A Teacher’s Guide to Copyright and Fair Use

Amie Heatherton
Boise State University Graduate Student

Learner Description: This web page was created to assist K-12 educators to legally enhance their curriculum by learning about copyright laws and fair use policies.

Introduction

As an educator, we are constantly looking for educational material to enhance lessons and engage students more in their learning. That’s great news! But wait- Don’t take another step further until you learn about copyright and fair use policies. There are many rules, laws, and guidelines for using and downloading academic materials in your classroom. Make sure you know this important information before using educational materials.

Scavenger Hunt Activity

In order to learn more about copyright laws and fair use policies for your classroom, you will participate in a Scavenger Hunt. To begin, click on the Scavenger Hunt Activity. Type your answers in the Scavenger Hunt Google Form. When you are done, make sure to check with the answer key link at the bottom of the web page.

  1. What does copyright mean? Resource
  2. Why is it so important teachers understand copyright laws? Resource

Part 2: Fair Use

  1. What is fair use? Resource
  2. What are the four factors to consider with fair use? Resource

Part 3: Public Domain

  1. What does public domain mean? Resource
  2. List 4 sites with a public domain that would be beneficial to you to use as an educator. Resource

Part 4: Do I Need Permission?

  1. What are the 6 steps needed for acquiring permission to use copyrighted materials? Resource
  2. What contents cannot be copyrighted? Resource

Part 5: Teacher Material Guidelines

  1. When can teachers make multiple copies of printed materials? Resource
  2. What types of materials are allowed to be downloaded off of the internet? Resource

[Answer Key]