Blog Assignment #4

Flat Stanley Podcast

Ms. Tolisano had her first grade classroom do a podcast on the children's book, Flat Stanley. Flat Stanley is a story about a boy who gets squished by a bulletin board, becomes flat and realizes that it has many advantages. He is able to go all kinds and types of places. Ms. Tolisano allows her children to tell their own version of Flat Stanley and choose their own place to visit.

My favorite story told by the children, was a little girl's story of her trip to London. She described how it was her hometown and all of the places she missed and loved doing. She even discusses Les Miserables. It shocked me how detailed each one of their stories were (especially, being that they were in the first grade!). I enjoyed listening to each of their stories!

Podcasting With First Grade

This teacher does a podcast with her first grade classroom, and titles it Podcasting With First Graders. The book they chose is Vacation under the Volcano. In this teacher's podcast, she got her students to be very expressive with what they were to say. I loved how the teacher said that it brought out a side of the shy students that she has never seen before. Doing a different style of reading with kids so young makes it an exciting and challenging, new experience for them to take on.

Zoo Trip

The children in this classroom are discussing and learning about animals in their habitats. They are doing this via podcasts. The parents of the students are curious as to what the children are doing and learning in the classroom. Podcasts are the perfect way to show and exhibit the work that their children are doing. This may get the parents more involved and interested in the child's life if they can physically hear it for themselves.