Shaped

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

Latest Posts

Thanksgiving Activities Elementary Hero

No hand-traced turkeys here! Celebrate the holiday while boosting critical math, reading, and writing skills with these fun Thanksgiving activities for elementary students.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

WF1843855 Shaped 2023 Blog Post How to Write a Differentiated Lesson Plan hero

Learn how to write a differentiated lesson plan and find helpful resources, including a lesson plan template.

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor

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Photo: Adapted physical education teacher Eric Cavalli

Adapted physical education teacher Eric Cavalli from Manor, Texas shares strategies to create an accessible learning environment for students.

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor

WF1869805 Shaped 2023 Blog Post Veterans Day HERO

Photo: Grace, 7 years old, and her mom, 2023, near Fort Cavazos in TX (Courtesy of Benita Flucker)

Hear from HMH’s Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer on why honoring Veterans Day is an important part of our culture at HMH.

Benita Flucker
Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer, SVP Enterprise Development Strategy, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Teachers talking in a hallway WF1863201 1

Learn more about creating an inclusive professional learning environment and how to encourage belonging in school communities.

Ebony Tyler
LEAD Connected Manager

Lynn Walters
Director of Product Management & Strategy for Professional Services, HMH

Dr. Meg Pavlovich

WF1721296 Hero

Missouri reading interventionist Angela White shares how she structures her class to meet the academic and social and emotional needs of her students.

Angela White

WF1860574 Hero

Find free Veterans Day activities and lesson plans for elementary students to honor and celebrate those who have served.

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor

WF1791680 hero teacher and students clapping

Phonological and phonemic awareness are key aspects of emergent and beginning reading development and instruction. Read more to find out how the two terms connect to each other.

Dr. Shane Templeton
Foundation Professor Emeritus, Literacy Studies, University of Nevada, Reno; Into Reading Program Author

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Photo: K-5 literacy fellow Kayla Dyer

Burrillville School District literacy fellow and HMH Teacher Ambassador Kayla Dyer discusses writing teaching strategies to successfully guide students through the writing process.

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor

WF1773850 Shaped 2023 Blog Post Halloween Writing Prompts Hero

Have some spooky fun with your students while exercising their critical thinking skills using these Halloween writing prompts and journal ideas.

Carey Blankenship
Shaped Staff

WF1791680 hero teacher and students clapping

Learn about repeated reading, its benefits, and some how-tos for providing students with the opportunity to read texts again and again.

Francie Alexander
Senior Vice President, Efficacy & Consulting Research

Differentiation in Science hero

This article delves into the question, “What is differentiation in science?” Plus, discover differentiated instruction examples and strategies for the science classroom.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

WF1833970 Shaped 2024 Blog Post National Instructional Coaches Day Cards Hero

Celebrate 2024 National Instructional Coaches Appreciation Day on Oct 6th. Discover the vital role instructional coaches play in education!

Nikki La Londe
Director of Services Content Development, HMH

Meghan Toshner

WF1819771 Hero

An elementary educator and HMH Ambassador shares tips and resources on how to implement small-group instruction in the classroom, including a downloadable small-group lesson plan template.

Kayla Dyer
Teacher

WF1833955 inline image 2 student using tablet

Explore 11 evidence-based instructional interventions and instructional intervention examples that you can use today to help your students succeed.

Dana Leon
Shaped Contributor

Inquiry Based Learning in Science Hero

What is inquiry-based learning in science, and why is it important? Read more about the effectiveness of this teaching and learning approach.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

WF1833890 Shaped 2024 Blog Post Grandparents Day Activities for School Hero

Celebrate 2024 Grandparents' Day with classroom activities to honor your grandparent figures in the different ways.

Autumn Davis
Content Marketing Intern, HMH

Zoe Del Mar
Shaped Executive Editor

High school writing hero

Ensure students get the practice, feedback, and revision experience they need for success with these tried-and-true strategies for teaching high school writing.

Kristen Eannetta
Instructional Coach

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