1. Questions about this website
2. Questions about using VH1 Music Studio
3. Questions about Cable in the Classroom

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1. Questions about this website

Q. How do I find VH1 Music Studio lesson plans and how can I obtain them?
A. Lesson plans can be found under the "This month’s lesson plans" and “search past programs & lesson plans” sections on this website. These materials can be downloaded in TEXT format or Adobe PDF format by clicking on to one of the choices. Another option is to simply print the lesson plan off of the website directly.

Q. Are VH1 educational resources correlated to national and state educational standards?
A. All educational resources are written in conjunction with MENC- The National Association for Music Education and are aligned with the National Standards for Music Education. All standards outlined in the VH1 Music Studio lesson plans can be found on the MENC website (link www.menc.org) under National Standards.

Q. Is it legal for me to tape VH1 Programs for use in my class?
A. Educators may tape "VH1 Music Studio" programs solely for educational purposes designated for VH1's Cable In the Classroom (link to www.ciconline.org initiative. VH1 will allow taping of it's programming every first Tuesday of the month, at 4:00 am EST/ 3:00 CST, commercial-free so that educators may tape the program and play it back in their classrooms uninterrupted. Educators should set their VCR’s for taping late Monday night.

Q. How long can I use the programs after I tape them?
A. VH1 Music Studio programming may be taped, maintained and exhibited for one year from it's broadcast, and is cleared solely for educational purposes unless otherwise noted in the programs description.

2. Questions using VH1 Music Studio

Q. What is Cable in the Classroom and VH1 Music Studio?
A. Cable in the Classroom is a special initiative which began in 1989 by the cable industry to provide public and private schools in the United States with free access to educational television programs. This initiative is not only with VH1, but with virtually the entire cable television industry, whose two primary “arms” are working to help provide teaching resources to educators. VH1 airs commercial free educational programming for use in the music and cross-curricular classroom each month through VH1 Music Studio.
• Cable networks, like VH1, are setting aside portions of on-air schedules to broadcast commercial-free, standards based, educational programs. Programs are designed to be captured on videotape (because of their extended copyright clearances) and used at the point in time where it makes sense for a teacher’s lesson plans.
• Each month, VH1 Music Studio provides teachers with a lively, curriculum-rich program that enhances concepts taught in the classroom. Corresponding teaching ideas, lesson plans (written in conjunction with MENC: The National Association for Music Education), and internet resources help guide teachers and their students to worlds they might not be able to visit without the variety and quality of educational programs available through cable.
• Cable-delivered technologies are helping teachers address a range of learning styles and helping them keep their own subject-area knowledge up-to-date. Students respond to the immediacy of TV and are able to view concerts and be at the forefront of pressing social issues.
• The programs are meant to enhance an interactive lesson and the corresponding lessons are created accordingly.

Example I:
Question: “My students are exploring the art of composing a piece of music…how might I make use of VH1 Music Studio?

A. VH1 Story Tellers: Billy Joel
B. Behind The Music: Music In America 1968
These program are just two examples for composing music.

Q. Are there lesson plans that can be integrated with other subject areas using VH1 Music Studio?
A. VH1 programs provide the perfect opportunity to relate the concepts taught in the music classroom to other areas of the curriculum. (For example: Understanding music in relation to history and culture.)

Q. How do I know what’s on?
A. Log on to www.vh1musicstudio.com or check the Cable in the Classroom magazine, Access Learning, to obtain listings of when Cable in the Classroom programs will be aired. Programs air at 4:00 AM, the first Tuesday of each month, and this is the time in which you should program your VCR to tape VH1 Music Studio (Don’t forget to set your VCR, before bed on Monday night.) Program information can also be found in the “Search the Listings” area of www.ciconline.org. Teachers can search for programs highlighting particular concepts through a keyword search on www.ciconline.org.

Teachers decide if a program should be used and how much of a program should be used. Furthermore, because the programs are on videotape, teachers have control – they can hit the pause, rewind or stop buttons as they guide discussions and activities or answer questions about the program in progress. There are no viewing requirements; use as much or as little of a program as you want.

