Shaped

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

 

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Math meets fashion: how does a fashion designer use math?

Math Meets Fashion: How Does a Fashion Designer Use Math?

Learn about the role of mathematics in fashion design with the "Math Meets Fashion" episode of HMH's Math at Work web series.

Shaped Staff

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Teaching Multiplication and Division Relationship Using Arrays

Use this lesson to teach students array multiplication, array division, along with other visual aids to show the relationship between multiplication and division.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

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Virtual Rewards for Students in the Online Classroom

Looking for ideas for virtual rewards for students in the online classroom? Try these incentives to ensure students have fun in the online classroom. These ideas offer ways to reward individual students or entire classes.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

Cellphones In Schools

4 Mistakes Educators Make Trying to Manage Cellphones in Schools

Explore suggestions for what you can do differently to achieve a better result when it comes to managing student use of cellphones in classrooms.

Weston Kieschnick
Associate Partner, ICLE

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Grades 1–2 Science Activities: Conservation

Explore a variety of scientific learning activities to engage students in environmental conservation.

Shaped Staff

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7 Tips for Helping Your Child with Math at Home (When You Hate Math)

Explore tips for parents, caregivers, and educators who are helping children with math at home but don't feel comfortable or competent in the discipline.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

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Teacher Appreciation Week Ideas from Principals and Administrators

Looking for the perfect way to say “Thank-you” to educators? We’ve collected Teacher Appreciation Week ideas from principals and administrators across the country. Feel free to steal or revamp them as you please.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

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Pi Day Scavenger Hunt for Middle School Students

Celebrate Pi Day with a Pi Day scavenger hunt for middle school students. Have students scour the classroom for objects relating to the number pi.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

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Inspiring Black History Month Classroom Door Decoration Ideas

Use these Black History Month classroom door decoration ideas to honor the achievements of African Americans throughout history and shed light on the triumphs and challenges they have faced.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

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Teaching Prime Factorization of 36

When a composite number (like 36) is written as a product of all of its prime factors, we have the prime factorization of the number.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

Middle school student reading a book during reading intervention

7 Middle School and High School Reading Intervention Strategies

Support students with these seven tips to maximize middle school and high school reading intervention and help your students become better readers.

Shelley Branine
Instructional Coach, HMH

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Math Meets Homebuilding: How Do Homebuilders Use Math in Their Careers?

Explore how math meets homebuilding with this Math at Work web series episode answering the question: How do homebuilders use math in their careers?

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

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Math Talk Moves: Engaging Students Through Discussion in the Math Classroom

Students should be engaged in solving and discussing tasks that promote reasoning and problem solving.

Dr. Matthew R. Larson
Past President, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM); Senior Fellow, Math Solutions

Renaissance Lesson Plan

Teaching the Renaissance: World History Lesson Plan and Activities

Use our Renaissance lesson plan and activities for middle school and high school to teach your students about this era of cultural “rebirth” in the 14th to 17th centuries.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

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Math at The Met: Teaching Math Through Art from the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Here are three specific ways that teaching math through art from The Met can enhance your students’ learning experience.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

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Multiply or Add First? Teaching Order of Operations Rules

Use this lesson to teach students about the order of operations: complete operations in parentheses, multiply and divide from left to right, and add and subtract from left to right.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

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2026 National School Counseling Week Ideas: How to Show Appreciation

When is National School Counseling Week in 2026? Explore counselor appreciation week ideas for your school to help celebrate.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

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Teaching Rational Numbers: Decimals, Fractions, and More

Use this lesson to teach students about rational numbers, including decimals, fractions, and integers.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor