Book Review Podcasting Project

I've been working on a book review podcasting project with kids in my school K-8. Students are writing book reviews scripts, recording them and then I post them on our Website. I am hoping to create a book review database that kids can go to when they are looking for a good book to read. So far students in 1st, 2nd, 7th and 8th grades have recorded their podcasts. My 3rd graders are almost done. It has been a great project because it really works at multiple grade levels.

I have uploaded a lot of podcasting resources to our Website and I welcome book review podcast from you and/or your students, if you would like to send them to me. I am hoping to make this a reading resource for kids around the world.

Tags: podcasting, Podcasting

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Permalink Reply by Christine Southard on May 9, 2007 at 4:10pm

We established a similar podcasting project with our students, for the fantasy genre. In reading groups, the students not only wrote and recorded their own podcast scripts, but they designed a web page and created original art to accompany their sites. You can view/listen to our students at our website, The South Paris Collaborative. Follow the sidebar link to the Podcasting Project. More sidebars will open to links about the specific books each group read. *The audio quality wasn't super, but the kids didn't mind. This was the first podcast for our site.

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Permalink Reply by Ric Murry on May 9, 2007 at 6:46pm

My colleague in the Media Center and I have done video booktalks with some success, but we have two 6th grade students who really got the attention (and increased our library circulation) with their video booktalks. We are going to booktalk our state's book awards nominees next school year - using mostly students. We post them on one of our blogs, on YouTube, and will have an iTunes subscription next year. You are welcome to take a look at http://www.professor-marvel.com/podcast/

I appreciate the resources from everyone in this thread. There are some great things going on in education...usually not a part of NCLB :^)

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Permalink Reply by Antwon Lincoln on December 6, 2008 at 8:23am

This is a great ideas too. I was wondering how do you address the issue if students pictures being used. Is there a release form that you used?

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Permalink Reply by Faith Shabat on November 11, 2009 at 9:20pm

Antwon,
We have the parents sign a release at the beginning of the year. We stipulate that we never post a picture with a name. Each year the list of parents who don't want their kids pictures online has dwindled down to ---- none this year. The kids all love to see their work online and that convinces the parents. We're very careful not to post any personal, identifying information.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Kennedy on May 10, 2007 at 6:44am

Great work! We have been discussing just such a project at my middle school. Thanks for sharing yours. If we can get it going before the school year is out, we will pass them along. Thanks for passing it along.

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Permalink Reply by booker1151 on May 20, 2007 at 6:57pm

I was considering this type of project, too. I've worked the past two years to teach book reviewing to the students in the 7th grade gifted seminar program at my middle school. This year we skipped book reviewing and I taught them to use Photo Story 3 for digital storytelling. I was thinking of getting back to the book reviewing next year, but doing Podcasts of the book reviews instead of written text.

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Permalink Reply by LindaMycko on July 4, 2007 at 8:11am

Thanks for sharing this great information, Elizabeth. Those of us just starting in podcasting really appreciate your expertise.

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Permalink Reply by Kate on February 28, 2008 at 10:27am

Thanks for the resources. This is a project that I am going to try with my students. They are always looking for a book to read. If they can view some suggestions from their peers I think they would be more open to them then when I suggest a book. Thanks again!

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Permalink Reply by Antwon Lincoln on December 6, 2008 at 8:18am

Great idea. Very inspirational. I would like to take this idea back to my district. It looks like a lot of work to get students organized to meet goals and deadlines. Is this a project that you oversee or do you have classroom teachers helping out?

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Permalink Reply by Emily Powers on November 11, 2009 at 5:51pm

Wow! This is awesome! I am always looking for ways to incorporate technology into my 1st grade curriculum. I never thought of using podcasting to do book reviews. I am going to try this with my students after Christmas vacation. I always ask them to read at least 10 books over vacation, and also be able to share about one book when they return. They are going to love making podcasts of their book review and watching each others on our Smart Board! Thanks for the great idea!

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Permalink Reply by Faith Shabat on November 11, 2009 at 9:14pm

Hi, I love your idea. Here are the podcasts that our first graders created last year. http://www.bzkids.org/1st_grade_book_reviews I'd love to have the kids interact with each other. Write reviews on each other's podcasts. What do you think?
Faith