Create a Podcast: Analyze a Model Podcast | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA 2019 G7:M2:U3:L1

Create a Podcast: Analyze a Model Podcast

In this Lesson

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Focus Standards: These are the standards the instruction addresses.

  • SL.7.2, W.7.7, L.7.6

Supporting Standards: These are the standards that are incidental—no direct instruction in this lesson, but practice of these standards occurs as a result of addressing the focus standards.

  • RI.7.7, RI.7.9, SL.7.1, L.7.4a
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can explore a podcast model and generate ideas for my own podcast. (SL.7.2)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Opening A: Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 (L.7.6)
  • Closing and Assessment A: Exit Ticket with podcast topic and research questions (SL.7.1)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engage the Learner - L.7.6 (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Review the Performance Task (5 minutes)

B. Analyze a Model Podcast - SL.7.2 (25 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Brainstorm Topic and Research Questions - W.7.7 (10 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Listen to a Podcast: Students listen to a podcast and complete Homework: Listen to a Podcast to collect ideas for what makes it strong. Then they write a goal for their own podcast.

Alignment to Assessment Standards and Purpose of Lesson

  • L.7.6 – Opening A: Students consider the use of the word ‘podcast’ on an Entrance Ticket.
  • SL.7.2 – Work Time B: Students analyze a model podcast, noting techniques that make it effective, determining the main ideas and supporting details, and generating ideas for their own podcast.
  • W.7.7 – Closing and Assessment A: Students brainstorm about specific epidemic topics and generate research questions for their podcast.
  • In this lesson, students focus on working to contribute to a better world by analyzing an exemplar podcast so that they may create their own successful podcast and inform others of their important work.
  • The Dance Card and Think-Pair-Share protocols are used in this lesson. Protocols are an important feature of our curriculum because they are one of the best ways we know to engage students in discussion, inquiry, critical thinking, and sophisticated communication. A protocol consists of agreed-upon, detailed guidelines for reading, recording, discussing, or reporting that ensure equal participation and accountability in learning.
  • Students engage in the following new protocol in this lesson (instructions for which appear at the first point of use in the lesson and in the Classroom Protocols document online; see the Tools Page):
    • Dance Card: Sets up students with multiple, but consistent, partners for work across a unit, reducing the amount of energy and work it takes to assign partners. It allows students autonomy and choice in whom they pick for partner work. Students of all ages are familiar with the idea of partnering off for dancing, although the metaphor of the historical “dance card” may need to be explained.
  • In this lesson, students listen to a model podcast. Ideally, the podcast would be about epidemics. There are many excellent podcasts on epidemics, such as: 
  • In Closing and Assessment A, students brainstorm topics for their podcast. Some students may want to explore controversial topics. Consider the school’s environment and stance on controversial topics and whether students should be steered away from controversial topics. For engaging, appropriate topics, see Exit Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 (example for teacher reference).

Opportunities to Extend Learning

  • Release more responsibility more quickly to students as they comprehend the tasks or concepts. For example: 
    • Invite students who have expertise with podcasts and who listen to them a great deal outside of school to begin researching epidemic topics and research questions earlier in the lesson, while the rest of the class works to find strengths in the exemplar.
    • Allow those students who are enjoying this work to listen to other podcasts and create a list of strengths of these exemplars.

How It Builds on Previous Work

  • In previous lessons, students have focused on analyzing social and medical epidemics. In this lesson, students will listen to an exemplar podcast in preparation for creating their own podcast about an epidemic of their choosing.

Support All Students

  • Note there are differentiated versions of Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 used in Opening A and the Exit Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 used in Closing and Assessment A in the supporting materials download. ▲
  • The subject matter in the podcast may include descriptions of death and disease. Continue to monitor students to determine if there are issues surfacing as a result of the content of this chapter that need to be discussed as a whole group, in smaller groups, or individually.
  • Students may need additional support in listening to and comprehending a podcast. Consider having students listen to the podcast multiple times and follow along with a transcript. Most podcasts include copies of their transcripts on the same site as their podcast. ▲
  • Students may need additional support in finding a topic and creating research questions. Have a successful group model this work. Also, work with small strategy groups to support students. ▲
  • For this unit, students are encouraged to form podcast triads to research the same epidemic and work together to write their podcast script. This will give students support in research, planning, and in the Performance Task podcast development. It also allows for students to develop collaboration skills, which are essential for college and career readiness. However, if some students work better independently or in pairs for this unit, encourage this. ▲

Assessment Guidance

  • Review students’ exit tickets to ensure they are choosing epidemics and research topics that will work well for this assignment.

