Podcast Interview on MSTA's "The Pulse"

Hello. I was recently interviewed by Todd and Gail on the MSTA (Missouri State Teachers Association) podcast "The Pulse". The orignial plan was for me to drive to Columbia and do the interview live in their studio but a quick winter snow storm forced me to stay at home so we did the interview via Skype.

I am a MSTA member and very proud of what the organization has done with emerging technologies to communicate with its members - podcasts, blogs, RSS feeds and Twitter are just a few examples.

You can find the interview here as a direct link or listen on the embedded player below. If you have any comments please feel free to leave a comment on the blog post or e-mail at speakingofhistory@gmail.com

Hope to have some new podcasts posted soon. I have a lot to talk about, just having trouble finding the time to sit down and record it. Talk to you soon. Thanks.

Podcast #109 - Interview with Eli Lesser - Director of Education for the National Constitution Center

Hello. It has been an awesome week of attending the NEH Landmarks Teacher Workshop in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center. Today I interviewed Eli Lesser, Director of Education for the National Constitution Center. The NCC is a great please to visit and take your students but you can also find a wide variety of resources on their web site. I would also suggest checking out the teacher workshops available - you could be here next year enjoying the workshop I am currently attending.

Please feel free to comment on the podcast. You can leave a comment on this blog post or e-mail me at speakingofhistory@gmail.com

You can subscribe directly to the Speaking of History podcast on i-Tunes here

Don’t forget to sign up for the July 2007 book giveaway. I’m giving away copies of two books – Manhunt by James Swanson and Guerrilla Season by Pat Hughes. See Speaking of History Podcast #100 for more details. Just send me your name and the city in which you live before August 1, 2007. On August 1st my three year old daughter will draw two names and I will send them each the book they won.

Direct link to Podcast #109 - An Interview with Eli Lesser - Director of Education at the National Constitution Center - MP3 Format - 16:12 Minutes

Podcast #106 - Valley Forge, Washington's Crossing and an Interview with George Washington

Hello. Today was a free day in Philadelphia before the Constitution Center workshop begins on Monday. When I teach the American Revolution to my 8th graders I have always wondered what Valley Forge and the location of Washington's Crossing would look like in person. Today I was able to see both sites. Pat Hughes, the author of Guerrilla Season and a resident of Philadelphia, was nice enough to share the day with me and offered to drive - a huge relief to me who would have been lost about a dozen times on the way there had I driven!

We wanted to see both locations so we didn't see everything at both locations, rather we saw the things we really wanted to see at each in a very busy day. The rest I'll see on my next trip to the Philadelphia area. Valley Forge was great and I have interviews with a couple of soldiers in the encampment. Then at Washington's headquarters I was blown away by the amazing living history portrayal of George Washington. This guy was awesome in appearance, voice, mannerisms, etc. - check out the photo. I did an interview with him and I swear I was visiting with ol' George himself! I also interviewed a slave that prepared the meals for George Washington and his staff at the headquarters. We finished up the day with a trip to Washington's Crossing State Park, including a tour of McConkey's Ferry Inn where Washington made the final plans for the crossing and attack on Trenton.

A very full but exciting day. I look forward to returning some day with my family and taking time to soak in the entire site. The podcast is a little longer this time - a little over 50 minutes - but I think there is some great on site audio.

If you have any comments please leave a comment on the blog or email me at speakingofhistory@gmail.com Also, don't forget you have until July 31, 2007 to e-mail me your name and city to be eligible to win a copy of Manhunt or Guerrilla Season - check out episode #100 for more details.

Direct link to Podcast #106 - Valley Forge, Washington's Crossing and an Interview with George Washington - MP3 Format - 51:53 minutes

Podcast #106 Show Notes:

- Valley Forge Official Site

- Washington's Crossing Park Official Site

Podcast #99 - 2007 Atlanta NECC Interview with Kelly Haun of Electronic Field Trips from Ball State

Hello. Today I have an interview with Kelly Haun - Registration Coordinator for the Electronic Field Trip Program. Ball State University has an incredible opportunity for teachers to take their students on exciting and engaging field trips from the comfort of their own classroom. This program has had some great trips in the past and this year they return with four more opportunities.

