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

 

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Grades 1 and 2

Free 1st and 2nd Grade Learning Activities

Keep your students engaged while boosting their academic skills with these free, downloadable 1st and 2nd grade learning activities in reading, math, and science.

Shaped Staff

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Free Kindergarten Learning Activities

With these free kindergarten learning activities, videos, and teacher guides, you can build your students' knowledge of reading, math, and science.

Shaped Staff

WF1289060 Shaped 2020 Revamp Grade 1 2 Reading

Free Reading Activities for 1st and 2nd Grade

With these free reading activities for 1st and 2nd grade, you can engage young learners in topics ranging from incredible insects to the great outdoors.

Shaped Staff

Reading tablet student

Redefining How We Teach Reading for the 21st Century

In a world increasingly driven by technology, it's time for educators to focus on teaching lessons that prepare students for digital reading.

Erik Palmer
Program Consultant, Into Reading and Into Literature

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7 Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies and Instructional Practices

Implement these culturally responsive teaching strategies and instruction practices in the classroom to help students feel included, validated, valued, and safe.

Dr. Tyrone C. Howard
Professor, UCLA; Senior Fellow, The Center for Model Schools; HMH Learning Sciences & Research Advisory Board

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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

Middle school writing strategies

Strategies to Teach Writing in Grades 3–12: Hear from the Experts

Listen to these podcasts from nationally acclaimed writing experts to help you find your stride when it comes to writing instruction for Grades 3-12.

Sara Buren
Shaped Contributor

Fun writing prompts for middle school

4 Writing Prompts for Middle School Students to Practice Different Genres

Use these four fun writing prompts for middle school students, along with accompanying rubrics and tips, to help them build their writing skills throughout the school year.

Sara Buren
Shaped Contributor

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Reading Resolutions for Educators: #5—Literacy for All!

Educators, families, and communities working together can achieve HMH Chief Research Officer Francie Alexander's goal of Literacy for All!

Francie Alexander
Senior Vice President, Efficacy & Consulting Research

Carol Jago Blogs 1

Great Summer Reads with Carol Jago: Never Give Up, Grades 6–8

Though the characters in these stories face challenges and obstacles, they never stop trying to do the right thing.

Shaped Staff

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Literacy at Work: The Writers Room with Duane Capizzi

Have your students explore the exciting world of TV writing with a free lesson plan and insights from producer, writer, and Carmen Sandiego showrunner Duane Capizzi.

Shaped Staff

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Great Summer Reads with Carol Jago: Never Give Up, Grades 9–12

Though the characters in these stories face challenges and obstacles, they never stop trying to do the right thing.

Shaped Staff

Virtual writers room duane capizzi hero

How to Write for TV: Virtual Collaboration and the Blank Page

Writing for television is certainly one of the more collaborative forms of writing. But collaboration is only the first step of the process, since the goal of The Writers Room is for writers to come away with an episodic assignment to complete.

Duane Capizzi
TV Writer and Producer

Ballgame Blog

Play Ball! The Best Sports Books for Kids of All Ages

These sports books for kids will provide your children with some all-star fun while we wait until it’s safe to get back on the field and in the stands.

Susan Steinway
Archivist, HMH

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Great Summer Reads with Carol Jago: Stories You Won't Forget, Grades 6–8

These stories will probably stick with you the rest of your life—the characters and what they experience are just that unforgettable! 

Shaped Staff

Carol Jago Blogs4

Great Summer Reads with Carol Jago: Stories You Won't Forget, Grades 9–12

These stories will probably stick with you the rest of your life—the characters and what they experience are just that unforgettable!

Shaped Staff

Science is poetry

Science Is Poetry: Teaching Students to See Science from a Different Lens

As educators, encouraging our students to go deep into science can spark their passion and open up avenues for their creativity through artistic expression.

Ann Pearson
Shaped Contributor

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Great Summer Reads with Carol Jago: Dystopian Tales, Grades 6-8

Dystopian novels—often set in the future—depict undesirable or frightening societies where the citizens suffer from restrictions and/or injustices.

*The views expressed in our blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of HMH.