As part of Copyright Awareness Week (March 10-14), The Copyright Alliance has rolled out a comprehensive online education resource and is reaching out to more than 150 leading educators and education associations, connecting them with free, K-12 educational materials. Sponsored annually by the Copyright Society every March, Copyright Awareness Week provides educators time to focus students on better understanding and appreciating copyright's role in society.

Available on the Copyright Alliance web site, www.copyrightalliance.org, an expanded, "For Educators" section offers age-appropriate curricula and is the most comprehensive collection of educational materials on the subject of copyright. The web resource includes lesson plans for grades K-12 from respected educational and online safety organizations such as the Close Up Foundation, Weekly Reader and i-Safe.

Featuring engaging characters such as Donny the Downloader -- a music piracy education program produced by ASCAP and i-SAFE -- and canine crime fighters Lucky and Flo, the compiled resources include downloadable lesson plans as well as online activities and have been measured for effectiveness in the classroom.

The Alliance is mailing information to groups ranging from the national Parent Teacher Association and the National School Boards Association; home school groups such as the American Homeschool Association; after school groups like the National AfterSchool Association and the National Institute on Out-of-School Time; to groups advocating for excellence in education, including the Center for Education Policy and the American Youth Policy Forum.

Throughout Copyright Awareness Week, March 10-14, a different curriculum will be featured on the Copyright Alliance blog. For more information on the educational resources, visit "For Educators" at www.copyrightalliance.org.

ASCAP is a member of The Copyright Alliance.