Shaped

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

 

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Featured Posts

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How K-12 Administrators Can Run a 10-Minute ELA Audit

Use this 10-minute ELA curriculum audit to quickly scan your school’s full ELA system for research-aligned literacy indicators, identify gaps, and plan next steps

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How to align instruction with the science of reading

Meeting the AI Moment in Education—and How We Get It Right

AI is reshaping education—discover how to harness its potential and ensure we get it right for learners everywhere.

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Henry County Schools’ Strategic Approach to High-Quality Instruction in Every Classroom

See how one school system created a unified approach to instruction—aligning curriculum, professional learning, and feedback into a clear, scalable playbook.

Zoe Del Mar

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5 Things We Can Learn from This Year’s 180 Award Winners

From goal-setting to classroom routines, here are five practices shaping the success of this year’s 180 Award-winning teachers.

Brenda Iasevoli

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Intervention vs. Remediation in Education: How They’re Different & Why That Matters

Compare intervention vs remediation in education, including how they're different, why they're important, and strategies and activities to implement them

Dr. Bonnie Cochran

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Latest Posts

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How to Integrate Writing Across the Curriculum in Your Classroom

Whether you’re teaching math, science, social studies, or ELA, writing can be a great way to assess students’ learning and deepen their thinking on a subject. Here's how to incorporate writing across the curriculum in your classroom.

Dr. Troy Hicks
Professor of English and Education, Central Michigan University

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Math and Writing

Math and writing are compared as instructional practices, with ideas and activities for incorporating writing in math class

Amber Silverman
Shaped Contributor

Teacher with students in middle school classroom

How Teachers Use Writable with Into Reading and Into Literature 

Discover how Writable enhances core ELA programs with AI‑supported feedback and schoolwide writing data that helps leaders monitor progress and drive instructional improvement.

Jessica Altounian
Senior Marketing Manager, HMH Labs

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8 Fun Writing Activities for Middle School Students

These fun writing activities for middle school students address the critical writing skills students need for high school and beyond.

Stephanie Nash
Product Marketing Director, K–12 ELD and Multilingual Learners

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What Is the Science of Writing?

Discover how evidence-based writing instruction, aka the science of writing, supports literacy development, expression, and academic success.

Onalee Smith
Shaped Contributor

Julie Richardson, M.S. Ed.
Principal Content Designer, Literacy Content Solutions, HMH

Renee Behring
Education Research Director, Core ELA

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How to Teach Creative Writing

Asari Beale, writer, educator, and executive director of the Teachers & Writers Collaborative, shares tips for how to teach creative writing to students.

Asari Beale
Writer, Educator, and Executive Director of the Teachers & Writers Collaborative

WF1773850 Shaped 2023 Blog Post Halloween Writing Prompts Hero

35 Fun Halloween Writing Prompts & Ideas

Have some spooky fun with your students while exercising their critical thinking skills using these Halloween writing prompts and journal ideas.

Carey Blankenship-Kramer
Shaped Staff

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5 Classroom Writing Center Ideas

Create a welcoming space to support your growing writers with the these 5 classroom writing center ideas.

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor

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How Does Writing Fit Into the Science of Reading?

Learn how writing fits into the science of reading and why integrating reading and writing instruction supports stronger literacy outcomes for all students.

Julie Richardson, M.S. Ed.
Principal Content Designer, Literacy Content Solutions, HMH

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Grades 9–12 ELA Activity Set 10: Write Two-Sentence Stories and More

Have high schoolers find inspiration for stories in everyday objects or events and craft advice columns with these downloadable activities for at-home learning.

Shaped Staff

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22 Valentine’s Day Writing Prompts and Ideas

No matter what your middle school or high school class is reading, these writing prompts about love will get them ready for Valentine's Day.

Ali Habashi
Former 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

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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

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34 Mother’s Day Writing Prompts

Celebrate moms with these Mother's Day writing prompts for your K–3 classroom. Have students practice descriptive language or get creative with a short story.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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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

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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

How to write a rap

Literacy at Work: How to Write a Rap with Dr. Chris Emdin

Teach your students how to write a rap with Dr. Chris Emdin using this rap lesson plan, complete with a writing template, rubric, and teacher guide.

Shaped Staff

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Grades 9–12 ELA Activity Set 9: Write an Unnecessary Sequel and More

High schoolers can sharpen their writing skills with activities including a reflective essay on the past school year and a playlist for a book they read.

Shaped Staff

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

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Shorty Awards

Audience Honor, 2023, Shaped

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Digiday Content Marketing Awards

Finalist, 2023, Shaped

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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.