Today I want to focus on a topic that is not new, but is finding a very interesting place in classrooms across the country - podcasts! Podcasts are a great tool for learning, for entertainment, for inspiration, and because of their singular nature (audio only, episodic), they are perfect for multitasking - washing the dishes, working out on the treadmill, walking the dog, the options are endless! 

Here are a few suggested podcasts for students:

My personal favorite!!

Youth Radio

    

    
Now here's the cool part - you can create your own podcast, using your iPad or smartphone! And you can submit it to the NPR Student Podcast Challenge and have it played on national radio. They've extended the deadline for submission until April 7, so give it a try!

You have several apps on your iPad which work well for creating a podcast:

Anchor

I recommend Anchor for its ease of use. It has lots of built-in music and sound effects, and walks you through the process. And the software will automatically upload your finished product to online podcast catchers, including Spotify. The only drawback is that you can't edit audio files, so make sure you get it right in one take. This is why PRACTICE is important! 

Soundtrap

       

Garageband

Here are the steps I recommend for creating a podcast:

1. Listen to other podcasts! Use the recommended podcasts above, or search the Podcasts app on your iPad for topics you like. You can also listen to the one I created, with book recommendations. Listen to how the stories are told, how they open their podcast, how they convey emotion.
2. Decide what you want to talk about. Being stuck at home during a pandemic would be an obvious choice, but perhaps you want to take your mind off of the situation, or take your listeners' minds to a different place. 
3. Decide how you will tell your story. Will it be informative? Dramatic? Argumentative? Inspirational? Will you include sound effects? Music? 
4. Create your script. This is an important step. Don't just wing it. You can make talking points for yourself, but the whole process will be a lot smoother if you know what you will be saying. Remember what I said above about practicing?! 
5. Decide which app you will use and begin recording. In Anchor, you can invite contributors, even if you are not in the same house or you are practicing social distancing! 
6. I'd love to hear what you come up with - and be sure to submit to the Student Podcast Challenge!