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Amplify Desmos Math California

Welcome, K–8 Reviewers!

We’re honored to introduce you to Amplify Desmos Math California. We’re confident you’ll find this comprehensive program to be a powerful tool for bringing the vision of the California Math Framework to life in classrooms across the state.

Please start with the video on the right to learn how to navigate the program and access key features referenced within our submission. Below you’ll find additional resources to support your review.

Your Review Samples

As a curriculum that incorporates both print and digital resources, it’s important that you explore both our physical materials (delivered to you in grade-specific tubs) and our digital materials (accessible through our platform). We invite you to explore both types of resources using the instructions and tips below.

Print Samples

Your print samples should have arrived in grade-specific tubs with a copy of two Reviewer binders. The K-5 Reviewer binder is contained within the Grade K shipping box and the Grade 6-8 Reviewer binder can be located in the Grade 6 shipping box. As you begin the process of organizing your materials, please refer to the inventory checklist found inside each tub as well as within your Reviewer Binder.

Digital Samples

In order to access your digital samples, you’ll need to log into our platform using your unique login credentials found on a Digital Access Flyer inside of your Reviewer Binder. Once you have located the flyer:

  • Click the orange button below to access the platform.
  • Click “Log in with Amplify.”
  • Enter the username and password provided on your Digital Access Flyer.
Digital Access

Navigation Tips

Below you will find helpful tips for navigating Amplify Desmos Math California. We recommend reading these pages alongside the program’s print materials and digital experience to gain a deeper understanding of the program. 

Click the links below to read about navigating program features including:

Built for California

The Amplify Desmos Math California program is designed around the vision articulated in the California Mathematics Framework to enable all California students to become powerful users of mathematics. Our program incorporates the latest research in student learning, meaning that we:

  • Focus on the Big Ideas: Amplify Desmos Math California’s courses, units, and lessons are centered around the Big Ideas. Big Ideas, like standards, are not considered in isolation. In addition to each unit and lesson’s focal Big Ideas, Amplify Desmos Math California also provides connections among the Big Ideas across units and lessons.
  • Center on open and engaging tasks: Amplify Desmos Math California is grounded in engaging tasks meant to address students’ often-asked question: “Why am I learning this?”  Students are invited into learning with low-floor, high-ceiling tasks that provide an entry point for all. Open tasks in Amplify Desmos Math California provide the space for students to try on multiple strategies and represent their thinking in different ways, and allow student explanation and discussion to serve as the center of the classroom. All lessons offer both print and digital representations of lessons.
  • Provide enhanced digital experiences: Amplify Desmos Math California includes digitally-enhanced lesson activities, incorporating interactive digital tools alongside print materials. These purposefully-placed resources allow students to visualize mathematical concepts, receive actionable feedback while practicing, encounter personalized learning support from an onscreen tutor, and engage in discussions about their thinking and approaches.
  • Treat core instruction and differentiation as integral partners: The Amplify Desmos Math California curriculum provides teachers with lessons, strategies, and resources to eliminate barriers and increase access to grade-level content without reducing the mathematical demand of tasks. Every activity has multiple entry points to ensure that all students are supported and challenged. Intervention and personalized learning activities are directly connected to lesson content and offer students the individualized support as they dive into the mathematics.

Category 1: Mathematics Content/Alignment with the Standards

Standards Maps

The links below provide the Standards Maps for Amplify Desmos Math California for each grade level.

Evaluation Criteria Map

Linked here is the Evaluation Criteria Map for grades K–8. Please note that you will need to be logged into the digital platform to access the links in the Evaluation Criteria Map.

Standards for Mathematical Practice

The links below provide the alignment of Amplify Desmos Math California to the Standards for Mathematical Practice at each grade level.

Drivers of Investigation and Content Connections

Amplify Desmos Math California incorporates the Drivers of Investigation (DIs) and Content Connection (CCs) throughout the program. Throughout the year, students engage with open and authentic tasks of varying durations — from lesson activities to unit-level Explore lessons and longer course-level Investigations. Every lesson and investigation opportunity is grounded around the why, how, and what of the learning experience, and helps teachers bring mathematical concepts to life. 

A three-column chart details: Drivers of Investigation, Standards for Mathematical Practice, and Content Connections, each with their respective codes and brief descriptions.

California English Language Development Standards

The links below provide the alignment of Amplify Desmos Math California to the California English Language Development Standards at each grade level.

California Environmental Principles and Concepts

Select lessons, performance tasks, and investigations across grade levels in Amplify Desmos Math California are aligned to one or more of the California Environmental Principles and Concepts. Click the links below to view how the California Environmental Principles and Concepts are represented in each grade level.

Category 2: Program Organization

Amplify Desmos Math California thoughtfully combines conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application. Each lesson is designed to tell a story by posing problems that invite a variety of approaches before guiding students to synthesize their understanding of the learning goals.

Big Ideas

Amplify Desmos Math California’s courses, units, and lessons are centered around the Big Ideas. In addition to each unit and lesson’s focal Big Ideas, Amplify Desmos Math California also provides connections among the Big Ideas across units and lessons. Please refer to Keeping the Big Ideas at the Center (linked below) for specific lesson designs and alignment with the Big Ideas for each grade level.

Program Structure

Amplify Desmos Math California combines the best of problem-based lessons, intervention, personalized practice, and assessments into a coherent and engaging experience for both students and teachers.

A diagram showing three stages: Core instruction, Integrated personalized learning, and Embedded intervention, under Screening and progress monitoring with daily tiered support.

Lessons and units in Amplify Desmos Math California are designed around a Proficiency Progression, a model that steps out problem-based learning by systematically building students’ curiosity into lasting grade-level understanding.

Five steps for learning: 1. Activate prior knowledge, 2. Collaborate, 3. Refine ideas, 4. Guide to understanding, 5. Practice and extend for lasting understanding.

In the Proficiency Progression, lessons begin by activating students’ natural curiosity and offering opportunities to generate new ideas through collaboration. Teachers are then able to refine ideas through intentional facilitation and guide students to grade-level understanding, while students retain the ability to use different strategies and methods to show their comprehension of the content. Students are provided ample opportunities to develop lasting understanding.

Scope and Sequence

Below you can view the scope and sequence for each grade level. 

A chart displaying seven kindergarten math units with themes, number of instructional days, and assessment days, totaling 136 suggested instructional days.
Grade 1 instructional units overview showing 7 units on math topics, total suggested days is 153, with each unit listing instructional and assessment days.
Grade 2 math curriculum map showing 8 units with topics, number of instructional and assessment days, and total days; suggested instructional days: 156.
Seven instructional units are shown, each with a title, icon, number of instructional and assessment days, and total days; a note suggests 150 instructional days in total.
A Grade 4 math curriculum overview showing seven units with titles, number of instructional days, and assessment days; the suggested total instructional days is 152.
A curriculum map displays seven math units with icons, titles, instructional days, and assessment days, totaling 149 suggested instructional days.
A chart showing Grade 6 math units, each with instructional days, assessment days, and optional days. Total suggested instructional days is 142, plus 19 optional days.
Overview of Grade 7 math curriculum units, showing unit titles, number of instructional, assessment, and optional days for each, with a total of 125 instructional days plus 22 optional days.
Eight illustrated cards display Grade 8 math units, each with the unit title, topics covered, number of instructional and assessment days, and a total of 131 suggested instructional days.
Curriculum chart showing eight units split into two volumes, with topics, instructional days, assessment days, and optional days listed for each unit over an accelerated 6th-grade year.
A chart displays the breakdown of Accelerated 7 math units, indicating topics, number of instructional days, assessment days, and optional days for each of the nine units across two volumes.

Lesson Design and Structure

A four-part diagram shows: Warm-Up, Activities with a graph of student ideas to grade-level understanding, Synthesis with notes, and Practice and differentiation with students building a structure.

Amplify Desmos Math California is designed with a structured approach to problem-based learning that systematically builds on students’ curiosity and allows students to grapple with the Big Ideas of the California Framework. Every lesson activity is organized into a Launch, Monitor, Connect format.

  • Launch: The launch is a short, whole-class conversation that creates a need or excitement, provides clarity, or helps students connect their prior knowledge or personal experience, which ensures that everyone has access to the upcoming work.  
  • Monitor: As students work individually, in pairs, or in groups, teachers explore student thinking, ask questions, and provide support to help move the conversations closer to the intended math learning goal. 
  • Connect: Teachers connect students’ ideas to the key learning goals of the lesson, facilitating class discussions that help synthesize and solidify the Big Ideas.  

Each lesson within Amplify Desmos Math California follows the same structure. 

  • Warm-Up: Every Amplify Desmos Math California lesson begins with a whole class Warm-Up. Warm-Ups are an invitational Instructional Routine intended to provide a social moment at the start of the lesson in which every student has an opportunity to contribute. Warm-Ups may build fluency or highlight a strategy that may be helpful in the current lesson or act as an invitation into the math of the lesson.
  • Lesson Activities: Each lesson includes one or two activities. These activities are the heart of each lesson. Students notice, wonder, explore, calculate, predict, measure, explain their thinking, use math to settle disputes, create challenges for their classmates, and more. Guidance is provided to help teachers launch, monitor, and connect student thinking over the course of the activity.
  • Synthesis and Show What You Know: The Synthesis is an opportunity for the teacher and students to pull all the learning of the lesson together into a lesson takeaway. Students engage in a facilitated discussion to consolidate and refine their ideas about the learning goals, and the teacher synthesizes students’ learning. Show What You Know is a daily assessment opportunity for students to show what they know about the learning goals and what they are still learning.
  • Centers (K–5): Centers are hands-on activities for students in grades K–5 to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts. In grades K–1, students have Daily Center Time built into every lesson. 
  • Practice and Differentiation: Daily practice problems for the day’s lesson are included both online and in the print Student Edition, including fluency, test practice, and spiral review.

Kindergarten–Grade 1

A lesson plan timeline showing phases: Warm-Up (5–10 min, whole class), Lesson Activities (25–30 min), Synthesis (10 min), Centers (15 min), and Practice (time varies).

Grades 2–5

A horizontal flowchart shows a classroom lesson sequence: Warm-Up (5–10 min), Lesson Activities (35 min), Synthesis (10 min), and Practice (time varies); groupings vary.

Grades 6–8

A horizontal timeline shows four lesson segments: Warm-Up (5 min), Lesson Activities (30 min), Synthesis (10 min), and Practice (time varies).

Routines

Amplify Desmos Math California features a variety of lesson routines. Instructional routines and Math Language Routines (MLRs) are used within lessons to highlight student-developed language and ideas, cultivate conversation, support mathematical sense-making, and promote meta-cognition. Both are called out at point-of-use within the Teacher Edition and Teacher Presentation Screens. Below are the types of routines used throughout the Amplify Desmos Math California curriculum:

Math Language Routines

  • MLR1: Stronger and Clearer Each Time
  • MLR2: Collect and Display
  • MLR3: Critique, Correct, Clarify
  • MLR5: Co-Craft Questions
  • MLR6: Three Reads
  • MLR7: Compare and Connect
  • MLR 8: Discussion Supports

Instructional Routines 

  • Decide and Defend
  • Notice and Wonder
  • Number Talk
  • Tell a Story
  • Think-Pair-Share
  • Which One Doesn’t Belong?

Category 3: Assessments

A variety of performance data in Amplify Desmos Math California provides evidence of student learning, while helping students bolster their skills and understanding.

Unit-Level Assessment

Amplify Desmos Math California has embedded unit assessments that offer key insights into students’ conceptual understanding of math. These assessments provide regular, actionable information about how students are thinking about and processing math, with both auto-scoring and in-depth rubrics that help teachers anticipate and respond to students’ learning needs.

  • Pre-Unit Check: Each unit in grades 2–8 begins with a formative assessment designed to identify the student skills that will be particularly relevant to the upcoming unit. This check is agnostic to the standards covered in the following unit and serves not as a deficit-based acknowledgment of what students do not know, but rather as an affirmation of the knowledge and skills with which students come in.
  • End-of-Unit Assessment: Students engage with rigorous grade-level mathematics through a variety of formats and tasks in the summative End-of-Unit Assessment. A combination of auto-scored (when completed digitally) and rubric-scored items provides deep insights into student thinking. All Amplify Desmos Math California End-of-Unit Assessments include two forms.
  • Sub-Unit Quizzes: Sub-Unit Quizzes are formative assessments embedded regularly in Grades Kindergarten through Algebra 1. In these checks, students are assessed on a subset of conceptual understandings from the unit, with rubrics that help illuminate students’ current understanding and provide guidance for responding to student thinking.
  • Sub-Unit Checklists: These checklists enable teachers to observe key skills and concepts that cannot be assessed on a pencil-and-paper assessment in Kindergarten–Grade 1. The checklists outline the supports students need to achieve mathematical growth and success.
  • Performance Tasks: At the end of each unit in grades 3–8, there is a summative assessment performance task provided to evaluate students’ proficiency with the concepts and skills addressed in the unit. 

Lesson-Level Assessments

Amplify Desmos Math California lessons include daily moments of assessment to provide valuable evidence of learning for both the teacher and student. Beyond formative, summative, and benchmark assessments, students also have opportunities for self-reflection with Watch Your Knowledge Grow. Students take ownership of their learning by reflecting and tracking their progress before and after each unit.

  • Show What You Know: Each lesson has a daily formative assessment focused on one of the key concepts in the lesson. Show What You Know moments are carefully designed to minimize completion time for students while maximizing daily teacher insights to attend to student needs during the following class. 
  • Responsive Feedback™: Teachers have the ability to see and provide in-the-moment feedback as students progress through a digital lesson. Responsive Feedback motivates students and engages them in the learning process.

Diagnostic Assessment

Every grade level features an asset-based diagnostic assessment designed to be administered at the beginning of the year.  Delivered digitally and to the whole class, our diagnostic assessment is uniquely designed to reveal underlying math thinking and identify what students know about grade-level math. With data beyond just right and wrong, teachers have the type of deeper level of insights need to take the right next step.

CAASPP-Aligned Assessment Preparation

Amplify Desmos Math is designed to support students’ mathematical development through problem-based learning, differentiation, and embedded assessments. The program’s emphasis on conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application aligns with the mathematical practices and content standards assessed by the CAASPP.

Amplify Desmos Math California includes a CAASPP-aligned Item Bank. This standards-aligned bank of questions allows teachers to filter and search by grade and standard to find items. Once assigned on the digital platform, students will experience CAASPP-like practice with the online digital tools.

Data and Reporting

Amplify Desmos Math California provides teachers and administrators with unified reporting and insights so that educators have visibility into what students know about grade-level math—and can plan instruction accordingly for the whole class, small groups, and individual students. Reporting functionality integrates unit assessments, lesson assessments, diagnostic data, and progress monitoring for a comprehensive look at student learning. Program reports show proficiency and growth by domain, cluster, standard, and priority concept using performance data from unit assessments, then highlight areas of potential student need to allow teachers to modify their instruction and target differentiated support.

Administrator reporting provides a complete picture of student, class, and district performance, allowing administrators to implement instructional and intervention plans.

Category 4: Access and Equity

The Amplify Desmos Math California curriculum provides teachers with lessons, strategies, and resources to eliminate barriers and increase access to grade-level content without reducing the mathematical demand of tasks. Our lessons are developed using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to proactively ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Every activity has multiple entry points to ensure that all students are supported and challenged. Intervention and personalized learning activities are directly connected to the day’s content and offer students the individualized supports they need to be successful.

Each lesson and unit contains guidance for teachers on how to identify students who may need support, students who need to keep strengthening their understanding, and students who may be ready to stretch their learning. In addition, teachers are provided with recommendations for resources to use with each group of students.

Universal Design for Learning

Each lesson in the program incorporates opportunities for engagement, representation, action, and expression based on the guidelines of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

  • Multiple Means of Engagement: Students engage in both print and digital learning, and are regularly participating in discussions and hands-on activities. Students are invited to build their own challenge for other students to solve, which provides opportunities for choice and
    autonomy, as well as joy and play.
  • Multiple Means of Representation: Students are encouraged to demonstrate their learning using mathematical representations, both print and digital, and regularly engage with their peers in analyzing multiple possible solutions. Classes engage in open-ended discussions about what individual students notice and wonder about mathematical concepts.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression: Learners differ in how they navigate learning environments and express what they know. Students can communicate their ideas in multiple ways, including in print, sketching, uploading photos, or recording an audio response.

Accessibility

Lesson facilitation supports

Every lesson includes at least one specific suggestion the teacher can use to increase access to the lesson without reducing the mathematical demand of the tasks. These suggestions address the following areas:

  • Visual-spatial processing
  • Conceptual processing
  • Executive functioning
  • Memory and attention
  • Fine motor skills

Accessibility tools

Students have the ability to control accessibility tools so that each learning experience is customized to their individual needs. In many instances, these tools can be turned on or off at any point of instruction.

  • Text to speech: Reads text instructions to students in multiple languages
  • Enlarged font: Increases the size of all text on screen
  • Braille mode: Includes narration of digital interactions
  • Language selection: Toggles between languages

Differentiation: In-Lesson Teacher Moves

Within every lesson activity, teachers can use the suggestions in the Differentiation Teacher Moves table to provide in-the-moment instructional support while students are engaged in the work of the lesson. This table can help teachers anticipate the ways students may approach the activity, and provides prompts that they can use during the lesson to Support, Strengthen, and Stretch individual students in their thinking. Teachers are provided with clear student actions and understanding to look for, each matched with immediately usable suggestions for how to respond to the student thinking illustrated in each row of the table. In addition to using these suggestions in the moment as teachers monitor student work, teachers can review the Differentiation table in advance to help them anticipate how students are likely to approach the activity.

A table showing differentiation teacher moves with examples of representing groups in different ways, support prompts, and a stretch question about patterns with more teams.

Differentiation: Beyond the Lesson

Teachers are provided with recommendations for resources to use with each group of students needing support, strengthening, and stretching after each lesson. Support, Strengthen, and Stretch resources include:

  • Mini-Lessons: 15-minute, small-group direct instruction lessons targeted to a specific concept or skill
  • Item Banks: Space for teachers to create practice and assessments by using filters and searching for standards, summative-style items, and more
  • Fluency Practice: Adaptive, personalized practice built out for basic operations and more
  • Centers (K–5): Lesson-embedded routines and practice for students that are vertically aligned across grade levels
  • Extensions: Lesson-embedded Teacher Moves including possible stretch questions and activities for students
  • Lesson Practice: Additional practice problems support every lesson
  • Math Adventures: Strategy-based math games where students engage with math concepts and practice skills in a fun digital environment
  • Lesson Summary Support: Support for students and caregivers that provides efficient explanation of the learning goal with clear examples

Math Identity and Community

The Math Identity and Community feature supports teachers in helping students build confidence in their own mathematical thinking, develop skills to work with and learn from others when doing math, and learn how math is an interwoven part of their broader community. The embedded prompts throughout the lessons are designed to highlight what it means to be good at math, the value of sharing ideas, and the power of flexible and creating thinking. Here are some examples of the Math Identity and Community supports embedded in each lesson:

  • I can be all of me in math class. You will work with partners every day in math class. What do you want your partners to know about you? 
  • We are a math community. What does good listening look like and sound like in a math community? 
  • I am a doer of math. What math strengths did you use today?

Unit Stories

Every unit in grades K–5 contains a Unit Story. These Unit Stories are brief fiction stories read aloud by the teacher at the beginning of each unit that connect to the math of the unit and introduce characters that students will get to know as they engage in the unit. Teachers read the story aloud from their Teacher Edition while projecting illustrations for students from the story, found in the Teacher Presentation Screens for the story. Across the unit, the Unit Story context and characters are used at appropriate points to inspire and engage students in the math as well as in reflections about their math identity and community.

Math Language Development

Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California includes opportunities for all students to develop mathematical language as they experience the content. Amplify Desmos Math California purposefully progresses language development from lesson to lesson and across units by supporting students in making their arguments and explanations stronger, clearer, and more precise. This systematic approach to the development of math language can be broken down into the following four categories of support:

  • Vocabulary: Units and lessons start by surfacing students’ language for new concepts, then building connections between their language and the new vocabulary for that unit. This honors the language assets that students bring into their learning.
  • Language goals: Language goals attend to the mathematics students are learning, and are written through the lens of one or more of four language modalities: reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
  • Math Language Routines: Math Language Routines are used within lessons to highlight student-developed language and ideas, cultivate conversation, support mathematical sense-making, and promote meta-cognition.
  • Multilingual/English learner supports: Supports for multilingual/English learners (ML/ELs) are called out at intentional points within each lesson. These specific, targeted suggestions support ML/ELs with modifications that increase access to a task, or through development of contextual or mathematical language (both of which can be supportive of all learners). 

Multilingual and English Learner Supports

Partnership with English Learner Success Forum

Amplify partnered with the English Learner Success Forum (ELSF), a national nonprofit organization that advocates for high-quality instructional materials that are inclusive of multilingual learners. ELSF reviewed Amplify Desmos Math California, and provided directional guidance and feedback to ensure that the program reflects their research-based instructional strategies for multilingual/English learners.

Math Language Development Resources

Our Math Language Development Resources book contains lesson-specific strategies and activities for all levels of English Learners (i.e., Emerging, Expanding, Bridging). With support for every lesson, teachers are empowered to help all students, regardless of their language skills, to participate fully, grasp the material, and excel in their mathematical journey.

Multilingual Glossary

Amplify Desmos Math California includes a digital glossary for languages other than Spanish. Translations will be provided for up to nine languages.

Spanish Version

Amplify Desmos Math California will include Spanish student-facing materials beginning in the 2026–27 school year.

Category 5: Instructional Planning and Support

Amplify Desmos Math California includes a variety of embedded instructional supports to empower teachers to lead effectively and gain actionable insights into student growth and progress. Teachers are equipped with a comprehensive set of resources designed to fulfill the requirements of Category 5.

Grade-level concepts

Within the Teacher Edition front matter:

  • Scope and sequence
  • Big Ideas, Drivers of Investigation, and Content Connections
  • Grade level standards
  • Standards for Mathematical Practice
  • English Language Development Standards
  • Environmental Principals and Concepts

Within each Unit and Sub-Unit Overview:

  • Big Ideas, Drivers of Investigation, and Content Connections
  • Math that Matters Most
  • Grade level standards
  • Standards for Mathematical Practice
  • English Language Development Standards
  • Environmental Principals and Concepts

Within each Lesson:

  • Big Ideas, Drivers of Investigation, and Content Connections
  • Grade level standards
  • Standards for Mathematical Practice
  • English Language Development Standards
  • Environmental Principals and Concepts

How to implement the program

At the course level (within the Teacher Edition front matter):

  • Navigating the Program (both print and digital)
  • Facilitating Lesson Activities with Launch, Monitor and Connect
  • Overview of the Digital Facilitation Tools

At the lesson level:

  • Suggestions for timing
  • What materials to prep
  • How to organize and group students 
  • Key lesson takeaways with the Synthesis
  • Recommendations for Differentiation
  • Strategies for intervention and extensions (in the Intervention, Extensions, and Investigation Resources book)

At the activity level:

  • Differentiation recommendations
  • Accessibility tips
  • ML / EL tips
  • Teacher look-fors
  • Recommended Teacher Moves
  • Prompts for guiding student thinking 
  • Sample student responses

Development of Math Language

A variety of language development supports are provided within the Student and Teacher Editions and Math Language Development Resources book. 

At the lesson level:

  • Diagrams and visuals
  • Sentence frames and word banks
  • Graphic organizers, including Frayer models
  • Vocabulary routines
  • Embedded language supports aligned to the CA ELDs
  • Lesson-specific strategies for Emerging, Expanding, and Bridging

At the unit level: 

  • Words With Multiple Meanings
  • Contextual vocabulary

At the course level:

  • English/Spanish cognates
  • Multilingual Glossary 

Other Curriculum Guidance

  • Additional Practice Resources book
  • Assessment Resources book 
  • Assess and Respond guidance paired with each assessment opportunity
  • Show-What-You-Know activities
  • Answer keys and rubrics 
  • Performance tasks

Welcome to the Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition program review site!

We’re excited to share everything you need to review Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition, our K–5 core literacy program. On this site, you’ll find a range of materials, including Teacher Guides, Activity Books, and Student Readers, organized by grade and unit.

Please note that the files on this site are static representations of the high-quality materials you’ll receive with your purchase.

We hope you find the site helpful! If you have any questions, please reach out to your Amplify representative.

Reviewer resources

Access key materials designed to support your review of Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition.

Kindergarten

Explore all available resources for Kindergarten, organized by strand and unit.

Knowledge Strand

Unit 1: Star Light, Star Bright: Nursery Rhymes and Fables

Unit 2: See, Hear, Smell, Taste, Touch: The Five Senses

Unit 3: Underdogs and Heroes: Stories

Unit 4: See How They Grow: Plants

Unit 5: Moo, Cluck, Oink: Farms

Unit 6: Deep Roots: Introduction to Native American Cultures

Unit 7: All Around the World: Geography

Unit 8 (Choice): Royal Tales: Monarchs

Unit 8 (Choice): National Icons: Presidents and American Symbols

Unit 9 (Choice): Our Planet: Taking Care of the Earth

Unit 9 (Choice): Rain and Rainbows: Seasons and Weather

Unit 10: Shaped by Nature: Art and the World Around Us

Skills Strand

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

Unit 5

Unit 6

Unit 7

Unit 8

Unit 9

Unit 10

Ancillary Components

  

Grade 1

Explore all available resources for Grade 1, organized by strand and unit.

Knowledge Strand

Unit 1: The Moral of the Story: Fables and Tales

Unit 2: From Nose to Toes: How Your Body Works

Unit 3: Common Threads: Different Lands, Similar Stories

Unit 4: Reach for the Stars: Astronomy

Unit 5: Charting the World: Geography

Unit 6: A World of Homes: Animals and Habitats

Unit 7: A New Nation: American Independence

Unit 8 (Choice): Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tales

Unit 8 (Choice): Our Planet: The History of the Earth

Unit 9 (Choice): From Babylon to the Nile: Early World Civilizations

Unit 9 (Choice): Early Americas: Maya, Aztec, and Inca

Unit 10: Adventure Stories: Tales from the Edge

Skills Strand

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

Unit 5

Unit 6

Unit 7

Ancillary Components

  

Grade 2

Explore all available resources for Grade 2, organized by strand and unit.

Knowledge Strand

Unit 1: Fortunes and Feats: Fairy Tales and Tall Tales

Unit 2: The Birthplace of Democracy: Ancient Greece

Unit 3: Legends and Heroes: Greek Myths

Unit 4: Our Planet: Cycles in Nature

Unit 5: Butterflies, Bees, and Beetles: Insects

Unit 6: A House Divided: The American Civil War

Unit 7: Sounds and Stanzas: Poetry

Unit 8 (Choice): Journeys to America: Immigration

Unit 8 (Choice): Making a Difference: Creating Change

Unit 9 (Choice): Building Blocks: All About Nutrition

Unit 9 (Choice): Early Asian Civilizations: India and China

Unit 10: Taking Flight: The Age of Aviation

Skills Strand

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

Unit 5

Unit 6

Ancillary Components

    

Grade 3

Explore all available resources for Grade 3, organized by unit.

Core Units

Unit 1: Timeless Tales: Classic Stories

Unit 2: Fur, Fins, and Feathers: Animal Classification

Unit 3: Rhythm and Rhyme: Poetry

Unit 4: Rise and Fall: Ancient Rome

Unit 5: Our Solar System and Beyond: Astronomy

Unit 6: Regions and Cultures: Native Americans

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: Charlotte’s Web

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: Stella Díaz Has Something to Say

Unit 8 (Choice): Systems and Senses: The Human Body

Unit 8 (Choice): From Glow to Echo: Light and Sound

Unit 9: From Blues to Bebop: All That Jazz

  

Supplemental Skills

Grade 3 Skills resources are included in core classroom kits, although the instruction isn’t required for Grade 3 standards coverage.

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

    

Grade 4

Explore all available resources for Grade 4, organized by unit.

Unit 1: My Story, My Voice: Personal Narratives

Unit 2: Knights and Castles: Europe’s Middle Ages

Unit 3: Meaning and Metaphor: Poetry

Unit 4: Eureka! Student Inventor

Unit 5: Our Planet: Geology

Unit 6: Road to Independence: The American Revolution

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: The Season of Styx Malone

Unit 8 (Choice): Crafting Stories: A World of Tales

Unit 8 (Choice): Adventure on the High Seas: Treasure Island

Unit 9: Inspiration and Ingenuity: American Innovation

Grade 5

Explore all available resources for Grade 5, organized by unit.

Unit 1: In My Own Words: Personal Narratives

Unit 2: Early Americas: Maya, Aztec, and Inca

Unit 3: Visions in Verse: Poetry

Unit 4: A Knight’s Tale: Don Quixote

Unit 5: The Deep Blue World: Oceans

Unit 6: Cultures and Histories: Native Americans

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: The Phantom Tollbooth

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: The Science of Breakable Things

Unit 8 (Choice): Arts and Culture: The Renaissance

Unit 8 (Choice): Through the Forest: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Unit 9: Building Up the World: Global Architecture

  

Digital platform

Amplify CKLA’s all-in-one platform offers essential tools that streamline instruction for teachers and engage students with meaningful content. Teachers can plan and deliver lessons efficiently, while students can access assignments, assessments, and fun practice games.

A digital interface showing an assessment report on a monitor and a multiple-choice question on a tablet screen. Both screens display educational content from Amplify's assessment tools, providing personalized learning for multilingual learners.

Presentation Screens
Deliver interactive lessons with ready-made, customizable slides for every lesson.

Auto-scored digital assessments
Assess vocabulary, comprehension, and knowledge development at the end of each K–2 Knowledge and 3–5 Integrated Unit.

Standards-based reports
Identify strengths and growth areas for individuals, small groups, or your entire class. Interactive dashboards offer detailed results from assessments and activities.

Skill-building practice games
Engage students with interactive games that reinforce concepts and make learning fun. Powered by Boost Reading™, these games align with lessons and provide real-time feedback.

eReader
Students access texts, take notes, and use audio-enabled eReaders to enhance their reading experience.

Sound Library
Students watch articulation videos and listen to songs for each sound to support phonological awareness.

Vocab App
Helps students in Grades 3–5 practice Amplify CKLA Tier 2 vocabulary words with fun, interactive games.

Intervention Toolkit
Offers user-friendly resources designed to aid educators in identifying and addressing deficiencies in students’ foundation skills.

Welcome to the Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition program review site!

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Welcome, Indiana Department of Education!

Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition builds on the principles and instruction of previous editions to provide better-than-ever support for teaching and learning. The focus continues on delivering evidence-based instruction across a system of multi-tiered supports aligned with the Science of Reading and Writing.

We’re excited to share this site, where you’ll find a range of materials and literacy tools including Reviewer Resources and Teaching Materials (Teacher Guides, Activity Books, and Student Readers) organized by grade and unit.

We welcome your thoughts and questions!

An astronaut floats in space near the Moon, with a speech bubble displaying

Reviewer resources

Overview and program resources:

Alignment and scope and sequence:

Curriculum maps by grade:

Kindergarten

Explore all available resources for Kindergarten, organized by strand and unit.

Knowledge Strand

Unit 1: Star Light, Star Bright: Nursery Rhymes and Fables

Unit 2: See, Hear, Smell, Taste, Touch: The Five Senses

Unit 3: Underdogs and Heroes: Stories

Unit 4: See How They Grow: Plants

Unit 5: Moo, Cluck, Oink: Farms

Unit 6: Deep Roots: Introduction to Native American Cultures

Unit 7: All Around the World: Geography

Unit 8 (Choice): Royal Tales: Monarchs

Unit 8 (Choice): National Icons: Presidents and American Symbols

Unit 9 (Choice): Our Planet: Taking Care of the Earth

Unit 9 (Choice): Rain and Rainbows: Seasons and Weather

Unit 10: Shaped by Nature: Art and the World Around Us

Skills Strand

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

Unit 5

Unit 6

Unit 7

Unit 8

Unit 9

Unit 10

Ancillary Components

Grade 1

Explore all available resources for Grade 1, organized by strand and unit.

Knowledge Strand

Unit 1: The Moral of the Story: Fables and Tales

Unit 2: From Nose to Toes: How Your Body Works

Unit 3: Common Threads: Different Lands, Similar Stories

Unit 4: Reach for the Stars: Astronomy

Unit 5: Charting the World: Geography

Unit 6: A World of Homes: Animals and Habitats

Unit 7: A New Nation: American Independence

Unit 8 (Choice): Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tales

Unit 8 (Choice): Our Planet: The History of the Earth

Unit 9 (Choice): From Babylon to the Nile: Early World Civilizations

Unit 9 (Choice): Early Americas: Maya, Aztec, and Inca

Unit 10: Adventure Stories: Tales from the Edge

Skills Strand

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

Unit 5

Unit 6

Unit 7

Ancillary Components

Grade 2

Explore all available resources for Grade 2, organized by strand and unit.

Knowledge Strand

Unit 1: Fortunes and Feats: Fairy Tales and Tall Tales

Unit 2: The Birthplace of Democracy: Ancient Greece

Unit 3: Legends and Heroes: Greek Myths

Unit 4: Our Planet: Cycles in Nature

Unit 5: Butterflies, Bees, and Beetles: Insects

Unit 6: A House Divided: The American Civil War

Unit 7: Sounds and Stanzas: Poetry

Unit 8 (Choice): Journeys to America: Immigration

Unit 8 (Choice): Making a Difference: Creating Change

Unit 9 (Choice): Building Blocks: All About Nutrition

Unit 9 (Choice): Early Asian Civilizations: India and China

Unit 10: Taking Flight: The Age of Aviation

Skills Strand

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

Unit 5

Unit 6

Ancillary Components

    

Grade 3

Explore all available resources for Grade 3, organized by unit.

Core Units

Explore all available resources for Grade 3, organized by unit.

Unit 1: Timeless Tales: Classic Stories

Unit 2: Fur, Fins, and Feathers: Animal Classification

Unit 3: Rhythm and Rhyme: Poetry

Unit 4: Rise and Fall: Ancient Rome

Unit 5: Our Solar System and Beyond: Astronomy

Unit 6: Regions and Cultures: Native Americans

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: Charlotte’s Web

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: Stella Díaz Has Something to Say

Unit 8 (Choice): Systems and Senses: The Human Body

Unit 8 (Choice): From Glow to Echo: Light and Sound

Unit 9: From Blues to Bebop: All That Jazz

Ancillary Components

Supplemental Skills Units

Grade 3 Skills resources are included in core classroom kits, although the instruction isn’t required for Grade 3 standards coverage.

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

    

Grade 4

Explore all available resources for Grade 4, organized by unit.

Unit 1: My Story, My Voice: Personal Narratives

Unit 2: Knights and Castles: Europe’s Middle Ages

Unit 3: Meaning and Metaphor: Poetry

Unit 4: Eureka! Student Inventor

Unit 5: Our Planet: Geology

Unit 6: Road to Independence: The American Revolution

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: The Season of Styx Malone

Unit 8 (Choice): Crafting Stories: A World of Tales

Unit 8 (Choice): Adventure on the High Seas: Treasure Island

Unit 9: Inspiration and Ingenuity: American Innovation

Ancillary Components

Grade 5

Explore all available resources for Grade 5, organized by unit.

Unit 1: In My Own Words: Personal Narratives

Unit 2: Early Americas: Maya, Aztec, and Inca

Unit 3: Visions in Verse: Poetry

Unit 4: A Knight’s Tale: Don Quixote

Unit 5: The Deep Blue World: Oceans

Unit 6: Cultures and Histories: Native Americans

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: The Phantom Tollbooth

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: The Science of Breakable Things

Unit 8 (Choice): Arts and Culture: The Renaissance

Unit 8 (Choice): Through the Forest: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Unit 9: Building Up the World: Global Architecture

Ancillary Components

Digital platform

In the 2025-26 school year, Amplify CKLA’s all-in-one platform will offer essential tools that streamline instruction for teachers and engage students with meaningful content. Teachers can plan and deliver lessons efficiently, while students can access assignments, assessments, and fun practice games.

A digital interface showing an assessment report on a monitor and a multiple-choice question on a tablet screen. Both screens display educational content from Amplify's assessment tools, providing personalized learning for multilingual learners.

Presentation Screens
Deliver interactive lessons with ready-made, customizable slides for every lesson.

Auto-scored digital assessments
Assess vocabulary, comprehension, and knowledge development at the end of each K–2 Knowledge and 3–5 Integrated Unit.

Standards-based reports
Identify strengths and growth areas for individuals, small groups, or your entire class. Interactive dashboards offer detailed results from assessments and activities.

Skill-building practice games
Engage students with interactive games that reinforce concepts and make learning fun. Powered by Boost Reading™, these games align with lessons and provide real-time feedback.

eReader
Students access texts, take notes, and use audio-enabled eReaders to enhance their reading experience.

Sound Library
Students watch articulation videos and listen to songs for each sound to support phonological awareness.

Vocab App
Helps students in Grades 3-5 practice Amplify CKLA Tier 2 vocabulary words with fun, interactive games.

Intervention Toolkit
Offers user-friendly resources designed to aid educators in identifying and addressing deficiencies in students’ foundation skills.

Program support resources

Additional program resource documents:

Oregon Enhanced ELA State Review for K–5

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Welcome, Minnesota Educators!

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Welcome to the Amplify Caminos 3rd Edition program review site.

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Welcome to the Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition program review site!

To view this protected page, enter the password below:



Welcome to the Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition program review site!

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Welcome, K–8 Program 2 reviewers!

We’re honored to introduce you to Amplify California Language Arts. We’re confident you’ll find this comprehensive program to be a powerful tool for bringing the vision of the California ELA/ELD Framework to life in classrooms across the state.

Please start with the video on the right to learn how to navigate the program and access key features referenced within our submission. Below you’ll find additional resources to support your review.

Your review samples

We’re excited for you to begin your review of Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) California and Amplify ELA California, Language Studio California for grades K–8. Physical and digital review materials will vary by grade level.

Reviewer Binders (K–8)

Your physical samples should have arrived in grade-specific boxes with three Reviewer Binders.

  • The first binder will contain logistical program review information and the printed Evaluation Criteria Map.
  • The second binder will contain the printed Standards Maps for grades K–4.
  • The third binder will contain the printed Standards Maps for grades 5–8.

Physical samples (K–5)

You can expect to receive 15 boxes of physical materials for your review. As you begin the process of organizing your materials, please refer to the inventory checklist found inside each box as well as within your Reviewer Binder. Please note you will not receive any physical samples for grades 6–8 ELA or Language Studio for grades K-8. Your review of the program for grades 6–8 ELA and Language Studio for grades K-8 will be entirely digital.

Digital samples

In order to access your digital samples, you’ll need to log in to our platform using your unique login credentials found on a Digital Review Credential flyer inside of your Reviewer Binder. Once you have located the flyer:

  • Click the orange button below to access the platform.
  • Click “Log in with Amplify.”
  • Enter the username and password provided on your Digital Review Credential flyer.
Digital Access

Navigation tips

Before you get started, please review these important functionality notes:

Criteria Map and Standards Maps must be opened on Microsoft Word on your desktop to function as intended. If you open the documents without Microsoft Word on your desktop, citations will be cut off at the bottom of most tables within the document.

Many of our citations are deep-links to PDFs, meaning they will take you to the right page or the first page in the sequence for the citation in question. To ensure this functionality works, please disable any PDF-viewing extensions or plug-ins such as Adobe Acrobat Pro Browser Extension.

[Reviewer program navigation video] Grades K–5

[Reviewer program navigation video] Grades 6–8

Click here for additional information on navigating the digital materials for grades 6–8.

Category 1: English Language Arts (ELA) and English Language Development (ELD) Content/Alignment to Standards

Evaluation Criteria Map

Linked below is the Evaluation Criteria Map for grades K–8. Please note that you will need to be logged into the digital platform to access the links in the Evaluation Criteria Map.

ELA Standards Maps

The links below provide the Standards Maps for Amplify California Language Arts for each grade level. Please note that you will need to be logged into the digital platform to access the links in the Standards Maps.

ELD Standards Maps

Category 2: Program Organization

The Amplify California Language Arts Program 2 submission includes Amplify CKLA California for Grades K–5, Amplify ELA California for Grades 6–8, and Amplify Language Studio California for Grades K–8. This comprehensive curriculum provides a full year of evidence-based instruction for each grade level, with both integrated and designated English Language Development instruction designed to give English learners the tools to thrive.

Program structure

Amplify’s California Language Arts programs are built on what the research shows: Strong readers need both word recognition and language comprehension. Our comprehensive curriculum suite follows the Simple View of Reading and The Reading Rope–bringing together foundational skills and knowledge building to deliver instruction grounded in the Science of Reading.

Flowchart illustrating skilled reading as the product of language comprehension and word recognition, grounded in the science of reading.
Diagram illustrating the interplay between language comprehension and word recognition in reading, as seen in early literacy stages. It highlights pathways through knowledge, vocabulary, and sentence understanding, reflecting principles from the CKLA reading program.

Each lesson follows a predictable structure with clearly marked components, beginning with warm-up routines, progressing through explicit instruction with guided practice, and concluding with independent application activities. The program provides detailed teacher language, including question stems and discussion prompts, ensuring clear and consistent delivery of instruction.

[Reviewer highlight video] Program organization for Category 2

[Reviewer highlight video] Program structure for grades K–2

[Reviewer highlight video] Program structure for grades 3–5

[Reviewer highlight video] Program structure for grades 6–8

Amplify CKLA California empowers teachers to deliver effective instruction and keeps students engaged with with the following resources:

  • Teacher Guides
  • Assessment Guides
  • Authentic texts and trade books
  • Knowledge Image Cards
  • Knowledge Flip Books
  • Remediation and intervention resources
  • Decodable readers
  • Student Readers and novels
  • Student Activity Books
  • Dedicated ELD support with Language Studio California
  • Poet’s Journals
  • eReaders
  • Sound Library featuring articulation videos and songs
  • Instructional routine modeling videos
  • Assignable Practice Games
  • On-demand professional development

Amplify ELA California students stay engaged with the following resources:

  • Teacher Guides that include:
    • Detailed lesson plans
    • Standards alignment and exit tickets
    • Real-time differentiation strategies
    • Robust reporting
  • Student Editions that include:
    • High-quality narrative and informational texts
    • Videos, audio supports, and digital experiences that capture their attention
    • Personal Writing Journal to keep all student writing in one place
  • Dedicated ELD support with Language Studio California
  • Trade Books

Core literacy philosophy

Support every learner. Meet all learning needs with a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) that brings together universal screening, scaffolded core instruction, support for English learners, and data-driven intervention to ensure every student gets what they need to succeed.

Provide intentional ELD support. Honor students’ linguistic assets while building academic English through both integrated and designated instruction.

Deliver consistent foundational skills instruction. Daily explicit, systematic skills instruction in grades K–2, with targeted yet flexible support for students still building decoding confidence in grades 3–8, ensures mastery of essential reading foundations.

Build lasting knowledge across all grades. Through coherently sequenced, content-rich instruction that revisits key vocabulary and concepts with increasing complexity, students build meaningful connections that deepen their vocabulary and reading comprehension.

Strengthen reading through writing at every level. Regular writing instruction grounded in the Science of Writing supports reading comprehension, improves sentence-level writing, and provides the foundation for high-quality composition. As students progress through the upper grades, they engage in increasingly complex analytical tasks—synthesizing ideas, drawing generalizations, and interpreting multiple textual layers through both focused quick-writes and comprehensive essays. 

Foster oral language development. Structured opportunities for academic conversation and evidence-based dialogue build students’ ability to express complex ideas with precision and allow them to participate confidently in classroom discussions.

Measure growth with comprehensive assessments. Assessments range from in-the-moment checks for understanding to summative assessments that measure progress toward skills mastery and standards proficiency, providing the data needed to drive targeted instruction.

Scope and sequence

Below you can view the scope and sequence for each grade level. 

Routines

Amplify CKLA California and Amplify ELA California include several structured instructional routines that provide predictable patterns for both teachers and students:

Discussion and collaboration routines:

  • Turn and Talk: Partners discuss text-specific content using sentence starters and frames
  • Think-Pair-Share: Students engage in individual thinking, partner discussion, and whole-class sharing
  • Partner reading: Students sit shoulder-to-shoulder, taking turns reading and listening

Foundational Skills routines:

  • Sound-spelling review: Warm-up activities that reinforce phonics patterns
  • Oral blending warm-ups: Teacher-guided practice progressing to independent application
  • Finger-tapping: Techniques for blending sounds
  • Chaining activities: Students manipulate letters to transform one word into another
  • Word Work: Daily short activities focused on domain-specific and academic vocabulary

Knowledge-Building Routines:

  • Teacher modeling: Demonstration of proper intonation, expression, and pacing
  • Choral reading: Whole-class reading practice
  • Partner reading: Paired fluency practice

Close reading routines

The program includes carefully structured close reading activities that guide students through multiple encounters with complex texts. These routines help students develop deeper comprehension through systematic analysis and discussion.

Each routine includes comprehensive instructional guides with clear-cut directions for implementation, straightforward explanations of concepts, and suggestions for discussion.

Designated English Language Development materials

Language Studio California is a K–8 content-based companion for English language learners. Built on Amplify CKLA California’s and Amplify ELA California’s carefully sequenced Knowledge Domains and units, it combines engaging content knowledge with targeted supports and research-based strategies to help students move swiftly toward language proficiency. This program includes:

  • Real-world content to provide authentic opportunities to practice reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
  • Scaffolding strategies and differentiated instruction to offer targeted support along with five English proficiency levels.
  • Progress-monitoring tools to help teachers provide consistent and effective support.
  • Teacher Guides that:
    • Provide impactful progress monitoring tools including formative and summative assessments and Language Proficiency Assessment rubrics.
    • Offer varied differentiation strategies including Support, Challenge, and Access Supports in each lesson segment.
    • Are organized into thoughtful lesson segments—Talk Time, Building Background, On Stage and more—that make learning objectives concrete.
  • Activities that:
    • Expand on domain knowledge from core content and read-alouds and prompt collaborative conversation to practice oral fluency.
    • Support hands-on language activities to promote authentic interaction in the classroom.
    • Help students bridge experiences and knowledge with images, vocabulary activities, graphic organizers, anticipation guides, writing space, and more.

Category 3: Assessments

Systematic MTSS alignment

In alignment with the additional 2025 Guidance 3.1.a, the assessment systems align with MTSS tiers, including universal screening, diagnostic assessments for students demonstrating a need for additional support, and progress monitoring tools that complement the California’s required universal screening schedule per SB 114.

Tier 1:
Universal/ differentiated support		Tier 2: 
Supplemental/ targeted support		Tier 3: 
Intensified/ intensive support
Core instruction assessments





Frequency of administration		Amplify CKLA California, Amplify Caminos California, Amplify ELA California assessments

Daily, Weekly, Monthly		Amplify CKLA California, Amplify Caminos California, Amplify ELA California assessments

Daily, Weekly, Monthly		Amplify CKLA California, Amplify Caminos California, Amplify ELA California assessments

Daily, Weekly, Monthly
Universal screening assessments

Frequency of administration		mCLASS DIBELS and Lectura


3 times per year – BOY, MOY, EOY		mCLASS DIBELS and Lectura


3 times per year – BOY, MOY, EOY		mCLASS DIBELS and Lectura


3 times per year – BOY, MOY, EOY
Formal progress monitoring assessments

Frequency of administration		mCLASS DIBELS and Lectura



3 times per year – BOY, MOY, EOY		mCLASS DIBELS and Lectura



Monthly		mCLASS DIBELS and Lectura



Bi-weekly
Informal progress monitoring assessments




Frequency of administration		Amplify CKLA California, Amplify Caminos California, Amplify ELA California core assessments

Daily		Intervention Toolkit progress monitoring assessments




When linked to a lesson in the toolkit		Intervention Toolkit progress monitoring assessments




When linked to a lesson in the toolkit
Diagnostic assessment






Frequency of administration		Amplify skill diagnostic assessment

Amplify Spanish skill diagnostic assessment

Optional after universal screening assessment is administered		Amplify skill diagnostic assessment

Amplify Spanish skill diagnostic assessment

After universal screening assessment is administered

Universal assessment system

Amplify’s mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura are universal and dyslexia screening assessments that should be administered three times per year (BOY, MOY and EOY) to all students. The assessments evaluate student literacy risk, determine progress toward grade-level goals, and indicate the level of instructional  support a student may need. Beginning-of-year screenings require adequate instructional time before administration, particularly in grades K–1, while mid-year and end-of-year assessments evaluate instructional effectiveness and guide tier placement adjustments. These screenings also identify students at risk for dyslexia. Universal screening provides essential data for targeting instruction and measuring instructional system effectiveness.

Core instruction assessments

Amplify CKLA California and Amplify ELA California provide a comprehensive suite of assessments for Grades K–8 that range from low-stakes, informal formative assessments to more formal summative assessments. These assessments incorporate a variety of methods and question types, including multiple-choice questions, open-ended questions, and oral and written responses.

Formative assessments:

  • Checks for Understanding: Incorporated into each lesson segment throughout daily instruction. Quick pulse-checks that provide immediate feedback during lesson delivery (grades K–5). 
  • Daily formative assessments: Highlighted moments within each lesson for teachers to plan to track mastery of Primary Focus objectives and standards of each lesson to get a clear snapshot of individual and whole-class progress (grades K–5). 
  • Activity pages: Completed as part of lessons and can be used to assess lesson content understanding through various formats (grades K–5).
  • Exit Tickets: Located at the end of lessons, these provide a quick gauge of students’ ability to meet the lesson’s focus standards (grades 6–8).  
  • Writing Prompts: Prompts integrated throughout lessons during writing activities that provide skill snapshots within lessons and tracks patterns of skill development over time (grades 6–8).
  • Independent reading activities (Solos): At the end of every lesson, students complete an independent reading activity (“solo”) with reading questions that are scored to measure comprehension (grades 6–8).

Summative assessments:

  • Skills end-of-unit assessments (grades K–2) 
  • Knowledge end-of-domain assessments (grades K–2) 
  • End-of-unit assessments (grades 3–5) 
  • Unit essays: A culminating end-of-unit set of lessons that guide students through crafting an essay with a rubric to score mastery of writing skills (grades 6–8)
  • Unit Reading Assessments: Auto-scored responses and two constructed response items evaluate comprehension, content understanding, and reading skills using the passages students read during the unit (grades 6–8)

Performance Assessments

Student Performance Assessments are multi-day assessments administered in Grades K-5 at the beginning, middle, and end of year to help teachers gauge student mastery of grade-level Core content. These assessments provide critical data to help teachers set targeted instructional goals and monitor individual and class-wide progress towards core objectives.

Progress monitoring

Amplify’s mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura provide formal progress monitoring in the discrete skills that are indicative of reading growth and predictive of overall success to provide the most instructionally meaningful information to teachers.

Informal progress monitoring tools can be found within the Intervention Toolkit, including materials for teachers to record, track, and evaluate student progress.

Diagnostic assessment

Interventions within Amplify’s literacy programs are informed by a skill diagnostic assessment that provides detailed data on foundational literacy skill deficits. The Amplify Skill Diagnostic Assessment and Amplify Spanish Skill Diagnostic assessment serve as critical tools in this process, administered specifically to students identified as at risk for reading difficulty through universal screening assessments—particularly those demonstrating mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition or mCLASS Lectura composite scores in the Well Below or Below Benchmark ranges. These diagnostic assessments provide teachers with the precise skills to begin intervention and remediation.

Category 4: Universal Access

Amplify CKLA California and Amplify ELA California were built on the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and reviewed by CAST, a nonprofit education research and development organization. The program is developed using the Universal Design for Learning framework to proactively ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Universal Design for Learning

The programs incorporate opportunities for engagement, representation, action, and expression based on the guidelines of Universal Design for Learning.

  • Multiple Means of Engagement: The programs incorporate interesting and motivating ways for students to interact with information and content. In Amplify CKLA California, the Universal Access section in the introduction of each lesson provides specific lesson-level options based on the needs of individual classrooms and students. Scaffolding for students with various levels of need is incorporated into the design of each lesson.
  • Multiple Means of Representation: The programs provide multiple means of presenting content to maximize student understanding. This includes digital component files that allow for a range of presentations of images and text to support learning. Amplify provides access to universal supports such as point-of-use audio for all core texts, embedded definitions for critical vocabulary, and glossaries in multiple languages. Amplify CKLA California includes clarification on language found throughout the program, with sidebars that include support on transition words and syntax, and illustrations to help students understand the concepts they are learning.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression: The programs include a range of methods for all students, including English Learners, to navigate and demonstrate learning. This includes physical actions, a range of methods for response, appropriate tools for composition, and varied scaffolding. In Amplify ELA California, lessons provide multiple ways for students to interact with text, allowing their brains to process the language through distinct pathways. Activities harness multiple learning modes, using media tools, digital apps, and a variety of visual and physical experiences to strategically support and enhance student learning.
  • Accessibility: Universal access features include visual aids, enlarged materials, physical objects, and multiple learning modalities through activities like Push & Say and Wiggle Cards. The Universal Access section in the introduction of each lesson provides specific lesson-level options based on the needs of individual classrooms and students.

Embedded differentiation

Amplify CKLA California and Amplify ELA California provide built-in differentiation strategies in every lesson for all students.

Throughout the Teacher Guides, point-of-use Differentiation icons provide targeted instructional strategies and supports. These icons indicate specific guidance for advanced learners, students who need additional support, and English learners, allowing teachers to easily identify and implement appropriate scaffolds and extensions during instruction. In addition, teachers are provided with recommendations for resources to use with each group of students.

  • Pre-teaching supports include mini-lessons on:
    • Core vocabulary words
    • Core Connections
    • Essential Background Information or Terms
    • What Have We Already Learned/What Do We Already Know?
  • Differentiated Support for Core Instruction tables, located in the overview of each K–2 Skills Teacher Guide, provide a list of specific opportunities for reteaching and additional support in each lesson based on skill.
  • Support and Challenge Sidebars in lesson margins offer educators immediate guidance in implementing point-of-use differentiation techniques.
  • Flexible Grouping within lessons provides opportunities for teachers to facilitate small groups, partners, or individualized support based on students’ needs. In the Skills Strand, teachers receive specific guidance for differentiated small-group instruction, with targeted support and activities outlined for both Group 1 (students needing additional support) and Group 2 (on-level students) based on data. 
  • Amplify ELA California provides point-of-use supports embedded within key core lesson activities with six levels of differentiation. The goal of these supports is to fully enable access to grade-level content for all students, including students with disabilities, English learners, and students ready for an additional level of challenge.
  • The Universal Access section of Advance Preparation in each lesson includes varied strategies to ensure all students can access and engage in each lesson.
  • Frequent use of graphic organizers and visual supports in lessons provide opportunities for differentiation based on need. The program also includes a variety of technological supports, such as eReaders with audio.
  • Extension opportunities are suggested throughout lessons, often embedded in writing tasks, which include prompts to use more complex and descriptive vocabulary, figurative language,  multi-clause and complex sentences, and  informational text characteristics.

Assessment-Driven MTSS resources

  • The K–8 Intervention Toolkit is available online and provides easy-to-use resources that assist teachers in filling gaps in students’ reading skills, with activities to support print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, and other key skills
  • Fluency Packets (Grades 2–5)
  • Foundational Skills Intervention Program for Grades 3–8 support students who would benefit from direct and explicit intervention instruction in the full continuum of foundational skills in the upper grades
  • Flexible Instructional Time including:
    • Pausing Points built into the curriculum that provide teachers with dedicated time to address specific student needs through targeted reteaching, remediation, practice, and extension activities 
    • Pausing Point activities designed to support English learners’ competence and confidence through differentiated whole-group, small-group, or individual instruction
  • Boost Reading is a K–5 student-led digital intervention program. Boost Reading follows Amplify CKLA California’s scope and sequence to reinforce the same foundational skills taught in core instruction. It integrates easily into daily routines, while the robust data provided by mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition offers a detailed view of how students progress across all instructional tiers.

Category 5: Instructional Planning and Teacher Support

Amplify CKLA California and Amplify ELA California teachers are empowered to deliver effective instruction with various print and digital resources. The program provides comprehensive planning and support materials designed to help teachers prepare for and execute lessons effectively and fulfill the requirements of Category 5.

Implementation supports across K–8

Planning and preparation resources

  • Unit Overviews that provide important background and context for the texts students will read, including highlighted elements within the text and guidance for how students will work with those elements
  • Sub-unit Overviews (Grades 6–8) that provide an overview of Lesson Objectives and reading and writing assignments, as well as a list of any projections, multimedia, or digital apps that can be projected from the teacher’s included digital license
  • Lesson-by-lesson preparation checklists (Grades 6–8) accompanying each Sub-unit Overview
  • Lesson Briefs for each individual lesson providing important background and context
  • Content knowledge materials regarding topics that students will examine

Point-of-use instructional guidance

  • Teacher Editions that feature insets of the same text and activity instructions as the corresponding Student Edition, wrapping teacher instruction around these materials
  • Activity guidance at point of use
  • Lesson standards clearly called out
  • Discussion suggestions embedded in lessons
  • Differentiation tips at point of use
  • Detailed Instructional Guides in each activity that include sequencing and grouping suggestions, tips for facilitating discussion, possible student responses and exemplars
  • Student Supports in all core lessons that provide teachers with targeted supports in daily core instruction, addressing which might serve the student best in the moment—support, strengthen, stretch—with additional call-outs for newcomers

Multimedia and digital support

  • Teacher tip videos provide modeling and guidance for implementing key foundational skills routines within the program
  • Digital platform access where teachers can access printable PDFs of differentiated support materials for English learners and students struggling with reading, including translated Unit Background and Context documents and Text Previews
  • Teacher dashboard and reporting tools (Grade 6–8) provide real-time visibility into student progress and work for immediate instructional response

Caregiver supports

Communication and overview resources

  • Caregiver Hub available in English and Spanish that provides an overview of the curriculum
  • Caregiver Letters for each K–2 Knowledge Domain and unit in Grades 3–5 that provide an overview of the content, the skills students learn, as well as practical methods that continue the learning and knowledge building at home
  • Unit-specific Caregiver Letters (Grades 6–8) that provide detailed information regarding what students will read and learn in each unit, including conversation starters that allow caregivers to ask questions and discuss specific aspects of a unit with their student
  • Welcome letters that explain the assessment and placement process while inviting parent involvement and offering support
  • Editable Home-School Communication letters available in English and Spanish
  • Editable Progress Reports for teachers to update parents and guardians on what their child is learning

Content and learning support materials

  • Unit Background and Context documents that provide an introduction and overview to the unit’s topic and themes, available in English and Spanish
  • Text Previews that provide a brief introduction to formative, independent reading assignments (called Solos in Grades 6–8), available in English and Spanish
  • Unit Overview and Support documents (Grades 6–8) designed for caregivers that provide information about important questions, assignments, and key aspects of the unit texts, available in English and Spanish
  • Conversation starters included in Knowledge Strand Caregiver Letters to discuss domain topics at home

Home practice and extension activities

  • Take-Home pages in the Skills Strand that include copies of decodable passages, enabling students to share their reading progress with families and continue practicing their skills outside of school
  • Take-Home Letters in the Skills Strand that provide specific guidance for parents to support skills practice at home, such as sound-sorting activities, with detailed instructions and materials for home practice activities
  • Take-Home pages in the Knowledge Strand that provide suggested activities families can do together to reinforce and extend learning beyond the classroom
  • Games and activities on take-home pages that extend classroom instruction, including all the materials and instruction necessary to help families assist students in a fun and engaging way
  • Digital access to decodable texts through the Amplify Caregiver Hub, allowing students to practice their reading skills both in class and at home
  • Weekly spelling lists and directions to decoding activities that can be practiced at home

Welcome, Program 3 reviewers!

We’re honored to introduce you to Amplify California Language Arts. We’re confident you’ll find this comprehensive program to be a powerful tool for bringing the vision of the California ELA/ELD Framework to life in classrooms across the state.

Please start with the video on the right to learn how to navigate the program and access key features referenced within our submission. Below you’ll find additional resources to support your review.

Your review samples

We’re excited for you to begin your review of Amplify California Language Arts, a comprehensive biliteracy program for kindergarten through grade 6.

Reviewer Binders (K–6)

Your physical samples should have arrived in grade-specific boxes with three Reviewer Binders.

  • The first binder will contain logistical program review information and the printed Evaluation Criteria Map.
  • The second binder will contain the printed Standards Maps for grades K–2.
  • The third binder will contain the printed Standards Maps for grades 3–6.

Physical samples (trade books)

Your review of the program will be entirely digital with the exception of the trade books that you will be receiving as physical samples. You can expect to receive 13 boxes of physical materials for your review. Twelve boxes of trade books, one for each grade K–5, in English and Spanish, and one box containing your Reviewer Binders.

As you begin the process of organizing your materials, please refer to the inventory checklist found inside each box as well as within your Reviewer Binder.

Digital review materials

In order to access your digital review materials, you’ll need to log in to our platform using your unique login credentials found on a Digital Review Credential flyer inside of your Reviewer Binder. Once you have located the flyer:

  • Click the orange button below to access the platform.
  • Click “Log in with Amplify.”
  • Enter the username and password provided on your Digital Review Credential flyer.
Digital Access

Navigation tips

Before you get started, please review these important functionality notes:

Criteria Map and Standards Maps must be opened on Microsoft Word on your desktop to function as intended. If you open the documents without Microsoft Word on your desktop, citations will be cut off at the bottom of most tables within the document.

Many of our citations are deep-links to PDFs, meaning they will take you to the right page or the first page in the sequence for the citation in question. To ensure this functionality works, please disable any PDF-viewing extensions or plug-ins such as Adobe Acrobat Pro Browser Extension.

[Reviewer program navigation video] Grades K–5

[Reviewer program navigation video] Grade 6

Click here for additional information on navigating the program for grade 6.

Category 1: English Language Arts (ELA) and English Language Development (ELD) content/alignment to standards

Evaluation Criteria Map

Linked below is the Evaluation Criteria Map. Please note that you will need to be logged into the digital platform to access the links in the Evaluation Criteria Map.

ELA Standards Maps

The links below provide the Standards Maps for Amplify California Language Arts for each grade level.

ELD Standards Maps

Category 2: Program organization

Amplify California Language Arts’ biliteracy program is a comprehensive curriculum provides a full year of evidence-based instruction for each grade level, with both integrated and designated English Language Development instruction designed to give multilingual/English learners the tools to thrive. Amplify’s biliteracy program for grades K–6 includes:

  • Core English language arts instruction: Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) California (grades K–5) and Amplify ELA California (grade 6) covering knowledge building and foundational skills.
    • Provides upper grade foundational skills instruction for grades 3–6.
  • Core Spanish language arts instruction: Amplify Caminos California, a fully parallel SLA program that works in tandem with English core instruction across all grades.
    • Provides upper grade foundational skills instruction for grades 3–6.
  • Designated English Language Development: Language Studio California is the designated English Language Development companion that directly aligns with and supports core English instruction. 
  • Newcomer Support: Amplify California Language Arts Newcomer Support to facilitate instruction for students who are new to both English and the United States.

Program structure

Amplify’s California Language Arts programs are built on what the research shows: Strong readers need both word recognition and language comprehension. Our comprehensive curriculum suite follows the Simple View of Reading bringing together foundational skills and knowledge building to deliver instruction grounded in the Science of Reading.

This model is integral to the structure of the Amplify biliteracy program, which directly aligns with the CA CCSS ELA and ELD standards by combining rigorous decoding and skills instruction with research-based knowledge and language development instruction. In its early grades, the Amplify biliteracy program uses a two-strand structure—Skills/Lectoescritura and Knowledge/Conocimiento—to effectively address this learning challenge while meeting standards expectations for both language development and academic content mastery.

Diagram with three orange squares labeled: "Language comprehension," "Word recognition," and "Skilled reading," connected by multiplication and equals signs, with Spanish headings above each square.

[Reviewer highlight video] Program organization for Category 2

[Reviewer highlight video] Program structure for grades K–2

[Reviewer highlight video] Program structure for grades 3–5

[Reviewer highlight video] Program structure for grade 6

Amplify Caminos California lessons are designed to allow all students time to work toward learning objectives, including peer collaboration and discussion. Since each lesson activity is aligned to subsequent activities, students’ understanding and analysis develops progressively throughout the lesson.

Each lesson follows a predictable structure with clearly marked components, beginning with warm-up routines, progressing through explicit instruction with guided practice, and concluding with independent application activities. The program provides detailed teacher language, including question stems and discussion prompts, ensuring clear and consistent delivery of instruction.

Amplify CKLA California and Amplify Caminos California empower teachers to deliver effective instruction and keep students engaged with the following resources:

  • Teacher Guides
  • Assessment Guides
  • Authentic texts and trade books
  • Knowledge Image Cards
  • Knowledge Flip Books
  • Remediation and intervention resources
  • Decodable readers
  • Student Readers and novels
  • Student Activity Books
  • Dedicated ELD support with Language Studio California
  • Poet’s Journals
  • eReaders
  • Sound Library featuring articulation videos and songs
  • Instructional routine modeling videos
  • Assignable Practice Games
  • On-demand professional development

Amplify ELA California students stay engaged with the following resources:

  • Teacher Guides that include:
    • Detailed lesson plans
    • Standards alignment and exit tickets
    • Real-time differentiation strategies
    • Robust reporting
  • Student Editions that include:
    • High-quality narrative and informational texts
    • Videos, audio supports, and digital experiences that capture their attention
    • Personal Writing Journal to keep all student writing in one place
  • Dedicated ELD support with Language Studio California
  • Trade books

Core literacy philosophy

Support every learner. Meet all learning needs with a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) that brings together universal screening, scaffolded core instruction, support for multilingual/English learners, and data-driven intervention to ensure every student gets what they need to succeed.

Deliver consistent foundational skills instruction. Daily explicit, systematic skills instruction in grades K–2, with targeted yet flexible support for students still building decoding confidence in grades 3–6, ensures mastery of essential reading foundations.

Build lasting knowledge across all grades. Through coherently sequenced, content-rich instruction that revisits key vocabulary and concepts with increasing complexity, students build meaningful connections that deepen their vocabulary and reading comprehension.

Strengthen reading through writing at every level. Regular writing instruction grounded in the Science of Writing supports reading comprehension, improves sentence-level writing, and provides the foundation for high-quality composition. As students progress through the upper grades, they engage in increasingly complex analytical tasks—synthesizing ideas, drawing generalizations, and interpreting multiple textual layers through both focused quick-writes and comprehensive essays. 

Foster oral language development. Structured opportunities for academic conversation and evidence-based dialogue build students’ ability to express complex ideas with precision and allow them to participate confidently in classroom discussions.

Measure growth with comprehensive assessments. Assessments range from in-the-moment checks for understanding to summative assessments that measure progress toward skills mastery and standards proficiency, providing the data needed to drive targeted instruction.

Scope and sequence

Below you can view the scope and sequence documents for each grade level. 

Routines

Amplify CKLA California, Amplify Caminos California, and Amplify ELA California include several structured instructional routines that provide predictable patterns for both teachers and students:

Discussion and collaboration routines:

  • Turn and Talk: Partners discuss text-specific content using sentence starters and frames
  • Think-Pair-Share: Students engage in individual thinking, partner discussion, and whole-class sharing
  • Partner reading: Students sit shoulder-to-shoulder, taking turns reading and listening

Foundational Skills routines:

  • Sound-spelling review: Warm-up activities that reinforce phonics patterns
  • Oral blending warm-ups: Teacher-guided practice progressing to independent application
  • Finger-tapping: Techniques for blending sounds
  • Chaining activities: Students manipulate letters to transform one word into another
  • Word Work: Daily short activities focused on domain-specific and academic vocabulary

Knowledge-building routines:

  • Teacher modeling: Demonstration of proper intonation, expression, and pacing
  • Choral reading: Whole-class reading practice
  • Partner reading: Paired fluency practice

Close reading routines

The program includes carefully structured close reading activities that guide students through multiple encounters with complex texts. These routines help students develop deeper comprehension through systematic analysis and discussion.

Each routine includes comprehensive instructional guides with clear-cut directions for implementation, straightforward explanations of concepts, and suggestions for discussion.

Cross-Linguistic Transfer routines

The Cross-Linguistic Transfer (CLT) routines are easy-to-implement, 10–15 minute mini-lessons designed to help bridge English and Spanish literacy and language development. These structured routines are organized by grade bands for K–2, grades 3–5 and grade 6, covering five skill areas:

  • Oral language
  • Reading
  • Vocabulary
  • Language
  • Writing

[Reviewer highlight video] Amplify’s program alignment to Cross-Linguistic Transfer criteria

Designated English Language Development materials

Language Studio California is a K–8 content-based companion for English language learners. Built on Amplify CKLA California and Amplify ELA California’s carefully sequenced Knowledge Domains, it combines engaging content knowledge with targeted supports and research-based strategies to help students move swiftly toward language proficiency. This program includes:

  • Real-world content to provide authentic opportunities to practice reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
  • Scaffolding strategies and differentiated instruction to offer targeted support along five English proficiency levels.
  • Progress monitoring tools to help teachers provide consistent and effective support.
  • Teacher Guides that:
    • Provide impactful progress monitoring tools including formative and summative assessments, and Language Proficiency Assessment rubrics.
    • Offer varied differentiation strategies including Support, Challenge, and Access supports in each lesson segment.
    • Are organized into thoughtful lesson segments—Talk Time, Building Background, On Stage and more—that make learning objectives concrete.
  • Activities that:
    • Expand on domain knowledge from core content and read-alouds and prompt collaborative conversation to practice oral fluency.
    • Support hands-on language activities to promote authentic interaction in the classroom.
    • Help students bridge experiences and knowledge with images, vocabulary activities, graphic organizers, anticipation guides, writing space, and more.

Category 3: Assessments

Systematic MTSS alignment

In alignment with the additional 2025 Guidance 3.1.a, the assessment systems align with MTSS tiers, including universal screening, diagnostic assessments for students demonstrating a need for additional support, and progress monitoring tools that complement California’s required reading difficulties screening schedule per SB 114.

Tier 1:
Universal/ differentiated support		Tier 2: 
Supplemental/ targeted
support		Tier 3: 
Intensified/ intensive
support
Core instruction assessments





Frequency of administration		Amplify CKLA California, Amplify Caminos California, Amplify ELA California assessments

Daily, Weekly, Monthly		Amplify CKLA California, Amplify Caminos California, Amplify ELA California assessments

Daily, Weekly, Monthly		Amplify CKLA California, Amplify Caminos California, Amplify ELA California assessments

Daily, Weekly, Monthly
Universal screening assessments

Frequency of administration		mCLASS DIBELS and Lectura


3 times per year – BOY, MOY, EOY		mCLASS DIBELS and Lectura


3 times per year – BOY, MOY, EOY		mCLASS DIBELS and Lectura


3 times per year – BOY, MOY, EOY
Formal progress monitoring assessments


Frequency of administration		mCLASS DIBELS and Lectura



3 times per year – BOY, MOY, EOY		mCLASS DIBELS and Lectura



Monthly		mCLASS DIBELS and Lectura



Bi-weekly
Informal progress monitoring assessments




Frequency of administration		Amplify CKLA California, Amplify Caminos California, Amplify ELA California core assessments

Daily		Intervention Toolkit progress monitoring assessments



When linked to a lesson in the toolkit		Intervention Toolkit progress monitoring assessments



When linked to a lesson in the toolkit
Diagnostic assessment







Frequency of administration		Amplify skill diagnostic assessment


Amplify Spanish skill diagnostic assessment

Optional after universal screening assessment is administered		Amplify skill diagnostic assessment


Amplify Spanish skill diagnostic assessment

After universal screening assessment is administered

Universal assessment system

Amplify’s mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition (K–8) and mCLASS Lectura (K–6) are universal and dyslexia screening assessments that should be administered three times per year (BOY, MOY, and EOY) to all students. The assessments evaluate student literacy risk, determine progress toward grade-level goals, and indicate the level of instructional  support a student may need. Beginning-of-year screenings require adequate instructional time before administration, particularly in grades K–1, while mid-year and end-of-year assessments evaluate instructional effectiveness and guide tier placement adjustments. These screenings also identify students at risk for dyslexia. Universal screening provides essential data for targeting instruction and measuring instructional system effectiveness.

Core instruction assessments

Amplify CKLA California, Amplify Caminos California, and Amplify ELA California provide a comprehensive suite of assessments for grades K–6 that range from low-stakes, informal formative assessments to more formal summative assessments. These assessments incorporate a variety of methods and question types, including multiple-choice questions, open-ended questions, and oral and written responses.

Formative assessments:

  • Checks for Understanding: Incorporated into each lesson segment throughout daily instruction. Quick pulse-checks that provide immediate feedback during lesson delivery (grades K–5). 
  • Daily formative assessments: Highlighted moments within each lesson for teachers to plan to track mastery of Primary Focus objectives and standards of each lesson to get a clear snapshot of individual and whole-class progress (grades K–5). 
  • Activity pages: Completed as part of lessons and can be used to assess lesson content understanding through various formats (grades K–5).
  • Exit Tickets: Located at the end of lessons, these provide a quick gauge of students’ ability to meet the lesson’s focus standards (grade 6).  
  • Writing Prompts: Prompts integrated throughout lessons during writing activities that provide skill snapshots within lessons and tracks patterns of skill development over time (grade 6).
  • Independent reading activities (Solos): At the end of every lesson, students complete an independent reading activity (“Solo”) with reading questions that are scored to measure comprehension (grade 6).

Summative assessments:

  • Skills end-of-unit assessments (grades K–2) 
  • Knowledge end-of-domain assessments (grades K–2) 
  • End-of-unit assessments (grades 3–5) 
  • Unit essays: A culminating end-of-unit set of lessons that guide students through crafting an essay with a rubric to score mastery of writing skills (grade 6)
  • Unit reading assessments: Auto-scored responses and two constructed response items evaluate comprehension, content understanding, and reading skills using the passages students read during the unit (grade 6)

Performance assessments

Student Performance Assessments are multi-day assessments administered in Grades K–5 at the beginning, middle, and end of year to help teachers gauge student mastery of grade-level Core content. These assessments provide critical data to help teachers set targeted instructional goals and monitor individual and class-wide progress towards core objectives.

Progress monitoring

Amplify’s mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura provide formal progress monitoring in the discrete skills that are indicative of reading growth and predictive of overall success to provide the most instructionally meaningful information to teachers.

Informal progress monitoring tools can be found within the Intervention Toolkit, including materials for teachers to record, track, and evaluate student progress.

Diagnostic assessment

Interventions within Amplify’s literacy programs are informed by a skill diagnostic assessment that provides detailed data on foundational literacy skill deficits. The Amplify Skill Diagnostic Assessment and Amplify Spanish Skill Diagnostic assessment serve as critical tools in this process, administered specifically to students identified as at risk for reading difficulty through universal screening assessments—particularly those demonstrating mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition or mCLASS Lectura composite scores in the Well Below or Below Benchmark ranges. These diagnostic assessments provide teachers with the precise skills to begin intervention and remediation.

Category 4: Universal Access

Amplify CKLA California, Amplify Caminos California, and Amplify ELA California are developed using the Universal Design for Learning framework to proactively ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Universal Design for Learning

Amplify CKLA California, Amplify Caminos California, and Amplify ELA California incorporate opportunities for engagement, representation, action, and expression based on the guidelines of Universal Design for Learning.

  • Multiple Means of Engagement: The programs incorporate interesting and motivating ways for students to interact with information and content. The Universal Access section in the introduction of each lesson provides specific lesson-level options based on the needs of individual classrooms and students. Scaffolding for students with various levels of need is incorporated into the design of each lesson.
  • Multiple Means of Representation: The programs provide multiple means of presenting content to maximize student understanding. This includes digital component files that allow for a range of presentations of images and text to support learning. Amplify provides access to universal supports such as point-of-use audio for all core texts, embedded definitions for critical vocabulary, and glossaries in multiple languages. The programs include clarification on language found throughout the program, with sidebars that include support on transition words and syntax, and illustrations to help students understand the concepts they are learning.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression: The programs include a range of methods for all students, including Multilingual/English Learners, to navigate and demonstrate learning. This includes physical actions, a range of methods for response, appropriate tools for composition, and varied scaffolding. Lessons provide multiple ways for students to interact with text, allowing their brains to process the language through distinct pathways. Activities harness multiple learning modes, using media tools, digital apps, and a variety of visual and physical experiences to strategically support and enhance student learning.
  • Accessibility: Universal access features include visual aids, enlarged materials, physical objects, and multiple learning modalities through activities like Push & Say and Wiggle Cards. The Universal Access section in the introduction of each lesson provides specific lesson-level options based on the needs of individual classrooms and students.

Embedded differentiation

Amplify CKLA California, Amplify Caminos California, and Amplify ELA California provide built-in differentiation strategies in every lesson for all students.

  • Pre-teaching supports include mini-lessons on:
    • Core vocabulary building
    • Core connections
    • Essential background information building
    • What Have We Already Learned?/What Do We Already Know?
  • Differentiated Support for Core Instruction tables, located in the overview of each K–2 Skills Teacher Guide, provide a list of specific opportunities for reteaching and additional support in each lesson based on skill.
  • Support and Challenge Sidebars in lesson margins offer educators immediate guidance in implementing point-of-use differentiation techniques.
  • Flexible Grouping within lessons provides opportunities for teachers to facilitate small groups, partners, or individualized support based on students’ needs. In the Skills Strand, teachers receive specific guidance for differentiated small group instruction, with targeted support and activities outlined for both Group 1 (students needing additional support) and Group 2 (on-level students) based on data. 
  • Amplify ELA California and Amplify Caminos California provide point-of-use supports embedded within key core lesson activities with six levels of differentiation. The goal of these supports is to fully enable access to grade-level content for all students, including students with disabilities, English learners, and students ready for an additional level of challenge.
  • The Universal Access section of Advance Preparation in each lesson includes varied strategies to ensure all students can access and engage in each lesson.
  • Frequent use of graphic organizers and visual supports in lessons provide opportunities for differentiation based on need. The program also includes a variety of technological supports, such as eReaders with audio.
  • Extension opportunities are suggested throughout lessons, often embedded in writing tasks, which include prompts to use more complex and descriptive vocabulary, figurative language,  multi-clause and complex sentences, and  informational text characteristics.

Assessment-driven MTSS resources

  • The K–6 Intervention Toolkit is available online and provides easy-to-use resources that assist teachers in filling gaps in students’ reading skills, with activities to support print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, and other key skills.
  • Fluency packets (Grades 2–6)
  • Foundational Skills Intervention Program for Grades 3–6 support students who would benefit from direct and explicit intervention instruction in the full continuum of foundational skills in the upper grades
  • Flexible Instructional Time including:
    • Pausing Points built into the curriculum that provide teachers with dedicated time to address specific student needs through targeted reteaching, remediation, practice, and extension activities 
    • Pausing Point activities designed to support multilingual/English learners’ competence and confidence through differentiated whole-group, small-group, or individual instruction
  • Boost Reading and Boost Lectura are student-led digital intervention programs that follow the scope and sequences of Amplify CKLA California and Amplify Caminos California respectively, to reinforce the same foundational skills taught in core instruction. It integrates easily into daily routines, while the robust data provided by mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition offers a detailed view of how students progress across all instructional tiers.

Category 5: Instructional Planning and Teacher Support

Amplify CKLA California, Amplify Caminos California, and Amplify ELA California teachers are empowered to deliver effective instruction with various print and digital resources. The program provides comprehensive planning and support materials designed to help teachers prepare for and execute lessons effectively and fulfill the requirements of Category 5.

Implementation supports across K–6

Planning and preparation resources

  • Unit Overviews that provide important background and context for the texts students will read, including highlighted elements within the text and guidance for how students will work with those elements
  • Sub-unit Overviews (Grade 6) that provide an overview of Lesson Objectives and reading and writing assignments, as well as a list of any projections, multimedia, or digital apps that can be projected from the teacher’s included digital license
  • Lesson-by-lesson preparation checklists (Grade 6) accompanying each Sub-unit Overview
  • Lesson Briefs for each individual lesson providing important background and context
  • Content knowledge materials regarding topics that students will examine

Point-of-use instructional guidance

  • Teacher Editions that feature insets of the same text and activity instructions as the corresponding Student Edition, wrapping teacher instruction around these materials
  • Activity guidance at point of use
  • Lesson standards clearly called out
  • Discussion suggestions embedded in lessons
  • Differentiation tips at point of use
  • Detailed Instructional Guides in each activity that include sequencing and grouping suggestions, tips for facilitating discussion, possible student responses and exemplars
  • On-the-Fly supports (Grade 6)—quick call-outs to the identifying features of “on track” and “needs support” students accompanied by short models of student guidance to foster strong performance

Multimedia and digital support

  • Teacher tip videos provide modeling and guidance for implementing key foundational skills routines within the program
  • Digital platform access where teachers can access printable PDFs of differentiated support materials for multilingual/English learners and students struggling to read, including translated Unit Background and Context documents and Text Previews
  • Teacher Dashboard and reporting tools provide real-time visibility into student progress and work for immediate instructional response

Caregiver supports

Communication and overview resources

  • Caregiver Hub available in English and Spanish that provides an overview of the curriculum
  • Caregiver Letters for each K–2 Knowledge Domain and unit in Grades 3–5 that provide an overview of the content, the skills students learn, as well as practical methods that continue the learning and knowledge building at home
  • Unit-specific Caregiver Letters (Grade 6) that provide detailed information regarding what students will read and learn in each unit, including conversation starters that allow caregivers to ask questions and discuss specific aspects of a unit with their student
  • Welcome letters that explain the assessment and placement process while inviting parent involvement and offering support
  • Editable Home-School Communication letters available in English and Spanish
  • Editable Progress Reports for teachers to update parents and guardians on what their child is learning

Content and learning support materials

  • Unit Background and Context documents that provide an introduction and overview to the unit’s topic and themes, available in English and Spanish
  • Text Previews that provide a brief introduction to formative, independent reading assignments (called Solos in Grade 6), available in English and Spanish
  • Unit Overview and Support documents (Grade 6) designed for caregivers that provide information about important questions, assignments, and key aspects of the unit texts, available in English and Spanish
  • Conversation starters included in Knowledge Strand Caregiver Letters to discuss domain topics at home

Home practice and extension activities

  • Take-Home pages in the Skills Strand that include copies of decodable passages, enabling students to share their reading progress with families and continue practicing their skills outside of school
  • Take-Home Letters in the Skills Strand that provide specific guidance for parents to support skills practice at home, such as sound-sorting activities, with detailed instructions and materials for home practice activities
  • Take-Home pages in the Knowledge Strand that provide suggested activities families can do together to reinforce and extend learning beyond the classroom
  • Games and activities on Take-Home Pages that extend classroom instruction, including all the materials and instruction necessary to help families assist students in a fun and engaging way
  • Digital access to decodable texts through the Amplify Caregiver Hub, allowing students to practice their reading skills both in class and at home
  • Weekly spelling lists and directions to decoding activities that can be practiced at home

Welcome to Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition, Utah Reviewers!

We’re excited to share everything you need to review Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition, our K–5 core literacy program. On this site, you’ll find a comprehensive collection of resources and overviews to get you started, as well as a range of materials to explore the program, including Teacher Guides, Activity Books, Student Readers, and more, organized by grade and unit.

Please note that the files on this site are static representations of the high-quality materials you’ll review on the digital platform.

Reviewer resources

Access key materials designed to support your review of Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition.

Digital platform access

Amplify CKLA’s all-in-one platform offers essential tools that streamline instruction for teachers and engage students with meaningful content.

In order to access your digital materials, you’ll need to log into our platform using your unique login credentials found on the Start Here flyer inside of your Reviewer Binder. Once you have located the flyer:

  • Click the orange button below to access the platform.
  • Click “Log in with Amplify.”
  • Enter the username and password provided on your Start Here flyer.
Digital Access

The video below will provide you with instructions on how to access and navigate the digital platform.

Teachers can plan and deliver lessons efficiently, while students can access assignments, assessments, and fun practice games within the CKLA digital platform. The digital experience includes:

Presentation Screens
Deliver interactive lessons with ready-made, customizable slides for every lesson.

Auto-scored digital assessments
Assess vocabulary, comprehension, and knowledge development at the end of each K–2 Knowledge and 3–5 Integrated Unit.

Standards-based reports
Identify strengths and growth areas for individuals, small groups, or your entire class. Interactive dashboards offer detailed results from assessments and activities.

Skill-building practice games
Engage students with interactive games that reinforce concepts and make learning fun. Powered by Boost Reading™, these games align with lessons and provide real-time feedback.

eReader
Students access texts, take notes, and use audio-enabled eReaders to enhance their reading experience.

Sound Library
Students watch articulation videos and listen to songs for each sound to support phonological awareness.

Vocab App
Helps students in Grades 3–5 practice Amplify CKLA Tier 2 vocabulary words with fun, interactive games.

Intervention Toolkit
Offers user-friendly resources designed to aid educators in identifying and addressing deficiencies in students’ foundation skills.

Kindergarten

Explore all available resources for Kindergarten, organized by strand and unit.

Knowledge Strand

Unit 1: Star Light, Star Bright: Nursery Rhymes and Fables

Unit 2: See, Hear, Smell, Taste, Touch: The Five Senses

Unit 3: Underdogs and Heroes: Stories

Unit 4: See How They Grow: Plants

Unit 5: Moo, Cluck, Oink: Farms

Unit 6: Deep Roots: Introduction to Native American Cultures

Unit 7: All Around the World: Geography

Unit 8 (Choice): Royal Tales: Monarchs

Unit 8 (Choice): National Icons: Presidents and American Symbols

Unit 9 (Choice): Our Planet: Taking Care of the Earth

Unit 9 (Choice): Rain and Rainbows: Seasons and Weather

Unit 10: Shaped by Nature: Art and the World Around Us

Skills Strand

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

Unit 5

Unit 6

Unit 7

Unit 8

Unit 9

Grade 1

Explore all available resources for Grade 1, organized by strand and unit.

