Task: After learning about copyright law and participating in activities to reinforce understanding you will conduct your own research on emerging technologies from the 21st Century. You are to create a document that illustrates your understanding of the invention and its potential impact.

Lesson Requirements: Watch a Copyright PowerPoint presented in class. We'll take a together, and learn about and discuss some notorious copyright issues in the music and movie industry. (Copyright Web site: Registration & Information Resources) Independently you will visit Cyberethics for Kids and read story scenarios with questions and take an online quiz.The last sites to visit are turnitin.com's Preventing Plagiarism page and Is it Copyright Infringement? for an online quiz.

Desktop Publishing Project

Task: Create a one page document (letter or legal size) using Microsoft Office that communicates the significance of a single invention from the 21st century. The invention/technology must be something that is not yet mainstreamed, but rather an emerging technology. For instance- iPods were first introduced in 2001, yet they've already reached the mainstream public creating a significant impact This paper is to be written in the FIRST PERSON, as if you are doing some private journaling or writing for a paper. (As was the format for your immigration journals.) Your document should not only be informative, but also be striking in its appearance.

How to Start? Begin by visiting some inventions web sites. To view some current inventions check out

While at these web sites, just look and gather mental information. Then, go back and decide which invention you will choose for your research project. At that point you should begin taking notes. Open a new Word Document, save it as "your name's invention notes". (View sample notes.) Revisit the invention sites and seek out some new ones from the Edmonds School District Online Educational Resources or Noodle Tools Search Strategies and links to good search tools.When you come upon some good information:

  1. read it thoroughly, all the way through
  2. minimize your browser
  3. begin typing in notes onto your blank document using your own words, bullet list format
  4. copy and paste any photos onto your document for possible use in your project
  5. create a bibliography of the source used

    Citation Maker (MLA format, saves to Rich Text format)

    Landmark Citation Machine

    EasyBib

    Noodle Tools

    MLA Home Page

  6. return to your searching and repeat steps 1-5.

Once you feel you have sufficient information you may begin the journal/letter or newspaper page that will be written in first person. Look over your notes to decide which form of communication will be best for you. Before writing you may want to draft what your end document might look like. You could put in image and text boxes for place holders and fill them later. Consider where your name will go. What about a title/heading? If you are writing a journal entry it wouldn't typically have a heading like a newspaper or magazine article might, but you could design your entry or letter to appear as if it's been written on letterhead. Don't forget to place your (alphabetical!) bibliography somewhere. Perhaps in the footer or in a text box.. Click here to view a sample project.

7. Submit your project for a technology grade AND you may also submit your project for one of your journal entries (an extension has been given- details in class) and/or tech extra credit option for your language arts class.