Part of Lesson Plan: Introduction to Copyright Laws and Graphics

Activity Overview / Details

When students enter the classroom, show the YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5E2rSwN09A&feature=fvwrel to the class. This is short clip on "what Can Be Copyrighted" After viewing the movie clip, ask the class "What do you think copyright protection means?" Have a few students give answers.

Next, on the overhead, have the website http://www.copyright.gov/open and click on the link Frequently Asked Questions.

Ask the class, "Do you think your answer s about copyright protection is correct?" Based on their answers, go to the web site  http://www.lawyers.com/our-blog/archives/641-Fair-Use-vs.-Copyright-Infringement-Quoting-Material-on-the-Internet.html  

Read the story about Monica Gaudio and "Cooks Source" magazine regarding quoting material on the Internet. Ask the class, "Does this seem fair? Who do you feel was wrong in this situation? The magazine company had been abusing the Internet and copying peoples work for a long time-did they deserve to go out of business?" There are many other questions that can be drawn from this incident.

This site gives a clear defintion of the understanding between fair use and copyright infringement. Read the two defintions to the class Fair Use and Copyright Infringement. Continue down the page and read the "Copyright Law of 1976."  Read the details the four factors that are used as a test of whether something is fair use.

Conclude by reading what the Copyright Office recommends:

• When in doubt, get the copyright owner's permission before using copyrighted material
• If you cannot get permission, don't use copyrighted material unless you're certain it constitutes fair use
• If you have any doubt, get a lawyer's advice

Ask the class, "What do you think is right? Have any of you broken the law?"

Answer any questions students may have regarding copyrighting images and text from the Internet.

Discuss the proper way to document images and text when copying from the Internet.