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The children behind Portable Radio are a whole lot more articulate than I can remember being in elementary school. They quite obviously scripted their audio segments before they began recording. But it’s clear that they’re thinking in full paragraphs, not the sound bites that pass for business strategy or the monosyllables that substitute for political debate in adult circles.
Mitchell Beer, CEO of The Conference Publishers. Click here to read his entire post.
Mitchell Beer wrote this post after the latest Portable Radio P.O.V. was broadcast CBC radio’s Ottawa Morning last week. Mrs. Smith’s students took on the topic of the Apple iPad that was just announced.
Congratulations to Mrs. Smith’s grade 5s for proving that kids do have a voice and people are listening. You are making an impact!
Thank you, Mr. Beer, for taking the time to write about us.
Here is our P.O.V. on the future of paper books in this age of Kindle and the newly announced Apple iPad as heard on CBC’s Ottawa Morning.
To clarify, Mrs. Smith’s Grade 5 class from South March Public School produced our latest Portable Radio Point of View. Apologies for any confusion.
This week Apple computers is announcing a new computer tablet. One of the features of this new device is that you can download books. There are already other devices like the Kindle that let you do that. In our class we read hard back and paper back books but we also use audio books and digital books. We were wondering if paper books will disappear in the future and be entirely replaced by computer books or if people will still want to have traditional books.
Congratulations to the students from Mr. Baird’s class and my class who came to school yesterday. Your P.O.V. on closing schools on snow days was aired this morning on CBC radio’s Ottawa Morning.
Today was a snow day and all the buses were canceled. The schools remained open. The students who were able to come to school today (Mr. Baird’s Grade 4/5 class and Mr. Toft’s Grade 5s) decided to put together a P.O.V. giving their opinion as to whether schools should be open on snow days.
Our POV on the Olympic athletes being given priority in H1N1 vaccinations was aired this morning on CBC radio’s Ottawa Morning. Congratulations everyone!
In today’s news we learned that the chief medical officer for Canada’s Olympic team wants our athletes to get the H1N1 vaccination sooner than everyone else. Canada’s Public Health Agency disagrees, saying that the athletes do not need any special treatment.
Here’s what Mr. Toft’s students have to say about this story:
Should we say thanks, even when we don’t mean it? The students from Portable Radio share their opinions:
We were fortunate enough to have this P.O.V. aired on CBC radio’s Ottawa morning on Monday, October 12, 2009.
Portable Radio is even more “portable” this year. We have three classes involved in this project: Mrs. Smith’s Grade 5 class at South March Public School in Kanata, Mr. Toft’s Grade 5 and Mr. Baird’s 4/5 classes are both at A. Lorne Cassidy Elementary in Stittsville, Ontario. All three classes are part of the Ottawa Carleton District School Board.
Here’s what is on the show:
Maggie tells us why she wants a hamster
Abeer tells us about Eid
Sheridan shares an experiment
Maxim talks about soccer
Caitlin and Lauren talk about the life Tony Heart (a softball!)
Keegan tells us how to spend out spare time
Sydney talks about grasshoppers at recess
Mr. Baird’s grade 4s sing about the province of Canada
Caitlin performs White Out! on recorder
Mr. Toft’s grade 5s create a song using only their first names
Music used in this episode:
WW – Greenroom
White Out! – by Nathan Toft, performed by Caitlin
Sizzle – Lee Brooks
Congratulations to Mrs.Smith’s class for getting their Portable Radio P.O.V. about the Portrait Gallery aired on CBC’s Ottawa Morning today.
This is our first Point of View of the season. This year the students from both A. Lorne Cassidy School and the new South March Public School will be working to bring you our podcasts. In this Point of View we discuss our opinions about the Government’s plan to scrap the Portrait Museum Project.
CBC Radio’s Ottawa Morning played this point of view at 7:25am, Thursday, June 11.
Good work everyone!
