Lesson: A Creator's Rights (6-8)

Introduce

ASK: What is something you’ve made that you’re proud of?
Sample responses:

• Poem or story
• Artwork
• Photo or video
• Song

ASK: Can you think of a time when you used someone else’s work in something you created?
Sample responses:

• Books for school project
• Magazine photos in collage
• Photos in PowerPoint slideshow
• Video clips in a remix or music clips in a mash-up

Teach 1 Learn About Copyright

POINT OUT to students that they are all creators. Ask them to think about times they recorded an idea they had whether they wrote something down, uploaded it onto the Internet, took a picture or video, or made something for class. Now ask them to think about a time when they’ve used things online that others have created, such as copying or downloading something from the Internet. Tell students that they will watch a video explaining why it’s important to think about what they do as creators and as users of other people’s creative work.

SHOW students the Respecting Creative Work Student Intro Video.
After the video, REMIND students that:
Once someone records an original idea, it is copyrighted. Copyright is an important law that helps protect the rights of creators so they receive credit and get paid for their work. Most things you find, download, copy and paste from the Internet are copyrighted.
You can use things you find online as long as you:

• check who created it
• get permission to use it
• give credit to the creator
• buy it (if necessary)
• use it responsibly

If you aren’t careful in how you use other people’s work online, you might be stealing. (Students will learn the concept of stealing with terms like piracy and plagiarism in Teach 2.)
It’s great to be able to use things we find online, but we have to do it responsibly. We have to show our respect for other people’s hard work and creativity by giving credit where credit is due.

Teach 2: Introduce Key Vocabulary for Creators

DIVIDE students into groups of four or five and hand out copies of the 411 for Creators Student Handout to each student. Review the Teacher Backgrounder for more information about the vocabulary, and review the 411 for Creators Student  Handout – Teacher Version for the answers.

REVIEW the Key Vocabulary as a class. Have one student from each group take turns reading each definition aloud. Provide students additional background information from the Teacher Backgrounder if preferred.

SHARE answers to the fill-in-the-blank section on the student handout. Have students explain the correct answers.

REMIND students that these terms are important for creators to know so that they can:

• protect their own creative work
• follow the rules of copyright law
• be respectful of how they use other people’s work

Teach 3: Copyright & Songs

KEEP students in groups.
ASK: What is a song that we all have sung at one point in our lives? (The answer that you will be looking for is the “Happy Birthday” song, but have some fun with this question by brainstorming popular songs, e.g., “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” “The Star-Spangled Banner,” etc. If students don’t guess the “Happy Birthday” song, give them clues. Then tell students that in the next activity they will examine the issue of copyright and “Happy Birthday.”

DISTRIBUTE The Truth About “Happy Birthday” Student Handout to all students and have them read the directions and complete the activity.

Students can use a high- or low-tech option:

• Low tech: Students write down the lyrics and perform (sing) the song in front of the class.
• High tech: Students write down the lyrics and record their song in audio or video using GarageBand or another audiovisual-creation tool. Play the recordings in front of the class.

After students have completed and performed their song, have students complete Step 2 of the handout by thinking about how they would want others to be able to use their song.
Ask students to SHARE how they are willing to let others use their work. Will they let others copy, share, perform, change, or sell it? Students can also complete the “Use Common Sense!” final step by choosing a Creative Commons license for their song. (They will need Internet access for this activity.)

Wrap Up & Assess

Help students reflect by writing down three ways copyright gives them rights as a creator. Use their reasons to assess their  understanding of the lesson objectives. Students may state, “because it’s the law,” but also direct students to think about how  copyright protects their creative work and how they can choose what kind of copyright they want.

Extension & Homework

Extension Activity
Have students explore Creative Commons by being a Copyright Detective. Distribute copies of the Copyright Detectives Student Handout to all students. Refer to the Copyright Detectives Student Handout –Teacher Version for guidance. For this activity, show the Respecting Creative Work Student Intro Video. Hit “pause” at the very end of the video, when the Creative Commons license appears. Have students complete the worksheet and share their answers.

Homework
Students apply their knowledge of copyright by watching a movie. Using their 411 for Creators Student Handout, students watch a family-friendly movie with family members in order to identify the importance of copyright in movies. Tell students to watch a movie with their families where they have to pay close attention to:

• The beginning: Before the movie, watch and read aloud the “FBI Privacy Warning.” What does it say about any of the words on the 411 for Creators sheet?
• The end: At the end of the movie you’ll see the credits. The credits list all the actors and other people involved in making the movie. The credits also list any copyrighted material used in the movie, such as songs. What copyrighted items were listed in the credits? Keep track by writing them on the back of your 411 for Creators sheet.