Activities

**__Activities for Podcasts__** for 5th and 6th grade students

 * __Perquisite Activity__**: Students listen to several [|podcasts online] created by Mr. Jaffe's 6th graders. They listen and comment on their introductions and endings.


 * __Activity 1__**: Students write an introduction and ending to a podcast for interviewing 5th graders using “Word” and print it. 5th graders write a response to this question, **//“What was a school project you remember in grades 1-4 that was a lot of fun and you learned a lot doing it?”//** They use “Word” and print their response.

6th grade students use a **checklist** of items to include in their introduction and ending. Teacher meets with each student to examine their script and the checklist. Revisions are made. 5th graders meet with the teacher to find ways to elaborate on their responses.


 * __Activity 2__**: In the computer lab using a projector, students are given directions for recording on **[|audacity]**. They learn how to rewind, record, play, stop and save project. They create a file in their individual folder for podcasts.


 * __Activity 3a__**: Four 6th grade students pair with a 5th grader for twenty minutes to practice recording their interview. They switch and the second group of four partners work to record their interview.


 * __Activity 3b__**: Students who are not recording listen to a CD on Vermont forests with headphones.


 * __Activity 4__**: Students save their interview in a 5/6 share folder. From this folder the teacher and other students can access the interviews. 6th grade students now listen with headphones to the interviews that partners created. They critique their work and create a list for what works well and what needs improving.


 * __Activity 5__**: Mr. Worman interviews Mr. Cote, a woodworker, in the classroom. The digital recording from this interview converts to an mp3 file and is put into the share folder. 6th grade students open the file in audacity and use a horizontal screen with “Word”. They stop at 5 minute intervals and type keywords or phrases. The word document is printed and saved to their folder.


 * __Activity 6__**: Nancy Patch, Franklin County Forester, visits our class. 5th graders run the video camera and two sixth graders set up the digital recorder. The digital recorder continues while the class hikes in the woods and she continues teaching students. These files are converted to a mp3 using [|zamzar.com]. Students learn this procedure and send the files to an email address podcast@fnwsu.org


 * Activity 7**: Students are placed in teams of 4 and 5 and each team is assigned a community member to interview and record. Students are assigned roles for the various tasks during the interviews. This activity takes place after school from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Students return to school and upload the digital photos and rename the photos. 6th grade students convert the recorded files to mp3 files using zamzar.com.


 * Activity 8**: 6th grade students edit their interview, record an introduction/ending and add [|music] to their podcast. 5th grade students work on a storyboard to plan their PowerPoint using the digital photos.


 * Activity 9**: 6th grade students learn how to use [|podcastpeople.com] to upload their mp3 file to a podcast. They write the title and create an entry.


 * Activity 10**: 5th grade students work to create a Powerpoint.


 * Activity 11**: Both 5th and 6th grade students contribute to a [|class wikispace] writing about their interview.