Create a quiz with five multiple-choice questions to assess students’ understanding of the separation of powers. Include an answer key.”* | | **COAST** | Context, Objective, Actions, Scenario, Task | A planning-oriented framework that provides context and outlines both the scenario and desired task outcomes. | *“Given a unit on local elections, generate a classroom activity where students role-play as candidates and voters. The objective is to help students understand campaign strategies and voting behavior.”* | Let me know if you'd like this turned into a printable handout or infographic!

Resources for Learning Plan 3.2: Latin Legal Learning with AI

Reading U.S. Supreme Court Cases

Latin Legal Terms

- List of Latin Legal Terms. Wikipedia.
- Latin, deconstructed. Norton Rose Fulbright.
- United States Glossary of Legal Terms.

Digital Storytelling Tools

Resources for Learning Plan 3.3: Honoring Civil Rights Activists with AI

Exploring Holidays & Days of Recognition

- National Day Calendar.
- We Ranked 5,700 Holidays, from Labor Day to World Dracula Day. Which Do You Celebrate? The Washington Post, August 29, 2025.
- Exploring Black History with ChatGPT. A Digital Choice Board. Robert Maloy & Torrey Trust (2024).
- Women in Aviation History/Herstory. A Digital Choice Board. Robert Maloy & Torrey Trust (2025).
- American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month. A Digital Choice Board. Robert Maloy, Torrey Trust, & Sharon Edwards (2023).
- National Hispanic Heritage Month. A Digital Choice Board. Robert Maloy & Torrey Trust (2023).
- Black Lives Matter. A Digital Choice Board. Robert Maloy & Torrey Trust (2022).

Identifying Civil Rights Activists

- Unsung Heroes of the American Civil Rights Movement.
- 6 Women Who Helped Lead the Civil Rights Movement.
- 30 Civil Rights Leaders of the Past and Present.
- Who'll Be in Trump's Hero Garden? There are a Few Surprises. The Washington Post (July 15, 2025).

Proposing a Day of Recognition

Meet the Girl Who Helped Make 3rd Grade Day in Minnesota (March 3, 2025).

Resources for Learning Plan 3.4: GenAI Friend or Foe?

Evaluating GenAI Tools: Ethical Considerations

- Chapter 2: A GenAI Guide for Teachers.
- AI & Ethics Open Access Slide Deck, Torrey Trust, Ph.D.
- Teaching AI Ethics, Leon Furze (NOTE: There are updated versions for 2025 for following sections of the Teaching AI Ethics original series: Truth, Bias, and Environmental Impact).
- Teacher & Student Guide to Analyzing GenAI Tools.
- A Teacher and Student Guide for Evaluating GenAI Text Responses.
- AI Ethics: Sample Conversation Starters.
- Marc Watkins' Beyond ChatGPT Series.
- Civics of Technology "Critical Questions About Technology" & EdTech Audit.
- Trust, T. & Maloy, R.W. (2025). AI and ethics: What school leaders need to know. Educational Leadership.

AI Use Policies

- Dr. Torrey Trust's AI Syllabus Policy Statement.
- Syllabi Policies for AI Generative Tools - A database of more than 200 policies, curated by Lance Eaton.
- AI Policies, Guidelines & Frameworks for Schools. Eric Curts (May 21, 2024).
- Generative AI Syllabus Statement Tool (Seaver College).
- AI in Academia: Policies, Guidelines, and Governance.

GenAI & Ethics Presentation

GenAI & Ethics Slide Deck

Additional Learning Plans

Bonus Learning Plan: Civic Action through Project-Based Learning with AI

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