Tool Factory/Olympus Classroom Grants Details

The January 2009 Podcasting Grant judging is completed! Congratulations to three lucky winners who will each receive over $2,400 in prizes. Click here to see the winning applications!

See the details below and enter before May 15th for a chance to win!

Find your voice with Tool Factory Podcasting!

Apply for the Podcasting Grant for a chance to win a free Tool Factory Podcasting site license plus all the digital media accessories you need to start a podcasting program in your school! To apply, simply develop and submit a lesson plan demonstrating how you would use podcasting in your curriculum.

If you are new to podcasting, start by taking the 5-minute tour and find out what it's all about! You are invited to download the 30-day trial version of Tool Factory Podcasting and try it out. It only takes a few minutes to build your first podcast. Then use your creativity and come up with a podcasting project idea. We highly recommend getting your students involved. Invite them to participate in a group brainstorming session and gather your ideas.

The most unique podcasting lesson plans that incorporate student involvement and creativity will win!

Grant submissions will be judged based on:

Effective integration of podcasting in the curriculum.
Effective use of ALL the resources provided by the grant.
High degree of student involvement. We are looking for projects which involve the entire class in a variety of capacities for a group project, or where each student gets the opportunity to build their own project.
Creativity and fun. Our judges are looking for great projects that they would like to take part in!

Download the printable flyer (PDF).

Upcoming Deadlines:

May 15, 2009 - Three Winners Will Be Chosen.

K-12 and special education schools in the US, its territories, and Canada, are eligible to apply. Private, public, and charter schools are equally considered. 6 grants will be awarded each year and you have 2 chances to win! You must resubmit after every deadline to reapply.

Make Your Application Great!

Here are a few hints from the judges to make your application stand out from the pack.

Try an inventive title that reflects enthusiasm such as, "Rockin' Reports from Rotterdam's Finest Reporters!"
Tell a great story. What makes your group special? Why are the students excited about podcasting? How will this project contribute to their future?
Let your students help develop the ideas. Their creativity will shine through. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Always use properly grammars and corretc splleling!
Be sure to utilize all the resources below in your project description.

One Tool Factory Podcasting Site License Worth $1,000

Winners will get a school site license of Tool Factory Podcasting to install on every computer in their school! Take the Tour! Anyone with a microphone, a Windows computer, and an internet connection can publish audio podcasts to people anywhere in the world! You no longer need 3-4 different software programs to create a podcast. All you need is the simplicity of Tool Factory Podcasting. The software combines a scripting tool, sound recorder, easy uploading, and broadcast utility into one simple interface.

2 Olympus Digital Voice Recorders Worth $300

The Olympus Digital Voice Recorders are a wonderful resource for teachers! Record audio on field trips, around school grounds, at meetings, or even take voice notes. This voice recorder doubles as a flash drive so you can even transfer documents from one computer to another. Pull it apart and you'll find the hidden USB plug for fast file-transfer directly into the computer. Up to 266 songs can be stored and played in impressive stereo sound with the track and artist's name clearly displayed on the LCD. Digital voice recorders are perfect for news gathering!

2 Microphones with Noise Cancellation Worth $40

This microphone is ideal for recording voice and interviews. The mic plugs directly into your computer or voice recorder for recording in high-noise environments, cutting down much of the background noise.

Clip Art Station - School Subscription Worth $400

Visit Clip Art Station and get a great collection of photos and sound clips to use in projects! Our library of photographs and sounds is perfect for students, teachers, and families. Subscribers get instant access to the full library of artwork and audio posted on Clip Art Station. Download images and sounds and get busy building class projects.

Worksheet Station - School Subscription Worth $400

Go to Worksheet Station and get a great collection of worksheets to use in your classroom! Storyboard worksheets and script writing worksheets are perfect for podcast planning. Our library of worksheets is perfect for students, teachers, and families. Subscribers get instant access to the full library of worksheets posted on Worksheet Station. Download worksheets and spark some ideas for class projects.

Web Page Station - School Subscription Worth $300

Tool Factory will host your podcasts on the Web Page Station server as an output for your podcasts. Save server space on your school's network by using Web Page Station, where you will also find a variety of educational podcast streams from classrooms throughout the country.

Tool Factory's Simple Guide to Podcasting - Book/CD Worth $20

Get the book and get started! Tool Factory's Simple Guide to Podcasting is the perfect companion book to Tool Factory Podcasting. Learn what a podcast is, then explore some great introductory web links. The pages are jam-packed with step-by-step instruction on how to record sounds and publish your own podcasts. This is a great resource for learners who want visual instructions at-a-glance. Every step in the process is outlined with large bold pictures and easy 1-2-3 instructions. Readers can delve into the text for a deeper understanding of the podcasting process, or simply browse the visual images which "show" every step in the podcasting process.

Tool Factory's Adventures in Podcasting - Book/CD Worth $20

Raise your classroom podcasting program to a whole new level with Tool Factory’s book, "Adventures in Podcasting: Incredible Lesson Plans for Your Classroom!" The book includes 40 podcast lesson plans designed to stretch students’ imagination and get them thinking creatively about the curriculum. Send your students on a podcast adventure deep into the heart of a rainforest, or have them interview prospectors panning for gold out West in the 1800s! A bonus companion CD of editable worksheets lets teachers tailor every activity to their own curriculum.

Past Winners

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