| You've heard your students talk about the | | | | they think everyone else with say. |
| various podcasts they are downloading to their | | | | Before making your first podcast, take some |
| ipods, but you are wondering what it is and how it | | | | time to search online and through iTunes to listen |
| can apply to your classroom. | | | | to various examples of what children around the |
| A podcast is a digital media file that is distributed | | | | world have shared. When you find something that |
| over the internet. The word podcast comes from | | | | matches what you teach in your classroom, try |
| the two words "iPod" and "broadcast." A podcast | | | | that idea with your students! Keep trying what |
| is different from other digital media formats by | | | | others have successfully done to grow your |
| its ability to be syndicated, subscribed to, and | | | | repertoire of ideas and experience. |
| downloaded automatically when new content is | | | | Some ideas to begin podcasting: |
| added. The easiest way to understand a podcast | | | | *Reading and recording writing pieces |
| is to think of a radio show that you like to listen | | | | *Give advice on various topics |
| to often. Instead of having to tune in at a specific | | | | *Ways children avoid doing homework |
| time you are able to download it to your iPod and | | | | *Techniques for avoiding eating food you dislike |
| listen at your convenience. By subscribing to the | | | | *Responses to a piece of literature |
| show you don't have to remember to go and | | | | *Places in the world/country/state/city each child |
| look for the newest shows, your computer will | | | | would like to visit and why |
| automatically bring all of the new shows to your | | | | Once you've made a few podcasts you might |
| computer and then to your iPod. | | | | want to consider some of these ideas |
| Podcasts began as just audio files. Now you can | | | | *Class newsletters given in an audio format with |
| find podcasts that are just audio or audio, video, | | | | different groups responsible for different aspects |
| and combinations of media. | | | | of the class news |
| The easiest way to begin podcasting is to choose | | | | *Reporting of learned concepts about any subject |
| one topic and ask each child in the class to | | | | of study |
| respond to the topic and record their voice. A | | | | *Weird fact of the week |
| simple way to do this is to use an iPod and a | | | | *Word of the week |
| voice recorder. A voice recorder plugs in to the | | | | *Internet safety tips |
| iPod at the bottom where the dock cord | | | | *An interesting aspect of the city or state that |
| connects. By using this setup the child can take | | | | you live in |
| the iPod to a quiet location. After each child | | | | *Public service announcements |
| records his contribution, bring each comment into | | | | *Interviewing historical figures |
| an application such as Garage Band or Audacity. | | | | *Literature responses |
| The pauses and repeated words can be edited | | | | *Podcast school concerts |
| out to save time and to make the listening more | | | | *Complete and Explain what clichés mean |
| enjoyable. | | | | (such as "People in glass houses shouldn't.....or A |
| The first podcast I ever made with a class was | | | | stitch in time saves nine.") |
| to ask kindergarteners to share everything the | | | | Besides being great fun and an excellent way to |
| preschoolers would need to know for their | | | | show understanding of a concept, podcasting with |
| upcoming move to kindergarten. One bit of advice | | | | your students will encourage them to read |
| is to build suspense with the children and | | | | fluently when they know that their voice will be |
| encourage them to keep their ideas to | | | | heard by the world. |
| themselves and to try to be different from what | | | | |