General Information

Title: Property Rights

Subject Area: Social Studies/Economics

SOL 7.7 - Virginia Standards of Learning

The students will describe the role of the governments in the United States economy, with emphasis on:

• provision of public goods and services;
• protection of consumer rights, contracts, and property rights;
• the impact of government taxation, borrowing, and spending on individuals and on the production and distribution of goods and services; and
• the role of the Federal Reserve System and the impact of monetary policy on the money supply and interest rates.

Grade Level: 8

Lesson Topic: Government protection of property rights.

Descriptive Overview: The government has established firm laws in the protection of its citizens and their property- land, writings and even ideas.

Advantages of Medium: Students are exposed to different historical sources and will use unconventional note taking graphic organizers.

Lesson Specifics

Lesson Objectives/Goals: The student will:

• determine the different types of property.
• examine the historical background of property rights in the United States.
• identify the role of the government in protecting the property of its citizens.

Assumed Skills or Prerequisite Skills: Navigating the Internet

Learning Environment:

• Computer lab
• Property Rights Questions worksheet

Instructional Set

Read the following scenario and answer the questions at the end of the passage:
Wendy's teacher assigned a research paper about the effects of the stock market on the Great Depression. The paper was assigned three weeks before, but Wendy did not begin her assignment until the night before it was due. By 11pm that night, she had become very sleepy and had only one page left to write. She found a great web site on the Internet and thought, "No one will know." She copied the information without creating a footnote for that source and finished her paper. Wendy went to bed feeling relieved that she finished her paper in time.

1. Is Wendy guilty of any wrongdoing? If so, explain.
2. Have you ever been a situation similar to Wendy's? Would you have done anything differently?

Gaining Attention: Not applicable

Orienting the Lesson: Not applicable

Stimulating Recall of Prerequisites: Not applicable

Key Questions: Not applicable

Teaching Strategies

1. Link to the United States Copyright Office.
2. Double- click Copyright Basics. Search the table of contents to answer the copyright questions from the Property Rights Questions worksheet.
3. Link to the US Patent and Trademark Office.
4. Double- click General Information from the table of contents.
5. Double-click the Patent icon to view General Information Concerning Patents Answer the patent questions from the Property Rights Questions worksheet.
6. Return to the General information and double- click the Trademarks icon to view General Information Concerning Trademarks. Answer the trademark questions from the Property Rights Questions
7. Use questions from the Property Rights worksheet to generate discussion.
8. Discuss Adam Smith's beliefs of the "invisible hand" from the 1776 work, Wealth of Nations.

Terminology/Vocabulary:

Private Property
Patent
Copyright
Trademark

Practice:

• Ask students, "What can be considered as property?"
• Make a list of specific items that can be owned.
• Review lists as a class.
• Use a web to organize and take notes on the Historical Background of Property Rights.

Assessment: Complete Property Rights Quiz.

Enhancements

• Companies register logos and slogans with the US Patent and Trademark Office to have exclusive rights to symbols or words that represent and identify their product to consumers. Have students bring in logos and slogans of popular without the company's name. See who can identify the most!
• Many slaves who made original inventions or ideas did not receive credit for their creativity. Research popular inventions and ideas created by minorities.
• Research court cases involving copyright and patent laws.
• Discuss how new copyright laws affect " sampling" in the music industry. ( Visit the Copyright Web site or MACS [Musicians Against Copyrighting of Samples] to aid in your research.)

Extensions

Not applicable