Hacking School Newsletter
The best place to learn how to link learning to life
The Culture of Yes: Building Trust Before Content
We are officially six weeks out from the first bell.
For most educators, this is the season of the "Laminated Checklist." You’re thinking about the seating chart, the syllabus, the supply closet, and exactly how many minutes you can shave off your hallway transition. But if you’re planning for a ...
Aug 06, 2026
Designing Your Physical & Mental Classroom for PBL
It is roughly six weeks until the first bell rings. For most of you, that means the "Target Run" phase of the summer has officially begun. You’re looking at color-coordinated bins, thinking about where to put the "Welcome" banner, and scrolling through Pinterest for bulletin board ideas that will...
by Annalies Corbin —
Aug 04, 2026
The First 48 Hours: Why Belonging Is the Most Important Thing You'll Plan This August
In this installment of our "Getting Ready for School" series, we are diving deep into the heartbeat of the classroom: the first 48 hours.
As we sit six weeks out from that first bell, your to-do list is likely overflowing. You’re thinking about seating charts, syllabus tweaks, and whether that pr...
Jul 30, 2026
Setting the Stage: Why Your First 30 Days Define Your Whole Year
We are officially six weeks out.
If you’re like most of the educators and administrators we work with at PAST Foundation, you’ve probably already started to feel that familiar "August itch." Your brain is likely oscillating between the excitement of a fresh start and the logistical panic of a to-...
Jul 28, 2026
Same Template, Totally Different Classrooms: How the Project Snapshot Adapts to Any Grade
In the first part of this series, we pulled back the curtain on the Project Snapshot: our favorite "one-page wonder" for keeping Project-Based Learning (PBL) from turning into a chaotic free-for-all. We talked about why it works and how it acts as the nervous system for your classroom, keeping s...
by Annalies Corbin —
Jul 16, 2026
You've Got the Project Idea. Now What? The One-Page Snapshot That Keeps PBL from Falling Apart
In the world of educational innovation, there is a specific kind of "middle-of-the-project" panic that every educator knows.
It’s the moment when the initial excitement of a new Project-Based Learning (PBL) unit has worn off, the classroom is buzzing with activity, and you suddenly realize you ar...
by Annalies Corbin —
Jul 14, 2026
From Pollinators to Affordable Housing: 3 Real-World Backmap Examples (K-12)
In Part 1 of our series, we explored the "why" behind the PAST Foundation Backmap: a flexible, visionary tool designed to help educators shift from rigid pacing guides to dynamic, life-linked learning. We discussed how traditional planning often traps us in a cycle of compliance, whereas the Back...
Jul 09, 2026
You Can't GPS Your Way to PBL: Why Backward Mapping Is the Real Teacher Shortcut
Annalies Corbin, PAST Foundation, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
In this first installment of our Backmap Series, we sit down with the core philosophy of educational design. As we gear up for another school year, we’re asking a bold question: What if we stopped planning for what we are doing on Tuesday and...
by Annalies Corbin —
Jul 07, 2026
More Than Fireworks: How to Turn Independence Day into a STEAM Learning Moment
Annalies Corbin, PAST Foundation, USA
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In this continuation of our series on holiday-inspired learning, we’re guided by the spirit of curiosity that defines the American experience. This week, we sit down with the concept of "Patriotic STEAM": the idea that our national celebration of independen...
by Annalies Corbin —
Jul 02, 2026
Red, White & Blueprints: 5 Hands-On July 4th Projects for Families
We sit down with families every summer to ask a simple question: What if our holiday celebrations could do more than entertain? What if they could spark a sense of wonder and empower the next generation of thinkers?
U.S. Independence Day is often synonymous with backyard barbecues and profession...
by Annalies Corbin —
Jun 30, 2026
From 'No' to 'Now': Simple Strategies to Cultivate a Culture of Yes
In this episode of our "Culture of Yes" series, we’re joined by a transformative idea: what if the primary response to student curiosity were not a gate but a bridge?
Last week, we explored the "why" behind building a culture of radical affirmation. We discussed that a "Culture of Yes" isn't abo...
by Annalies Corbin —
Jun 19, 2026
The Culture of Yes: Why a 'Safe-to-Fail' Environment is Non-Negotiable
In this third week of our June series on prepping for the new school year, we’re joined by a radical idea that often feels counterintuitive in the high-stakes world of modern education: the "Culture of Yes."
We’ve already explored how to spark student agency and how to design the physical and me...
by Annalies Corbin —
Jun 16, 2026
