Using Podcasts in the Classroom


 

Using Podcasting in the Classroom

 

What is a podcast

    A podcast is an audio or video episode that can be listened to or viewed on the web or downloaded to a mobile device.  Podcasts can be audio only or combine both audio and video.

 

Video- Podcasting in Plain English

http://commoncraft.com/podcasting

From CommonCraft.com

 

 

Getting started

  1. Identify a lesson or unit that you want to enhance using podcasts. 
  2. Search for a podcast that fits your needs, either by searching the web (search for "topic- level-podcast," i.e., "science elementary podcast") or by searching one of the podcast directories or using iTunes. 
  3. Download it and/or subscribe to it, using iTunes or a podcast aggregator.

 

 


 Podcast Directories

 

Podcast Alley- Under "Pick a Podcast Genre" select "Education."

http://www.podcastalley.com/

 

Podcasting News- Education Forum

http://podcastingnews.com/forum/link_7.htm

 

Education Podcast Network

http://www.epnweb.org/index.php

 

 


 Podcast Aggregators

 

Juice (formerly iPodder)

http://juicereceiver.sourceforge.net/index.php

 

Doppler

http://www.dopplerradio.net/

 

iTunes

http://www.apple.com/itunes/overview/

 

 


 Podcast Information and Articles

 

7 Things You Should Know about Podcasting

http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7003.pdf

 

Pods and Blogs in 5th grade

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/06/06/news/californian/17_30_266_5_06.txt

 

Why podcast?

http://www.infotoday.com/cilmag/apr06/Eash.shtml

 

Podcasting Videos

http://www.apple.com/education/resources/podcastingvideos/

 

How to Podcast Tutorial (Audacity)

http://www.how-to-podcast-tutorial.com/index.htm 

 

Say it Again: Improving Student Learning Through Podcasting- a presentation explaining why podcasting is beneficial for students and how to get it done.

http://www.shawnwheeler.name/workshops/adventuresnpodcastingpresentation/

 

Learning in Hand- Podcasting Directions

http://learninginhand.com/podcasting/index.html

 

Electronic Field Trips

http://www.bsu.edu/eft/home/11whatIsAnEFT.htm

Download old episodes at this site or through iTunes.

 

Lesson Plan for using Old Time Podcasts

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=901

 


iTunes Podcast Link Maker

Found a great podcast and want to link to it, so students can go right to it instead of searching for it? Check out the Link Maker.

 

http://apple.com/itunes/linkmaker

 

 


 Language Arts

 

Elementary

Reading Rockets 'Meet the Author'- Audio and video interviews with authors of popular children's books, such as Lois Lowry and Chris Van Allsburg.

http://www.readingrockets.org/podcasts/authors

Subscribe at iTunes

 

Storynory- classic tales told outloud with a little bit of history or commentary before the narrative.  British accent.  Quite relaxing to hear.

http://storynory.com/

 

Middle School

Storynory- Click on the "Educational" link for Greek Myths.

http://storynory.com/

 

Aesop's Fables- Very short retellings of classic Aesop's Fables. Would be a great introduction to Aesop's Fables, or the idea of writing a story with a moral, or on how to do a concise summary of a story.

http://www.learnoutloud.com/Catalog/Literature/World-Classics/Aesops-Fables-Podcast/23064

Subscribe at iTunes

 

High School 

Princeton Review Vocabulary Minute- a one minute song that introduces 4 new words. Oddly engaging.

Subscribe at iTunes.

 

Miette's Bedtime Story Podcast- Classics read aloud, usually tied to a thought by the reader.  Reader has a European accent (I can't identify where, possibly the Netherlands,) but is easy to udnerstand.  These are long podcasts, running 20 or more minutes.  Definitely more for high school audiences.

http://www.miettecast.com/

 

Podictionary- a weekly summary of the word of the day.  A little dry, and very high level.

http://weekly.podictionary.com/index.php

 

I'm Bringin Vocab Back- A high school teacher turned a Justin Timberlake song into a song about vocabulary.  You can't help but laugh.

http://heatherchad.podomatic.com/entry/2007-10-03T18_45_14-07_00

 

Classic Poetry Aloud- As advertised, these are classic poems read out loud.  Sometimes the site has the text as well, so students can read along.

http://classicpoetryaloud.podomatic.com/

 

 

 


 Math

 

Elementary

Learn Basic Math- short videos about working with fractions and decimals. Not the most exciting videos, but another way to get the information to students. Also would work for remedial middle school students.

http://maestroamparo.podomatic.com/

Subscribe at iTunes

 

Middle School

MathTrain- Short videos that appear to be shot by middle school students, showing how to solve common math problems. They seem to be on target, and would be a great model for a math podcast to have your students create.

http://mathtrain.tv/podcast/

Subscribe at iTunes

 

Math Guy Podcast- short audio podcasts with math puzzles, like "reading your mind" using math. Would be a great model for a podcast students could create.

http://www.nebo.edu/curriculum/resources/math_site/pages/podcast/podcast2.xml

Subscribe at iTunes

 

High School

Dan's MathCast- try one before listing

http://www.dansmath.com/pages/podpage.html

 

 

 


 Science

 

Elementary

 

The Dolphin Podcast- all about dolphins.  Some are young student-friendly, others are a little more complex.

http://www.dolphincommunicationproject.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=7&id=48&Itemid=286

 

Science Friday Video Podcast- Short videos on a range of science topics, showing science at work in the real world.

http://www.sciencefriday.com/videos/allvideos/ 

 

Middle School

USGS CoreCast- USGS podcast about geology in the news.  A great way to show the relevance of geology and begin a discussion.

http://www.usgs.gov/corecast/

 

USGS CoreFacts- One minute answers to science (mostly geology) questions.  Could work with 4th and 5th grade as well.

http://www.usgs.gov/podcasts/corefacts/

 

Bytesize Science- 2-3 minute attention grabbing science updates.  It says it's for younger students, but it is probably best for 5th grade and up.

http://feeds.feedburner.com/BytesizeScience

 

Space.com Starry Night Podcast and Videocasts- shows what's in the sky right now.

http://feeds.feedburner.com/SpacecomUniversalSpacePodcast 

 

Discovery Files- From the National Science Foundation, under 2 minute blurbs about science in the news.

http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/

 

Scientific American 60 Second Science

http://www.sciam.com/podcast/

 

High School

Plugged TV - (need to scan through for quality)

http://www.pluggd.tv/video/search/science 

 

AstronomyCast- A professor and her sidekick discuss matters of the universe.  High school level concepts.

http://www.astronomycast.com/

 

AP Biology Songs- Created by a very dedicated HS biology teacher.  Highly entertaining! 

http://www.peevyhouse.com/ and click on the AP Podcast link

Subscribe at iTunes

 

OMSI Science Podcast

http://www.omsi.edu/podcast/

 

 


 Social Studies

 

Elementary

Inside Yellowstone

http://www.nps.gov/archive/yell/insideyellowstone/podcasts/index.htm

Subscribe at iTunes

 

Yellowstone InDepth- A closer look at the park.

http://www.nps.gov/archive/yell/yellowstoneindepth/index.htm

Subscribe at iTunes

 

California State Parks Podcast- 5-7 minute podcasts about California State Parks, and sights within them.

http://www.calparks.org/cspf_podcast.xml

Subscribe at iTunes or at site above.

California State Parks Foundation - CSPF Podcast Series

 

Middle School

PRI GeoQuiz- Quick hints about a location, tied to news.

http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast.php?id=510009&uid=08e8e29288047630436dfe52dcf25f25

Also available at iTunes.

 

Where in the World?  Kids from all over have created a series of hints about their hometown.  Figure it out, and you get a postcard or e-mail.  It's roughly done, but oddly engaging.

http://www.intelligenic.com/where/

 

Ancient China Comes to the 21st Century

Available at iTunes- Students present snippets about facets of the early Chinese Dynasty.

 

High School 

Political Podcasts

 iTunes- ABC- Presidential Candidate Profiles- Charles Gibson interviews the presidential candidates.

 

The American Experience

iTunes- PBS- 3-10 minute (occasionally longer) snippets of information about significant experiences or events in American history. Be sure to get the audio podcast instead of the video podcast, which is only 30 second ads for the episodes.

 

 


 Other

 

The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd- I don't know how to categorize this one- varied topics and very busy.  Will appeal to younger bright kids, whi then might want to make their own.  Probably good for storytelling examples.  A modern version of the old radio broadcasts.

http://www.doctorfloyd.com/

 

Electronic Field Trips

http://www.bsu.edu/eft/home/11whatIsAnEFT.htm

Download old episodes at this site or through iTunes.  Some are related to science, others to social studies.  They are probably best for upper elementary to early middle school.


Great K-12 Podcasts Examples
http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2005/12/13/great-k-12-podcast-examples/

 

Learn a foreign language- there are tons of podcasts aimed at teaching a foreign langauge.  Why not run one of these when you have a few spare minutes during the day?  After lunch while they cool down, during the first few minutes on the morning...

 

 

 


 Professional Development

 

Tenacious Teacher

http://tenaciousteacher.theteachingexperience.com/

 

Teacher 2.0

http://thecleversheep.libsyn.com/

 

SMARTBoard Lessons Podcast

http://pdtogo.com/smart/

 

A.T.:T.I.P.S.- Assistive Technology: Tools in Public Schools- A podcast from a speech and langauge specialist with ideas on ways to help students with communication difficulties.

http://www.cyberears.com/index.php/Show/audio/5222

 

Children's Book Radio- A podcast about children's books.

http://childrensbookradio.com/

 

ESL TeacherTalk- ESL teachers discuss strategies and tips.

http://www.eslteachertalk.com/

 

Classnotes Podcast- Podcast from Intercultural Development Research Association, focused on teaching strategies, often related to ELL students.

http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/

 

 


Student Created Podcasts

 

Grove Elementary Podcast- This school uses podcasts as a form of home-school communication.

http://www.gcast.com/user/GroveFM/podcast/main?nr=1&&s=34295935

 

 


Build a Podcast- Click here to go to a page about building your own podcast.

 

 

 

QUEST on KQED Public Media.