Copyright and Fair Use
For Middle School Students
What does copyright mean?
Copyright means you own what you create! As the creator you have the right to make copies, share it with others, perform/display your work, and make changes to it. Copyright happens as soon as you create something, you don't need to register it for copyright laws to be in effect.
What is fair use?
Fair use allows media and other things to be used in classrooms for educational purposes. When deciding if you can use something under the fair use policy you need to consider: purpose, nature, amount, and potential market. Are you being fair to the creator?
As a student you may use:
10% or 3 minutes of video (whichever is less)
10% or 30 seconds of music or lyrics (whichever is less)
When using pictures or illustrations follow the rules the creator set.
As a student you may use:
10% or 3 minutes of video (whichever is less)
10% or 30 seconds of music or lyrics (whichever is less)
When using pictures or illustrations follow the rules the creator set.
Whenever you use something that is not yours give the creator credit by citing!
If you didn't create it, make sure you cite it!
Protect yourself by knowing the laws!
Why is it important to know the laws?
Copyright encourages people to be creative and it protects the works you have created.
If you know the laws you can protect yourself. It is easy to break copyright and fair use laws if you don't know them.
If you know the laws you can protect yourself. It is easy to break copyright and fair use laws if you don't know them.