Description: In this project, students will be introduced to different types of podcasts and how they are created. They will then plan, record, and edit a podcast, applying skills they have acquired in the core curriculum sequence.

Musical Objectives:
Creating music that fits the mood and energy of a podcast.

Technical Objectives:
Recording audio using a microphone, manipulating regions, adding effects, and balancing volumes.

Prep:

Take time to listen to some of the podcasts in the Suggested Podcasts list. Find episodes that will work well for your class to listen to together.
Set up spaces in your classroom where students can record with minimal outside noise. Tri-fold poster boards with moving blankets can be used to create recording cubicles, and storage closets or practice rooms also make great recording spaces. The more sound-absorbing materials you can put on the walls, the better.
Test the recording setup your students will use. If you have USB microphones or audio interfaces with XLR-connected microphones, test them on student devices to ensure they work with Soundtrap.
Record a test podcast using the equipment and spaces students will use to determine the best way to facilitate the recording process.
Finally, ask your administration about sharing student work. Can student work be shared on a department Soundcloud or YouTube account? What privacy settings must be used to comply with district rules for student privacy?

Podcasting naturally articulates with creative writing and the dramatic arts. Ask English teachers if they do script writing or investigative reporting in their curriculum. Try to align the timeline of this project with theirs to help make connections between the two disciplines. This project can also easily articulate with other subject areas. If a math, science, history, or English class has a specific topic they want their students to report on, offer it as an option for podcast topics. This can be a fun challenge for musical and sound design choices in student groups.

As a Class:

Instruct students to connect headphones to their devices and open the podcasting lesson page.
Give a visual cue for students so they can press play on the Podcast About Podcasts audio file at the same time.
Complete some of the Connection Activities.

Groups:

Assign or place students into groups.
Have them determine the topic and format of the podcast they want to create.
Instruct groups to come up with a name for the podcast and the episode.
Give students time to outline their podcast.
Have them brainstorm, do research, and write scripted sections for their recording.
Prompt groups to practice their scripted sections and create scratch recordings to get comfortable speaking on the mic.
Give students time to record their podcast in quiet spaces in the classroom.
After recording, students should clean up the recordings, edit the takes, and compose intro and outro music.
Once the groups have exported their podcast, have them share it with the class, school, and/or community.

Informal Assessment:

Check for understanding of the different podcast types, steps to creating a podcast, and audio elements included in a podcast by asking questions after they listen to the Podcast About Podcasts episode.
Create checkpoint events for the project to ensure students complete project elements on time. Good checkpoint events include: choosing a podcast type, writing the script, recording voices, editing, adding sound effects and ambient sounds, creating intro and outro music, and completing the final project.

Formal Assessment:

The completed projects can be graded by the instructor against the rubric. Students should share their completed podcasts with the class, other classes, the student body, and beyond.

Group Podcast Listening: Choose a podcast from the lesson page to listen to as a class. After listening, ask students: How is a podcast different from a YouTube video, TikTok, or Instagram Reel? What sounds do you hear in the podcast? What is the podcast’s overall mood? How is sound used to capture the listener’s interest and immerse them in the experience?

Listening Reporting: Have students find a podcast they like and listen to it at home. They then share what they listened to the next day and answer: Was the podcast fiction or nonfiction? What was its format? What kinds of sounds did you hear, and how did they help tell the story or deliver the podcast?

Creating a Group Podcast: Create a podcast concept together as a class. Have students script sections individually or in pairs and choose what makes it into the class cast. Have students practice reading their scripted sections and performing them.

Dr. Seusscast: Instruct students to practice reading with inflection by reading One Fish Two Fish by Dr. Seuss. Put students in pairs and assign them a verse. They should take turns reading and giving each other feedback. After practice, students can present their readings to the class.
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish - Genius

Practice Interview: Put students in pairs and have them interview each other on silly topics. Sample questions: Would you rather have a pet dinosaur or a pet dragon? If you could instantly become an expert in one thing (but it had to be something completely useless), what would it be? If you could turn any chore into a fun game, which one would it be? If you could have a fictional character as your best friend, who would it be? If you could time travel to any point in history for a year, when and where would you go? If animals could talk, which would be the rudest?

Podcast Remix: Find or create a short voice-only version of a podcast or radio story. Distribute it to students. Have them remix the podcast by adding ambient sounds and sound effects, then create music for the podcast using the sequencer, chord triggers, and piano roll for the intro, outro, and bumpers. Share these remixed podcasts with the class.

Enrichment:
In addition to intro and outro music, students can compose music between podcast segments (bumper music) to help transition between sections. They can also create multiple episodes of their podcast, exploring new topics. Students can create album art for their podcasts as if they were uploading them to a streaming service.

Remediation:
Assign specific topics and formats to students who may struggle with choosing one. Some easy topics:

A brief history of Me
Reporting on school lunch
Reviewing a favorite video game
Interviewing a classmate about their favorite sport or activity
Creating a “how-to” episode about something relatable to the class

Podcasting is a great way to get students working together in a new and unique way. These interpersonal skills will translate well to songwriting and future collaboration work. It's important to review what it means to be a positive group collaborator when introducing the lesson. Call out examples of good collaboration as students work together. Giving students the opportunity to be creative outside of traditional music will allow students with other interests to shine, helping to build their confidence and increase their intrinsic motivation.

Core Arts Standards

Creating:
- Anchor Standard 1 (Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work): Students learn to identify and conceptualize different audio elements (e.g., voice, sound effects, music) that enhance the storytelling and mood of their podcast.
- Anchor Standard 2 (Organize and develop artistic ideas and work): Students organize and structure their podcast content by outlining, scripting, and recording audio segments, ensuring clarity and creativity in their final product.
- Anchor Standard 3 (Refine and complete artistic work): Students refine their podcast recordings by editing audio, adding music, and adjusting volumes for a cohesive and polished final project.
Performing:
- Anchor Standard 4 (Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation): Students select appropriate sounds, music, and effects for their podcast based on the theme and audience, and apply them effectively in their recordings.
Responding:
- Anchor Standard 7 (Perceive and analyze artistic work): Students listen to and analyze podcasts, identifying key elements like sound effects, transitions, and background music, and discussing how these enhance the listener’s experience.
- Anchor Standard 8 (Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work): Students present their podcasts, discussing the purpose behind their creative choices in sound design, scripting, and editing.
Connecting:
- Anchor Standard 11 (Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding): Students connect their podcasts to broader media trends, examining how storytelling through audio has evolved and its relevance in modern communication.

Technology Literacy Standards

Empowered Learner (ISTE Standard 1):
- Students use digital tools like Soundtrap to record, edit, and enhance their podcasts, reflecting on their progress and refining their technical and creative skills.
Creative Communicator (ISTE Standard 6):
- Students experiment with various audio elements and effects to communicate their podcast themes and ideas effectively, producing a professional-sounding final product.

Career Readiness

Broadcasting and Journalism: Developing skills in storytelling, interview techniques, and using sound elements to create engaging audio content.
Music and Sound Production: Applying knowledge of audio editing and sound design to enhance the quality and mood of a podcast.
Multimedia Production: Understanding how to combine voice, music, and sound effects to produce podcasts suitable for various media platforms.
Public Relations and Marketing: Learning to create compelling audio content that can be shared with a wide audience to convey messages, stories, and information effectively.

Podcasting

Songwriting

Lesson 0