October 16, 2007 - Tails from the Tetons - Witness the Return of the Great Predators: The Wolf and the Grizzly - Grades 3-8

December 4, 2007 - The 9 Who Made A Difference - Commemorating Courage Against Segregation - Grades 7-12

February 26, 2008 - A Whale Story - A South Seas Adventure - Grades 3-8

April 1, 2008 - Field of Colors - Flying Objects on the National Mall - Grades K-5

Listen to the podcast interview and then check out the web site for more information. There are a number of opportunities to take your students on the field trip for free with a Best Buy scholarship. These field trips have won numerous awards and teachers around the country have raved about them. You can also purchase a DVD of electronic field trips from previous years to use in your classroom.

If you have any comments or questions please leave a comment on the blog or send me an e-mail at speakingofhistory@gmail.com

You can subscribe directly to the Speaking of History podcast via i-Tunes here

Direct link to Podcast #99 - 2007 Atlanta NECC Interview with Kelly Haun of Electronic Field Trips from Ball State - MP3 Format - 6:09 minutes

Podcast #99 Show Notes:

- Ball State Electronic Field Trips Site

Podcast #98 - 2007 Atlanta NECC Interview with Teacher Tube Co-Founder Jason Smith

Hello. In Atlanta at NECC on the exhibit floor I was able to visit and chat with one of the co-founders of Teacher Tube - Jason Smith. We had a great conversation about the current state of Teacher Tube and what might happen in the future. I have been a big fan of Teacher Tube since they launched this past spring and have several videos currently hosted on their site. I think it is an incredible opportunity for teachers to post content, free of charge and reach a global audience. It is also very easy to embed the video you have posted to Teacher Tube on your blog or web page. I think it's a great service available to teachers and I think there will be some great things to come in the future. Enjoy this quick interview with Jason Smith and thanks to the people at Teacher Tube for providing this service to teachers.

If you have any comments or questions please leave a comment on the blog or send me an e-mail at speakingofhistory@gmail.com

You can subscribe directly to the Speaking of History podcast via i-Tunes here

Direct link to Podcast #98 - 2007 Atlanta NECC Interview with Teacher Tube Co-Founder Jason Smith - MP3 Format - 9:25 minutes

Podcast #98 Show Notes:

- Teacher Tube Official Site

- Teacher Tube Blog

- Link to Constitution Day Video on Teacher Tube

Podcast #85 - Interview With Scott Peterson on the C-Span 2008 Campaign Bus

Hello. Today the podcast is an interview with Scott Peterson on board the C-Span 2008 Campaign Bus. Earlier this week I was in Lincoln, Nebraska where I gave the keynote address at the Time Warner Spotlight on Education Award Banquet and before the evening's activities started people were able to check out the C-Span bus. This is the same C-Span bus that used to be bright yellow. Now it has a cool looking wrap that looks like a huge American flag. I interviewed C-Span marketing representative Scott Peterson inside the bus about it's purpose and the upcoming 2008 presidential election. Be sure to check out the show notes below for some additional information about C-Span and the Campaign 2008 bus. If they roll through your town it is worth your while to come out and see the bus.

Direct link to Podcast #85 - Interview with Scott Peterson on the C-Span Campaign Bus - MP3 Format - 15:00 minutes

Show Notes for Podcast #85:

- C-Span Campaign Bus Official Web Site

- C-Span Web Site

- Lincoln Time Warner

- E-Lections Online Presidential Election Game from Cable in the Classroom

Interview with Steve Hargadon on Podcasting and Web 2.0 in the Classroom

Hello. It's been a while since my last podcast - lots of things happening as we finish out the school year (a student told me last week we had 28 days left in the year). I'm also trying to paint and remodel our basement which also serves as my office and "recording studio".

I was interviewed last week by Steve Hargadon of Granite Bay, California (some of you may also know Steve as a contgributor to the Infinite Thinking Machine blog) for a podcast series he is doing entitled "Classroom 2.0". I had a great time visiting about the use of podcasting in education and he currently has the interview posted to his blog. Here is a direct link to the blog post and podcast interview with Steve.

Thanks Steve and I look forward to future episodes on how other teachers are using Web 2.0 in their classrooms.

