Shaped

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

 

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

Featured Posts

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RTI/ MTSS Pyramid: Flipping the Triangle

School districts across the country describe the RTI/MTSS pyramid as “flipped.” So HMH researchers created a replacement for the traditional triangle that better represents the skill diversity in today’s classrooms.

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Sherrye Scott on Teachers in America podcast

Podcast: Don’t Forget Your Why with Sherrye Scott

When Sherrye Scott realized her daughter needed additional help in school, she transitioned from a career in computer information systems to education. Now a math intervention teacher in Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Texas, Sherrye shares how she incorporates social-emotional strategies into math instruction and how she motivates students to learn and succeed

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A Close Look at Scaffolding vs. Differentiation

Teachers are all too familiar with the challenge of adapting to the needs of every student in the classroom. Knowing when and how to use differentiation vs. scaffolding in instruction can help.

Dana Leon

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Changing Lives Through Intervention in Schools

Intervention in school is defined, and key insights into how to provide effective intervention are provided.

Bonnie Cochran

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What Do Teachers Really Think About AI in the Classroom? Experts Respond to New Report

HMH experts weigh in on the results of our 9th annual Educator Confidence Report, which shares teachers' perspectives on AI.

Brenda Iasevoli

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Latest Posts

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14 Winter Holiday Activities for School

Celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa with 14 holiday classroom activities, games, and crafts for elementary and middle school students.

Jordan Friedman
Shaped Editor

Zoe Del Mar
Shaped Staff

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9 National Hispanic Heritage Month Activities for Students: A Celebration of Culture

Use these National Hispanic Heritage Month activities and lesson ideas to honor Hispanic American contributions and influences in our society.

Daniel Poremba
Senior Tier II Specialist, HMH

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11 Essential 9/11 Activities & Lesson Plans for the Classroom

Looking for ways to help your students understand the September 11 terror attacks and their impact? Use these 9/11 activities and lesson plans designed for middle and high school classrooms.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

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8 Fun Constitution Day Activities for Students: We the People

Here are Constitution Day activities to engage your students in learning about the historic document that defines how our government works.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

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2023–2024 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.

Shaped Staff

Summer learning activities for elementary and middle school students

11 Fun Summer Learning Activities for Elementary and Middle School Students

As the school year ends, keep kids engaged with these fun summer learning activities for elementary and middle school students.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Editor

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

WF1465051 Shaped 2021 Blog Post Classroom Reward Ideas

11 Ideas for Cheap or Free Classroom Rewards and Incentives

Explore 11 ideas for cheap or free classroom rewards and incentives. No matter what your budget looks like, get your students motivated to participate!

Ali Habashi
Shaped Editor

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6 Juneteenth Activities & Lesson Plans for Students

Celebrate Juneteenth in the classroom. Explore Juneteenth activities and lesson plans for elementary, middle school, and high school students.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

WF1559159 Shaped 2022 Blog Post Science of Reading Strategies Hero

10 Science of Reading Strategies for Reading Instruction

Read one teacher's top 10 instructional strategies to support science of reading in the classroom.

Renae Kuhn

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Sentence Frames for ELL Students

Learn how to use sentence frames for ELL students to support written and oral language development.

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor

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2023 First-Day-of-School Icebreakers for All Grades

As you return to the classroom for back-to-school, try these 2023 first-day-of-school icebreaker activities to develop a sense of normalcy among students and build community.

Shaped Staff

Teacher sits at desk in front of a classroom of students

2024 Classroom Management Articles and Resources for Teachers

Use our curated list of classroom management articles and resources to help you organize and manage your classroom.

Zoe Del Mar
Shaped Staff

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8 Fun Summer Science Experiments and Activities

Keep the learning going throughout summer break with these 8 fun summer science experiments and activities.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

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Podcast: Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona Celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week 2023 on Teachers in America

Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona shares his 2023 Teacher Appreciation Week message and details the Department of Education's "Raise the Bar: Lead the World" effort.

Christine Condon
Shaped Editor-in-Chief

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor

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12 Fun Ideas for Cheap End-of-Year Gifts for Students from Teachers

Save time and money with these cheap end-of-year gifts for students from teachers.

Onalee Smith
Shaped Contributor

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11 Mother’s Day Celebration Ideas in School

Check out our list of 11 Mother’s Day celebration ideas for school. From primary to middle school, explore fun Mother’s Day classroom activities and projects.

Marcela Grillo
Writer, Girls Write Now

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What Is Procedural Fluency in Math?

This article explains what is procedural fluency in math. Common myths are explored, along with how procedural fluency changes across grades.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Editor

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7 End-of-Year Science Activities to Celebrate the Start of Summer

These 7 end of year science activities will help teachers find projects and experiments suited to teaching science at the end of a school year.

Alexa Dowlen
Learning Experience Design, K–12 Science

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