Shaped

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

Latest Posts

The importance of public speaking skills for students

The Importance of Public Speaking Skills for Students

Why is public speaking important for students? Teaching oral communication can improve your classroom activities and equip students with lifelong skills.

Erik Palmer
Program Consultant, Into Reading and Into Literature

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25 Valentine's Day Writing Prompts and Ideas

No matter what your middle school or high school class is reading, these writing prompts about love will get them ready for Valentine's Day.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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Education Conversations: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at HMH’s Podcasts

Get a look behind the scenes of HMH's two education podcasts, Teachers in America, hosted by Noelle Morris, and Shaping the Future, hosted by Matthew Mugo Fields.

Christine Condon
Shaped Editor-in-Chief

Graphic organizer templates

Free Graphic Organizer Templates

Use these free graphic organizer templates to help your students communicate more effectively by classifying ideas, structuring writing projects, and more.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

Bulletin boards presidents day

6 Presidents' Day Bulletin Board Ideas for Teachers

Check out these six Presidents' Day bulletin board ideas created by teachers to get your students learning about American presidents.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

Education Trends 2021

8 Education Trends to Watch in 2021

We asked ed leaders from across the country to weigh in on education trends for 2021. Here's what they had to say.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

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2024 National School Counseling Week Ideas: How to Show Appreciation

When is National School Counseling Week in 2024? Explore counselor appreciation week ideas for your school to help celebrate.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

Inauguration acivities for students

5 Presidential Inauguration Activities for Students

Inauguration Day is January 20. These presidential inauguration activities for students can be integrated into social studies or language arts lessons and used in remote or in-person classrooms.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

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The Benefits of Building a Team of Like-Minded Teachers

CJ Reynolds finds support with fellow teachers both at school and in online communities.

CJ Reynolds
High School Literature Teacher, Philadelphia School District

WF1289060 Shaped 2020 Revamp Elementary Science

Science Activities for Elementary Students

Get your kids developing hypotheses, performing experiments, and gathering evidence with these interactive science activities for elementary students.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

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Teaching Impeachment in the Classroom: Q&A With Emma Humphries of iCivics

Dr. Emma Humphries, Chief Education Officer at iCivics, shares how she believes educators can carefully and thoughtfully approach teaching impeachment in K–12 classrooms.

Geraldine Stevens
Social Studies Content Expert

Map hands voting

How to Teach a Contested Election and Prioritize Students' Emotional Health

Chris Dier provides five ideas for educators to explore the election with students while ensuring their social and emotional health.

Chris Dier
2020 Louisiana State Teacher of the Year

Engage students online learning

5 Ways to Keep Students Engaged When Teaching Remotely

Keep students in elementary school and up engaged in remote learning so you can see that spark of excitement in your students again, even if it is via webcam.

Rachel Swartz
Sixth Grade Teacher, Riverdale Kingsbridge Academy (MS/HS 141), Bronx, New York

US Capital 2

How to Talk to Kids About the Violence at the U.S. Capitol

While talking to children about the violence at the U.S. Capitol, parents and school professionals can employ strategies to empower them through knowledge while restoring a sense of calm.

Shaped Staff

100th Day of School Dress-Up and Costume Ideas

100th Day of School Dress-Up and Costume Ideas

Celebrate 100 days of learning with these 100th Day of School dress-up ideas, costumes, and outfits for teachers and students.

Onalee Smith
Shaped Contributor

Challenge your students with these 100th Day of School math activities

6 100th Day of School Math Activities: Challenge Your Students

Download these 100th Day of School math activities for your classroom. These printables are suitable for students in Grades 2-5 and beyond.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

New years bulletin board

7 New Year's Bulletin Board Ideas for Teachers

Happy New Year! These New Year's bulletin board ideas for teachers are sure to get students thinking about what changes they want to make in school and their personal lives.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

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6 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Bulletin Board Ideas

Use these Martin Luther King, Jr. Day bulletin boards as inspiration for your own to teach students about themes such as racial equality.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

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