8: Build your own "Newspaper"

Last time you found news stories using Google News. Now you're going to customize a Google homepage for yourself--called iGoogle--and learn how to use Google Reader to make your very own news feed (sort of like your own online newspaper that only has information that you want to read.)  It might get a little confusing, so ask if you need help!

1. Log in to your Google Account (if you log in to Blogger, just go to the top right corner and click "My Account")
Scroll down the "My Account" page to find "My Products"
Click iGoogle.
Now play with this page to set it up the way you like it.

If this is confusing and you need more help, you can watch a video about it here: iGoogle Tutorial, Part 1

When you've finished making your iGoogle page the way you want it to look, consider making it your home page! Any time you get on the Internet, iGoogle is the first page you'll see. If you want to do this, click this page to Make iGoogle your homepage for instant access to search and more.

2. Let's just imagine that iGoogle doesn't give you enough access to news or blogs. You are now a citizen of the world and you want to know about all kinds of stuff. iGoogle doesn't let you see enough about everything you're interested in, it doesn't let you subscribe to all of the blogs you want to follow. You want MORE!!!  You are now in need of Google Reader. Google Reader lets you subscribe to all kinds of news feeds and blogs. You can read the news that you choose on a computer or maybe even on your phone.  I'm sure you're now saying, "How do I get me some of that Google Reader action?"
Well...here's how: Use Google Reader! Click to watch a video explaining what is Google Reader?

Then...Click here to get to the Google Reader start page. Click the link that says "Get Started" and follow directions to get set up. Is this confusing? Get some help here by watching a video called "Getting Started with Google Reader"

3. Your Assignment for the Day
You've already done a lot, right? You've set up your own iGoogle home page, you've set up a Google Reader account. But there are a few more things I want you to do.

First, on your iGoogle page or in Google Reader, look for a story that really interests you. Click the link to that story and read it. Then click the headline for that story to get the the website from which the story originated. 

Next, look around on that website. Do you see the icon for RSS?
It looks like this:

RSS icon

Click it. Click the icon for RSS. You should get a pop-up asking if you want to subscribe with Google. Go ahead! Subscribe! Then look for other websites with the RSS icon whenever you surf the web. If the icon is there, you can subscribe to feeds from that website and see news in Google Reader!



Once you have subscribed to a news feed, there is only one thing left for you to do today: BLOG!

Post a blog entry about any news story you found on your iGoogle page or in Google Reader. Write the 5 W's and H (Who, What, When, Where, Why and How) and then write about why this article interests you.

Happy Googling!