Shaped

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

 

OVER 10 MILLION READS

Latest Posts

Teaching Media Literacy in the Classroom hero

4 Tips for Teaching Media Literacy in the Classroom

How media literate are you? Take our quiz, then try our four tips for teaching media literacy in the classroom.

Erik Palmer
Program Consultant, Into Reading and Into Literature

Classroom Library Organization Tips Hero

Classroom Library Organization Tips

Get students excited about reading by organizing your classroom library with relevant books and updated displays.

Ellen Ullman
Shaped Contributor

Teaching fact versus opinion

Teaching Fact vs. Opinion: Tips, Activities, and Resources

Get tips for teaching fact versus opinion with these resources, insights, and activities from journalist and educator Esther Wojcicki.

Esther Wojcicki
Journalist and Teacher; Founder, Palo Alto High Media Arts Program

Structuring the literacy block hero

Structuring the Literacy Block

The most productive literacy block schedules include various reading and writing activities and instruction to help build foundational skills.

Francie Alexander
Senior Vice President, Efficacy & Consulting Research

Dr. Amy Endo
Education Research Director, Supplemental & Intervention Language & Literacy

Renee Behring
Education Research Director, Core ELA

Dr. Terry Salinger
Institute Fellow and Chief Scientist for Literacy Research, American Institutes for Research

WF1429300 S Dyslexia Awareness Month HERO

National Dyslexia Awareness Month 2025

Honor 2025 National Dyslexia Awareness Month this October by better understanding how learning differences can affect your students' social and emotional learning.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

How to build a classroom library hero

How to Build a Classroom Library

Get tips on how to build a classroom library—and where to find books for elementary and middle school students.

Lisa Sims
Former HMH Consultant

WF1417802 BTS Writing Prompts HS and MS Hero

29 Back-to-School Writing Prompts for Middle and High School

School's back in session, which means it's time for a fresh batch of writing prompts for the new year. Have your high school or middle school students try these Back-to-School prompts this fall.

Ali Habashi
Former Shaped Editor

Teaching students how to write a reflective narrative hero

Teaching Students How to Write a Reflective Narrative Essay

This lesson explores how to write a reflective narrative essay, a type of writing where writers reflect on an experience and show how their lives changed.

Shaped Staff

Mayan pyramids vs egyptian pyramids lesson plan idea hero

Mayan Pyramids vs. Egyptian Pyramids Lesson Plan Idea

Looking to include ELA instruction in your social studies classroom? This Mayan pyramids vs. Egyptian pyramids lesson plan idea has students discuss the similarities and differences between the two types of structures through writing an essay.

Shaped Staff

Diverse library

6 Tips for Building a Diverse Classroom Library

Explore tips and resources that will help you build a culturally diverse classroom library and foster an inclusive classroom environment.

Carey Blankenship-Kramer
Shaped Staff

WF1309625 Shaped 2020 Blog Post New Free Resources Hero 1

Free Teaching Resources: Fun Classroom Activities and Lesson Plan Ideas

Find free teaching resources. Explore fun classroom activities, lessons plans, downloadables, and videos for Grade K–12 kids to keep learning and growing at grade level.

Shaped Staff

Emdin hero

Thinking of Pedagogy as Protest with Dr. Chris Emdin

Dr. Chris Emdin says pedagogy, or the science of teaching and learning, should be about protesting the wrongs that have been done to young people in society.

Shaped Staff

SEL Current Events hero

How to Boost Students’ SEL Skills Using Current Events

Fourth-grade teacher Perry Hollins shares tips for teaching current events through an SEL lens.

Perry Hollins
Fourth-Grade Teacher, Evanston/Skokie School District, Illinois

Covers3

Poetry Books for Kids and Teenagers: A Look at HMH Poets and Their Works

Celebrate poetry in April and year-round with these HMH poetry books for kids and teenagers. These children's poetry books span science and nature, history, and the arts.

Susan Steinway
Archivist, HMH

Summer school planning administrator with students

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

WF1304900 CJ Reynolds 3

The Benefits of Building a Team of Like-Minded Teachers

CJ Reynolds finds support with fellow teachers both at school and in online communities.

CJ Reynolds
High School Literature Teacher, Philadelphia School District

Black History Month Writing Prompts Hero

8 Black History Month Writing Prompts

Introduce students to Black innovators with these Black History Month writing prompts and guide them into a particular type of text, such as personal narrative, informative, or persuasive.

Perry Hollins
Fourth-Grade Teacher, Evanston/Skokie School District, Illinois

WF1304900 CJ Reynolds 2

The Benefits of Routine on Virtual Teaching

CJ Reynolds insists a consistent routine helps aid better virtual teaching.

CJ Reynolds
High School Literature Teacher, Philadelphia School District