Copyright & Creative Commons

Lesson Overview:

This lesson is designed to help teachers and students understand Copyright law and how to utilize the Creative Commons. It covers Copyright, fair use, appropriation, and Copyright infringement as they pertain to both content creators and content consumers. Students will learn to find websites that offer free images and music and to cite licenses for specific images found on the Creative Commons. Finally, they will select one of their own original photographs and use the Creative Commons website to generate a CC-license for their photograph. This lesson can be completed on a cell phone or computer.

Why should students understand Copyright law and the Creative Commons?

Copyright is an essential component of digital visual literacy
Teachers should model proper use of online images and text to their students
Everyone is a Copyright user and most are Copyright holders, regardless of their age
Content creators and content consumers should be aware of Copyright laws to understand the value of their creative works and to ensure they are using the works of others in fair and legal ways
Contemporary artists must navigate Copyright law on a frequent basis, therefore, art educators should reinforce and prepare their students to do the same

References:

Edutopia: How to Teach Copyright and Fair Use to Students

Library of Congress: Six Copyright Concepts Your K-12 Students Should Know