controller can accept a parameter as to whether the notification should be marked as read or unread

app/controllers/notifications_controller.rb

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ class NotificationsController < VannaController
   def update(opts=params)
     note = Notification.where(:recipient_id => current_user.id, :id => opts[:id]).first
     if note
-      note.update_attributes(:unread => false)
+      note.update_attributes(:unread => opts[:is_unread] || false )
       {}
     else
       Response.new :status => 404

spec/controllers/notifications_controller_spec.rb

@@ -14,11 +14,21 @@ describe NotificationsController do
   end
 
   describe '#update' do
-    it 'marks a notification as read' do
+    it 'marks a notification as read if it gets no other information' do
       note = Factory(:notification, :recipient => @user)
       @controller.update :id => note.id
       Notification.first.unread.should == false
     end
+    it 'marks a notification as read if it is told to' do
+      note = Factory(:notification, :recipient => @user)
+      @controller.update :id => note.id, :is_unread => false
+      Notification.first.unread.should == false
+    end
+    it 'marks a notification as unread if it is told to' do
+      note = Factory(:notification, :recipient => @user)
+      @controller.update :id => note.id, :is_unread => true
+      Notification.first.unread.should == true
+    end
 
     it 'only lets you read your own notifications' do
       user2 = bob