Podcast workshop

Playing with Sound

In this workshop pupils will have the opportunity to edit and join sound files, using Audacity, as well as planning and recording sound files themselves. We will also look at sources for free sound loops and sound effects, and which sounds cannot be copied, and why.

This could easily be adapted to cover a particular type of writing that the children need to review for literacy.

What will the pupils be learning/thinking

• This is a very creative workshop. Unlike the programming workshop, this is very flexible in the way it is done, and much of it works well, however it is put together.
• Children will need to produce a script of sorts. It does not need to be perfectly written, I am more interested in the creativity, and the good use of language. this is an opportunity for pupils who struggle to write, but do have good ideas in their head.
• Pupils will be using a complex program (audacity) and manipulating several files together to edit down to one sound file. There is a certain amount of file management in keeping track of the files they are using.
• Pupils will understand why sound files can't all be copied, and which ones can legally be coped, and why.

Preparation
Audacity portable
sound files (sound loops, story reading, sound effects, etc)
*** Headphones ***


Introduction
2 areas need to covered at the start.

Planning - pupils (working in pairs) will be given a topic :review a book, read a  poem, interview, discussion, recipe, advice (what to do in the holidays, at the weekend, camping...). Free to change choice,

Pupils plan loosely their 'article', write script, this is a creative process. Less emphasis based on writing creatively, more on creating interesting scripts - text is not as important.

Additionally we will experiment with Audacity. We will only be using a few of the features, but the program is complex, and pupils will need to be guided. Here's a help file. Pupils will be given a selection of sound clips to put together, including fade in, and working with different tracks, saving the created file.

Next Steps
Pupils will need to work together to produce scripts and record a short piece based on their theme.

These sound files can then be edited, together with sound loops, to create a part of the podcast.

After the session I can put these pieces together to make a group podcast.

Extension
If there is time, pupils can get their own sound loops from this website http://www.flashkit.com/loops/, or can  combine other sound files made by the group.

Other pupils who have found this particularly stretching may like some 'relaxation' time on these two websites: http://isleoftune.com/ and http://seaquence.org/. They really are examples of beautiful websites.