I have found a new podcast that I am bursting to share with other English teachers! If you are not yet aware of The Moth Radio Hour and The Moth Podcast, now is the time. In a way, it reminds of Humans of New York. But, in this case, it’s people sharing a particular story from their life directly to the audience in spoken form.
The topics range as wide as there are people. You can easily type into the search for a specific topic you are looking for and find something from the thousands of compiled stories. In this blog post though, I am sharing 3 that I absolutely loved and how you can use them in your classroom!
In case you have missed it, I also created this guide for dozens of podcasts that are perfect for the Middle and High School ELA classroom! If you would like a ready-to-go resource to start using these episodes from The Moth today, click HERE!
Why These Stories Work in the ELA Classroom:
Each of these episodes provides rich storytelling, compelling personal experiences, and meaningful themes that connect to students’ lives. They make great additions to ELA lessons by fostering critical thinking, empathy, and personal reflection. They also show our students how you can take a personal story and turn it into a work of art- even if it’s incredibly brief.
The 3 stories I have singled in on are only 5-10 minutes in length each. So, they are perfect as a sponge activity, to add into your thematic units, or for a personal narrative writing unit!
Flying High
In Flying High, Sivad Johnson shares a story about attempting a daring BMX bike jump with his friends. He was so confident that he celebrated before even making the jump. The result? He woke up in the hospital, realizing that things hadn’t gone as planned. However, rather than being discouraged, he took away three important lessons:
- When things go wrong, check your equipment (or, in life, your approach and resources).
- Celebrate after you succeed, not before.
- Confidence is good, but control is key.
This is a wonderful personal story that students can relate to about learning from their mistakes.
48 Inches
In 48 Inches, David Levy shares a story about the greatest summer of his life and it was when his son finally hit 48 inches tall. In this story, David shares about facing his fear of thrill rides when his son finally reaches the height required for big rides at an amusement park.
His son is eager and fearless, but David struggles with his own fear. At first, his hesitation disappoints his son. He decides that he doesn’t want to push his own fears on to him, so he decides to push through and go on these terrifying attractions.
Ride after ride, he remains scared, but by the end, something changes. At the end of the night, they take on their last ride- The Vortex. But, this time, the park has their nightly firework display begins as the roller coaster climbs. The awe of the fireworks distracts him, and for the first time, he fully enjoys the ride. He realizes that sometimes, stepping outside our comfort zone can lead to unforgettable experiences.
Nonna’s Sauce
In Nonna’s Sauce, James Gallichio shares the story of his nonna’s secret bolognese sauce—a recipe she refused to share, offering instead to cook it for him whenever he visited. After his parents’ divorce and his mother’s struggles with mental illness, his relationship with family became strained. Eventually, he left Australia to escape his anxieties.
Years later, he gained Italian citizenship through his nonna and traveled to Italy, where a distant relative surprised him with a family gathering. At lunch, he was served his Nonna’s sauce, and it brought him to tears.
It was in that moment that he felt a true sense of family and belonging again. Inspired, he returned to Australia and reached out to his family, using the same words Nonna once said to him:
“I can’t tell you the recipe, but you can come over anytime and I’ll cook it for you.”
How can you use these stories from The Moth in your classroom?
I love how versatile these are for our classroom! You can easily work them into your existing units on literature or personal narrative writing. These stories fit into several common high school ELA themes, including:
- Perseverance & Failure → Flying High
- Fear & Courage → 48 Inches
- Family & Identity → Nonna’s Sauce
- Coming-of-Age / Personal Growth → All three stories
Personal Narrative Writing:
These episodes are excellent mentor texts for a personal narrative unit. They demonstrate:
- Strong voice and perspective
- Use of sensory details and dialogue
- How reflection adds depth to storytelling
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Lessons:
- Resilience & Growth Mindset: Flying High teaches students about learning from mistakes.
- Overcoming Fear & Taking Risks: 48 Inches encourages students to reflect on moments when they’ve pushed past fear.
- Family, Identity & Healing: Nonna’s Sauce explores the complexities of family and reconnecting with one’s past.
Making Connections
Since these are very brief listening experiences, I did not make my typical listening sheets for podcasts. However, I did make these handouts that include a summary of the story they just listened to and writing prompts they can choose from. Such as:
- How do you balance confidence with preparation? (Flying High)
- In the story, fireworks distracted David and helped him forget his fear for a moment. What is something that helps you push through difficult situations? (48 Inches)
- Write about a tradition, meal, or shared experience that makes you feel close to others. (Nonna’s Sauce)
These handouts also come with teaching tips that provide questions you can pose before listening for class engagement, Think/Pair/Share ideas for after listening, and closing discussion prompts. This way you can confidently extend the lesson if needed.
Final Thoughts
These episodes from The Moth not only bring engaging real-world storytelling into the classroom but also encourage students to explore their own experiences, emotions, and growth. Whether used in an SEL lesson, thematic unit, or a personal narrative writing assignment, these stories provide powerful opportunities for connection and reflection.
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Around the World With Mrs. C 