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Shaped

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

 

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WF1288378 Shaped 2020 Blog Halloween Math Activities Hero Literature

ELA Halloween Activities for Middle School and High School Students

Get your ELA class into the spirit with these fun Halloween activities for middle school and high school students, and learn from a few masters of horror how to really make those spines tingle and those bones shake.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

Student reading

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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Grades 6–8 ELA Activity Set 9: Invent a Board Game and More

Help your middle schoolers sharpen their writing and critical thinking skills with activities including a poetry scavenger hunt and an opportunity for them to invent a board game.

Shaped Staff

Student reading

Grades 6–8 ELA Activity Set 1: Poetry Scavenger Hunt

Sharpen your writing, language, critical thinking, and reading skills with these instructional resources for Grades 6-8, including a poetry scavenger hunt.

Shaped Staff

Activityset3

Grades 6–8 ELA Activity Set 3: Identify Figurative Language and More

Have middle schoolers identify figurative language, start a dialectical journal, and respond to daily dinner prompts.

Shaped Staff

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Grades 6–8 ELA Activity Set 10: Create a Story Spine and More

Have middle schoolers create a Story Spine, find inspiration in everyday objects, and write an advice column.

Shaped Staff

Blog Lit Language Arts Activities 6 8 4C284B73B1B0834026B992B9Ac93D6Bd 4C284B73B1B0834026B992B9Ac93D6Bd 4C284B73B1B0834026B992B9Ac93D6Bd 4C284B73B1B0834026B992B9Ac93D6Bd 4C284B73B1B0834026B992B9Ac93D6Bd

Grades 6–8 ELA Activity Set 8: Analyze a Media Message

For this week's activities, students can create how-to videos, analyze media messages, and respond to summer writing prompts.

Shaped Staff

Activityset 5

Grades 6–8 ELA Activity Set 5: Teaching Metaphor by Carol Jago and More

Teach students about metaphors and have them write fiction stories with these free downloadable activities for middle schoolers.

Shaped Staff

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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.

Tarwos Read 180 Story HMH hero

How Reading Intervention Turned an Indifferent Learner into a Passionate Educator

When Tarwo Konbloa came to the United States from a Cote d'Ivoire refugee camp at age 11, he struggled in school. But in time his academics improved through a mix of perseverance, intervention, and dedicated teachers.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive 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

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

Building Background Knowledge in K–6 Literacy

Strategies for Building Background Knowledge in Reading, Grades K–6

Learn more about and get strategies for building background knowledge in reading.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

HMH Staff

How To Write A Praise Poem

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

Scaffolding Writing Instruction Hero

Scaffolding Writing Instruction

Learn more about scaffolding writing instruction, a process that provides the support that students need to grow as writers.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

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