November 2010 Archives

You are going to write a new law about copyright.  In a group of 2-3 students....

1.  Choose ONE of the following videos to watch:

Watch the TED video (15 minutes) of Johanna Blakely: Lessons from fashion about copyright.

Watch the TED video (18 minutes) of Larry Lessig on how copyright laws might infringe on creativity.

2.  Read the Fair Use guidelines checklist for copyright & schools.  fairusechecklist.pdf

3.  Read through the glossary of terms.  Glossary.pdf

4.  Click here and read some info about the RIAA.  Pay particular attention to the info about the lawsuits...about half-way down the page.

5.  Read one story about a teen who was caught and fined over $27,000 for downloading music.

6.  Join with another group and discuss the questions:  If you could change the laws, what would you do?  What is important?  What would you tell the RIAA? 

7.  Assignment: Create a statement that would form the basis for a NEW copyright law that takes into account NEW technology.  Remember, this law might be on the books for the next 100 years.

You are going to create a GarageBand project that uses the autotune feature.  Click GarageBand instructions.doc if you need general directions.

1.  Explanations of autotune:

Nightline

U School Me: How to Autotune

Time Magazine article on autotune...pop music & autotune.pdf

2. Listen to the samples of autotune:

Cher Effect: Believe (1998)
01 Believe.mp3

Examples-can you hear the autotune??
http://www.hometracked.com/2008/02/05/auto-tune-abuse-in-pop-music-10-examples/

Dixie Chicks - The Long Way Around - Noticeable on "parents" and "but I."
T-Pain - I'm Sprung - Especially obvious on "homies" and "lady."
Avril Lavigne - Complicated - Listen to "way," "when," "driving," "you're."
Uncle Kracker - Follow Me
-The whole vocal sounds strained, but especially the word "goodbye."
Maroon 5 - She Will Be Loved - Listen for "rain" and "smile."
Natasha Bedingfield - Love Like This - "Apart" and "life."
Sean Kingston - Beautiful Girls - "OoooOver" doesn't sound human.
JoJo - Too Little Too Late - Appropriately, "problem" stands out.
Rascal Flatts - Life is a Highway-
Every vocal, foreground and background, is treated, but "drive" in particular.
New Found Glory - Hit or Miss - "Thriller", and every time Jordan sings "I."

3. Project ideas:

Karoke Yourself

•Click here or here for directions.  Read through all directions prior to recording.  Make sure that GarageBand is set to record.  Make a test recording.

•Choose a song to sing.  Use one computer to play song and second computer to record.

Karoke Bar                    Ronan's Karoke                   Karoke Play (click on songs)

•Record TWO tracks...a karoke song between 15 and 30 seconds and an audio track.  Then use the autotune feature on GarageBand to "edit" the audio track of the song.  Be prepared to share your results.  

Autotune a nursery rhyme, Dr. Seuss book, etc.  Collect clips of different people saying different parts of your selection.  Put the clips together and autotune parts of it for different effects. 

Free resources:

Sound Click  

Open Minds

Free Loops 2

Instrumentals

1.  Read through the descriptions below of plagiarism and academic integrity.

Plagiarism includes:

• Copying a computer file or any other document that contains another student's assignment and submitting it as your own work.

• Working together on an assignment, sharing documents, computer files or programs involved, and then submitting individual copies of the assignment as your own individual work.

• Knowingly allowing another student to copy or use one of your documents or computer files and to submit that file, or a modification thereof, as his or her individual work.

Academic dishonesty includes:

Plagiarism - Plagiarism is intentionally or knowingly presenting words, ideas or work of others as one's own work. Plagiarism includes copying homework, copying lab reports, copying computer programs, using a work or portion of a work written or created by another but not crediting the source, using one's own work completed in a previous class for credit in another class without permission, paraphrasing another's work without giving credit, and borrowing or using ideas without giving credit.

Cheating - Exam cheating includes unauthorized "crib sheets", copying from another, looking at another student's exam, opening books when not authorized, obtaining advance copies of exams, and having an exam re-graded after making changes. Exam cheating includes exams given during classes, final exams and standardized tests.

Use of Unauthorized Study Aids -This includes utilization of other's computer programs or solutions, copying a copyrighted computer program without permission, using old lab reports, having others perform one's share of lab work, and using any material prohibited by the instructor.

Falsifying School Documents -This includes falsifying signatures on forms, such as Add-Drop and Withdrawal forms, forging another student's signature and falsifying pre-requisite requirements.

2.  Click here for the plagiarism page: Plagiarism Links.

3.  In groups of TWO, take the plagiarism test...click on the test link, download it, print it out and complete it.
 
4.  On the back of the test, explain the diagram.

5.  Hand in your work...make sure BOTH names are on it.
 
5.  Now, try this experiment: Copy a paragraph from one of your documents and enter the text into one of the plagiarism sites.  How well did you do?