Toward the end of the year we decided to integrate podcasting and writing by creating a weekly newscast. This activity will continue next year.

First, I modeled the writing process by leading the class to write a newscast as a whole group. I shared with them graphic organizers, based on the “Step Up to Writing” method of forming paragraphs. This activity modeled the effectiveness of collaboration. Through discussion the students shared synonyms and together we wrote a rich podcast. I saw them brainstorming in similar ways when they later worked in teams. MODELING IS KEY!
We sectioned off a part of the whiteboard and allowed children to post “newsworthy” story ideas. On Fridays, during a 45 minute writing period, the students were paired and the teams wrote and recorded their news story. Here is the website, which displays the results. (Click here).
The Jamestown’s podcast is a mixture of on site reporting using iPods with microphones.

They loved it and I observed notable growth in the writing skills of many students!