Library Resource Spotlight

Swank Motion Pictures’ film streaming platform offers exclusive access to the largest single library of feature films, documentaries and foreign films available to K-12 schools for instructional support. Swank’s cloud-hosted streaming platform eliminates common obstacles – such as the lack of DVD players, blocked personal streaming sites and DVD library maintenance – and teachers can easily assign films to students through Canvas.

Our Swank Streaming is a tool for educators to use for face-to-face instruction with their students. If you are planning a grade-level, school-wide, or family night event, please work with your school librarian, as you will have access to a much wider selection of films through our Swank Movie Licensing.

Also, don't forget about Discovery Education, which is a streaming media resource with hundreds of thousands of educational videos and video clips for use in your classroom. Discovery Education is also available through Classlink.

Through Swank Streaming, our district has access to 215 of the most commonly used educational films. We are also able to add 400 additional films to this collection at no cost throughout the year.

You can:

• search for movies and documentaries by title or genre
• watch trailers for movies in the collection and for movies you would like added
• request that a film be added (this process may take a few days, so please plan ahead)
• watch the movie immediately on your device or panel
  
• assign the movie to students through Canvas using a direct link (students will just need access to the internet)

KCSD is providing access to these resources, but you and your administrators will work together on how you use movies in your classroom. Please do all of the following prior to showing any movies:

• Make sure you are following the process your building administrators have for instructional movie & documentary usage. (There may be a school-level movie usage form or process.)
  
  
• Movies you use must meet the ratings approved for your students' grade levels under School Board Policy EGAD-R:
• Elementary & Middle schools - G and PG.
• For 7th & 8th grade only, a PG -13 is permissible with written parent permission.
  
• High schools - G, PG, or PG-13.
  
  
• Always preview the complete movie to make sure you are familiar with the full content of the film before showing it to your students. You are the expert of your content and you know your individual students. Make sure to work with your administrator on this -- as you are responsible for contacting parents if there are any sensitive topics they should be aware of prior to viewing.
  
  
• Make sure your usage is noted in your lesson plans.
  
  

When in doubt, always reach out to your librarian or school administrator!

Students can ONLY access a movie if you share the direct link with them. They are not able to access the site to browse films. Movies can be streamed on your large panel or Smartboard or shared directly through Canvas or by email.

When you stream a movie, you can select the 3 dots in the bottom left corner to open the audio and closed captions options. Check ahead - the options available vary based on the movie studio and the popularity of the movie.

Swank will save your last-viewed spot - much like other streaming platforms. You can also note the time stamp in the bottom left corner of the movie if you are showing it to multiple classes.

Select the "Request" button and complete the brief request form, including the class (grade level & subject) and how you plan to use the movie in your lesson. Please make sure the movie rating is permissable for your grade level per School Board Policy EGAD-R - if it is not, the request will be denied. It may take 48 hours for a request to be completed and a film to be added, so please plan ahead!

Email julie.putnam@kcsdschools.net with the movie title and any additional information you know about the film. For example, two KCSD teachers recently email about the Amazon Original movie "A Million Miles Away" that released on September 15th. Julie checked with Swank - they have already had so many requests, they will be adding it as an option on Nov. 15th. It never hurts to ask!

17 U.S.C. Section 110 provides an exemption to copyright law providing instructors the ability to show movies in the classroom during face-to-face teaching activities without obtaining additional licensing. This is based on the assumption that the copy was legally obtained and only applies to classes in not-for-profit educational institutions. For example, it is permissible to show a movie in class as part of the classroom instruction, however, this exemption does not permit copying or reproduction of a work -- only displaying or performing it during class time. All other scenarios of showing a movie that do not align with the above parameters as defined in 17 U.S.C. Section 110, even if the movies are being shown inside of a classroom but not for the direct purpose of instruction, require a separate license to legally do so. Examples requiring additional licensing include but are not limited to classroom rewards, holiday celebrations, rainy day recess, fundraising events, showings outside the classroom, etc. Swank K12 Streaming is intended to align with the exemptions granted in 17 U.S.C. Section 110 and does not replace the need for a license to show movies outside of face-to-face classroom instruction.