Knowledge Strand

Unit 1: The Moral of the Story: Fables and Tales

Unit 2: From Nose to Toes: How Your Body Works

Unit 3: Common Threads: Different Lands, Similar Stories

Unit 4: Reach for the Stars: Astronomy

Unit 5: Charting the World: Geography

Unit 6: A World of Homes: Animals and Habitats

Unit 7: A New Nation: American Independence

Unit 8 (Choice): Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tales

Unit 8 (Choice): Our Planet: The History of the Earth

Unit 9 (Choice): From Babylon to the Nile: Early World Civilizations

Unit 9 (Choice): Early Americas: Maya, Aztec, and Inca

Unit 10: Adventure Stories: Tales from the Edge

Skills Strand

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

Unit 5

Unit 6

Unit 7

Ancillary Components

  

Grade 2

Explore all available resources for Grade 2, organized by strand and unit.

Knowledge Strand

Unit 1: Fortunes and Feats: Fairy Tales and Tall Tales

Unit 2: The Birthplace of Democracy: Ancient Greece

Unit 3: Legends and Heroes: Greek Myths

Unit 4: Our Planet: Cycles in Nature

Unit 5: Butterflies, Bees, and Beetles: Insects

Unit 6: A House Divided: The American Civil War

Unit 7: Sounds and Stanzas: Poetry

Unit 8 (Choice): Journeys to America: Immigration

Unit 8 (Choice): Making a Difference: Creating Change

Unit 9 (Choice): Building Blocks: All About Nutrition

Unit 9 (Choice): Early Asian Civilizations: India and China

Unit 10: Taking Flight: The Age of Aviation

Skills Strand

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

Unit 5

Unit 6

Ancillary Components

    

Grade 3

Explore all available resources for Grade 3, organized by unit.

Core Units

Unit 1: Timeless Tales: Classic Stories

Unit 2: Fur, Fins, and Feathers: Animal Classification

Unit 3: Rhythm and Rhyme: Poetry

Unit 4: Rise and Fall: Ancient Rome

Unit 5: Our Solar System and Beyond: Astronomy

Unit 6: Regions and Cultures: Native Americans

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: Charlotte’s Web

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: Stella Díaz Has Something to Say

Unit 8 (Choice): Systems and Senses: The Human Body

Unit 8 (Choice): From Glow to Echo: Light and Sound

Unit 9: From Blues to Bebop: All That Jazz

  

Supplemental Skills

Grade 3 Skills resources are included in core classroom kits, although the instruction isn’t required for Grade 3 standards coverage.

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

  

Grade 4

Explore all available resources for Grade 4, organized by unit.

Unit 1: My Story, My Voice: Personal Narratives

Unit 2: Knights and Castles: Europe’s Middle Ages

Unit 3: Meaning and Metaphor: Poetry

Unit 4: Eureka! Student Inventor

Unit 5: Our Planet: Geology

Unit 6: Road to Independence: The American Revolution

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: The Season of Styx Malone

Unit 8 (Choice): Crafting Stories: A World of Tales

Unit 8 (Choice): Adventure on the High Seas: Treasure Island

Unit 9: Inspiration and Ingenuity: American Innovation

  

Grade 5

Explore all available resources for Grade 5, organized by unit.

Unit 1: In My Own Words: Personal Narratives

Unit 2: Early Americas: Maya, Aztec, and Inca

Unit 3: Visions in Verse: Poetry

Unit 4: A Knight’s Tale: Don Quixote

Unit 5: The Deep Blue World: Oceans

Unit 6: Cultures and Histories: Native Americans

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: The Phantom Tollbooth

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: The Science of Breakable Things

Unit 8 (Choice): Arts and Culture: The Renaissance

Unit 8 (Choice): Through the Forest: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Unit 9: Building Up the World: Global Architecture

Texas State Reviewers:  Welcome to Amplify ELAR Skills and Amplify SLAR Habilidades y Destrezas!

Thank you for taking the time to review Amplify’s English and Spanish Phonics programs for Texas. This site will allow you to easily access grade-level teacher and student resources submitted for review. Simply click the program you wish to review below to get started.

Texas ELAR K-3 Skills
Texas SLAR K-2 Habilidades y Destrezas

Feedback: Amplify’s materials on this website have been submitted to the Texas State Board of Education for review as part of their annual IMRA (Instructional Materials Review and Approval) process.  During this process, Amplify is accepting feedback and will make additional edits to address surfacing issues.  Your feedback is appreciated as we ensure a product of the highest quality.  Please submit feedback and/or error reports by visiting sboe.texas.gov/imra.

Illustrations of diverse children engaged in various activities across different seasons and settings.

Amplify Texas ELAR Skills K-3

Navigation tool

Navigation video

TEKS Breakout Correlations

Grade K

Essential Program Materials:

Grade 1

Grade 1 5.B.1 Oral Language Oracy Indicator

Essential Program Materials:

Grade 2

Grade 2 5.B.1 Oral Language Oracy Indicator

Essential Program Materials:

Grade 3

Amplify Texas SLAR Habilidades y Destrezas K-2

Navigation tool

Navigation video

TEKS Breakout Correlations

  • Click HERE to access the site
  • Click Log in with Amplify 
  • Enter Username and Password:
    • Teacher
      • Username:  texasreviewer2024.teacher
      • Password:   AmplifyNumber1
    • Student
      • Username:  texasreviewer2024.student
      • Password:   AmplifyNumber1

Essential K-2 program materials:

  • Image Cards / Tarjetas de imágenes
  • Large Letter Cards / Tarjetas grandes de letras
  • Small Letter Cards / Tarjetas pequeñas de letras
  • Vocabulary Book – Teacher Guide / Libro de vocabulario: Guía del maestro
  • Vocabulary Book – Activity Book / Libro de vocabulario: Cuaderno del estudiante
  • Cursive Activity Book

Grado K

Grado 1

Grado 2

Exciting News!

Amplify ELAR Skills and Amplify SLAR Habilidades y Destrezas are on the IMRA-approved list!

Thank you for taking the time to review Amplify’s English and Spanish Phonics programs for Texas. This site will allow you to easily access grade-level teacher and student resources that are IMRA approved.  Final program materials will be updated in March of 2025.  Simply click the program you wish to review below to get started.

TEXAS ELAR K–3 SKILLS

TEXAS SLAR K–2 HABILIDADES Y DESTREZAS

Why do so many districts choose Amplify ELAR/SLAR Texas?

Ilustración que presenta seis paneles diversos con niños en diversas actividades: jugando adentro, bailando, en otoño, en la nieve del invierno, relajándose bajo un árbol y en la playa.

Watch a quick overview before exploring!

ELAR/SLAR Skills Overview Video

Amplify Texas ELAR Skills K–3

Grade K

Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Amplify Texas SLAR Habilidades y
Destrezas K–2

  • Click HERE to access Amplify Sound Cards
    • Click Log in with Amplify 
    • Enter Username and Password:
    • Teacher
      • Username:  texasreviewer2024.teacher
      • Password:   AmplifyNumber1
    • Student
      • Username:  texasreviewer2024.student
      • Password:   AmplifyNumber1

Grado K

  • Year at a Glance
  • Curriculum Maps / Mapa curricular: Habilidades y Destrezas
  • Bilingual Planning Tools
  • Writing Evaluation Rubric
  • Pacing Guides / Guía de clases
  • Essential program materials
    • Image Cards / Tarjetas de imágenes
    • Large Letter Cards / Tarjetas grandes de letras
    • Small Letter Cards / Tarjetas pequeñas de letras
    • Vocabulary Book – Teacher Guide / Libro de vocabulario: Guía del maestro
    • Vocabulary Book – Activity Book / Libro de vocabulario: Cuaderno del estudiante

Grado 1

  • Year at a Glance
  • Curriculum Maps / Mapa curricular: Habilidades y Destrezas
  • Bilingual Planning Tools
  • Writing Evaluation Rubric
  • Pacing Guides / Guía de clases
  • Essential K–2 program materials
    • Image Cards / Tarjetas de imágenes
    • Large Letter Cards / Tarjetas grandes de letras
    • Vocabulary Book – Teacher Guide / Libro de vocabulario: Guía del maestro
    • Vocabulary Book – Activity Book / Libro de vocabulario: Cuaderno del estudiante

Grado 2

  • Year at a Glance
  • Curriculum Maps / Mapa curricular: Habilidades y Destrezas
  • Bilingual Planning Tools
  • Fluency Packet / ​​Paquete de fluidez: Guía del maestro
  • Writing Evaluation Rubric
  • Pacing Guides / Guía de clases
  • Essential K–2 program materials
    • Image Cards / Tarjetas de imágenes
    • Large Letter Cards / Tarjetas grandes de letras
    • Vocabulary Book – Teacher Guide / Libro de vocabulario: Guía del maestro
    • Vocabulary Book – Activity Book / Libro de vocabulario: Cuaderno del estudiante
    • Cursive Activity Book

High-Quality Professional Development

Amplify’s South Central professional development (PD) team provides a variety of learning experience over multiple years to incrementally develop and apply the knowledge and skills needed for effective and self-sustaining implementation.  All PD is tailored to align to the Amplify Texas edition, support TEKS-aligned instruction, and is supported by a team of former educators and leaders with Texas experience.

You will find embedded professional development support in the program, including an extensive and responsive PD Library.

Watch this video to learn more about the PD Library!

Amplify Texas Professional Development Site

Welcome, Michigan Committee for Literacy Achievement!

We’re excited to share everything you need to critically evaluate Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition, our K–5 core literacy program. On this site, you’ll find a range of materials and literacy tools, including Reviewer Resources and Teaching Materials (Teacher Guides, Activity Books, and Student Readers) organized by grade and unit.

We hope you find the site helpful. We welcome your thoughts and questions!

Reviewer resources

Key bid documents:

Overview and program resources:

Alignment and scope and sequence:

Curriculum maps by grade:

Kindergarten

Explore all available resources for Kindergarten, organized by strand and unit.

Knowledge Strand

Unit 1: Star Light, Star Bright: Nursery Rhymes and Fables

Unit 2: See, Hear, Smell, Taste, Touch: The Five Senses

Unit 3: Underdogs and Heroes: Stories

Unit 4: See How They Grow: Plants

Unit 5: Moo, Cluck, Oink: Farms

Unit 6: Deep Roots: Introduction to Native American Cultures

Unit 7: All Around the World: Geography

Unit 8 (Choice): Royal Tales: Monarchs

Unit 8 (Choice): National Icons: Presidents and American Symbols

Unit 9 (Choice): Our Planet: Taking Care of the Earth

Unit 9 (Choice): Rain and Rainbows: Seasons and Weather

Unit 10: Shaped by Nature: Art and the World Around Us

Skills Strand

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

Unit 5

Unit 6

Unit 7

Unit 8

Unit 9

Unit 10

Ancillary Components

  

Grade 1

Explore all available resources for Grade 1, organized by strand and unit.

Knowledge Strand

Unit 1: The Moral of the Story: Fables and Tales

Unit 2: From Nose to Toes: How Your Body Works

Unit 3: Common Threads: Different Lands, Similar Stories

Unit 4: Reach for the Stars: Astronomy

Unit 5: Charting the World: Geography

Unit 6: A World of Homes: Animals and Habitats

Unit 7: A New Nation: American Independence

Unit 8 (Choice): Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tales

Unit 8 (Choice): Our Planet: The History of the Earth

Unit 9 (Choice): From Babylon to the Nile: Early World Civilizations

Unit 9 (Choice): Early Americas: Maya, Aztec, and Inca

Unit 10: Adventure Stories: Tales from the Edge

Skills Strand

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

Unit 5

Unit 6

Unit 7

Ancillary Components

  

Grade 2

Explore all available resources for Grade 2, organized by strand and unit.

Knowledge Strand

Unit 1: Fortunes and Feats: Fairy Tales and Tall Tales

Unit 2: The Birthplace of Democracy: Ancient Greece

Unit 3: Legends and Heroes: Greek Myths

Unit 4: Our Planet: Cycles in Nature

Unit 5: Butterflies, Bees, and Beetles: Insects

Unit 6: A House Divided: The American Civil War

Unit 7: Sounds and Stanzas: Poetry

Unit 8 (Choice): Journeys to America: Immigration

Unit 8 (Choice): Making a Difference: Creating Change

Unit 9 (Choice): Building Blocks: All About Nutrition

Unit 9 (Choice): Early Asian Civilizations: India and China

Unit 10: Taking Flight: The Age of Aviation

Skills Strand

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

Unit 5

Unit 6

Ancillary Components

    

Grade 3

Explore all available resources for Grade 3, organized by unit.

Unit 1: Timeless Tales: Classic Stories

Unit 2: Fur, Fins, and Feathers: Animal Classification

Unit 3: Rhythm and Rhyme: Poetry

Unit 4: Rise and Fall: Ancient Rome

Unit 5: Our Solar System and Beyond: Astronomy

Unit 6: Regions and Cultures: Native Americans

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: Charlotte’s Web

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: Stella Díaz Has Something to Say

Unit 8 (Choice): Systems and Senses: The Human Body

Unit 8 (Choice): From Glow to Echo: Light and Sound

Unit 9: From Blues to Bebop: All That Jazz

Ancillary Components

Grade 4

Explore all available resources for Grade 4, organized by unit.

Unit 1: My Story, My Voice: Personal Narratives

Unit 2: Knights and Castles: Europe’s Middle Ages

Unit 3: Meaning and Metaphor: Poetry

Unit 4: Eureka! Student Inventor

Unit 5: Our Planet: Geology

Unit 6: Road to Independence: The American Revolution

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: The Season of Styx Malone

Unit 8 (Choice): Crafting Stories: A World of Tales

Unit 8 (Choice): Adventure on the High Seas: Treasure Island

Unit 9: Inspiration and Ingenuity: American Innovation

Ancillary Components

Grade 5

Explore all available resources for Grade 5, organized by unit.

Unit 1: In My Own Words: Personal Narratives

Unit 2: Early Americas: Maya, Aztec, and Inca

Unit 3: Visions in Verse: Poetry

Unit 4: A Knight’s Tale: Don Quixote

Unit 5: The Deep Blue World: Oceans

Unit 6: Cultures and Histories: Native Americans

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: The Phantom Tollbooth

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: The Science of Breakable Things

Unit 8 (Choice): Arts and Culture: The Renaissance

Unit 8 (Choice): Through the Forest: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Unit 9: Building Up the World: Global Architecture

Ancillary Components

Skills Supplement (Grades 3-5)

These supplementary units for Grades 3-5 reinforce and build on K-2 foundational skills instruction.

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

    

Digital platform

In the 2025-26 school year, Amplify CKLA’s all-in-one platform will offer essential tools that streamline instruction for teachers and engage students with meaningful content. Teachers can plan and deliver lessons efficiently, while students can access assignments, assessments, and fun practice games.

A digital interface showing an assessment report on a monitor and a multiple-choice question on a tablet screen. Both screens display educational content from Amplify's assessment tools, providing personalized learning for multilingual learners.

Presentation Screens
Deliver interactive lessons with ready-made, customizable slides for every lesson.

Auto-scored digital assessments
Assess vocabulary, comprehension, and knowledge development at the end of each K–2 Knowledge and 3–5 Integrated Unit.

Standards-based reports
Identify strengths and growth areas for individuals, small groups, or your entire class. Interactive dashboards offer detailed results from assessments and activities.

Skill-building practice games
Engage students with interactive games that reinforce concepts and make learning fun. Powered by Boost Reading™, these games align with lessons and provide real-time feedback.

eReader
Students access texts, take notes, and use audio-enabled eReaders to enhance their reading experience.

Sound Library
Students watch articulation videos and listen to songs for each sound to support phonological awareness.

Vocab App
Helps students in Grades 3–5 practice Amplify CKLA Tier 2 vocabulary words with fun, interactive games.

Intervention Toolkit
Offers user-friendly resources designed to aid educators in identifying and addressing deficiencies in students’ foundation skills.

Program support resources

Additional program resource documents:

Welcome, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce!

Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition builds on the principles and instruction of previous editions to provide better-than-ever support for teaching and learning. The focus continues on delivering evidence-based instruction across a system of multi-tiered supports aligned with the Science of Reading and Writing.

We’re excited to share this site, where you’ll find a range of materials and literacy tools including Reviewer Resources and Teaching Materials (Teacher Guides, Activity Books, and Student Readers) organized by grade and unit.

We welcome your thoughts and questions!

Reviewer resources

Alignment and scope and sequence

Core Comprehensive English Language Arts:

Core Foundational Skills:

Curriculum maps

Core Comprehensive English Language Arts:

Core Foundational Skills:

Kindergarten

Explore all available resources for Kindergarten, organized by strand and unit.

Core Comprehensive English Language Arts

Unit 1: Star Light, Star Bright: Nursery Rhymes and Fables

Unit 2: See, Hear, Smell, Taste, Touch: The Five Senses

Unit 3: Underdogs and Heroes: Stories

Unit 4: See How They Grow: Plants

Unit 5: Moo, Cluck, Oink: Farms

Unit 6: Deep Roots: Introduction to Native American Cultures

Unit 7: All Around the World: Geography

Unit 8 (Choice): Royal Tales: Monarchs

Unit 8 (Choice): National Icons: Presidents and American Symbols

Unit 9 (Choice): Our Planet: Taking Care of the Earth

Unit 9 (Choice): Rain and Rainbows: Seasons and Weather

Unit 10: Shaped by Nature: Art and the World Around Us

Core Foundational Skills

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

Unit 5

Unit 6

Unit 7

Unit 8

Unit 9

Unit 10

Ancillary Components

  

Grade 1

Explore all available resources for Grade 1, organized by strand and unit.

Core Comprehensive English Language Arts

Unit 1: The Moral of the Story: Fables and Tales

Unit 2: From Nose to Toes: How Your Body Works

Unit 3: Common Threads: Different Lands, Similar Stories

Unit 4: Reach for the Stars: Astronomy

Unit 5: Charting the World: Geography

Unit 6: A World of Homes: Animals and Habitats

Unit 7: A New Nation: American Independence

Unit 8 (Choice): Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tales

Unit 8 (Choice): Our Planet: The History of the Earth

Unit 9 (Choice): From Babylon to the Nile: Early World Civilizations

Unit 9 (Choice): Early Americas: Maya, Aztec, and Inca

Unit 10: Adventure Stories: Tales from the Edge

Core Foundational Skills

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

Unit 5

Unit 6

Unit 7

Ancillary Components

  

Grade 2

Explore all available resources for Grade 2, organized by strand and unit.

Core Comprehensive English Language Arts

Unit 1: Fortunes and Feats: Fairy Tales and Tall Tales

Unit 2: The Birthplace of Democracy: Ancient Greece

Unit 3: Legends and Heroes: Greek Myths

Unit 4: Our Planet: Cycles in Nature

Unit 5: Butterflies, Bees, and Beetles: Insects

Unit 6: A House Divided: The American Civil War

Unit 7: Sounds and Stanzas: Poetry

Unit 8 (Choice): Journeys to America: Immigration

Unit 8 (Choice): Making a Difference: Creating Change

Unit 9 (Choice): Building Blocks: All About Nutrition

Unit 9 (Choice): Early Asian Civilizations: India and China

Unit 10: Taking Flight: The Age of Aviation

Core Foundational Skills

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

Unit 5

Unit 6

Ancillary Components

    

Grade 3

Explore all available resources for Grade 3, organized by unit.

Core Comprehensive English Language Arts

Unit 1: Timeless Tales: Classic Stories

Unit 2: Fur, Fins, and Feathers: Animal Classification

Unit 3: Rhythm and Rhyme: Poetry

Unit 4: Rise and Fall: Ancient Rome

Unit 5: Our Solar System and Beyond: Astronomy

Unit 6: Regions and Cultures: Native Americans

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: Charlotte’s Web

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: Stella Díaz Has Something to Say

Unit 8 (Choice): Systems and Senses: The Human Body

Unit 8 (Choice): From Glow to Echo: Light and Sound

Unit 9: From Blues to Bebop: All That Jazz

Ancillary Components

Supplemental Skills Units

Grade 3 Supplemental Skills units are included in core classroom kits, although the instruction isn’t required for Grade 3 standards coverage.

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4

 

Grade 4 Core Comprehensive ELA

Explore all available resources for Grade 4, organized by unit.

Unit 1: My Story, My Voice: Personal Narratives

Unit 2: Knights and Castles: Europe’s Middle Ages

Unit 3: Meaning and Metaphor: Poetry

Unit 4: Eureka! Student Inventor

Unit 5: Our Planet: Geology

Unit 6: Road to Independence: The American Revolution

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: The Season of Styx Malone

Unit 8 (Choice): Crafting Stories: A World of Tales

Unit 8 (Choice): Adventure on the High Seas: Treasure Island

Unit 9: Inspiration and Ingenuity: American Innovation

Ancillary Components

Grade 5 Core Comprehensive ELA

Explore all available resources for Grade 5, organized by unit.

Unit 1: In My Own Words: Personal Narratives

Unit 2: Early Americas: Maya, Aztec, and Inca

Unit 3: Visions in Verse: Poetry

Unit 4: A Knight’s Tale: Don Quixote

Unit 5: The Deep Blue World: Oceans

Unit 6: Cultures and Histories: Native Americans

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: The Phantom Tollbooth

Unit 7 (Choice): Novel Study: The Science of Breakable Things

Unit 8 (Choice): Arts and Culture: The Renaissance

Unit 8 (Choice): Through the Forest: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Unit 9: Building Up the World: Global Architecture

Ancillary Components

Digital platform

In the 2025-26 school year, Amplify CKLA’s all-in-one platform will offer essential tools that streamline instruction for teachers and engage students with meaningful content. Teachers can plan and deliver lessons efficiently, while students can access assignments, assessments, and fun practice games.

Presentation Screens
Deliver interactive lessons with ready-made, customizable slides for every lesson.

Auto-scored digital assessments
Assess vocabulary, comprehension, and knowledge development at the end of each K–2 Knowledge and 3–5 Integrated Unit.

Standards-based reports
Identify strengths and growth areas for individuals, small groups, or your entire class. Interactive dashboards offer detailed results from assessments and activities.

Skill-building practice games
Engage students with interactive games that reinforce concepts and make learning fun. Powered by Boost Reading™, these games align with lessons and provide real-time feedback.

eReader
Students access texts, take notes, and use audio-enabled eReaders to enhance their reading experience.

Sound Library
Students watch articulation videos and listen to songs for each sound to support phonological awareness.

Vocab App
Helps students in Grades 3-5 practice Amplify CKLA Tier 2 vocabulary words with fun, interactive games.

Intervention Toolkit
Offers user-friendly resources designed to aid educators in identifying and addressing deficiencies in students’ foundation skills.

Program support resources

Additional program resource documents:

Welcome, K–8 Program 1 reviewers!

We’re honored to introduce you to Amplify California Language Arts. We’re confident you’ll find this comprehensive program to be a powerful tool for bringing the vision of the California ELA Framework to life in classrooms across the state.

Please start with the video on the right to learn how to navigate the program and access key features referenced within our submission. Below you’ll find additional resources to support your review.

Your review samples

We’re excited for you to begin your review of Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) California and Amplify ELA California. Physical and digital review materials will vary by grade level.

Reviewer Binders (K–8)

Your physical samples should have arrived in grade-specific boxes with three Reviewer Binders.

  • The first binder will contain logistical program review information and the printed Evaluation Criteria Map.
  • The second binder will contain the printed Standards Maps for grades K–4.
  • The third binder will contain the printed Standards Maps for grades 5–8.

Physical samples (K–5)

You can expect to receive 15 boxes of physical materials for your review. As you begin the process of organizing your materials, please refer to the inventory checklist found inside each box as well as within your Reviewer Binder. Please note you will not receive any physical samples for grades 6–8. Your review of the program for grades 6–8 will be entirely digital.

Digital samples (K–8)

In order to access your digital samples, you’ll need to log in to our platform using your unique login credentials found on a Digital Review Credential flyer inside of your Reviewer Binder. Once you have located the flyer:

  • Click the orange button below to access the platform.
  • Click “Log in with Amplify.”
  • Enter the username and password provided on your Digital Review Credential flyer.
Digital Access

Navigation tips

Before you get started, please review these important functionality notes:

Criteria Map and Standards Maps must be opened on Microsoft Word on your desktop to function as intended. If you open the documents without Microsoft Word on your desktop, citations will be cut off at the bottom of most tables within the document.

Many of our citations are deep-links to PDFs, meaning they will take you to the right page or the first page in the sequence for the citation in question. To ensure this functionality works, please disable any PDF-viewing extensions or plug-ins such as Adobe Acrobat Pro Browser Extension.

[Reviewer program navigation video] Grades K–5

[Reviewer program navigation video] Grades 6–8

Click here for additional information on navigating the digital materials for grades 6–8.

Category 1: English Language Arts (ELA) and English Language Development (ELD) Content/Alignment to Standards

Evaluation Criteria Map

Linked below is the Evaluation Criteria Map for grades K–8. Please note that you will need to be logged into the digital platform to access the links in the Evaluation Criteria Map.

ELA Standards Maps

The links below provide the Standards Maps for Amplify California Core Language Arts for each grade level. Please note that you will need to be logged into the digital platform to access the links in the Standards Maps.

Category 2: Program Organization

The Amplify California Language Arts Program 1 submission includes Amplify CKLA California for Grades K–5 and Amplify ELA California for Grades 6–8. This comprehensive curriculum provides a full year of evidence-based instruction for each grade level, transitioning from foundational literacy to advanced text analysis.

Program structure

Amplify’s California Language Arts programs are built on what the research shows: Strong readers need both word recognition and language comprehension. Our comprehensive curriculum suite follows the Simple View of Reading and The Reading Rope–bringing together foundational skills and knowledge building to deliver instruction grounded in evidence-based literacy practices.

Flowchart illustrating skilled reading as the product of language comprehension and word recognition, grounded in the science of reading.
Diagram illustrating the interplay between language comprehension and word recognition in reading, as seen in early literacy stages. It highlights pathways through knowledge, vocabulary, and sentence understanding, reflecting principles from the CKLA reading program.

Each lesson follows a predictable structure with clearly marked components, beginning with warm-up routines, progressing through explicit instruction with guided practice, and concluding with independent application activities. The program provides detailed teacher language, including question stems and discussion prompts, ensuring clear and consistent delivery of instruction.

[Reviewer highlight video] Program organization for Category 2

[Reviewer highlight video] Program structure for grades K–2

[Reviewer highlight video] Program structure for grades 3–5

[Reviewer highlight video] Program structure for grades 6–8

Amplify CKLA California empowers teachers to deliver effective instruction and keeps students engaged with the following resources:

  • Teacher Guides
  • Assessment Guides
  • Authentic texts and trade books
  • Knowledge Image Cards
  • Knowledge Flip Books
  • Remediation and intervention resources
  • Decodable readers
  • Student Readers and novels
  • Student Activity Books
  • Poet’s Journals
  • eReaders
  • Sound Library featuring articulation videos and songs
  • Instructional routine modeling videos
  • Assignable Practice Games
  • On-demand professional development

Amplify ELA California students stay engaged with the following resources:

  • Teacher Guides that include:
    • Detailed lesson plans
    • Standards alignment and exit tickets
    • Real-time differentiation strategies
    • Robust reporting
  • Student Editions that include:
    • High-quality narrative and informational texts
    • Videos, audio supports, and digital experiences that capture their attention
    • Personal Writing Journal to keep all student writing in one place
  • Trade Books

Core literacy philosophy

Support every learner. Meet all learning needs with a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) that brings together universal screening, scaffolded core instruction, support for English learners, and data-driven intervention to ensure every student gets what they need to succeed.

Deliver consistent foundational skills instruction. Daily explicit, systematic skills instruction in grades K–2, with targeted yet flexible support for students still building decoding confidence in grades 3–8, ensures mastery of essential reading foundations.

Build lasting knowledge across all grades. Through coherently sequenced, content-rich instruction that revisits key vocabulary and concepts with increasing complexity, students build meaningful connections that deepen their vocabulary and reading comprehension.

Strengthen reading through writing at every level. Regular writing instruction grounded in the Science of Writing supports reading comprehension, improves sentence-level writing, and provides the foundation for high-quality composition. As students progress through the upper grades, they engage in increasingly complex analytical tasks—synthesizing ideas, drawing generalizations, and interpreting multiple textual layers through both focused quick-writes and comprehensive essays. 

Foster oral language development. Structured opportunities for academic conversation and evidence-based dialogue build students’ ability to express complex ideas with precision and allow them to participate confidently in classroom discussions.

Measure growth with comprehensive assessments. Assessments range from in-the-moment checks for understanding to summative assessments that measure progress toward skills mastery and standards proficiency, providing the data needed to drive targeted instruction.

Scope and sequence

Below you can view the scope and sequence for each grade level. 

Routines

Amplify CKLA California and Amplify ELA California include several structured instructional routines that provide predictable patterns for both teachers and students:

Discussion and collaboration routines:

  • Turn and Talk: Partners discuss text-specific content using sentence starters and frames
  • Think-Pair-Share: Students engage in individual thinking, partner discussion, and whole-class sharing
  • Partner reading: Students sit shoulder-to-shoulder, taking turns reading and listening

Foundational Skills routines:

  • Sound-spelling review: Warm-up activities that reinforce phonics patterns
  • Oral blending warm-ups: Teacher-guided practice progressing to independent application
  • Finger tapping: Techniques for blending sounds
  • Chaining activities: Students manipulate letters to transform one word into another
  • Word Work: Daily short activities focused on domain-specific and academic vocabulary

Knowledge-building routines:

  • Vocabulary preview: Introduction of new words before reading
  • Read-aloud procedures: Established routines for introducing and discussing complex texts
  • Text discussions: Structured comprehension conversations with scaffolded questioning

Fluency routines:

  • Teacher modeling: Demonstration of proper intonation, expression, and pacing
  • Choral reading: Whole-class reading practice
  • Partner reading: Paired fluency practice

Close reading routines

The program includes carefully structured close reading activities that guide students through multiple encounters with complex texts. These routines help students develop deeper comprehension through systematic analysis and discussion.

Each routine includes comprehensive instructional guides with clear-cut directions for implementation, straightforward explanations of concepts, and suggestions for discussion.

Category 3: Assessments

Systematic MTSS alignment

In alignment with the additional 2025 Guidance 3.1.a, the assessment systems align with MTSS tiers, including universal screening, diagnostic assessments for students demonstrating a need for additional support, and progress monitoring tools that complement California’s required universal screening schedule per SB 114.

Tier 1:
Universal/ differentiated support		Tier 2: 
Supplemental/ targeted support		Tier 3: 
Intensified/ intensive support
Core instruction assessments




Frequency of administration		Amplify CKLA California, Amplify ELA California assessments


Daily, Weekly, Monthly		Amplify CKLA California, Amplify ELA California assessments


Daily, Weekly, Monthly		Amplify CKLA California, Amplify ELA California assessments


Daily, Weekly, Monthly
Universal screening assessments

Frequency of administration		mCLASS DIBELS and mCLASS Lectura

3 times per year – BOY, MOY, EOY		mCLASS DIBELS and mCLASS Lectura

3 times per year – BOY, MOY, EOY		mCLASS DIBELS and mCLASS Lectura

3 times per year – BOY, MOY, EOY
Formal progress monitoring assessments


Frequency of administration		mCLASS DIBELS and mCLASS Lectura


3 times per year – BOY, MOY, EOY		mCLASS DIBELS and mCLASS Lectura


Monthly		mCLASS DIBELS and mCLASS Lectura


Bi-weekly
Informal progress monitoring assessments



Frequency of administration		Amplify CKLA California, Amplify ELA California core assessments


Daily		Intervention Toolkit progress monitoring assessments


When linked to a lesson in the toolkit		Intervention Toolkit progress monitoring assessments


When linked to a lesson in the toolkit
Diagnostic assessment



Frequency of administration		Amplify skill diagnostic assessment


Optional after universal screening assessment is administered
Amplify skill diagnostic assessment


After universal screening assessment is administered

Universal assessment system

Amplify’s mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition (K–8) and mCLASS Lectura (K–6) are universal and dyslexia screening assessments that should be administered three times per year (BOY, MOY and EOY) to all students. The assessments evaluate student literacy risk, determine progress toward grade-level goals, and indicate the level of instructional  support a student may need. Beginning-of-year screenings require adequate instructional time before administration, particularly in grades K–1, while mid-year and end-of-year assessments evaluate instructional effectiveness and guide tier placement adjustments. These screenings also identify students at risk for dyslexia. Universal screening provides essential data for targeting instruction and measuring instructional system effectiveness.

Core instruction assessments

Amplify CKLA California and Amplify ELA California provide a comprehensive suite of assessments for Grades K–8 that range from low-stakes, informal formative assessments to more formal summative assessments. These assessments incorporate a variety of methods and question types, including multiple-choice questions, open-ended questions, and oral and written responses.

Formative assessments:

  • Checks for Understanding: Incorporated into each lesson segment throughout daily instruction. Quick pulse-checks that provide immediate feedback during lesson delivery (grades K–5). 
  • Daily formative assessments: Highlighted moments within each lesson for teachers to plan to track mastery of Primary Focus objectives and standards of each lesson to get a clear snapshot of individual and whole-class progress (grades K–5). 
  • Activity pages: Completed as part of lessons and can be used to assess lesson content understanding through various formats (grades K–5).
  • Exit Tickets: Located at the end of lessons, these provide a quick gauge of students’ ability to meet the lesson’s focus standards (grades 6–8).  
  • Writing Prompts: Prompts integrated throughout lessons during writing activities that provide skill snapshots within lessons and tracks patterns of skill development over time (grades 6–8).
  • Independent reading activities (Solos): At the end of every lesson, students complete an independent reading activity (“Solo”) with reading questions that are scored to measure comprehension (grades 6–8).

Summative assessments:

  • Skills end-of-unit assessments (grades K–2) 
  • Knowledge end-of-domain assessments (grades K–2) 
  • End-of-unit assessments (grades 3–5) 
  • Unit essays: A culminating end-of-unit set of lessons that guide students through crafting an essay with a rubric to score mastery of writing skills (grades 6–8)
  • Unit Reading Assessments: Auto-scored responses and two constructed response items evaluate comprehension, content understanding, and reading skills using the passages students read during the unit (grades 6–8)

Performance Assessments

Student Performance Assessments are multi-day assessments administered in Grades K–5 at the beginning, middle, and end of year to help teachers gauge student mastery of grade-level Core content. These assessments provide critical data to help teachers set targeted instructional goals and monitor individual and class-wide progress towards core objectives.

Progress monitoring

Amplify’s mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura provide formal progress monitoring in the discrete skills that are indicative of reading growth and predictive of overall success to provide the most instructionally meaningful information to teachers.


Informal progress monitoring tools can be found within the Intervention Toolkit, including materials for teachers to record, track, and evaluate student progress.

Diagnostic assessment

Interventions within Amplify’s literacy programs are informed by a skill diagnostic assessment that provides detailed data on foundational literacy skill deficits. The Amplify Skill Diagnostic Assessment and Amplify Spanish Skill Diagnostic assessment serve as critical tools in this process, administered specifically to students identified as at risk for reading difficulty through universal screening assessments—particularly those demonstrating mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition or mCLASS Lectura composite scores in the Well Below or Below Benchmark ranges. These diagnostic assessments provide teachers with the precise skills to begin intervention and remediation.

Category 4: Universal Access

Amplify CKLA California and Amplify ELA California were built on the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and reviewed by CAST, a nonprofit education research and development organization. The program is developed using the Universal Design for Learning framework to proactively ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Universal Design for Learning

The programs incorporate opportunities for engagement, representation, action, and expression based on the guidelines of Universal Design for Learning.

  • Multiple Means of Engagement: The programs incorporate interesting and motivating ways for students to interact with information and content. In Amplify CKLA California, the Universal Access section in the introduction of each lesson provides specific lesson-level options based on the needs of individual classrooms and students. Scaffolding for students with various levels of need is incorporated into the design of each lesson.
  • Multiple Means of Representation: The programs provide multiple means of presenting content to maximize student understanding. This includes digital component files that allow for a range of presentations of images and text to support learning. Amplify provides access to universal supports such as point-of-use audio for all core texts, embedded definitions for critical vocabulary, and glossaries in multiple languages. Amplify CKLA California includes clarification on language found throughout the program, with sidebars that include support on transition words and syntax, and illustrations to help students understand the concepts they are learning.
  • Multiple Means of Action and Expression: The programs include a range of methods for all students, including English learners, to navigate and demonstrate learning. This includes physical actions, a range of methods for response, appropriate tools for composition, and varied scaffolding. In Amplify ELA California, lessons provide multiple ways for students to interact with text, allowing their brains to process the language through distinct pathways. Activities harness multiple learning modes, using media tools, digital apps, and a variety of visual and physical experiences to strategically support and enhance student learning.
  • Accessibility: Universal access features include visual aids, enlarged materials, physical objects, and multiple learning modalities through activities like Push & Say and Wiggle Cards. The Universal Access section in the introduction of each lesson provides specific lesson-level options based on the needs of individual classrooms and students.

Embedded differentiation

Amplify CKLA California and Amplify ELA California provide built-in differentiation strategies in every lesson for all students.

  • Pre-teaching supports include mini-lessons on:
    • Core vocabulary building
    • Core connections
    • Essential background information building
    • What Have We Already Learned?/What Do We Already Know?
  • Differentiated Support for Core Instruction tables, located in the overview of each K–2 Skills Teacher Guide, provide a list of specific opportunities for reteaching and additional support in each lesson based on skill.
  • Support and Challenge Sidebars in lesson margins offer educators immediate guidance in implementing point-of-use differentiation techniques.
  • Flexible Grouping within lessons provides opportunities for teachers to facilitate small groups, partners, or individualized support based on students’ needs. In the Skills Strand, teachers receive specific guidance for differentiated small-group instruction, with targeted support and activities outlined for both Group 1 (students needing additional support) and Group 2 (on-level students) based on data. 
  • Amplify ELA California provides point-of-use supports embedded within key core lesson activities with six levels of differentiation. The goal of these supports is to fully enable access to grade-level content for all students, including students with disabilities, English learners, and students ready for an additional level of challenge.
  • The Universal Access section of Advance Preparation in each lesson includes varied strategies to ensure all students can access and engage in each lesson.
  • Frequent use of graphic organizers and visual supports in lessons provide opportunities for differentiation based on need. The program also includes a variety of technological supports, such as eReaders with audio.
  • Extension opportunities are suggested throughout lessons, often embedded in writing tasks, which include prompts to use more complex and descriptive vocabulary, figurative language,  multi-clause and complex sentences, and  informational text characteristics.

Assessment-driven MTSS resources

  • The K–8 Intervention Toolkit is available online and provides easy-to-use resources that assist teachers in filling gaps in students’ reading skills, with activities to support print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, and other key skills
  • Fluency Packets (Grades 2–5)
  • Foundational Skills Intervention Program for Grades 3–8 support students who would benefit from direct and explicit intervention instruction in the full continuum of foundational skills in the upper grades
  • Flexible Instructional Time including:
    • Pausing Points built into the curriculum that provide teachers with dedicated time to address specific student needs through targeted reteaching, remediation, practice, and extension activities 
    • Pausing Point activities designed to support English learners’ competence and confidence through differentiated whole-group, small-group, or individual instruction
  • Boost Reading is a K–5 student-led digital intervention program. Boost Reading follows Amplify CKLA California’s scope and sequence to reinforce the same foundational skills taught in core instruction. It integrates easily into daily routines, while the robust data provided by mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition offers a detailed view of how students progress across all instructional tiers.

Category 5: Instructional Planning and Teacher Support

Amplify CKLA California and Amplify ELA California teachers are empowered to deliver effective instruction with various print and digital resources. The program provides comprehensive planning and support materials designed to help teachers prepare for and execute lessons effectively and fulfill the requirements of Category 5.

Implementation supports across K–8

Planning and preparation resources

  • Unit Overviews that provide important background and context for the texts students will read, including highlighted elements within the text and guidance for how students will work with those elements
  • Sub-unit Overviews (Grades 6–8) that provide an overview of Lesson Objectives and reading and writing assignments, as well as a list of any projections, multimedia, or digital apps that can be projected from the teacher’s included digital license
  • Lesson-by-lesson preparation checklists (Grades 6–8) accompanying each Sub-unit Overview
  • Lesson Briefs for each individual lesson providing important background and context
  • Content knowledge materials regarding topics that students will examine

Point-of-use instructional guidance

  • Teacher Editions that feature insets of the same text and activity instructions as the corresponding Student Edition, wrapping teacher instruction around these materials
  • Activity guidance at point of use
  • Lesson standards clearly called out
  • Discussion suggestions embedded in lessons
  • Differentiation tips at point of use
  • Detailed Instructional Guides in each activity that include sequencing and grouping suggestions, tips for facilitating discussion, possible student responses and exemplars
  • Student Supports in all core lessons provide teachers with targeted supports in daily core instruction, addressing which might serve the student best in the moment—support, strengthen, stretch—with additional call-outs for newcomers

Multimedia and digital support

  • Teacher tip videos provide modeling and guidance for implementing key foundational skills routines within the program
  • Digital platform access where teachers can access printable PDFs of differentiated support materials for English learners and readers struggling with text, including translated Unit Background and Context Documents and Text Previews
  • Teacher Dashboard and reporting tools (Grade 6–8) that provide real-time visibility into student progress and work for immediate instructional response

Caregiver supports

Communication and overview resources

  • Caregiver Hub available in English and Spanish that provides an overview of the curriculum
  • Caregiver Letters for each K–2 Knowledge Domain and unit in Grades 3–5 that provide an overview of the content, the skills students learn, as well as practical methods that continue the learning and knowledge building at home
  • Unit-specific Caregiver Letters (Grades 6–8) that provide detailed information regarding what students will read and learn in each unit, including conversation starters that allow caregivers to ask questions and discuss specific aspects of a unit with their student
  • Welcome letters that explain the assessment and placement process while inviting parent involvement and offering support
  • Editable Home-School Communication letters available in English and Spanish
  • Editable Progress Reports for teachers to update parents and guardians on what their child is learning

Content and learning support materials

  • Unit Background and Context documents that provide an introduction and overview to the unit’s topic and themes, available in English and Spanish
  • Text Previews that provide a brief introduction to formative, independent reading assignments (called Solos in Grades 6–8), available in English and Spanish
  • Unit Overview and Support documents (Grades 6–8) designed for caregivers that provide information about important questions, assignments, and key aspects of the unit texts, available in English and Spanish
  • Conversation starters included in Knowledge Strand Caregiver Letters to discuss domain topics at home

Home practice and extension activities

  • Take-Home pages in the Skills Strand that include copies of decodable passages, enabling students to share their reading progress with families and continue practicing their skills outside of school
  • Take-Home Letters in the Skills Strand that provide specific guidance for parents to support skills practice at home, such as sound-sorting activities, with detailed instructions and materials for home practice activities
  • Take-Home pages in the Knowledge Strand that provide suggested activities families can do together to reinforce and extend learning beyond the classroom
  • Games and activities on Take-Home Pages that extend classroom instruction, including all the materials and instruction necessary to help families assist students in a fun and engaging way
  • Digital access to decodable texts through the Amplify Caregiver Hub, allowing students to practice their reading skills both in class and at home
  • Weekly spelling lists and directions to decoding activities that can be practiced at home

Amplify Caminos for SFUSD

Amplify Caminos is an authentic elementary Spanish language arts program. Like its English language counterpart, Amplify CKLA, Amplify Caminos provides explicit, systematic foundational skills instruction sequenced with deep knowledge-building content to foster comprehension. When used with Amplify CKLA, Amplify Caminos provides full parity across English and Spanish that’s suitable for any dual language implementation model.

