Shaped: The Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Education Blog

A Rosa Parks Lesson Plan: Teaching Her Legacy in the Classroom

Teach students about a key figure in the civil rights movement with this Rosa Parks lesson plan, with activities in language arts and social studies.

Shaped Staff

January 08, 2020

Martin Luther King Jr. Discussion Questions: Reflecting on His Legacy

On MLK Day, reflect on Martin Luther King Jr.’s powerful message of equality and human potential with a list of discussion questions.

Alex Honeysett

Former Director of Communications, Channel One News

December 26, 2019

Teaching World History: A Protestant Reformation Lesson Plan

Teach your students about the Protestant Reformation that started in the 16th century, when Catholic Europe experienced a religious, political, and cultural revolution of sorts.

Shaped Staff

December 17, 2019

Teaching the Renaissance: World History Lesson Plan and Activities

Use this lesson plan and activities for middle and high school students to teach your students about this era of cultural "rebirth" during the 14th to 17th centuries.

Shaped Staff

November 27, 2019

Teaching Supreme Court Cases: Engel v. Vitale and Religion in Schools

Teach your students about a controversial Supreme Court decision in 1952 regarding the role that religion should play in public school classrooms.

Shaped Staff

November 20, 2019

Podcast: Teaching Impeachment and Controversial Issues

Listen to a 15-minute conversation about how teachers can facilitate difficult classroom discussions, particularly considering questions that may arise about the impeachment inquiry currently in the news.

Onalee Smith

Shaped Staff

November 12, 2019

Teaching World History: Early American Civilizations—Activities and Resources

What do all civilizations have in common? Teach students how to answer that question by focusing on early American civilizations with this lesson plan.

Shaped Staff

October 31, 2019

Podcast: Preparing Future Voters and the Influence of Educators

Listen to a podcast on the objectives of civic education, the role of schools in teaching civics, and how to remain non-partisan while creating informed future voters. Featuring Sylvia Acevedo (CEO, Girl Scouts) and Dr. Emma Humphries (Chief Education Officer, iCivics).

Onalee Smith

Shaped Staff

October 29, 2019

Teaching Supreme Court Cases: Tinker v. Des Moines and Freedom of Speech

Use this Tinker v. Des Moines lesson plan to teach your students about the debate surrounding Freedom of Speech in public school settings.

Shaped Staff

October 25, 2019

3 Middle and High School Presidential Election Classroom Activities

Fun middle school and high school election day activities can help engage students in politics. Start with these classroom voting activities to teach the election process.

Tim Phillips

Social Science Teacher, Township School District 214, Illinois

October 23, 2019