The first thing you need if you are going to be a podcaster is you need something to talk about. This lesson will go over some issues that you can research and have something to discuss in your podcast. You can investigate other things to talk about but I find it is easier to get an audience to listen to something that is a little more controversial. You can get your topic from any subject area. In this lesson, we will be looking at Science and Social Science but there are also PE standards that deal with controversial topics as well.
The science standards all revolve around a new technology or discovery that upsets the status quo. Whether this is about how renewable energy affects the world or how the increase of greenhouse gases is increasing the PH levels in our oceans.
Here is a slideshow that goes over some of the things you'll need to know about Socio-Scientific Issues. It will also give you some ideas of topics you can pick for this task.
If you don't want to get too technical you can look at a more human problem. Like a conflict or an issue. This one is more about finding out through interviews, surveys and other sociological tools to discover something close to facts on the matter.
Step 1
Brainstorm issues that you would want to discuss on your podcast. Pick one you will be discussing. Figure out if it is Science, Social Science or Physical Education. There are notes at the bottom for your teacher depending on where your topic falls
Step 2
Research or conduct an in-depth inquiry into the issue. Collect data and come to some conclusions about the information you have found.
Here are some tips for researching.
Step 3
Write a script based on the information you have found. (This can then be used for media studies or part of your writing portfolio)
Your final podcast can be your presentation of this standard but some teachers prefer if you have a written component. You might want to write up your notes and findings first and hand this in and then write the script based on that.
To help with the writing of the script I recommend watching several of the Charisma On Command Videos. He'll be able to tell you the specific things needed to help engage your audience.
Teacher's Notes
If students are working on how conflict affects a community then it is most likely a Social Science ( 91280 ) Conduct a reflective social inquiry
If the students are discussing how science is communicated to the public then they are most likely working on an Earth and Space topic ( 91188 ) Examine an Earth and Space Science issue and the validity of the information communicated to the public
Or some technology or issue in space it might be ( 91411 ) Investigate a socio-scientific issue in an Earth and Space Science context
If they are looking at how people affect the world long term then they might be looking at ( 90811 ) Explain how human activity in a biophysical environment has consequences for a sustainable future
If they are looking at movement of people and how it affects the world then it might be Geography ( 91431 ) Analyse aspects of a contemporary geographic issue
Anything to do with people, plants and animals will probably fall under Biology ( 91602 ) Integrate biological knowledge to develop an informed response to a socio-scientific issue
If it deals with physics ( 91527 ) Use physics knowledge to develop an informed response to a socio-scientific issue
And if push comes to shove and it really doesn't fit into any of these subject areas it could always fall back on the English ( 91105 ) Use information literacy skills to form developed conclusion(s)
Most of these are level 3 standards but there are a few level 2.