Sound Bytes

Radio Dramas was an introductory podcasting unit for 7th graders at Hanes Middle School. Following guidelines first published by Chicago’s WBEZ radio for their 2006 Third Coast Festival, students created a story that began with the sentence, “To begin with, they never got along.”

In this first podcasting project students learned to write a script, record on portable iRiver mp3 players, edit their sound file on classroom PCs, create a multi-track sound file MIX using background music and various sound effects, and finally, export the MIX as a finished mp3 music file that could be played on iTunes.

There are four enhanced podcasts in the series.

 

 Radio Dramas -- Part One (with pictures) [11:59m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

 

 mp3 version (without pictures) [11:59m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

In March all seventh grade students at Hanes Middle School as well as across the state of North Carolina take a one hour test to evaluate their writing skills.

A prompt is given at the beginning of the session and students are asked to create a two-page persuasive essay based on the topic.

Students in Ms. Dell’s seventh grade English class created posters to show their understanding of the process.

In this enhanced podcast, you will see pictures of the posters (focusing on different essay paragraphs) as well as hear students’ tips for writing the “Ultimate Persuasive Essay.”

 

 The Ultimate Persuasive Essay (with pictures) [3:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

 

 mp3 version (without pictures) [3:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

Barbara Butryn, Hanes Middle School art teacher, introduces an 8th grade art class project entitled, “Illusions.”

Lines, patterns, squares, and shapes are used to create the illusion of movement.

Using only a pencil to sketch the design and any medium to draw with, students created original designs.

 

 Illusion Art [1:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

At the Winter Concert the Hanes Orchestra performed 5 selections: “Jingle Bells,” “Pachelbels Kanon,” “St. Nick’s Canon on the Housetop,” “Ukrainian Carol,” and finally, “Trepak” from the Nutcracker.

 

 Hanes Orchestra -- Winter Concert, '06 [13:17m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

Hanes chorus sings “Charlotte Town,” Gloria Hallejulah,” and “My Heart Sings a Melody” at the winter concert in December, 2006.

 

 Standard Podcast [7:33m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

8th grade band students at Hanes perform “Felis Navidad” and the “Nutcracker” at the winter band concert in December, 2006.

 

 8th Grade Band -- Winter Concert '06 [9:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

7th grade band students perform “Winter Wonderland” and “Hannakah Holiday” during the December, 2006 winter band concert.

 

 7th Grade Band Winter Concert [7:16m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

Sixth Grade Band performs “Saint Nick Salsa” and “Quantas Celebrations” during the Winter, 2006 Band Concert.

 

 Standard Podcast [5:27m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

Several sixth and seventh grade students at Hanes Middle School gather around the microphone to share their thoughts on the qualities needed in an ideal teacher. By their seventh grade year in school they have had over twenty different teachers, so they are savvy consumers and have definite opinions about teacher behavior and ways of handling classes.

 

 Build a Better Teacher [4:09m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

In early October, Matt Talbert, band director at Hanes Middle School, led two sixth grade beginning band classes in a series of musical selections. Keep in mind that these students have never had band before. They have only been playing for a little over one month! Learning fingering positions, learning to read music, learning to play with a group and keep up the pace — it’s overwhelming! Check back with us around December for the “Winter Concert” and you’ll be amazed at their growth as musicians!

 

 6th Grade Band -- Oct. '06 [3:41m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

Sixth and seventh grade students gather around the microphone to share their after-school extra-curricular schedules during the week and then discuss their opinions as to whether they are “over-scheduled” or not. Opinions differ and some students offer a rare glimpse into their parents’ perspective in trying to juggle the after-school schedules of multiple children in the family. Are kids today really over-scheduled? Listen to the podcast and then you decide. Are Students Over-Scheduled? You Decide…

 

 I'm So Busy [11:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

The “Cry Wolf Chronicles” is an on-line newspaper written by seventh grade students (and.. with a bit of help from some very talented 6th graders) at Hanes Middle School. Using CuteNews flat-file blog technology, the single sheet web page incorporates eight panels, each hosting a different blog window.

Topics for the newspaper include: News, Sports, Guess Who, Dear Abby, Reviews, Cartoons, Rants & Raves, and Riddles. The newspaper operates as an after-school club on Wednesday and Friday afternoons. Visitors to the newspaper can read current and past articles in each section as well as post “comments” about articles posted.

Student authors love to read the “comments” about their articles and often guage the effectiveness and timeliness of their article by the number of comments that visitors post. To visit the on-line newspaper click on this title:
Cry Wolf Chronicles

 

 Newspaper Club [3:43m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

Using portable iRiver FP-895 mp3 recorders, seventh grade students on the Wolf Team will be introduced to the world of podcasts and creating audio files during the 2006-’07 school year. Here are the guidelines for their first project — [taken shamelessly from Chicago's NPR radio station, WBEZ, and their 2006 Third Coast Festival contest]:

FIRST SENTENCE Each submission must begin with the following opening sentence, either directly narrated or interpreted otherwise, for instance through sound, metaphor or dramatization: “To begin with, they never got along.” SOUNDS Each submission must include the following sounds, interpreted literally, figuratively or however else a producer wishes. The sounds must appear in the order listed here, but may occur in the piece at any time, and for whatever length a producer wishes. The sounds may be recorded or found, or metaphorical, real or invented.

a pre-recorded voice Examples: answering machine messages / public transportation announcements / a found cassette from the thrift store / electronic doll voices / automatic check-out at the grocery

a rhythmic noise Examples: jackhammer / clock ticking / hoofbeats / windshield wipers / car alarm / applause

an exclamation Examples: Ouch! / Get off of my foot! / Put your hands up in the air! / Swing, batter! —–Note: While expletives are not forbidden, keep in mind your story might air on the radio.

Seventh grade students on the Wolf Team held a farewell celebration today for their favorite social studies teacher, Jeannie St. Clair, who is retiring this year. Students gathered outside after lunch to present Mrs. St. Clair with flowers, a singing balloon, and a plaque expressing their appreciation for her thirteen years as a social studies teacher with the seventh grade HAG team.
During the morning students made farewell cards and created a giant door decoration. After working on the giant card students gathered around a microphone to share comments about their year in social studies.

Catherine Hayes acted as the moderator for this “Sound Bytes” broadcast. Student contributors included: Frankie Opperman, Kaity Anstrom, Virginia Campbell, Shannon Hildebrandt, Hannah Jackson, David Harrison, and Max Cullen.

 

 Mrs. St. Clair Retires [2:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup