By the middle of the school year, when the weather is cold and the days feel long, we often find ourselves needing something new to add interest and excitement to our routines. This is the perfect time to introduce podcasts into the classroom. These engaging audio experiences bring fresh energy to lessons, spark curiosity, and provide a fun way to learn while staying warm inside. If you’ve been considering incorporating podcasts into your teaching routine, check out three of my favorite podcasts for upper-elementary classrooms: Smash Boom Best, 6 Minutes, and Chick-fil-A’s new podcast app. I’ll also provide tips for how you can use these resources to make learning exciting and meaningful for your students. #elementarypodcasts
Listening Comprehension
After my first year of teaching 4th grade, I noticed a surprising trend in my students’ test results: their lowest scores on the spring assessments were in listening comprehension. Despite their strong performance in reading and writing, many struggled to process spoken information and respond accurately. This highlighted a gap in our classroom routines—while we often focused on reading and writing, we spent less time practicing active listening. It became clear to me that incorporating dedicated listening activities into our daily schedule wasn’t just a good idea – it was essential for helping my students develop the skills they needed to succeed across all subjects. Podcasts turned out to be the perfect solution, combining engaging content with opportunities to strengthen listening skills in a fun and accessible way. #listeningcomprehension
Why Podcasts Work in the Classroom
Podcasts offer several benefits for elementary students, including:
Improved Listening Skills: Regularly listening to podcasts helps students become more attentive listeners, a skill that’s critical for success in both academic and social settings.
Enhanced Vocabulary: Exposure to rich language and diverse topics expands students’ vocabulary and helps them understand new concepts in context.
Critical Thinking: Many podcasts, like Smash Boom Best, challenge students to evaluate arguments, form opinions, and think critically about what they hear.
Engagement: The audio format captures students’ attention in a way that’s different from traditional reading or watching videos, making it a refreshing addition to the classroom routine.
Listening to podcasts has a significant impact on improving my students' writing skills. As students listen to well-crafted stories, debates, or discussions, they are exposed to varied sentence structures and effective storytelling techniques. Podcasts like Smash Boom Best provide excellent examples of persuasive language and reasoning, while narrative podcasts such as 6 Minutes showcase character development and plot structure. By analyzing these elements, students gain a deeper understanding of how to organize their thoughts, use descriptive language, and create compelling arguments in their own writing. Additionally, discussing and reflecting on podcast episodes encourages critical thinking and helps students translate their ideas into clear, coherent written expressions.
Plus, my students LOVE our podcast time. Each time an episode ends, they're begging for more. This provides you with amazing leverage and motivation when trying to accomplish less-favorable tasks in the classroom like cleaning up at the end of the day. Students knew the more they stayed focused on end-of-day-jobs, the more episodes we could listen to before dismissal. #podcastsintheclassroom
Podcast 1: Smash Boom Best + Freebie
If you’re looking for a dynamic way to teach opinion writing, Smash Boom Best is a must-listen. This debate-style podcast pits two topics against each other in a friendly battle. From “Dragons vs. Unicorns” to “Books vs. Movies,” each episode is packed with humor, compelling arguments, and engaging sound effects that keep students hooked. #smashboombest
How to Use in the Classroom
One of the best ways to integrate Smash Boom Best into your curriculum is by pairing it with an opinion writing unit. Here’s how:
Listen and Take Notes: Play an episode for your class and encourage students to jot down the reasons and examples provided by each speaker. For example, if you’re listening to “Ice Cream vs. Pizza,” students might note reasons like “Ice cream has more flavors” or “Pizza can be eaten for any meal.”
Analyze Arguments: After the episode, lead a discussion about what made each argument strong. Ask questions like, “Which speaker gave the best examples?” and “What reasoning did you find most convincing?” This helps students practice critical thinking and learn to evaluate the strength of different arguments.
Write Their Own Opinions: Have students choose their favorite side and write a short opinion piece supporting their choice. Encourage them to use the structure and techniques they heard in the podcast, such as opening with a strong hook, providing clear reasons, and backing up their ideas with examples.
Host Your Own Debates: Take it a step further by organizing a classroom debate inspired by the podcast. Students can work in teams to research their chosen topic, prepare arguments, and present them to the class. Not only does this reinforce opinion writing skills, but it also builds confidence in public speaking.
Smash, Boom, Best episodes are about 30 minutes long. Sometimes this felt a little lengthy for active listening. If your students are new to podcasting, they may benefit from listening to half of the episode before lunch and the second half later in the day. I also leave Smash, Boom, Best episodes as an activity for substitute teachers when I will be gone. They are very engaging and make for easy last-minute plans. Print the worksheet below to boost active listening.