Colorful illustration featuring a child in traditional Andean clothing, tropical plants, a volcano, a toucan, a horse rider, and the word "Gracias!" written in Spanish.

Amplify and SFUSD Partnership

We recognize and respect the unique differences of each of our partnering districts—and that includes San Francisco USD.

Out of the box, Amplify Caminos offers districts a rich, comprehensive, research-based SELA experience. That said, no two districts are exactly alike. To that end, we are committed to working with San Francisco USD to ensure that Amplify Caminos addresses the needs of your community. This includes providing implementation guidance and support, as well as collaborating with your staff to determine which domains need to be modified or exchanged.

What is Amplify Caminos?

Amplify Caminos is a core Spanish language arts program for grades TK–5 that delivers:

  • Authentic instruction built from the ground up for the Spanish language.
  • A unique research-based approach truly built on the Science of Reading.
  • A combination of explicit foundational skills with meaningful knowledge-building.
  • Embedded support and differentiation that gets all students reading grade-level texts together.
  • Opportunities for students to see the strengths and experiences that all people share while also celebrating each others’ unique identities and experiences.

Watch the video below to learn more about Amplify Caminos for Grades K–2.

Watch the video below to learn more about Amplify Caminos for Grades 3–5.

How does Amplify Caminos work?

Amplify Caminos is built on the science of how kids learn to read—in Spanish.

Amplify Caminos is all about helping you teach students how to read, all while giving them authentic and engaging reasons to read. That’s why Amplify Caminos develops foundational skills and builds knowledge in tandem.

  • Knowledge: Through complex and authentic Spanish read-alouds with an emphasis on classroom interactivity, oral comprehension, and contextual vocabulary, students start to build their awareness of the world around them—and the way the reading skills they’re building give them access to it.
  • Skills: Starting with the sounds at the core of the Spanish
    language, students practice their phonemic awareness, handwriting skills, vocabulary, spelling, and grammar. Through daily practice, students become aware of the connection between reading and writing, building confidence as they go.
A diagram illustrating reading development as intertwined strands: language comprehension and word recognition, progressing from basic skills to increasingly strategic and automatic reading.

Respecting the development differences between grade ranges, Amplify Caminos teaches foundational skills and background knowledge as two distinct strands in grades K–2, and combines them into one integrated strand in grades 3–5.

Grades K–2:
Every day, students in grades K–2 complete one full lesson that explicitly and systematically builds foundational reading skills in the Amplify Caminos Lectoescritura strand, as well as one full lesson that builds robust background knowledge to access complex text in the Amplify Caminos Conocimiento strand. Through learning in each of these strands, students develop the early literacy skills necessary to help them become confident readers and build the context to understand what they’re reading.

Grades 3–5:
In grades 3–5, the Amplify Caminos Lectoescritura and Conocimiento strands are integrated in one set of instructional materials. Lessons begin to combine skills and knowledge with increasingly complex texts, close reading, and a greater writing emphasis. Students can then use their skills to go on their own independent reading adventures.

What do Amplify Caminos students explore?

Amplify Caminos builds students’ knowledge about the world.

In addition to teaching all students to crack the written code (which is vital for fairness), the Amplify Caminos program helps students see the strengths and experiences we all share while celebrating their own unique identities and experiences.

This is accomplished through the exploration of topics and text that feature people who resemble students and familiar situations or experiences while also exposing them to people whose appearances, lives, beliefs, and backgrounds differ from their own.

Engaging domains

Amplify Caminos builds knowledge coherently across subjects and grades.

Throughout the program, students use their skills to explore domains that relate to storytelling, science, and the history of our world as seen through the eyes of many different groups.

Carefully selected to build from year-to-year, our grade-appropriate topics help students make and deepen connections while also reading, writing, and thinking creatively and for themselves.

Curriculum flowchart showing reading themes and activities from Kindergarten to Grade 5, organized by grade level and literary theme, with interconnected boxes for each topic.

New Knowledge Research Units for Grades K–5

Our brand-new Knowledge Research units carry forward Amplify Caminos’ powerful and proven instructional approach while also:

  • Adding more content for students from all walks of life. The rich topics and highly visual components featured in these units provide students with even more “windows and mirrors” and perspectives as they work to build knowledge.
  • Adding more authentic literature. Each new research unit revolves around a collection of high-interest authentic trade books that will spark more curiosity and inspire more inquiry.
  • Adding more flexibility. Units can be implemented for extended core instruction during flex periods, district-designated Pausing Points, or enrichment periods.

Units cover a variety of rich and relevant topics:

With these new units, students will soar to new heights with Dr. Ellen Ochoa, Amelia Earhart, and the Tuskegee Airmen. They’ll feel the rhythm as they learn about Jazz legends Miles Davis, Tito Puente, and Duke Ellington. And they’ll explore the far reaches of the world with Jacques Cousteau, Matthew Henson, and Eugenie Clark.

  • Grade K: El arte y el mundo que nos rodea
  • Grade 1: Cuentos de aventuras: relatos desde los confines de la Tierra
  • Grade 2: ¡A volar! La era de la aviación
  • Grade 3: Jazz y más
  • Grade 4: Energía: pasado, presente y futuro
  • Grade 5: Más allá de Juneteenth: de 1865 al presente

Units will be made available in English and Spanish, and will include the following components:

  • Teacher Guide
  • Student Activity Books
  • Image Cards
  • Trade Book Collection
  • Digital Components (for Grades K–3 and Grade 5 only)

Why we added this unit:
“Every child is an artist,” said Picasso, meaning that every child uses art to explore and understand the world around them. El arte y el mundo que nos rodea honors that truth by introducing Kindergarten students to some of the ways in which artists have explored and understood the world around them.

This domain introduces students to artists from different time periods, countries, and cultures. Throughout the unit, students learn about different kinds of art and how artists use the world around them as they make art. They also connect this to what they have already learned about the earth, plants, and animals in other Caminos domains: Granjas, Plantas, and Cuidar el planeta Tierra. In addition, students connect this to what they have learned about sculptors in the Presidentes y símbolos de los Estados Unidos domain. As they explore different artists and artistic traditions, they develop their ideas about how humans are connected to each other and to the world around them.

As you read the texts in this unit, students may observe ways in which the characters or subjects are both similar to and different from students. This is a good opportunity to teach students awareness and sensitivity, building on the idea that all people share some things in common, even as they have other things that make them unique. This unit also offers an excellent opportunity to collaborate with your school’s art teacher, as many lessons have suggested activities to help students understand the kind of art they are studying.

Within this unit, students have opportunities to:

  • Use details to describe art.
  • Identify three ways to create art.
  • Identify characteristics of cave art.
  • Sequence the steps of making pottery.
  • Describe how artists can create work connected to the world around them.
  • Describe what makes Kehinde Wiley’s portraits unique.
  • Explain how the texture of a surface can affect artwork created on it.
  • Explain what a sculpture is.
  • Describe what makes James Turrell’s artwork about the sky unique.
  • Explain what a museum is and what kinds of things you can see or do there.

Trade books in this unit:
Instruction in this unit revolves around the following collection of high-interest authentic trade books. One copy of each trade book is included with the unit materials.

  • Georgia O’Keeffe por Erica Salcedo
  • Yayoi Kusama: De aquí al infinito por Sarah Suzuki
  • Tejedora del arcoíris por Linda Elovitz Marshall
  • Las tijeras de Matisse por Jeanette Winter
  • El museo por Susan Verde
  • Quizás algo hermoso: Cómo el arte transformó un barrio por F. Isabel Campoy

Sample materials:
Take a sneak peek at the rich instruction and engaging activities for this unit by viewing the PDFs below.

Why we added this unit:
This domain introduces students to adventure stories set around the world and challenges students to dig into the adventures through research. By listening to the Read-Alouds and trade books, students increase their vocabulary and reading comprehension skills, learn valuable lessons about perseverance and teamwork, and become familiar with gathering information for research.

In this unit, students study the careers of real-world explorers Dr. Eugenie Clark and Sophia Danenberg, marvel at the inventions of Jacques Cousteau, think critically about how teamwork and collaboration can make greater adventures possible, learn about the science and technology that enable adventures, and research some of the ways humans have confronted challenges at the edges of the world, from the oceans below to space above.

Each lesson in the domain builds students’ research skills as they ask questions, gather information, and write a paragraph about their findings. Students share what they have learned about adventures in an Adventure Gallery Walkthrough. By taking on the persona of one of the adventurers they meet in the Read-Alouds and trade books, students deliver their final paragraphs as if they are a “speaking portrait” of that person. Students are invited to dress up as that adventurer if they desire.

In addition, teachers can set aside time outside the instructional block to create the picture frames students will hold as they present to the Adventure Gallery Walk guests. Frames can be made from shirt boxes, cardboard, construction paper, or any art supplies that are on hand. This might be an opportunity to collaborate with the school’s art department if resources are available. Another option is to ask students to make their frames at home with their caregivers. On the day of the Adventure Gallery Walk, students will be the hosts and take on specific jobs, such as welcoming the guests, describing their work throughout the unit, and pointing out the areas of study on the domain bulletin board. You can find a complete list of student jobs in Lesson 13.

How this unit builds knowledge:
This unit builds upon the following Caminos units that students will have encountered in the previous grade.

  • Rimas y fábulas infantiles (Kindergarten)
  • Cuentos (Kindergarten)

The specific core content targeted in these domains is particularly relevant to the Read-Alouds students will hear in Cuentos de aventuras: relatos desde los confines de la Tierra. The background knowledge students bring to this unit will greatly enhance their understanding of the trade books used in this unit.

Trade books in this unit:
Instruction in this unit revolves around the following collection of high-interest authentic trade books. One copy of each trade book is included with the unit materials.

  • My Name Is Gabito/Me llamo Gabito por Monica Brown
  • Galápagos Girl/Galapagueña por Marsha Diane Arnold
  • My Name Is Gabriela/Me llamo Gabriela por Monica Brown
  • El viaje de Kalak por María Quintana Silva y Marie-Noëlle Hébert
  • Señorita Mariposa por Ben Gundersheimer
  • Sharuko, el arqueólogo peruano/Peruvian Archaeologist Julio C. Tello por Monica Brown
  • Abuelita fue al mercado por Stella Blackstone

Sample materials:
Take a sneak peek at the rich instruction and engaging activities for this unit by viewing the PDFs below.

Why we added this unit:
With this domain, students head up, up, and away with an introduction to the soaring history of aviation. Students learn the stories of early aviators, such as the Montgolfier brothers, the Wright brothers, Aida de Acosta, and Amelia Earhart.

During the unit, students study the science of flight, including the physics concept of lift, and research the social impacts of the world of flight. Finally, students let their research skills take flight as they explore key figures from the world of aviation.

The lessons in this domain build on earlier Grade 2 Caminos domains about the westward expansion, early Greek civilizations, and Greek myths, and lay the foundation for learning about other periods of world history in future grades.

How this unit builds knowledge:
This unit builds upon the following Caminos units that students will have encountered earlier in the year.

  • La civilización griega antigua (Grade 2)
  • Mitos griegos (Grade 2)
  • La expansión hacia el oeste (Grade 2)

The specific core content targeted in these domains is particularly relevant to the Read-Alouds students will hear in ¡A volar! La era de la aviación. The background knowledge students bring to this unit will greatly enhance their understanding of the trade books used in this unit.

Trade books in this unit:
Instruction in this unit revolves around the following collection of high-interest authentic trade books. One copy of each trade book is included with the unit materials.

  • ¡A volar! Todo sobre aviones por Jennifer Prior
  • Amelia sabe volar por Mara dal Corso
  • Héroes de la aviación que cambiaron el mundo por Dan Green
  • El niño que alcanzó las estrellas por José M. Hernández
  • La niña que aprendió a volar por Sylvia Acevedo
  • Buenas Noches Capitán Mamá por Graciela Tiscareño-Sato

Sample materials:
Take a sneak peek at the rich instruction and engaging activities for this unit by viewing the PDFs below.

Why we added this unit:
This domain teaches students about the vibrant music, poetry, and culture of the Jazz Age in the United States. Students learn about famous writers and musicians like Langston Hughes, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Melba Liston, Tito Puente, and Miles Davis. They study how the jazz art form took root in the South, then spread to the North to become the sound of the Harlem Renaissance, eventually connecting people around the world in musical expression.

During this unit, students perform guided research to further explore both the history of jazz and what jazz is today. They develop research skills and then use those skills to find deeper connections between the stories and music of the Jazz Age and music today. As students learn about the world of jazz, they collaborate and share ideas with their classmates. They also practice sharing feedback focused on their written work, and, at the end of the unit, students present their research to the group.

The lessons give students opportunities to dive into the rhythms and stories of jazz, utilizing the knowledge sequence in this unit to:

  • Collaboratively generate research questions about jazz, jazz musicians, contemporary musicians from the state where they live or have lived, and the evolution of jazz music.
  • Utilize Read-Alouds, independent reading, and partner reading to learn about the Jazz Age, the Harlem Renaissance, jazz music, and biographies of celebrated jazz musicians and writers.
  • Research the answers to their generated questions, gather information, write a short research essay about a famous jazz musician, write a short essay about a contemporary musician from the state where they live or have lived, and give a presentation about their research.

How this unit builds knowledge:
Within this unit, students have opportunities to:

  • Ask relevant questions and make pertinent comments
  • Identify details in texts
  • Determine key ideas of texts by evaluating details
  • Make text-based inferences
  • Generate questions based on prior knowledge and gathered information
  • Synthesize details across texts to demonstrate comprehension
  • Discuss and explain an author’s purpose
  • Identify and cite reliable primary and secondary sources of information
  • Compose a well-organized and focused informative essay
  • Make connections between topics
  • Present information using appropriate media

Trade books in this unit:
Instruction in this unit revolves around the following collection of high-interest authentic trade books. One copy of each trade book is included with the unit materials.

  • ¡Esquivel! Un artista del sonido de la era espacial por Susan Wood
  • Ray Charles por Sharon Bell Mathis
  • Tito Puente, el Rey del Mambo por Monica Brown
  • Me llamo Celia, la vida de Celia Cruz por Monica Brown
  • ¡Azúcar! por Ivar Da Coll

In this unit, students also read the poem “Harlem” by Langston Hughes. (Available for free through the Academy of American Poets website and the Poetry Foundation website, with recorded audio available through the website for John Hancock College Preparatory High School.)

Sample materials:
Take a sneak peek at the rich instruction and engaging activities for this unit by viewing the PDFs below.

Why we added this unit:
With this domain, students become tomorrow’s problem solvers in this study of energy in the United States. Analytical reading skills are developed by examining the challenges of early energy innovators. Students then read about current energy practices and young energy change-makers across the world.

Throughout the unit, students conduct research into different sources of energy and present a proposal, putting them in the shoes of future energy innovators. They also use the knowledge sequence in this unit to:

  • Collaboratively analyze texts to identify cause-effect and problem-solution relationships.
  • Generate questions and conduct research about energy.
  • Write an opinion essay making their case for a fuel of the future.
  • Create energy proposals using primary and secondary resources.

How this unit builds knowledge:
This unit builds upon the following Caminos units that students will have encountered in previous grades as well as earlier in the year.

  • Plantas (Grade K)
  • La historia de la Tierra (Grade 1)
  • ¡Eureka! Estudiante inventor (Grade 4)

The specific core content targeted in these domains is particularly relevant to the Read-Alouds students will hear in Energía: pasado, presente y futuro. The background knowledge students bring to this unit will greatly enhance their understanding of the trade books used in this unit.

Trade books in this unit:
Instruction in this unit revolves around the following collection of high-interest authentic trade books. One copy of each trade book is included with the unit materials.

  • La historia de los combustibles fósiles por William B. Rice
  • El niño que domó el viento por William Kamkwamba y Bryan Mealer

Sample materials:
Take a sneak peek at the rich instruction and engaging activities for this unit by viewing the PDFs below.

Why we added this unit:
Within this domain, Students learn about General Granger’s announcement in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865, a day marked in history as Juneteenth. Texts and multimedia sources will support foundational knowledge-building about the end of slavery in the United States. A review of the first freedom announcement, President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, provides students with background knowledge to further emphasize the significance of Juneteenth in American history.

This unit also takes students on a journey beyond Juneteenth, as they study specific contributions of African Americans from 1865 to the present day. Students participate in a virtual field trip to Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas and use the knowledge sequence in this unit to:

  • Collaboratively generate research questions about Juneteenth, The Great Migration, innovators and inventors, education, the humanities, activists, and allies.
  • Use Read-Alouds, independent, and partner reading to learn about African American contributions from 1865 to the present.
  • Research to find answers to their generated questions, gather information, and write a four-chapter Beyond Juneteenth book.

How this unit builds knowledge:
This unit builds upon the following Caminos units that students will have encountered in previous grades.

  • Los nativos americanos (Grade K)
  • Una nueva nación: la independencia de los Estados Unidos (Grade 1)
  • La Guerra Civil de los Estaods Unidos (Grade 2)
  • La inmigración (Grade 2)
  • Los nativos americanos (Grade 5)

The specific core content targeted in these domains is particularly relevant to the Read-Alouds students will hear in Más allá de Juneteenth: de 1865 al presente
. The background knowledge students bring to this unit will greatly enhance their understanding of the trade books used in this unit.

Trade books in this unit:
Instruction in this unit revolves around the following collection of high-interest authentic trade books. One copy of each trade book is included with the unit materials.

  • Martí’s Song for Freedom/Martí y sus versos por la libertad escrito por Emma Otheguy
  • ¡Celebremos Juneteenth! escrito por Carole Boston Weatherford
  • Side by Side/Lado a Lado: The Story of Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez/La Historia de Dolores Huerta y César Chávez escrito por Monica Brown
  • Canto de alabanza para el día: Poema para la ceremonia inaugural del mandato de Barack Obama escrito por Elizabeth Alexander, traducido por Rodrigo Rojas

Sample materials:
Take a sneak peek at the rich instruction and engaging activities for this unit by viewing the PDFs below.

Wide-ranging texts

Amplify Caminos puts a variety of texts in the hands of students every day.

Amplify Caminos includes both transadaptations and authentic texts written by Latin American and Spanish authors. Our texts feature a wide variety of authors, topics, individuals and characters representing many different socioeconomic statuses, ages, abilities, races, ethnicities, countries of origin, religions, and more.

Amplify Caminos texts include:

  • Authentic literature: Authentic literature exposes students to a variety of text types and perspectives to deepen their knowledge of fascinating topics in social studies, science, literature, and the arts. Authentic texts support text-to-self, text-to-world, and text-to-text connections for readers.
  • Decodable Student Readers: Decodable Student Readers at grades K–2 are newly redesigned to include students from all walks of life and educational backgrounds. They feature characters with a broad range of backgrounds, experiences, ages, races, religions, and more.
  • ReadWorks® texts: Amplify and ReadWorks have partnered to deliver high-quality texts curated to support the Amplify Caminos Knowledge Sequence and to extend student learning. Texts include high-interest nonfiction articles in topics in social studies, science, literature, and the arts. These texts are accompanied by vocabulary supports and standards-aligned formative assessment opportunities. Teachers can monitor their students’ progress using the ReadWorks reporting features.
Three children's book covers in Spanish are shown: "La Flor de Oro," "El conejo en la Luna," and "El secreto de las hormigas," each featuring illustrated artwork.

Amplify Caminos Trade Book Collection Guide

Each book in our authentic literature collection was selected specifically to support and enhance the content of the K-2 Conocimiento Strand. These anchor texts are intended for use as an introduction to each domain—engaging students, piquing their curiosity, and building initial background knowledge—before diving into the deeper content of the domain Read-Alouds.

Every trade book has an instructional guide that includes the following:

  • Author and illustrator
  • Book summary
  • The Essential Question of the Knowledge domain, connecting the book to the domain
  • Key Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary words found in the book
  • A group activity to reinforce and extend students’ knowledge and understanding
  • A performance task to help gauge students’ comprehension of concepts in the text
  • Writing prompts to expand understanding and critical thinking
  • Text complexity ratings and descriptors for quantitative, qualitative, and reader/task categories

Download the Amplify Caminos Trade Book Collection Guide for Grades K–2.

Detailed information about text complexity ratings and descriptors; additional uses for the books before, during, and after domain instruction; and the complete list of domains and books for each grade level can be found in the More About the Books section of this guide.

What makes Amplify Caminos different?

Built on the Science of Reading

Built out of the latest research in the Science of Reading, Amplify Caminos delivers explicit instruction in both foundational literacy skills (systematic phonics, decoding, and fluency) and background knowledge in grades K–2 with an integrated approach to explicit instruction in grades 3–5.

Flowchart showing "Language comprehension" times "Word recognition" equals "Skilled reading," with text in both Spanish and English inside orange boxes.

Explicit systematic skills instruction

The skills instruction in Amplify Caminos was distinctly developed with the Spanish language in mind. Its foundational lessons are specific to the language, rather than a direct translation from Amplify CKLA’s English skills instruction.

Reading instruction begins with the vowels first, then the most common consonants, and finally the least common consonants. Students will blend and segment sounds to form syllables, and syllables to form words.

Although Spanish has a highly predictable orthography, there are a few silent letters (h is always silent, u is silent after g or q), as well as letters that can make different sounds, depending on the letters that follow them. For that reason, syllables with these letters are taught somewhat later in the progression. The same is true for syllables with infrequently occurring consonants, such as z, k, x, and w.

Coherent knowledge instruction

While students are learning how to read, the Conocimiento strand gives them authentic and engaging reasons to read.

Amplify Caminos uses spiral learning to reinforce every student’s ability to develop skills like reading, writing, speaking, and listening in Spanish that can be transferred to English. As students engage with their lessons, they explore the similarities and differences in grammar, vocabulary, writing, and language use between Spanish and English. This bridge helps students learning two languages to strengthen their knowledge in both.

Through cross-curricular content, students explore units that relate to storytelling, science, and the history of our world in a holistic and thoughtful way. With these units, you’ll bring the world to your students, showing them how reading can become an exciting, rewarding, and useful part of their lives.

Embedded differentiation for all learners

Amplify Caminos provides built-in differentiation strategies and supports in every lesson.

  • Apoyo a la enseñanza y desafío: Support and Challenge suggestions in every lesson provide assistance or opportunities for more advanced work toward the goal of the lesson.
  • Notas culturales: These point-of-use notes provide additional information about the traditions, foods, holidays, word variations, and more from across the Spanish-speaking world.
  • Apoyo adicional: Every lesson in the Lectoescritura (Skills) Strand provides additional support activities suggested to reinforce foundational skills instruction. These activities can be given to any student who requires extra help, including students with special needs.

Systematic and cohesive writing instruction

Writing instruction in Amplify Caminos builds systematically and cohesively within and across grades.

In Grades K-2, writing mechanics—including handwriting and spelling—are taught in the Amplify Caminos Lectoescritura strand. Starting in Grade 1, instruction includes four steps in the writing process: planning, drafting, editing, and publishing and features lessons that have modeling, collaboration, and sharing. As students gain skills and confidence, they are able to take on more of these steps independently. Students learn to use planning techniques, including brainstorming and graphic organizers.

Beginning in Grade 4, the Amplify Caminos writing process expands to also include sharing and evaluating. In Grades 4 and 5, the writing process is no longer conceptualized as a series of scaffolded, linear steps (an important change from the Grade 3 writing process). Rather, students move between components of the writing process in a flexible manner, similar to the process mature and experienced writers follow naturally.

young male students writing with a pencil

Amplify Caminos’ writing instruction provides a clear progression through the text types in each grade.

Because Amplify Caminos has two strands of lessons in Grades K-2, Lectoescritura and Conocimiento, students are exposed to both narrative and informational texts throughout the year. In Grades 3-5, the integrated units feature study in literary, informational, or a mix of both types of texts, depending on the content of the unit.

  • Grades K–2 introduce and establish the key elements of each text type, allowing students to gain comfort and confidence writing narratives, opinions, and informative texts. This enables students to practice thinking about content in different ways, offering more depth and breadth to their understanding of core content and of the writing text types.
  • By Grade 3, students will have gained significant practice in narrative, opinion/argumentative, and informational/explanatory forms of writing and will continue to apply those skills through Grade 5.

How does Amplify Caminos integrate with the other parts of the literacy system?

Amplify Caminos + mCLASS® Lectura

Achieve complete parity between English and Spanish assessments with mCLASS Lectura for K–6. mCLASS Lectura allows teachers to connect with their Spanish-speaking students face-to-face, one-on-one, and in the language most comfortable to them. The result? Valid and reliable student data reports
available in both English and Spanish, enabling teachers to pinpoint where their Spanish-speaking or emergent bilingual students really are in their skill development and what instruction to prioritize.

A laptop screen displays a slide describing the Lectura data-driven instructional cycle with sections for Assessment, Reporting, and Instruction, each illustrated with sample interface screenshots.

Amplify Caminos + Amplify Reading

Amplify Reading is an engaging, adaptive digital program that extends the learning in Amplify Caminos. Amplify Reading offers support to a large sub-group of English learners (ELs) through Spanish voice-over. Spanish voiceover instructions are available in vocabulary and sentence-level comprehension games so ELs can build their vocabulary, language, and critical comprehension skills before moving into analyzing complex texts

Language selection screen with options for English and Spanish, and an illustrated girl saying “¡Hola!” in a speech bubble. The heading reads “Idiomas.”.

Demo access and sample materials

Ready to explore on your own? First, watch the videos below to learn about the program’s components and how to navigate the digital platform.

Physical materials walkthrough video

Digital navigation video

Demo access

Next, follow the instructions below to access your demo account.

  • Click the CKLA and Caminos Demo button below.
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • To explore as a teacher, enter this username: t1.sfusdreviewer@demo.tryamplify.net
  • To explore as a student, enter this username: s1.sfusdreviewer@demo.tryamplify.net
  • Enter the password: Amplify1-sfusdreviewer
  • Click the Programs and apps menu
  • Select CKLA Teacher Resource Site
  • Select the desire grade level
  • Use the toggle to switch between English (CKLA) and Spanish (Caminos) resources.
CKLA and Caminos Demo

Sample materials

Finally, click on the grade levels below to explore your requested sample units.

Conocimiento Strand:

Lectoescritura Strand:

Conocimiento Strand:

Lectoescritura Strand:

Integrated Strand

Additional resources

Amplify CKLA Review for Alabama

To view this protected page, enter the password below:



Welcome to Amplify Desmos Math California!

California educators, welcome to math that motivates. Introducing Amplify Desmos Math California, a curiosity-driven TK–12 program that builds lifelong math proficiency. Each lesson poses problems that invite a variety of approaches before guiding students to synthesize their understanding of the learning goals. Students encounter math problems they’re eager to solve, while teachers spend more time where it’s most impactful—creating a collaborative classroom of learners.

Keep reading to learn more about the program and explore sample materials.

About the program

Amplify Desmos Math California is a TK–12 core math program designed to meet the CA Math Framework and the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Amplify Desmos Math California thoughtfully combines conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application through a structured approach to problem-based learning. Through engaging activities, Amplify Desmos Math California invites curiosity and math discourse into the classroom to create lifelong math proficiency.

Continue reading to learn more about the K–8, Algebra 1, and Math 1 programs and to explore sample materials. (Spanish, TK and high school materials are in development and will be available in the 2026–27 school year. Geometry and Algebra 2 beta pilots will be available in the 2025–26 school year.)

A powerful math suite

Amplify Desmos Math California combines the best of assessment, problem-based core lessons, personalized practice, and intervention into a coherent and engaging experience for both students and teachers.

Laptop displaying a math problem interface with student assessment reports in the background.

Screening and progress monitoring

mCLASSⓇ Math benchmark assessments, along with the embedded program assessments, measure not just what students know, but how they think. The asset-based assessment system provides teachers with targeted, actionable insights, linked to core instruction and intervention resources. Unit- and lesson-level core assessments give teachers data at their fingertips to guide and differentiate instruction. In grades 3–8, core assessments and performance tasks are designed to prepare students for success on the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) testing.

Core instruction

Amplify Desmos Math California core lessons pair problems students are eager to solve with clear instructional moves for teachers. Each lesson is designed to tell a story by posing problems that invite a variety of approaches before guiding students to synthesize their understanding of the learning goals. With built-in differentiation and multilingual/English learner support, Amplify Desmos Math California enables every student to find success in the math classroom.

A digital math activity asks users to choose a block that makes 10 with a given number; a worksheet shows a similar "make 10" math exercise with blank spaces to fill in.
A digital educational screen showing a math problem about converting meters to centimeters. It involves a diving toy sinking 5 meters into a pool. Text prompts users to input the conversion.

Personalized Learning

Boost Personalized Learning activities help students access grade-level math through engaging, independent digital practice. Responsive Feedback adjusts to students’ work, providing item-level adaptivity to further support their learning.

Differentiation and intervention

Amplify Desmos Math views differentiation as an ongoing process where teachers are both reactive and proactive to student needs, ensuring that all students have clear pathways to proficiency. Through rich data and teacher support, Amplify Desmos Math uses flexible categories of intervention and enrichment that adjust daily according to student thinking.

In-the-moment differentiation supports are available for every lesson, both digitally and in the print Teacher Edition.

Learn more
Two pages of a math worksheet and teacher’s guide about determining coordinates after a rotation, featuring diagrams, tables, and step-by-step problem-solving instructions.

An approach that supports teachers

Clear, step-by-step instructional moves help teachers plan and teach student-centered lessons that use
student thinking to differentiate instruction and guide to grade-level understanding. They include:

  • Guidance on what to listen for and how
    to respond.
  • Clear learning objectives to keep learning on
    track for each activity and lesson.
  • Daily reinforcement activities to provide direct
    instruction when needed.
A woman writes on a whiteboard using math teaching resources while a man sits at a desk, smiling. There are books and papers on the desk.
Network diagram with interconnected nodes labeled: Measure and Compare Objects, Represent Data, Dollars and Cents, Problem Solving with Measure, Skip Counting to 100, Number Strategies, Squares in an Array, Seeing Fraction in Shapes.

Big Ideas

The CA Mathematics Framework encourages a shift from power standards to thinking about math as a series of connected Big Ideas. Each Amplify Desmos Math California lesson supports one or more Big Ideas and the connections between them. The grade-level diagram changes through the course based on the math concepts addressed within.

Please refer to the following Keeping the Big Ideas at the Center documents to review specific lesson designs and alignments with the Big Ideas for each grade level.

Click here to see how the Big Ideas are represented within the K–8 core lessons.

Focus, coherence, and rigor

Amplify Desmos Math California incorporates the Drivers of Investigation (DIs) and Content Connection (CCs) throughout the program. Throughout the year, students engage with open and authentic tasks of varying durations—from lesson activities to unit-level Explore lessons and longer course-level Investigations. Every lesson and investigation opportunity is grounded in the why, how, and what of the learning experience, and helps teachers bring mathematical concepts to life.

An educational slide on addition story problems, detailing goals for solving problems, language goals, and strategies using equal expressions, tens and ones, and number sense.

Please refer to the following Amplify Desmos Math California alignments to the Standards for Mathematical Practice, provided by grade level.

A screen titled "Match the Score" with a 2D target graph showing various scores. Instructions request four ordered pairs to total 400. Four pairs are listed: (4, 2), (7, 4), (7, 6), (10, 6). A "Try again" button is shown.

Built-in authentic tasks

Mathematics is not learning in isolation. Students are connected to each other’s thinking and can use math to understand the world. With accessible invitations to authentic tasks, all students can experience mathematical success. Amplify Desmos Math California provides these authentic invitations in a variety of ways:

Each unit begins with an “Explore” lesson, which allows students to engage with authentic exploration in low-floor, high-ceiling tasks. These tasks are designed to promote an inclusive and differentiated learning environment—allowing all students to access basic mathematical concepts, while offering advanced exploration and problem-solving for those ready for more complex work.

Our innovative course-level investigations are designed to facilitate multi-part exploration. Students grapple with Big Ideas, diving deep into key concepts that encourage comprehensive understanding. Data science is infused into the approach, giving students a solid foundation from which to interpret and apply data-driven solutions. They’re also encouraged to understand and appreciate the interrelatedness of Earth’s environmental systems via our lesson’s focus on the Environmental Principles and Concepts (EP&Cs).

Explicit support for multilingual/English learners

Three overlapping educational worksheets for first grade math, including a cover page, a list of learning goals, and a lesson plan with bilingual English and Spanish text.

Amplify partnered with the English Learner Success Forum (ELSF), a national nonprofit organization that advocates for high-quality instructional materials that are inclusive of multilingual/English learners (ML/ELs). ELSF reviewed Amplify Desmos Math California, and provided directional guidance and feedback to ensure that the program reflects their research-based instructional strategies for multilingual/English learners.

Amplify Desmos Math California recognizes the diverse language needs of our students and is designed to be inclusive. Each lesson in the program features a parallel language activity, designed to be available to all students, in the form of teacher guidance and student activities. The activities in the Math Language Development Resources have level ELD differentiation to support all levels of ML/ELs. This approach ensures that all students, regardless of their language skills, can participate fully, grasp the material, and excel in their mathematical journey.

Our Multilingual Glossary includes, in addition to Spanish, nine languages: Simplified Mandarin, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Arabic, European French, Russian, Brazilian-Portuguese, Haitian-Creole, and Urdu.

Amplify Desmos Math California will include Spanish student-facing materials beginning in the 2026–27 school year.

Assessments

By starting with what students already know, Amplify Desmos Math helps build a strong foundation for success to guide and support future learning. Teachers are empowered to transform every classroom into an engaged math community that invites, values, and develops student thinking. With explicit guidance on what to look for and how to respond, teachers can effectively support students as they develop their understanding.

Open math workbook showing an End-of-Unit Assessment with multiple-choice and written response questions on fractions and equivalent values.

Program assessments

A variety of performance data in Amplify Desmos Math provides evidence of student learning while helping students bolster their skills and understanding.

Unit-Level Assessments

Our embedded unit assessments offer key insights into students’ conceptual understanding of math. These assessments provide regular, actionable information about how students are thinking about and processing math, with both auto-scoring and in-depth rubrics that help teachers anticipate and respond to students’ learning needs.

Lesson-Level Assessments

Amplify Desmos Math lessons are centered around sense-making and in-the-moment feedback. Daily moments of assessment provide valuable evidence of learning for both the teacher and student.

Learn more

Data and reporting

Amplify Desmos Math provides teachers and administrators with unified reporting and insights so that educators have visibility into what students know about grade-level math—and can plan instruction accordingly for the whole class, small groups, and individual students.

A table displays students' performance levels across various items, with a detailed score distribution for a specific assessment shown in a separate overlay. Geometric design elements accented the background, providing an engaging visual touch ideal for any math classroom using Amplify Desmos Math.

Assessment reports

Reporting functionality integrates unit assessments, lesson assessments, personalized learning, Benchmark assessments, and Progress Monitoring for a comprehensive look at student learning.

Our reports show proficiency and growth by domain, cluster, standard, and priority concept using performance data from unit assessments. Then our reports highlight areas of potential student need to allow teachers to modify their instruction and target differentiated support.

At-a-glance views of unit-level assessment results inform your instructional planning, and you can also drill down to item-level analysis.

Standards reports

Our standards report allows you to monitor proficiency at the class and individual student levels. Proficiency and growth are shown by domain, cluster, standard, and priority concepts. Areas of potential student need are highlighted to allow teachers to modify their instruction and target differentiated support.

Administrator reports

Amplify Desmos Math provides a complete picture of student, class, and district performance, allowing administrators to implement instructional and intervention plans.

  • Track student, class, and district performance with usage, completion, and assessment data.
  • Accurately group students and classes with the Benchmark and Progress Monitoring data of mCLASS Assessments and allow teachers to reliably implement and track the progress of Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention.
  • Provide one data-driven solution that educators can rely on for high-quality math instruction.

Elementary review resources

To learn about the elementary program, please start by watching the Amplify Desmos Math California Elementary Program Overview video.

For additional program information and helpful navigation tips, download the Amplify Desmos Math California Elementary Program Guide.

View the Elementary Program Components Guide here. 

View the Hands-on manipulatives brochure here.

Middle School review resources

To learn about the middle school program, please start by watching the Amplify Desmos Math California Middle School Program Overview video.

For additional program information and helpful navigation tips, download the Amplify Desmos Math California Middle School Program Guide.

View the Middle School Program Components Guide here.

View the middle school manipulative kit components here.

The digital experience

In Amplify Desmos Math, embedded interactions and animations allow students to test predictions, get feedback, share ideas, and connect representations.

The digital interactions included in lesson activities are designed to elicit student thinking in a way that feels fun and inviting. As students play and explore math concepts, teachers can highlight the ideas that students share, connect those ideas to other students’ ideas, and build on their thinking through productive class discussion.

Watch the video to preview the digital experience and for helpful platform navigation tips.

A laptop displays a math activity about platform heights and tube length, while a worksheet titled "Hamster Homes" is visible in the background.

Explore grade level samples

All lessons in Amplify Desmos Math California include print materials and rich digital experiences. Every lesson is supported with Student Edition pages, teacher presentation screens, and interactive digital resources for practice and differentiation. Some lessons also enable students to use devices to interact with lesson content.

You’ll find sample materials by grade level in the following drop-downs. Please refer to your physical samples and the digital platform (accessed through the demo account provided by your account executive) for a comprehensive program review.

Screenshot of a kindergarten curriculum outline featuring units like Math in Our World, Numbers 1-10, Positions and Shapes, Understanding Addition, Making 10, and Shapes All Around Us. This comprehensive program utilizes New York Math standards to build foundational skills.
Scope and sequence
Cover of Amplify Desmos Math Grade K Teacher Edition featuring three children playing with math-related objects and a group of rabbits sitting nearby, aligning with the engaging curriculum seen in New York math classrooms.
Teacher Edition
Three children use large counters and a vertical frame to solve a math problem outdoors, with a fourth child sitting nearby. The cover is labeled "Amplify Desmos Math California, Kindergarten, Volume 1.
Student Edition
Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Grade K" featuring a 3D letter "L" and section about Math Language Development Resources.
Math Language Development Resources
A curriculum overview for Grade 1 with seven units listed, each showing a title, instructional days, assessment days, and total days. Suggested days for completion is 154.
Scope and sequence
Three children play a math game with orange counters and cards. Fish and turtles are pictured above them. The book cover is labeled "Amplify Desmos Math California, Grade 1 Teacher Edition.
Teacher Edition
Three children use counters and cards to solve a math activity underwater, with fish and seaweed in the background. The cover is for Amplify Desmos Math California, Grade 1, Volume 1.
Student Edition
Cover of a Grade 1 Amplify Desmos Math California resource featuring a yellow block letter "L" and a label for math language development resources.
Math Language Development Resources
Scope and sequence chart for Grade 2 shows eight instructional units with titles, illustrated icons, days per unit, and assessment days listed in a grid format on a white background.
Scope and sequence
Cover of a Grade 2 math textbook showing a teacher and two students measuring a number line and holding a sign that reads "120 in." with math visuals in the background.
Teacher Edition
Three children measure and mark a path on the ground with a ruler and tape, next to a large green base ten block and a 120-inch sign, on a math textbook cover.
Student Edition
Cover of Amplify Desmos Math California Grade 2 Math Language Development Resources, featuring a green geometric "L" and a list of included supports for language learners.
Math Language Development Resources
A table displays a Grade 3 math curriculum outline with six units, each showing unit topics, number of instructional and assessment days, and total days per unit.
Scope and sequence
Illustration of four children in a two-story house doing math activities; one holds "3 x 2," another “3 x 3,” another “3 x 5,” and one paints a wall. Grade 3 math teacher edition cover.
Teacher Edition
Illustration of four children in a house-like structure, one painting, one holding a book, one holding a math sign, and one reading, on the cover of a math textbook labeled "Grade 3.
Student Edition
Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Grade 3" featuring a 3D geometric shape, blue accents, and a section describing included resources for math language development.
Math Language Development Resources
A curriculum overview for Grade 4 showing seven math units with titles, illustrations, instructional days, and pacing details, organized in a grid layout.
Scope and sequence
Four children, one in a wheelchair, interact with math symbols and measurements outdoors, overseen by a teacher. The cover reads "Amplify Desmos Math California, Grade 4, Teacher Edition.
Teacher Edition
Four children stand and work around a large plant and number tiles outdoors, with one child in a wheelchair and another holding a clipboard. The cover reads "Amplify Desmos Math California 4.
Student Edition
Cover of the Amplify Desmos Math California Grade 4 Math Language Development Resources, featuring a blue geometric "L" shape and a description box in the bottom left corner.
Math Language Development Resources
A Grade 5 math curriculum overview showing six units, each with instructional days and assessment information, arranged in a grid on a white background.
Scope and sequence
Cover of a 5th grade math teacher edition book showing children interacting with math concepts outdoors, including measuring, drawing, and stacking cubes.
Teacher Edition
Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Student Edition 5, Volume 1" featuring students engaging in math activities outdoors and one standing on colorful cubes holding a "Grade 5" sign.
Student Edition
Cover of Amplify Desmos Math California Grade 5 Math Language Development Resources, featuring a 3D letter "L" and a brief description of included supports.
Math Language Development Resources
Grade 6 math curriculum chart showing eight units with titles, instructional days, assessment days, optional days, and icons for each unit. Suggested days: 143 out of 147 instructional days.
Scope and sequence
Illustration of children outdoors interacting with oversized math symbols and objects. Text reads "Amplify Desmos Math California Teacher Edition, Grade 6, Volume 1.
Teacher Edition
Illustrated cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Student Edition, Grade 6, Volume 1" showing students interacting with math symbols in an outdoor setting.
Student Edition
Cover of Amplify Desmos Math California Grade 6 book featuring a 3D geometric “L” shape and a description of included math language development resources.
Math Language Development Resources
Grade 7 math curriculum map with eight units, each showing topic, days per unit, and breakdown of instructional and assessment days. Suggested total days: 124.
Scope and sequence
Illustration of people interacting with geometric shapes, city buildings, and a crane on a cover titled "Amplify Desmos Math California, Grade 7, Teacher Edition, Volume 1.
Teacher Edition
Illustrated cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Student Edition 7, Volume 1," showing people constructing geometric shapes and mathematical tools in a cityscape.
Student Edition
Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math California Grade 7" resource, featuring a purple 3D geometric "L" shape and informational text about language development resources.
Math Language Development Resources
Grade 8 math curriculum overview with nine units displayed in a grid; each unit lists instructional days, assessment days, and total days.
Scope and Sequence
Illustration of children at a playground with adults, working on math activities near water tanks and a slide. The cover reads "Amplify Desmos Math California, Grade 8, Teacher Edition, Volume 1.
Teacher Edition
Illustration of children playing on and around a slide with geometric shapes and graphs, on the cover of a math textbook labeled "Amplify Desmos Math California, Student Edition, Grade 8.
Student Edition
Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Grade 8" featuring a 3D geometric letter "L" and a list of included math language development resources.
Math Language Development Resources
A curriculum overview for Algebra 1 with eight units, each showing a title, number of instructional and assessment days, and simple illustrative icons. Total suggested days: 153.
Scope and Sequence
Illustration of people interacting with algebraic graphs, grids, and mathematical tools, with others exploring underwater and a map of California in the corner. Text reads "Amplify Desmos Math California.
Teacher Edition
Cover of a California Amplify Desmos Math A1 Student Edition book showing people interacting with mathematical graphs and underwater divers observing marine life.
Student Edition
Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Algebra 1 A1 Math Language Development Resources" featuring a 3D geometric "L" shape and text describing included resources.
Math Language Development Resources
A curriculum chart displays seven math units, each listing instructional and assessment days; the suggested total is 138 days, with titles like Patterns and Sequences and Linear Equations.
Scope and sequence
Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Teacher Edition, Math 1 Volume 1" with illustrated people interacting with geometric shapes and graphs.
Teacher Edition
Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math California Student Edition Volume 1" featuring people interacting with math symbols and geometric shapes in a stylized, modern landscape.
Student Edition
Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Math 1," featuring a geometric L-shaped figure and a blue header labeled "Math Language Development Resources.
Math Language Development Resources

Scope and Sequence

Math 2–3 is currently being developed and will be available in the 2026–27 school year.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Teacher Edition GEO Volume 1" featuring abstract geometric illustrations and people engaged in mathematical activities.
Scope and Sequence (National Edition)

The Amplify Desmos Math Geometry Beta National Edition is available for piloting in the 2025–26 school year. Amplify Desmos Math California Geometry will be available in the 2026–27 school year.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Geo Volume 1 Student Edition" featuring geometric shapes and small illustrated people interacting with mathematical elements.
Geometry sampler

This sampler includes Teacher Edition front matter for program overview information, plus Teacher Edition and Student Edition pages for Units 1–2.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California A2 Teacher Edition," featuring a Ferris wheel, math graphs, and students interacting with mathematical concepts.
Scope and sequence (National Edition)

The Amplify Desmos Math Algebra 2 Beta National Edition is available for piloting in the 2025–26 school year. Amplify Desmos Math California Algebra 2 will be available in the 2026–27 school year.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math California Student Edition A2 Volume 1" featuring mathematical graphs, a Ferris wheel, and students interacting with math concepts.
Algebra 2 sampler

This sampler includes Teacher Edition front matter for program overview information, plus Teacher Edition and Student Edition pages for Units 1–2.

