Rifton Steinbacher (left) and Eleanor Kraus record an episode of their class podcast.
Courtesy of Caitlin Supple (Rifton and Eleanor); Shutterstock.com (badge); Courtesy of Scholastic Kids Press (Aiden)
We Have a Podcast!
Every month, the kids in teacher Caitlin Supple’s third-grade class work on a special project. They host a podcast! It’s recorded in their classroom at Hoover Elementary School in New Berlin, Wisconsin.
Each episode features a special guest. The kids have interviewed many people, from a local newscaster to Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers. Scholastic News editor Rebecca Zissou was a guest on the podcast too.
“We got to interview a bunch of really cool people,” says Rifton Steinbacher, 10.
Creating the podcast has helped the students learn about different jobs. It has also allowed them to practice their speaking, listening, and research skills.
The kids say hosting a podcast is fun. But it’s also a lot of work. The students spend time learning about each guest. Then they come up with topics to discuss.
What are their best tips for hosting a podcast? For one, it’s important to ask questions that require more than a simple yes or no answer. That helps guests give more details. Eleanor Kraus, 9, adds that podcast hosts should also be outgoing.
“You have to be really social,” she says.
Meet the Author
Aiden is a Kid Reporter for Scholastic Kids Press. Click here to learn more about the program and read other articles by Kid Reporters!
1. According to the article, what do the students learn by creating their podcast?
2. Based on the article, why is it important to ask questions that require more than a simple yes or no answer?
3. What are some of the ways the students prepare for a podcast episode?
