Check out the new, interactive tools to teach the next generation of IP professionals about patents, trademark, and copyright.

With the wildfire spread of piracy and the latest generation of Internet pirates and illegal downloaders getting younger and younger, intellectual property offices worldwide are developing outreach programs targeting a new audience – the youth.

In April, the USPTO announced the launch of a new intellectual property curriculum targeting kids.  The i-©®eaTM initiative was developed in collaboration with i-SAFE to teach young students about patents, trademarks, and copyrights.  Offering online training and curriculum materials for teachers, the program aims to encourage invention by protecting and respecting intellectual property rights. 

Additionally, the USPTO supports a number of other programs to engage children in intellectual property issues.  Inventnow.org is the internet component of a three-year public service announcement campaign to foster creativity and innovation in young people ages eight to eleven.  The website allows kids to set up a profile; post, view, and share invention ideas; meet other young inventors though the message boards; and walk through the patent process.  Offline, the USPTO supports the Camp Invention and Club Invention programs for 1^st-6^th graders; it is also behind the Sally Ride TOYchallenge, a design competition for 5^th-8^th graders, which was recently held on May 17^th.    

IP Australia's InnovatED offers lesson plans on a wide variety of topics in the arts and sciences.  At Ippy's Big Idea, children aged nine to eleven can help Ippy protect his Big Idea from the Evil Rip Off.  Kids can also read stories of famous Australian inventors, learn the Do's and Don'ts of protecting an idea, and register an Ippy trademark using the Trade Mark-O-Matic tool to publish on the site.  Older students can learn about the patent application and trademark registration processes at the Big Ideas Network site. The Meet the Experts feature also lets kids hear about intellectual property rights from professionals in a variety of careers.  Teachers can search through over 120 lesson plans and case studies designed specifically for Australian schools.

The United Kingdom IPO's Cracking Ideas site features beloved characters Wallace and Gromit to get children thinking creatively and teach them about protecting good ideas.  The site links to upcoming contests as well as lesson plans for teachers.

Copyright Kids is a website run by the Copyright Society of America dedicated to teaching youngsters about copyright issues.  The site features an overview on general copyright terms including a glossary and quiz.  Copyright Kids also features the unique Yearbook Club exercise to walk kids through a practical example of how copyright comes into play with different types of media.

WIPO has intellectual property comic books available for free download on their website.  The comics use clever story lines and colorful graphics to teach young readers about patents, trademarks, and copyrights by involving them in the search for fictional counterfeiting villains.  WIPO also has a new series of publications, "Learn from the Past, Create the Future," which can be used as lesson plans for teachers.

With kids becoming more Internet-savvy, it's critical for them to understand the importance of intellectual property and the dangers of piracy.  These web tools give children an interactive introduction to the world of IP.