Podcast #79 - Interview with Author Tom Wheeler - Mr. Lincoln's T-Mails

Hello. Today's podcast is an interview with author Tom Wheeler about his book "Mr. Lincoln's T-Mails - The Untold Story of How Abraham Lincoln Used the Telegraph to Win the Civil War". I read this book a couple of months ago and found it to be very fascinating. I had never viewed Lincoln as an early adopter of technology but the way he used the telegraph during the war was really bleeding edge in the 1860's.

During the interview with Tom Wheeler we discuss researching the book, his favorite Lincoln telegrams, the importance of teaching history in our nation's classrooms and which famous figures from American history he would invite to dinner. A special thanks to Mr. Wheeler for taking time from his busy schedule to visit with me about his book.

Direct link to Podcast #79 - Interview with Author Tom Wheeler - Mr. Lincoln's T-Mails - MP3 Format - 24:30 minutes

Please feel free to leave a comment to this blog post or e-mail me at speakingofhistory@gmail.com I would love to hear your thoughts and comments about the podcast.

Subscribe directly to the Speaking of History Podcast in i-Tunes here

Podcast #79 Show Notes:

- Official site for Tom Wheeler's Mr. Lincoln's T-Mails - The Untold Story of How Abraham Lincoln Used the Telegraph to Win the Civil War

- Purchase the book

- Tom Wheeler's Take Command! Leadership Lessons From the Civil War

- National Archives Exhibition - School House to White House : The Education of the Presidents

Podcast #78 - Park University Educational Technology Grad Class and Audacity

Hello. Today's podcast is a quick interview with my students at Park University. I teach 8th grade American History as my day job but I am also on the faculty at Park University in Parkville, Missouri where I teach a grad class : ED 491 - Technology for the Classroom. It is an awesome course to teach and this is my 5th time teaching it. I teach it as an online class in the winter and as a face to face in the spring. They gave me the ability to create the curriculum and it is really sort of a "School 2.0" offering. We discuss - and use - a variety of tools for teachers: blogs, wikis, podcasting, video, digital photography, online assessment, copyright issues, writing ed tech grants, multimedia presentations, etc.



Last night we discussed wikis and podcasting. We used Audacity and the students were able to dig in and play around with it - for each of the six students in the class it was their first exposure to Audacity. I love the fact that the 8 week class meets for 4 hours each week - it gives us time to discuss the tools but also really practice using them, a factor not usually included in traditional workshops or inservices on tech. Today's podcast is a quick interview with the students after they had played with Audacity and had some time to think about how they might use it in their classrooms.

The picture on this blog is MacKay Hall - the building I teach ED 491 in at Park University. It is awesome! I feel like I might run into Harry Potter every time I turn the corner in the hallway! It also has an amazing view of the Missouri River from the window!

You can subscribe to the Speaking of History podcast on i-Tunes here

If you have any questions or comments on this podcast or have some other ideas on using Audacity in the classroom please leave a comment or send me an e-mail at speakingofhistory@gmail.com

Direct link to Podcast #78 - Park University Grad Class and Audacity - MP3 Format - 10:30 minutes

Show Notes for Podcast #78:

- Park University

- Audacity

Podcast #36 - The Titanic - World's Largest Museum Attraction - Branson, Missouri

Hello. The summer of 2006 History Hits the Road tour traveled to Branson, Missouri last week for a visit to the new Titanic - World's Largest Museum Attraction. This museum is a must for anyone visiting the Branson area. I have always had a special interest in the Titanic. As a young boy growing up in a small town in Nebraska, I can remember going to the library and repeatedly checking out an old book about the tragety of the Titanic. I can also remember as a 6th grader when they found the Titanic on the ocean floor and reading about it in National Geographic. So last fall when I saw a booth at the NCSS Convention about a new Titanic museum opening in the spring of 2006 I knew I had to check it out. This past week I taught a workshop in Webb City, Missouri on podcasting, blogs and video editing so I took the family down to Branson and we visited this the museum.

