NPR Student Podcast Challenge
Judging
Our judges will use the following criteria to narrow down and choose the winners in our two age groups — middle (fifth grade through eighth grade) and high school (ninth grade through 12th grade).
INFORMATION AND STRUCTURE, 40 PERCENT
Does the podcast tell a compelling story or teach us something new and important? Is it structured in a way that makes sense and keeps listeners engaged? Can we easily follow the story you're telling or the information you're explaining? Have you spent time editing — cutting out unnecessary information or repetition and making sure the main ideas come through clearly?
PERSONALITY AND CREATIVITY, 40 PERCENT
We want to listen to this podcast and hear your voices. Do we hear the unique voices of your class and community? Does it have personality, or does it make us want to fast-forward? Does it make us laugh or cry or leave us deep in thought — feel something?
PRODUCTION, 20 PERCENT
We're not judging you on how fancy your equipment is and we don't expect you to be an expert on recording and editing sound, but we hope you'll try.
Some podcasts may use sound, or audio, in creative ways. Others may be more of an interview format. If you use sound apart from interviews and narration, does it add to the story you're telling? Is the sound clear, and the volume even? Do the transitions sound smooth, without gaps between audio clips? Did you layer the audio and narration?
NPR Podcast Challenge
Your team is going to create a podcast for the NPR Student Podcast Challenge on your work on advocacy this year explaining the history, data, and what students can do in their own communities to affect change. Here is the elements of the podcast:
Assignment Task List:
Complete research on the historical events that are related using the Hand of Journalism –
Develop an outline of the podcast (introduction, historical event, present event, and why history matters?)
Develop ideas to creatively explain your story – interviews, sound effects, original music, etc.
Create a script for your podcast (will be useful for the video guide)
Create a Podcast – here is the video on how to record audio on the Chromebook https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U8d5wkF-ls&app=desktop or using your cell phone
Upload to Soundcloud.com