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LESSON PLAN:
PODCASTING -- SHARING YOUR IDEAS ABOUT FEATURED TOPICS AND ISSUES
Background,
Activities and Critical Analysis
By Lisa Prososki
Subject(s):
secondary current events, social studies, communication arts, technology,
science, and journalism classes
NOTE:
This lesson is broken in to three parts that could be used in sequence
as an extended lesson or broken apart and used individually, depending
on the teacher's objective in the classroom.
Estimated Time:
Part 1: one 90-minute class periods, two 50-minute class periods
Part 2: one 90-minute class period, two 50-minute class periods
Part 3: three 90-minute class periods, five to six 50-minute class periods,
depending on the depth
of study
Objectives
- Students will:
Part 1:
- Participate
in an in-class survey about podcasting.
- Read a
companion article and/or NewsHour transcript about podcasting and use
it to learn about types of programs available as podcasts as well as
the technology related to podcasting.
- Practice
accessing a podcast and using various features such as pausing, rewinding,
and fast-forwarding the program as well as other technical aspects of
using the podcast.
- Participate
in a class discussion about podcasts using what they have learned from
reading about and accessing a podcast.
- Complete
an oral or written response activity based upon what they have learned
about the basics of podcasting.
Part 2:
- Listen
to a podcast and record key information and content from the podcast
using a graphic organizer chosen by the teacher.
- Participate
in a class discussion and/or written about how they completed the content
on the graphic organizer as well as what they learned from listening
to the podcast.
- Complete
a culminating follow-up activity that illustrates what was learned from
the podcast.
Part 3:
- Use content
from online resources to learn about the steps necessary for producing
a podcast.
- Work in
small groups to plan a podcast that is appropriate for the classroom.
- Work in
small group to produce an original podcast and share it with classmates.
- Evaluate
the content of the podcasts produced by their classmates by using an
evaluation form to provide feedback.
To make these lesson plans better 
Correlation to National Standards
Materials
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
Procedure
NOTE:
This lesson is broken in to three parts that could be used
in sequence as an extended lesson or broken apart and used individually,
depending on the teacher's objective in the classroom.
Part 1:
Podcasting 101
1. Create student interest in podcasting by surveying students and quickly
tabulating the results of the survey so students can see the growth potential
for podcasters.
- Do you
own or have access to an IPod or other MP3 device or a home computer?
- Are you
are familiar with the term podcast and what it means?
- Have you
ever listened to a podcast?
- Do you
currently listen to/subscribe to at least one podcast on a regular basis?
As student
answer each question, record the number of students who answer yes to
each question and quickly determine what percentage of students familiar
with or currently utilizing this type of technology.
2. Distribute
or read aloud the NewsHour Extra article "Podcasting Power for the
People" available at http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june05/podcasting_2-23.html.
Use this article to instruct students about:
- various
types of programs available as podcasts (i.e. audio blogs, news and
informational programming (such as NewsHour and other popular PBS programs),
independently produced music, etc.)
- the technology
of podcasting (i.e. hardware, software, the production process, , RSS,
subscribing to a podcast, etc.)
Focus specifically
on the sections of the article entitled "Podcasting Power" and
"How Does
Podcasting Work?" for this part of the activity.
For further
enrichment students could also read or listen or watch the streaming video
from the NewsHour segment, Online NewsHour segment transcript "Apple's
IPod a Technological, Cultural Phenomenon" available at http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/media/jan-june06/ipod_05-15.html.
3. Using
a NewsHour podcast available from the listing at http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rss/media/index.html,
work as a class and have students practice accessing the podcast. Discuss
the types of equipment needed to access the podcast. Listen to 1-2 minutes
of the podcast and utilize some of the features such as the ability to
pause, rewind, and fast-forward the program.
4. Refer
back to the NewsHour Extra article "Podcasting Power for the People".
Pay special attention to the section entitled "Creeping Commercialization"
and facilitate a short discussion about podcasts using questions such
as:
- In what
ways are podcasts similar to television programs that have been TiVoed?
- How are
podcasts different from what is currently available on traditional radio?
- How are
traditional television broadcasters and advertisers using podcasting
to reach different audiences as well as target markets?
- Why do
you think podcasting has become so popular? Discuss some of the benefits
of podcasting.
- Is there
a down side to podcasting? Discuss some of the negatives that could
result from this medium of communication.
5. Close
the discussion by asking students to respond orally or in writing to questions
such as:
- Summarize
the process used for creating a podcast.
- Do you
agree with the last statement in the Newhour Extra article that says:
"This is 'not a flash in the pan, it's here to stay.'" Why
or why not?
- Do you
think podvertising will be a good thing? Why or why not?
- If podcasters
begin to charge subscription fees, how do you think this will impact
podcasting? Why?
- If given
the opportunity, would you ever consider creating your own podcast or
a podvertising campaign? Why or why not?