Lisa Raitt, Minister for Natural Resources, has been in hot water lately. We have read the newspaper article and discussed her mistakes. Listen to our point of view about the issue.
You may have already listened to Adrianna, Chelsea and Sarah when they were interviewed by CBC radio, or when they interviewed Daniel Cook. In this episode, the girls share their thoughts as they prepare for both interviews. There is also an interview with Karla Hilton, the producer of Ottawa Morning.
Music used in this episode:
- WW – Greenroom
Nathan and Jane,
Congratulations! Your podcast was selected for a Kidcast Award in the Editorial POV category! I apologize for how long this contest has drug on, but we’ve finally wrapped it all up. The judges were very impressed and complimentary of you and your students work. I, for one, enjoy holding up your podcast as an example for teachers and students everywhere. Thank you for engaging your students in this medium and helping them develop their sense of inquiry, argument, point of view, and communication. You are giving them gifts that will anchor them solidly in their future.
Your trophy is on its way and should arrive soon!
Thank you again for you participation! I wish you continued success with your show!
Dan Schmit
KidCast: Podcasting in the Classroom
http://www.intelligenic.com/blog
February 17, 2009
CBC’s Ottawa Morning aired the interview with Daniel Cook today. Congratulations, Sarah, Chelsea and Adrianna, on getting a quality interview on the air!
February 13, 2009
At about 8:20 this morning Portable Radio’s Adrianna, Sarah and Chelsea were interviewed by CBC Radio’s Ottawa Morning host Hallie Cotnam. Ottawa Morning has asked them to interview Daniel Cook tomorrow and Hallie brought them into the studios to find out how the preparations for the interview are going.
Mr. Toft and Mrs. Smith were very proud of how the girls handled their interview and wish them the best of luck for tomorrow!
Ottawa Morning will air the interview with Daniel Cook on Tuesday, February 17. We’ll let you know the exact time as soon as possible.
What you will hear:
- Candy and Why We Shouldn’t Have it – Grace, Brittany, Shelby
- Why We Do or Don’t Need Libraries – Mark, Spencer, Mitchell K., Andrew F.
- Valentine’s Day – Emily, Olivia
- How to Speak Korean – Jamie
- Do We Need School – Jessica, Mohamud, Eric
- Hockey Fights – 19, Sarah, Nolan, Mitchell H.
- Bullies – Chelsea, Karine, Olivia, Savannah, Emily
- Are Parents Too Strict? – Andrew E., Katie, Elliot, Mitchell
Music used in this episode:
- WW – Greenroom
- Music from FTC Publishing’s SoundPak
What you will hear….
- Joke time with Stefan and Isaiah
- Christmas traditions with Taylor and Haley
- Sun or Snow with Taylor and Maggie
- More Christmas traditions with Madison, Megan, Maggie and Jamie
Music used in this episode:
- WW – Greenroom
Here’s what is in our fourth episode this season:
- Another song composed by 5NT and 5/6JS
- Would You Rather? by Grace and Brittany
- Why Nature is Important by Karine and Chelsea
- Turtles by Duncan
- Teachers’ Favourite Subjects by Katie and Shelby
- Sports by Mohamud and Spencer
- I Am From Poetry by Nolan, Devyn, Emily, Mitchell K., Mark and Jessica
- I Can’t Write a Poem poems by Savannah and Aiden
- Sounds from the last few minutes of school before the start Christmas holidays
Music used in this episode:
- WW – Greenroom
- My New Beatbox by SampleConstruct
- Hopscotch (Mix-B) by Orb Gettar
- Phat n Sazz by The Dejunair Project
And the following by Kevin MacLeod:
- Laconic Granny
- Just Nasty
- On the Passing of Time
- Enter the Party
- Flutey Funk
Nicolle Arams, a producer with CBC Radio, sent me the following message about our Point of View Episode about second chances:
Brilliant!
thank you for doing this so well & so quickly.
It will fit into the show which will air between 6-8:30 on the morning of January 2.
I may break it into segments but am still in the editing process and not sure which way I’ll go with it.
But tell the kids to have a listen if they can on the 2nd of January, while their parents are probably still asleep!
Best to you and everyone at A. Lorne Cassidy Elementary School!!!!
Happy Holidays!
With the new year almost here, the kids from Portable Radio have been thinking about second chances. Should we get them? Are they important?
Here are our opinions.
Four students in Grade 5NT worked very hard to pull this off. From 12:15 to 1:00 they worked together to write a script, rehearse and record their opinion on the jersey/sweater “debate”. Then, Mr. Toft mixed in the POV theme music and emailed Laurence Wall at CBC radio around 2:00. By 4:35 pm our voices made it on air!
Congratulations and well done everyone!
Thanks to Mr. Wall for sending us an audio file and giving us permission to share how we sounded on All in a Day.
Yesterday, on CBC’s All in a Day, news producer Laurence Wall commented about seeing a sign that read “New Jersey, Same Passion”. The sign was referring to a new logo from Hockey Canada. He speculated that Canadian kids didn’t refer to this piece of hockey clothing as a “jersey” but as a “sweater”. The students from Portable Radio put together this response.
In this episode you will hear:
- Josh teach Max and the rest of us how to do some skateboarding tricks.
- Taylor and Mackenzie review the books Twilight and the Bee Keeper’s Apprentice.
- Haley and Adrianna interview Mrs. MacKay about cross country running.
- Kyle interviews Mr. Rick Cathcart, a glazier who works for the Ottawa Carleton District School Board.
- Megan and Jamie tell us about our autobiography oral presentations.
- Stefan, Jackson and Carter talk about this year in the NHL.
- Madison and Caitlin give us some tips on school survival.
Music used in this episode:
- WW – Greenroom (Podsafe Music Network)
Listen or Download this episode
Congratulations to the students who did the editing of their podcast segments.
Here’s another jam-packed episode! In this episode you will hear…
students from 5nt teaching you how to:
- build a snowman
- catch a fish
- get grounded
- speak Korean
- make an all-dressed gourmet pizza
Would You Rather?
Results of the junior boys soccer tournament
Information about the Home Children
Video game tips
Comedy Corner
And the world premiere of the song, “How to Make a Peanut Butter Sandwich”, composed and performed by the students from 5NT and 5/6JS.
Music used in this episode:
- WW – Greenroom (Podsafe Music Network)
- Metal Futures – Acid XPress
With November 11th just a few days away, 56js and 5nt began a discussion on their blogs about what Remembrance Day means to us. The students have some very thoughtful answers. This Portable Radio Point of View is just a sampling of their opinions. To read more please visit our class blogs 5/6js.ca and 5nt.ca.
The students who you will hear in this podcast are:
Bradley, Jeffrey, Megan, Gabriel, Sarah, Katie, Adrianna, Maggie and Callum
We are introducing a lot of new talent with this our first full length podcast of the 2008-09 school year.
In this episode you will hear:
Ben, Nick and Eric with the Recess Report
Matthew with a report about the Grade 6 field trip to Turtle Island
Katie with information about the Halifax explosion
Olivia, Shelby and Sarah give advice on what to wear and what not to wear in the Fashion Report
Callum and Remi challenge ALC’s new Vice Principal, Mr. Martin on Riddle Mania
Karine, Chelsea and Grace give us their opinions about zoos.
Listen for introductions by Dylan, station ids by Jackson D and Dean and outros by Jeffrey and Mitchell H
Music used in this episode:
WW – Greenroom (Podsafe Music Network)
Elegy – 192 (Podsafe Music Network)
Students in Mrs.Smith’s 5/6 give their opinions on what qualities make for a good prime minister.
CBC Radio’s Ottawa Morning aired our P.O.V. on Friday, October 10 just before 7 am. Great job guys!
