Shaped

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

 

OVER 10 MILLION READS

Featured Posts

Students writing on electronic whiteboard

How Has Technology Changed Education?

Here we take a deep dive into the question, “How has technology changed education?” and uncover tech’s role in opening up new possibilities for teaching and learning.

Read More
[Podcast] Ed Trends Minisode: Education Predictions for 2025 with Shawn Young

[Podcast] Ed Trends Minisode: Education Predictions for 2025 with Shawn Young 

What will be trending in education in 2025? Host Kailey Rhodes sits down with Classcraft cofounder and HMH’s SVP of product management and strategy Shawn Young to discuss 2025 education predictions. 

Listen Now
Spring activities for elementary students hero

7 Fun Spring Activities for Elementary Students

Happy spring! Try these 7 spring activities for elementary students for ideas to celebrate the season!

Alicia Ivory

Read More
WF2093761 Shaped 2025 Blog Post What Is RTI in Elementary School Final

What Is RTI in Elementary School? A Powerful Tool, Reimagined

This blog post explores the question, “What is RTI in elementary school?” and how RTI serves as a powerful framework to ensure all students have the right support they need to succeed.

Dr. Bonnie Cochran

Read More
WF2082565 hero option 2

How One District Uses Data to Drive Student Success

Learn about how Blue Springs School District in Missouri recognized the urgent need to address learning gaps and reduce the burden of catch-up while providing support and actionable data to inform teaching and better meet students' needs.

Onalee Smith

Read More

Latest Posts

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

WF2019963 Shaped 2025 Blog Post Progression of Phonological Awareness Skills Hero

Progression of Phonological Awareness Skills

This blog post explores the progression of phonological awareness skills and ways you can support developing readers.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

Teaching How To Write An Email

You’ve Got Mail: How to Teach Email Writing to Students

Learn how to teach email writing to students and focus on proper email etiquette so they can ask questions and send greetings to teachers, school staff, and even parents.

Sally Doulton
Teacher, Manhasset Secondary School, New York

July Differentiated Instruction 1

Conferring Is Differentiated Instruction: How to Hold Student Writing Conferences

Writing conferences are one-to-one conversations and give teachers a crucial opportunity to meet each student’s individual needs.

Carl Anderson
Author and Literacy Consultant

Graphic organizers reading

Free Graphic Organizers for Reading Comprehension

Try these free graphic organizers for reading comprehension for all grade levels to help students visually organize their thoughts about literature.

Shaped Staff

Read Alouds1

Interactive Read-Aloud Strategies: Build Strong Relationships with Students

What is an interactive read-aloud? Learn interactive read-aloud strategies to build strong student-teacher relationships in the classroom.

Monica Fitzgerald
Reading AIS Teacher, Gillette Road Middle School

May Memorial Day

9 Memorial Day Activities for Elementary and Middle School Students

Use these Memorial Day classroom activities for elementary and middle school students to honor those who sacrificed for their country.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

Teaching students how to write a persuasive paragraph hero

Teaching Students How to Write a Persuasive Paragraph

Teaching kids how to write a persuasive paragraph consisting of their opinion and supporting sentences puts them on the right track to being an effective communicator.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

Teaching students how to write an expository paragraph hero

Teaching Students How to Write an Expository Paragraph

Want to help your students develop their organizational, analytical, and research skills? Teach them how to write an expository paragraph.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

Hmh Elementary 2017 48114

All About Me Activities: Celebrate What Makes You ‘Different’

Explore “All About Me”​ activities for elementary and middle school students. Help your students to celebrate what makes them different.

Onalee Smith
Shaped Contributor

Oral reading fluency group reading hero

What Is Oral Reading Fluency?

This article answers the question, what is oral reading fluency? It provides fluency teaching strategies after defining fluency and explaining why it’s important.

Dr. Amy Endo
Education Research Director, Supplemental & Intervention Language & Literacy

Coaching3

What Is Student-Centered Coaching? Consider These Examples

What is student-centered coaching? To meet students’ individual needs, teachers may consider coaching that analyzes data and formulates student-centered goals.

Michelle Smith
Professional Services Consultant, HMH

13 Classroom New Year's Activities for Students

13 Classroom New Year's Activities for Students

Ready for a fresh start in your classroom? Say goodbye to the old and hello to the new with our fun New Year's activities for students.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

WF1995913 Shaped 2024 Classcraft blog migration images17

Fun Reading Activities and Lesson Plan Ideas for All Grades

Looking for fun reading activities to keep your students engaged? Check out our collection of reading and writing activities.

Christen Spehr
Shaped Editor

Background knowledge reading hero 2

The Importance of Building Background Knowledge in Reading

In this blog, we break down the importance of building background knowledge in reading, and provide ways to build and strengthen comprehension.

Jennifer Prescott
Shaped Contributor

WF1289060 Shaped 2020 Revamp Grade 3 5 Reading

Free Reading Activities for 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade

These reading activities for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade will help your students with reading practice so they can gain the right literacy skills.

Shaped Staff

National hispanic heritage month 2021 hero

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

Community Building Shout Outs

11 Classroom Community-Building Activities for Elementary Students

Ready to help your kiddos develop meaningful relationships and connect with their classmates? Try these classroom community-building activities for elementary students.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

Shorty Audience Honor 1x1 png

Shorty Awards

Audience Honor, 2023, Shaped

Digiday Finalist Awards 1x1 png

Digiday Content Marketing Awards

Finalist, 2023, Shaped

Podcast Awards Peoples Choice Awards 1x1 png

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.