Podcasts & Espresso

Welcome back! 

This week’s caffeine question is this- What is your opinion on espresso? I usually stick to plain coffee, but if I’m not feeling coffee, I usually get a chai latte with a shot of espresso. Comment below!

Due to technical difficulties last week, I had to postpone this post to this week. However, we are back on schedule! This week we are talking about a fan favorite, Podcasts. Today, we will talk about what exactly a historical podcast is, where to find them, and examples of incorporating them into the classroom. 

Let’s get started!

Podcasts have become a staple form of entertainment and education in the last few years. These can range from a multitude of topics, from education to self-help to comedy-relief. One of the topics that can be found is history. Creators of these historical podcasts have the goal of accessibility in mind. Unlike many problems seen with articles relating to themes in history, many of those require a subscription to the platform or for you to buy the entire article in order to use it. This is a problem we see in the educational world, especially when teachers are on the hunt for different ways to teach history in the classroom. Podcasts create a free source of education for students and teachers to use for educational and research purposes. As a result, this style of education helps close the accessibility gap we hope to fix within the world of history. 

Now, what exactly can we find out within these podcasts?

Many creators stick to a specific era or theme, such as medieval history or military themes in history. Each episode is dedicated to a specific topic within their area of expertise. This can range from an obscure fact found within the French Revolution, to a quick run-down of the Siege of Bastogne within the Battle of the Bulge. Whatever the topic may be, many creators have probably uploaded a podcast episode about it! After a quick search on your favorite podcasting platform, you’ll be able to find the perfect podcaster or episode that is perfect for your lesson plan.       

Below is a list of historical podcasts that are perfect for the classroom. Many of these can be found through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google AirPlay, and creators specific websites or Youtube channels. 

• The Past & The Curious- This podcast is a quirky and fun take on often-concealed pieces of history, Past episodes have delved into the story of the little-known prairie dog that accompanied Lewis and Clark, Emily Roebling who unexpectedly became the Brooklyn Bridge’s chief engineer, and the history of the hot dog. h
• Teaching Hard History- This podcast focuses specifically on American slavery and teaching slavery in U.S. classrooms. Slavery is a topic that is often misunderstood in our classrooms. If you’re looking to up your historical knowledge surround this sensitive topic, this podcast is essential listening.
• Revisionist History- Hosted by Malcolm Gladwell, this podcast takes commonly told tales from American History and examines them from an alternative viewpoint. These are stories that you have likely never heard, and they reframe your understanding of what you thought you know about a particular topic. Even if you think you really know about an event or a time period, Gladwell will twist that understanding.
• 15-minute History- This podcast focuses on short interviews with historians. Through the interviews, historians discuss the interviews they’ve researched. These interviews include really specific topics. As a teacher, you probably won’t be interested in all of the episodes. However, you can search through and find topics related to the areas you teach.
• I Can’t Believe That Happened- Produced a few times per month, this podcast provides shorter episodes (about 10 minutes)- ideal for the attention span of younger kids. Typical episodes highlight a different person or event in history and are filled with stories – the best way to learn!
• Forever Ago- Created by American Public Media, this podcast has 9 episodes detailing unique aspects of history. Although we often think of history in terms of what is in our textbooks, kids will enjoy learning about topics they consider relevant, such as video games, sandwiches, skateboards, and even emojis. Episodes are lengthy and provide a complete lesson on a topic.
• Geography Ninja- Lasting between 15-30 minutes, these episodes feature news and interesting facts about geography. Tweens and teens will love learning more about the world they live in and the differences (and similarities) across the globe.

Now that we’ve discussed what podcasts are and where to find them, let’s get to the fun part!

Since these are quick 5-45 minute episodes, there are plenty of ways you can incorporate them into your lesson plans. Beginning with in-class activities, allowing students to listen to a podcast episode in between a lecture can help maintain their engagement, while also given them another format of learning and understanding the material. The best way to continue the engagement would be to have an open or group discussion about the material talked about within the episode. Another example would be to create worksheets relating to the episode for students to work on after as a way to help their retention. The next way to incorporate them is to use them as homework and study materials. These a great study tools for students to use when preparing for quizzes or tests. This could be seen as a single question relating to the correlation of the episode to history, or by creating a worksheet on connecting the lecture to the episode for students to work on after school. The final way these can be incorporated is as research tools for any papers students may do during the school year. It allows for them to see a different style of how history is taught, and possibly raise more interest in the topic! 

No matter how you decide to incorporate these into lessons, remember to have fun! History teachers are one of the greatest tools in bridging the gap between history and student interest and engagement. So have fun when thinking of ways to incorporate podcasts into lessons in a way that is fun and engaging for both you and your students.

Have any tips or a favorite historical podcast you like to use in class or listen to? Share and comment below!

Until next time!