Amplify student voices with the popularity of Podcasting!

Recommended Settings:

• Summer Camps
• Classrooms
• Before & After-School Programs
• Libraries and Makerspaces

Tech Requirements:

• 1 device per student recommended. Devices should have a web browser, USB port and headphone jack.
• Recommended use with Windows or Mac laptops and Chromebooks.

Each Activity Includes:

• Schedule
• Materials List
• Topic Background Information
• Step-By-Step Directions
• Optional Extension Activities

Curriculum Topics:

• Exploration of Student Interests and Podcast Formats
• Storytelling Skills
• Interviewing Skills
• Storytelling with Sound
• Storytelling with Music
• Music Creation
• Essentials of Editing
• Podcast Team Challenge Launch
• Pitching a Story
• Storyboarding
• Production Work
• Post-Production Work
• Podcasting Showcase

Reusability and Expansion:

• Annual Subscription: The Soundtrap for Education license included with this product requires a renewal after the first year.

Product Orientation:

• Half-hour free webinar orientation for purchases of $500+
• One-hour free webinar orientation for purchases of $1000+
• Additional training available for purchase

Complete Program Includes:

Curriculum Printed Copy Includes:

• Instructor Guide: 1
• Printed Student Notebooks: 31

Curriculum Digital Download Includes:

Instructor Guide only, which includes master copies of all student pages.

Habits of Mind:

16 thinking habits developed by Art Costa and Bena Kallick to empower students to succeed in a 21st-century learning environment.

• Applying Past Knowledge to New Situations
• Creating, Imagining and Innovating
• Finding Humor
• Gather Data Through All the Senses
• Listening and Understanding with Empathy
• Persisting
• Questioning and Posing Problems
• Remain Open to Continuous Learning
• Responding With Wonderment and Awe
• Striving for Accuracy
• Taking Responsible Risks
• Thinking About Thinking
• Thinking and Communicating with Clarity and Precision
• Thinking Flexibly
• Thinking Interdependently

21st Century Skills:

A set of widely-applicable abilities essential for success in the information age.

• Communication and Collaboration
• Creativity and Innovation
• Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
• Flexibility and Adaptability
• Information, Media, and Technology Literacy
• Initiative and Self-Direction
• Leadership and Responsibility
• Productivity and Accountability
• Social and Cross-Cultural Skills

© 2019 Battelle for Kids. battelleforkids.org. All Rights Reserved. Battelle for Kids was not involved in the production of this product and does not endorse it.

Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts:

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.1/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4-6 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1.B/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.1.B/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1.B: Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1.C/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.1.C/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1.C: Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information, and make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.2/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.2/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.2: Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. / Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.4/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.4/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.4: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.5/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.5/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.5: Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.1/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1: Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.1.A/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1.A/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.A: Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer's purpose.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.1.B/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1.B/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.1.B: Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.1.D/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1.D/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2.F: Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.A/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.A/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2.A: Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.B/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.B/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2.B: Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.D/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.D/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2.D: Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.E/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2.E/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2.A: Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.3/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3.A/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.3.A/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.A: Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3.B: Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3.D/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.3.D/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.D: Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3.E/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.3.E/CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.E: Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.

© Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.

International Society for Technology in Education:

• 1.1: Empowered Learner: Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving, and demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences.
• 1.2: Digital Citizen: Students recognize the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of living, learning and working in an interconnected digital world, and they act and model in ways that are safe, legal and ethical.
• 1.3: Knowledge Constructor: Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.
• 1.4: Innovative Designer: Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions.
• 1.6: Creative Communicator: Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.
• 1.7: Global Collaborator: Students use digital tools to broaden their perspectives and enrich their learning by collaborating with others and working effectively in teams locally and globally.

ISTE Standards for Students, ©2016, ISTE® (International Society for Technology in Education), iste.org. All rights reserved. ISTE was not involved in the production of this product and does not endorse it.

National Core Arts Standards:

• Connecting Anchor Standard 10: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
• Connecting Anchor Standard 11: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural and historical context to deepen understanding.
• Creating Anchor Standard 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
• Creating Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
• Creating Anchor Standard 3: Refine and complete artistic work.
• Producing Anchor Standard 5: Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation.
• Producing Anchor Standard 6: Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.
• Responding Anchor Standard 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work.
• Responding Anchor Standard 8: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.

