Top Podcasts for High School Students: A Comprehensive Guide

Podcasts have become a powerful tool for learning and entertainment, offering a screen-free alternative to traditional media. For high school students, podcasts can be transformative, turning dry subjects into captivating stories and fostering critical thinking skills. This article explores a wide range of podcasts suitable for high schoolers, covering diverse topics from academic enrichment to self-improvement and career guidance.

The Power of Podcasts in Education

Educational podcasts offer an engaging way to enhance learning, sparking curiosity and inspiring students. They provide adventures that sneak knowledge into storytelling, boost curiosity, enhance listening skills, expand vocabulary, and encourage critical thinking. Podcasts can also serve as informational texts, complementing traditional curriculum materials.

Incorporating Podcasts into the Classroom

There are several ways to integrate podcasts into the classroom:

Whole Class Listening: Similar to reading a text aloud, students listen to a podcast episode together, answering guiding questions or completing worksheets. The teacher pauses to clarify, facilitate discussions, or allow students to take notes.
Individual Listening: Students access podcasts individually, using QR codes or links provided by the teacher. This allows them to pace themselves and rewind for clarification as needed.
Sketch Notes or One-Pagers: Students create visual notes or summaries of the podcast content, combining drawings, keywords, and key concepts.
Printed Transcripts: Students follow along with printed transcripts of the podcast, highlighting important information or doodling to enhance engagement.
Improv Visuals: Teachers can create or find visuals related to the podcast content and project them during listening to provide a focal point.

Podcasts for Academic Enrichment

Podcasts can be valuable resources for supplementing and enriching the high school curriculum. Here are some examples:

Ted Talks Daily: Offers a wide range of topics related to current themes. Students can choose what they’re interested in.
Grammar Girl: Provides quick and helpful tips for improving grammar and writing skills.
The Shakespeare Unlimited Podcast: Explores various aspects of Shakespeare's life and works, connecting them to contemporary society.
Stuff You Missed in History Class: Hosted by Tracy V. Wilson and Holly Frey. Each episode covers a specific topic or historical figure, providing in-depth research, context, and insights to make history come alive.
The Past & the Curious: A lively and educational podcast for kids. Host Mick Sullivan is a blast! This show isn’t your typical history lesson-it brings history to life with exciting stories.

Podcasts for Science and Technology

For students interested in science and technology, these podcasts offer engaging and informative content:

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Radiolab: Explores big questions with a mix of science, storytelling, and interesting sound design.
Science Friday: A fun and informative journey into the wonders of science.
StarTalk Radio: Hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson, this podcast makes complex scientific concepts accessible and entertaining.

Podcasts for Personal Growth and Development

High school is a time of self-discovery, and podcasts can provide guidance and inspiration for personal growth.

The Mel Robbins Podcast: Provides simple, research-based evidence working to change your life for the better.
Influencer Lexi Hidalgo's Podcast: Focuses on self-help topics including mental health, relationships, and growth.
Life Kit: Takes on allll the topics! Whether teaching listeners to listen better, choose clothes in their own style, maintain friendships, take back life from the internet, or something else, each short show is a deep dive into a topic people can use to improve their own lives.
Ted Radio Hour: Explores various aspects of the human experience through TED Talks and interviews.
Hidden Brain: Explores unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, offering insights into relationships, biases, and decision-making.
She Reflects: Through a high schooler’s perspective, She Reflects explores the highs and lows of teenage life.

Podcasts for Career Exploration and College Preparation

Podcasts can help high school students explore career options and prepare for college.

How I Built This: Guy Raz interviews entrepreneurial leaders about their journeys, walking listeners through their success from its origins to the current day.
The College Essay Podcast: Breaks down all there is to know about creating a successful, stand-out essay.
The College Life Podcast: Dives into real stories from recent graduates, current college students, and inspiring guests, making this the perfect podcast for high schoolers.
IvyWise Podcast: Provides the most up-to-date straightforward information on college prep for high school students!

Podcasts for Financial Literacy

Managing money is a crucial skill, and these podcasts can help high school students develop financial literacy.

The Money With Katie Show: Money expert Tori Dunlap guides young adults on how to make more, spend less, and feel financially confident in the world.
The Real World Podcast: Provides all the necessary advice for high school and college students preparing to enter the real world, covering everything from stress management to tips and tricks for avoiding debt.

Podcasts for Storytelling and Narrative

Storytelling podcasts can enhance students' appreciation for narrative and literary techniques.

This American Life: This wildly popular podcast tells stories. About themes. Every week.
The Moth Radio Hour: Powerful, personal stories from any and everyone. Like a spoken memoir but only the best of the best.
Lore: Explores dark historical tales, examining how reality can be scarier than fiction.
Myths and Legends: This podcast is also phenomenal. For October I use their “Urban Legends” episode. The host narrates five different urban legends and even extends them to current events and pop culture.

Podcasts for Current Events and Social Issues

Staying informed about current events and social issues is essential for responsible citizenship.

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KidNuz: Offers a kid-friendly and digestible approach to current events and news stories worldwide.
NPR's Hidden Brain: The host interviews the incomparable Annette Gordon-Reed, author of The Hemingses of Monticello. The episode is all about how our minds justify our actions.

Podcasts for Entertainment and Fun

Not all podcasts need to be educational; some can simply provide entertainment and relaxation.

Normal Gossip: Host Rachelle Hampton discusses reader-submitted comedic anecdotes. From juicy, strange, and funny gossip about people you’ll never know - to diving into the choices and decisions of complete strangers - you get to hear all the realities you can learn from.
The Toast: A personable podcast that focuses on a wide range of topics including celebrity news, personal experiences, and current events.
Anything Goes with Emma Chamberlain: Emma Chamberlain is a well-known YouTuber and influencer, and her podcast falls nothing short of her social media success.

Sample Podcast Integration Ideas by Month

Here are some ideas for incorporating specific podcast episodes into the curriculum throughout the school year:

September: Use the Ted Radio Hour segment on Angela Duckworth’s talk about grit to inspire students to develop perseverance and resilience.
October: Listen to the Lore podcast episode "Covered Mirrors" or the Myths and Legends episode on "Urban Legends" to explore suspenseful storytelling and literary elements.
November: Inspire students with powerful stories via podcasts like Limetown or The Moth Radio Hour and challenge your students to craft their own memoirs.
December: Listen to David Sedaris's "The Santaland Diaries" for humor and social commentary.
January: Encourage students to work towards their dreams with inspiration from NPR’s podcast, How I Built This.
February: Discuss Presidents' Day and historical figures with NPR's Hidden Brain episode featuring Annette Gordon-Reed.
March: Explore the Wampanoag perspective on Thanksgiving with The Memory Palace episode "On the Shores of Assawompset."
April: Analyze true crime podcasts like Serial and A Very Fatal Murder to examine author's purpose and narrative structure.
May: Use the In the Dark podcast to spark op-ed writing assignments on social justice issues.
June: Discuss the negative effects of social media shaming with the Ted Radio Hour episode "How Can Our Real Lives Be Ruined By Our Digital Ones?"

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