Welcome to the 2008/09 season of Portable Radio. This is the first point of view for the year. Students in Mr. Toft’s Grade 5 class express their opinions on whether kids should be allowed to participate in federal elections.
The last day of school is very much on our minds right now. What would make the perfect last day of school for you?
The students behind Portable Radio hope you have a great last day of school and an even better summer!
Portable Radio Live 2008
A concert of drumming, boomwhacker…ing and singing. Recorded Friday, June 13, 2008.
Music used in this episode:
WW – Greenroom (Podsafe Music Network)
…and the following pieces by Kevin MacLeod:
Neolith – Kevin McLeod
Down Home Rockin’
Salsa2Long
discoA
Smash Sketch
Hi Nathan,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding the use of our materials for your Podcast. As always, we very much appreciate that you have made the effort to respect our copyrights and obtain legal permission. We also hope that you will let your students know of your efforts and our response.
Permission is granted to make an audio recording of your students at A. Lorne Cassidy Elementary School performing the Plank Road Publishing songs “Whacky Song,” “Whacky Do Re Mi,” “Whacky Cha Cha,” “Whomp Out Loud,” and “Whacky Sounds.” Permission is also granted to share the audio recording on the Internet via Podcast. The compulsory license fees are waived.
“Whacky Song,” “Whacky Do Re Mi” and “Whacky Sounds” by Teresa Jennings (ASCAP) © 2000 Plank Road Publishing, Inc. • All Rights Reserved • Used by permission
“Whacky Cha Cha” by Teresa Jennings (ASCAP) © 2002 Plank Road Publishing, Inc. • All Rights Reserved • Used by permission
“Whomp Out Loud” by Teresa Jennings (ASCAP) © 2001 Plank Road Publishing, Inc. • All Rights Reserved • Used by permission
Thank you for using these Plank Road Publishing songs and for sending the link to the Podcast. We look forward to hearing your students’ version of the songs!
Sincerely,
Candy Olson, Communications Editor
Plank Road Publishing, Music K-8 magazine
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has decided not to renew their contract with composer Dolores Claman to use her song as their Hockey Night in Canada theme. While this music has been used as their theme for almost 40 years, CBC has decided it was too expensive. Instead, they plan to find a new piece of music to introduce their show next season.
Episode 16 is all about our drum project. Amanda, Robyn, Ruben, McKenna, and Charles talk about how the frame and tube drums were made. They also interview drum builder/musician Leo Brooks.
You will also hear Leo teaching everyone how to play their drums.
Music used in this episode:
WW – Greenroom (Podsafe Music Network)
On the front page of the May 7th Ottawa Citizen, there was a picture and story about 24 Sussex Drive. The NCC wants to do a major renovation of the building. This would take about 15 months and cost about 9.7 million dollars. Should Stephen Harper move out and let the NCC begin the renovations. Listen to our opinions.
A few weeks ago, drum builder/musician Leo Brooks worked with the students to create tube drums similar to the African djembe. In this video, the students are learning how to attach the goat skin to their tube.
(If the video doesn’t play, chances are you need to update Flash Player.)
- Interview with Mauler from Hot 89.9 who came to judge our public speaking contest
- William and Tahmoor’s “Are You Smarter Than a Canadian Fifth Grader” with special guest contestant Mme Leeder
- Sport Tip: Bradley, Stefan and special guest Ryan share a hockey tip
- How to Play Soccer/Baseball
Download
Music used in this episode:
WW – Greenroom (Podsafe Music Network)
Allright (dub) – Plastique de Reve
Salsa2Long – Kevin McLeod
DiscoA – Kevin McLeod
A few weeks ago, drum builder/musician Leo Brooks worked with the students to create frame drums similar to those used by the aboriginals. In this video, he demonstrates how to attach the goat skin to the frame.
(If the video doesn’t play, chances are you need to update Flash Player.)
