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Shaped

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

 

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Grades 6–8 ELA Activity Set 6: Explore a Podcast and More

Have your students hone their active-listening skills and identify literary terms with these at-home activities for middle schoolers.

Two students reading and taking notes and one student using a tablet.

My Top Five Reading Strategies for Secondary Students

Read more about five essential reading strategies for secondary students, including tips to enhance comprehension and help students become active readers.

Jakeima (Jai) Lewis, MEd
Sixth-Grade Teacher, Instructional Coach & Teacher’s Corner Contributor

Activityset2

Grades 6–8 ELA Activity Set 2: Summarize an Informational Text and More

Have middle schoolers improve their writing, critical thinking, and reading skills with these activities, which include creating a word cloud and summarizing informational texts.

Shaped Staff

Students write at their desks during a classroom poetry writing lesson

New Wings: Writing Praise Poems in the Classroom

Poet Glenis Redmond says teaching students how to write a praise poem is a great way to dive into metaphors and similes and have them flex their creative muscles.

Glenis Redmond
Poet and Teaching Artist

Fourth of july poems

Patriotic Poems from HMH Poets for the Fourth of July

Celebrate July 4th with six patriotic poems from HMH poets. Explore a selection of Fourth of July poems to help commemorate America’s Independence Day.

Susan Steinway
Archivist, HMH

WF1289060 Shaped 2020 Revamp Grade 6 8 ELA

Free English Language Arts and Reading Activities for Middle School

Try free English language arts activities for Grades 6-8 focusing on haikus, metaphors, figurative language, and more curriculum-rich topics.

Shaped Staff

St Patricks Day Writing Prompts Hero

22 St. Patrick’s Day Writing Prompts and Activities

Bring some luck to your classroom with these St. Patrick’s Day writing prompts and activities for elementary, middle school, and high school students.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

Toney Jackson Screenshot Writing Rhymes

Writing Rhymes and Raps with Toney Jackson

Teacher and award-winning poet Toney Jackson joins us for a special lesson on how to write rhymes in the classroom.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor