The Film Piracy Problem
A Problem-Solving Activity recommended for students in Grades 8–12.
"What we have in America is a whole generation of consumers who believe that because material is available on the Internet, that it’s free and fair game . . . I have a 23-year-old son who has this mindset. He and his friends don’t believe it’s wrong to, in effect, steal copyrighted material."
—LeVar Burton, Director
Recent developments in digital technology make file sharing on the Internet convenient and relatively fast, and have contributed significantly to the film piracy problem. This teaching unit introduces students to the technology, as well as to U.S. copyright laws, which protect the creative works of artists.
The Film Piracy Problem includes both a teacher’s guide with lesson plans and glossary, as well as student reading and research activity sheets. To complete the problem-solving process, students must tap their knowledge of multiple subject areas, including math and social studies. The teacher’s guide provides a cross-curricular applications chart.
