#07 Google Reader RSS experience & lesson plans

[Steve Gibbs]

Part #1: Describe your experiences learning and using Google Reader and understanding how RSS works. Do you have any problems, questions, or suggestions for others?

Part #2: Create two lesson plan ideas that could use RSS and News Reader in the classroom.

[amyy]

I thought it was pretty easy to use but it was helpful to walk through it with everyone in class. I've been thinking about how to use it in my own class and I think there are several different ways.

My students hand in current events to me every week. They need to read, summarize and give their opinions on two news articles that relate to the topic of the week. When they turn in the articles, they need to print or cut out the articles and attach them to their summaries. many of them have trouble reading the newspaper and trying to find articles about a particular subject on top of trying to decipher the articles is very hard for some of them. I could teach a lesson on google reader and have them all create accounts and link to various news websites. This way they will know at least where to look (since that is hard for them even though I create links on my website) and they could get news feeds this way. They could also easily get news from a variety of sources.

The second lesson I could do is create a document where either I fill in a few websites for them to choose from to read and analyze for the week or they could fill in the website they used - that way we could save paper and I could just click on their websites while I read their summaries to make sure they didn't plagiarize, check for comprehension and to save paper.

[lauren]

I have not used google reader or the rss feeds to their fullest potential. The ability to find good science sites is amazing - each time I log in I get lost in all the great articles.I have many great links loaded to follow but it has been difficult to find the time to access them adequately.

I think this would be a great way to help students find current events on science topics. WIth the reduction of newspaper content, physical science current events have been difficult to find. Using the news readers would make it easy for students to find topical and recent articles that are curriculum relevant.

[jhartman]

The first time I learned about Google reader and RSS feeds I was amazed how connected a person could be if they chose to be. I think this is one reason why paper newspapers are starting to fail. Why would a technologically competent person waste the time and money on a newspaper if all they wanted is up to date news. It satisfies a person who thrives on information. Tweeter fills this niche also, but RSS feeds allows you to choose exactly what information you want rather than a sorting through unwanted data.

I like using Earth and Sky as a source for up to date science information, but the subject is often not related to my current curriculum. RSS feeds are even a better than Earth and Sky because the I could find current science material related to my lesson of the day.

I do a unit on hydrogen fuel cells. I could have students research information that supports their opinion regarding fossil fuels and hydrogen fuel as an energy source. There are advantages and disadvantages to use both.

[erlyn]

I am so overwhelmed with the information you can find on these feeds! However, I haven't figured out how to limit my choices feeds or find specifics feeds targeted for middle school level kids. It's such a great way to get information that is current, but I'm still figuring out how I could incorporate it into my class and whether or not I'd have to censor some of the information available to my kids.

I think one way is to use the feed to see what is happening in our world today, and get the kids two find two feeds that are of interest to them. They would have to point out a certain # of things and bring them up for discussion in small groups.

I think using the feed for compare and contrast discussions or essays would be great, too. I would divide the class into two groups, and have each group look up feeds that support their side, and then have kids partner up, one from each side, and debate or write an essay.

[Megan Gerdts]

I am pretty sure that I fall into the "overwhelmed" crowd when it comes to RSS feeds. The amount of information that you can access is staggering! My trouble, like many others, is how to organize and find exactly what I can use. I can definitely use this in my classroom in social studies and science. We study some very interesting topics in 5th grade social studies/science and I would love to bring the students the latest information on some of those topics. My issue would be finding the time to sort through all of the articles to find ones that I can use.

Google docs is a great tool. I haven't played with it enough to make a judgement on its use in my classroom, but knowing what it can do, makes me want to figure out how to use it in my classroom!

[brandys]

When I think about RSS feeds I get dizzy. There's just so much information and it's difficult to figure out how to filter out the stuff that I am actually interested in reading. I also find a lot of information that is interesting, but I end up feeling a little ADD when I jump from one topic to another. It amazes me that there is so much information feeding into the Web every minute of the day!
I do current events with my class every other week to work on comprehension with non-fiction text. Current events are a great way to get them involved with what is going on in the world and practice their reading skills. The RSS feeds are a great way to look up current events and find lots of different information from all sorts of sources.
Another lesson idea is to use an RSS feed topic and have the kids make a news report or broadcast out of the information they get on the feeds. They could do them in the style of a "news flash" or even put different ones together to make a news program.