Q. How can educators make sure they capture all of these exciting resources?
A. If you have cable and a VCR, you have Cable in the Classroom. It isn’t a special channel. All programs are copyright cleared for at least one year so schools can build their own free video libraries. Teachers, media specialists or parent volunteers can tape the programs that fit school curricula. Ask your media specialist and/or principal if your school already has a cable hook up.
Member cable companies provide free cable service as a gift to public and private, state approved schools in their service area. As part of this service, your local cable company donates Access Learning magazine, which lists when Cable in the Classroom programs will be aired on member networks.
If you do not know which cable company services your school district, log on to www.ciconline.org, enter the school’s zip code, and you will receive the information necessary to contact the local cable system.

Q. Why would Cable Companies do this? What’s the catch?
A. There is no catch. Over the last 15 years, the cable industry in the United States has grown by leaps and bounds. In 1989, industry leaders got together to talk about how they could pool their resources in order to “give back” to the communities that have supported them. The idea for Cable in the Classroom was born. This included providing schools across the United States with access to the technology and commercial free resources. Today, 39 national cable networks, like VH1, and 8,500 local cable companies spend over $2 million a week in this public service.

Q. Does Cable in the Classroom do anything to prepare professionals to teach with cable technologies?
A. To ensure that the cable programs and support resources are used as effectively as possible, local cable companies and cable channels provide free training workshops for teachers guiding them in how to use Cable in the Classroom programs and how best to incorporate them into their own curriculum.

Cable in the Classroom also trains teachers who are using the programming to present to, and train, other educators to make use of this opportunity. VH1 Music Studio will be looking for interested teachers to share their experience with Cable in the Classroom at future music education conferences. Please click onto the “professional development opportunities for teachers” section under this website for more information.

Finally, keep in touch. If you find a program that meets your needs or enhances your lesson plans and give it a try. Then, let us know what you think. There are teacher grant competitions you may want to enter that reward creative uses of the programming in the classroom and the Cable in the Classroom magazine is always looking for innovative educators to profile.

3. Questions using Cable in the Classroom

Q. What kinds of educational programs are offered by Cable in the Classroom channels?
A. Cable in the Classroom’s 39 network members, including VH1 provide a vast array of programming, including current events, documentaries, dramatic presentations and performing arts. Curriculum-related programs for music, art, math, English, science, social studies, biology, foreign languages and health provide lively tools that help teachers address curriculum goals. Each month, Cable in the Classroom network members air over 540 hours of commercial-free programs which have no viewing requirements. Teachers have total discretion in choosing which programs to use and when to use them.

Q. What grade levels are Cable in the Classroom programs for?
A. There are Cable in the Classroom programs for all grades from pre K–12. Cable in the Classroom magazine and Cable in the Classroom Online (www.ciconline.org) and channel web sites such as www.vh1musicstudio.com guide educators to appropriate grade-level selections.

Q. How do educators know what is on cable?
A. Cable in the Classroom magazine, Access Learning, a monthly publication, offers detailed listings of educational programming arranged by subject area, plus information on copyright clearance, free and low-cost support materials, and videotapes. Feature articles offer timely advice and stimulating ideas from teachers, media specialists and others across the country on how to use programming, support materials and technology effectively. For a free magazine sample or to subscribe, call 800/216-2225. The Cable in the Classroom website (www.ciconline.org) and channel websites such as www.vh1musicstudio.com offers a searchable program database and links to the online teaching resources provided by members.

Q. What are local cable companies providing to schools?
A. Member cable companies are providing free installation and basic service to all public and state approved private schools passed by cable. They often provide complimentary subscriptions to Cable in the Classroom magazine and sponsor local and national contests and awards. Furthermore, they work with schools to encourage effective use of television and online resources through workshops. And they keep teachers informed about new programs and teaching ideas. For more information, visit www.ciconline.org.

Q. How can educators make sure they capture all of these exciting resources?
A. Cable in the Classroom Comes Home is a volunteer project that encourages parents and other community members to help schools build free video libraries by taping designated programs at home. Most programs air in the early morning hours and are meant to be videotaped, then used in the classroom at the appropriate time. Working parents who may not be able to give time to schools in traditional ways can tape programs while they sleep. Look to service organizations, retired teachers and scouting groups for help as well.

Q. Is Channel One a part of Cable in the Classroom?
A. No. Channel One, the 12-minute youth news program with commercials, is produced by Primedia and is not a part of Cable in the Classroom. However, if a school has Channel One, it is usually possible to use Cable in the Classroom as well.