Yesterday, police near Maniwaki, Quebec, captured a lion cub named Boomer who had escaped from his babysitter. Our classes had a discussion about whether or not people should be keeping lions or other exotic animals as pets. Listen to our opinions.
In this episode you will here about a real mystery that is happening in the grade 5/6 portable 1 classroom. An unknown, mystery student has been leaving clues to their identity on Mrs. Smith’s desk. Perhaps you can figure out who it is. Blair and Luka interview Dean about his opinions about sports. Fortunately Kayla and Leigh bring us a new show called the Fortune Show. Unfortunately you will be left wanting more after you hear it. Remi brings us a public service announcement about alcohol. Some of our girls, Amanda, Robyn, Allie and Lindsay give us lessons on how to become a Girlie Girl. The episode ends with the final installment of our serial radio play, Time Travelers. You won’t want to miss this one.
Music used in this episode:
WW – Greenroom (Podsafe Music Network)
Bob – Quiet Man in a Loud Shirt (Podsafe Music Network)
if – Mysterious World (Podsafe Music Network)
Want to be on a podcast? Want to hear your message read? Get in touch with us. You can leave a comment here by clicking on the comment button. Or, if you prefer you can send an e mail to either:
jane.smith@ocdsb.ca or nathan.toft@ocdsb.ca
If you phone us and leave a message we might even play your voice on the podcast. Call Mr. Toft’s voice mail at:
613-831-8853 extension 358
We love to hear from our listeners. Don’t forget to tell us your first name and let us know where you are from.
Recently, New Democratic Party MP Pat Martin raised the idea of abolishing the penny. Our students shared their opinions on this idea.
Are you superstitious? Well I am now that I have been working on episode 13. This episode gave me more computer problems than any other episode I have ever worked on! Even when it was finished and ready to post it didn’t want to upload. Despite the problems, it is a great episode.
You will hear an interview with the students from Adrienne Clarkson Elementary School who visited us to learn about podcasts. You will also learn about how to get started writing a speech. Tyrell and Alex debate whether acoustic or electric guitars are better. Adrianna tells us about a social studies assignment while Emma and Madison interview Mrs. Faulkner. You will also hear the Mystery Guys who bring you the first episode of their mystery project. We round the show off with some listener mail.
Enjoy Episode 13 – finally on the air!
Music used in this episode:
WW – Greenroom (Podsafe Music Network)
Want to be on a podcast? Want to hear your message read? Get in touch with us. You can leave a comment here by clicking on the comment button. Or, if you prefer you can send an e mail to either:
jane.smith@ocdsb.ca or nathan.toft@ocdsb.ca
If you phone us and leave a message we might even play your voice on the podcast. Call Mr. Toft’s voice mail at:
613-831-8853 extension 358
We love to hear from our listeners. Don’t forget to tell us your first name and let us know where you are calling from.
In this episode you will hear some public service announcements about alcohol. Amanda and Robyn find out if grade 6s can figure out percent and while Remi and James challenge our vice principal Mrs. Johnson to answer some riddles. MacKenzie and Rachel are back with the “Talk Show”. On this episode they feature McKenna and Kayla playing recorder. You will also hear Connor, Jake, Kyle and Donny talk about a hockey brawl at a Bantam hockey tournament and what Ruben and Donny think about school uniforms.
A special treat for us was to hear from Portable Radio listeners, Emma, Martha and Thomas who give us their feedback and some suggestions for future shows. They have even prepared a piece about how to get along with siblings which will be played on a future show.
You can give us feedback too by leaving a comment here, or calling Mr. Toft’s voice mail at:
613-831-8853 extension 358
We love to hear from our listeners. Don’t forget to tell us your first name and let us know where you are calling from. Your message might end up in a future episode.
Music used in this episode:
WW – Greenroom (Podsafe Music Network)
Turnstile – Eric Dietrich (Podsafe Music Network)
A2 – Tea With the Queen (Podsafe Music Network)
Brawler – Matrix II (Podsafe Music Network)
Liftoff – Tantrum (Podsafe Music Network)
CBC’s Ottawa Morning aired this P.O.V. on March 19, 2008.
