Students need to be able to sit and listen to a passage or short audio program, take notes, recall information, and then answer critical thinking questions about the material. To help prepare students for our e-learning world, I’ve scoured the internet to find high-interest, school-appropriate podcasts and performances that fit within one class period.
In this Listen & Learn activity, students will listen to a 15-minute storytelling performance focused on the memory of a Muslim teen’s heartbreak when the parents of his white friend wouldn’t allow her to attend prom with him.
(Note: The language of Hasan Minhaj’s piece (fiction inspired by his life) is clean, but one curse word is bleeped out and he does say “Jesus” once in an exasperated voice. The story is appropriate for high school students, but you should listen to the podcast before purchasing these lesson materials to make sure the content is a good match for your classroom. Click here to listen to Minhaj’s story.The easy-prep lesson materials in this download include:
• A list of suggested lesson procedures for the teacher (or just print and leave for a sub) with several links to use to access the performance online. A downloadable version of the program is NOT available, so you’ll need internet access in your classroom or computer lab to access Minhaj’s performance. (PDF)
• A two-page handout with questions for students to answer both while they listen and after the program is finished. (PDF & Google Drive)
• A two-page answer key to make grading easy and to provide talking points as you review answers with your students. (PDF)
This lesson, designed for students in grades 9-12, will take about 35 minutes to complete or a bit longer if you review answers/allow students to debate some of the questions.
Download includes: 5-page PDF + Google Drive version of student worksheet (uneditable)
Want this item plus four more podcast-based lessons at a 20% discount? To avoid a double-purchase, don’t buy the lesson materials on this page; instead, click here to download my Listen & Learn podcast 5-pack of high-interest lessons for secondary students.
Please note: This item is also included in my Short Story Unit Plan for Older Teens. To avoid a double-purchase, please do not buy the item on this page if you also intend to buy the budget-priced short story bundle.
Thanks for stopping by!
Cover image credit: Marcus Quigmire, Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0
$2.50
