Campaigning for fair use: Public service announcements on copyright awareness
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=939
A lesson plan for Grades 7–8 English Language Arts
This multi–media unit introduces students to fair use and copyright rules. After evaluating their personal usage of text and media, students research actual laws using kid–friendly Internet sites that explain intellectual property rights. Students also create a 60-second audio public service announcement on a current topic to explain to their peers what their research revealed.
The goals of the PSA include:
- Increasing awareness of what fair use encompasses.
- Establishing/promoting an honor code.
- Serving as a deterrent against dishonest or illegal practices.
- Improving understanding of personal ownership of all types of text (e.g., audio, video, print, image).
ReadWriteThink provides links to sample public service announcements, student–friendly sites that explain intellectual property laws, rubrics for evaluation, and specific assignment guidelines.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
English Language Arts (2004)
Grade 7
- Goal 1: The learner will use language to express individual perspectives in response to personal, social, cultural, and historical issues.
- Objective 1.03: Interact in group settings by:
- responding appropriately to comments and questions.
- offering personal opinions confidently without dominating.
- giving appropriate reasons that support opinions.
- soliciting and respecting another person's opinion.
- Objective 1.03: Interact in group settings by:
- Goal 2: The learner will synthesize and use information from a variety of sources.
- Objective 2.01: Respond to informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard and/or viewed.
- analyzing the characteristics of informational works.
- summarizing information.
- determining the importance of information.
- making connections to related topics/information.
- drawing inferences and/or conclusions.
- generating questions.
- Objective 2.02: Use multiple sources of print and non-print information in designing and developing informational materials (such as brochures, newsletters and informercials) through:
- identifying and using appropriate primary and secondary sources.
- comparing, contrasting, and evaluating information from different sources about the same topic.
- evaluating information for extraneous details, inconsistencies, relevant facts, and organization.
- Objective 2.01: Respond to informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
- Goal 3: The learner will refine the understanding and use of argument.
- Objective 3.01: Analyze a variety of public documents that establish a position or point of view by:
- monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard and /or viewed.
- identifying the arguments and positions stated or implied and the evidence used to support them.
- recognizing bias, emotional factors, and/or semantic slanting.
- examining the effectiveness of style, tone, and use of language.
- summarizing the author's purpose and stance.
- examining the importance and impact of establishing a position or point-of-view.
- making connections between works, self and related topics.
- drawing inferences.
- responding to public documents (such as but not limited to editorials, reviews, local/state/national policies/issues).
- Objective 3.03: Create arguments that evaluate by:
- understand the importance of establishing a firm judgment.
- justifying the judgment with logical, relevant reasons, clear examples, and supporting details.
- creating an organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context.
- Objective 3.01: Analyze a variety of public documents that establish a position or point of view by:
- Goal 6: The learner will apply conventions of application of grammar and language usage.
- Objective 6.01: Model an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression by:
- using a variety of sentences correctly, punctuating them properly, and avoiding fragments and run-ons.
- using subject-verb agreement and verb tense that are appropriate for the meaning of the sentence.
- applying the parts of speech to clarify language usage.
- using pronouns correctly, including clear antecedents and correct case.
- using phrases and clauses correctly, including proper punctuation (e.g., prepositional phrases, appositives, dependent and independent clauses).
- determining the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words using context clues, a dictionary, a glossary, a thesaurus, and/or structural analysis (roots, prefixes, suffixes) of words.
- extending vocabulary knowledge by learning and using new words.
- determining when and where dialects and standard/nonstandard English usage are appropriate.
- applying language conventions and usage during oral presentations.
- choosing language that is precise, engaging, and well suited to the topic and audience.
- experimenting with figurative language and speech patterns.
- Objective 6.02: Continue to identify and edit errors in spoken and written English by:
- using common spelling rules, applying common spelling patterns, and developing and mastering an individualized list of words that are commonly misspelled.
- mastering proofreading symbols for editing.
- producing final drafts/presentations that demonstrate accurate spelling and the correct use of punctuation, capitalization, and format.
- listening to and monitoring self to correct errors.
- Objective 6.01: Model an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression by:
Grade 8
- Goal 1: The learner will use language to express individual perspectives through analysis of personal, social, cultural, and historical issues.
- Objective 1.02: Analyze expressive materials that are read, heard, and viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard, and/or viewed.
- reviewing the characteristics of expressive works.
- determining the importance of literary effects on the reader/viewer/listener.
- making connections between works, self and related topics.
- drawing inferences.
- generating a learning log or journal.
- maintaining an annotated list of works that are read or viewed, including personal reactions.
- taking an active role in and/or leading formal/informal book/media talks.
- Objective 1.02: Analyze expressive materials that are read, heard, and viewed by:
- Goal 2: The learner will use and evaluate information from a variety of sources.
- Objective 2.01: Analyze and evaluate informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard and/or viewed.
- recognizing the characteristics of informational materials.
- summarizing information.
- determining the importance of information.
- making connections to related topics/information.
- drawing inferences.
- generating questions.
- extending ideas.
- Objective 2.02: Use multiple sources of print and non-print information to explore and create research products in both written and presentational forms by:
- determining purpose, audience, and context.
- understnaing the focus.
- recognizing and/or choosing a relevant topic.
- recognizing and/or selecting presentational format (e.g., video, essay, interactive technology) appropriate to audience.
- evaluating information for extraneous detail, inconsistencies, relevant facts, and organization.
- researching and organizing information to achieve purpose.
- using notes and/or memory aids to structure information.
- supporting ideas with examples, definitions, analogies, and direct references to primary and secondary sources.
- noting and/or citing sources used.
- recognizing the use of and/or employing graphics such as charts, diagrams,and graphs to enhance the communication of information.
- Objective 2.01: Analyze and evaluate informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
- Goal 3: The learner will continue to refine the understanding and use of argument.
- Objective 3.01: Explore and evaluate argumentative works that are read, heard and/or viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard and/or viewed.
- analyzing the work by identifying the arguments and positions stated or implied and the evidence used to support them.
- identifying the social context of the argument.
- recognizing the effects of bias, emotional factors, and/or semantic slanting.
- comparing the argument and counter-argument presented.
- identifying/evaluating the effectiveness of tone, style, and use of language.
- evaluating the author's purpose and stance
- making connections between works, self and related topics.
- responding to public documents (such as but not limited to editorials, reviews, local, state, and national policies/issues including those with a historical context).
- Objective 3.03: Evaluate and create arguments that persuade by:
- understanding the importance of the engagement of audience by establishing a context, creating a persona, and otherwise developing interest.
- noting and/or developing a controlling idea that makes a clear and knowledgeable judgment.
- arranging details, reasons, and examples effectively and persuasively.
- anticipating and addressing reader/listener concerns and counterarguments.
- recognizing and/or creating an organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context.
- Objective 3.01: Explore and evaluate argumentative works that are read, heard and/or viewed by:
- Goal 6: The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage.
- Objective 6.01: Model an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression by:
- using a variety of sentence types, punctuating properly, and avoiding fragments and run-ons.
- using subject-verb agreement and verb tense that are appropriate for the meaning of the sentence.
- applying the parts of speech to clarify language usage.
- using pronouns correctly, including clear antecedents and case.
- using phrases and clauses correctly, including proper punctuation (e.g. prepositional phrases, appositives, dependent and independent clauses.)
- determining the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary words using context clues, a dictionary, a glossary, a thesaurus, and/or structural analysis (roots, prefixes, suffixes) of words.
- extending vocabulary knowledge by learning and using new words.
- evaluating the use and power of dialects in standard/nonstandard English usage.
- applying correct language conventions and usage during formal oral presentations.
- Objective 6.02: Continue to identify and edit errors in spoken and written English by:
- using correct spelling of words appropriate in difficulty for eighth graders and refining mastery of an individualized list of commonly misspelled words.
- producing final drafts/presentations that demonstrate accurate spelling and the correct use of punctuation, capitalization, and format.
- self correcting errors in everyday speech.
- independently practicing formal oral presentations.
- Objective 6.01: Model an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression by:



