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Shaped

The learners of today will shape 

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

Latest Posts

Just-in-time versus just-in-case scaffolding: how to foster productive perseverance

Just-in-Time vs. Just-in-Case Scaffolding: How to Foster Productive Perseverance

Dr. Juli K. Dixon
Professor of Mathematics Education; Elementary, Middle, Secondary, and Post-Secondary Mathematics Education

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7 Kwanzaa Activities for Elementary Students

Joyous Kwanzaa! Introduce your students to the principles, symbols, and traditions this holiday has to offer with these Kwanzaa activities and lesson plans for elementary students.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

5 Awesome Activities for Teaching Kindness

5 Free Kindness Activities for the Classroom

Celebrate World Kindness Day with 5 free kindness activities for the classroom. Encourage empathy, inclusion and acceptance.

Corrinna Pole
Shaped Contributor

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Fun 3rd Grade Math Games & Activities for the Classroom

Try these fun 3rd grade math games and activities in your classroom! These 8 games, activities, and puzzles will help your students love learning math and see how 3rd grade math ideas show up in the real world.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

Reading remote learning

4 Ways to Align Reading Instruction to a Remote Learning Environment

In remote learning, the context in which educators are teaching reading has changed, but the underlying principles of learning have not.

Kathleen Richards
Former HMH Senior Learning Scientist, ELA and Humanities

Differentiation remote learning

Why Is Differentiated Instruction Important During COVID-19?

Research says targeted, differentiated instruction is a powerful way to address learning loss and teach new material—even in a remote classroom setting.

Rachel L. Schechter, PhD
VP Learning Sciences, Learning Sciences and Research Advisory Board Chair

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Perceptions of the State of Teaching: Our 6th Annual Educator Confidence Report

Our annual report brings to the forefront educators' views on the state of K–12 education, their profession, and what their students need.

John "Jack" Lynch
President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director, HMH

EdTech trends

The Latest Trends in Educational Technology

Explore eight of the latest trends in educational technology—including differentiation, the use of big data, and virtual reality—as digital tools become more important than ever in K-12 education.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

South side school

Why and How This School Changed Its Mission Statement During COVID-19

An elementary school principal discusses how he worked to ensure that the words in his school's mission statement reflected his staff's actions during the transition to remote learning.

David Huber
Principal, South Side Elementary School, Connecticut

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Don't Just Teach About Cultures—Teach Culturally. Here's the Difference

Teaching culturally means that the educator acts as a guide for students and is actively learning alongside them in their understanding of the content.

David J. O’Connor
American Indian Studies Consultant, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

WF1287443 Shaped 2020 Overwhelmed by News HERO

Overwhelmed by News: Helping Students See the Bigger Picture

In an era of information overload, follow these tips to help your students prepare for reading and analyzing the news.

Erik Palmer
Program Consultant, Into Reading and Into Literature

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Teachers, the Shaped Community Wants to Hear from You!

We value your thoughts on what we should be covering to improve your experience in the classroom, whether that's virtual or in person this year.

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Creating Equity in Math: Q&A with Dr. Adrian Mims, Founder of The Calculus Project

Dr. Adrian Mims is the founder of The Calculus Project, an initiative to increase equity in mathematics and get students of color in a calculus class before finishing high school. Mims shares his convictions on access to mathematics and equity in math education, along with his efforts that were responsible for his success in college and founding The Calculus Project.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

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Podcast: Retiring During COVID-19 with Karl Grubaugh

Meet Karl Grubaugh, a former AP economics teacher and advanced journalism advisor at Granite Bay High School in California. A journalist and editor himself, Karl advised for the award-winning student newspaper The Granite Bay Gazette, and retired in 2020 after almost 40 years as an educator.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

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8 High School Veterans Day Activities and Lesson Plan Ideas

Bring the experiences of U.S. military service members to life for your students with our high school Veterans Day activities and lesson plan ideas.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

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Fostering Safe Spaces: How to Start a GSA in Your High School

Learn how to start a GSA in your high school (or middle school or university). Educators can host a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) club and help students feel safe and supported when they identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. GSAs provide a safe, supportive space for students who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, along with their cisgender allies.

Shaped Staff

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

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

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