Down the Road

  • In the next lesson, students will continue their research into epidemics, using the mini-lessons as necessary to assist them. Students continue to practice analyzing the individuals, events, and ideas of their research articles by returning to reading from the previous units.

In Advance

  • Ensure there is a copy of Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 at each student's workspace.
  • Find and listen to a model podcast (or section of a model podcast). The model podcast must have music, sound effects, and a strong, engaging speaker. Cue the podcast to the introduction. Take note of the time when the conclusion occurs, and the time of any advertisements or sections to skip.
  • Identify a list of medical and social epidemics that impact the local community. Ensure that this list is interesting and relevant. Students who need help identifying an epidemic may be guided toward a topic from this list. Possible topics for medical epidemics include, but are not limited to: Ebola, scarlet fever, measles, whooping cough, and the Zika virus. Possible topics for social epidemics include, but are not limited to: selfies, memes, flossing, clothing trends, kindness contagion, emotional contagion, social-network use, and smartphone use.
  • Identify resources students can use to research epidemics such as Gale database and NewsELA.
  • Create strategic podcast triads of students to work together over the course of the unit to research, plan, write, and create their own podcast. Consider whether to create the triads either based on the social or academic needs of the students or based on the epidemic topic that interests them. If grouping students by topic, these triads can be determined after this lesson when students have a sense of what topic they might explore. In this case, the triads formed in Closing and Assessment A may only be for that activity, and more permanent triads can be formed after this lesson.
  • Create strategic Dance Card partnerships.
  • Review the Dance Card protocol.
  • Post the learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Work Time B: a computer or smartphone and speakers to play a podcast

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 7.I.A.1 and 7.I.B.5.

Important Points in the Lesson Itself

  • To support ELLs, this lesson provides students with the opportunity to participate in a teacher-led and collaborative review of the performance task and a model podcast.
  • For ELLs, who may find it challenging to understand the content of the podcast, provide a transcript of the podcast. (Most podcasts include a transcript.) If a transcript is not available, provide written synopses of the sections of the podcast. If possible, provide the transcript or synopses before the lesson and encourage students to read and highlight them, discussing the meaning. 

Vocabulary

  • podcast (DS)

Key

(A): Academic Vocabulary

(DS): Domain-Specific Vocabulary

Materials from Previous Lessons

Teacher

Student

  • Domain-specific word wall (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Work Time B)
  • Performance Task anchor chart (one for display; from Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Work Time B)
  • Discussion Norms anchor chart (one for display; from Unit 1, Lesson 13, Work Time C)
  • Patient Zero by Marilee Peters (text; one per student; from Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Work Time C)

New Materials

Teacher

Student

  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 (answers for teacher reference)
  • Device to play a podcast
  • Analyze a Model Podcast note-catcher (example for teacher reference)
  • Exit Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 (example for teacher reference)
  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 (one per student)
  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 ▲ 
  • Performance Task Directions (one per student and one to display; see Performance Task Overview and Supporting Materials)
  • Analyze a Model Podcast note-catcher (one per student)
  • Exit Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 (one per student)
  • Exit Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 ▲
  • Homework: Listen to a Podcast (one per student; see Homework Resources)

Assessment

Each unit in the 6-8 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize students' understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Opening

OpeningLevels of Support

A. Engage the Learner – L.7.6 (5 minutes)

  • Repeated routine: Students respond to questions on Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 and Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 ▲ as necessary. The differentiated entrance ticket supports students in writing responses with word banks. ▲
  • Once students have completed their entrance tickets, use a total participation technique to review their responses.
  • Repeated routine: follow the same routine as with the previous lessons to review learning targets and the purpose of the lesson, reminding students of any learning targets that are similar or the same as in previous lessons.

For Lighter Support

  • Remind students of the podcast they listened to in Unit 1, Lesson 1. If possible and necessary, play a clip of a podcast, so students can more easily infer why people make and listen to podcasts.

For Heavier Support

  • Invite students to use the Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1  ▲. This resource supports students in writing responses with word banks.

Work Time

Work TimeLevels of Support

A. Review the Performance Task (5 minutes)

  • Display and distribute copies of the Performance Task Directions and review them, asking students to Turn and Talk to summarize the directions and comment about anything that surprises or concerns them. (Ask students with concerns to write their names on the board, so they can get some support.)
  • Display the Performance Task anchor chart, and ask students to Think-Pair-Share about additional criteria they must include in their podcast to make it effective and to follow the directions. Record student responses on the chart. Inform students that today they will analyze a model podcast to develop criteria for their own podcast. Later in the lesson, students will work in podcast triads to brainstorm their epidemic topic and research questions for their podcast.
  • N/A

B. Analyze a Model Podcast - SL.7.2 (25 minutes)

  • Review the appropriate learning target relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

"I can explore a podcast model and generate ideas for my own podcast."

