That wonderful respite time is approaching.  Some will take to the road and some will brave the airports, both venues offer an opportune time to listen to a podcast or two.  I spend a lot of time commuting and find that the time is more enjoyable listening to an engaging podcast. Here are a few I have found that nurture my social studies soul.

One of my all time favorites is Revisionist History produced by Malcom Gladwell.  In each episode Gladwell revisits the past to take another look at the event, idea, person, etc.  As Gladwell says its “a journey through the overlooked and the misunderstood.” Revisionist History is in its fourth season, so lots of binge listening awaits if you get hooked on this one.

While not as slick a production as Revisionist History,  Backstory produced by Virginia Humanities offers an academic dive into history. Backstory is a weekly podcast hosted by historians providing insight and interviews with other historians on a variety of topics. The Backstory Podcast website also includes educator resources for using Backstory in classrooms.

For a bi-weekly critique of how the media reports on current events check out the On the Media (OTM) podcast.  Produced by WNYC, On the Media “tackles sticky issues with a frankness and transparency.” OTM also offers several podcast series dealing with topics, such as poverty. The one on American Expansion is especially informative for US history teachers.  OTM’s  “Breaking News Consumer’s Handbooks,” accessed at their website, are intended to clear up some of the misinformation that is initially reported in breaking news stories. These are great reference guides about current events. Keep in mind some of the “sticky issues” OTM tackles can be very controversial. Any opinions expressed are solely those of OTM’s guests.

Enjoy your break, refresh yourself, and treat yourself to a podcast or two.

Wishing you all the best in the New Year from the TEKS Resource System Social Studies Team

 

Photo by William Iven on Unsplash