RSS or “Really Simple Syndication” is a web-based tool that allow users to subscribe to different content such as newspapers or blogs and receive updates in a central location when new information is available.
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Exploring Different Points of View
RSS feeds are a fantastic way to provide current events from multiple sources and points of view. One Common Core standard is to analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the points of view they represent. With a RSS reader like DIGG, students can quickly and efficiently find current events on high interest topics. I envision myself using RSS in this capacity for my 3rd through 6th grade reading groups. First, using a RSS reader that is already presubscribed to a variety of age appropriate news sites, I would have my students browse through articles from different subscriptions to find a topic that interests them. Next, students would find a second, different article about the same topic using either a RSS reader or some other form of research. Once students have read each source, I would have them complete a graphic organizer that allows them to compare and contrast the different articles, whether it is through the presentation of facts, information or points of view. The following are samples of the Common Core Standards for 3rd through 6th grade that would be addressed through this activity.
Common Core Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.3.9-Compare and contrast the most important points and key details presented in two texts on the same topic.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.6-Compare and contrast a firsthand and secondhand account of the same event or topic; describe the differences in focus and the information provided.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.5 -Compare and contrast the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in two or more texts.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.9-Compare and contrast one author’s presentation of events with that of another (e.g., a memoir written by and a biography on the same person).
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Building Comprehension
RSS feeds can be used to build student comprehension skills. One of the main reasons a student struggles with reading comprehension is a lack of reading skills and fluency. Having an article or story read aloud eliminates the challenge of reading and a student can focus on comprehending the story or article. There are numerous audio book and podcast RSS subscriptions that can be used at any grade level. In my classroom, I would play the audio book or podcast through the SMARTboard or some other type of available technology. If possible, I would also provide a printed copy of the text so my students could read or follow along with the story. I have found it beneficial for my struggling readers to be able to hear and see the word as it is being read. When we are done listening, we would discuss the story and answer comprehension questions. The following are samples of the Common Core Standards for 1st through 6th grade that would be addressed through this activity.
Common Core Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.1- Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.1- Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.1 – Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1-Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.2-Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.2- Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.2-Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
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Daily Writing Prompts
In a special education writing group, there are many goals teachers want to achieve. One of the biggest goals is getting students to write more than one sentence about a topic and adding detail to their writing. One way I achieve this goal with my 3rd through 6th grade writing groups is through daily journal writing. Every day, I provide students with a new writing prompt. As we get further into the school year, it is harder to come up with a prompt I have not used yet. Using RSS, I could subscribe to websites that provide me with a picture, quote, song, or poem of the day. I would project the prompt on the board and have students write in their journal between 10 and 15 minutes, depending on the prompt and grade level. Students would be able to describe what they see, how they feel or create a story that would use the pictures I provide as the illustrations. The following are samples of the Common Core Standards for 3rd through 6th grade that would be addressed through this activity.
Common Core Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.10- Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.10- Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.10- Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.10- Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Possible Subscriptions
National Geographic Photo of the Day
National History Picture of the Day
Common core state standards: English language arts standard. Retrieved July 8, 2016 from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/
Information avalanche rescue: RSS feeds in the classroom. Retrieved July 8, 2016, from http://eduscapes.com/sessions/rss/
Kendal Cramer: EDTECH Learning Log 