  • Inform students that they will now listen to a model podcast. On your device, play the podcast's introduction. Distribute the Analyze a Model Podcast note-catcher and explain what students will record in each box, modeling doing so for the podcast's introduction. Help students predict or identify the main ideas by asking them to Think-Pair-Share:

"What do you think will be the main topic of this podcast? What makes you think so?" (Responses will vary based on the podcast played.) Note for students that their ideas about main ideas may change as they continue listening.

  • Play the podcast's introduction for a second time, and invite students to note additional podcast features that make the introduction strong. Remind students that podcast features are the strategies podcast creators use to engage their listeners.
  • Use a total participation technique to add or highlight already existing podcast features on the Performance Task anchor chart (multiple voices, sound effects, music, snippets of voices, choral voices).
  • Continue listening to the next section of the podcast. Invite students to record podcast features, and to add to or revise the main ideas and supporting details on their note-catcher.
  • Guide students through an intentional Dance Card, with the questions:

"What are the podcast features that make this podcast strong? What can you infer about the main ideas and supporting details?" (Answers will vary.)

    1. Move students into pairs, and invite them to label themselves A and B.
    2. Pose the question, and give students time to think independently and silently about their answer to the question.
    3. Invite partner A to ask partner B the question.
    4. Give partner B a specified timeframe (e.g., 30 seconds, 1 minute) to share his or her response.
    5. Have partners reverse roles and repeat steps 3-4.
    6. Using a total participation technique (e.g., cold call, equity sticks), invite students to share their responses with the whole group.
    7. Repeat this process with the remaining section of the podcast.
  • Listen to the conclusion of the podcast. Invite students to record podcast features, and to finalize the main ideas and supporting details on their note-catcher. Then ask students to respond to the final questions on the note-catcher, reflecting on how this model podcast demonstrates techniques they can use in their own podcasts.
  • Guide students through another round of Dance Card, with the same questions.
  • Repeated routine: invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning target.

For Lighter Support

  • During Work Time B, each time the podcast is paused, encourage students to Turn and Talk with a classmate who needs heavier support, reviewing the main ideas, key details, and features. Doing so will ensure students' comprehension and give them oral processing opportunities.

For Heavier Support

  • During Work Time B, each time the podcast is paused, encourage students to Turn and Talk with a classmate who needs lighter support, reviewing the main ideas, key details, and features. Doing so will ensure students' comprehension and give them oral processing opportunities.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingLevels of Support

A. Brainstorm Topic and Research Questions – W.7.7 (10 minutes)

  • Display and distribute Exit Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 and Exit Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 ▲ as necessary. The differentiated exit ticket supports students in writing research questions with sentence starters. ▲ Invite a volunteer to read the exit ticket aloud. Inform students that they will join with their podcast triads to have a collaborative discussion on epidemics that interest them. (See Teaching Notes for suggestions on forming strategic triads.) Display and review the Discussion Norms anchor chart as necessary. Remind students about the character traits of kindness, compassion, and respect with regard to compromising with groupmates.
  • Invite students to join with their podcast triads and follow the instructions on the exit ticket to brainstorm, discuss, and choose a topic for their podcast.
  • After 5 minutes, inform students that they must choose a topic at this time. Circulate to assist students in compromising.
  • After all groups have chosen a topic, model research questions that will provide sufficient information for the podcast. Discuss the following research questions as possibilities:

“What is the story of the epidemic?”

“What are the key terms and background information of this epidemic?”

“What is the deeper life lesson learned from this epidemic?”

  • Tell students that a good research question is one that is:
    • not too narrow nor too broad;
    • specific to this topic;
    • significant—important not only to you, but to others; and
    • answerable using sources (i.e., not philosophical questions).
  • Invite students to change, add to, or create their own research questions, using the model research questions as jumping-off points. Ask students to record their research questions on “Part C” of the exit ticket.
  • Using a total participation response, invite students to share their topics and research questions. For examples, see Exit Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 (example for teacher reference).
  • Invite students to reflect on the habits of character focus in this lesson, discussing what went well and what could be improved next time.

For Lighter Support

  • During Closing and Assessment A, students may struggle to generate lists of epidemics. Encourage them to consult the texts they have read throughout the module for ideas. Also, if necessary, brainstorm a list with students for them to choose from. 

For Heavier Support

  • Invite students to use the Exit Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1 ▲. This resource supports students in writing research questions with sentence starters.

Homework

Homework

A. Listen to a Podcast

  • Students listen to a podcast and complete Homework: Listen to a Podcast to collect ideas for what makes it strong. Then they write a goal for their own podcast.

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