- What impact,
if any, do you believe podcasting will have on education in the U.S.?
Part 2:
Using NewsHour Podcasts in the Classroom
1. After
reviewing the podcast and considering the objectives of your lesson, choose
one of the graphic organizers provided and prepare copies for distribution
to students.
2. Before
listening to the podcast, distribute the selected graphic organizer and
review the directions for completion of the organizer.
3. Provide
students with a brief introduction to the podcast including information
such as:
- topic
being discussed
- featured
speaker/interviewee
4. Select
a method for listening to the podcast (individually on pc's or mp3 players,
etc. or as a
class using the computer). Remind students that they have two goals as
they listen:
- completion
of the graphic organizer
- understanding
of the main ideas and information presented in the podcast
5. Once all
students have had an opportunity to listen to the podcast, provide 3-5
minutes of class time for students to complete the graphic organizer.
6. Facilitate
a short classroom discussion about the podcast using information students
recorded on the graphic organizer. Collect graphic organizers after discussion
as a form of student assessment.
7. Questions
such as those below could be used as part of a classroom discussion or
could be assigned as a written response activity.
- Why is
the story/topic of this podcast significant/important?
- How are
the world, country, and/or individuals being impacted by what is described
in the podcast?
- What did
you learn from listening to the podcast?
- What additional
questions do you have about this topic after hearing the podcast?
8. Select
a follow-up activity from the list below as a culminating activity for
students to share what they learned from listening to the podcast.
- Make a
drawing that illustrates the main idea(s) presented in the podcast
- Create
a poster, bumper sticker, or billboard design that creates awareness
about the topic presented in the podcast
- Write
a persuasive speech, editorial/letter to the editor, or a letter to
a lawmaker sharing your opinions about the topic presented in the podcast
- Conduct
research about the topic of the podcast and write a 1-page report that
describes the additional information you learned from researching.
Part 3:
Producing Your Own Podcast
1. Using a Web site such as Podcasting Tools available at http://www.podcasting-tools.com/how-to-podcast.htm
or Podcasting News "Make Your Own Podcast" at http://www.podcastingnews.com/articles/How-to-Podcast.html,
review the procedures that must be followed for creating a podcast.
2. Have students
work in pairs or small groups to create a podcast about the topic of their
choice. This could be an assigned topic (maybe opinions about a controversial
issue, a current events report, a school news story, etc.) or a topic
chosen by students (possibly featuring their own music, a feature talk
show about students, groups, or teachers from the building, etc.) Distribute
a Podcasting Planning Sheet to each
group so they can organize the podcast and have it approved before beginning
production. Give groups 10-15 minutes to plan their podcasts.
3. Review
each group's Podcasting Planning Sheet to ensure that what students have
planned is appropriate and can be accomplished within the confines of
the school environment.
4. Provide
students with one class period to produce their podcast. Provide assistance
with production issues and monitor groups closely for content as well
as the process used for completing the project.
5. When each
group completes his/her podcast, have them play it so you can approve
the quality and content of the podcast.
6. When all
groups have completed their podcasts, have them share the podcasts with
their classmates. Have each student complete at Peer
Evaluation Form to provide other groups with feedback about their
podcasts.
Extension
Activity
After producing podcasts in Part 3 above, have the class work to produce
a podcast that could be shared with other classrooms within the school
or the school district. Decide on a programming format and have students
work in pairs or small groups to produce content for the podcast at regular
intervals. Encourage teachers from other classrooms to utilize the podcast
content with their classes and provide feedback about the podcast. Also,
submit a description of the podcast and contact information to NewsHour
Extra at: extra@newshour.org
Correlation
to National Standards
McRel
Compendium of K-12 Standards Addressed:
Technology
Standard 1: Knows the characteristics and uses of computer hardware and
operating systems
Standard 3: Understands the relationships among science, technology, society,
and the
individual
Standard 6: Understands the nature and uses of different forms of technology
Language Arts
Writing
Standard 1: Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
Standard 4: Gathers and uses information for research purposes
Reading
Standard 5: Uses the general skills and strategies of the reading process
Standard 7: Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret
a variety of
informational texts
Listening
and Speaking
Standard 8: Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes
Media
Standard 10: Understands the characteristics and components of the media
Working
with Others
Standard 1: Contributes to the overall effort of a group
Standard 4: Displays effective interpersonal communication skills
Standard 5: Demonstrates leadership skills
About
the Author: Lisa Prososki is an independent educational consultant and
instructional design specialist who taught middle school and high school
social studies, English, reading, and technology courses for twelve years.
Prososki has worked with PBS TeacherSource and has authored and edited
many lesson plans and materials for various PBS programs over the past
ten years. In addition to conducting workshops for teachers at various
state and national meetings, Prososki works as an editor, creates a wide
range of educational and training materials for corporate clients, and
has authored one book.
To find
out more about opportunities to contribute to this site, contact Leah
Clapman at extra@newshour.org.
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