Podcasting in the 5th Grade Classroom

I searched for teachers using podcasts in their classroom and found this example. Grade 5 classroom planning unit and a review of the steps taken to use podcasts in the classroom. The presentation is a slide show hosted free at Slide Share.

This is the website/blog
room33bedtimestories.blogspot.com used to publish the Grade 5 classroom podcasts

| View | Upload your own

Create your own web site

We all recognize the benefits of getting our message out using the Internet. Websites readily provide information to a large number of people saving time, money and resources. Unfortunately many people are forced to rely on web development companies or volunteer “computer techies” to create and manage a website to meet their needs. Consequently people stop thinking about using a web site citing “no money” and “I don’t know anything about setting up a website.”

You maybe one of the many people wishing to use a web site but are being challenged to use the Internet to communicate. You may be a parent trying to setup a school council web site; a community volunteer soliciting other volunteers, a teacher wanting a class website or some one justing wanting to share ideas. You want to know how to communicate using the Internet.

I’d like to suggest that you explore “Blogging” as a method of creating your own web site. You can easily post events and meeting notices, lesson plans, ad campaigns with out knowing how to program a website. Please don’t let the word “Blogging” stop you from investigating how to create your own web site using this system. Many people perceive Blogs as controversial web sites. Blogs are simply web sites set up using a system that records diary entires or journal articles also known as posts. You, the user, control what you say and post. You do not require a knowledge of “html”. A free Blogging system offered by Google called Blogger does not require a domain name or hosting service.

There are numerous other blogging systems available. Some have free basic packages with enhanced options at a cost. Moveable Type, Express Engine, 21Publish are examples.

Blogger and another system called WordPress are two of the most popular free blogging systems. Blogger has preset designs and functions which are excellent for beginners. You will be able to post information when you want and what you want. The latest version of Blogger allows the use of photos, movies and if you get really good you can set up your web site for a mobile phone. You may never need to use anything other than Blogger. WordPress has greater flexibility and more options and web site designs but requires an more advanced knowledge of web development
I am assuming that you are reading this as a newbie to the Internet and suggest that you start out getting an understanding of a few basic concepts to make the learning process go smoothly.
If you are one of those people, I have created you a get started article you can use as instructions on how to create your own web site using a blogging system. Please refer to Blogging for Beginners.

Adding music to your podcast

link for creative commons music http://starfrosch.ch/about/

what you need to make a podcast

Checklist of hardware and software

Before you actually begin to create your own podcast you will need access to the following:

1. A computer with software capable of:

a) capturing audio via a microphone and saving the audio to a hard disk;

b) editing the audio file and incorporating additional audio material;

c) compressing the audio file into MP3 format.

2. Internet access from your computer to:

a) obtain additional material and on-line software;

b) FTP access to your website for uploading:

- the MP3 podcast file to your website;

- the RSS file for the podcast to your website.

If you are working on a networked computer you may need to discuss these requirements with your network manager as there may be restrictions on the downloading of software, access to the internet and the website.

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