Once in Branson you can't miss the museum. The building itself is a half scale model of the Titanic - over 100 feet high located right on Highway 76 on the Branson strip. As you enter the museum you are presented with a boarding pass containing background information on an actual passenger. You will discover more about the fate of your passenger later in the tour. The museum itself is a very respectful and well documented collection of over 400 authentic artifacts from the ship and it's passengers. My personal favorite was the dinner menu. You will also view a collection of photographs taken by a priest onboard the ship, an amazing 18 foot model of the Titanic, and replicas of the cabins for third and first class. The museum also features interactive displays that engage and education. The water the night the Titanic sank was 28 degress (salt water does not freeze at 32 degress) and you can place your hand in water at that temperature and see how long you can tolerate it. You also have the chance to climb on deck at various angles as the ship sank that night. While you are taking in the exhibits you may encounter Captain Edward Smith, portrayed by Lowell Lylte, who will relate the current status of the ship on the way to America or a story about a passenger. You can also try your hand at sending an SOS message from the bridge and walk the grand staircase. I would recommend planning about 2 hours to go through the exhibits and even then you may want to come back again - I know I plan to return at a later date to see anything I may have missed.

After walking through the exhibits with my family I was very fortunate to sit down and visit with John Joslyn, the President of the Titanic Museum and Lowell Lylte, the actor who portrays Captian Edward Smith. Listen to the podcast, check out the link to the museum in the show notes and then make plans to visit this excellent attraction.

If you have any comments or suggestions please leave a comment at the end of this entry or e-mail speakingofhistory@gmail.com

Direct link to listen to Podcast #36 - The Titanic - World's Largest Museum Attraction in Branson, Missouri - MP3 Format (39:09 minutes)

Show Notes to Podcast #36:

Official Site - Titanic - World's Largest Museum Attraction - Branson, Missouri
Wikipedia entry for the RMS Titanic

Podcast #31 - The Spirit of Louisiana Steam Engine in Liberty

This spring the community of Liberty hosted a wonderful visitor from New Orleans - the Spirit of Louisiana steam engine. During the months of May and June the steam train was visited by thousands of people. The train then moved on to Kearney, Missouri for their 150th birthday celebration. I was able to visit the train on two occasions - during our Spring Festival and then later in June before they left. This episode contains some interviews during the Spring Festival. Be sure to check out the show notes as well. The Kansas City Star newspaper did a great video on the train while it was in Liberty and you can stay in touch with the travels of the train after its stay in the Liberty area. It was such a great experience to see an authentic part of American history.


If you have any comments or questions please contact me at speakingofhistory@gmail.com or leave a comment of this post.

Direct link to listen to Speaking of History Podcast #31 - The Spirit of Louisiana Steam Engine in Liberty - MP3 Format - (12:30 minutes)

Show Notes for Podcast #31:

• LASTA - Louisiana Steam Train Association Official Site
• LASTA Gallery - great pictures of the train
• The History of Engine 745
• Kansas City Star Video and Interview about The Spirit of Louisiana

Podcast #24 - The National World War I Museum - Liberty Memorial in Kansas City - Interview with James Barkley

Hello. It has been a while since my last podcast - always gets a little hectic as the school year winds down. I have been working on several episodes now it is just a matter of editing the interviews and content to create the final podcast. A couple of weeks ago I paid a visit to the Liberty Memorial World War I Museum in Kansas City. The Liberty Memorial is currently in the final stages of a huge renovation. The Liberty Memorial has been recognized by Congress as the official World War I museum in the United States. In the fall of 2006 the museum will open with a dramatic addition to the already impressive display on World War I. I sat down and interviewed Mr. James Barkly, the Education Program Coordinator of the Liberty Memorial (e-mail: jbarkley@lmakc.org) . If you teach American History in the Kansas City area you should really try to organize a field trip to the museum. If you teach World War in any other part of the world please contact James Barkley for a CD collection of lesson plans that you can incorporate into your curriculum. In addition to the interview, I also took photographs of the existing museum and created a short 3 minute slideshow using PhotoStory 3. To gain a perspective of the museum view the slideshow for images from inside and outside.

I always welcome any new ideas or comments about the show at speakingofhistory@gmail.com Let me know what you think of the new intro theme I recently put together or give me an idea for a future show topic. If you have a couple of extra seconds please click on the ad links at the top of the page - I get a couple of cents each time someone clicks to view an ad. Over the last 5 months I have earned a total of $23 but don't get paid until I reach $100. I'm hoping to earn the $100 by the end of the summer so that I can buy a new professional microphone for the podcast studio I have in my basement - actually a corner of the laundry room where I record my show. You don't have to buy anything, just click on the ad.

