Jennifer Hill

Part 3: Podcast Written Component

ILA Standards:
Standard 1: Foundational Knowledge: Candidates understand the theoretical and evidencebased foundations of reading and writing processes and instruction.
1.2 Candidates understand the historically shared knowledge of the profession and changes over
time in the perceptions of reading and writing development, processes, and components.
We do a unit each year on Famous African Americans during Black History Month in February.
By using a podcast, students will be able to learn not only about Ruby Bridges and Ruth, but
other famous African Americans who have made a difference in our country. At this point in the
school year, students will be able to do many more things independently. The podcast will allow
students to work with a partner in a highly engaging activity.
Standard 2 Curriculum and Instruction: Candidates use instructional approaches, materials,
and an integrated, comprehensive, balanced curriculum to support student learning in reading
and writing.
2.2. Candidates use appropriate and varied instructional approaches, including those that
develop word recognition, language comprehension, strategic knowledge, and reading-writing
connections.
Students will be working in large and small groups prior to this partner activity. I will
intentionally partner students who will be able to help each other so that students feel supported.
Allowing students to speak to each other and hear others ideas can help each child learn new
and different take-a ways from the activity. Students will be listening to each story online. This
will provide students with the opportunity for multiple reads in order to deepen comprehension
and understanding.
2.3 Candidates use a wide range of texts (e.g., narrative, expository, and poetry) from traditional
print, digital, and online resources.
The online literacy assignment, students will hear The Story of Ruby Bridges, which is nonfiction. For the podcast activity students will hear Ruth and the Green Book, which is fiction. I
will explain to students that Ruth and the Green Book is based on something that really happened
and what things were like when Ruby and Ruth were growing up. Because many of my students
are not yet readers, having the stories read to them, along with the pictures, makes the story
easier for them to comprehend. Also, if there is any confusion, students are able to re-read each
story for better understanding.
Standard 4 Diversity: Candidates create and engage their students in literacy practices that
develop awareness, understanding, respect, and a valuing of differences in our society.
4.2 Candidates use a literacy curriculum and engage in instructional practices that positively
impact students knowledge, beliefs, and engagement with the features of diversity.

Students are engaged because the lesson is read aloud to them. They are supported with
scaffolded instruction (I do, We do, You do) and partner activities. Often students in kindergarten
are not readers or they are only reading a few words at this point in the year. By supporting
students with whole and small group activities, as well as stories read online, student support is
great. Vygotsky (1978) says content is designed to reach students in their zone of proximal
development to scaffold learning and support emerging capabilities. Students are exposed to
others ideas, thoughts and understandings which helps deepen the learning.
Standard 5 Literate Environment: Candidates create a literate environment that fosters
reading and writing by integrating foundational knowledge, instructional practices, approaches
and methods, curriculum materials, and the appropriate use of assessments.
5.1 Candidates design the physical environment to optimize students use of traditional print,
digital, and online resources in reading and writing instruction.
By working in a whole or small group, students are able to deepen their understanding and
knowledge level of each story. The use of the podcast allows students who are non-readers to
listen and comprehend what they are to do for the activity. The podcast also allows students the
opportunity to listen to the directions multiple times to ensure that they know what they are
expected to do. This fosters their independence. According to Putman & Kingsley (2009), the
podcasts offer opportunities to introduce or reinforce information from the classroom, to
remediate students who need additional instruction or access to content discussed in the
classroom, or to feature content experts or guest speakers under the guidance of a teacher
external to the actual school building.
ISTE Standards:
Standard 1: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop
innovative products and processes using technology.
1.a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
In this activity, students will take what they know about other famous African Americans and
their struggles, and use it to construct similarities between Ruby Bridges and Ruth. With the
inclusion of the podcast, students will have multiple opportunities to hear the content and discuss
it with their partner.
Standard 2: Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work
collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the
learning of others.
2.b. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of
media and formats.
The use of the podcast will allow students the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the
subject matter because the instruction can be individualized to meet the needs of each student.
For students who need extended time outside of school for remediation, the podcast can provide

multiple learning opportunities. Students who have access to a computer at home will have
access to the podcast which can increase their understanding of the materials. In the Putman &
Kingsley (2009) article, it is suggested that even for young children podcasts can possibly
provide growth in sight word and vocabulary knowledge, as well as a model of what fluent
reading sounds like.
Standard 3: Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
3. a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry.
I will guide students to use the technology I provide to find information to answer questions and
be able to compare and contrast the two characters/individuals. The podcast can then be used to
reinforce and extend the learning in and out of the classroom.
Standard 4: Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage, projects,
solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.
4.b.: Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
The podcast allows students to become independent in doing their work. The activity on this
podcast builds on students previous experiences. If there is any confusion or misunderstandings,
students are able to review the podcast to ensure that they understand the expectations of this
activity. One of the attractions of podcasting as a learning tool is that learners can create content
relatively quickly and easily, often collaboratively, with the intention and capacity to reach an
authentic audience (Smythe & Neufeld, 2010).

KTS Standards:
Standard 6: The Teacher demonstrates the implementation of technology.
6.1

Uses available technology to design and plan instruction.

Students will be able to use student computer stations during their literacy center activities. They
are familiar with these and will have been taught how to use them correctly throughout the
school year when we do whole group activities in our school computer lab.
6.2

Uses available technology to implement instruction that facilitates student learning.

The podcast allows students the opportunity to work with a partner to connect and synthesize
learning from 2 activities in a unit of study. The podcast offers the listener opportunities to hear
content whenever and wherever they want (Rose & Rosin, 2006). Working with a partner,
students are supported in getting their work done correctly and making a connection between
both activities.
6.3

Integrates student use of available technology into instruction.

Students will be working with a partner and using the podcast as a guide for this activity. To
extend their learning, students will draw upon their prior activities for support in developing new
learning. By using the podcast, an opportunity to reach students outside of the classroom can

enhance the learning and motivate the students. Podcasts created by teachers represent one such
tool as they provide a method to address the needs of the 21st-century learner through access to
educationally sound, class-related content like never before (Putman & Kingsley, 2009).
6.5

Demonstrates ethical and legal use of technology.

The teacher will model for students during whole group activities the correct use of technology.
Students will be shown how to use information in order to learn the content. By working in
partners, students will have an opportunity each week to be supported in developing their skills
to become independent learners.

TPACK
Using the TPACK model when creating this lesson helped me to ensure I was integrating the
technology and the content in a way where my students felt supported to construct new learning.
Because the podcast is something new for me, I know that it will be highly motivating and a
great way to meet my kinders where they are. A podcast meets the needs of many auditory
learners who are not yet readers, plus it allows opportunities to remediate students who need
additional instruction or access to content discussed in the classroom (Putman & Kingsley,
2009). While I am working in my small groups, a podcast will provide students the opportunity
to work independently. With practice, students can learn to self-regulate their learning; if they
need to hear the directions again, they can replay it as many times as they need until they know
what to do. For student who come to kindergarten knowing no letters or words, a podcast would
provide extra practice that students could access at school and at home.

Common Core State Standards

RL.K.3: With prompting and support, describe the connection between two individuals, events,
ideas, or pieces of information in a text.
RL.K.9: With prompting and support, identify basic similarities in and differences between two
texts on the same topic (e.g., in illustrations, descriptions, or procedures).
SL.K.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics
and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
SL.K.4: Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and support,
provide additional detail.