Introducing: PAL with Pairings! Podcasts are a great way to pack information into a course without overwhelming students with readings. In my own teaching, I found using podcasts was a great way to break up the workload and that students enjoyed mixed media like podcasts and videos. Anecdotally, I found students who might skip or skim academic articles would actually listen to the same topic when presented as a podcast.

If you are interested in teaching with podcasts I've included some lesson plans and project ideas below. Be sure to check back as I add more of the Proofing and Lies archive to the list. 

Civility, Congress, and 2022 Midterm Campaigns

Materials:
        PAL 45 - Pumpkin Loaf and Midterms with Jennifer Dudley AND
        The National Archives - Congress and Civility by Design

The National Archives provides an overview and worksheets related to congressional civility - the materials are geared toward grades 6-12 but can be adjusted for 100 and 200 level courses by having students identify how members can use civil practices (re: National Archives) to make uncivil remarks (re: Jennifer Dudley).

Possible essay questions/short answers include:

• What are the limitations of institutional rules when it comes to enforcing civility?
  • for courses or units on institutions, organizations, agency, and socialization
• Would you prefer a civil or uncivil representative for your district? Why?
  • to build students' writing and critical thinking skills
• Jennifer Dudley discusses the difficulty of measuring civility. She uses "politeness" as one component. What are some additional or alternative ways one could measure civility? Operationalize civility and justify your choices.
  • ideal for methods courses​

Demographics, Perceptions, Diversity

Materials:
      PAL 44 - Earl Grey Tart and Play Along at Home AND
      YouGovAmerica - From Millionaires to Muslims 

Have students listen to episode 44 and complete the quiz. Ask them to record: their subgroup estimates, my (Elle's) estimates, survey respondent estimates, and the correct percentages. In class break into groups of 4-5.

Have students compare estimates:

• How do students' estimates compare to each other?
• How far are student estimates from the average survey respondents'?
• How do student answers compare to my (Elle's) estimates?
• What processes or tactics did students use to make their estimates?
• What do students think it means that estimates don't match reality? Reilly and I (Elle) speculate about this in the episode. Do students agree or disagree with our guesses?

Mass Incarceration, Solitary Confinement, and Racism

Materials:
      PAL 43 - Honey Buns and Solitary Confinement with Drs. Hattery and Smith
AND
For 300-400 level:
​      Exerts from Way Down in the Hole or Who's Really Cycling In and Out   or How I Survived a Year in the Hole
For 100-200 level:
      US Sentencing Commission - Key Findings or the racial dot map

Ideally students should read exerts or chapters from Way Down in the Hole (table of contents linked here) to better understand the discussion in the podcast BUT alternative pairings can reinforce the information related to prisons as economic development, solitary confinement as a human rights violation, or racism in sentencing

Discussion or essay questions for 300-400 level:

• What do Dr. Hattery and Dr. Smith mean when they talk about intimacy in solitary confinement? How does race shape this intimacy?
• How does prison reproduce racial ideologies?
• What factors influence racial ideologies in prison? Are these factors unique to prison?
• Why is solitary confinement considered a human rights concern?

Discussion or essay questions for 100-200 level:

• What is significant about the location of prisons? How does the local population compare to the incarcerated population?
• How might race and racism influence interactions between prison staff and incarcerated people?
• What are some of the myths Drs. Hattery and Smith share regarding solitary confinement?
• Did anything you learned about solitary confinement surprise you?