Direct link to Speaking of History Podcast Show #24 - The National World War I Museum - Liberty Memorial in Kansas City - An Interview with James Barkley

Show Notes:

• Liberty Memorial Museum in Kansas City Official Site - The National World War I Museum
• Liberty Memorial Education Page - link to Lessons of Liberty Curriculum
• Article about the Liberty Memorial from Online Preservation Magainze - June 7, 2002
• Description of the award winning interactive kiosks at the Liberty Memorial Video
• Virtual Tour of the Liberty Memorial Museum
• slideshow of the Liberty Memorial (3:34 minutes) - created with PhotoStory3 - Windows Media Video file

Podcast #23 - Graphic History, The Murder of Abraham Lincoln by Rick Geary

Hello. I continue with my recent interest in using graphic history as part of the curriculum. I recently saw a listing in the Library School Journal magazine about graphic novels and one caught my I so I found a copy of The Murder of Abraham Lincoln by Rick Geary. It is a great book done in the graphic format. Geary has done an amazing job with pen and pencil in telling the story of the one of the most tragic days in American history. The book includes maps, a great bibliography and some great thought provoking questions at the end. I conducted a phone interview with Mr. Geary and asked him about his unique look at the assassination of Lincoln. Geary is an accomplished illustrator who has been working in comics since 1977. His work has been appeared in The National Lampoon, DC Comics, Mad, Spy, Rolling Stone and the Los Angeles Times. It was also great to discover that he was born in Kansas City. He also has done a graphic history book named "The Fatal Bullet: The Assassination of President James A Garfield". Check out the links below to learn more about Mr. Geary and his work.

Please let me know what you think of today's show by leaving me an e-mail or comment at speakingofhistory@gmail.com I am also very interested if any history teachers out there have used graphic novels or graphic books in their classroom.

Direct link to Speaking of History Podcast #23: Graphic History, The Murder of Abraham Lincoln by Rick Geary

Show Notes for Podcast #23:

• Purchase The Murder of Abraham Lincoln by Rick Geary
• Purchase The Fatal Bullet: The Assassination of President James A Garfield
• NBM Publishing Page for Geary
• Rick Geary's Official Web Site

Podcast #22 - Interview with Missouri State Archivist Kenneth Winn

Hello. Today's episode is an interview with the State Archivist for the state of Missouri - Kenneth Winn. I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Winn at the Missouri State Social Studies conference in Jefferson City back in March. He was the keynote speaker at the dinner and he happened to be sitting next to me during the meal. His speech was very interesting and I was glad he agreed to conduct a short interview with me. I was very interested in two aspects of the archives: 1) the number of diversity of items housed in the archives and 2) the variety of online resources available to both teachers and the general public. I hope that you find this interview interesting and it encourages you to investigate your state archives.

If you have any questions or comments about the show please feel free to e-mail me at speakingofhistory@gmail.com

This episode also includes a new intro using background music from James Underberg of PodSafe Audio. I edited it using Audacity and including clips from famous speeches.

Direct Link to Speaking of History Podcast #22 - Interview with Missouri State Archivist Kenneth Winn - MP3 Format (16 minutes)

Show Notes for Podcast #22:

• Missouri State Archives
• Direct link to Education Page of the Missouri State Archives
• US National Archives and Records Administration Digital Classroom
• List of the links of all State Archives in the United States

Podcast #21 - Interview with RJ Cutler from the Shays' Rebellion Episode of 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America

Hello. A couple of weeks ago I interviewed Bill Plympton, the illustrator for the History Channel episode on Shays' Rebellion - part of the 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America series. Today I interviewed RJ Cutler, the director of the episode. Mr. Cutler is an accomplished producer and director. His body of work has earned him an Emmy and a Peadbody award along with an Oscar nomination. You may recognize some of his work on The War Room, American High, the FX series 30 Days, the Discovery Home network's Flip That House and the recently aired Black/White on FX.

The interview includes details on how the Shays' Rebellion episode came about, the differences in doing an animated documentary, the research process and advice for 8th graders who want to enter the film industry.

