Blog Post #4

Podcast Preparation

In the first of three podcasts that I read/listened to, the first graders had made their own read along using podcast. The story that they had created was about book traveling back in time to the time of dinosaurs. I thought that they did an excellent job making the sounds of each dinosaur that they had mentioned (wings flapping, jaws opening and closing, and chewing noises). The teacher had let each student talk in the podcast, and she/they picked out a sound to signal a chapter ending and a new one beginning.

In the second podcast, the children had learned a little bit a hebrew in their podcast Purim. It is truly amazing that these second graders were speaking another language and using it in their story. Purim is a Jewish holiday with it being the most joyous as well as fun holiday. While wanting to research some more about Purim, I found out that the story is found in the Bible in the book of Esther. The story talks about how Esther, a Jewish woman, was taken to the King of Persia's house, and that he loved her more than any other woman. The story goes on saying that Esther never told the King that she was Jewish for he was wanting to get rid of all the Jews; as Hitler tried doing in the late 1930's to the early 1940's.

In the last podcast, the students had created a "Flat Stanley" that could travel with family members around the world and take pictures. With using a Flat Stanley, the children were able to see what the other countries were like; as in how the people dressed, how they spoke, and interacted with each other. I would love to use this idea for my future class so that they know that children their age did almost the same exact thing as them. Flat Stanleys are used in all grade levels including High School when the students are traveling to Costa Rico or Rome and they want their friends back home to see the places they have been, food they have eaten, and the people that they have met along the way.