iPods Are For More Than Just Music

Many students have iPods or other portable MP3 players. Of course, many students use their MP3 players to download and listen to music. Did you know that you can listen to an audio file called a podcast on MP3 players as well? You can also listen to podcasts using a desktop or laptop computer.

A podcast is an audio file that can be placed on the Internet. Many podcasts can also be automatically downloaded to a MP3 player. Podcasts that I listen to are usually interviews with someone who is knowledgeable about a specific topic. Some podcasts, such as those at NASA’s web site (http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/podcasting/index.html), explain exciting events or challenges. I have found that National Public Radio’s (http://www.npr.org/) web site has many interesting and quality podcasts. I will let you (as students) know when I listen to a podcast that is relevant to what we are studying in class. We may use relevant podcasts as discussion or writing prompts, class introduction activities, research materials and to assist with class experiments and or activities.

If you have visited the podcast page of my science web site (http://msweb.scasd.us/pecora/pages/podcasts.html), you may have listened to some podcasts that I have created for students and parents. I recently developed a new podcast as part of my Real Scientist Series about the utilization of science in cooking. The person I interviewed you are very familiar with. Listen to find out who!

This school year you (in groups) will be creating your own podcast. Your podcasts will tech others about the immune system using a song or skit. You can listen to some immune system podcasts other sixth grade classes created on the podcast page of my web site (see above to link to podcast page). I look forward to hearing your unique and creative podcasts!

Note: Immune system podcast meets the following National Education Technology Standards (NETS-S) (add URL): 1 (A-B), 2 (A-B, D), 4 (A-C), 5 (A-D), 6 (A-D)

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