From setup to support, HMH will ensure your back-to-school season runs smoothly. Let’s go.

Shaped

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

 

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Featured Posts

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Why HMH Performance Suite Is "Huge" for Liberty Elementary: A Conversation with Learning Director Lisa Nelson

Learn how HMH Performance Suite with Into Math helped Liberty Elementary students improve their math scores.

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How to align instruction with the science of reading

How to Align Instruction with the Science of Reading

Discover five key principles that policymakers, district leaders, and educators should keep in mind to help drive stronger, more equitable literacy outcomes.

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Professional Learning Goals for Teachers: Setting Purposeful Growth at Every Level

Michelle White

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9 Back-to-School Science Activities for Elementary Students

Explore these back-to-school science activities and experiments for the first day of science class.

Alicia Ivory

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Beyond the Acronyms: Multilingual Learners (MLL) vs. English Language Learners (ELL)—Why the Terms We Use Matter

Explore why is it important to understand the difference between multilingual learners (MLL or ML) vs. English language learner (ELL) and how educators can appropriately support each group in the classroom.

Dr. Giselle Carpio-Williams

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Latest Posts

Teacher with student in the classroom

Understanding the Academic Intervention Process

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

Donna Pappas
Regional Consultant, HMH

Welcome back to school activities ideas for students HERO

5 Welcome-Back-to-School Activities and Ideas for Students

Try out these welcome-back-to-school activities and ideas for students to usher in the new school year.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

Zoe Del Mar
Shaped Executive Editor

Bts icebreakers

2025 First-Day-of-School Icebreakers for All Grades

As you return to the classroom for back-to-school, try these 2025 first-day-of-school icebreaker activities to develop a sense of normalcy among students and build community.

Shaped Staff

Back to school science activities for elementary students hero

9 Back-to-School Science Activities for Elementary Students

Explore these back-to-school science activities and experiments for the first day of science class.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

School Calendar Themes Hero

2025–2026 Monthly Calendar Themes for School

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

Hanukkah activities games elementary

11 Hanukkah Classroom Games and Activities for Elementary Students

Celebrate the Festival of Lights with these Hanukkah classroom games and activities for elementary students.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

WF1742312 Shaped 2023 Blog Post Free End of the Year Gift Tags for Students Download Hero

Free Printable End-of-Year Gift Tags for Students

Create a memorable send-off to the school year and save time preparing by using these free printable end-of-year gift tags for students.

Onalee Smith
Shaped Contributor

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7 Research-Based Math Interventions for Elementary Students

Try these research-based math interventions for elementary students to help raise math achievement for students struggling in math.

Dana Leon
Shaped Contributor

2024 international literacy day activities for all ages hero

2025 International Literacy Day Activities for All Ages

Get students reading, writing, and learning more about the importance of literacy with these 2025 International Literacy Day activities.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

Women's History Month Books for Students HERO

11 Women’s History Month Books for Elementary Students

Use these Women’s History Month books for elementary students and activities to teach about women’s contributions to history.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

Animals Hide

Kindergarten Daily Reading Activities: Animals

Explore five days of reading lessons designed to engage your child in an exploration of the animal world.

Shaped Staff

Famous Female Scientists

Celebrating Famous Women in Science Who Have Impacted the World

Teach students about eight famous women in science by downloading these posters. These women have contributed to fields ranging from engineering to astronomy to chemistry.

Shaped Staff

Kindergarten Daily Reading

Kindergarten Daily Reading Activities: Stories and Tales

Explore five days of reading lessons designed to engage your child in an exploration of traditional tales.

Shaped Staff

Natural Wonders1

Kindergarten Daily Reading Activities: Natural Wonders

Discover five days of reading lessons designed to engage your child in an exploration of Earth’s ecosystems.

Shaped Staff

Wild Weather

Kindergarten Daily Reading Activities: Wild Weather

Discover five days of reading lessons designed to engage your child in an exploration of different kinds of weather.

Shaped Staff

Comm1

Kindergarten Daily Reading Activities: Community Helpers

Discover five days of reading lessons designed to engage your child in an exploration of how we play a role in our communities.

Shaped Staff

HMH High School 2018

What Are the Factors That Contribute to Reading Failure?

Dr. Laurie Cutting investigates how phonics plays a key role in an early learner’s ability to read successfully, while family history can play a role in dyslexia and other struggling readers.

Dr. Laurie E. Cutting
Professor, Vanderbilt University

Kindergarten Creativity Counts

Kindergarten Daily Reading Activities: Creativity Counts

Discover five days of reading lessons designed to engage your child in an exploration of arts and creativity.

Shaped Staff

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

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Shorty Awards

Audience Honor, 2023, Shaped

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Digiday Content Marketing Awards

Finalist, 2023, Shaped

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People’s Choice Podcast Awards

Finalist, 2021 & 2023, Teachers in America

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