M9//S2 P9.1 Podcasting Introduction

Podcasting

Guidelines to remember

Podcasts must be between three and eight minutes long.
Entries can include original music — in other words music that is originally composed and recorded. But be careful! Our contest rules Links to an external site. make clear that you must be respectful of copyright and trademark laws, and our legal team is really serious about this. See the rules for the exact details.

Prompts

You can create your podcast entry on any topic. If it helps, here are some suggestions:

Tell a story about your school or community: about something that happens here — recently or in the past — that your audience should know about.
What is a moment in history that all students should learn about?
Show us both sides of a debate about an issue that's important to you.
What do you want to change about the world? What's a big change that you want to make in the future?
Explain something to us that kids understand and grown-ups don't.

INFORMATION AND STRUCTURE CRITERIA

Does the podcast tell a compelling story or teach us something new and important? Is it structured in a way that makes sense and keeps listeners engaged? Can we easily follow the story you're telling or the information you're explaining? Have you spent time editing — cutting out unnecessary information or repetition and making sure the main ideas come through clearly?

PERSONALITY AND CREATIVITY CRITERIA

Does the podcast amplify your voices? Do we hear the unique voices of your class and community? Does it have personality, or does it make us want to fast-forward? (Tip: Try not to sound like you're reading from a script.) Does it make us laugh or cry or leave us deep in thought — feel something? That's what is key to your successful poscast.

PRODUCTION CRITERIA

Some podcasts may use sound, or audio, in creative ways. Others may be more of an interview format. If you use sound apart from interviews and narration, does it add to the story you're telling? Is the sound clear, and are the volume levels even? Do the transitions sound smooth, without gaps between audio clips? Did you layer the audio and narration? These are some of the things to consider.

About podcasts

Podcasts come in all shapes and sizes. That's good news for you, because it means that you have lots of room to be creative and make something you're excited about. Some podcasts, like This American Life Links to an external site., are long — sometimes an hour or more. Others, like Kind World Links to an external site., a podcast from WBUR, are less than 10 minutes. Some podcasts, like NPR's Up First Links to an external site., are about news. Up First comes out every morning, and the hosts talk about the news and feature stories from guests reporting on the news. Other podcasts tell stories. Lots are funny. Some feature people having conversations Links to an external site.. Many are educational: They teach listeners about a specific topic. NPR's Hidden Brain Links to an external site. is about science and human behavior. And there's Planet Money Links to an external site., a podcast all about money and life.

Think about sound. You are working with sounds as an artistic medium — interviews, narration and recorded sounds from the world around you.

Get a feel for the different types of podcasts:

Head over to our training guide Links to an external site. to find a few great podcast examples before starting on your own.

Requirements

You may work in pairs or individually
Your podcast must be between three and 8 minutes long.
It must contain original work
Your podcast can include some original or copyright free music and sound effects.

This will be submitted to NPR for an opportunity to have NPR station reporters come to school to meet and interview you and have your podcast discussed in a news segment that will appear on an episode of NPR's All Things Considered or Morning Edition.

Here are some Examples:

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