Shaped

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

Latest Posts

Culturally responsive books

Embracing Inclusivity with Culturally Responsive Books for All Students

Teachers should read or assign culturally responsive books with characters of different cultures, races, religions, genders, and other identities to help them understand themselves and each other.

Jaleel R. Howard, MEd
Educator and UCLA Doctoral Student

Sam Blanchard
UCLA Doctoral Student and Former Teacher

Teaching absolute value equation thermometer hero

Teaching Absolute Value of a Number in Math

Teaching absolute value can help students understand the distance of a number on the number line from zero, regardless of the direction from zero that the number lies.

Shaped Staff

Nutrition Activities Elementary And Middle School

8 Nutrition Activities for Elementary and Middle School Students

Use these nutrition activities for elementary and middle school students to teach them about healthy eating, regular exercise, and self-care.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

WF1313683 WHM Hero 1

8 Women's History Month Activities for Elementary Students

These 8 Women's History Month activities for elementary students showcase women who are making a difference. Find free downloadables and to easy ideas.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

Teaching controversial issues in classroom hero

5 Ways to Teach Controversial Issues in Class

Use these five approaches to address and teach controversial issues in your classroom consisting of students with diverse backgrounds and beliefs.

Alicia Ivory
Shaped Editor

Summer school admins

Q&A: How Administrators Are Preparing for Summer School Amid the Pandemic

Get expert insights into how school leaders can best address pandemic learning loss this summer and the bold choices they will have to make going forward.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

Self reflection

The Importance of Student Self-Reflection in K-12 Lesson Design

Highlight the importance of student self-reflection when designing your curriculum by integrating these four teaching tips into your lessons.

Adam Drummond, EdD
Associate Partner, The Center for Model Schools and Author, Instructional Leadership

National Nutrition Month

7 Nutrition Lesson Plans and Activities for High School Students

Kick-start a commitment to healthy eating this National Nutrition Month with these fresh and fun nutrition lesson plan and activity ideas for high school students.

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

illustrated image with math equation

Teaching Ratios and Unit Rates in Math

Students learn the answer to "What is a unit rate?" in math class. Learn about ratios, rates, unit rates, and unit prices, and teach lessons where students solve real-world problems about rates and unit rates.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

WF1289060 Shaped 2020 Revamp Elementary

Elementary School Learning Activities

Use these educational activities for elementary school to explore different topics in reading, math, and science and add an element of fun into your lessons.

Shaped Staff

Hero IR

Pi Day Scavenger Hunt for Middle School Students

Celebrate Pi Day with a Pi Day scavenger hunt for middle school students. Have students scour the classroom for objects relating to the number pi.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

Invention convention ideas

Invention Convention Ideas for School Projects

Encourage students by discussing some of these invention convention ideas for school projects that students have created in the past.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

Equity in education

What Is Equity in Education?

It's a term used often, but what is equity in education? Hear from experts on their definition of the term and what role access plays in achieving equitable education.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

Sel activities

5 Social-Emotional Learning Activities for High School Students

These five social-emotional learning activities for high school students are based on CASEL's core SEL competencies. This lesson plan will help mold your students into independent and meaningful contributors to society.

Sara Buren
Shaped Contributor

WF1309635 Shaped 2021 Blog Post Math at The Met Hero

Teaching Math Through Art from the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Here are three specific ways that teaching math through art from The Met can enhance your students' learning experience.

Richard Blankman
Shaped Executive Editor

Covid vaccine hero

The COVID-19 Vaccine in Schools: Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to your questions about the COVID-19 vaccine in schools, including whether teachers will be required to get vaccinated and how this may affect classroom instruction.

Jordan Friedman
Former Shaped Editor

Brenda Iasevoli
Shaped Executive Editor

Summer school planning

Summer School Planning for Administrators: Why It's Time to Start Now

School and district leaders should start their summer school planning early to ensure they can secure funding and recruit a strong team.

Shaped Staff

The importance of public speaking skills for students

The Importance of Public Speaking Skills for Students

Why is public speaking important for students? Teaching oral communication can improve your classroom activities and equip students with lifelong skills.

Erik Palmer
Program Consultant, Into Reading and Into Literature

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