National Core Arts Standards © 2015 National Coalition for Core Arts Standards. Rights administered by State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education (SEADAE). All rights reserved. www.nationalartsstandards.org

Erika’s STEAM experiences are extensive, developing AR/VR curriculum for Blocksmith Inc. and Google for Education, and assisting with state grant programs to bring virtual reality and drone technology to rural school districts. Since joining PCS Edventures in 2019, Erika has enjoyed bringing ideas to life with the Development Team whether it’s guiding other developers or creating programs herself. A particular highlight has been authoring and training educators on Drone Designers, a program to teach learners to costume, choreograph and code drones in creative performances. Erika was able to consult with production team members at Verity Studios so that students could mirror their working processes used in performances for such groups as Cirque du Soleil. As Curriculum Coordinator, Erika promotes a collaborative spirit uniting content experts from education and industry to bring STEAM education to life for learners.

For this reason, Erika enjoyed the opportunity to develop Podcasting with such a collaborative approach with the team at PCS Edventures and many expert contributors. It was exciting for Erika to build on her own previous experience as a producer for a public affairs TV program at a PBS affiliate and to learn from educators and podcast producers she admires.

Erika’s favorite podcasts are Hidden Brain, Radiolab and Brains On!.

An avid podcast listener herself, Karin got the idea to start a podcast with her students while trying to learn French for an upcoming vacation. In 2019, this led Karin to found a podcasting club with her 6th grade students called The Dragon Kids. English Learners capitalized on their strengths to teach phrases in Mandarin while relating them to teen life in NYC. They submitted an episode to NPR’s Student Podcast Challenge in 2020 and were the middle school grand prize winners. In the winning episode, The Dragon Kids interviewed 10th graders about the harassment and racism they experienced in their public high school while weaving in relevant sayings in Mandarin.

Karin continues to foster a love for podcasting in her after school club with new students each year. The podcasting club continues to garner public interest and has been highlighted by such programs as CNN’s United Shades of America hosted by W. Kamau Bell.

Erika was anxious to work with Karin as a fellow language educator to ensure that the Podcasting curriculum would be accessible to all learners, especially English Learners. Karin provided key insight from her own experience to successfully support students in creating podcasts. Karin provided initial research into student interests, suggested activities and shared English Learner supports. She later piloted the program with her podcasting club students and provided important feedback. PCS Edventures greatly appreciates Karin contributing her expertise to Podcasting and the innovative spirit she brings to education.

Karin’s favorite podcasts are Smartless, The Daily and Song Exploder.

Read all about the Dragon Kids’ winning entry in the NPR Student Podcast Challenge here.

Marc Sanchez started making podcasts long before anybody thought it was a good idea. He's now an experienced public radio producer and podcaster, whose work has appeared on shows like This American Life, Marketplace, Performance Today and Minnesota Public Radio.

Most recently Marc has continued to expand on American Public’s Media hit podcast offerings for kids and families with the creation of Smash Boom Best, Forever Ago and Moment of Um. He is continually blown away by the creativity and smarts that kids show him every day and tries to honor that in his work.

Erika is thrilled to have had Marc’s support to review and refine Podcasting lessons given his extensive experience in the podcasting and public radio industry. Marc provided much needed insight into production team roles and processes having worked as a producer, reporter, editor, sound designer and composer at an elite level. This masterful knowledge comes through in the production of his projects, especially Brains On!. Marc’s understanding of what excites kids to learn more about STEAM topics and his expertise in podcasting made him an ideal collaborator. Educators and learners will find his exclusive, behind-the-scenes tips and specialized knowledge sprinkled throughout the Background Information and lesson activities, which greatly strengthens the disciplinary literacy component of the program.

Frankie's reporting has appeared on NPR's Morning Edition and Weekend Edition. The award-winning journalist has received national accolades from the Association of LGBTQ Journalists for her work reporting and hosting the podcast, Locked. She co-hosted Boise State Public Radio's first podcast, Speaking of Serial, which won an Idaho Press Club award. Frankie is also the winner of several regional Edward R. Murrow awards for hard news and features.

She earned her production chops at American Public Media, where she interned for Marketplace Tech Report and American RadioWorks. Frankie graduated from the College of St. Catherine with a degree in English Literature. Frankie has also served on the board of the story slamming event and podcast series, Story Story Night.

As a content expert, Frankie’s feedback was essential in the early conception of Podcasting activities to strengthen the STEAM career exploration component. She provided insight into real-life working processes that podcast producers and radio journalists follow from pitching story ideas to preparing for interviews and gathering ambient sound on location.