Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007

This Week With Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... 

 The latest news and resources in education since 2007

TODAY

The Best Videos Showing We Have More Than Five Senses

by Larry Ferlazzo / 19min

geralt / Pixabay When we learn about perception in IB Theory of Knowledge class, we talk about how there really are more than five senses. Here are some videos I’ve shown to students about the topic:

Tons Of Resources For Teaching Students To Write “This I Believe” Essays

by Larry Ferlazzo / 19min

742680 / Pixabay People may remember the great This I Believe broadcasts on NPR a few years ago ( that are still available on their site ). Many of us have used them in class. Lots of educators probably know this already, but it was new to me – there is a huge separate This I Believe website with zillions of essays and related curriculum for all age groups! And if you can’t get enough teaching id

YESTERDAY

Updated Resources On The Chicago Teachers’ Strike

by Larry Ferlazzo / 10h

OpenClipart-Vectors / Pixabay Here are new additions to THE BEST ARTICLES & VIDEOS FOR LEARNING ABOUT THE 2019 CHICAGO TEACHERS’ STRIKE: On the Picket Line With Chicago’s Teachers is from The Nation. Chicago schools strike is for aides living off less than $36,000 a year, union members say is from USA Today. What issues remain open in Chicago’s teachers contract talks? An internal union document

New Helpful Resources For Teaching About Impeachment

by Larry Ferlazzo / 10h

quinntheislander / Pixabay Here are new additions to THE BEST TEACHING & LEARNING RESOURCES ABOUT IMPEACHMENT : What’s next in the Trump impeachment inquiry, and will Trump cooperate with it? is from The Washington Post. A lesson plan for an impeachment inquiry is from PennGSE.

October Is National Bullying Prevention Month – Here Are Related Teaching & Learning Resources

by Larry Ferlazzo / 10h

johnhain / Pixabay October is National Bullying Prevention Month . You might be interested in A Very, Very Beginning List Of The Best Resources On Bullying — Please Suggest More .

“What The Fact” Are Good Video Explainers About Current Events

by Larry Ferlazzo / 11h

geralt / Pixabay What The Fact is a series of videos created by Newsy in partnership with PolitiFact. They analyse if claims made by figures in current events are true or not. I’m adding this info to The Best Online “Explainer” Tools For Current Events. Interestingly, today’s video in the series (embedded below) is about the Chicago teacher’s strike. I’m adding this particular video to THE BEST A

The Best Online Learning Games – 2019 (Part Two)

27by Larry Ferlazzo / 1d

My end-of-year “Best” list post continue… You can see all my previous Online Learning Games “Best” lists (and there are a lot since I’ve doing this since 2007) here. Note that they’re also continually revised and updated. I’ll be adding this list to I’m adding this post to All My 2019 “Best” Lists In One Place! Here are my picks from the first part of 2019: There are several free online games des

OCT 17

The Loma Prieta Earthquake Happened Here Thirty Years Ago Today – Here Are Related Teaching & Learning Resources

by Larry Ferlazzo / 1d

Angelo_Giordano / Pixabay The Loma Prieta Earthquake hit Northern California thirty years ago. I remember it well – at first I thought I was fainting until I realized it was the earth that was shaking instead! You might be interested in: The Best Sites For Learning About Earthquakes The Best Sites To Learn About San Francisco

Five Videos About Today’s Teachers’ Strike in Chicago

by Larry Ferlazzo / 1d

OpenClipart-Vectors / Pixabay Here are new additions to THE BEST ARTICLES & VIDEOS FOR LEARNING ABOUT THE 2019 CHICAGO TEACHERS’ STRIKE:

Google Publishes Cool Interactive About Books: “Books: From Scrolls to Screens”

by Larry Ferlazzo / 1d

Gellinger / Pixabay Books: From Scrolls to Screens is a neat interactive at Google Arts & Culture. It tells the history of books and reading – and a lot more! To tell you the truth, I’m not actually sure how “new” it is – it may have been around for awhile. I just learned about it from a Google announcement about a new design for Google Books and some other book-related tidbits, none of which see

Nov. 5th Is “World Tsunami Awareness Day” – Here Are Related Teaching & Learning Resources

by Larry Ferlazzo / 2d

WikiImages / Pixabay The United Nations has declared November 5th to be World Tsunami Awareness Day. You might be interested in The Best Sites To Learn About Tsunamis .

Pins Of The Week

by Larry Ferlazzo / 2d

I’m fairly active on Pinterest and, in fact, have curated 19,000 resources there that I haven’t shared on this blog. I thought readers might find it useful if I began sharing a handful of my most recent “pins” each week (I’m not sure if you can see them through an RSS Reader – you might have to click through to the original post). You might also be interested in My Seven Most Popular Pins In 2018

Terrible Statistic Of The Day – Suicides Increase Among Teens

by Larry Ferlazzo / 2d

Teen suicides are increasing at an alarming pace, outstripping all other age groups, a new report says is the headline of a Washington Post story summarizing recent research. The article begins with: Suicide death rates among teenagers and young adults have increased at an alarming pace in the past decade, according to a new government report. While suicide has steadily become more common across

OCT 16

The Best Articles & Videos For Learning About The 2019 Chicago Teachers’ Strike

by Larry Ferlazzo / 2d

succo / Pixabay Chicago teachers have gone on strike. I’ll keep adding new updates to this “Best” list. You might also be interested in my list from their previous strike a few years ago, The Best Resources On The Chicago Teachers’ Strike . Here’s the latest: Classes Canceled For 300,000 Students As Chicago’s Public Teachers Prepare To Strike is from NPR. Chicago Teachers Will Go On Strike, Cappi

Video: “Hubble’s New Image of Interstellar Object”

by Larry Ferlazzo / 2d

Andrew-Art / Pixabay As Business Insider writes : The second interstellar visitor ever detected is plummeting into our solar system, and NASA’s Hubble telescope just snapped a clear photo of it. I’m adding it to The Best Sites To Learn About The Hubble Telescope .

This is Intriguing: The Most Important Lines Of Computer Code In History

by Larry Ferlazzo / 3d

Pexels / Pixabay The Lines of Code That Changed Everything is a Slate article that discusses what they say are the thirty-or-so most important lines of computer code in history. I’m adding it to The Best “Lists Of Lists” Of Influential People, Events & Ideas .

OCT 15

“What Does Student Agency Look Like?”

by Larry Ferlazzo / 3d

What Does Student Agency Look Like? is the new question of the week at my Ed Week Teacher column. Feel free to leave a response in the comments section here or there…

Most Popular Posts Of The Week

by Larry Ferlazzo / 3d

I’m making a change in the content of the regular feature. In addition to sharing the top five posts that have received the most “hits” in the preceding seven days (though they may have originally been published on an earlier date), I will also include the top five posts that have actually appeared in the past week. Often, these are different posts. You might also be interested in IT’S THE TWELFT

Google Unveils “Exploring the Maya World” Interactive

100+by Larry Ferlazzo / 3d

FlavioMoura / Pixabay Google has just unveiled a Exploring the Maya World interactive with the British Museum. You can read all about it here , and watch the video below. I’m adding it to The Best Resources For Learning About The Maya .

Another Study Finds Supporting A Student’s Home Language Benefits Their English Acquisition

by Larry Ferlazzo / 3d

Read to kids in Spanish; it’ll help their English is the headline of a Eureka Alert summary about a new study. In addition to the excerpt above, it goes on to say: Plainly stated: children who had stronger Spanish reading skills upon entering kindergarten did better across time, even than their Spanish-speaking peers who were more fluent in speaking English but less proficient in reading Spanish.

The Best Social Emotional Learning Resources Of 2019 – Part Two

21by Larry Ferlazzo / 4d

Time for another end-of-year “Best” list! I’ll be adding this list to I’m adding this post to All My 2019 “Best” Lists In One Place! I publish a regular series called SEL Weekly Update , and I thought it would useful to readers and to me to review them and highlight the ones I think are the best of the year. You might also be interested in “Best” Lists Of The Week: Social Emotional Learning Resou

OCT 14

Video: “FireStorm: How Wildfires Are Spread”

by Larry Ferlazzo / 4d

skeeze / Pixabay I’m adding this new video from The Weather Channel to The Best Sites For Learning About Forest Fires:

“Students Feel More Motivated When Writing for ‘Authentic Audiences'”

by Larry Ferlazzo / 4d

Students Feel More Motivated When Writing for ‘Authentic Audiences’ is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. Shanna Peeples, Mary K. Tedrow, Amy Sandvold, and Laverne Bowers “wrap up” this five-part series on students writing for “authentic audiences.” Here are some excerpts: I’m adding it to The Best Places Where Students Can Write For An “Authentic Audience”

Video: “What if We Nuke a City?”

by Larry Ferlazzo / 4d

TGrand / Pixabay Here’s a new and terrifying video from Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell. I’m adding it to The Best Sites For Learning About Nuclear Weapons .

We’re Taping A Four Video Series On Student Motivation This Week – Here Are A Ton Of Related Resources In The Meantime

by Larry Ferlazzo / 4d

geralt / Pixabay Katie Hull and I will be videotaping a four-part (short) video series on student motivation for Ed Week, and it’s happening this week! As regular readers know, I’ve written three books on the topic and have a fourth one in the works, too. The videos will be out later this year but, in the meantime, you might want to check out A Collection Of My Best Resources On Student Motivatio

New Law In California Says Schools Will Start Later In Morning – What Opportunities Might It Offer

by Larry Ferlazzo / 4d

California’s governor just signed a law requiring schools to start later in the morning. For our school, that will mean beginning twenty minutes later (from 8:10 to 8:30 AM). Interestingly, I seldom have had students initiate a conversation about a current event as much as they did today after reading about the law online. And it was all positive. Like our state union, I wasn’t a big fan of the b

New Resources On Indigenous Peoples’ Day & Columbus Day

by Larry Ferlazzo / 4d

Alexas_Fotos / Pixabay Here are new additions to an already massive list, The Best Online Resources About Christopher Columbus & Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Columbus Day Or Indigenous Peoples’ Day? is from NPR. Illuminative is a new resource site created by Native American youth. “This isn’t a day about protesting Columbus, it’s about celebrating indigenous people,” the founder of Indigenous Peoples

My Latest BAM! Radio Show Offers Suggestions On When To Use – & Not To Use – Tech In The Classroom

by Larry Ferlazzo / 4d

Knowing When to Say Yes and When to Say No to Education Technology is the topic of my latest ten-minute BAM! Radio show. I’m joined in the discussion by Anne Jenks, Irina McGrath, and Michelle Shory, who have also all contributed written commentaries to my Education Week Teacher column. I’m adding this show to All My BAM Radio Shows – Linked With Descriptions .

Big New Study Finds That Inquiry & Problem-Based Instruction In Math/Science Is Effective

by Larry Ferlazzo / 5d

Students Learn More From Inquiry-Based Teaching, International Study Finds is an article in Education Week that does a good job summarizing a new study finding that inquiry and problem-based teaching can be effective in math and science instruction. You can find the study itself at Effect of Inquiry and Problem Based Pedagogy on Learning: Evidence from 10 Field Experiments in Four Countries , tho

OCT 13

The Best Resources On Classroom Instruction In 2019 – Part Two

by Larry Ferlazzo / 5d

Here’s another end-of-year“Best” list… I’m adding this post to All My 2019 “Best” Lists In One Place! Six years ago I began publishing a regular Classroom Instruction Resources Of The Week post. You can see all my “Best” lists on instructional strategies here. Here are my choices from the past few months: How Might You Launch a Lesson? is from the Desmos blog. It’s focused on math, which is why I

‘Invite Students to Write Real Arguments’

by Larry Ferlazzo / 5d

is the headline of my latest Education Week Teacher column. In it, Rita Platt, Alexis Wiggins, Dr. Jenny Grant Rankin, Kristen Koppers, and Mara Lee Grayson share their ideas on how and why students can write for an audience other than the teacher. Here are some excerpts:

My Latest Favorite Tech Tool For ELL Students To Practice Speaking

by Larry Ferlazzo / 6d

Clker-Free-Vector-Images / Pixabay I’ve used a lot of tech tools over the years to record English Language Learners speaking, whether to record stop action videos of word definitions (see The Best Resources For Learning To Use The Video Apps “Vine” & Instagram ), or, more often, to describe images or practice dialogues (see The Best Sites To Practice Speaking English ). Unfortunately, though, mos

OCT 12

New Resources On Race & Racism

by Larry Ferlazzo / 6d

I’m adding these new resources to various “Best” lists. You can find links to all of those many lists that relate to race and racism at “Best” Lists Of The Week: Resources For Teaching & Learning About Race & Racism: Artist Kehinde Wiley unveils bold sculpture in New York’s Times Square is from NBC News, as is Wiley believes monuments to Confederate figures should be placed in social context, not

SEL Weekly Update

by Larry Ferlazzo / 6d

I’ve recently begun this weekly post where I’ll be sharing resources I’m adding to The Best Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Resources or other related “Best” lists. You might also be interested in THE BEST SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING RESOURCES OF 2019 – PART ONE Finally, check out “Best” Lists Of The Week: Social Emotional Learning Resources . Here are this week’s picks: Why Intentionally Building

This Week’s “Round-Up” Of Useful Posts & Articles On Ed Policy Issues

by Larry Ferlazzo / 6d

Here are some recent useful posts and articles on educational policy issues (You might also be interested in THE BEST ARTICLES, VIDEOS & POSTS ON EDUCATION POLICY IN 2019 – PART ONE ): The true cost of being a teacher is from Vox. I’m adding it to The Best Data On How Much Money Teachers Pay Out Of Their Own Pocket – What Do You Spend? . School Districts Sue Juul, Saying Student Vaping Drains Res

Around The Web In ESL/EFL/ELL

by Larry Ferlazzo / 6d

BiljaST / Pixabay Five years ago I began this regular feature where I share a few posts and resources from around the Web related to ESL/EFL or to language in general that have caught my attention. You might also be interested in THE BEST RESOURCES, ARTICLES & BLOG POSTS FOR TEACHERS OF ELLS IN 2019 – PART ONE. Also, check out A Collection Of My Best Resources On Teaching English Language Learner

This May Have Potential: Teachers Doing Low-States Observations Of Their Colleagues Resulted In Improvements For Both

by Larry Ferlazzo / 6d

geralt / Pixabay A new study in secondary schools found that teachers observing their colleagues two-or-three times and providing feedback using one-half of what lots of educators tell me is a ridiculously complex Danielson rubric resulted in improved academic results for students of both (a little more for students of the observers). It was not part of any formal evaluation process. You can read

“Imagine Forest” Looks Like An Excellent Writing Site For Students

by Larry Ferlazzo / 6d

I briefly posted about Imagine Forest over two years ago and, though it looked like it had some potential, there really wasn’t much there. I just checked back on it and came away very impressed. It’s free, filled with images that students can write about and lots of other writing opportunities, and teachers can create virtual classrooms. I’m adding it to: The Best Places Where Students Can Write

Ed Tech Digest

22by Larry Ferlazzo / 6d

Six years ago, in another somewhat futile attempt to reduce the backlog of resources I want to share, I began this occasional “” post where I share three or four links I think are particularly useful and related to…ed tech, including some Web 2.0 apps. You might also be interested in THE BEST ED TECH RESOURCES OF 2019 – PART ONE , as well as checking out all my edtech resources . You might also w

Classroom Instruction Resources Of The Week

25by Larry Ferlazzo / 6d

Each week, I publish a post or two containing three or four particularly useful resources on classroom instruction, and you can see them all here. You might also be interested in THE BEST RESOURCES ON CLASS INSTRUCTION IN 2019 – PART ONE. Here are this week’s picks: 3 Ways to Ask Questions That Engage the Whole Class is from Edutopia. I like the third way: Pause, Star and Rank. I’m adding it to T

Three Useful Updated “Visual Timelines” Of Impeachment Process

by Larry Ferlazzo / 6d

geralt / Pixabay Here are three new additions to THE BEST TEACHING & LEARNING RESOURCES ABOUT IMPEACHMENT : Trump, Ukraine And The Path To The Impeachment Inquiry: A Timeline is from NPR. A diagram of events in the impeachment inquiry of President Trump is from USA Today. Trump impeachment inquiry: A visual timeline is from CNN.

Guest Post: Ways To Create A Student-Driven Class

by Larry Ferlazzo / 6d

Editor’s Note: Earlier this month I published We Shouldn’t “Empower” Students – Instead We Should Create The Conditions Where They Can Take It , and invited readers to answer this question: What are actions you take to create conditions for students to gain and exercise power in your classroom? Outi Frisk submitted this previous guest post, which had previously appeared at Ditch That Textbook . O

Resources For Learning About Indigenous Peoples

27by Larry Ferlazzo / 6d

alexstrachan /Pixabay With Indigenous People’s Day (also known as Columbus Day) coming up, I thought it would useful to put my related “Best” lists together: The Best Online Resources About Christopher Columbus (& ‘Indigenous Peoples’ Day’) The Best Sites For International Day Of The World’s Indigenous People THE BEST RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ABOUT PROTESTS AGAINST THE TELESCOPE IN HAWAII The Best

OCT 11

All My 2019 “Best” Lists In One Place!

by Larry Ferlazzo / 7d

Prawny / Pixabay I’ve recently begun posting my end-of-the-year “Best” lists for this year. They’ll eventually number about thirty or so, and I’ll just keep adding links to them here. I have compilation posts to all of my many previous annual lists here . Here’s what I have so far: THE BEST THIRTY-FIVE WEB 2.0 APPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION IN 2019 . The Best Social Studies Websites – 2019 (Part Two)

The Best Fun Videos For English Language Learners In 2019 – Part Two

by Larry Ferlazzo / 7d

I’m continuing with end-of-year “Best” lists. So far, I’ve published: THE BEST THIRTY-FIVE WEB 2.0 APPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATION IN 2019 . The Best Social Studies Websites – 2019 (Part Two) Best Videos For Educators In 2019 – Part Two I use short, funny video clips a lot when I’m teaching ELLs, and you can read in detail about how I use them in The Best Popular Movies/TV Shows For ESL/EFL (& How To

This Year’s Nobel Peace Prize Has Been Awarded – Here Are Teaching & Learning Resources

by Larry Ferlazzo / 8d

Clker-Free-Vector-Images / Pixabay The 2019 Nobel peace prize has been awarded to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. You can find many resources about him, past winners, and the Prize itself at The Best Sites To Learn About The Nobel Peace Prize .

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007

THIS WEEK Education Research Report

Education Research Report

THIS WEEK 

Education Research Report

Why college students and faculty remain resistant to more active learning despite its advantages

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1d

Despite active learning being recognized as a superior method of instruction in the classroom, a major recent survey found that most college STEM instructors still choose traditional teaching methods. This article addresses the long-standing question of why students and faculty remain resistant to active learning. Comparing passive lectures with active learning using a randomized experimental app

Results from national survey on sexual assault and misconduct available

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1d

The Association of American Universities has shared a summary report from the association’s 2019 Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Misconduct , which surveyed 33 participating universities to capture characteristics of campus sexual assault and misconduct. The aggregate results from the participating universities suggest that, while students know more about resources for victims, they s

The Impact of Universal Free Meals on Student Performance

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1d

Thispaper investigates the impact of extending free school lunch to all students, regardless of income, on academic performance in New York City middle schools. Using a difference-in-differences design and unique longitudinal, student level data, we derive credibly causal estimates of the impacts of “Universal Free Meals” (UFM) on test scores in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics, and pa

Report on Vouchers Struggles to Find Claimed Benefit

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1d

A recent Urban Institute report brings together certain findings from studies of three school voucher programs. The report concludes that students using vouchers to attend private schools sometimes have higher rates of college enrollment and completion than their public school counterparts. Here’s how Urban Institute researchers summarized these studies in a piece they wrote for Education Next (p

OCT 16

Screening kindergarten readiness

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 2d

Study finds that children with poor academic readiness are nine to 10 times more likely to have low reading scores 18 months later Starting kindergarten can be a challenging time for children as many are leaving home and learning to interact with others for the first time. As such, it is important for kindergartners to receive proper support from their teachers. Now, University of Missouri Colleg

Physical activity during lessons improves students' attainment

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 2d

Students who take part in physical exercises like star jumps or running on the spot during school lessons do better in tests than peers who stick to sedentary learning, according to a UCL-led study. The meta-analysis of 42 studies around the world, published in British Journal of Sports Medicine , aimed to assess the benefits of incorporating physical activity in academic lessons. This approach h

Read to kids in Spanish; it'll help their English

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 2d

A new study has found that children who had strong early reading skills in their native Spanish language when they entered kindergarten experienced greater growth in their ability to read English from kindergarten through fourth grade. Importantly, when the researchers factored in how well the students spoke English, it turned out that native language reading skills mattered more -- even at kinde

Relationship between Racial Discipline Disparities and Academic Achievement Gaps in U.S. Schools

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 2d

An increase in either the discipline gap or the academic achievement gap between black and white students in the United States predicts a jump in the other, according to a new study published today in AERA Open , a peer-reviewed journal of the American Educational Research Association. This is the first published peer-reviewed nationwide study of this topic. VIDEO : Watch study coauthor Francis P

OCT 15

Associations between Middle School Algebra I Teacher Qualifications and Student Math Achievement in Missouri

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 3d

A new study examines the associations between the qualifications of middle school Algebra I teachers in Missouri—their certifications to teach math, education background, and performance on certification exams—and student math achievement. Key findings include: Teacher performance on math certification exams and years of experience teaching math were the qualifications most strongly associated wi

OCT 14

Self-reported suicide attempts rising in black teens as other groups decline

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 4d

Adding to what is known about the growing crisis of suicide among American teens, a team led by researchers at the McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research at New York University have uncovered several troubling trends during the period of 1991-2017, among Black high school students in particular. The findings were published today (Oct. 14) in the November 2019 issue of Pediatrics , the

Short lunch periods in schools linked with less healthy eating

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 4d

Students with less than 20 minutes to eat school lunches consume significantly less of their entrées, milk, and vegetables than those who aren’t as rushed, according to a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “Many children, especially those from low-income families, rely on school meals for up to half their daily energy intake so it is essential that we give students a suffic

Protecting Tech-Savvy Students in the Digital District

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 4d

Full report Related article 2019 saw an unprecedented number of cybersecurity attacks on K-12 — the summer months had more incidents reported (160) than in the entire year of 2018 (122). Almost daily, there are new reports hitting the headlines. The incidents range from disruptive — Flagstaff School in Arizona closed for several days to address a ransomware attack— to catastrophic — Louisiana’s g

OCT 11

New Report Releases Data on Postsecondary Tuition, Fees and Degrees

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 7d

Between 2016–17 and 2018–19, the average tuition and required fees at 4-year public institutions increased 1 percent for in-state and decreased 0.2 percent for out-of-state students (after adjusting for inflation). During that same time period, tuition and required fees increased 1.4 percent at 4-year nonprofit institutions and decreased by 3.7 percent at for-profit institutions. The National Cen

Community colleges: Balancing College andWork

by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 7d

How can community colleges support students' goals of finding success in the workforce, both today and the future? This issue brief builds upon ACCT's previously published report Partnerships for a Future-Ready Workforce . This 

Education Research Report