BIOL 200 – ANIMAL BIOLOGY PODCAST ASSIGNMENT

This semester you will learn about zoology, our journey begins with the evolution and origin of
organisms in Kingdom Animalia together with a survey of the various phyla. We are lucky to
have the opportunity to learn about these amazing topics! Normally students are tasked with
tedious exams about their overall understanding of the material. However, for me the real test,
is when we can communicate what we learn with others in our circle.   That’s the real challenge,
that’s when young scientists like yourself really show your understanding of a process or
concept. Given that Covid-19 has us learning remotely, I thought this would be another way for
me to assess what you have learned. So, I am not going to impose a topic, I want you to select
an animal from one of the phyla we covered to create the podcast. 

This is the situation: Let’s say you have been invited to submit a podcast to TED Education
Youth to share a topic on any species of animals that you are passionate about. Your job is to
prepare a Written Script for a 3-5 min podcast (please select a topic e.g., seal diving physiology,
why bird’s feet don’t freeze, neoteny in the axolotl etc. Please check the rubric before you
begin your script.

Once your script is ready record a 4-5 minute Podcast: you can use your iphone or Android
phone, voice memos, or applications like Audacity (free software) GarageBand or Spotify. Once
you have recorded your podcast, upload the link to Moodle together with the written script.

Rubric for Podcast recording - 70 points

Category Excellent Very good Good Poor Poin

ts
(14-15) (12 – 13) (5 – 7) (0-1)

Introduction/Title/ Clever Describes Provides a Irrelevant

introduction.Pro the topic vague or
Exposition vides relevant using purpose, inappropri
and clear proper doesn’t use ate use of
scientific scientific proper scientific
information and terms and scientific terms.
correctly use engages knowledge or Does not
terminology. the uses too much include an
Establish a clear audience jargon without introducti
purpose as the explanation, on or the
engaging the introducti or it too purpose is
listener on superficial vague and
immediately proceeds. unclear.
 (23 – 25) (20 – 22) (5 – 8) (0)

Content inciting The message of Accurate Some Informatio

incident/complication/c the podcast is informati information is n is
limax directly relevant on is inaccurate or inaccurate.
to the topic provided long-winded.
introduced. concisely.
Clearly outline
with examples or
experiences and
provides
accurate
information and
concise concepts
are presented on
the topic.

(4 – 5) (2 – 3) (1) (0)

Delivery Well-rehearsed, Rehearse Appears Delivery is

smooth delivery d, unrehearsed hesitant
in a with uneven and
conversational smooth delivery. choppy
style. Highly delivery. Enunciation. and
effective Enunciati Expression,rhy sounds
enunciation and on, thm is like the
presenter’s expressio sometimes presenter
speech is clear n, pacing distracting is reading.
and intelligible. are during the Enunciatio
Correct grammar effective podcast. n of
is used througho Occasionally spoken
throughout the ut the incorrect word is
podcast. podcast. grammar is distant
Correct used during and
grammar the podcast. muddled
is used and not
during clear.
the Poor
podcast. grammar
is used
throughou
t the
podcast.

(14 -15) (12 – 13) (5 – 7) (0)

Conclusion/Resolution/ The takeaway of Indirectly No clear No
the podcast is stated takeaways or takeaways.
Fun fact clearly takeaway lack but some No
addressed at the s of the general conclusion
end. Fun fact podcast. conclusion is . Sloppy
about the provided. ending.
organism.

(4 – 5) (2 – 3) (1) (0)

Storytelling Podcast has a The There is some There is

clear story arc podcast vague arc not story
with a minimum has a arc
structure of a reasonabl
before, during y clear
and after story arc

(4 – 5) (2 – 3) (1) (0)

Technical production Presentation is Presentati Presentation is Presentati

recorded in a on is recorded in a on is
quiet recorded semi-quiet recorded
environment in a quiet environment in a noisy
without environm with some environme
background ent with background nt with
noise and minimal noise and constant
distractions. backgrou distractions. backgroun
Transitions are nd noise Transitions are d noise
smooth and and uneven with and
spaced correctly distractio inconsistent distraction
without noisy, ns. spacing; s.
dead space. Transition ambient noise Transition
Podcast length is s are is present. s are
4 – 5 min. smooth Podcast abrupt
with a length is and
minimal somewhat backgroun
amount long or d noise
of somewhat needs to
ambient short to keep be filtered.
noise. audience Podcast
Podcast engaged. length is
length Podcast either too
keeps length is less long or
audience than 4 min. too short
listening. to keep
Podcast the
 length is audience
4 – 5 min. engaged.
Podcast
length is
less than
4 mins or
more than
5 mins.

Rubric for Written Script: 30 points (about 1 – 1.5 pages single space in font Times 12)

(9 – 10 (7 – 8) (5 – 6) (0 – 3) Points
Script/provide Outstanding Clear Flow: Somewhat clear Some but mostly
a title Flow: beg- beg-body-end. Flow: beg-body- sloppy. No title.
body-end. Title Title end. No title
Clarity Concise, no Concise, some Redundant, To many
grammatical grammatical several grammatical and
errors-good errors-some grammatical concept errors,
use of errors in use of errors, no clear no clear
scientific scientific terms. understanding of understanding of
terms. use of scientific the topic
terms
Scientific Minimum of 5 Minimum of 3 Minimum of 2 0-1 sources
resources

DUE DATE: 15 MARCH, 2020 at 5 pm