Contact us

For questions, samples, or more information, please contact your local Amplify account executive:

Erin King
Sales Director, CA
(512) 736-3162
eking@amplify.com

Northern CA
Wendy Garcia
Senior Account Executive
(510) 368-7666
wgarcia@amplify.com

Bay Area
Lance Burbank
Account Executive
(415) 830-5348
lburbank@amplify.com

Central Valley and Central Coast
Demitri Gonos
Senior Account Executive
(559) 355-3244
dgonos@amplify.com

Ventura and L.A. County
Jeff Sorenson
Associate Account Executive
(310) 902-1407
jsorenson@amplify.com

Orange and L.A. County
Lauren Sherman
Senior Account Executive
(949) 397-5766
lsherman@amplify.com

San Bernardino and L.A. County
Michael Gruber
Senior Account Executive
(951) 520-6542
migruber@amplify.com

Riverside and L.A. County
Brian Roy
Senior Account Executive
(818) 967-1674
broy@amplify.com

San Diego County
Kirk Van Wagoner
Senior Account Executive
(760) 696-0709
kvanwagoner@amplify.com

Under 2300 students in Bay Area, Sacramento Valley, and Northern Counties
Kevin Mauser
Lead Account Executive
(815) 534-0148
kmauser@amplify.com

Under 2300 students in Southern CA, Central Coast, and Southern Central Valley Counties
Charissa Snyder
Account Executive
(720) 936-6802
chsnyder@amplify.com

Welcome to Amplify Science!

On this page, you’ll find resources to help you get started with Amplify Science and have a great first year. Use the menu on the left side of your screen to quickly jump from section to section. Let’s dig in.

A child wearing safety goggles performs a science experiment with a cup and stirrer, surrounded by science-related graphics including molecules, a circuit board, a wave, and a robotic arm.

Program introduction

Onboarding: what to expect

Welcome to Amplify Science! To help you know what’s coming next, we created the following outline of the steps of the on-boarding process. You can use it as a reference.

Admin tools

Administrators please see the following tools to help you support your staff in implementing Amplify Science:

CPS Implementation Rubric

Pre-launch Checklist for Teachers

Five things to consider (and share with teachers) as you being to implement Amplify Science

Elementary school resources (grades K–5)

To ensure your first day using Amplify Science in the classroom is as seamless and smooth as possible, we recommend reviewing the following checklist before the first day of school.

What’s coming to my school?
Each unit of Amplify Science comes with a hands-on materials kit. Each hands-on materials kit arrives in one to three boxes and contains:

  • Consumable materials for two uses of 25 or 36 students (depending on school purchase)
  • Non-consumable materials.
  • Classroom wall materials.
  • Premium print materials (card sorts, vocabulary rings, etc.).
  • 18 copies of each Student Book (5 titles each unit)  (K–1 will receive 5 big books/unit)
  • A blackline master of the Student Investigation Notebook
  • One set of Student Investigation Notebooks (25 or 36)

You can find complete materials lists for each unit in the following PDF. This information is also available in the digital Teacher’s Guide within the program.

On-boarding videos
Our team has created a series of short videos to help get you started with Amplify Science:

Planning guides
As you prepare to plan for a unit, download our planning guides to help walk you through the most important resources to locate in either the print or digital Teacher’s Guide to help you plan:

Additional resources
If you’re interested in learning more about each unit’s anchor phenomena, the Student Books in each unit, and more program features, download the resources below:

Middle school resources (grades 6–8)

To ensure your first day using Amplify Science in the classroom is as seamless and smooth as possible, we recommend reviewing the following checklist before the first day of school.

What’s coming to my school?
Each unit of Amplify Science comes with a hands-on materials kit. Each hands-on materials kit arrives in one to three boxes and contains:

  • Consumable materials for five uses of 40 students
  • Non-consumable materials.
  • Classroom wall materials.
  • Premium print materials (cards, maps, etc.).
  • A blackline master of the Student Investigation Notebook

You can find complete materials lists for each unit in the following PDF. This information is also available in the digital Teacher’s Guide within the program.

Onboarding videos
Our team has created a series of short videos to help get you started with Amplify Science:

Planning guide
As you prepare to plan for a unit, download our planning guide to help walk you through the most important resources to locate in either the print or digital Teacher’s Guide to help you plan.

Additional resources
If you’re interested in learning more about each unit’s anchor phenomena, the Student Books in each unit, and more program features, download the resources below:

Looking for help?

Timely technical, program, and pedagogical support
Our technical and program support is included and available from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, through a variety of channels, including a live chat program that enables teachers to get immediate help in the middle of the school day. As a part our support, Amplify also has an Educational Support Team of former teachers and administrators who provide instructional support for every Amplify curriculum, assessment, and intervention program.

For your most urgent questions:

  • Use our live chat within your program
  • Call our toll-free number: 1 888 850 0945

For less urgent questions:

Reach out to our support team at: help@amplify.com

Email support

Welcome

Elementary Literacy Program – Family Welcome Letter

Lectoescritura en Español – Carta de bienvenida para las familias

Grade K

Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

A powerful partnership

Amplify Science was developed by the science education experts at UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science and the digital learning team at Amplify. This partnership extends to 2032, allowing us to continuously improve our program and provide our customers with the most up-to-date enhancements, free of charge. Get a glimpse at our latest back-to-school updates here.

Instructional model

The Amplify Science program is rooted in the proven, research-based pedagogy of Do, Talk, Read, Write, Visualize. Here’s how each element works:

Three blue panels describing educational activities: "hands-on science" with lab experiments, "discuss" with collaborative learning, and "read" with literacy in science articles.

Phenomena-based approach

In each Amplify Science unit, students take on the roles of scientists or engineers in order to investigate a real-world problem. Students work to define the problem and collect and make sense of evidence. Once the context is clear, students collect evidence from multiple sources and through a variety of modalities. At the end of the unit, students are presented with a brand new problem, giving them an opportunity to apply what they’ve learned over the course of the unit to a new context. This represents a shift from asking students to learn about science to supporting students in figuring out the science.

Flowchart of a learning unit divided into four chapters, showing stages of student engagement from introduction to application, with assessments indicated at various points.

Resources to support your review

Remote and hybrid learning support

A child sits at a desk using a laptop. Next to the desk is a bookshelf with books, a fishbowl, and a soccer ball.

See an example of our remote and hybrid learning support below:

This fall, Amplify launched a new remote learning solution called Amplify Science@Home. Intended to make extended remote and hybrid learning easier, Amplify Science @Home includes two useful options for continuing instruction: @Home Videos and @Home Units.
Amplify Science @Home Videos are recordings of real Amplify Science teachers teaching the lessons. For those teachers who are unable to meet synchronously with their students, the recorded lessons are a great way to keep their students on track and engaged with Amplify Science while at home. These videos will be produced for all K–5 units, and for the first four units of each 6–8 grade level. Their release will be rolling, beginning in August.

Amplify Science @Home Units are modified versions of Amplify Science units, strategically designed to highlight key activities from the program. The @Home Units take significantly less instructional time than the complete Amplify Science program and allow students to engage with science at home. @Home Units will be developed for all Amplify Science K–8 units. Each @Home unit includes:

  • Teacher overviews explaining how to use the materials, including suggestions for enhancing the @Home Units if synchronous learning or in-class time with students is available
  • Overviews to send home to families

Student materials will be available in two formats:

  • @Home Slides (PDF/PPT) + Student Sheets (PDF) for students with access to technology at home
  • Downloadable @Home Packets (PDF) for students without access to technology at home

Download the remote and hybrid learning guide

Benchmark Assessments

Amplify’s Benchmark Assessments are designed to help teachers measure student progress toward the three dimensions—Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), and Crosscutting Concepts(CCCs)—and performance expectations (PEs) of the NGSS. The assessments provide important insight into how students are progressing toward mastery of different standards ahead of high-stakes, end-of-year assessments.

The Benchmark Assessments are built to be delivered after specific units in the recommended Amplify Science scope and sequence.* They are given three or four times per year, depending on the grade level. The benchmarks are intended to show progress at various points in time across a school year, and are therefore not summative in nature. Digital items and item clusters are also tagged to specific NGSS standards, allowing customization to align with other course sequences. The assessments are available via the following platforms:

Print
PDF files: For administering Benchmark Assessments on paper

Digital platforms

  • Illuminate
  • SchoolCity
  • Otus
  • QTI (“Question and Test Interoperability”) files
    Not sure whether QTI files are compatible with your assessment platform? Contact your school IT or assessment platform representative for more information.
    Please note that Amplify is able to provide access to the QTI files themselves, but is not able to support the integration process. Your assessment platform provider should be able to assist with QTI file integration.

Flexible implementation

One of the key features of Amplify Science is the flexibility that it offers. We give students authentic opportunities to experience the full breadth of what it means to be a scientist or engineer. Just as scientists gather evidence from many types of sources, so do students in our program. Like scientists, students gather evidence not just from physical models, but also from digital models, texts, videos, photographs, maps, data sets, and even their peers!
Simply put, real scientists don’t just get messy—they read, write, analyze, hypothesize, model, test, and communicate with purpose, too.

Science articles

The middle school science articles serve as sources for evidence collection and were authored by science and literacy experts at the Lawrence Hall of Science.

Illustration of the indirect effects of overfishing on northern benguela jelly populations displayed on a laptop screen.

Student Books
Beginning and young readers have unique developmental needs, and science instruction should support these students in reading more independently as they progress through sections of content, the school year, and each grade. One way Amplify Science meets these needs is by strategically deploying different modes of reading throughout each unit: Read-Aloud, Shared Reading, and Partner Reading.

A collage of various educational book covers related to science and math, featuring illustrated themes like sports, nature, and energy.

Student Investigation Notebooks

Available for every unit, the Student Investigation Notebooks provide space for students to:

  • record data.
  • reflect on ideas from texts and investigations.
  • construct explanations and arguments.

Available with full-color article compilations for middle school units.

Collection of educational books from 'amplify science' on topics including ocean atmosphere, matter and energy ecosystems, and insect interactions, displayed in various angles.

Digital student experience

Students access the digital simulations and Modeling Tools, as well as lesson activities and assessments, through the digital student experience. Students can interact with the digital student experience as they:

  • conduct hands-on investigations.
  • engage in Active Reading and writing activities.
  • participate in discussions.
  • record observations.
  • craft end-of-unit scientific arguments.

Dive into a quick example of our powerful simulations

A digital illustration showcasing a laptop and a tablet displaying complex data analysis software interfaces with graphs and heatmaps.

Hands-on materials kits

Hands-on learning is at the heart of Amplify Science and is integrated
into every unit. Students actively take on the roles of scientists and engineers as they gather evidence, think critically, solve problems, and develop and defend claims about the world around them.

Check out these 2-minute videos to see an Amplify Science hands-on investigation in action.

Each unit kit contains:

  • consumable and non-consumable hands-on materials.
  • print classroom display materials.
  • premium print materials for student use (sorting cards, maps, etc.).
A perforated rectangular board, three small containers with different powders, a black battery holder with red wires, and three colored alligator clips are arranged on a white background.

Teacher’s Guides

Available digitally and in print, the Teacher’s Guides contain all of the information teachers need to facilitate classroom instruction, including:

  • detailed lesson plans.
  • unit and chapter overview documentation.
  • differentiation strategies.
  • standards alignments.
  • in-context professional development.
A laptop displaying the Geology on Mars webpage sits beside a book titled "Geology on Mars," both featuring the same cover image of Mars and a spacecraft, perfect for enhancing three-dimensional learning in any science classroom.

Scope and Sequence

GRADE UNITS
Kindergarten
  • Needs of Plants and Animals
  • Pushes and Pulls
  • Sunlight and Water
Grade 1
  • Animal and Plant Defenses
  • Light and Sound
  • Spinning Earth
Grade 2
  • Plant and Animal Relationships
  • Properties of Materials
  • Changing Landforms
Grade 3
  • Balancing Forces
  • Inheritance and Traits
  • Environments and Survival
  • Weather and Climate
Grade 4
  • Energy Conversions
  • Vision and Light
  • Earth’s Features
  • Waves, Energy, and Information
Grade 5
  • Patterns of Earth and Sky
  • Modeling Matter
  • The Earth System
  • Ecosystem Restoration
GRADE UNITS
Grade 6: Earth Science
  • Launch: Geology on Mars
  • Plate Motion
  • Plate Motion: Engineering Internship
  • Rock Transformations
  • Earth, Moon, and Sun
  • Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate
  • Weather Patterns
  • Earth’s Changing Climate
  • Earth’s Changing Climate: Engineering Internship
Grade 7: Life Science
  • Launch: Microbiome
  • Metabolism
  • Metabolism: Engineering Internship
  • Traits and Reproduction
  • Populations and Resources
  • Matter and Energy in Ecosystems
  • Natural Selection
  • Natural Selection: Engineering Internship
  • Evolutionary History
Grade 8: Physical Science 
  • Launch: Harnessing Human Energy
  • Force and Motion
  • Force and Motion: Engineering Internship
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Thermal Energy
  • Phase Change
  • Phase Change: Engineering Internship
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Light Waves

Minnesota Academic Standards in Science coverage

Amplify Science was designed from the ground up to meet the NGSS, a set of standards that closely align with the K–8 Minnesota Academic Standards in Science (MASS). Therefore, most grade levels’ respective set of Amplify Science units address the necessary MASS (see K–5 reverse alignment and/or correlations for K–5 and 6–8). However, for grades 2–4, teachers should also use the resources provided in the sections below to achieve full coverage of the appropriate standards before their students move on to the next grade level. Organized by grade level, each section outlines:

  • companion lesson materials that were written to support 100% alignment to the Minnesota Academic Standards in Science when used with the core Amplify Science units for the grade level
  • the standard being addressed with each companion lesson; and
  • the recommended placement of each companion lesson within a specific Amplify Science unit 

Companion lesson: “Shelter”

Standard: 1P.4.2.2.1 Communicate solutions that use materials to provide shelter, food, or warmth needs for communities including Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.* (P: 8, CC: 2, CI: PS1, ETS2)

Recommended placement: Following Lesson 5.1 of Spinning Earth

Materials: Shelter Classroom Slides and Student Sheet

Companion lesson: “Describing Climates”

Standard: 2E.4.2.1.2 Obtain and use information from multiple sources, including electronic sources, to describe climates in different regions of the world.** (P: 8, CC: 1, CI: ESS2)

Recommended placement: Following Lesson 4.5 of Changing Landforms

Materials: Describing Climates Classroom Slides and Student Sheet

Note: Students will further investigate the content in this standard, and revisit the book used in this companion lesson, in 3rd grade (Weather and Climate unit)

Companion lesson 1: Light and Vision

Standard: 3P.3.1.1.1 Develop a model to describe that light reflecting from objects and entering the eye allows objects to be seen. (P: 2, CC: 2, CI: PS4)

Recommended placement: Following Lesson 4.5 of Environments and Survival

Materials: Light and Vision Part 1 Classroom Slides and Student Sheet; Light and Vision Part 2 Classroom Slides and Student Sheet 

Note: Students will further investigate the content in this standard, and revisit the book used in this companion lesson, in 4th grade (Vision and Light unit)

Companion lesson 2: Studying Stars

Standard: 3E.4.2.2.1 Gather information and communicate how Minnesota American Indian Tribes and communities and other cultures use patterns in stars to make predictions and plans. (P 8, CC: 1, CI: ESS1) 

Recommended placement: Following Lesson 4.4 of Weather and Climate

Materials: Studying Stars Classroom Slides and Student Sheet

Note: Students will further investigate the content in this standard, and revisit the book used in this companion lesson, in 5th grade (Patterns of Earth and Sky unit)

Companion lesson 1: Salt Water and Freshwater

Standard: 4E.2.2.1.1 Interpret charts, maps and/or graphs of the amounts of salt water and fresh water in various reservoirs to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth.** (P: 5, CC: 4, CI: ESS2) 

Recommended placement: Following Lesson 2.6 of Earth’s’ Features

Materials: Salt Water and Freshwater Classroom Slides and Student Sheet

Note: Students will further investigate the content in this standard, and revisit the book used in this companion lesson, in 5th grade (The Earth System unit)

Companion lesson 2: How Raindrops Form

Standard: 4E.1.1.1.2 Ask questions about how water moves through the Earth system and identify the type of question. (P: 1, CC: 5, CI: ESS2) 

Recommended placement: Following Lesson 4.5 of Earth’s’ Features

Materials: How Raindrops Form Classroom Slides and Student Sheet

Note: Students will further investigate the content in this standard, and revisit the book used in this companion lesson, in 5th grade (The Earth System unit)

Explore the digital Teacher’s Guide

To familiarize yourself with navigation of the digital Teacher’s Guide, watch our navigational guide videos:

Grades K–5:

Grades 6–8:

Looking for help?

Powerful (and free!) pedagogical support

Amplify provides a unique kind of support you won’t find from other publishers. We’ve developed an educational support team of former teachers and administrators who provide pedagogical support for every Amplify curriculum, assessment, and intervention program. This service is completely free for all educators who are using our programs and includes:

  • Guidance for developing lesson plans and intervention plans.
  • Information on where to locate standards and other planning materials.
  • Recommendations and tips for day-to-day teaching with Amplify programs.
  • Support with administering and interpreting assessment data and more.

Timely technical and program support

Our technical and program support is included and available Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET, through a variety of channels, including a live chat program that enables teachers to get immediate help in the middle of the school day.

Ready to dive in?

Contact your Minnesota representative:
Kristi Stengel
Account Executive
kstengel@amplify.com
(612) 306-3941

Tammy Sigwarth
Account Executive
tsigwarth@amplify.com
(563) 663-0056

Amplify Science – Oklahoma

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Amplify Science – Oklahoma

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Inspiring the next generation of Oklahoma scientists, engineers, and curious citizens

Amplify Science is an engaging new core curriculum designed for three-dimensional, phenomena-based learning.

A powerful partnership

Amplify Science was developed by the science education experts at UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science and the digital learning team at Amplify.

Instructional model

The Amplify Science program is rooted in the proven, research-based pedagogy of Do, Talk, Read, Write, Visualize. Here’s how each element works:

DO
First-hand investigations are an important part of any science classroom, and Amplify Science has students getting hands-on in every unit—from building models of protein molecules to experimenting with electrical systems.

TALK
Student-to-student discourse and full-class discussions are an integral part of the program. Students are provided with numerous opportunities to engage in meaningful oral scientific argumentation, all while fostering a collaborative classroom environment.

READ
Students read scientific articles, focusing their reading activities on searching for evidence related to their investigation and, importantly, on asking and recording questions as they read through fascinating texts on 21st-century topics.

WRITE
Following real-world practices, students write scientific arguments based on evidence they’ve collected, making clear their reasoning about how a given piece of evidence connects to one of several claims.

VISUALIZE
By manipulating digital simulations and using modeling tools to craft visualizations of their thinking— just as real scientists and engineers do—students take their learning far beyond the confines of what they can physically see in the classroom in an exciting and authentic way.

Oklahoma Instructional Samplers

Video: Oklahoma Spotlight on All Learners (SPED, G & T, EL, DEI)

Kindergarten

Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

Resources to support your review

Remote and hybrid learning support

Oklahoma Spotlight Video: Remote and Hybrid Learning

Amplify has launched a new remote learning solution called Amplify Science @Home. Intended to make extended remote learning and hybrid learning easier, Amplify Science@Home includes two useful options for continuing instruction: @Home Videos and @Home Units. 

Amplify Science @Home Videos are recordings of real Amplify Science teachers teaching the lessons. For those teachers who are unable to meet synchronously with their students, the recorded lessons are a great way to keep their students on track and engaged with Amplify Science while at home. These videos will be produced for all K–5 units, and for the first four units of each 6–8 grade level. Their release will be rolling, beginning in August 2021.   

Amplify Science@Home Units are modified versions of Amplify Science units, strategically designed to highlight key activities from the program. The @Home Units take significantly less instructional time than the complete Amplify Science program and allow students to engage with science at home. @Home Units will be developed for all Amplify Science K–8 units. Each @Home unit includes:

  • Teacher overviews explaining how to use the materials, including suggestions for enhancing the @Home Units if synchronous learning or in-class time with students is available.
  • Overviews to send home to families.

Student materials are available in two formats:

  • @Home Slides (PDF/PPT) + Student Sheets (PDF) for students with access to technology at home.
  • Downloadable @Home Packets (PDF) for students without access to technology at home.

Download the remote and hybrid learning guide.

What’s included

Flexible resources that work seamlessly together
Oklahoma Spotlight Video: Instructional Resources: More than a textbook!

Science articles
The middle school science articles serve as sources for evidence collection and were authored by science and literacy experts at the Lawrence Hall of Science.

Student Investigation Notebooks
Available for every unit, the Student Investigation Notebooks provide space for students to:

  • record data.
  • reflect on ideas from texts and investigations.
  • construct explanations and arguments.

Available with full-color article compilations for middle school units.

Digital student experience
Students access the digital simulations and modeling tools, as well as lesson activities and assessments, through the digital student experience. Students can interact with the digital student experience as they:

  • conduct hands-on investigations.
  • engage in active reading and writing activities.
  • participate in discussions.
  • record observations.
  • craft end-of-unit scientific arguments.

Oklahoma Spotlight Video: Spotlight on Simulations

Teacher’s Guides
Available digitally and in print, the Teacher’s Guides contain all of the information teachers need to facilitate classroom instruction, including:

  • Classroom Slides.
  • detailed lesson plans.
  • unit and chapter overview documentation.
  • differentiation strategies.
  • standards alignments.
  • in-context professional development.

Oklahoma Spotlight Video: Classroom Slides

Hands-on materials kits
Hands-on learning is at the heart of Amplify Science. Each unit kit contains:

  • consumable and non-consumable hands-on materials.
  • print classroom display materials.
  • premium print materials for student use (sorting cards, maps, etc).

Scope and sequence

GRADE

UNITS

Kindergarten

  • Needs of Plants and Animals
  • Pushes and Pulls
  • Sunlight and Water

Grade 1

  • Animal and Plant Defenses
  • Light and Sound
  • Spinning Earth

Grade 2

  • Plant and Animal Relationships
  • Properties of Materials
  • Changing Landforms

Grade 3

  • Balancing Forces
  • Inheritance and Traits
  • Environments and Survival
  • Weather and Climate

Grade 4

  • Energy Conversions
  • Vision and Light
  • Earth’s Features
  • Waves, Energy, and Information

Grade 5

  • Patterns of Earth and Sky
  • Modeling Matter
  • The Earth System
  • Ecosystem Restoration

GRADE

UNITS

Grade 6

  • Launch: Microbiome
  • Metabolism
  • Plate Motion
  • Plate Motion Engineering Internship
  • Rock Transformations
  • Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate
  • Weather Patterns
  • Thermal Energy
  • Phase Change

Grade 7

  • Launch: Harnessing Human Energy
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Populations and Resources
  • Matter Energy and Ecosystems
  • Earth’s Changing Climate
  • Earth’s Changing Climate Engineering Internship
  • Magnetic Fields

Grade 8

  • Launch: Geology on Mars
  • Force and Motion
  • Force and Motion Engineering Internship
  • Light Waves
  • Earth, Moon, and Sun
  • Traits and Reproduction
  • Natural Selection
  • Evolutionary History

Oklahoma Academic Standards for Science coverage

Amplify Science was designed from the ground up to meet the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Science (OASS) are closely aligned to the NGSS at K–8. The guidance below is meant to provide support for integrating additional activities that support full coverage of the OASS. You can view the full K–8 OASS correlation here.

Organized by grade level, each section below will outline:

  • additional activities that support 100% alignment to the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Science; 
  • the standard being addressed with the activities; 
  • the recommended placement of the activities within a specific Amplify Science unit; and 
  • PDFs of any accompanying materials that are necessary to implement the activities. 

Standard: 1.ESS3.1: Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment.

Recommended placement: Animal and Plant Defenses unit, Chapter 1

Materials: The Student Book Investigating Monarchs from the unit Needs of Plants and Animals

Investigating Monarchs emphasizes the needs of monarch caterpillars and butterflies and shows what happens when these animals are not able to meet their needs. The book first introduces the life cycle of monarchs, explaining that monarch caterpillars must eat milkweed to survive and change into butterflies. Their summer habitat must have milkweed. The butterflies then migrate a long distance, from the United States to a forest in the mountains of Mexico, where they take shelter in the trees. Their winter habitat must have trees. Scientists discovered that the monarch population in Mexico was greatly reduced because people were cutting down the trees. The forest was then protected, but the monarch population did not recover as expected. Scientists in the United States found evidence that this was because fields with milkweed are being replaced by farms and buildings. This book could be read with the class either before or after Chapter 1 of the Animal and Plant Defenses unit, which focuses on what plants and animals need to do to survive. Students could be asked to reflect on what the monarchs need to survive (including food and shelter), and how human activities impacted the monarchs’ ability to meet those needs. After reading the book, students could brainstorm ideas for how to reduce the impact of humans on the local environment.

Standard: MS-PS4-2: Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.

Recommended placement: Metabolism unit, Lesson 3.3, addition to Activity 5 

Materials: “What Eyes Can See” science article

As students investigate metabolism and the body systems, the article “What Eyes Can See” should be assigned to deepen their understanding of information processing and sense receptors and connect that understanding to the emerging idea of the interaction of waves with various materials. The article explores how the only thing we can really see is light. Light travels from a light source to the eye, passing through some materials and bouncing off others. Tiny organs inside the eye called rods and cones absorb energy from light, making vision possible. These interactions between light and materials determine our visible world. 

Instructions:

Download the PDF “What Eyes Can See” above and remind students of the Active Reading guidelines. Before students read the article, invite them to share prior experiences. For example, “Have you ever had an experience where something looked different in one kind of light than in another kind of light? Or where something seemed to appear or disappear when the light changed?”

Standard: MS-PS3-1: Construct and interpret graphical displays of data to describe the relationships of kinetic energy to the mass of an object and to the speed of an object.

Recommended placement: Harnessing Human Energy unit, Lesson 1.4, after Activity 4 

Materials: Force and Motion simulation; Activity instructions and copymasters

In this activity, students use the Force and Motion Simulation to investigate the relationship between kinetic energy, mass, and velocity. 

Instructions

Download the PDF linked above for the Lesson Guide and copymasters needed for the activity. Note that this investigation is typically implemented during the Force and Motion unit. This means the Lesson Guide will contain some incongruous labeling (e.g., unit name), as well as instructions that are out of context and unnecessary for the purposes of addressing this standard at grade 7. We suggest skipping to step 4 of the Instructional Guide to avoid some of this. Your students will get additional exposure to this activity, and indeed the standard as a whole, when they get to the Force and Motion unit in grade 8.

Standards:

  • MS-PS2-3: Ask questions about data to determine the factors that affect the strength of electric and magnetic forces.
  • MS-PS2-5: Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact.

Recommended placement: Force and Motion unit, after Lesson 1.5 

Materials: Flextension PDF

This hands-on activity builds on and reinforces students’ understanding of forces that act at a distance, with a focus on electrostatic force. Students explore electrostatic forces, prompted by a set of challenges that they try to accomplish. Next, students generate scientific questions based on their observations. Electrostatic force is less predictable and consistent than magnetic force, and investigating it can be both challenging and intriguing. The purpose of this lesson is for students to gain firsthand experience with electrostatic force and to gain experience generating scientific questions based on observations. You might choose to include this Flextension if you would like your students to have more exposure to electrostatic force, and if you would like to challenge your students to explore and ask questions about a challenging type of force. 

Instructions:

Download the PDF linked above for a detailed Lesson Guide and the copymasters associated with the activity. Note that this activity is typically implemented as an add-on Flextension during the Magnetic Fields unit. This means that you will see some information that is out of context (e.g., placement information, unit title), but the activity itself also works for the purposes of the Force and Motion unit. If you have any questions, please reach out to our support team via the chat icon in your account or help@amplify.com. 

Explore the Digital Teacher’s Guide

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S3-03: Instructional strategies for integrating science and literacy

A graphic with the text "Science Connections" and "Amplify" features colorful circles and curved lines on a dark gray background.

We’re continuing our investigations around science and literacy with Doug Fisher, Ph.D., professor and chair of educational leadership at San Diego State University. We talk about the importance of integrating science and literacy, as well as practical guidance for teachers who want to unite the two disciplines in their own classrooms.

Listen as we discuss how science and literacy can be powerful allies and specific strategy areas to focus on when integrating the two disciplines. And don’t forget to grab your Science Connections study guide to track your learning and find additional resources!

We hope you enjoy this episode and explore more from Science Connections by visiting our main page!

DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT

Douglas Fisher (00:00):

It’s not that you have to become a reading specialist to integrate literacy into science. It’s how our brains work.

Eric Cross (00:10):

Welcome to Science Connections. I’m your host, Eric Cross. This season, we’re making the case for our favorite underdog, which of course is science. Each episode we’re showing how science can be better utilized in the classroom, and making the case for why it’s so important to do so. In our last episode, we examined the evidence showing that science and English instruction can support each other. And now on this episode, we want to give you some more strategies for really making that a reality in your own home or classroom or community. So to help me, I’m joined on this episode by Dr. Douglas Fisher, Professor and Chair of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University. Dr. Fisher is actually someone who has conducted literacy training at my own school, so I’m excited to be able to share some of his wisdom with all of you. Oh, and just a heads up, Dr. Fisher dropped some gems about the ways teachers can integrate literacy and science in their classrooms. So you may want to have a notepad. Ready. And now here’s my conversation with Dr. Douglas Fisher.

Eric Cross (01:12):

Well, Doug, thank you for your time and for being willing to come and talk about literacy and science. I know you’re busy, all over the place, and so I was super-excited that we were able to lock you in and talk about this. And, on this episode, we’re gonna talk about the ways that science and literacy can support each other. And one of the reasons why I’m really excited for you is because you said some really key things for me as a science teacher, when you talked about literacy and supporting students. That just resonated so deeply in me. And I was like, “I need more Doug!” Because we’re on that same frequency. And I know it’s a subject that you’ve spent a lot of time writing about. So can you tell us a little bit about how this became an area of interest or a passion for you? Just literacy, and all of the work that you’ve put into it?

Douglas Fisher (01:54):

Yeah. So I’ve wanted to be a teacher for a really long time. And I went to San Diego State as an undergraduate, and I was taking English class and we were assigned topics. You know, like, you’ll do an assignment, you’ll write a paper for this English class. And I got the topic “illiteracy,” and I was a freshman at San Diego State reading all of these things about adults who don’t read very well or not at all. And I ended up writing my very first college essay on illiteracy — at the time, you know, called illiteracy, at the time. And so I got super interested in this. And so as I moved through college and into my teaching career, literacy became a really important thing for me to think about, because it’s the gatekeeper. You know, you can be taken advantage of, if you’re not very literate. People can use vocabulary against you, if you’re not very literate. We know that people who have higher levels of literacy have better health outcomes. They have better lifespans, longer lifespans. I mean, there’s just — literacy impacts so much more than “Are you reading your fourth-grade textbook?” It really has lifelong implications.

Eric Cross (03:01):

That part that you said about being taken advantage of … I just got a flyer in the mail yesterday. It was one of these mailers that looked like it was an authentic debt-reduction type of thing, but it was really just like a marketing email. If you read the fine print at the very bottom, it had all of this jargon about “This is a paid, you know, for-profit company.” But when you look at it, it had official stamps all over it. And I could imagine if someone’s receiving that, that probably fools a lot of people. Is that kinda like what you’re talking about, like being taken advantage of?

Douglas Fisher (03:28):

Yes. I had a student turn 18, got a letter from a “credit card company” that was offering her daily compounding interest. And if you don’t know what that means — at 23 percent! — if you dunno what that means, you are gonna be a victim. Literacy really influences a lot of our life. It’s also how our brain works. We have a language-based system in our brain. We read, write, speak, listen, and view. And the things we learn, we learn through speaking, reading, writing, listening, and viewing. From what we know, we are the only species that has an external storage mechanism. Like, we have the ability to store complex information outside of our body, in the form of notes. We can type them. We can write them. And we can then go back and retrieve that information, that complex orthographic information later. And it means the same thing. We can say we have a storage system and we’ve been doing this for a really long time. Way back to, you know, hieroglyphics and messages on cave walls. And throughout the ages of humans learning, how to store information that they can re-access again later. That’s become a super-complicated system. It’s how computers operate. And we send messages to each other and we text each other and we write things down, and we’re really good at putting ideas, information out there. Now, if it’s just speaking and listening, then we can forget it. We can say, “No, you said this,” or “I said that.” But when it’s written, and it’s print literacy, you know, it’s the orthographics there, you can go back to the same message and over and over again. Now, you might change the interpretation of it, but the message is still there.

Eric Cross (05:16):

Right. And that is such a key element, at least of modern education, is this written element of it. It’s what many schools live and die by. They’re quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed by it. It’s public. They can see it. And so there’s this heavy emphasis. And why do you think science and literacy can be powerful allies together?

Douglas Fisher (05:38):

Awesome. Well, it’s hard to learn science if you’re not literate.

Eric Cross (05:42):

This is true.

Douglas Fisher (05:42):

But that’s a one-way direction. And yes, science teachers and scientists do a lot of reading, writing, speaking, and listening and viewing. They use the five literacy processes all the time. When we interview scientists, they spend a lot of their time reading the work of other scientists and writing their findings, writing grant proposals, presenting at conferences, you know. So a huge part of the work of a scientist is not just at a bench conducting experiments. But even if you’re conducting experiments, you’re using your literacy processes to think about what you’re seeing in your experiment. So that’s a one-way direction. And I do think literacy has an influence on science. But since science goes the other way, it influences literacy. As you learn more and you understand more about the world, your background knowledge grows, your vocabulary grows, you become more literate in those different areas. And how you think. So if I’m learning about life science; I’m learning how the world works in a more, biologic physical world. And that knowledge helps me think about when I’m reading a novel, and there’s an appeal to some science knowledge or a concept that gets played with, you know, perhaps time-space continuums … well, if I don’t have the science knowledge of how I think the world works, it’s hard for me to understand what this author is doing. So it does go both ways. They feed each other. And the more literate we become, the more complex science information we can understand. ‘Cause our background knowledge and our vocabulary influence how much we understand about what we read. And as we access more complex science information, it starts to change the way we think about other things in our world.

Eric Cross (07:23):

There was a couple of things that you said in that, but one of the first things that kind of perked my ears is when you said grant proposals. Because I have friends that are scientists — and this is one of the things that when I was in school, they don’t talk about — but how much of their research is reliant upon getting funding —

Douglas Fisher (07:37):

Mm-hmm. <affirmative>,

Eric Cross (07:38):

— which you don’t think about if you’re becoming a chemist or a physicist or a biologist or working in the field, is that that funding, coming from the NSF or anywhere else. And sometimes students ask in class like, “Why am I writing so much? Like, I want to go into science!” Or “I wanna do this!” And this is a real-life example of how the writing could actually apply, in addition to all of the things of collecting data and conclusions and results. But that grant proposal thing just really perked my ears, yeah.

Douglas Fisher (08:01):

And if you can’t write a grant proposal, your ideas and experiments are not gonna get funded. And if you can’t write a strong proposal, that compellingly convinces your readers to fund you, you’re not gonna get funded. But then once you get the grant, you have to write publications. You have to share your work with other people. Make PowerPoint presentations and write journal articles or books or whatever. So it’s a cycle that literacy influences the things we do, including the things we do in science.

Eric Cross (08:31):

Now to get in maybe some data, if you were trying to convince someone that like this happy marriage can exist, what would be like your number one piece of evidence to support this, this back and forth of supporting each other?

Douglas Fisher (08:44):

Awesome. So the quote I’ll often say — and this is from studies from more than two decades ago now — but in general, in high school science, students are introduced to 3000 unfamiliar words, 3000. Each year! Because there are words that are used in a scientific way that are used commonly in other places. And there are discipline-specific words. So 3000 words a year in high school science. The Spanish 1 textbook only has 1500 words in it. So science teachers have double the academic-language vocabulary demand that a typical introductory world-language class has. So just the vocabulary alone should say to us, literacy is gonna be important if you’re gonna learn science. And if you don’t understand these technical words, and you don’t understand the way science uses this particular word in this particular way… . When you say the word “process,” it means something very specific In science. “Division” — cellular division is not the way we think about it in mathematics; there’s a similar concept, but cellular division is different than dividing numbers. And those are words that get used in multiple areas. Then you have all these technical terms that you have to be able to use, to understand the concepts. To share the concepts. To talk to other people. Whether you’re in, you know, fifth grade and talking science, or you’re a university professor, there’s a shared language, appropriate for our grade level, that we have shared meanings of.

Eric Cross (10:22):

And we’re essentially … what I’m hearing you say is … most of the people that are listening to this are science teachers. We’re we’re also language teachers. In a sense.

Douglas Fisher (10:29):

So my frustration is when people say, “Every teacher’s a teacher of reading.” And I don’t like that. I’ve written against that phrase. I don’t think all teachers are teachers of reading, any more than all teachers are teachers of chemistry. Or all teachers are teachers of algebra. But what I will say is the human brain learns through language. And all of us — every teacher that I’ve ever met understands that language is important in my class. If my students don’t have strong listening skills and speaking skills; reading, writing, and viewing skills; I’m gonna have a hard time getting them to learn things. If I can help them grow their speaking, listening, reading, writing, and viewing in my content area, I’m gonna do a service for my learning of my subject and also their more broad literacy development.

Eric Cross (11:16):

  1. So, at a high level, what does it look like to integrate science and literacy? We’ve done education for the last, what, hundred years?

Douglas Fisher (11:24):

Mm-hmm. <affirmative>

Eric Cross (11:25):

—kind of pretty similarly, right? Kind of siloed way. What does this look like at the 30,000-foot level? You’re a professor, department chair. Run schools. Speak everywhere. Like, when you think about this from that high level, what does it look like?

Douglas Fisher (11:39):

A high level? Every time I meet with students in a science class, you know, biology or fifth grade or whatever? They should be reading, they should be writing, they should be speaking and listening. Every class. So what print do you want them to access? And it can be a primary source document, it can be an article, it can be from a textbook. Are they reading something? Are they writing to you? Because writing is thinking. If they are writing, they are thinking. As soon as their brain goes somewhere else, they stop writing. The pen won’t move or the fingers don’t type. And then speaking and listening, of course, is the dynamic of our classes. So every day we should see some amount of reading, writing, speaking, and listening, viewing in our classes. That’s at a high level. There are some generic things that seem to work across the literacy. So, learning how to take notes. Focusing on vocabulary. Using graphic organizers. These are generic things that as educators we can use in our classes. Then there’s more specialized things. So, scientists and science teachers think differently than historians and literary critics and art critics. So scientists, if you look at the disciplinary literacy work, there’s a whole body of research where they interview and study high-end experts in their field: chemistry, physics, biology, et cetera. And there are some characteristics that were more disciplined, specific. Scientists like cause and effect relationships. They look for them when they’re reading. They like sourcing information. “Where this come from?” “What’s the history of this idea?” Scientists have a long view in terms of time. Historians have a shorter view of time. English teachers have even shorter view of time. Scientists tend to think in long periods of time. And so all of that influences how a scientist reads and how we should apprentice young people after they get past the generic “I know how to take notes. I know how to study my vocabulary. I know how to do summary writing for my teacher in my notebooks and things,” there’s some generic tools. Once we get past those, we need to be looking at specifically how do people in science use literacy.

Eric Cross (13:52):

I’ve never had my thought process of reading deconstructed just now, but we just described how scientists read. I was like, “Yeah, that’s pretty much how I read, right there.” I also like how you said how we should apprentice young people. And I feel like you as the literacy guy, you chose that word very specifically, as far as apprenticing young people. That is a view, I think, that’s really important to hold. ‘Cause that’s what we’re doing essentially … is, if we’re doing what we should be doing, we are apprenticing these young people.

Douglas Fisher (14:18):

Yes.

Eric Cross (14:18):

And helping them develop. Now, let’s imagine there’s a listener out there and they’re interested in getting better at integrating science and literacy instruction. They want to start somewhere. Before we dive in, do you have any initial words of encouragement for the person who’s like, “Everything is like a priority right now,” in their classroom or in their world?

Douglas Fisher (14:37):

Yeah. So I’ll talk about elementary for just a moment. When we’re reading informational texts in our literacy block, we should be reading information that is aligned to what kids need to learn in science and history in, in that grade level. Why are we reading things that are gonna be in conflict with what they’re gonna learn in science later that day in fourth grade, for example? So when we look at our standards, our expectations, what is it that third graders need to know in history, science, mathematics, language arts? And when we’re reading text and we’re learning to apply our reading strategies during our literacy block, why aren’t we reading topics that build our background knowledge for our science time? So we’re seeing some synergy there. We should be looking at life cycles in grades that are appropriate for life cycles and knowing there’s more to life cycles than the frog and the plant or the seed. There are all kinds of life cycles. And we call ’em life cycles for a reason. That’s a general concept. Now in science, we’re looking at this particular lifecycle right now. And so that’s a high level. If we could get more connection to the content standards during our literacy blocks, it would be very good. When we talk about the time at which we call “science” in the day, in more of the K–8 continuum, the science needs to include some primary source documents. Some real things that students are reading. Read about a scientist; read about a scientist’s discovery; read about what they discovered. So that we’re building our background knowledge. So when we go to do things, activities, labs, simulations, we have background knowledge and we understand what we’re experiencing. It can’t be like—I watched this awesome lesson on lenses and the teacher had all these different lenses in the room and the students came in and they were brand new. They don’t know anything. They were picking ’em up. They’re exploring them. They’re trying to figure out, and they’re trying to come up with theories about what this is and how it works. And then the teacher gave them a reading, a short reading, on refraction of light. And they read this thing. And the clarity that they had about what these lenses must do, well! All of a sudden they’re putting them up to the lights! They’re asking if they can go get the lights out of the storage unit! ‘Cause there’s — and they’re shining different lights through the lenses to see what happens to the light. Because that little bit of reading turned some focus on for the students. And it allowed them to take what I’m thinking about, what I’m trying to figure out, how this thing works in another direction. That’s the power of using literacy in our classes.

Eric Cross (17:20):

And what I’m hearing essentially is transfer across disciplines, across content areas, ultimately. And in an elementary school classroom, would it be fair to say, probably the teacher has more autonomy to be able to do that, since they’re teaching all the subjects? But secondary, logistically, planning and those types of things … from what you’ve seen, is it fair to say this kind of needs to be like a top-down, full vertical alignment, to teach like this?

Douglas Fisher (17:45):

I think that would be awesome to do that. But if I’m a sixth grade English Language Arts teacher and I’m working with my sixth grade science teacher, the conversation should be, “What units are you teaching?” Because I’m choosing informational text. My job is to teach them how to find central ideas. My job is to teach them how to find the details in the text. My job is to have them make a claim and support that claim with evidence. The stuff I use is generic. Yes, we do read some literature and some narratives, but we also read about 50% of the text in English around informational text. So if I can help you and accomplish my standards as well, fantastic. So let’s have this conversation and say, “Oh, this is what you’re teaching in science in the next three weeks? I’m gonna choose some texts and we’re gonna analyze ’em for central idea. We’re gonna analyze ’em for details. We’re gonna, for mood or tone or whatever that we’re teaching. And by the way, I’m building background knowledge. So when they come to you, they know some stuff about what you’re going to be teaching next.” So I don’t think it’s impossible to say teams of teachers could come together and say, “What do we believe that our students need to know and learn and be able to do? And then how do we choose things that are gonna help them accomplish exactly that?”

Eric Cross (19:01):

And that’s empowering. Because that’s one thing that we can control maybe is this East-West, peer-to-peer, different content areas. A system may not be able to change as quickly, but I can definitely go talk to my English team or math team and check in and kind of see, “Hey, where do we have overlap in that?” And I know the times that I’ve accidentally had overlap with the teams, it’s super-exciting. And the students have been more bought in! Because it’s like, we’ve done something on the human microbiome and we’ve talked about genetics and all these different things, and then when they read The Giver, or they read some book about genetics, they have all this knowledge. And they’re excited. And they talk about colorblindness or they come to my class and they’re like, “Hey, we read about this!” It’s almost like they saw a magic trick, the fact that these things linked up. And the engagement has been so much higher when it’s the same content in different classes, but through different lenses. At least, that’s what I’ve seen in my years of teaching.

Douglas Fisher (19:54):

I saw a lesson on space junk that was so cool. Middle-school students learning space junk. And the history teacher had a part of it, science teacher had a part of it, English Language Arts teacher had a part of it. And these students, I mean, you watch them look up all the time, ’cause there’s space junk up there. Where’d it come from? Why is it there? What are the politics of this? How do we clean it up? I mean, it was just so interesting to watch them when the teachers came together. And the teachers met their standards in this couple-week-long space-junk exploration. Investigation was met. Politics was met. All these different things. Economy. You know, how much does it cost to clean up this problem? So there’s really cool opportunities when teachers come together and realize we can work together and improve the literacy and learning of our students.

Eric Cross (20:50):

Absolutely. So before this recording, we picked your brain a bit. And I know that there were three specific strategy areas that you wanted to touch on. And one of those — which is kind of coming back to the 3000-words language teachers — was vocabulary. So what are the opportunities that you see, as far as the way of educators to approach vocabulary? Because, you know, there’s a lot. We got a lot of it. The 3000 words.

Douglas Fisher (21:14):

Yeah. There’s a lot of it. So the worry is, we make a vocabulary list and have students look up the words in definitional kinds of things. That’s not really gonna help. Students need to be using the words. They need to be using the words in their conversations, in their writing, in how they think about your content in science. So vocabulary is a huge predictor of whether or not you understand things. Vocabulary is also a pretty good predictor if you can read on grade level. So when we think about vocabulary, there’s something called word solving. You show students a piece of text and you’re reading it, you’re sharing your thinking, and you say, “Oh, here’s a context clue!” Or “I know this prefix or suffix or root!” And in science, a lot of the words are prefixed, suffixed, or root words. We tend to add things together with a lot of prefixes and suffixes and have roots and bases in science. So we can help students think about, “Oh, what does geo- mean? We already know what geo- means here. It means the same thing in this word. Let’s apply that knowledge.” So word solving is part of it, showing students how we think about words that we might not know. The second is more direct instruction of vocabulary. As students encounter the words, we work on what it means, how we say it. We practice it a few times. The process is called orthographic mapping. It’s kind of a scientific idea here. But you have the sound and the recognition of by-the-word, by sight, and what it means. And your brain starts to automatically recognize that word in the future. So I don’t have to slow down, disrupt my fluency, and try to figure out what the word is saying. ‘Cause I’ve seen it enough. I’ve heard it pronounced enough, I’ve pronounced it enough, and I know what it means. So teachers should be saying, “What words in sixth grade science, what words in third grade science, do my students really need to know?” And I’m gonna have them encounter those words over and over. I’m gonna have them use the words. I’m gonna have them see the words. I’m gonna have them say the words. I’m gonna say the word and we’re gonna be over and over with these terms, so that students incorporate them into their normal view of, “These are the things I know about the world.” By the way, when they go to read that next thing, and they understand “geology,” you know, for sixth graders, for example, they know how to say it. They don’t stumble on it. And it activates a whole bunch of memories in their brains. “This is what geology is.” There are branches of geology, there’s physical geology, there’s all this thinking that activates as they read.

Eric Cross (23:35):

There was a practice that I participated in and am trying to incorporate — I don’t know what the name of it is. But essentially what happened was we were dissecting a flower. And the instructor had us name parts of the flower. But we got to come up with our own names for it.

Douglas Fisher (23:49):

Ah.

Eric Cross (23:50):

So, for instance, the stamen we call “the fuzzy Cheeto.” And we all used our own words and then everything was legitimized. And so we went through and learned the whole activity using our own vocab words. But then, in the end, after we presented and talked about it, then the words, the actual academic language was attached to our word. And we were able to say, “OK, the fuzzy Cheeto is the stamen,” and this, this, this, and this. But it was such an interesting practice, because it kind of legitimized all of our definitions. But we weren’t stumbling on these long Latin terms and things like that. Is there a name for that? Or. … ?

Douglas Fisher (24:29):

Yes. I don’t know the name for that. I think it’s really smart. So here’s what I would say about that, is: we don’t learn words, we learn concepts. Words are labels for our concepts. So what that teacher did for you was allow you to develop concept, a concept knowledge. “There’s a part of this plant, it goes like this, we’re gonna call it fuzzy Cheeto. Now I have this concept. And look, it occurred in all these plants. And those people called it that and that other group called it that. We called it a fuzzy Cheeto. Here’s the part of it.” And then the concept is in your brains. And the teacher said, “It’s really called stamen.” And it’s an instant transfer, because you already had the concept. What we often see is students are trying to learn a really hard academic word and the concept for the word at the same time. And so it slows down the whole process. And there’s higher levels of forgetting. Because human beings, we don’t learn words; we learn concepts. If you don’t have the concept, if I gave you a word out of the blue that you’ve never seen, never heard, and a week from now I asked you to remember it, you probably would not, because it didn’t register. It wasn’t part of your schema. You didn’t have a way to organize the information. You don’t have a concept. So that teacher? It’s a great idea. Got you to develop concept knowledge. And then said, “Here’s a real label for it: What some other people called it when they had the chance to come up with their own names.”

Eric Cross (25:50):

Shout out to my teacher, who was—

Douglas Fisher (25:51):

Right.

Eric Cross (25:52):

It was learned then. It was a great practice. And the fact that you’re right, like, I just mean from my own personal experience, I agree that learning concepts versus complicated words. And it’s interesting that you said higher levels of forgetfulness, you know. And you often hear that complaint about it: “Students forget! Students forget!” But this complex topic and this complex word that’s new to me, and I have to remember both of those things.

Douglas Fisher (26:12):

That’s right.

Eric Cross (26:13):

And the other neat thing that it did, is it actually honored the background and like the founts of knowledge of all the different groups in the classroom. You just said something about “this group called it this and this group called it this,” and so by letting different groups share all of those names, now we’re starting to build these kind of interesting connections. That’s at least what I remember experiencing. And so this, even this practice of this approach is very layered, beyond just kind of generating new knowledge of things. So I appreciate that aspect of it. Now another area that you mentioned was complex text.

Douglas Fisher (26:41):

Yeah.

Eric Cross (26:42):

And how we can get students into complex text. So what can we do there?

Douglas Fisher (26:46):

I think science is an ideal place to get students reading things that are hard for them. And I do believe that some parts of school should be a struggle. Not all day, every day. But there should be doses of struggle, which are good for our brains. And these complex pieces of texts that don’t give up their meanings easily allow students to go back and reread the text and maybe mark the text and talk to peers about the text and answer questions with their groups. And the whole point of complex text is to say, “We persevere through it. We may not understand it fully on our first read. But we go back and we might underline, we might highlight. We might write some margin notes. Our teacher might say, ‘What did this author mean here?’ And we go back and look at that part and we take it apart. What do we think about that? And we talk to each other. It’s showing that when we read things, we work to understand. We work through our thinking, often in the presence of other people. And our understanding grows as we go into the text over and over and over again.” So I said geology earlier. There’s about a two-page article on “what is geology” that sixth graders often read. And some kids find it super boring. It’s a once-read, “OK, geology, I don’t really understand it. There’s a bunch of words in here that I don’t understand.” But if you go back to it a few times and you start taking apart, “What are the branches of geology? Oh, I’m gonna go reread that.” How are these two branches related to each other?” “What are the subtypes of each branch of geology?” “How do geologists do their work?” You start asking questions where students are going back into the text. You spend a little bit of time. Now, the introduction to geology, the students know so much more. So whatever you do next— video experiments, whatever—they have a frame of reference, because of that deep, complex read. It’s probably better than simply telling them, “Here’s the information.”

Eric Cross (28:45):

Right. And I even feel like as an educator, when I reflect on my own learning in the classroom, and then looking at it through the perspective of an educator <laugh>, you find this difference between how you were taught and then what the data says good teaching is.

Douglas Fisher (28:59):

Mm-hmm. <affirmative> mm-hmm. <affirmative>.

Eric Cross (29:00):

It’s so easy to slide back into how you were taught!

Douglas Fisher (29:02):

Yeah.

Eric Cross (29:02):

Even though, you know, you mentally assent to, “This is the best way. This is the data shows.” And you find yourself kind of sliding back at times.

Douglas Fisher (29:10):

Yep. And there’s good evidence to support what you just said, that most people teach the way they experienced school. And it is very hard to change that. And people have studied this. And it’s very hard to change that. Because it worked for us. And we have an n of 1, and it worked for us. Now, remember, there were a whole bunch of other kids in the class that it may not have worked for. And we chose to be in school the rest of our lives, and some of your peers did not choose to be in school the rest of their lives. In fact, some of them hated school and found no redeeming qualities of their experience. So just because it worked for us in a case of one, n of 1, doesn’t mean it worked for all of the kids, or even the majority of them.

Eric Cross (29:57):

Very well said. It’s that, what is that, the survivor bias? Survivorship bias? Where you were the one that made it. But you don’t think about all the other folks. ‘Cause we’re thinking about ourselves.

Douglas Fisher (30:05):

That’s right.

Eric Cross (30:06):

Great case for empathy too, is thinking about the people left and right. Because my friends are like, “I hated science.” And I say, “Who hurt you? Like, what did they do? It’s so amazing, so much fun!”

Douglas Fisher (30:16):

“What happened to you? Science is the coolest. Right? It’s so amazing!”

Eric Cross (30:21):

But I also had a unique experience in seventh grade with my teacher who did some of these things, and made it accessible for so many of us, in opening opportunities that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. But you’re absolutely right. That was my story. That wasn’t the story of everybody that was around me. And I think that’s really important. Now, I know this is also a big one for you, but I wanna talk about writing. What are the opportunities that you see in terms of writing specifically?

Douglas Fisher (30:51):

So would love it if science teachers had short and longer writing tasks in the science time. Of course, you can integrate some of the science writing, the longer ones, in the English language arts time, especially if you’re the elementary teacher and you can have control of the whole day. But I said this earlier; I’ll say it again. Writing is thinking. While you are writing, there’s nothing else you can do but think about what you are writing. Your brain cannot do something else. So if a science teacher wants to know, do their students really understand the concepts? Have them write. Now some of the shorter ones, I like something called “given word” or “generative sentences”: “I’m gonna give you a word: CELL. C-e-l-l. We’re in science. I want you to write the word ‘cell,’ c-e-l-l, in the third position of a sentence. So it’s gonna go word, word, cell, and then more words.” You could also say, “I want the sentence longer than seven words,” or whatever. But the key is, I’m telling you where I want the word. You will know instantly if your students have a sense of what the word “cell” means in the context of science. If they write “my cell phone,” they don’t get it. If they write about spreadsheet cells or jail cells or whatever, they didn’t get it. But if they talk to you about plant cells and animal cells and the components of those cells, and then once they have that sentence down, you can say to them, “Now write three or four more sentences that connect to that sentence.” It’s super simple. So whatever concepts you’re teaching, put ’em in a specific position. Now you don’t have to only put it in the third position. You can say the first position, the fifth position, the fourth position. But it forces them to think about what they know about the word and then how to construct a sentence for you. That’s a very simple way to get some writing from your students that helps you think about what they understand. Other kinds of writing, you can have quick writes, you can have exit-slip writes. There’s something in the research space called the muddiest part, where halfway through the lesson you have them write so far what has been the least understood or the most confusing part of this lesson. And they do a quick write, right there, at the muddiest part. And as a teacher, you flip through these and you start to say, “Oh, these are the points that are confusing to my students.” So if 80% of them all have the same thing, I gotta reteach that. If these five got, “This is the muddiest part,” If these five thought, “This is the muddiest part,” these seven, “I thought this was the muddiest part,” what do I need to do? Because it’s gonna be hard to move forward if this is their area of confusion. There are also all kinds of writing prompts that have a little bit longer. My favorite one is RAFT. What’s your Role? Who’s your Audience? What’s the Format? And what’s the Topic we’re writing about? Super flexible writing prompt. When you teach something, we don’t want students to only think they write to their teacher. So your role is an atom. You are writing to the other atoms. What do you wanna write about? What’s the topic? What’s the format of it? Is it a love letter? Is it a text message? Is it … so we, we mix it up with students in saying, how do they show some knowledge through a prompt that we give them? And then of course, longer pieces as they get older. More opinion pieces through fifth grade. More claims and arguments starting in sixth grade. So that they’re starting to see, “I have to use the evidence from things I’ve learned, read, listened to, watched, and construct something: an opinion, an argument where I back it up with reasons or evidence.” And those longer pieces, you know, less frequently. The shorter pieces, pretty regularly. So the teacher sees the thinking of the students.

Eric Cross (34:29):

When you were speaking about these really creative writing prompts, there were specific students coming into mind, that were coming into mind … they’re, they’re great science students, but they also have this really strong artsy side drawing, creative writing, and things like that. And when you said something about atoms talking to each other, it elicited, in my brain, certain students that would really love this aspect of creativity in the sciences. And it’s not how we’re typically trained as science teachers, to kind of incorporate this, like you said. A book of props. But I’m imagining, like, as a science teacher, if I took this, this would be a great way to reach more students to be able to show what they know, in a way that might resonate with their own intrinsic “Oh, I get to write creatively!” So I was kind of writing furiously as you were sharing all that information there.

Douglas Fisher (35:12):

So here, I’ll give you another example for elementary people. Again, with RAFT. There’s a book called Water Dance. It’s a pretty popular book for elementary teachers. It’s really about the life cycle of water. For example, you are a single drop of water. You are writing to the land. The format is a letter. And you’re explaining your journey. Now, if they can do this, they’re essentially explaining to you the cycle of water. But you got it in a way that people are now, “Oh, I’m a drop of water. So it’s me. My perspective. Where do I go from? Where do I start?” Because you can start anywhere in the cycle, right? My drop could have started in the clouds. My drop could have started in the ground. My drop could have started in the lake. But it has to show you the journey. So there are many ways of showing you the right answers.

Eric Cross (36:02):

And that’s using the RAFT protocol.

Douglas Fisher (36:04):

That’s RAFT: Role, Audience, Format, Topic. It’s been around 20 or 30 years.

Eric Cross (36:09):

You just gave the name to something a teacher shared in our podcast community, Science Connections: The Community, on Facebook. Teacher shared a Google slide deck and on it were just three slides. And the role that the student had to have is they had to show, then tell, the story of a journey of a piece of salmon being eaten, a piece of starch from pasta being eaten, and then an air molecule in a child’s bedroom. And they had to give the path of travel and the experience from the mouth and then breaking down into protein and all those kinds of things. And this teacher shared it and I wish I knew the teacher’s name because I wanna give ’em credit, but they shared it. And so I used it with my students and then had ’em read aloud their stories and dramatize it. And they were so into it!

Douglas Fisher (36:49):

So cool.

Eric Cross (36:50):

But through it, I was able to see that they understood different parts of the body. They understood cell respiration. The whole thing. And it was fun! To watch them get so into this creative writing. And now I know the name of it. That’s been 30 years they were using RAFT. So you just talked a bit about complex texts and writing. And before we go, I wanted to circle back to something that you said, because I think it’s important, and if you could elaborate on it a little bit, about the value of struggle. Can you talk more about that?

Douglas Fisher (37:21):

Sure. I do believe in a lot of the U.S. we’re in an anti-struggle era of education. And it predates Covid. I think it made it worse during Covid. We front load too much. We pre-teach too much. We reduce struggle. We quote, “over-differentiate” for students. And there’s value in struggle. The phrase, “productive struggle” — if you haven’t heard it, Google productive struggle — it’s an interesting concept, that we actually learn more when we engage in this productive struggle. Now, productive struggle originally came from the math world, and it was this idea that it’s worth struggling through things to learn from it, that you’re likely to get it wrong, and then there was productive success. And there are times when we want students to experience success and we make sure we put things in place for productive success. But there are times where we want them to struggle through a concept. ‘Cause it feels pretty amazing when you get on the other side, when you know you struggled and you get to the other side. If you think about the things, listeners, think about the things in your life where you struggled through it and you are most proud of what you accomplished. I want students to have that. I don’t wanna eliminate scaffolding, eliminate differentiation. But I do want some regular doses of struggle. So if you look at the scaffolding, we have a couple choices. We have front-end scaffolds, distributed scaffolds, and back-end scaffolds. Right now we mostly use front-end scaffolds: We pre-teach, we tell students words in advance, that kind of stuff. But what if we refrained from only using front-end scaffolds, and we use more distributed scaffolds, when they encounter. So there’s a difference between “just in case” and “just in time” support for students. So we tend to plan on the “in advance, here are all the things we’re gonna do to remove the struggle before students encounter the struggle.” What if instead we said, “Let them encounter some struggle. Here’s the supports we’re gonna provide. We’re gonna watch; we’re gonna remove those scaffolds, and allow them to have an experience of success, where they realize, ‘I did it. I got it.’” Every science teacher I’ve ever worked with, when they do an experiment or a lab or simulation, they are looking for productive struggle. They don’t tell the answers in advance. They don’t tell if the answers are right. That’s your data. What does your data tell you? I mean, this is what you do. But then the other part of your day when you move into, like, reading, you don’t do that. You fall into the trap of removing struggle. And so allow them to grapple with ideas. Allow them to wonder what words mean. Allow them to say, “I’m not getting this, teacher! It’s really frustrating!” And you say, “Yeah, this is really hard. This is why we’re doing it at school. ‘Cause it’s really hard. If it was easy, I’d have you do it at home. But we’re doing it here, ’cause it’s really hard and it’s OK not to get it at first.” And create a place where errors are seen as opportunities to learn, and struggling through ideas and clarifying your own thinking and arguing with other people to reach an agreement or reach a place where we agree to disagree is part of the power of learning.

Eric Cross (40:38):

There’s a teacher, who I took this from. My master teacher when I was student teaching. And she said that there’s no such thing as failure in science, just data. And I took that same mantra. And I resonate with what you said about how science teachers, all of us, hold onto that productive struggle, because it’s part of being a scientist. It’s part of the experiments. That genuine “aha” moment. Or it didn’t work out? That’s great! That’s totally fine! Let’s write about it and let’s take photos and let’s publish it and let’s be scientists. That’s totally true. As we wrap up, Dr. Fisher, is there any final message that you have to listeners about bringing science and literacy together? I know you speak everywhere, but for everyone that’s listening, if you can put out your encouragement or message or suggestion … you’ve given so many great tips and practical applications. But, any final thoughts on the subject?

Douglas Fisher (41:32):

I think many science teachers are intimidated because they think they have to be reading teachers. And there’s a knowledge base to reading. And some teachers are reading teachers and science teachers, and I don’t wanna dismiss that. But it’s not that you have to become a reading specialist to integrate literacy into science. It’s how our brains work. And so as you think about the way in which you are learning and the ways in which you want your students to learn, what role does language play? What role does speaking, listening, reading, writing, viewing, play in your class? And then provide opportunities for students to do those five things each time you meet with them.

Eric Cross (42:12):

Dr. Fisher, thank you so much for being here and for your encouragement, and sharing your wisdom and experience. And then personally serving my city, here in San Diego, and my students, when they make it to your high school and ultimately the alma mater of San Diego State University.

Douglas Fisher (42:30):

That’s right.

Eric Cross (42:31):

Yeah. We really, really appreciate you in serving all kids and lifting the bar and making things more equitable for all students. And encouraging teachers. So thank you.

Douglas Fisher (42:39):

Thank you very much.

Eric Cross (42:42):

Thanks so much for listening to my conversation with Dr. Douglas Fisher, Professor and Chair of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University. Check out the show notes for links to some of Doug’s work, including the book he co-authored titled Reading and Writing in Science: Tools to Develop Disciplinary Literacy. Please remember to subscribe to Science Connections so that you can catch every episode in this exciting third season. And while you’re there, we’d really appreciate it if you can leave us a review. It’ll help more listeners to find the show. Also, if you haven’t already, please be sure to join our Facebook group, Science Connections: The Community. Next time on the show, we’re going to continue exploring the happy marriage between science and literacy instruction.

Speaker  (43:26):

I had this moment of realization I felt a few months ago: I’m like, if I don’t teach them how to use the AI as a tool, as a collaborator, then they’re gonna graduate into a world where they lose out to people who do know how to do that.

Eric Cross (43:39):

That’s next time on Science Connections. Thanks so much for listening.

Stay connected!

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We’ll also share new and exciting free resources for your classroom every month!

What Dr. Douglas Fisher says about science

“There are really cool opportunities when teachers come together and realize we can work together to improve the literacy and learning of all our students.”

– Dr. Doug Fisher

Professor and Chair of Educational Leadership, San Diego State University

Meet the guest

Douglas Fisher, Ph.D., is professor and chair of Educational Leadership at San Diego State University and a leader at Health Sciences High & Middle College having been an early intervention teacher and elementary school educator. He is the recipient of an International Reading Association William S. Grey citation of merit, an Exemplary Leader award from the Conference on English Leadership of NCTE, as well as a Christa McAuliffe award for excellence in teacher education. He has published numerous articles on reading and literacy, differentiated instruction, and curriculum design as well as books, such as The Restorative Practices Playbook, PLC+: Better Decisions and Greater Impact by Design, Building Equity, and Better Learning Through Structured Teaching.

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A laptop screen displays the “Science Connections: The Community” private group page, with science-themed icons decorating the background and edges.

About Science Connections

Welcome to Science Connections! Science is changing before our eyes, now more than ever. So…how do we help kids figure that out? We will bring on educators, scientists, and more to discuss the importance of high-quality science instruction. In this episode, hear from our host Eric Cross about his work engaging students as a K-8 science teacher. 

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Amplify Texas ELAR Skills K-3

Navigation tool

Navigation video

TEKS Breakout Correlations

  • Intervention Toolkit – follow these steps to access:
    • Click HERE to access the site
    • Click ‘Log in with Amplify’
    • Enter Username and Password:
      • Username:  texasreviewer2024.teacher
      • Password:  AmplifyNumber1

Grade K

Essential Program Materials:

Essential Program Materials:

Welcome

Elementary Literacy Program – Family Welcome Letter

Lectoescritura en Español – Carta de bienvenida para las familias

Grade K

Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

Texas Public Reviewers: Welcome to Amplify Desmos Math Texas!

Thank you for taking the time to review Amplify Desmos Math Texas K–5.  This site provides the login steps and tools you need to review the program.

Watch this short introductory video to help you navigate the Amplify Desmos Math Texas K-5 platform.  Then, use the login credentials below to start your online review.

The helpful Navigation Tool-Title List with live links and other documents to guide your review can be found below as well.

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Login credentials:

Login page for Amplify with options to log in via Google, Clever, Amplify, QR code, or District SSO. A "Help" button and illustrated design elements are also visible.

Step 1

Go to learning.amplify.com and select Login with Amplify.

Enter the username and password:

Username: t.txmathk5public@tryamplify.net
Password: AmplifyNumber1

Step 2

Select Amplify Desmos Math in Your Programs.

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Step 3

Once you’re in the program, select a grade level to explore the digital curriculum.

Navigation video

View this short introductory video to help you navigate the Amplify Desmos Math Texas K-5 platform.

Navigation Tool – Title Lists

Tip:  Be sure you’re logged into the Amplify Desmos Math Texas platform (steps above) before clicking on the links in these documents.

New content – Quality rubric 1.1a

If approved, this proposed content will be added as a Paper Resource on the Course-level tile on Amplify Desmos Math Texas and on the Caregiver Hub as an additional home resource.

New content – Quality rubric 2.1c

If approved, these two pages will be added to the front matter of the Assessment Resource teacher ancillary.

Revised Content – Kindergarten

Revised Content – Grade 1

Revised Content – Grade 2

Revised Content – Grade 3

New Content – Grade 4

New Content – Grade 5

Citations for Upper Limit TEKS in K-5 Mathematics

Proposed changes to address the upper limit TEKS breakouts can be found at the link above. The notes for each citation indicate where the new content will exist, once approved.

Components List

View the full list of components for Amplify Desmos Math Texas K-5.

Center Resources and Kits

Access a description and ISBN’s for the K-5 Center Resources and Kits.

Manipulative Kits List

View the full list of contents for each K-5 Amplify Desmos Math Texas Manipulative Kit.

Puyallup families, welcome to Amplify CKLA!

Welcome to the Amplify CKLA Caregiver Hub for Puyallup School District. This site is designed to help you learn about Amplify CKLA—a core English Language Arts curriculum.

We want to hear from you! Please share your thoughts by completing this district survey.

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What is Amplify CKLA?

Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) is a language arts program for Grades PreK-5 that combines a multi-sensory approach to phonics with rich texts carefully sequenced to build content knowledge—so that students learn to read and read to learn at the same time. 

Every day in Grades PreK–2, students complete one full lesson that builds foundational reading skills, as well as one full lesson that builds background knowledge. In Grades 3–5, students start to master the skills of reading, further opening up their worlds.

Illustrative circles depicting educational stages from prek to grade 5, each showing children engaged in age-appropriate activities or learning themes.

CKLA in Action

There’s no better way to understand the power of Amplify CKLA than seeing it in action. Watch Ms. Lehman’s second graders in the video below as they learn how to decode and spell words with the long /ā/ sound.

Unit Overviews

Below are quick overviews of the units your student will be working through in their grade throughout the year. Next to each unit are downloadable guides which provide a more in-depth look at the content covered and how you can help your student advance their understanding of the topics.

Kindergarten Knowledge Curriculum 

Kindergarten Skills Curriculum

Grade 1 Knowledge Curriculum

Grade 1 Skills Curriculum

Grade 2 Knowledge Curriculum

Grade 2 Skills Curriculum

Grade 3 Curriculum Overview

Grade 4 Curriculum Overview

Grade 5 Curriculum Overview

Materials overview

Amplify CKLA is a blended program, which means your student will be interacting with both print and digital materials.

Print materials

Student Readers

These readers are uniquely designed to provide intensive practice while reading simple but authentic stories. All readers are also available as ebooks and audiobooks on the teacher resource site, which caregivers can now access.

In grades K-2, these readers are chapter books that allow students to practice just-learned sound-spellings within an authentic reading experience that incorporates compelling plots and interesting characters.

In grades 3-5, readers develop close reading and other literacy skills through a selection of diverse, content-rich literary and informational texts.

A collage of kindergarten-level reading books titled Kit and Seth, with illustrated pages showing children, plants, and scenes of reading and eating grapes and cake.
Grade 1 reading materials featuring illustrated children, a Snapshots cover, two open storybooks showing kids and activities, and a page about a holiday with text and drawings.
Open educational book for grade 2, showing illustrations and text about a chicken nugget story and the war of 1812.

Student Activity Books

Part of the daily lessons, these activity pages ask students to respond to the text they’ve read and apply skills and knowledge. They also include assessments that track students’ skills development, to which teachers have access.

Two illustrated pages titled Knowledge 1-6 and Knowledge 7-12, each showing colorful scenes representing different educational topics in numbered circles.

Digital materials

CKLA Hub for grades K–5

We are excited to announce that students will be able to access multimedia resources and engage in a new digital experience on the CKLA Hub. Unlike ever before, students can access digital resources independently from anywhere, taking full advantage of the instructional multimedia experiences that Amplify CKLA has to offer. Students can access the Hub at home, in the classroom, and on the go, making it ideal for remote learning. It’s compatible with laptops, Chromebooks, tablets, and desktops—we’ve also optimized it for mobile devices.

Knowledge Builder videos for grades K–2

Each Knowledge Domain starts with a Knowledge Builder video: a short, fun, animated story that enriches the lesson and motivates students with new characters, places, and concepts.

A cartoon scientist stands next to a sparking robot in a laboratory, displayed on a laptop screen with purple-themed laboratory equipment in the background.

Recorded daily read-alouds for grades K–2

Teachers and students will have access to video recordings of all K–2 Knowledge Read-Alouds with pictures from the Flip Books.

Cover image for Cycles in Nature by Amplify CKLA. Features illustrations of a dinosaur, plant, wagon, book, fish, cat on desk, and various nature-related items against a pink background.

Sound Library for grades K-2

The Sound Library uses audio sounds, catchy songs, and animated articulation videos to help students learn and master sounds.

A webpage titled Sound Library displays search bar and sound cards for different phonemes, each with example words and buttons for sound, video, and song.

Foundational Skills Boost for grades 1–3

Designed for grades 1–3, these video-based, self-guided lessons target critical foundational skills from the previous year’s instruction in order to fill in any gaps. They offer approximately nine weeks of instruction organized as daily lessons, with additional teacher-led small-group activities and family resources.

A chocolate chip cookie in a glass of milk, a person speaking, a speech bubble saying Let's say it together!, and two illustrated eyes on a green background.

Vocab App for grades 3-5

The Vocabulary App is designed for independent practice with vocabulary. Students can use the Vocabulary App for game-like activities that challenge them.

Screenshot of the Amplify Vocab App webpage, showing interactive vocabulary tools for students in grades 3-5, with a Launch App button and navigation menu at the top.

Quests for grades 3–5

Each of the grade levels in 3–5 contains a Core Quest. In these special units, all the normal rules of the classroom change, and students engage with language in surprising new ways. For example, in grade 5, they learn to love the dense Shakespearian language of A Midsummer Night’s Dream through imagery, close reading, and performance.

A collage showing illustrated cards of Titania, Puck, and Athens, a lesson on performing Shakespeare, and two photos of actors performing on stage.

Support your child at home

Read and talk at home

  • If possible, read with your child daily; even 15 minutes of reading together each day can make a huge impact. 
  • You can read sections of the text aloud together. If your child struggles, you might try reading the text to them with expression, and then have them read it aloud back to you. 
  • For additional practice, watch the recorded read-alouds with your K-2 student or have your grade 3-5 student use the Vocabulary App. 
  • Find moments to discuss what they are reading and discovering. Examples of questions you could ask: What stood out to you from what you read today? Were any sentences or words confusing? What was most surprising? What do you think the writer was trying to communicate? Do you agree with the writer’s ideas or descriptions? What connections can you make between what you are reading and your own life or other issues?
  • Listen to your child read their written responses or have them share with a friend over video chat. 
  • We recommend reviewing this Protecting Kids Online article by the Federal Trade Commission addressing digital safety.

Skills practice at home

We’ve developed a set of resources for caregivers to use with their students that includes instructions and materials to teach and practice grade-level phonics at home. Resources include sound videos, Readers, and a how-to video with editable instructions that caregivers can customize to meet individual student needs.

Parent and child at home working on sofa

Where to go for help

Whether you have questions about your technology or want to know more about the program, Amplify’s Support Team is here to help!

Contact Support via telephone at (833) 97-Care-8 (833-972-2738) or caregiver@amplify.com.

Our support hours are Monday – Friday, 7 am – 9 PM ET, and Sunday, 10 – 6 ET.

Screen and intervene faster with mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition.

California educators, did you know mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition is the industry’s first all-in-one universal and dyslexia screener? This means with just one screener, you’ll gain a complete picture of your students’ grade-level reading abilities and dyslexia risk factors. Our gold-standard assessment identifies students who need more support, then recommends targeted instruction they’ll love.

About the program

mCLASS offers teacher-administered assessment, intervention, and personalized instruction for grades K–6. Know exactly how to monitor and support every student in your classroom, with features like:

  • Precise one-minute measures based on over three decades of predictive data.
  • Universal and dyslexia screening in one tool.
  • Instruction that highlights observed patterns and recommends activities.
  • Robust reports for teachers, specialists, administrators, and parents.
A table shows class summary performance metrics in various literacy skills for beginning, middle, and end of the year, categorized into Well Below Benchmark, Below Benchmark, At Benchmark, and Above Benchmark.

The right measures at the right time

With mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition, you’ll assess students based on grade-specific curriculum and instructional standards, in accordance with International Dyslexia Association (IDA) guidelines.

mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition offers one-minute, easy-to-administer measures of processing speed, phonological awareness, alphabetic principle, and word reading.

DIBELS® 8th Edition subtest alignment with IDA Guidelines
Dyslexia Screening AreamCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition MeasureGrade KGrade 1Grade 2Grade 3Grade 4–6
Rapid naming abilityLetter Naming Fluency (LNF)A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Phonological awarenessPhoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF)A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Alphabetic principleNonsense Word Fluency (NWF)A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Word readingWord Reading Fluency (WRF)A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Word readingOral Reading Fluency (ORF)A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
ComprehensionMazeA large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.

Validated as a universal screener and a dyslexia screener

Strong reliability and validity evidence shows that DIBELS 8th Edition can effectively assess students in key skills linked to both dyslexia and broader reading difficulty. The research supporting DIBELS 8th Edition, conducted by the University of Oregon, is rigorous, meets high technical standards, and empowers educators to make well-informed decisions.

Read the DIBELS 8th Edition Dyslexia White Paper.

A document cover titled "Dyslexia Screening and DIBELS 8th Edition" by Christopher Ives, Gina Biancarosa, Hank Fien, and Patrick Kennedy from the University of Oregon College of Education. The cover has a PDF icon.

A complete system for data-based decision making

A circular flowchart with images of people tutoring, a line graph, a report card, and a score indicating "Composite Goal 330, Well Below" at the center.

mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition provides rich data that helps you make informed instructional decisions and seek out further dyslexia screening evaluation if needed:

  1. Assess skills: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and optional dyslexia screenings in Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN), Spelling, Vocabulary, and Oral Language accurately assess students’ abilities.
  2. Identify risk: The DIBELS 8 composite score shows each student’s risk level, with ‘Well Below Benchmark’ indicating a need for intensive support. Students who are also ‘Well Below Benchmark’ in RAN and/or Spelling have an additional Risk Indicator icon next to their name.
  3. Provide instruction: The mCLASS Instruction feature analyzes student error patterns to key dyslexia-related subtests, then recommends small groups and explicit, multi-sensory activities for reinforcing skills.
  4. Progress monitor: mCLASS includes progress-monitoring measures to track student growth in letter sounds, alphabetic principle, word reading, oral reading fluency, and comprehension, so that informed instructional decisions can be made.
  5. Adapt instruction: mCLASS displays indicators based on progress monitoring performance that indicate when a change in instruction may be needed. It also updates instruction recommendations using the latest data.

Differentiated literacy instruction

mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition lays the groundwork for a strong Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS).

In addition to identifying students with symptoms of dyslexia, mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition data recommends early intervention, personalized instruction, and core instruction within Amplify’s early literacy suite. Based on the Science of Reading, Amplify’s early literacy suite programs follow an explicit and systematic structure, build knowledge, and instruct on all of the foundational skills essential to literacy development.

Diagram showcasing "Science of Reading Skill Development" with three branches: "Universal and Dyslexia screening," "Core instruction," "Personalized learning," and "Intervention," with accompanying photos of people interacting.

Bilingual dyslexia screening

By assessing with mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and its Spanish counterpart, mCLASS Lectura, you’ll know with confidence whether a student truly shows signs of dyslexia or is experiencing difficulties learning a new language.

When used together, mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura feature a Dual Language Report that analyzes dyslexia screening results in both languages. The report also details how each student can leverage their strengths from one language to support growth in the other.

Student named Marisol Mejía is shown with her English and Spanish literacy scores. English scores are mostly Well Below and Below benchmark; Spanish scores are mostly at Benchmark except for one below.

Equal skill coverage in English and Spanish

Dyslexia screening areasEnglish measureSpanish measureDescription*
Letter Naming and RANLetter Naming Fluency (LNF)Fluidez en nombrar letras (FNL)Grades K–1: Naming letters in print. 1 minute, 1:1 administration.
Phonological Awareness
(Segmentation)		Phonemic Segmentation Fluency (PSF)Fluidez en la segmentación de sílabas (FSF) & Fluidez en la segmentación de fonemas (FSF)Grades K–1: Hearing and using sounds or syllables in spoken words. 1 minute, 1:1 administration.
Phonological awareness (Elision)¿Qué queda? (QQ)Grades K–2: Produce the part of a word that remains after deleting a syllable or phoneme. 1 minute, 1:1 administration.
Letter-Sound KnowledgeNonsense Word Fluency Correct Letter Sounds (NWF-CLS)Fluidez en los sonidos de letras (FSL)English: Grades K–3: Identify letter-sound correspondences in the context of pseudo-words. Spanish: Grades K-1: Identify letter-sounds in isolation. 1 minute, 1:1 administration.
Letter-Sound Knowledge (Receptive)Fluidez en los sonidos de las letras K-Inicio (FSL K-Inicio)Grade K: Identify (point to) which letter makes a certain sound. Untimed, 1:1 administration
DecodingNonsense Word Fluency Words Recoded Correctly (NWF-WRC)Fluidez en los sonidos de las sílabas (LSS)English: Grades K–3: Decode orthographically regular pseudo-words
Spanish: Grades K-1: Decode orthographically regular syllables 1 minute, 1:1 administration
Word ReadingWord-Reading Fluency (WRF)Fluidez en la lectura de palabras (FEP)Grades K–3: Reading common words easily, quickly and correctly.1 minute, 1:1 administration.
FluencyOral Reading Fluency (ORF)Fluidez en la lectura oral (FLO)Grades 1–6: Reading connected text with accuracy and automaticity. 1 minute, 1:1 administration.
Reading ComprehensionMaze¿Cuál palabra? (CP)Grades 2–6:  Understanding meaning from texts. 3 minutes, group administration.
VocabularyVocabularyVocabularioGrades K–3: Knowledge of grade-specific words. 15 minutes, group administration.
EncodingSpellingOrtografíaGrades K–3: Arranging letters correctly to spell words with grade appropriate features
15 minutes, group administration.
RAN (Numbers)Rapid Automatized Naming–Grades K–3: Correctly and quickly naming visual symbols, such as numbers. 3-4 minutes, 1:1 administration.
Language ComprehensionOral LanguageLenguaje oralGrades K–2: Demonstrate the ability to use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts. 5 minutes, 1:1 administration.
*Students can be assessed using off-grade measures when information on specific skills is needed.

Dyslexia resources for families

Families play a crucial role in helping children overcome reading challenges. mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura provide a Home Connect letter after each dyslexia screening to explain the results in family-friendly language, recommend activities, and direct families to a free website for additional at-home support.

A woman helps a young girl work on a computer in a classroom setting. Both are smiling and focused on the screen. Background has soft shapes in yellow and blue.

Developmentally appropriate

Computer-based assessments that require students to complete tasks silently or independently may over-identify students for intervention services, especially young learners who are still developing focus and attention abilities.

mCLASS requires students to actively demonstrate their proficiency in producing letter sounds, forming words, and reading texts. This approach to assessment aligns with IDA guidelines for effective screening of reading challenges. By choosing mCLASS for dyslexia screening, you’ll gain accurate information about a student’s risk for dyslexia, and gain the capability to monitor every student’s path to reading proficiency.

Additional resources

Demo access

Watch the navigation video above and then follow the instructions below to access your demo account.

TEACHER ASSESSMENT LOGIN

  • Click the mCLASS Demo button below.
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter this username and password:
    • Username: mflores1800
    • Password: 1234
  • For more demo teacher logins and for detailed navigation instructions, please click here and start at page 1.
mCLASS Demo

STUDENT ASSESSMENT LOGIN

  • Click the mCLASS Demo button below.
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter the username and password for each particular grade:
    • Grade K username / password: mfloresk / matthew-k
    • Grade 1 username / password: mflores1807 / matthew-1
    • Grade 2 username / password: mflores1808 / matthew-2
  • For more demo student logins and for detailed navigation instructions, please click here and scroll to page 17.
mCLASS Demo

Questions?

For questions about mCLASS or the CA RFP review, please contact:

Erin King
Sales Director, CA
(512) 736-3162
eking@amplify.com

and CC: proposals@amplify.com

CKLA – Knowledge Research Units for K–5

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Welcome Texas Home Learning Users!

Note: This site is no longer being actively updated. To access the latest 2021-22 Elementary Literacy Program instructional materials, please visit my.amplify.com. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to texashomelearning@tea.texas.gov

Grade K

Skills Unit 1

Skills Unit 2

Skills Unit 3

Skills Unit 4

Knowledge 1: Nursery Rhymes and Fables

Knowledge 2: The Five Senses

Knowledge 3: Stories: Fairy Tales and Folktales

Knowledge 4: Plants: How Do They Grow?

Conocimiento 1: Rimas y fábulas infantiles

Conocimiento 2: Los cinco sentidos

Conocimiento 3: Cuentos: cuentos de hadas y cuentos populares

Conocimiento 4: Plantas: ¿cómo crecen?

Grade 1

Skills Unit 1

Skills Unit 2

Skills Unit 3

Skills Unit 4

Knowledge 1: Fables and Stories

Knowledge 2: The Human Body

Knowledge 3: Different Lands, Similar Stories

Knowledge 4: Different Lands, Similar Stories

Conocimiento 1: Fábulas y cuentos

Conocimiento 2: El cuerpo humano

Conocimiento 3: Tierras diferentes, cuentos similares

Conocimiento 4: Antiguas civilizaciones de América

Grade 2

Skills Unit 1

Skills Unit 2

Skills Unit 3

Skills Unit 4

Knowledge 1: Fairy Tales and Tall Tales

Knowledge 2: The Ancient Greek Civilization

Knowledge 3: Stories from Mount Olympus

Knowledge 4: The War of 1812

Conocimiento 1: Cuentos de hadas y cuentos exagerados

Conocimiento 2: La civilización griega antigua

Conocimiento 3: Historias del monte Olimpo

Conocimiento 4: La guerra de 1812

Grade 3

Unit 1: Classic Tales: The Wind in the Willows

Unit 2: Scales, Feathers, and Fur: Animal Classification

Unit 3: The Human Body: Systems and Senses

Unit 4: The Ancient Roman Civilization

Unidad 1: Cuentos clásicos: El viento en los sauces

Unidad 2: Escamas, plumas y pelaje: la clasificación de los animales

Unidad 3: El cuerpo humano: sistemas y sentidos

Unidad 4: El cuerpo humano: sistemas y sentidos

Grade 4

Unit 1: Personal Narratives: My Story, My Voice

Unit 2: Eureka! The Art of Invention

Unit 3: Contemporary Fiction: Mi Calle, Tu Calle

Unit 4: American Revolution: Building a Nation

Unidad 1: Narrativas personales: mi historia, mi voz

Unidad 2: ¡Eureka! El arte de la invención

Unidad 3: Ficción contemporánea: mi calle, tu calle

Unidad 4: La Revolución estadounidense: construir una nación

Grade 5

Unit 1: Personal Narratives: Let Me Tell You a Story

Unit 2: The Renaissance: Art and Culture

Unit 3: Early American Civilizations: Myths, Pyramids, and Kings

Unit 4: Don Quixote: A Hopeful Knight’s Tale

Unidad 1: Narrativas personales: déjame contarte una historia

Unidad 2: El Renacimiento: arte y cultura

Unidad 3: Las primeras civilizaciones americanas: mitos, pirámides y reyes

Unidad 4: Don Quijote: la historia de un caballero optimista

Coming Soon!

Introducing new units for Amplify CKLA and Amplify Caminos K–5

As part of our commitment to creating even richer and more wide-ranging curricula, we are excited to release six new units for both Amplify CKLA and Amplify Caminos!

Click here to learn more about Amplify CKLA.

Click here to learn more about Amplify Caminos.

About these units

Our brand-new Knowledge Research units carry forward the powerful and proven instructional approach of both Amplify CKLA and Amplify Caminos while also:

  • Adding more variety to engage students from many walks of life. The rich topics and highly visual components featured in these units provide students with even more “windows and mirrors” and perspectives as they work to build knowledge.
  • Adding more authentic literature. Each new research unit revolves around a collection of high-interest authentic trade books that will spark more curiosity and inspire more inquiry.
  • Adding more flexibility. Units can be implemented for extended core instruction during flex periods, district-designated Pausing Points, or enrichment periods.

Units cover a variety of rich and relevant topics:

Three illustrations: one shows people at a gaming session, the middle depicts a diverse group standing together, and the third portrays a group gardening outdoors.

With these new units, students will soar to new heights with Dr. Ellen Ochoa, Amelia Earhart, and the Tuskegee Airmen. They’ll feel the rhythm as they learn about Jazz legends Miles Davis, Tito Puente, and Duke Ellington. And they’ll explore the far reaches of the world with Jacques Cousteau, Matthew Henson, and Eugenie Clark.

  • Grade K: Art and the World Around Us/El arte y el mundo que nos rodea
  • Grade 1: Adventure Stories: Tales from the Edge of the World/Cuentos de aventuras: relatos desde los confines de la Tierra
  • Grade 2: Up, Up, and Away: The Age of Aviation/¡A volar! La era de la aviación
  • Grade 3: All That Jazz/Jazz y más
  • Grade 4: Energy: Past, Present, and Future/Energía: pasado, presente y futuro
  • Grade 5: Beyond Juneteenth: 1865 to present/Más allá de Juneteenth: de 1865 al presente

Units are available in English and Spanish, and will include the following components:

  • Teacher Guide
  • Student Activity Books
  • Image Cards
  • Trade Book Collection
  • Digital Components (grades K–3 and 5)

Grade K: Art and the World Around Us/El arte y el mundo que nos rodea

“Every child is an artist,” said Picasso, meaning that every child uses art to explore and understand the world around them. Art and the World Around Us honors that truth by introducing Kindergarten students to some of the ways in which artists have explored and understood the worlds around them, too.

This domain introduces students to artists from different time periods, countries, and cultures. Throughout the unit, students learn about different kinds of art and how artists use the world around them as they make art. They also connect this to what they have already learned about the earth, plants, and animals in other Amplify CKLA and Amplify Caminos domains: Farms/Granjas, Plants/Plantas, and Taking Care of the Earth/Cuidar el planeta Tierra. In addition, students connect this to what they have learned about sculptors in the Presidents and American Symbols/Presidentes y símbolos de los Estados Unidos domain. As they explore different artists and artistic traditions, they develop their ideas about how humans are connected to each other and to the world around them.

As you read the texts in this unit, students may observe ways in which the characters or subjects are both similar to and different from students. This is a good opportunity to teach students awareness and sensitivity, building on the idea that all people share some things in common, and have other things that make them unique. This unit also offers an excellent opportunity to collaborate with your school’s art teacher, as many lessons have suggested activities to help students understand the kind of art they are studying.

Within this unit, students have opportunities to:

  • Use details to describe art.
  • Identify three ways to create art.
  • Identify characteristics of cave art.
  • Sequence the steps of making pottery.
  • Describe how artists can create work connected to the world around them.
  • Describe what makes Kehinde Wiley’s portraits unique.
  • Explain how the texture of a surface can affect artwork created on it.
  • Explain what a sculpture is.
  • Describe what makes James Turrell’s artwork about the sky unique.
  • Explain what a museum is and what kinds of things you can see or do there.

Instruction in this unit revolves around the following collection of high-interest authentic trade books. One copy of each trade book is included with the unit materials.

  • The First Drawing by Mordicai Gerstein
  • Van Gogh and the Sunflowers by Laurence Anholt
  • My Name is Georgia by Jeanette Winter
  • A Life Made by Hand by Andrea D’Aquino
  • Rainbow Weaver by Linda Elovitz Marshall
  • Luna Loves Art by Joseph Coelho

Grade 1: Adventure Stories: Tales from the Edge of the World/Cuentos de aventuras: relatos desde los confines de la Tierra

This domain introduces students to adventure stories set around the world and challenges students to dig into the adventures through research. By listening to the Read-Alouds and trade books, students increase their vocabulary and reading comprehension skills, learn valuable lessons about perseverance and teamwork, and become familiar with gathering information for research.

In this unit, students study the careers of real-world explorers Dr. Eugenie Clark and Sophia Danenberg, marvel at the inventions of Jacques Cousteau, think critically about how teamwork and collaboration can make greater adventures possible, learn about the science and technology that enable adventures, and research some of the ways humans have confronted challenges at the edges of the world, from the oceans below to space above.

Each lesson in the domain builds students’ research skills as they ask questions, gather information, and write a paragraph about their findings. Students share what they have learned about adventures in an Adventure Gallery Walkthrough. By taking on the persona of one of the adventurers they meet in the Read-Alouds and trade books, students deliver their final paragraphs as if they are a “speaking portrait” of that person. Students are invited to dress up as that adventurer if they desire.

In addition, teachers can set aside time outside of the instructional block to create the picture frames students will hold as they present to the Adventure Gallery Walk guests. Frames can be made from shirt boxes, cardboard, construction paper, or any art supplies that are on hand. This might be an opportunity to collaborate with the school’s art department if resources are available. Another option is to ask students to make their frames at home with their caregivers. On the day of the Adventure Gallery Walk, students will be the hosts and take on specific jobs, such as welcoming the guests, describing their work throughout the unit, and pointing out the areas of study on the domain bulletin board. You can find a complete list of student jobs in Lesson 13.

This unit builds upon the following Amplify CKLA and Amplify Caminos units that students will have encountered in the previous grade.

  • Nursery Rhymes and Fables/Rimas y fábulas infantiles (Kindergarten)
  • Stories/Cuentos (Kindergarten)

The specific core content targeted in these domains is particularly relevant to the Read-Alouds students will hear in Adventure Stories: Tales from the Edge of the World. The background knowledge students bring to this unit will greatly enhance their understanding of the trade books used in this unit.

Instruction in this unit revolves around the following collection of high-interest authentic trade books. One copy of each trade book is included with the unit materials.

  • My Name is Gabito/Me llamo Gabito by Monica Brown
  • Tomas and the Galápagos Adventure by Carolyn Lunn
  • The Astronaut with a Song for the Stars: The Story of Dr. Ellen Ochoa by Julia Finley Mosca
  • Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed
  • Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating
  • Manfish by Jennifer Berne
  • Keep On! The Story of Matthew Henson, Co-Discoverer of the North Pole by Deborah Hopkinson
  • The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest by Steve Jenkins

Grade 2: Up, Up, and Away: The Age of Aviation/¡A volar! La era de la aviación

With this domain, students head up, up, and away with an introduction to the soaring history of aviation. Students learn the stories of early aviators, such as the Montgolfier brothers, the Wright brothers, Aída de Acosta, and Amelia Earhart.

During the unit, students study the science of flight, including the physics concept of lift, and research the social impacts of the world of flight. Finally, students let their research skills take flight as they explore key figures from the world of aviation.

The lessons in this domain build on earlier Grade 2 CKLA and Amplify Caminos domains about the westward expansion, early Greek civilizations, and Greek myths, and lay the foundation for learning about other periods of world history in future grades.

This unit builds upon the following Amplify CKLA and Amplify Caminos units that students will have encountered earlier in the year.

  • The Ancient Greek Civilization/La civilización griega antigua (Grade 2)
  • Greek Myths/Mitos griegos (Grade 2)
  • Westward Expansion/La expansión hacia el oeste (Grade 2)

The specific core content targeted in these domains is particularly relevant to the Read-Alouds students will hear in Up, Up, and Away: The Age of Aviation. The background knowledge students bring to this unit will greatly enhance their understanding of the trade books used in this unit.

Instruction in this unit revolves around the following collection of high-interest authentic trade books. One copy of each trade book is included with the unit materials.

  • Up and Away!: How Two Brothers Invented the Hot-Air Balloon by Jason Henry
  • The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Blériot by Alice and Martin Provensen
  • The Flying Girl: How Aída de Acosta Learned to Soar by Margarita Engle
  • Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane by Kirsten Larson
  • Helicopter Man: Igor Sikorsky and His Amazing Invention by Edwin Brit Wyckoff
  • The Tuskegee Airmen Story by Lynn Homan and Thomas Reilly
  • Skyward: The Story of Female Pilots in WWII by Sally Deng
  • Aim for the Skies: Jerrie Mock and Joan Merriam Smith’s Race to Complete Amelia Earhart’s Quest by Aimee Bissonette

Grade 3: All That Jazz/Jazz y más

This domain teaches students about the vibrant music, poetry, and culture of the Jazz Age in the United States. Students learn about famous writers and musicians like Langston Hughes, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Melba Liston, Tito Puente, and Miles Davis. They study how the jazz art form took root in the South, then spread to the North to become the sound of the Harlem Renaissance, eventually connecting people around the world in musical expression.

During this unit, students perform guided research to further explore both the history of jazz and what jazz is today. They develop research skills and then use those skills to find deeper connections between the stories and music of the Jazz Age and music today. As students learn about the world of jazz, they collaborate and share ideas with their classmates. They also practice sharing feedback focused on their written work, and, at the end of the unit, students present their research to the group.

The lessons give students opportunities to dive into the rhythms and stories of jazz, utilizing the knowledge sequence in this unit to:

  • Collaboratively generate research questions about jazz, jazz musicians, contemporary musicians from the state where they live or have lived, and the evolution of jazz music.
  • Utilize Read-Alouds, independent reading, and partner reading to learn about the Jazz Age, the Harlem Renaissance, jazz music, and biographies of celebrated jazz musicians and writers.
  • Research the answers to their generated questions, gather information, write a short research essay about a famous jazz musician, write a short essay about a contemporary musician from the state where they live or have lived, and give a presentation about their research.

Within this unit, students have opportunities to:

  • Ask relevant questions and make pertinent comments
  • Identify details in texts
  • Determine key ideas of texts by evaluating details
  • Make text-based inferences
  • Generate questions based on prior knowledge and gathered information
  • Synthesize details across texts to demonstrate comprehension
  • Discuss and explain an author’s purpose
  • Identify and cite reliable primary and secondary sources of information
  • Compose a well-organized and focused informative essay
  • Make connections between topics
  • Present information using appropriate media

Instruction in this unit revolves around the following collection of high-interest authentic trade books. One copy of each trade book is included with the unit materials.

  • Birth of the Cool: How Jazz Great Miles Davis Found His Sound by Kathleen Cornell Berman
  • Little Melba and Her Big Trombone by Kathryn Russell-Brown
  • Benny Goodman and Teddy Wilson: Taking the Stage as the First Black and White Jazz Band in History by Lesa Cline-Ransome
  • Tito Puente, Mambo King by Monica Brown
  • Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music by Margarita Engle
  • Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra by Andrea Pinkney

In this unit, students also read the poem “Harlem” by Langston Hughes. (Available for free through the Academy of American Poets website and the Poetry Foundation website, with recorded audio available through the website for John Hancock College Preparatory High School.)

Grade 4: Energy: Past, Present, and Future/Energía: pasado, presente y futuro

With this domain, students become tomorrow’s problem solvers in this study of energy in the United States. Analytical reading skills are developed by examining the challenges of early energy innovators. Students then read about current energy practices and young energy change-makers across the world.

Throughout the unit, students conduct research into different sources of energy and present a proposal, putting them in the shoes of future energy innovators. They also use the knowledge sequence in this unit to:

  • Collaboratively analyze texts to identify cause-effect and problem-solution relationships.
  • Generate questions and conduct research about energy.
  • Write an opinion essay making their case for a fuel of the future.
  • Create energy proposals using primary and secondary resources.

This unit builds upon the following Amplify CKLA units that students will have encountered in previous grades as well as earlier in the year.

  • Plants/Plantas (Grade K)
  • The History of the Earth/La historia de la Tierra (Grade 1)
  • Eureka! Student Inventor/¡Eureka! El arte de la invención (Grade 4)

The specific core content targeted in these domains is particularly relevant to the Read-Alouds students will hear in Energy: Past, Present, and Future. The background knowledge students bring to this unit will greatly enhance their understanding of the trade books used in this unit.

Instruction in this unit revolves around the following collection of high-interest authentic trade books. One copy of each trade book is included with the unit materials.

  • Buried Sunlight: How Fossil Fuels Have Changed the Earth by Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm
  • Energy Island: How One Community Harnessed the Wind and Changed their World by Allan Drummond
  • The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Picture Book Edition by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

Grade 5: Beyond Juneteenth: 1865 to present/Más allá de Juneteenth: de 1865 al presente

Within this domain, Students learn about General Granger’s announcement in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865, a day marked in history as Juneteenth. Texts and multimedia sources will support foundational knowledge-building about the end of slavery in the United States. A review of the first freedom announcement, President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, provides students with background knowledge to further emphasize the significance of Juneteenth in American history.

This unit also takes students on a journey beyond Juneteenth, as they study specific contributions of African Americans from 1865 to the present day. Students participate in a virtual field trip to Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas and use the knowledge sequence in this unit to:

  • Collaboratively generate research questions about Juneteenth, The Great Migration, innovators and inventors, education, the humanities, activists, and allies.
  • Use Read-Alouds, independent, and partner reading to learn about African American contributions from 1865 to the present.
  • Research to find answers to their generated questions, gather information, and write a four-chapter Beyond Juneteenth book.

This unit builds upon the following Amplify CKLA units that students will have encountered in previous grades.

  • Native Americans/Los nativos americanos (Grade K)
  • A New Nation: American Independence/Una nueva nación: la independencia de los Estados Unidos
    (Grade 1)
  • The U.S. Civil War/La Guerra Civil de los Estados Unidos (Grade 2)
  • Immigration/La inmigración (Grade 2)
  • Native Americans/Los nativos americanos (Grade 5)

The specific core content targeted in these domains is particularly relevant to the Read-Alouds students will hear in Beyond Juneteenth: 1865 to present. The background knowledge students bring to this unit will greatly enhance their understanding of the trade books used in this unit.

Instruction in this unit revolves around the following collection of high-interest authentic trade books. One copy of each trade book is included with the unit materials.

  • All Different Now: Juneteenth, the First Day of Freedom by Angela Johnson
  • The Great Migration: An American Story by Jacob Lawrence
  • Sing a Song: How “Lift Every Voice and Sing” Inspired Generations by Kelly Starling Lyons
  • Side by Side/ Lado a lado: The Story of Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez/ La Historia de Dolores Huerta y Cesar Chavez by Monica Brown
  • Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters by Barack Obama

Welcome, Amplify Science elementary school families!

Para la versión en español, haga clic aquí.

Two middle school girls conduct a science experiment

Next Generation Science Standards letter

Two documents side by side, one in English and one in Spanish, both titled with information about the NGSS for parents and guardians and containing paragraphs of text.

Each unit includes a letter describing the Next Generation Science Standards and how they’re reflected in all units at a particular grade.

Click on your student’s grade below to download the letter for that grade:

Unit Maps

Two pages of a document titled "Needs of Plants and Animals: Planning for the Unit," featuring an "Unit Map" label and blocks of text in black on a white background.

Each unit in Amplify Science has a Unit Map for the teacher. This document outlines the scientific questions the students come across in the unit, and how they will figure out the answers.

Click on your student’s grade to download all of the Unit Maps for that grade:

Simulations

In grades 3–5, students use interactive digital apps as one way of figuring out unit phenomena. This short video shows an example of a simulation.

Resource for back-to-school night

A webpage for Amplify Science displays a grid of colorful nature-themed illustrations and text promoting a core curriculum for grades K-8.

This presentation (available for download) provides a general overview of the Amplify Science curriculum. Your student’s teacher may have used this resource during back-to-school night.

Home investigations

Four educational posters for Amplify Science show students engaging in hands-on science activities and a scientist in a lab coat with worksheets on the right.

If you’re interested in extending the Amplify Science classroom experience at home use the Scientist Profile Cards to spark discussions about careers in science and engineering!

The Amplify Science program also includes several Home Investigations that you can explore with your students outside of the school day. Your student’s teacher may assign the Home Investigations as the class progresses through the units, but if you’d like to explore them on your own, you can do so by clicking on your student’s grade below:

Questions for at-home discussion

For Amplify Science families, the Questions for At-Home Discussion documents for every unit in grades K–5 contain questions for families to ask their students to help guide continued discussion and learning outside the classroom.

Kindergarten

Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

Contact us

We’re here to help you!

Have a question about Amplify Science? Visit our help library to search for articles with answers to your program questions. For additional curriculum support, contact your student’s teacher.

Welcome, Seattle Public Schools, to the next chapter in the Science of Reading, with Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition!

Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) helps implement the Washington State K–12 Learning Standards for English Language Arts (Common Core State Standards) by translating the Science of Reading into manageable, engaging, and effective classroom practices. For more than a decade, Amplify CKLA has transformed classrooms nationwide with its intentional knowledge building and systematic skills instruction.

Scroll down to learn how Amplify CKLA is uniquely designed to help all your students make learning leaps in literacy.

Download Amplify CKLA Program Guide
An astronaut floats in space near the Moon, with a speech bubble displaying

Our approach

Improve outcomes with a program that’s built on a decade of research and meets the strongest Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Tier I criteria.

Diagram illustrating the Simple View of Reading model. It shows that skilled reading results from increasingly strategic language comprehension and increasingly automatic word recognition.

Grounded in the Science of Reading

As the original Science of Reading program, Amplify CKLA puts research into action with explicit, systematic foundational skills instruction and a proven knowledge-building sequence. In collaboration with education experts and practitioners, we provide powerful resources that deliver real results.

Success stories

Background knowledge drives results.

Amplify CKLA follows the Core Knowledge Sequence, a content-specific, cumulative, and coherent approach to knowledge building. This approach improves reading scores and closes achievement gaps by establishing a robust knowledge base that strengthens comprehension.

In Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition, we’ve enriched our Knowledge Sequence with a wider range of perspectives and high-quality texts in new and enhanced units.

See units and connections
An illustrated person in a yellow shirt looks at a colorful map of Puerto Rico. Above them are two educational posters about world geography and animals, integrating elements from the k–5 literacy curriculum to enhance learning experiences.
An infographic showing the steps to pronounce

Build foundational skills for long-term success.

Students progress from simple to complex skill development starting with phonological and phonemic awareness. Instruction in Grades K–2 explicitly teaches the 150 spellings for the 44 sounds of English, following an intentional progression to ensure student success.

In our 3rd Edition, we’ve added dedicated Grade 3 foundational skills instruction that can either support core lessons or function as an intervention, based on student needs.

Skills by year

Daily writing deepens learning.

Grounded in the Science of Writing—the research on how kids learn to write—instruction is explicit, daily, and woven into the curriculum’s rich content. It covers both transcription (handwriting and spelling) and composition (organizing ideas into narratives) with high-impact activities like sentence-level combining and expanding, and pre-writing exercises. Writing and reading instruction are integrated so students simultaneously strengthen their communication skills, comprehension, and confidence.

See the Simple View of Writing
A child in a green shirt smiles while writing in a notebook at a classroom desk, engaged in their k–5 literacy curriculum, with another student visible in the background.
An open laptop displaying a children's story titled

High-quality, diverse texts

Amplify CKLA students are immersed in a variety of texts—complex read-alouds, decodable chapter books, trade books, and content-rich readers—that reflect varied experiences and connect to learning goals.

Readers are 100% decodable for Grades K–2, empowering students to directly apply what they’ve learned. Novel Study units for Grades 3–5 offer a mix of contemporary and classic literature, and Culminating Research Units in every grade include a set of authentic texts and trade books.

See Research Unit trade books

Reach all learners with differentiated support.

Scaffolds and challenges, developed in collaboration with education experts, make content accessible to every student, including multilingual and English learners. With strategies embedded right in the curriculum, teachers can deliver in-the-moment, individualized instruction to meet diverse student needs.

For a dedicated English language development program aligned to Amplify CKLA, explore Language Studio.

View embedded support
Children sit on the floor in a classroom, some raising their hands, smiling and engaged. The lively atmosphere reflects the effectiveness of the k–5 literacy curriculum being implemented.

What’s included with Amplify CKLA

The comprehensive resources in Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition support effective literacy instruction in every classroom.

Download Amplify CKLA Components Guide

Download Amplify CKLA Writing Brochure

Image of a laptop displaying an assessment report, surrounded by books about astronomy, an illustration of the moon, and a
Various educational materials, including textbooks, workbooks, a picture book, documents, and a laptop displaying a slide titled

Easy-to-use teacher materials

Amplify CKLA teachers are empowered to deliver effective instruction with the following print and digital resources:

  • Teacher Guides (K–5)
  • Assessment Guides (K–5)
  • Authentic texts and trade books (K–5)
  • Knowledge Image Cards (K–2)
  • Knowledge Flip Books (K–2, digital)
  • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens (K–5, digital)
  • Remediation and intervention resources (K–5)
  • On-demand professional development (K–5, digital)

Immersive Amplify CKLA student resources

Amplify CKLA students stay engaged with the following print and digital resources:

  • Decodable readers (K–2)
  • Student Readers and novels (3–5)
  • Student Activity Books (K–5)
  • Poet’s Journal (3–5)
  • eReaders (K–5, digital)
  • Sound Library featuring articulation videos and songs (K–2, digital)
  • Skill-building practice games (K–5)
An open laptop displaying a poem and a person, alongside two educational booklets and a green butterfly, depicts the essence of a rich core knowledge language arts curriculum. The background includes simple graphic elements enhancing the scene.
A collection of six book covers including

Rich literary experiences

The array of high-quality, varied texts in Amplify CKLA connect to the curriculum, sparking students’ curiosity and empowering them to learn to read with confidence.

  • Trade Book Collections (K–5) inspire student research in each grade’s Culminating Research Unit.
  • Classic and contemporary literature (3–5) delight students in Novel Study Units.
  • Increasingly complex Student Readers (K–5) develop students’ literacy across grades.

Hands-on phonics materials

Multisensory phonics and foundational skills resources engage students with fun, varied approaches that promote mastery and build independence.

  • Chaining Folders and Small Letter Cards (K)
  • Read-Aloud Big Books (K–1)
  • Large Letter Cards (K–2)
  • Sound Cards (K–2)
  • Image Cards (K–3)
  • Blending Picture Cards (K)
  • Consonant and Vowel Code Posters and Spelling Cards (1–2)
  • Sound Library (K–2, digital)
Image includes various vowel sounds and combinations on flashcards and worksheets, along with a playful illustrated mammal, all part of a comprehensive literacy curriculum for elementary students.
A laptop displays a student screen showing a quiz question about word usage, part of a literacy curriculum for elementary students. Behind it, a computer monitor shows an assessment report interface. Abstract decorative elements are in the background.

All-in-one digital platform

Our comprehensive platform simplifies your day-to-day tasks and makes it easier to plan and deliver lessons.

  • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens
  • Auto-scored digital assessments
  • Standards-based reporting
  • Assignable skill-building games
  • Sound Library
  • eReaders

Professional development (PD)

Move beyond traditional program training with Amplify’s digital PD Library, designed to fully support your shift to the Science of Reading and Amplify CKLA. Deepen your understanding with:

  • Program and planning resources.
  • Model lesson videos from real classrooms.
  • Guidance on using Amplify’s literacy suite to provide multi-tiered support.
Two women are seated at a table with papers and a laptop. One woman is working on the literacy curriculum for elementary grades, while the other is smiling.
“Teachers love the ease of implementing the program, and students have fun while learning. Growth is evident in our data, and we have the support of Amplify experts who are available to answer questions and provide top-notch professional development.”

Bridget Vaughan, District K–8 Coordinator of ELA and Literacy

Quincy Public Schools, Massachusetts

Language Studio: Multilingual and English language learner support

Language Studio is Amplify CKLA’s dedicated K–5 program for multilingual and English language learners. Through daily 30-minute lessons, it strengthens reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills while reinforcing core instruction. This tailored support empowers students to confidently access grade-level content as they develop academic English.

A young girl immerses herself in the science of reading at a classroom desk, surrounded by peers and diverse educational materials.

Curriculum Maps

Curriculum Maps by Grade and Strand:

Amplify Caminos program overview

¡El futuro es bilingüe! | The future is bilingual!

Amplify Caminos is a research-based core curriculum essential for Spanish literacy and grounded in the Science of Reading.

View our Amplify Caminos Program Guide to learn our approach to foundational skills by year, view skills practice with student readers and writing, and understand how the program supports teachers in meeting the needs of all students with embedded differentiation.

Download Amplify Caminos Program Guide

Amplify Caminos offers a robust and authentic elementary Spanish language arts program for grades K–5 that promotes
biliteracy and helps teachers inspire students as they become confident readers, writers, and thinkers in Spanish.

Using the program’s two strands, Caminos Conocimiento and Caminos Lectoescritura, teachers develop student
comprehension in Spanish through a program rich in background knowledge and foundational skills activities. The texts students encounter include authentic Spanish literary works that honor Spanish language development and build deep content knowledge in social studies, science, literature, and the arts.

Amplify Caminos is designed to support a variety of bilingual and dual language instructional models to meet every student’s biliteracy needs. Combined with its English language partner, Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA), Amplify Caminos provides a comprehensive biliteracy solution.

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Illustration of the amplify caminos language comprehension model, featuring step-by-step progression from simple word recognition to skilled reading, with educational graphics and text excerpts.

Amplify Caminos delivers rich, authentic experiences.

With a robust digital experience and an expanding library of online materials, Amplify Caminos provides everything needed to support, challenge, and engage your students. From digital Teacher Guides to lesson projectables, the program includes all the tools needed to successfully deliver every lesson.

How Amplify Caminos works with Amplify CKLA

Through direct instruction, both Amplify Caminos and Amplify CKLA develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in their respective languages. Together, the programs empower educators to effectively foster biliteracy with:

  • Intentional knowledge building that connects topics throughout the program.
  • Increased metalinguistic awareness from students exploring the similarities and differences in each language while strengthening their knowledge across both.
  • Instruction with high-quality Spanish and English decodable readers that provide every student with opportunities to apply skills learned and grow competency in reading.
“There were other programs that claimed to be [based on the] Science of Reading, but no other vendor provided the suite of products together. We did not want to be picking from here, picking from there. [Amplify’s literacy suite] met our needs, because it aligned and provided us the best suite of products, hands down.”

Nicole Peterson, Principal, Midway Middle School

Sampson County Schools, North Carolina

Demo access

Explore the Amplify CKLA teacher digital resources.

First, watch the quick navigation video to the right. Then, follow the directions below.

  • Go to: learning.amplify.com or click the Access CKLA Teacher Digital button below.
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter the following information:
    • Teacher username: t1.seattle_sd_ckla@demo.tryamplify.net
    • Teacher password: Amplify1-seattle_sd_ckla
    • Student username: s1.seattle_sd_ckla@demo.tryamplify.net
    • Student password: Amplify1-seattle_sd_ckla
  • Please note, these demo accounts expire on: February 26, 2026
  • Click the CKLA button.
  • Select your desired grade level from the Program drop down.
Access CKLA Teacher Digital

Follow the directions below to access the Student Resource Site:

  • Go to: learning.amplify.com or click the Access CKLA Student Digital button below.
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter the following information:
    • Teacher username: t1.seattle_sd_ckla@demo.tryamplify.net
    • Teacher password: Amplify1-seattle_sd_ckla
    • Student username: s1.seattle_sd_ckla@demo.tryamplify.net
    • Student password: Amplify1-seattle_sd_ckla
  • Please note, these demo accounts expire on: February 26, 2026
  • From the main page, click the backpack in the top right corner.
  • Click on the grade level to select your desired grade.
Access CKLA Student Digital

Inspiring the next generation of Arkansas scientists, engineers, and curious citizens

Amplify Science is a proven effective core curriculum designed for three-dimensional, phenomena based learning that provides an immersive experience for students.

Amplify Science was developed by the science education experts at UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science and the digital learning team at Amplify.

Collage showing students engaged in classroom science activities and two scientific illustrations: a cheetah in foliage and a diagram of clouds and raindrops above a hill.

Grounded in Research

UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science, the authors behind Amplify Science, developed the Do, Talk, Read, Write, Visualize approach, and gold standard research shows that it works. Our own efficacy research is pretty exciting, too.

See more of our research.

Instructional model

The Amplify Science program is rooted in the proven, research-based pedagogy of Do, Talk, Read, Write, Visualize. Here’s how each element works:

DO
First-hand investigations are an important part of any science classroom, and Amplify Science has students getting hands-on in every unit, from building models of protein molecules to experimenting with electrical systems.

TALK
Student-to-student discourse and full class discussions are an integral part of the program. Students are provided with numerous opportunities to engage in meaningful oral scientific argumentation, all while fostering a collaborative classroom environment.

READ
Students read scientific articles, focusing their reading activities on searching for evidence related to their investigation and, importantly, on asking and recording questions as they read through fascinating texts on 21st-century topics.

WRITE
Following real-world practices, students write scientific arguments based on evidence they’ve collected, making clear their reasoning about how a given piece of evidence connects to one of several claims.

VISUALIZE
By manipulating digital simulations and using Modeling Tools to craft visualizations of their thinking—just as real scientists and engineers do—students take their learning far beyond the confines of what they can physically see in the classroom in an exciting and authentic way.

Explore the digital Teacher’s Guide

When you’re ready to review, click the orange button below and use your provided login credentials to access the Amplify Science Digital Teacher’s Guide.
If you need login credentials, contact your local Arkansas Account Executive, Marty Pitts, mpitts@amplify.com.

Review now

Instructional samplers

Kindergarten

Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

Resources to support your review

What’s included

Flexible resources that work seamlessly together:

Science articles
The middle school science articles serve as sources for evidence collection and were authored by science and literacy experts at the Lawrence Hall of Science.

Student Investigation Notebooks
Available for every unit, the Student Investigation Notebooks provide space for students to:

  • Record data.
  • Reflect on ideas from texts and investigations.
  • Construct explanations and arguments.

Available with full-color article compilations for middle school units.

Collection of educational books from 'amplify science' on topics including ocean atmosphere, matter and energy ecosystems, and insect interactions, displayed in various angles.

Digital student experience
Students access the digital simulations and Modeling Tools, as well as lesson activities and assessments, through the digital student experience. Students can interact with the digital student experience as they:

  • Conduct hands-on investigations.
  • Engage in active reading and writing activities.
  • Participate in discussions.
  • Record observations.
  • Craft end-of-unit scientific arguments.
A digital illustration showcasing a laptop and a tablet displaying complex data analysis software interfaces with graphs and heatmaps.

Teacher’s Guides
Available digitally and in print, the Teacher’s Guides contain all of the information teachers need to facilitate classroom instruction, including:

  • Classroom Slides.
  • Detailed lesson plans.
  • Unit and chapter overview documentation.
  • Differentiation strategies.
  • Standards alignments.
  • In-context professional development.
A laptop displaying the Geology on Mars webpage sits beside a book titled "Geology on Mars," both featuring the same cover image of Mars and a spacecraft, perfect for enhancing three-dimensional learning in any science classroom.

Hands-on materials kits
Hands-on learning is at the heart of Amplify Science. Each unit kit contains:

  • Consumable and non-consumable hands-on materials.
  • Print classroom display materials.
  • Premium print materials for student use (sorting cards, maps, etc.)
A perforated rectangular board, three small containers with different powders, a black battery holder with red wires, and three colored alligator clips are arranged on a white background.

Scope and Sequence

Grade Units

Kindergarten
  • Needs of Plants and Animals
  • Pushes and Pulls
  • Sunlight and Water

Grade 1
  • Animal and Plant Defenses
  • Light and Sound
  • Spinning Earth

Grade 2
  • Plant and Animal Relationships
  • Properties of Materials
  • Changing Landforms

Grade 3
  • Balancing Forces
  • Inheritance and Traits
  • Environments and Survival
  • Weather and Climate

Grade 4
  • Energy Conversions
  • Vision and Light
  • Earth’s Features
  • Waves, Energy, and Information

Grade 5
  • Patterns of Earth and Sky
  • Modeling Matter
  • The Earth System
  • Ecosystem Restoration
Grade Units

Grade 6
  • Launch: Microbiome
  • Metabolism
  • Metabolism Engineering Internship
  • Traits and Reproduction
  • Thermal Energy
  • Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate
  • Weather Patterns
  • Earth’s Changing Climate
  • Earth’s Changing Climate Engineering Internship

Grade 7
  • Launch: Geology on Mars
  • Plate Motion
  • Plate Motion Engineering Internship
  • Rock Transformations
  • Phase Change
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Populations and Resources
  • Matter and Energy in Ecosystems

Grade 8
  • Launch: Harnessing Human Energy
  • Force and Motion
  • Force and Motion Engineering Internship
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Light Waves
  • Earth, Moon and Sun
  • Natural Selection
  • Natural Selection Engineering Internship
  • Evolutionary History

Remote and hybrid learning support

Amplify provides a remote learning solution called Amplify Science @OnDemand. Intended to make extended remote learning and hybrid learning easier, Amplify Science @OnDemand includes two useful options for continuing instruction: @OnDemand Videos and @OnDemand Units. These videos also provide embedded professional development for teachers as well as opportunities for students to review a lesson, if needed.

Amplify Science @OnDemand Videos are recordings of real Amplify Science teachers teaching the lessons. For those teachers who are unable to meet synchronously with their students, the recorded lessons are a great way to keep their students on track and engaged with Amplify Science while at home. These videos will be produced for all K–5 units, and for the first four units of each 6–8 grade level. Their release will be rolling, beginning in August.   

Amplify Science@OnDemand Units are modified versions of Amplify Science units, strategically designed to highlight key activities from the program. The @OnDemand Units take significantly less instructional time than the complete Amplify Science program and allow students to engage with science at home. @OnDemand Units will be developed for all Amplify Science K–8 units. Each @OnDemand unit includes:

  • Teacher overviews explaining how to use the materials, including suggestions for enhancing the @OnDemand Units if synchronous learning or in-class time with students is available.
  • Overviews to send home to families.

Student materials are available in two formats:

  • @OnDemand Slides (PDF/PPT) + Student Sheets (PDF) for students with access to technology at home.
  • Downloadable @OnDemand Packets (PDF) for students without access to technology at home.

Download the remote and hybrid learning guide.

Looking for help?

Powerful (and free!) pedagogical support

Amplify provides a unique kind of support you won’t find from other publishers. We have developed an educational support team of former teachers and administrators who provide pedagogical support for every Amplify curriculum, assessment, and intervention program. This service is completely free for all educators who are using our programs and includes:

  • Guidance for developing lesson plans and intervention plans.
  • Information on where to locate standards and other planning materials.
  • Recommendations and tips for day-to-day teaching with Amplify programs.
  • Support with administering and interpreting assessment data and more.

To reach our pedagogical team, use our live chat within your program, call (800) 823-1969, or email edsupport@amplify.com

Timely technical and program support

Our technical and program support is included and available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, through a variety of channels, including a live chat program that enables teachers to get immediate help in the middle of the school day.

For your most urgent questions:

  • Use our live chat within your program.
  • Call our toll-free number: (800) 823-1969.

For less urgent questions:

Email support

Contact your Arkansas representative:

Portrait of an elderly woman with white hair, smiling, wearing a black blazer against a light brown background.
Marty Pitts

Senior Account Executive
mpitts@amplify.com
(214) 945-5544

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Mark Ramos

Inside Account Executive
mramos@amplify.com
(737) 308-4822

What is Amplify CKLA?

Amplify CKLA is a core ELA program for grades PK–5 that delivers:

  • A unique research-based approach truly built on the Science of Reading.
  • A combination of explicit foundational skills with meaningful knowledge-building.
  • Embedded support and differentiation that gets all students reading grade-level texts together.
  • Opportunities for students to see the strengths and experiences that all people share while also celebrating each others’ unique identities and experiences.
A colorful rope diagram shows strands for language comprehension and word recognition, with images of reading and phonics materials near respective strands.

How does Amplify CKLA work?

Daily instruction

Grade PreK: Developmentally appropriate foundational knowledge

Our PreK program delivers developmentally appropriate instruction and activities that do more than lay the groundwork for foundational skills—they offer content knowledge, incorporating research that shows true literacy requires background knowledge in history, science, art, and literature. Amplify CKLA PreK easily fits into any class routine, with 45 minutes of interactive instruction designed to accommodate full-day or half-day schedules.

Grades K–2: Dedicated knowledge-building and explicit skills instruction
Every day, students in Grades K–2 complete one full lesson that explicitly and systematically builds foundational reading skills in the Skills Strand, as well as one full lesson that builds robust background knowledge to access complex text in the Knowledge Strand. Through learning in each of these strands, students develop the early literacy skills necessary to help them become confident readers and build the context to understand what they’re reading.

Grades 3–5: Integrated instruction
In Grades 3–5, Knowledge and Skills are integrated in one set of instructional materials. Lessons begin to combine skills and knowledge with increasingly complex texts, close reading, and a greater writing emphasis. Students can then use their skills to go on their own independent reading adventures.

Formative and summative assessments

A young boy in a light blue shirt writes in a notebook at his desk in a classroom, with other students working nearby.

Amplify CKLA features a progression of moment-by-moment assessments to benchmark assessments. Assessment and feedback give teachers the information they need to differentiate instruction effectively.

Checks for Understanding
Each lesson segment incorporates checks for understanding to increase engagement and to let teachers make real-time adjustments to their instruction.

Formative Assessment
Each lesson goal is tied to a formative assessment opportunity, allowing teachers to see which students need more support with a benchmark.

Mid- and End-of-Unit Assessments
Mid-Unit and End-of-Unit Assessments provide valuable information on the skills and content students have mastered. Digital end-of-unit assessments are available on a variety of platforms.

Benchmark and Placement Assessments
Benchmark and Placement Assessments help teachers set goals and monitor the growth of each student, providing a baseline at the beginning of the year and ensuring students are advancing toward grade-level objectives.

Download our CKLA Assessment Sampler

What makes Amplify CKLA different?

Integration with mCLASS DIBELS 8

Amplify CKLA is the only core ELA program that integrates with mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition.

The CKLA Connect feature matches your students with targeted CKLA lessons based on their mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition assessment data. In other words, it aligns your assessments more closely with your core curriculum while recommending effective differentiated instruction.

Download this guide to connecting mCLASS DIBELS 8 with Amplify CKLA

A digital dashboard displays lesson plans for CKLA Connect and a group labeled "Letter Sound Knowledge" with two students, showing progress and learning needs.

Built on the Science of Reading

Built out of the latest research in the Science of Reading, Amplify CKLA delivers explicit instruction in foundational knowledge in PreK, both foundational literacy skills (systematic phonics, decoding, and fluency) and background knowledge in grades K–2, and an integrated approach to explicit instruction in grades 3–5.

Review this Science of Reading toolkit to learn more about the Science of Reading best practices integrated throughout CKLA.

Explicit systematic skills instruction

Great reading instruction starts with helping kids develop great decoding skills. By building a solid foundation of phonological awareness and phonics, reading the words on the page becomes automatic so that comprehension and critical thinking can happen. Our instruction is supported by:

  • Step-by-step lessons with multisensory approaches, clear lesson objectives, and embedded formative assessments.
  • Decodable books and student readers with ebook and audiobook versions that feature interesting plots and relatable characters.
  • An engaging sound library with fun songs and videos that develop phonological awareness.
  • An interactive Vocab App featuring engaging activities with immediate feedback and automated, customized instruction based on student performance.

