Melody's Dilemma-Copyright or Fair Use

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  CTE Lesson Plan

• CTE Course Info and Benchmark Notes

  
  

  Digital Discoveries in Society

  Course Title:

  Digital Discoveries in Society

  Course Number:

  9009600

  Career Cluster:

  Information Technology

  CIP Number:

  0511020111

  Course Type:

  EXPL - Middle School Programs

  CTE Standard(s) or benchmark:

  CTE-IT.68.9009600.3.6 Discuss issues related to downloading music, videos, or images from the Internet, including unethical vs. illegal actions.

  CTE-IT.68.9009600.3.7 Compare and contrast rules for copyright and fair use, especially in relation to using online resources for school and educational purposes.

• Unit Outline

  
  

  This lesson is designed to be used with the case study, “Melody's Dilemma.” See CPALMS Resource ID# 215046.

• Career Connection

  
  

  This lesson will help students in future careers.

  • Students will increase their copyright knowledge by understanding that copyright laws protects one’s own work, avoids legal issues, and ensures respect for others’ intellectual property.
  • Having the ability to conduct research is a valuable skill in many careers. In this lesson, students are asked to research copyright laws and their impact on the music industry. This involves identifying reliable sources, gathering and interpreting information, and presenting findings.
  • Understanding and considering ethical issues is a key aspect of responsible decision-making. In this lesson, students explore ethical issues related to music sampling and intellectual property rights, which can help them develop a strong ethical framework for their future careers.

• Learning Objectives

  
  

  Students will be able to:

  • Explore the potential legal and ethical issues surrounding the sampling of music on the internet for artists and the music industry.
  • Analyze the importance of intellectual property rights (IPR) in the music industry.
  • Research copyright laws, rules, and effects on the music industry.

• Prior Knowledge

  
  

  Students should be familiar with/able to:

  • A basic understanding of downloading digital media and sampling music.
  • The idea of copyright laws and IRP.
  • Conduct research using reliable sources.

• Guiding Questions

  
  
  • What are intellectual property rights?
  • What do you think infringement means?
  • Why is having copyright laws in place important?
  • What are some examples of copyright infringement?
  • How can identifying and understanding copyright laws help artists and the music industry?

• Procedure

  
  

  Introduction

  1. Check prior knowledge by discussing what students know about Copyright Infringement and Fair Use.
  2. Display the Copyright Infringement or Fair use situation worksheet (see attached).
  3. Define the two terms.
  4. Read each scenario aloud. Ask the class to raise their hand if they think it is Fair Use or Copyright Infringement.
  5. Discuss what aspects of the scenario make it fair use or copyright infringement.
  6. Review the correct answers (see attached answer key).
  7. Provide students with a copy of the case study, "Melody's Dilemma," (see CPALMS Resource ID# 215046) Have students partner read the case study.
  8. Read Melody's Dilemma in pairs.
  9. Review the following discussion/comprehension questions in a whole group discussion.

  Discussion/comprehension questions

  • What are some of the challenges Melody Stardust faces regarding the unauthorized use of her music on social media platforms?
  • Why is it important for Melody to protect her intellectual property rights (IPR) as an artist?
  • What are the potential financial consequences of unauthorized sampling of Melody's music?

  Student-centered and integrated activity

  1. Distribute the handout, Melody's Dilemma Research Guide (see attached).
  2. Have students independently research the different topics listed on the handout: copyright laws, IRP laws, sampling, and fair use rules/requirements.
  3. Students will fill in the definition, examples, and additional notes to key vocabulary words.
  4. Next, students will write three examples of copyright infringement in Melody's Dilemma.
  5. Finally, they will research three penalties for copyright infringement.

  Closure/Future Work

  • Orally discuss their research finding with a partner.
  • Reflect on the copyright laws/rules in the music industry by having a whole group discussion about Melody's Dilemma as a musician.
  • Ask students, "How does copyright infringement affect different careers?”

• Teacher Notes

  
  
  • Teachers can provide students with a starting point for their research using valid sources, such as referring them to www.copyright.gov/engage.