Podcast as Teaching Tools

Every time I see or listen to a podcast I am again impressed with their educational usefulness. I recently watched a podcast about the Energy Flow in the Coral Reef. This podcast introduced terms such as herbivores, carnivores, photosynthesis, and chloroplasts. An explanation of the life cycle and photosynthesis is presented in a simple but interesting way. The person who watches this learns the important interdependence of each member of the coral reef. Energy is obtained from the sun by plants which are eaten by herbivores. Herbivores are then eaten by carnivores. Carnivores are eaten by other carnivores or die of old age and then are eaten by scavengers and decomposers. The herbivores keep the underwater plant population in check, and the carnavors keep the herbivors population in check. Each member works together for the good of the whole.


In my classroom when we study the life cycle and photosynthesis I could let my students watch the Energy Flow in the Coral Reef. Watching it would help them understand a coral reef and the importance of each member for the existence of the reef as well as the role the life cycle and photosynthesis play in that existence.


We could also discuss how in our class or at home we each have to do our part to make our class and homes run smoothly just like the members in the coral reef. If each student participates in class and shares during discussion time they are contributing to the learning of the entire class. When they are at home and they do their chores they are sharing in the household work load and are helping their home to run more smoothly.