Podcast 2: Six Minutes
For captivating storytelling and character-driven plots, 6 Minutes is a classroom gem. This serialized podcast follows the adventures of an 11-year-old girl named Holiday who wakes up with no memory of her past. Each episode is approximately six minutes long, making it a perfect fit for tight classroom schedules. #6minutes
How to Use in the Classroom
Whether you use 6 Minutes as an after-lunch activity or an end-of-the-day motivator, it’s an excellent tool for enhancing listening comprehension. Here’s how:
Create a Calm Transition: After lunch, play an episode to help students settle down and refocus. The intriguing storyline draws them in and sets a calm, reflective tone for the rest of the day.
Motivate Cleanup Time: Alternatively, use 6 Minutes as a reward at the end of the day. Encourage students to pack up and clean the classroom quickly and efficiently so they can enjoy the day’s episode together.
Note-Taking and Discussions: As students listen, have them take notes on key details such as character actions, plot twists, and predictions. After the episode, discuss their notes as a class. Questions like “What surprised you the most?” and “How do you think Holiday will solve this problem?” encourage deeper engagement with the story.
Build Anticipation: Before starting the next episode, review the notes from the previous day. This quick recap not only refreshes students’ memories but also builds excitement for what comes next. Over time, students develop stronger skills in sequencing events and analyzing story elements.
This podcast was an absolute favorite for a student in my class with dyslexia. His reading skills were far below grade level so providing him with such a captivating story was a new experience for him. His mom often told me that "6 Minutes" was the best part of his school day.
Podcast 3: Chick-fil-A's App
Chick-fil-A’s new entertainment app offers a curated collection of kid-friendly podcasts that are fun for the whole family. The first story I have listened to is called Hidden Island. It's about the Robinson family, who are invited by Colin Robinson to a remote research station for Christmas. A storm hits, and they end up on an island that's not on any map. They must learn to survive without modern comforts and technology. This app is a fantastic resource for supporting your reading lessons or simply provide enrichment during free time. #chickfilaentertainment
How to Use in the Classroom
Supplement Lessons: Use Hidden Island and the future stories that will soon be released to teach about characters, setting, plot, and dialogue. Encourage your students to complete a plot diagram about each episode. Help them analyze the mood and how the words and music contribute to the tone.
Independent Listening: Create a listening station where students can explore podcasts during centers or free time. Provide headphones and a selection of pre-approved episodes to ensure the content is both engaging and educational.
Student Recommendations: Encourage students to listen to a podcast at home and share what they learned with the class. This not only extends learning beyond the classroom but also gives students a chance to practice summarizing and presenting information.
Create Your Own Class Podcast
Creating a podcast in the classroom is a fantastic way to engage students and integrate creativity with learning. One of my favorite projects involved students producing a "mystery sounds" podcast. Each student contributed by creating unique sounds—like tearing off a piece of tape, crumpling paper, or zipping a jacket—and recording them for the podcast. We shared our finished product with another class in our school, who had to listen and guess what sounds we were making. To take the learning further, we tied the project to our science unit on sound waves. After revealing the answers to the mystery sounds, my students explained how each sound was made and shared what they had learned about sound waves, vibrations, and frequencies. This project not only reinforced our science concepts but also gave students a fun and meaningful way to practice speaking, collaboration, and creative problem-solving. #createaclassroompodcast
Tips for Success
Set Clear Expectations: Teach students how to be active listeners by modeling note-taking and pausing episodes to discuss key points. Establish rules for listening time, such as staying quiet and focused.
Integrate with Curriculum: Look for ways to connect podcast content to your lessons. Whether it’s analyzing character traits in 6 Minutes or exploring persuasive techniques in Smash Boom Best, podcasts can enhance learning in meaningful ways.
Make It Interactive: Incorporate activities like debates, writing assignments, or art projects based on the podcasts. For instance, students could draw their favorite scene from 6 Minutes or create a poster advertising their favorite episode of Smash Boom Best.
Gather Feedback: Ask students which podcasts they enjoy most and why. Their input can help you tailor your selections to better match their interests and learning needs.
Final Thoughts
Podcasts are a powerful tool for bringing creativity and engagement to the classroom. Whether you’re teaching opinion writing with Smash Boom Best, fostering listening comprehension with 6 Minutes, or exploring new topics with Chick-fil-A’s podcast app, you’ll find that these audio resources enrich your teaching and inspire your students. Give them a try, and watch your classroom come alive with the joy of listening and learning!