Shaped

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

 

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Seven Strategies For Reading Success Thumb

Try these 7 ELL strategies for reading success. Help your ELL students to engage with reading and foster a desire to connect with texts.

Rebecca Salinas
Learning Architect, HMH

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

911 Tribute in Light hero

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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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

What Is Inquiry-Based Learning in Social Studies

What is inquiry-based learning in social studies? Learn more about inquiry-based learning and its benefits for students.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

June Middle School Icebreakers 2

Check out our first-day-of-school icebreaker activities for middle school students. Using icebreakers will help ease everyone back into the school routine.

Kristen Eannetta
Instructional Coach

Summer Science Experiments and Activities Hero

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

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

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

Onalee Smith
Shaped Contributor

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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

WF1714365 Graphic Organizers for ELL Students hero

Find a collection of graphic organizer to help ELL students build vocabulary, compare and contrast, and activate prior knowledge.

Jennifer Corujo
Shaped Editor

9 Black History Month Science Activities and Experiments

Use these Black History Month science activities and experiments to teach students about notable scientists and inventors.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

How to Promote Kindness in Our Kids

Former teacher and current HMH Chief Academic Officer Francie Alexander offers educators some tips on how to create a kindness movement in their classrooms and communities.

Francie Alexander
Senior Vice President, Efficacy & Consulting Research

WF1370450 Summer Slide HERO 1

Keep your students learning and engaged with these strategies and activities to prevent summer slide from HMH's Chief Research Officer.

Francie Alexander
Senior Vice President, Efficacy & Consulting Research

Groundhog Day Activities for Elementary Students Hero

Try these fun 2026 Groundhog Day activities for elementary students in your classroom.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

Christine Darden, black scientist

Check out this list of famous black scientists today and during the 20th century, and distribute the posters of African American scientists to your students or hang them in your classroom.

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Try these collecting data lesson plans for 1st and 2nd grade to introduce students to tally charts and other ways to collect and interpret data.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

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Series of folding shapes activities for 1st and 2nd graders to practice symmetry and geometry concepts

Alyssa Fuller
Math Intervention Teacher; Learning Experience Designer, HMH

The Science in Science Fiction A Strategy for Integrating Science and ELA HERO

Teaching sci-fi in the classroom can help students understand the importance of science in their daily lives.

Ann Pearson
Shaped Contributor

Choice boards differentiation hero

Try creating choice boards for students. These activity menus are a great way to differentiate learning, which can increase student engagement and improve academic outcomes.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor