Shaped

A community-driven blog supporting educators, building lifelong learners,
and shaping the future of education.* 

Featured Posts

Wayne Westland SD teachers in a classroom

A Fresh Approach to Intervention Is Boosting Achievement in a Michigan School District

Hear from educators about a new approach to intervention that’s raising student achievement in the Wayne-Westland Community School District, outside Detroit.

Melissa Hawkins Teachers in America podcast

Podcast: Partnering with Families to Build Early Literacy Skills with Melissa Hawkins

Kindergarten teacher Melissa Hawkins joins us from Hawai'i to discuss student engagement, literacy instruction, and connecting with families.

Latest Posts

Summer learning activities for elementary and middle school students

As the school year ends, keep kids engaged with these fun summer school activities for elementary and middle school students.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

Mothers Day Hero

Check out our list of 13 Mother’s Day celebration ideas for school. From primary to middle school, explore fun Mother’s Day classroom activities and projects.

Marcela Grillo
Writer, Girls Write Now

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

Presidents Day Lesson Plans And Activities

Use these 9 Presidents' Day lesson plans and activities for middle and high school classrooms to foster engaged and informed citizens.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

WF1877983 Shaped 2024 Blog Post Math 180 Research Study

A case study of Math 180 is described and explained as part of the research that HMH conducts to test its intervention products

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

Fun Black History Month Activities For Kids 2

Download these fun Black History Month activities for elementary and middle school students to teach your class about African American history.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor

Science Formative Assessment: Assessing with Purpose

Dynamic science formative assessment engages students and promotes their thinking; additionally, it informs instruction for educators.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

Martin Luther King, Jr. project ideas and activities for the classroom

Explore 7 Martin Luther King Jr. project ideas and activities to honor MLK and his contributions to the civil rights movement.

Onalee Smith
Shaped Contributor

Zoe Del Mar
Shaped Executive Editor

Teacher with student in the classroom

Learn how academic intervention can help close learning gaps and improve student academic achievement.

Donna Pappas
Regional Consultant, HMH

Holiday Classroom Activities Christmas Hanukkah Kwanzaa

Celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa with 14 holiday classroom activities, games, and crafts for elementary and middle school students.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

Zoe Del Mar
Shaped Executive Editor

National hispanic heritage month 2021 hero

Use these National Hispanic Heritage Month activities and lesson ideas to honor Hispanic American contributions and influences in our society.

Daniel Poremba
Senior Tier II Specialist, HMH

Constitution day activities 3 85cab6aa25ee358f8b9ee45ba7a4bd78

Here are Constitution Day activities to engage your students in learning about the historic document that defines how our government works.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

School Calendar Themes Hero

Check out these monthly calendar themes for school, complete with teaching resources for holidays and other days of significance for all grade levels.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

Zoe Del Mar
Shaped Executive Editor

WF1465051 Shaped 2021 Blog Post Classroom Reward Ideas

Explore 11 ideas for cheap or free classroom rewards and incentives. No matter what your budget looks like, get your students motivated to participate!

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

Juneteenth national freedom day hero image

Celebrate Juneteenth in the classroom. Explore Juneteenth activities and lesson plans for elementary, middle school, and high school students.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

WF1559159 Shaped 2022 Blog Post Science of Reading Strategies Hero

Read one teacher's top 10 instructional strategies to support science of reading in the classroom.

Renae Kuhn

WF1764700 Shaped 2023 Blog Post Sentence Frames for ELL Students Hero

Learn how to use sentence frames for ELL students to support written and oral language development.

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor

Bts icebreakers

As you return to the classroom for back-to-school, try these 2024 first-day-of-school icebreaker activities to develop a sense of normalcy among students and build community.

Shaped Staff

Teacher sits at desk in front of a classroom of students

Use our curated list of classroom management articles and resources to help you organize and manage your classroom.

Zoe Del Mar
Shaped Executive Editor

*The views expressed in our blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of HMH.