Beyond the Game

A 5-lesson sequence for 5th-grade ESL students focused on the ethics and mechanics of academic research. Students learn to distinguish between intellectual property and common knowledge, master the art of quoting and paraphrasing, and create simplified citations and bibliographies to maintain academic integrity.

Students engage in a 'shadowing' technique, repeating audio immediately after hearing it to internalize the rhythm and flow of connected speech. This active processing reinforces their ability to predict and process sound streams.

A detailed student evidence log for the final podcast project, providing sections for analyzing intent, vocal forensics, and bias check.

A 5-lesson sequence for 5th Grade ESL students focused on developing academic English skills through paraphrasing and synthesizing information. Students progress from identifying main ideas to drafting complete summary reports using multiple sources and formal attribution.

Focusing on function words, this lesson tackles common reductions like 'gonna,' 'wanna,' and weak forms of auxiliary verbs. Students analyze unscripted interviews to catch these reductions in context.

A guide for the final project where students select a podcast episode, analyze its intent and bias, and present their findings, including a checklist and a performance rubric.

A 5-lesson sequence for 5th-grade ESL students to develop media literacy and research skills. Students learn to distinguish author purpose, evaluate website credibility using the 5 W's, identify bias, and corroborate information across multiple sources.

Students learn how sounds influence their neighbors (e.g., 'hand bag' becoming 'hambag'). The lesson uses minimal pair discrimination and dictation exercises to train ears to recognize words despite phonological changes.

Slides for the final project launch, introducing the media critic mission, criteria for analyzing podcasts, and methods for citing audio evidence.