Independent Reading Assignment With RSS

On Friday, I discussed using Google forms within my wikispace. To some, this is nothing new, but for many it was a simple and effective way of integrating some technology into ones classroom. Today, I want to focus on a reading strategy that I am using with my tenth grade English class. On my wikispace, I have several RSS feeds linked into a page. This page updates regularly and allows students to view the most current articles from The Philadelphia Inquirer, ESPN.com, NPR, etc. I tried to present an array of feeds rather than just one. The point of this assignment is to get students reading daily and to encourage reading independently.

Here is the assignment...

Every night students read one article from one of the five feeds I have selected. They must read the article, and then list three facts about the article, three questions they have about the article, one supported opinion and list and define any new vocabulary words they come across. They type this up in a Google Doc and save it. The next day, we spend about ten minutes discussing their reading and their findings. Again, this is a simple way of integrating technology into your class and will promote active and independent reading.





Students are always told what they have to read, this allows students the freedom of reading something they can select on their own and enjoy. As always, I appreciate your feedback and would love to hear your ideas for Independent reading and technology in your classroom.

Independent Reading 1.0

This was a discussion prompt that introduced my independent reading unit. We just finished a unit on the fundamental literary elements: plot structure, conflict, point of view, characterization, etc. Students will now be applying these skills to their independent reading. I’m sending them out into the literary seas in search of adventure and intrigue. NOTE: This lesson is very 1.0 but I will apply how one can make it a 2.0 activity.

The question: Why do we read fiction?

Eager hands abound!

Some of the responses:

“For Fun”

“To learn”

“To expand our imagination”

“To be taken somewhere”

“To learn about another place or culture”

Yes! It’s working; they understand the purpose of fiction!

I decide to challenge their thinking further.

The question: Those are all good answers, but why should we waste time reading books that are not true?

Students pause momentarily; I can see the critical thinking wheel spinning feverishly.

A HAND!

“We read fiction to travel somewhere we have never been and to experience something new. Like I have never been to China, but I can go there through the author’s perspective.”

I pick myself up since I just fell over from this brilliant response. This question ignites another burning mind.

“We read fiction, like to be taken, say to the past, when we wasn’t around and find out about different historical events through fiction.”

Eureka! I am loving these responses (save for the use of proper English).

This was my class today. I started with a simple question and challenged students with critical thinking. Mind you, these students are all below reading level and were anxious about reading a book outside of our required text. Maybe, it was the aesthetically appealing covers of many new books, or maybe it was the new found ownership they all half over their novel, but what ever the case, they were thinking critically before cracking the page and by god, THEY WERE ENGAGED!

This project is intended for 1.0 instruction. I am not utilizing any form of technology until I first get my kids to read. Their responses are all done…get ready…in a packet. I know, this term is a sacrilege and completely against everything iTeach stands for. However, in one of my previous posts I mentioned using goodreads.com and shelfari.com to foster summer reading. Both of these sites would serve as wonderful forums for housing your responses and tracking the progress of your students. Although these sites work well for the summer reading project, I would definitely transition my packet into a wikispace. This allows for students to post responses, collaborate in a discussion and track their progress. For my students, I would recommend having some form of tracking method that would reward efficient, not fast, readers.

Please let me know if you are doing independent reading through 1.0 or 2.0 methods. My colleagues in the 9^th grade are all setting the course in this independent reading project and so far we have had great success with our 1.0 project. I look forward to hearing about different independent reading projects and what your experience has been whether you are a packet or a PC.