This week 5/6JS and 5/6NT read an article about a cell phone company in Europe that is marketing its phones to kids 5 years old. We read the article and watched several news stories about the issue of when are kids old enough to have their own cell phones. Listen to hear our opinions on the subject.
Here are our sources:
This episode has another Weird Zone by Kayla and Kaitlin, Madison and Adrianna tell us about some letters from Wales, Taylor and Isaiah share their predictions about who will make the playoffs in the National Hockey League and Haley talks our recorder program. Also, Dylan talks about his latest favourite book, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”, Tristan, Amanda and Robyn discuss their plans for March Break, Isaiah and Stefan bring us a Public Service Announcement about the effects of alcohol, and students conduct an interview over Skype with Mr. Toft’s 5 year old son.
Music used in this episode:
WW – Greenroom (Podsafe Music Network)
Life has Teeth – 169 East 71st Street (Podsafe Music Network)
Floor Dancing – Liquid Cow (Podsafe Music Network)
Chorale – Nathan Toft
Bump and Run – Derek Audette
Creepy Egypt – Derek Audette
Our Point of View was played on CBC’s Ottawa Morning today. Here’s what it sounded like:
Episode 10 was completed on yet another snow day. Buses were cancelled due to snow and freezing rain – so we only had a handful of students. Even Mr. Toft didn’t make it in this time.
In this episode we have a report from Charles about a volleyball tournament at our school. Lindsay and Allie bring us some sound about navigation from their Grade 6 field trip to the aviation museum We also have a couple of public service announcements about drugs and alcohol. Remi brings his second episode about rocks and minerals. Robin finds out what our classes think about the Ottawa Senators coach being fired. Listen for Tyrell playing Finger Eleven on electric guitar. Ryan and Taylor bring us a report about recess football. Finally, we have voicemail from a Carleton University journalism student who is hoping to film a documentary about how we make podcasts.
All of the following music comes from the Podsafe Music Network:
WW – Greenroom
Spy Beats – Greenroom
Sizzle – Lee Brooks
Blues Garden – F11
Elegy 192
Screaming Chicken – Joboj
On these days when buses are cancelled, those of us hardy enough to come to school have been asking the question: Is it better to stay in town or go away during March break.
The students behind Portable Radio have some opinions about this question.
One of our Portable Radio Point of View episodes was discussed by two university professors from the University of Nebraska. Talk about “point of view” coming full circle; listen to their point of views on our own point of view!
KidCast is a podcast for teachers about making podcasts. It is created by Dan Scmidt, a professor at the University of Nebraska. In Episode 50 he “features a guest, Dr. Michael Schueth from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Department of English. Dr. Shueth and [Dan] discuss the concept of argument and its role in developing more effective writing and podcasting.”
In this episode you will learn about How to Make a Podcast, the A. Lorne Cassidy Performance Group, and a tragic accident in the maritimes. We have the second installment of the Bit Bit and Burple Detective Radio Drama and an informative play about Durango the Kingsnake. “BAGE Blues” is performed on recorder by students in both 5/6JS and 5/6NT. You will also hear some of the comments and mail that we have received about previous episodes.
In health class we have been working on some Public Service Announcements about drug abuse. Over the next few episodes you will hear examples of this work.
Music used in this episode:
WW – Greenroom (Podsafe Music Network)
Hotcake Syrup – Derek K. Miller
Business Jive – Derek K. Miller
Welcome to the Show – Kevin McLeod
As always we invite you to leave a comment here by clicking on the comment button. E mail addresses are not required.
You can also leave a voice mail. Call 613-831-8853 extension 358 (Mr. Toft’s voicemail)
We love to hear from our listeners. Don’t forget to tell us your first name and let us know where you are calling from. Your message might end up in a future episode.
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