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9th Grade  Project 36 weeks

PodBuzz: School's Voice Adventure 🎙️

yvonne
CCSS.Math.Content.HSG-SRT.B.5
CCSS.Math.Content.HSN-VM.B.5
CCSS.Math.Content.HSF-IF.B.5
CCSS.Math.Content.HSN-VM.C.7
CCSS.Math.Content.HSG-SRT.D.11
+ 11 more
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Purpose

The purpose of this project is to engage 9th-grade students in creating a school-wide podcast station that serves as a platform for exploring diverse topics and amplifying underrepresented voices within the community. Through this hands-on experience, students will develop critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills while applying mathematical and language arts standards in real-world contexts. By researching, scripting, and producing podcast episodes, students will learn to effectively convey stories and ideas, fostering a sense of identity and belonging as they reflect on audience feedback to refine their work.

Learning goals

Students will collaboratively design and produce a series of podcasts that explore diverse topics, emphasizing underrepresented voices and stories within the school community. They will apply mathematical concepts such as vector multiplication and geometric relationships to enhance their podcast production skills, while also developing their understanding of effective communication, critical thinking, and storytelling. Through peer and audience feedback, students will refine their episodes, demonstrating self-directed learning and content expertise. By the end of the project, students will have created a podcast series that not only informs and engages listeners but also fosters a sense of identity and belonging within the school.
Standards
  • [Common Core] CCSS.Math.Content.HSG-SRT.B.5 - Use congruence and similarity criteria for triangles to solve problems and to prove relationships in geometric figures.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.Math.Content.HSN-VM.B.5 - (+) Multiply a vector by a scalar.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.Math.Content.HSF-IF.B.5 - Relate the domain of a function to its graph and, where applicable, to the quantitative relationship it describes.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.Math.Content.HSN-VM.C.7 - (+) Multiply matrices by scalars to produce new matrices, e.g., as when all of the payoffs in a game are doubled.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.Math.Content.HSG-SRT.D.11 - (+) Understand and apply the Law of Sines and the Law of Cosines to find unknown measurements in right and non-right triangles (e.g., surveying problems, resultant forces).
  • [Common Core] CCSS.Math.Content.HSS-MD.B.5 - (+) Weigh the possible outcomes of a decision by assigning probabilities to payoff values and finding expected values.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.Math.Content.HSF-IF.B.5 - Relate the domain of a function to its graph and, where applicable, to the quantitative relationship it describes.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.5 - Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
  • [National Core Arts Standards] VA:Re8.1.Ia - Interpret an artwork or collection of works, supported by relevant and sufficient evidence found in the work and its various contexts.
  • [Common Core] CCSS.Math.Content.HSG-SRT.A.1 - Verify experimentally the properties of dilations given by a center and a scale factor:
Competencies
  • Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.
  • Academic Mindset - Students establish a sense of place, identity, and belonging to increase self-efficacy while engaging in critical reflection and action.
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.
  • Content Expertise - Students develop key competencies, skills, and dispositions with ample opportunities to apply knowledge and engage in work that matters to them.
  • Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
  • Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.

Products

Students will collaboratively produce a series of podcast episodes that highlight diverse voices and stories from their school community. Each episode will incorporate researched content, creative scripting, and professional production techniques. The final product will be a publicly accessible podcast channel, showcased in a school-wide exhibition, where students present their episodes and engage with feedback from peers and teachers.

Launch

Begin the project by organizing a field trip to a local podcast station where students can observe the production process and engage in a Q&A session with a professional podcaster. This visit will provide students with firsthand insights into the industry, sparking curiosity and excitement for their own podcasting journey. Following the visit, students will collaboratively brainstorm and outline their initial podcast ideas, setting the stage for a dynamic and interactive learning experience.

Exhibition

Students will host a school-wide podcast festival where each group presents their podcast episodes to peers, teachers, and community members. The festival will include live listening sessions, interactive Q&A panels, and feedback stations where attendees can provide constructive critiques. This event will be an opportunity for students to showcase their work, engage in meaningful discussions, and celebrate the diverse voices and stories amplified through their podcasting projects.