Fully experience The Walking Classroom with these educational podcast samples and our new sample Program Guide!
The Walking Classroom program provides standards-aligned educational podcasts that each begin with a brief health literacy message and then transition to topics focused on science, social studies, and English language arts. Each podcast also features a character value woven throughout the narrative to support social and emotional learning. The topics are appropriate for students in grades 3–8. It aligns with ESSER funding requirements and is simple to use.
You’ll get all of this!
Sample Program Guide
Program implementation information, lesson plans, and quizzes for the 28 sample podcasts!
Podcast Checklist and Mileage Tracker!
Keep track of podcasts your students have listened and your mileage!
And these 28 podcasts
Idioms
This Walking Classroom podcast focuses on idioms. Idioms are groups of words that, when said together, have an understood meaning that is different from what the words actually mean. For example, “to be on the moon” doesn’t actually mean that a person is on the moon, it is an idiom that people say when someone is very distracted or really excited about something.
First Person vs Third Person
This Walking Classroom podcast talks about point of view in writing. First person is the “I” point of view where the narrator is a character in the story, often the main character. Third person is the “he” or “she” point of view where the narrator is not in the story, but rather watching the story unfold like a movie and describing it to others.
Leonardo da Vinci
This Walking Classroom focuses on Leonardo da Vinci, a famous Italian inventor and artist who lived during the Renaissance. Da Vinci is well known for paintings like the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper, although he also spent much of his time on other types of creations and inventions. His many interests went beyond painting and included anatomy, architecture, and engineering.
The Star Spangled Banner
This Walking Classroom podcast looks at America’s national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner” and the historical battle that inspired its lyrics. “The Star-Spangled Banner” was originally written as a poem after a battle in the War of 1812, when Francis Scott Key saw the flag flying over Fort McHenry and he knew that the British had failed in their attack.
The Negro Baseball League
This Walking Classroom podcast focuses on the Negro Baseball League. The Negro Baseball League began in America in the early 1900s because Major League Baseball was segregated and only white people were allowed to play. Many players from the Negro Baseball League were incredibly talented and the games were very fun to watch, but the players were paid much less money than the Major League players.
The Boston Massacre
This Walking Classroom podcast focuses on the Boston Massacre in 1770, when five American colonists were killed after an angry interaction with British soldiers. The massacre further united American colonists against the British and built support for the American Revolution.
Clara Barton
This Walking Classroom podcast discusses America’s great humanitarian, Clara Barton. Barton began as a nurse working in an infirmary during the Civil War, but soon she was treating soldiers on the battlefield. After working for the Red Cross in France, Barton established the American Red Cross.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
This Walking Classroom podcast looks at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his impact on the civil rights movement during the 1960s. Dr. King was a powerful and influential leader known as a believer in nonviolent protests. Many changes occurred as a result of Dr. King’s efforts, and his impact on society was felt long after his death.
The Heart and Circulatory System
This Walking Classroom podcast focuses on the circulatory system. The circulatory system is made up of the heart, blood vessels, and blood. They all work together to deliver oxygen to the cells of your body and dispose of carbon dioxide waste. The heart is divided into four chambers, and each chamber has a special job.
The Human Body’s Slimy Shields
This Walking Classroom podcast focuses on the body’s defense shields, which are sometimes a bit slimy. The human body protects us through various defense systems and communicates various health conditions. Earwax, mucus, and sweat are among some of the defense systems that help keep us healthy and safe.
Meteorology
This Walking Classroom podcast focuses on the field of meteorology and the forces that create weather patterns and natural phenomenon like rain, thunder, and lightning. The kids discuss and explain how the weather is predicted and how it affects our everyday lives.
Inez Fung
In this episode of the Walking Classroom, you learn about the famous climate expert and top female scientist, Inez Fung. Dr. Fung teamed up with other scientists to bring attention to climate change and work towards stopping our Earth from getting too hot for us to comfortably live. She believed that we need to understand how our behavior will affect the earth in the long-term and that what we do on land is connected to what’s happening in the atmosphere.
Science Career Series Podcasts
Podcasts recorded with scientists at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. These podcasts are always freely available on our website. (You can also download these on iTunes!)
Dr. Paul Brinkman
Assistant Director, Paleontology and Geology Research Lab
More about Dr. Brinkman →
Lesson Plan: Download Lesson Plan
Ben Hess
Collections Manager of Mammals
Lesson Plan: Download Lesson Plan
Chris Goforth
Senior Manager of Citizen Science
Lesson Plan: Download Lesson Plan
Dr. Chris Tacker
Curator of Geology & Geologist
More about Dr. Tacker →
Lesson Plan: Download Lesson Plan
Dr. Colin Brammer
Coordinator of the Natural World Investigate Lab & Entomologist
More about Dr. Brammer →
Lesson Plan: Download Lesson Plan
Dr. Dan Dombrowski
Chief Veterinarian and Coordinator of Living Collections
More about Dan Dombrowski →
Lesson Plan: Download Lesson Plan
Dr. Emlyn Koster
Museum Director and Geologist
Lesson Plan: Download Lesson Plan
Dr. Jason Cryan
Deputy Museum Director for Research & Collections; Entomologist
Lesson Plan: Download Lesson Plan
Dr. Julia Stevens
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Genomics & Microbiology Lab
More about Dr. Julie Stevens →
Lesson Plan: Download Lesson Plan
Dr. Julie Horvath
Director of Genomics and Microbiology
More about Dr. Horvath →
Lesson Plan: Download Lesson Plan
Dr. Julie Urban
Assistant Director, Genomics & Microbiology & Evolutionary Biologist
Lesson Plan: Download Lesson Plan
Liz Baird
Director of Education
Lesson Plan: Download Lesson Plan
Dr. Patrick Treuthardt
Assistant Director, Astronomy Laboratory
More about Dr. Treuthardt →
Lesson Plan: Download Lesson Plan
Dr. Roland Kays
Director, Biodiversity Lab
More about Dr. Kays →
Lesson Plan: Download Lesson Plan
Dr. Stephanie Schuttler
Mammalogist
More about Dr. Schuttler →
Lesson Plan: Download Lesson Plan
Bob Alderink
Coordinator of the Natural World Investigate Lab
More about Bob Alderink →
Lesson Plan: Download Lesson Plan
View lists of all podcast topics
The Walking Classroom is a national award-winning education program that provides students and teachers with an innovative way to get exercise without sacrificing instructional time. The nonprofit program’s “Walk, Listen, and Learn” methodology capitalizes on the favorable link between exercise and cognitive function.