Enrichment · Arts and Creativity

Script the edges,
time the middle.

Good podcast episodes sound loose and are planned tight. Write the hook, the intro and the outro word for word, then list the segments in between with who leads each one and how many minutes it gets. The builder times the written parts at about 150 spoken words a minute, adds the segments and tells you whether the episode fits its target, and it prints a run sheet with a clock for the recording.

Start a scriptWhat you get
$5one-time · every device you sign in on
Buy · $5

Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the Arts & Creativity collection, $69 for 38 items.

Episode scripts

The worked example is made up: three episodes of a school news podcast. Saved on this device only.

Loading the episode form. If nothing appears, turn on JavaScript.

What you get

Enrichment · Arts & Creativity$5

What you finish with
A script per episode: show, episode title, hosts, recording date and target length; the hook, intro and outro word for word; the segments with who leads, type and minutes; five checks before recording and music credits. Shows the estimated length against the target and how many episodes are on target; flags a hook over a minute, an intro without the show name, segments with no minutes and an episode more than 10 percent long or short. Prints a run sheet with a running clock.
Who it is for
Middle and high school students making a podcast for a class, a club or a school news show; teachers and media advisers running a podcast unit.
Format
Browser script builder with a saved script per episode. Prints the script, a run sheet with clock times, every episode in a table or a blank script sheet; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
$5 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the tool opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the Arts & Creativity collection ($69) and the Enrichment Suite pass ($119), and 1 more bundle. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Arts & Creativity space in Caveat Enrichment.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Set the target length first; 10 to 20 minutes is plenty for a student show.
  2. Write the hook so it would make you keep listening, then the intro and outro.
  3. List the segments with who leads and how many minutes each gets.
  4. Fix the flags until the total fits the target.
  5. Read it aloud once with a timer, then print the run sheet for the recording.

Start a script

How episode scripts work

The shape of a tight episodeHookThe first 30 to 60seconds.One surprisingfact, sound orquestion.Written word forword.IntroShow name, who youare, what thisepisode answers.Under a minute.SegmentsTwo to four blockswith a clear jobeach.Planned in minutes,not written out.Interviews needpermission.OutroRecap in one line.Thank guests byname.One thing to donext.The shape of a tight episodeHookThe first 30 to 60 seconds.One surprising fact, sound or question.Written word for word.IntroShow name, who you are, what this episodeanswers.Under a minute.SegmentsTwo to four blocks with a clear job each.Planned in minutes, not written out.Interviews need permission.OutroRecap in one line.Thank guests by name.One thing to do next.
Script the edges word for word and plan the middle. Listeners decide quickly whether to stay, and the end is what they remember.

Why about 150 words a minute

Conversational English is usually spoken at roughly 140 to 160 words a minute, a little slower when reading carefully for a recording. The builder uses 150 as a planning figure. Your own pace is the real number, which is why the last check is reading it aloud with a timer.

Permission is part of the script

Record and publish someone’s voice only with their permission, in writing, and a parent’s or guardian’s for anyone under 18. Many schools have their own media release form; use it if yours does.

Music is not free because you can hear it

A song you bought or stream is still under copyright. Use music you made, music licensed for podcasts, or works in the public domain, and credit them. Ask your teacher or media adviser before relying on fair use.

Sources

  1. National Center for Voice and Speech: conversational speaking rates of about 150 words per minute in English (ncvs.org).
  2. U.S. Copyright Office: Circular 1, Copyright Basics, and the fair use index (copyright.gov).
  3. Creative Commons: licenses and attribution for music and sound (creativecommons.org).
  4. National Public Radio Training: writing for the ear and scripting audio stories (training.npr.org).
  5. Common Sense Education: digital citizenship lessons on permission and copyright (commonsense.org/education).

The worked example is made up. Length estimates are a planning figure, not a measurement of your voice. This is not legal advice about music rights or releases. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.