You are always welcome to leave a comment on the bottom of this blog entry or you can e-mail me at speakingofhistory@gmail.com

Direct Link to Speaking of History Podcast #21 "Interview with RJ Cutler from the Shays' Rebellion Episode of 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America" - MP3 Format - (21 Minutes)

Show Notes For Podcast #21:

• Actual Reality Pictures Site
• Actual Reality Pictures Site on Shays' Rebellion Episode
• Boston Globe Story (4/8/06) on 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America
• Kansas City Star Story (4/9/06) on 10 Days That Unexpecedly Changed America
• USA Today Story (4/9/06) on 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America
• Speaking of History Podcast Interview with Bill Plympton - illustrator of Shays' Episode
• Purchase the DVD for 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America

Podcast #18 - Interview with Bill Plympton from the History Channel's Program "Shays' Rebellion"

Hello. I have a great show for you today. In a couple of weeks the History Channel will show their much anticipated documentary series named "10 Days that Unexpectedly Changed America". The episode I am most interested in viewing focuses on Shays' Rebellion - Janaury 25, 1787. The entire documentary is animated. The illustrator is award winning artist Bill Plympton (Oscar nominee) and the director is award winning film maker R.J. Cutler (Peabody and Emmy Award winner, Academy Award nominee).

Today's show is an interview with illustrator Bill Plympton about the documentary. It is an interesting look at how history is mixing with graphic arts. I think the result is a powerful narrative for students that many teachers may find an interesting tool in teaching the Revolutionary War time period. Be sure to watch the History Channel on April 13th - 9:00 PM central - to view Shays' Rebellion: America's First Civil War. Check out the links below to check out video trailers of the show and more on the art of Bill Plympton.

If you have any questions or comments about the show please drop me an e-mail at speakingofhistory@gmail.com

Direct Link to Speaking of History Podcast #18 - Interview with Bill Plympton from the History Channel's Program "Shays' Rebellion" - MP3 Format (18 minutes)

Podcast #18 Show Notes:

• Bill Plympton's Official Site
• 10 Days that Unexpectedly Changed America - Shays' Rebellion: America's First Civil War - includes video trailer, interviews, information
• Actual Reality Pictures Site - includes video trailer
• Wikipedia Site for Shays' Rebellion
• Wikipedia Site for Bill Plympton

Podcast #17 - Winston Churchill Memorial and Museum in Fulton, Missouri

Hello. It's been a crazy week of activity for the Speaking of History podcast. Linda Man of the Kansas City Star newspaper published an article on March 20th about how I use podcasts and blogs in my classroom and soon the copy was picked up by several other blogs and online newsletters. Traffic on this site has gone through the roof in the last several days and I welcome any new listeners to the podcast. Since November of 2005 we have had people from 62 different countries and all 50 states view this site. If you would like to have all new content on the site delivered to you when it is added please consider using i-Tunes or Bloglines.

In today's episode I will focus on an amazing new Winston Churchill Memorial and Library museum that has recently opened in Fulton, Missouri - the site of Winston Churchill's famous "Iron Curtain" or "Sinews of Peace" speech in 1946. On the day of grand opening I interviewed John Hensley (e-mail - henslej@westminter-mo.edu) - the archivist and curator of the memorial. I took some pictures of the museum and have included a short photostory video here (only a minute and a half long) to give you an idea of the world class quality of this museum. The video also contains audio from the Iron Curtain speech in the background.

As always I welcome any comments or questions about the podcast. Please e-mail me at speakingofhistory@gmail.com

Direct link to Speaking of History Podcast #17 - Winston Churchill Memorial and Museum Interview - MP3 format (18 minutes)

Episode #17 Show Notes:

• Kansas City Star Newspaper article (March 20, 2006) on using podcasts and blogs in the classroom
• Winston Churchill Memorial and Library - Fulton, Missouri - Official Site
• Video slideshow of Winston Churchill Memorial and Library (90 seconds)
• John Hensley - The Winston Churchill Memorial and Library Archivist and Curator - E-Mail: henslej@westminster-mo.edu
• Listen to the entire Iron Curtain Speech (Sinews of Peace Speech)
• Wikipedia article on Winston Churchill
• Wikipedia article on The Iron Curtain
• Wikipedia article on Fulton, Missouri