Learn from the Past, Create the Future - The Arts and Copyright
Publication year: 2010
Aimed at 9 to 14 year-olds,this workbook covers the basic principles of copyright law with concrete examples demonstrating how copyright and related rights work in practice to encourage creativity and protect created works. Using simple terms and illustrations, the book explains how copyright limitations and the public domain provide a balance between the rights of creators and the public interest in accessing and using their works. The final chapter explores different forms of copyright infringement, from plagiarism to illegal file sharing, touching also on digital rights management.
'Young Author' profiles tell the stories of youngsters who have achieved distinction through their creative works - such as the best-selling author of the Eragon fantasy stories, Christopher Paolini, and 10-year-old Indian filmmaker Kisha Shrikanth.
Teaching copyright in a balanced way
The book provides young students with a well-rounded view of copyright by casting readers in different roles - first as creators then users of copyrighted works. Their knowledge is put to the test in games such as 'Clear the Rights' and 'Public Domain Detective.' A sample letter enables readers to seek permission to use a copyrighted work in, for example, a school project.
The Arts and Copyright builds on the success of the first publication in WIPO's Learn from the Past, Create the Future series. Inventions and Patents has been successfully used in schools around the world, and has been translated into several languages. The workbooks are designed for use by teachers or by individual students without the need for support or access to additional resources.
Tomorrow's creators and consumers
Today's schoolchildren are tomorrow's games creators, graphic designers, writers, record producers, publishers. They are already avid consumers of music, films, books, software and the Internet. Equipping young people with a sound understanding of intellectual property is critical to developing a sustainable IP culture for future generations. For WIPO, this remains a major goal in its public outreach activities.
