podcasts

[[image:podcasts.jpg width="108" height="108"]]Do You Hear What I Hear?
Do you listen to podcasts? What are podcasts you ask? Podcasts are audio files that are online. A person who podcasts usually has a regular schedule of shows. You can subscribe to the podcasts or just get one episode. I relate it to magazine subscriptions. You can buy one off the shelf at the store (an episode) or you can subscribe to it and it will come to YOU on a regular schedule (a subscription). Some podcasts are actually videos, commonly called Vodcasts. You'll be able to access the podcasts/vodcasts through the iTunes Store. Even though you go through a store to get them they are free! No worries. You won't be arrested for shoplifting!



 * Open iTunes.
 * Click on iTunes Store.
 * Click on the Podcasts tab and choose the category that you are interested in.
 * Subscribe to a podcast. If you subscribe to a podcast, every time you open iTunes, it will scan the iTunes Store to see if there is a new episode that you don't have. If so, it will automatically download it to your iTunes!
 * Get Episode. If you choose this option you are only getting ONE episode of the podcast. No subscription. This is what you want to do when you're just looking through podcasts trying to decide if they are right for you or not.
 * If you have an iPod, it will sync your podcasts onto the iPod so you'll have some great listening material!

CHRISTMAS Stocking Podcasts
In many classrooms teachers and students are exploring Christmas traditions in other countries as well as understanding our own Christmas traditions. The Christmas Stocking Podcasts are short stories of traditions. In the iTunes Store search for Christmas Stocking Podcasts. Lee Cameron also has a blog to coordinate with his podcasts. You can access the podcasts there also, the advantage being able to see a more complete synopsis of each podcast. I want to suggest a site with Christmas Around the World Scavenger Hunts here because they will tie in nicely with these podcasts. Take a look at the 4 scavenger hunts. I think they are very well done and students are asked to locate some interesting information. Students could use Google Earth to pinpoint some of the locations on the globe and add some insights to Christmas in other countries.


Search through the iTunes Music Store for more podcasts. Recently I decided I wanted to pick up knitting again. I totally forgot how to cast on and how to purl. I found a podcast that very clearly showed me how to do both! So you'll be able to find podcasts for your personal needs and for educational needs. I'm going to suggest a few educational podcasts.


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<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">When we upgraded from ActivStudio to ActivInspire I wondered how we were going to learn this new software since it was so much different and there were not many tutorials available for it. THEN I found these ActiTip podcasts, well actually they are vodcasts. There are several episodes to choose from or better yet, just subscribe to them. Most of these video tutorials are short in length and easy to follow. And the real beauty is, you can play them over and over again until you get it!

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">LibriVox
<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">There are 70 some stories, poems, and/or books that are public domain. Great literature such as Jane Eyre, A Christmas Carol, The Wizard of Oz, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and many, many more. Subscribe to the book you want to listen to and each chapter or section will be downloaded in your iTunes.

<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Radio WillowWeb
<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">These are done by elementary students and are reflections on some of the activities they have completed in class. These will be great for your students to listen to and also they just may give you some ideas for podcasting in your classroom.

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<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">These podcasts are done by Tony Vincent and will help you understand and use your iPod.

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<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Subject/Verb agreement, starting a sentence with 'which', funnest? These are all podcasts that are available on Grammar Girl.

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<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Real kids doing real science. These are professional videos.

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<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Podcasts created by Apple Distinguished Educators, many of which are about using Mac applications. Great tutorials!

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<span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">These are great math tutorials for elementary students by Renee and Michelle at Essdack. <span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">

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