Podcasts in the Classroom or Library

Podcasts are digital audio files that are posted on the internet and are usually part of a series.
 After doing some research, I found a lot of great ideas to implement podcasting into the classroom or library setting.

Here are a few of my favorites!

1. Students can create "show what you know" podcasts to highlight the big ideas of a lesson.

2. You can "Flip your classroom" by creating podcasts with content information that students can watch outside of the classroom. 

3. Record directions and important information from class. If students are absent or need a repeat of the directions, they can easily access the podcast.

4. Create book review podcasts.  Students, teachers, and librarians can get involved.

5. School News Report

6. Word of the Day: Students listen, spell, define the word, use the word in a sentence.

7. Joke of the Day! Add this to a classroom blog or other school social media site.

8. Interviews: Interview the teacher, school staff, friends, members of the community, school visitors.

9. Published stories: Students can record their published writing.

I found so many great ideas out there and I can't wait to get started with podcasting.  Visit the sites below to see some more excellent ideas to help you get started!

We Are Teachers

(10 Podcasting Projects Teachers Should Try in the Classroom)

 

 

Public Schools of Brookline

(Printable resources to use for book review podcasts)

 

 

Educational Technology and Mobile Learning

(Teacher's guide to podcasting)

There are a lot of great resources out there to help you create a podcast. Here are just a few:

Soundcloud

 

AudioBoom

 

PodOmatic

 

 

$1.99

 

I use DropVox in my classroom to create podcasts. This app can be found on iTunes.  It is really easy for the kids to use.  It is very basic, so if you want to add music to your podcast, you would have to add the recording to another program to do that.  I also like that DropVox automatically drops my recorded file into Dropbox. I have Dropbox set up on every computer and iPad in my classroom so students can easily add their files and I can easily access them as well!

 

One idea for podcasting that I really love is having students create book reviews.  Here's an example book review podcast from a 3rd grader.

 

This is a book review for the book Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.