Analyze Learners

General Characteristics

The 28 students in Mr. Yates' class range in age from 8 to 11 years old (intermediate multiage). They come from a homogenous ethnic background but a diverse economic background. Academic skills are also diverse. Reading and writing skills range from non-reader to approximately the eleventh grade level.

Entry Characteristics

Prerequisite Skills:
Although most of the students have been exposed to the copyright concept, it is still new to them. Because of this student understanding of vocabulary will need to be built. Students are familiar with the needed internet skills of browser navigation and URL access.

Target Skills:
A few of the students have a basic understanding of the concept of copyright, but none of them have had direct experience with how copyright laws affect them or their school work.

Attitudes:
Students of this age still learn through imitation. Modeling of behavior and tasks are important instructional techniques for this age group. Because of this natural means of learning, students have many misconceptions about copyright in addition to having a hard time understanding many of the details of copyright law.

Learning Style

Perceptual Preferences and Strengths:
Nearly all of the children prefer learning activities that involve tactile or kinesthetic activities. Visual learning is also effective with this group and most of the students do well with auditory instruction, although that is not their preference.

Information Processing Habits:
This group of students falls mostly within the concrete sequential category. That is, they are most successful with direct, hands on learning activities that follow a logical sequence.

Motivational Factors:
Due to the structure of the multiage classroom, students are very comfortable with the teacher (many of the students have been with the teacher for three years). This lowers their anxiety with nearly all tasks. The students are also highly motivated to work at their own potential by doing work that is their personal best. They also strive to meet their older peer expectations as to quality of work.

Physiological Factors:
The group of students is balanced heterogeneously for factors such as: age, gender, learning style, and accademic ability.

State Objectives

Objective 1:
Intermediate multiage students will be able to verbally explain in their own words to the teacher, one or more reason(s) for copyright laws.

Objective 2:
Intermediate Multiage students will use the Netscape web browser on the school's Macintosh computers to find the correct answers to 100 percent of the questions on a copyright quiz.

Objective 3:
Intermediate Multiage students will apply two aspects of the copyright concept to their own written work (student published) by citing references and by including a copyright notice with their own original work.

Select Methods, Media, and Materials

Methods:

1. There will be a small group brainstorm activity to create a definition of the term copyright, followed by a presentation of student ideas.

2. Students will take part in a simulation activity of copyright infringement.

3. Students search individually for specific copyright information using the Internet.

4. After the lesson, students will continue the application of developmental understanding of the copyright concept and of copyright laws to their own schoolwork.

5. A whole group PowerPoint presentation will allow students to review their learning and further their understanding of copyright laws and the copyright concept.

Media and Materials

Flip-Chart: Small student groups will use chart paper to create a poster to help them present their initial understanding of the term "copyright" to the rest of the class.

Computer: Individual students will use networked Macintosh computers to search the Internet for specific copyright information. Additional use of this media will come into play after this lesson in a variety of ways as individuals create their own published work (i.e., web pages created with AppleWorks 5.0, word processed research papers using ClarisWorks 5.0, HyperStudio stacks, etc.).

Netscape Navigator: Students will use this web browser to navigate the Internet in search of copyright-specific information.

Handouts: Teacher-created handouts will be given to students to help focus their search for specific copyright information on the Internet (information will include URLs and a true/false copyright quiz).

PowerPoint: Students will take part in a whole class review discussion based on a teacher-led PowerPoint presentation.

Utilize Media and Materials

Preparing Environment:
This lesson will take place in two different settings. The predominant location is the classroom. The classroom is already set up to optimize student participation with the lesson. Tables are arranged for ease of small group interaction while allowing large group work. A TV monitor connected to a computer is attached to the wall where all students can easily view it. Lighting, climate, and noise control are all adequate for the lesson.

The computer lab is the other location in which the lesson will take place. Thirty Macintosh computers are networked for easy access to the Internet and have all of the required programs easily available for student access. There is room next to each computer for students to write while completing their "copyright quiz." Noise and climate control are a bit more limited in this location as compared to the classroom. The heat generated from 30 computers can heat the room considerably. Because the lab is adjacent to the playground, noise can be a problem if the windows are open. Time scheduled will thus be important, late afternoon will be best as there are few if any children on the playground at that time of day.

Preparing the Audience:
The introductory activity in which small student groups use brainstorming to create and present a definition of what they think the word "copyright" means, provides much of the motivation for active participation with this lesson.

Require Learner Participation

Initial Activities

Questions:
"What do you think copyright means?"
"Why are there copyright laws?"

Activities to Do:
1. In small groups, students will write a definition of the word "copyright" on flip-chart paper to share with the rest of the class. This will be done using a brainstorm format to help assess understanding prior to the body of instruction.

2. Each small group is to be given the task of creating a "top secret" invention, a new toy. Given the scenario that they are each working as a separate toy company, they will draw a sketch(s) of their top secret toy and write a short description of what it is. After a set time period (long enough so they become strongly attached to their plans), have the "companies" stop working and tell them that they are to, "...imagine that it was the end of the work day and so they all went home for the evening. During the night, a burglar broke in to the offices and took the plans for the toy inventions." Have groups exchange new toy ideas so that each group has another group's ideas. Next each group is to look at the toy ideas they received from the other group. Finally, begin a class discussion based on the toy invention activity that leads students back to the concept of copyright and to current copyright laws, include affective questions.

Follow-up Activities

Questions:
"How do some of the copyright laws work?"

Activities to do:
1. Each small group will search for answers to a "copyright quiz" using the Internet's World Wide Web. The web site(s) that the students will search will be pre-selected by the teacher.

2. Students will begin citing references on written work they produce for science, social studies, independent projects, or language arts assignments. In addition, they will begin including a copyright notice on the original work they create and publish (while understanding that the notice itself is not necessary for a work to be copyright protected).

3. Students will participate in a whole class discussion reviewing the concepts and laws surrounding copyright. The teacher will facilitate this with the help of a PowerPoint presentation.

Evaluate and Revise

Learner Evaluation

The teacher will observe and note on a checklist, student participation in verbally stating reasons for copyright laws during the class discussion (one or more reason).

Students will find the correct answers to 100 percent of the questions on a copyright quiz by using the Internet.

The teacher will monitor future student application of the copyright concept to their own written work (student published) including the citation of references and the inclusion of a copyright notice with their own original work.

Methods and Media Evaluation

Teacher evaluation of the lesson will be based on observation of student participation during the unit (How does participation with this lesson compare with that of other lessons with the same group of students?). It will also take into account the accuracy of student answers on the copyright quiz and the ease of student access through the Internet to gain the answers. Finally, ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of the lesson as a whole will be based on inclusion of copyright concepts and laws with student work.

Bibliographic Information

Joseph, Linda C. (1996). Copyright Workshop. Retrieved April 29, 1999 from the World Wide Web: http://www.cyberbee.com/copyrt.html

Templeton, Brad. 10 Big Myths About Copyright Explained. Retrieved May 4, 1999 from the World Wide Web: http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html

Russell Yates - Resume

Professional Portfolio

Email graywolf@olympus.net