This chapter was inspired by the ISTE Creative Communicator standard.
Take a look at the videos below to see this standard in action in real world classroom settings!
Patriotic, Peace, and Protest Songs
Patriotic and Protest Music. Library of Congress.
Music in the Civil Rights Movement. Library of Congress.
The 100 Best Protest Songs of All Time. Spotify, 2025.
Teacher and Student Guide to Analyzing Music and Songs. Critical Media Literacy and Civic Learning.
Songs of Reform -- Using the National Jukebox, Prohibition Era Music, and Student Writing to Explore Cultural Change and Political Participation. [Classroom Learning Plan]
Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest and the Music That Made a Nation. Jon Meacham & Tim McGraw. Young Readers Edition. Delacorte Press, 2023.
AI Music Generators
Creative Commons Music, Sounds, and Media for Making Music Videos
Student Voice: School Boards are a Critical Piece of Democracy. That's Why Students Must Be On Them. Markus Ceniceros. The Hechinger Report, March 25, 2024.
Incorporating a Student Perspective into the State Board of Education Decision Making Process. Tennessee State Board of Education, February 27, 2024.
7 Benefits of Student School Board Members. New York State School Board Association, April 7, 2025.
The Power of a Democratic Classroom. Carla Marshall. Edutopia, July 27, 2021.
Voting and Citizen Participation in the Political Process. Building Democracy for All.
Discussion Topic: Should Teens Vote? Voting Age Around the World. Evan Gorelick, The New York Times, July 18, 2025.
AI Justice Project Toolkit. Strategies for students becoming active participants in shaping how AI impacts their communities.
Sixth Amendment: Overview of the Right to Trial by Jury. Constitution Annotated. Library of Congress.
Trial by Jury: Why It Works and Why It Matters. Kathleen M. O'Malley. American University Law Review, 68(4).
Bench Trial vs. Jury Trial: A Citizen's Guide to the U.S. Court System. GovFacts, 2025.
The Best Legal and Courtroom Dramas. Ashley Merryman. RogerEbert.com, March 4, 2024.
How Humans Invented Writing -- Four Different Times. Bridget Alex. Discover Magazine, December 18, 2018.
40 Real-World Persuasive Writing Examples (Essays, Speeches, Ads, and More). We Are Teachers.
Memes and TikToks as Political Cartoons. Critical Media Literacy and Civic Learning.
Bookcase for Young Writers. Kids Have All the Write Stuff.
Learning Plan 1: Podcasting with AI to Advocate for Justice, Equity and Change
Learning Plan 2: Greetings from 2050: What Futures Will AI Create for Society and Schools?