Coherent knowledge instruction

Students build grade-appropriate subject-area knowledge and vocabulary in history, science, literature, and the arts while learning to read, write, and think creatively and for themselves. Our instruction is supported by:

  • Knowledge builders that provide a quick overview of each domain with its key ideas.
  • Interactive Read-Alouds designed to build knowledge and vocabulary.
  • Content-rich anchor texts that support students as they tackle increasingly complex text and sharpen their analytical skills.
  • Social and emotional learning paired with lessons in civic responsibility.
Illustration montage featuring scenes of learning: a cartoon character with books, two people shoveling snow under the stars, and an astronaut on a lunar landscape, with educational interfaces.

Embedded differentiation for all learners

Amplify CKLA provides built-in differentiation strategies in every lesson for all students, including supports for English language learners and Standard English learners.

  • Access supports for ELLs: Integrated ELD supports in each lesson segment for English learners and Standard English learners are specific to students’ mastery of the lesson’s objectives.
  • Support and Challenge for all learners: Lessons include Support and Challenge suggestions that provide assistance or opportunities for more advanced work toward the goal of the lesson. These supports are suitable for all learners, including ELLs.
  • 30 minutes of Additional Support in every Skills lesson: In the Skills Strand, every lesson concludes with an Additional Support section of recommendations for 30 minutes of extended instruction and activities, directly aligned to the skills taught in the lesson to assist students who need more support in mastering the lesson’s objectives.
  • Intervention Toolkit: The Intervention Toolkit provides easy-to-use resources to assist teachers in filling gaps in students’ foundational skills. Teachers will find of hundreds of activities to support phonics, fluency, comprehension, handwriting, and other key skills.

Designated ELD with Language Studio

Amplify CKLA’s designated English Language Development (ELD) component—Language Studio—helps English learners preview and revisit key content within core instruction, building a foundation of academic vocabulary and background knowledge. Core instruction lessons include point-of-use supports for English learners and Support and Challenge strategies for all learners.

Young boy with his hands over his mouth, looking up in wonder, beside a diagram labeled "language studio" with educational elements.

This carefully developed program follows the CKLA Knowledge domains, previewing and reinforcing skills and content from core instruction using instruction specifically built for English learners. The program is also designed around frequent formative assessment, including assessment of language proficiency, giving you effective ways to guide and support your English learners.

Language Studio supports teachers and English learners through the following:

  • 30 minutes of instruction with lesson segments are carefully designed around Content Knowledge, Meaning Making, Language Development, Effective Expression, and Foundational Skills.
  • Every Language Studio lesson accompanies a core lesson, helping English learners deepen domain and academic vocabulary that will help them access core content.
  • Culminating tasks support core projects and target the same skills as primary instruction.

Writing emphasis with Writing Studio

With Writing Studio, students in Grades K-5 focus deeply on the three key text types informative, narrative, and opinion–while applying both the skills and knowledge from the core program.

Writing Studio supports students through:

  • Expanding on core writing instruction to develop analytical thinking through writing.
  • Lessons that focus on writing standards, providing intensive focus and application to strengthen skills.
  • Opportunities to apply knowledge in new contexts and deepen comprehension through writing.
  • Scaffolded writing projects to help all students find success within the stages of the writing process.
Covers of four "Writing Studio Teacher Guide" books for different grades, featuring educational icons in orange, purple, blue, and teal color schemes.

Writing Studio lessons:

  • Allow teachers to differentiate through Support and Challenge prompts for students at all levels, and Access Supports for ELLs.
  • Spark creativity with authentic writing projects that call on students to engage deeply with rich topics and sources.
  • Implement careful design and provide rubrics so that students’ writing skills can visibly grow throughout the year.

A culminating project in each grade asks students to apply their knowledge and understanding of text types and to select the appropriate text type for a final piece of writing.

Personalized practice with Boost Reading

Boost Reading is the student-driven skill practice program within CKLA, providing differentiated, digital instruction in both foundational skills and comprehension strategies. Because Boost Reading is built on the same approach to reading as CKLA, students are able to extend their learning from the core program further, at their own pace.

Amplify CKLA and Boost Reading reinforce each other through:

  • An aligned scope and sequence and instructional approach: In both programs, students get instruction and practice in phonological awareness and phonics, with the most common, least ambiguous spellings first.
  • Consistent vocabulary words: Many Amplify CKLA words are taught and practiced in Boost Reading vocabulary games.
  • Complementary texts: Fiction and nonfiction books within Boost Reading reinforce Amplify CKLA knowledge domains.
  • Seamless integrations between platforms: Students can easily access Boost Reading directly from the Amplify CKLA Student Hub.
Educational website interface showing icons for theater, sounds, library, and activities with a greeting "hello student!" and a grade level indicator.

Ready-to-go slides and all-in-one platform

The slides-based Amplify CKLA digital experience enhances instruction while saving you time. Everything you need is all in one place, making it easier than ever to plan lessons, present digital content, and review student work.

  • Simplify planning and instruction: Teachers have access to ready-to-use and customizable lesson presentation slides, complete with all the prompts from the print Teacher Guide embedded in the teacher view. As teachers deliver each lesson, students can engage with the content in one cohesive
    experience—through Activity Books, slides, digital components, videos, Student Readers, and more.
  • Interactive student activities: Through the Student Home, students can easily access digital lessons with slides, Activity Pages, ebooks, videos, and other interactive resources from one simple dashboard.
  • Your teacher command center: You’re provided with the tools you need to ensure a productive digital experience that’s personalized to meet your students’ needs. This includes a teacher home from which to launch and track lessons, LMS integrations such as Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams, and other customizations based on classroom needs.
  • Get real-time insights into your students’ work: The innovative live review tool enables you to keep an eye on students drawing, recording audio, uploading and capturing images, and typing or writing in pre-placed text boxes in their Activity Pages.

Navigating the program

Digital navigation walkthrough

Physical materials walkthrough

Sample materials

Knowledge Strand:

Skills Strand:

Knowledge Strand:

Skills Strand:

Integrated Strand

Demo access

A laptop screen displays the Amplify login page with options to log in using Google, Clever, Amplify, QR code, or District SSO. Help and sign-up links are also visible.

Follow the instructions below to access your demo account.

  • Click the CKLA Demo button below.         s1.mcps2024@demo.tryamplify.net
    • Enter the password: Amplify1-mcps2024
    • Click the desired program on the left side of the page.

Additional resources

Amplify CKLA review resources:

What is Amplify CKLA?

Amplify CKLA is a core ELA program for grades TK–5 that delivers:

  • A unique research-based approach truly built on the Science of Reading.
  • A combination of explicit foundational skills with meaningful knowledge-building.
  • Embedded support and differentiation that gets all students reading grade-level texts together.
  • Opportunities for students to see the strengths and experiences that all people share while also celebrating each others’ unique identities and experiences.
  • Authentic Spanish language arts instruction with Amplify Caminos.
A visual diagram shows strands for language comprehension and word recognition skills intertwining, with related educational materials pictured alongside each set of skills.

How does Amplify CKLA work?

Grades K–2: Dedicated knowledge-building and explicit skills instruction
Every day, students in Grades K–2 complete one full lesson that explicitly and systematically builds foundational reading skills in the Skills Strand, as well as one full lesson that builds robust background knowledge to access complex text in the Knowledge Strand. Through learning in each of these strands, students develop the early literacy skills necessary to help them become confident readers and build the context to understand what they’re reading.

Grades 3–5: Integrated instruction
In Grades 3–5, Knowledge and Skills are integrated in one set of instructional materials. Lessons begin to combine skills and knowledge with increasingly complex texts, close reading, and a greater writing emphasis. Students can then use their skills to go on their own independent reading adventures.

What makes Amplify CKLA different?

Built on the Science of Reading

Built out of the latest research in the Science of Reading, Amplify CKLA delivers explicit instruction in both foundational literacy skills (systematic phonics, decoding, and fluency) and background knowledge in grades K–2 with an integrated approach to explicit instruction in grades 3–5.

Review this Science of Reading toolkit to learn more about the Science of Reading best practices integrated throughout CKLA.

Explicit systematic skills instruction

Great reading instruction starts with helping kids develop great decoding skills. By building a solid foundation of phonological awareness and phonics, reading the words on the page becomes automatic so that comprehension and critical thinking can happen. Our instruction is supported by:

  • Step-by-step lessons with multisensory approaches, clear lesson objectives, and embedded formative assessments.
  • Decodable books and student readers with ebook and audiobook versions that feature interesting plots and relatable characters.
  • An engaging sound library with fun songs and videos that develop phonological awareness.
  • An interactive Vocab App featuring engaging activities with immediate feedback and automated, customized instruction based on student performance.

Coherent knowledge instruction

Students build grade-appropriate subject-area knowledge and vocabulary in history, science, literature, and the arts while learning to read, write, and think creatively and for themselves. Our instruction is supported by:

  • Knowledge builders that provide a quick overview of each domain with its key ideas.
  • Interactive Read-Alouds designed to build knowledge and vocabulary.
  • Content-rich anchor texts that support students as they tackle increasingly complex text and sharpen their analytical skills.
  • Social and emotional learning paired with lessons in civic responsibility.
Illustration montage featuring scenes of learning: a cartoon character with books, two people shoveling snow under the stars, and an astronaut on a lunar landscape, with educational interfaces.

Embedded differentiation for all learners

Amplify CKLA provides built-in differentiation strategies in every lesson for all students, including supports for English learners and Standard English learners.

  • Access supports for ELs: Integrated ELD supports in each lesson segment
    for English learners and Standard English learners are specific to students’ mastery of the lesson’s objectives.
  • Support and Challenge for all learners: Lessons include Support and Challenge suggestions that provide assistance or opportunities for more advanced work toward the goal of the lesson. These supports are suitable for all learners, including ELs.
  • 30 minutes of Additional Support in every Skills lesson: In the Skills Strand, every lesson concludes with an Additional Support section of recommendations for 30 minutes of extended instruction and activities, directly aligned to the skills taught in the lesson to assist students who need more support in mastering the lesson’s objectives.
  • Intervention Toolkit: The Intervention Toolkit provides easy-to-use resources to assist teachers in filling gaps in students’ foundational skills. Teachers will find of hundreds of activities to support phonics, fluency, comprehension, handwriting, and other key skills.

Designated ELD

Amplify CKLA’s designated English Language Development (ELD) component—Language Studio— helps English learners preview and revisit key content within core instruction, building a foundation of academic vocabulary and background knowledge. Core instruction lessons include point-of-use supports for English learners and Support and Challenge strategies for all learners.

Young boy with his hands over his mouth, looking up in wonder, beside a diagram labeled

Built on the California ELA/ELD Framework, our carefully developed program follows the CKLA Knowledge domains, previewing and reinforcing skills and content from core instruction using instruction specifically built for English learners. The program is also designed around frequent formative assessment, including assessment of language proficiency, giving you effective ways to guide and support your English learners.

Language Studio supports teachers and English learners through the following:

  • 30 minutes of instruction with lesson segments are carefully designed around Content Knowledge, Meaning Making, Language Development, Effective Expression, and Foundational Skills.
  • Every Language Studio lesson accompanies a core lesson, helping English learners deepen domain and academic vocabulary that will help them access core content.
  • Culminating tasks support core projects and target the same skills as primary instruction.

Ready-to-go slides and all-in-one platform

The slides-based Amplify CKLA digital experience enhances instruction while saving you time. Everything you need is all in one place, making it easier than ever to plan lessons, present digital content, and review student work.

  • Simplify planning and instruction: Teachers have access to ready-to-use and customizable lesson presentation slides, complete with all the prompts from the print Teacher Guide embedded in the teacher view. As teachers deliver each lesson, students can engage with the content in one cohesive
    experience—through Activity Books, slides, digital components, videos, Student Readers, and more.
  • Interactive student activities: Through the Student Home, students can easily access digital lessons with slides, Activity Pages, ebooks, videos, and other interactive resources from one simple dashboard.
  • Your teacher command center: You’re provided with the tools you need to ensure a productive digital experience that’s personalized to meet your students’ needs. This includes a teacher home from which to launch and track lessons, LMS integrations such as Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams, and other customizations based on classroom needs.
  • Get real-time insights into your students’ work: The innovative live review tool enables you to keep an eye on students drawing, recording audio, uploading and capturing images, and typing or writing in pre-placed text boxes in their Activity Pages.

How does Amplify CKLA integrate with the other parts of the literacy system?

Amplify CKLA + mCLASS® with DIBELS® 8th Edition

Amplify CKLA integrates with your mCLASS assessment through the CKLA Connect feature, which matches your students with targeted CKLA lessons based on their mCLASS assessment data. In other words, it aligns your assessments more closely with your core curriculum while recommending effective differentiated instruction.

A digital dashboard shows lesson summaries for CKLA Connect and a group of two students focusing on letter sound knowledge and related activities.

Amplify CKLA + Amplify Reading

Amplify Reading is the student-driven skill practice program within CKLA, providing differentiated, digital instruction in both foundational skills and comprehension strategies. Because Amplify Reading is built on the same approach to reading as CKLA, students are able to extend their learning from the core program further, at their own pace.

Amplify CKLA and Amplify Reading reinforce each other through:

  • An aligned scope and sequence and instructional approach: In both probrams, students get instruction and practice in phonological awareness and phonics, with the most common, least ambiguous spellings first.
  • Consistent vocabulary words: Many Amplify CKLA words are taught and practiced in Amplify Reading vocabulary games.
  • Complementary texts: Fiction and nonfiction books within Amplify Reading reinforce Amplify CKLA knowledge domains.
  • Seamless integrations between platforms: Students can easily access Amplify Reading directly from the Amplify CKLA Student Hub.
Screenshot of the CKLA Hub interface showing options for Theater, Sounds, Library, and Activities, with a note indicating access to Amplify Reading.

Navigating the program

Digital navigation walkthrough

Physical materials walkthrough

Sample materials

Knowledge Strand:

Skills Strand:

Knowledge Strand:

Skills Strand:

Integrated Strand

Demo access

A laptop screen displays the Amplify login page with options to log in using Google, Clever, Amplify, QR code, or District SSO.

Follow the instructions below to access your demo account.

  • Click the CKLA and Caminos Demo button below.
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • To explore as a teacher, enter this username: t1.westadackla@demo.tryamplify.net
  • To explore as a student, enter this username: s1.westadackla@demo.tryamplify.net
  • Enter the password: Amplify1-westadackla
  • Click the Programs and apps menu
  • Select CKLA Teacher Resource Site
  • Select the desire grade level
  • Use the toggle to switch between English (CKLA) and Spanish (Caminos) resources.

Note: Your demo account access expires on January 19, 2023.

CKLA and Caminos Demo

Check out these additional resources

Amplify CKLA review resources:

Welcome, Ohio educators!

Thank you for taking the time to review Amplify’s CKLA resources for K–5.

Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts® (CKLA) is an effective core literacy resource for students in grades K–5 and is aligned to Ohio’s Rule for Phonics. CKLA was developed in partnership with the Core Knowledge Foundation and was specifically designed to help teachers implement proven evidence-based instructional practices.

Click here for correlations to the Ohio Learning Standards for English Language Arts.

Click here to view Amplify CKLA’s Alignment to Ohio’s “Shifting to the Science of Reading” Framework.

Illustration featuring diverse cultural and historical elements like an african woman, an egyptian sphinx, a space rocket, and urban and natural landscapes under a starry sky.

Recognized Quality

Amplify CKLA is one of only a few high-quality, knowledge-building literacy curricula recognized by the Knowledge Matters campaign. Our shared message: Background knowledge is essential to literacy and learning.

A diagram showing "Knowledge x Skills = Amplify CKLA," with Knowledge as language comprehension, Skills as word recognition, and Amplify CKLA as skilled reading. Knowledge Matters badge included.

Independently and rigorously reviewed

Amplify CKLA not only received an all-green rating from the rigorous evaluators at EdReports, but it was also recently recognized by the Knowledge Matters Campaign as a literacy program that excels in building knowledge.

Read our EdReports review Read our Knowledge Matters review

Intentional knowledge-building

The Science of Reading reveals knowledge as an essential pillar of reading comprehension and lifelong literacy. Hear from author Natalie Wexler and CKLA customers on edWebinar about the importance of knowledge-building in reading instruction.

Hear from Natalie Wexler edWebinar Links

Designed for Ohio

We know there are several different paths you can take when implementing a Science of Reading program in your district:

  • Prekindergarten
  • K-2 Core No Foundational Skills
  • K-2 Supplemental Foundational Skills
  • K-2 Core Comprehensive English Language Arts
  • 3-5 English Language Arts

To learn how Amplify CKLA supports each one of these paths, click here.

Una escena histórica muestra gente afuera de una gran mansión de estilo colonial con dos chimeneas. En primer plano se ve un carruaje tirado por caballos y a la izquierda se ve una casa más pequeña.
A man in a suit reads a book to a group of young children seated on a colorful rug in a classroom with a large clock displayed on a screen.

PreKindergarten

Amplify CKLA PreK easily fits into any class routine, with 45 minutes of interac…

A collection of colorful, spiral-bound and softcover educational books featuring illustrated covers arranged on a white surface.

K-2 Core No Foundational Skills

The most extensive and robust knowledge-building sequence that builds within and…

A collection of educational books, workbooks, flashcards, and teaching materials with red and white covers displayed on a white background.

K-2 Supplemental Foundational Skills

Amplify CKLA Skills is a comprehensive foundational skills program offering expl…

A collection of educational workbooks, activity books, and other printed learning materials arranged neatly on a white surface.

K-2 Core Comprehensive English Language Arts

In grades K–2, students complete one lesson that builds foundational reading ski…

A collection of educational books, workbooks, and cards displayed in front of a box labeled “Eureka!” with various illustrations and diagrams on the covers.

3-5 English Language Arts

In Amplify CKLA grades 3–5, lessons begin to combine skills and knowledge with i…

Program Overview

Amplify CKLA is a core ELA program for grades K–5 that delivers:

  • A unique research-based approach truly built on the Science of Reading.
  • A combination of explicit foundational skills with meaningful knowledge building.
  • Embedded support and differentiation that gets all students reading grade-level texts together.
  • Opportunities for students to see the strengths and experiences that all people share while also celebrating each others’ unique identities and experiences.
  • Authentic Spanish language arts instruction with Amplify Caminos.

Amplify CKLA for Grades K–2

After watching the K–2 video below, scroll down to learn even more, download resources, and access a demo.

Amplify CKLA for Grades 3–5

After watching the 3–5 video below, scroll down to learn even more, download resources, and access a demo.

How it works

Amplify CKLA teaches both foundational skills and background knowledge in K–2 and combines them in 3–5, as required by the science of reading.

  • In grades K–2, students complete one full lesson that builds foundational reading skills, as well as one full lesson that builds background knowledge.
  • In grades 3–5, student complete one integrated lesson that combines skills and knowledge with increasingly complex texts, close reading, and a greater writing emphasis.
Download CKLA Program Guide
A flowchart showing word recognition and language comprehension strands intertwining to form skilled reading, with progression labeled as increasingly automatic and strategic.

Rich topics

Amplify CKLA builds knowledge coherently across subjects and grades.

Students make connections from year-to-year by exploring grade-appropriate subject-area knowledge and vocabulary in history, science, literature, and the arts while learning to read, write, and think creatively and for themselves.

Illustration showing diverse cultural representations: two native american figures, a bear in a forest, and a medieval european woman, all set against colorful abstract backgrounds.

Units by grade

Take a closer look at the topics students explore.

New! Knowledge Research Units

Explore our newly added Knowledge Research units.

Skills by grade

Take a closer look at the skills students develop.

Diverse text

Amplify CKLA puts a variety of texts in the hands of students every day to build and strengthen background knowledge and vocabulary, listening and reading comprehension, and decoding and fluency skills.

More than that, we ensure the texts students read represent the world around them. With a diverse range of authors, topics, and characters, all students have ample access to both windows and mirrors. Our texts include:

  • authentic books.
  • authentic text passages.
  • student readers.
  • novel guides (grades 3–5).

Grade K Text List

Grade 1 Text List

Grade 2 Text List

Grade 3 Text List

Cartoon people of varied ages and backgrounds enjoy a city park; some play music, others relax or interact, with buildings and trees in the background.

Grade 4 Text List

A girl writes at her desk, imagining herself graduating in cap and gown, with a thought bubble showing her smiling and holding a diploma.

Grade 5 Text List

Aligned to LETRS and Orton Gillingham

Amplify CKLA aligns with the instructional principles recommended by Orton Gillingham and LETRS.

  • Structured–Concepts are taught through consistent routines
  • Sequential–Concepts are taught in a logical, well-planned sequence
  • Systematic–Phonemes are taught from simplest to most complex
  • Explicit–Decoding and encoding concepts are taught directly and explicitly
  • Multi-sensory–Instruction is delivered through visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile pathways
  • Cumulative–Concepts are applied in decodable, connected texts with constant review and reinforcement
Diagram showing parallel strands labeled with reading skills and knowledge merging together into a single twisted line labeled "Integration.

CKLA Skills sequence for K–2

Diagram showing parallel strands labeled with reading skills and knowledge merging together into a single twisted line labeled "Integration.

CKLA Skills sequence for 3–5

Universal access

We believe we have a responsibility to provide literacy instruction that gives every student the same opportunity to succeed and excel.

We know that early reading affects achievement throughout school and beyond—well into college and career. Yet most literacy programs continue to fall short of supporting early literacy success. That’s why we’re so proud that CKLA is helping close the reading gap between students within diverse communities.

A boy with glasses smiles while reading a book, with illustrated objects like a telescope, gourd, and cartoon insect in the background.
Un grupo de jóvenes estudiantes se sientan muy juntos y miran atentamente hacia arriba. Algunos de los niños visten atuendos coloridos, incluida una niña con un hijab azul. Parecen estar en un salón de clases.

Grades K–2: Supporting all learners

Un grupo de niños sentados alrededor de un escritorio, sonriendo y riendo mientras miran una computadora portátil. Un adulto está cerca y también sonríe.

Grades 3–5: Supporting all learners

Complete curriculum

A strong literacy program is not just about a reading program or an assessment tool: it brings together curriculum, instruction, regular practice, intervention, and assessments.

Amplify has brought these components together in our early literacy suite of curriculum, ensure that you have what you need for multi-tiered support.

Un adulto y un niño se sientan en una mesa y usan juntos una tableta. El adulto viste un top floral amarillo y el niño, vestido con un traje azul marino y blanco, señala la pantalla.

CKLA and mCLASS

CKLA connects to our comprehensive diagnostic universal screener called mCLASS.

Dos niñas están sentadas en una mesa, mirando juntas la pantalla de una computadora portátil en un salón de clases. Al fondo se ven estanterías con libros y materiales de clase.

CKLA and Boost Reading

CKLA connects to our adaptive reading practice program called Boost Reading.

Un grupo de niños sentados alrededor de un escritorio, sonriendo y riendo mientras miran una computadora portátil. Un adulto está cerca y también sonríe.

CKLA and Language Studio

CKLA aligns with Language Studio–our ELD companion program for grades K–5.

CKLA and Writing Studio

CKLA aligns with Writing Studio–our writing companion program for grades K–5.

Science of Reading Resources

Watching students learn to read: magic. Knowing how they get there: science.

As you consider your next core ELA program, it’s critically important to understand what the Science of Reading really means and what it tells us about how to teach more effectively. Unlike other programs, Amplify CKLA was built upon these insights and practices, making it easier for teachers to implement this proven approach.

Explore Science of Reading Handbook
A girl runs outdoors holding a kite with colorful ribbons labeled knowledge, vocabulary, sentences, connections, gist, sounds, letters, and words.

Access demo

Ready to explore on your own? Follow the instructions below to access your demo account.

Explore the CKLA Teacher Digital Site

First, watch the quick navigation video to the right. Then follow the directions below:

  • Click the CKLA Teacher Digital Site button
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter this username: t1.cklareviewohio@demo.tryamplify.net
  • Enter this password: Amplify1-cklareviewohio
  • Select the desired grade level
Access CKLA Teacher Digital Site

Explore the CKLA Student Digital Site

To access the student digital site follow the directions below:

  • Click the CKLA Student Digital Site button
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter this username: s1.cklareviewohio@demo.tryamplify.net
  • Enter this password: Amplify1-cklareviewohio
  • From the Home page, scroll down to the robot and “Click to go to the Hub“
  • From the Hub, click the Grade button to select the grade.
Access CKLA Student Digital Site

Screen and intervene faster with mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition: California SB 114 Approved

California educators, Amplify’s mCLASS Assessment Suite is one of three approved screeners in California for Reading Difficulties at K–2. 

mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition is an all-in-one system for Science of Reading-based reading difficulties screening, progress monitoring, and instruction for grades K-6. Amplify’s Spanish language assessment, mCLASS Lectura, works in tandem with DIBELS 8th Edition’s English assessments to help teachers understand where their Spanish-speaking students are in their English and Spanish literacy paths.

mCLASS_DyslexiaLP_M1

About the program

mCLASS offers teacher-administered assessment, intervention, and personalized instruction for grades K–6. Know exactly how to monitor and support every student in your classroom, with features like:

  • Precise one-minute measures based on over three decades of predictive data.
  • Reading difficulties screening in one tool.
  • Instruction that highlights observed patterns and recommends activities.
  • Robust reports for teachers, specialists, administrators, and parents.
A table shows class summary performance metrics in various literacy skills for beginning, middle, and end of the year, categorized into Well Below Benchmark, Below Benchmark, At Benchmark, and Above Benchmark.

The right measures at the right time

With mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition, you’ll assess students based on grade-specific curriculum and instructional standards, in accordance with SB 114 guidelines.

mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition offers one-minute, easy-to-administer measures of processing speed, phonological awareness, alphabetic principle, and word reading.

DIBELS® 8th Edition subtest alignment with SB 114
Screening AreamCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition MeasureGrade KGrade 1Grade 2Grade 3Grade 4–6
Rapid naming abilityLetter Naming Fluency (LNF)A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Phonological awarenessPhoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF)A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Alphabetic principleNonsense Word Fluency (NWF)A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Word readingWord Reading Fluency (WRF)A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
Word readingOral Reading Fluency (ORF)A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.
ComprehensionMazeA large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.A large, light peach-colored checkmark on a transparent background.

Validated as a universal screener

Strong reliability and validity evidence shows that DIBELS 8th Edition can effectively assess students in key skills linked reading difficulty. The research supporting DIBELS 8th Edition, conducted by the University of Oregon, is rigorous, meets high technical standards, and empowers educators to make well-informed decisions.

Read the DIBELS 8th Edition Dyslexia White Paper.

A document cover titled "Dyslexia Screening and DIBELS 8th Edition" by Christopher Ives, Gina Biancarosa, Hank Fien, and Patrick Kennedy from the University of Oregon College of Education. The cover has a PDF icon.

A complete system for data-based decision making

A circular flowchart with images of people tutoring, a line graph, a report card, and a score indicating "Composite Goal 330, Well Below" at the center.

mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition provides rich data that helps you make informed instructional decisions and seek out further dyslexia screening evaluation if needed:

  1. Assess skills: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and additional measures in Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN), Spelling, Vocabulary, and Oral Language accurately assess students’ abilities.
  2. Identify risk: The DIBELS 8 composite score shows each student’s risk level, with ‘Well Below Benchmark’ indicating a need for intensive support. Students who are also ‘Well Below Benchmark’ in RAN and/or Spelling have an additional Risk Indicator icon next to their name.
  3. Provide instruction: The mCLASS Instruction feature analyzes student error patterns to key dyslexia-related subtests, then recommends small groups and explicit, multi-sensory activities for reinforcing skills.
  4. Progress monitor: mCLASS includes progress-monitoring measures to track student growth in letter sounds, alphabetic principle, word reading, oral reading fluency, and comprehension, so that informed instructional decisions can be made.
  5. Adapt instruction: mCLASS displays indicators based on progress monitoring performance that indicate when a change in instruction may be needed. It also updates instruction recommendations using the latest data.

Differentiated literacy instruction

mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition lays the groundwork for a strong Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS).

In addition to identifying students with symptoms of dyslexia, mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition data recommends early intervention, personalized instruction, and core instruction within Amplify’s early literacy suite. Based on the Science of Reading, Amplify’s early literacy suite programs follow an explicit and systematic structure, build knowledge, and instruct on all of the foundational skills essential to literacy development.

Diagram showcasing "Science of Reading Skill Development" with three branches: "Universal and Dyslexia screening," "Core instruction," "Personalized learning," and "Intervention," with accompanying photos of people interacting.

Bilingual dyslexia screening

By assessing with mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and its Spanish counterpart, mCLASS Lectura, you’ll know with confidence whether a student truly shows signs of reading difficulties or is experiencing difficulties learning a new language.

When used together, mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura feature a Dual Language Report that analyzes screening results in both languages. The report also details how each student can leverage their strengths from one language to support growth in the other.

Student named Marisol Mejía is shown with her English and Spanish literacy scores. English scores are mostly Well Below and Below benchmark; Spanish scores are mostly at Benchmark except for one below.

Equal skill coverage in English and Spanish

Screening areas English measure Spanish measure Description*
Letter Naming and RAN Letter Naming Fluency (LNF) Fluidez en nombrar letras (FNL) Grades K–1: Naming letters in print. 1 minute, 1:1 administration.
Phonological Awareness
(Segmentation)		 Phonemic Segmentation Fluency (PSF) Fluidez en la segmentación de sílabas (FSF) & Fluidez en la segmentación de fonemas (FSF) Grades K–1: Hearing and using sounds or syllables in spoken words. 1 minute, 1:1 administration.
Phonological awareness (Elision)   ¿Qué queda? (QQ) Grades K–2: Produce the part of a word that remains after deleting a syllable or phoneme. 1 minute, 1:1 administration.
Letter-Sound Knowledge Nonsense Word Fluency Correct Letter Sounds (NWF-CLS) Fluidez en los sonidos de letras (FSL) English: Grades K–3: Identify letter-sound correspondences in the context of pseudo-words. Spanish: Grades K-1: Identify letter-sounds in isolation. 1 minute, 1:1 administration.
Letter-Sound Knowledge (Receptive)   Fluidez en los sonidos de las letras K-Inicio (FSL K-Inicio) Grade K: Identify (point to) which letter makes a certain sound. Untimed, 1:1 administration
Decoding Nonsense Word Fluency Words Recoded Correctly (NWF-WRC) Fluidez en los sonidos de las sílabas (LSS) English: Grades K–3: Decode orthographically regular pseudo-words
Spanish: Grades K-1: Decode orthographically regular syllables 1 minute, 1:1 administration
Word Reading Word-Reading Fluency (WRF) Fluidez en la lectura de palabras (FEP) Grades K–3: Reading common words easily, quickly and correctly.1 minute, 1:1 administration.
Fluency Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) Fluidez en la lectura oral (FLO) Grades 1–6: Reading connected text with accuracy and automaticity. 1 minute, 1:1 administration.
Reading Comprehension Maze ¿Cuál palabra? (CP) Grades 2–6:  Understanding meaning from texts. 3 minutes, group administration.
Vocabulary Vocabulary Vocabulario Grades K–3: Knowledge of grade-specific words. 15 minutes, group administration.
Encoding Spelling Ortografía Grades K–3: Arranging letters correctly to spell words with grade appropriate features
15 minutes, group administration.
RAN (Numbers) Rapid Automatized Naming – Grades K–3: Correctly and quickly naming visual symbols, such as numbers. 3-4 minutes, 1:1 administration.
Language Comprehension Oral Language Lenguaje oral Grades K–2: Demonstrate the ability to use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts. 5 minutes, 1:1 administration.

*Students can be assessed using off-grade measures when information on specific skills is needed.

Dyslexia resources for families

Families play a crucial role in helping children overcome reading challenges. mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura provide a Home Connect letter after each screening to explain the results in family-friendly language, recommend activities, and direct families to a free website for additional at-home support.

A woman helps a young girl work on a computer in a classroom setting. Both are smiling and focused on the screen. Background has soft shapes in yellow and blue.

Developmentally appropriate

Computer-based assessments that require students to complete tasks silently or independently may over-identify students for intervention services, especially young learners who are still developing focus and attention abilities.

mCLASS requires students to actively demonstrate their proficiency in producing letter sounds, forming words, and reading texts. This approach to assessment aligns with the California Reading Difficulties Risk Screener Selection Panel (RDRSSP) guidelines for effective screening of reading challenges. By choosing mCLASS for reading difficulties screening, you’ll gain accurate information about a student’s risk for dyslexia, and gain the capability to monitor every student’s path to reading proficiency.

Additional resources

Demo access

Please watch the navigation video for a short overview of the mClass platform, and reach out to your Amplify Account Executive (contact information below) for demo access credentials.

Questions?

Looking to speak directly with your local representative?
Get in touch with a California team member to learn more about our early literacy suite or request a demo account.

Erin King
Sales Director, CA
(512) 736-3162
eking@amplify.com

NORTHERN CA
Wendy Garcia
Senior Account Executive
(510) 368-7666
wgarcia@amplify.com

BAY AREA
Lisa Marinovich
Senior Account Executive
(831) 461-4187
lmarinovich@amplify.com

CENTRAL VALLEY and CENTRAL COAST
Demitri Gonos
Senior Account Executive
(559) 355-3244
dgonos@amplify.com

VENTURA and L.A. COUNTY
Jeff Sorenson
Associate Account Executive
(310) 902-1407
jsorenson@amplify.com

ORANGE and L.A. COUNTY
Lauren Sherman
Senior Account Executive
(949) 397-5766
lsherman@amplify.com

SAN BERNARDINO and L.A. COUNTY
Michael Gruber
Senior Account Executive
(951) 520-6542
migruber@amplify.com

RIVERSIDE and L.A. COUNTY
Erin King
Sales Director, CA
(512) 673-8526
eking@amplify.com

SAN DIEGO COUNTY
Kirk Van Wagoner
Senior Account Executive
(760) 696-0709
kvanwagoner@amplify.com

BUTTE, DEL NORTE, HUMBOLDT, and SHASTA COUNTY

DISTRICTS UNDER 2250 ENROLLMENT

Kevin Mauser

Lead Account Executive

(815) 534-0148

kmauser@amplify.com

Texas State Reviewers: Welcome to Amplify Desmos Math Texas!

Thank you for taking the time to review Amplify Desmos Math Texas K–5.  This site provides the login steps and tools you need to review the program.

Watch this short introductory video to help you navigate the Amplify Desmos Math Texas K-5 platform.  Then, use the login credentials below to start your online review. 

The helpful Navigation Tool-Title Lists with live links and other documents to guide your review can be found below as well.  

Three people engage in a painting project indoors, with one holding a fraction card and others painting the walls and floor. A tree and math symbols are in the background.

Login credentials:

Login page for Amplify with options to log in via Google, Clever, Amplify, QR code, or District SSO. A "Help" button and illustrated design elements are also visible.

Step 1

Go to learning.amplify.com and select Login with Amplify.

Enter the username and password:

Username: t.txmathk5@tryamplify.net
Password: AmplifyNumber1

Step 2

Select Amplify Desmos Math in Your Programs.

Educational dashboard showing a welcome message to "Educator K-5 Review," highlighting "Amplify Desmos Math" as a recommended program, with a paper airplane and quick links section.

Step 3

Once you’re in the program, select a grade level to explore the digital curriculum.

Navigation video

View this short introductory video to help you navigate the Amplify Desmos Math Texas K-5 platform.

Navigation Tool – Title Lists

Tip:  Be sure you’re logged into the Amplify Desmos Math platform (steps above) before clicking on the links in these documents.

New content – Quality rubric 1.1a

If approved, this proposed content will be added as a Paper Resource on the Course-level tile on Amplify Desmos Math Texas and on the Caregiver Hub as an additional home resource.

New content – Quality rubric 2.1c

If approved, these two pages will be added to the front matter of the Assessment Resource teacher ancillary.

New content – Grade 4

Citations for Upper Limit TEKS in K-5 Mathematics

Proposed changes to address the upper limit TEKS breakouts can be found at the link above. The notes for each citation indicate where the new content will exist, once approved.

Components List

Access the full list of components for Amplify Desmos Math Texas K-5.

Center Resources and Kits

Access a description and ISBN’s for the K-5 Center Resources and Kits.

Manipulative Kits List

Access the full list of contents for each K-5 Amplify Desmos Math Texas Manipulative Kit.

Welcome, Salem-Keizer School District, to the next chapter in the Science of Reading, with Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition!

Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts® (CKLA) is approved by the Oregon Department of Education. 

Truly built on the Science of Reading, Amplify CKLA helps Oregon teachers implement the Oregon English Language Arts and Literacy Standards by translating the science of reading into manageable, engaging, and effective classroom practices. For more than a decade, Amplify CKLA has transformed classrooms nationwide with its intentional knowledge building and systematic skills instruction.

Scroll down to learn how CKLA is uniquely designed to help all your students make learning leaps in literacy.

Download CKLA Program Guide
An astronaut floats in space near the Moon, with a speech bubble displaying

Our approach

Improve outcomes with a program that’s built on a decade of research and meets the strongest ESSA Tier I criteria.

Diagram illustrating the Simple View of Reading model, depicting language comprehension and word recognition pathways converging into skilled reading, with processes becoming increasingly strategic and automatic—a foundational concept in literacy curriculum for elementary education.

Grounded in the Science of Reading

As the original Science of Reading program, Amplify CKLA puts research into action with explicit, systematic foundational skills instruction and a proven knowledge-building sequence. In collaboration with education experts and practitioners, we provide powerful resources that deliver real results.

Success stories

Background knowledge drives results

Amplify CKLA follows the Core Knowledge Sequence, a content-specific, cumulative, and coherent approach to knowledge building. This approach improves reading scores and closes achievement gaps by establishing a robust knowledge base that strengthens comprehension.

In Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition, we’ve enriched our Knowledge Sequence with a wider range of perspectives and high-quality texts in new and enhanced units.

See units and connections
An illustrated person in a yellow shirt looks at a colorful map of Puerto Rico. Above them are two educational posters about world geography and animals, integrating elements from the k–5 literacy curriculum to enhance learning experiences.
An infographic showing the steps to pronounce

Build foundational skills for long-term success.

Students progress from simple to complex skill development starting with phonological and phonemic awareness. Instruction in Grades K–2 explicitly teaches the 150 spellings for the 44 sounds of English, following an intentional progression to ensure student success.

In our 3rd Edition, we’ve added dedicated Grade 3 foundational skills instruction that can either support core lessons or function as an intervention, based on student needs.

Skills by year

Daily writing deepens learning.

Grounded in the Science of Writing—the research on how kids learn to write—instruction is explicit, daily, and woven into the curriculum’s rich content. It covers both transcription (handwriting and spelling) and composition (organizing ideas into narratives) with high-impact activities like sentence-level combining and expanding, and pre-writing exercises. Writing and reading instruction are integrated so students simultaneously strengthen their communication skills, comprehension, and confidence.

See the Simple View of Writing
A child in a green shirt smiles while writing in a notebook at a classroom desk, engaged in their k–5 literacy curriculum, with another student visible in the background.
An open laptop displaying a children's story titled

High-quality, diverse texts

Amplify CKLA students are immersed in a variety of texts—complex read-alouds, decodable chapter books, trade books, and content-rich readers—that reflect varied experiences and connect to learning goals.

Readers are 100% decodable for Grades K–2, empowering students to directly apply what they’ve learned. Novel Study units for Grades 3–5 offer a mix of contemporary and classic literature, and Culminating Research Units in every grade include a set of authentic texts and trade books.

See Research Unit trade books

Reach all learners with differentiated support.

Scaffolds and challenges, developed in collaboration with education experts, make content accessible to every student—including multilingual and English learners. With strategies embedded right in the curriculum, teachers can deliver in-the-moment, individualized instruction to meet diverse student needs.

For a dedicated English language development program aligned to Amplify CKLA, explore Language Studio.

View embedded support
Children sit on the floor in a classroom, some raising their hands, smiling and engaged. The lively atmosphere reflects the effectiveness of the k–5 literacy curriculum being implemented.

What’s included with Amplify CKLA

The comprehensive resources in Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition support effective literacy instruction in every classroom.

Download CKLA Components Guide
Download CKLA Writing Brochure
Image of a laptop displaying an assessment report, surrounded by books about astronomy, an illustration of the moon, and a
Various educational materials, including textbooks, workbooks, a picture book, documents, and a laptop displaying a slide titled

Easy-to-use teacher materials

Amplify CKLA teachers are empowered to deliver effective instruction with the following print and digital resources:

  • Teacher Guides (K–5)
  • Assessment Guides (K–5)
  • Authentic texts and trade books (K–5)
  • Knowledge Image Cards (K–2)
  • Knowledge Flip Books (K–2, digital)
  • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens (K–5, digital)
  • Remediation and intervention resources (K–5)
  • On-demand professional development (K–5, digital)

Immersive Amplify CKLA student resources

Amplify CKLA students stay engaged with the following print and digital resources:

  • Decodable readers (K–2)
  • Student Readers and novels (3–5)
  • Student Activity Books (K–5)
  • Poet’s Journal (3–5)
  • eReaders (K–5, digital)
  • Sound Library featuring articulation videos and songs (K–2, digital)
  • Skill-building practice games (K–5)
An open laptop displaying a poem and a person, alongside two educational booklets and a green butterfly, depicts the essence of a rich core knowledge language arts curriculum. The background includes simple graphic elements enhancing the scene.
A collection of six book covers including

Rich literary experiences

All the high-quality, diverse texts in Amplify CKLA connect to the curriculum, fostering your students’ curiosity and helping them learn to read with confidence.

  • Trade Book Collections (K–5) inspire student research in each grade’s Culminating Research Unit.
  • Classic and contemporary literature (3–5) delight students in Novel Study Units.
  • Increasingly complex Student Readers (K–5) develop students’ literacy across grades.

Hands-on phonics materials

Multisensory phonics and foundational skills resources engage students with fun, varied approaches that promote mastery and build independence.

  • Chaining Folders and Small Letter Cards (K)
  • Read-Aloud Big Books (K–1)
  • Large Letter Cards (K–2)
  • Sound Cards (K–2)
  • Image Cards (K–3)
  • Blending Picture Cards (K)
  • Consonant and Vowel Code Posters and Spelling Cards (1–2)
  • Sound Library (K–2, digital)
Image includes various vowel sounds and combinations on flashcards and worksheets, along with a playful illustrated mammal, all part of a comprehensive literacy curriculum for elementary students.
A laptop displays a student screen showing a quiz question about word usage, part of a literacy curriculum for elementary students. Behind it, a computer monitor shows an assessment report interface. Abstract decorative elements are in the background.

All-in-one digital platform

Our comprehensive platform simplifies your day-to-day tasks and makes it easier to plan and deliver lessons.

  • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens
  • Auto-scored digital assessments
  • Standards-based reporting
  • Assignable skill-building games
  • Sound Library
  • eReaders

Professional development

Move beyond traditional program training with Amplify’s digital PD Library, designed to fully support your shift to the Science of Reading and Amplify CKLA. Deepen your understanding with:

  • Program and planning resources
  • Model lesson videos from real classrooms
  • Guidance on using Amplify’s literacy suite to provide multi-tiered support
Two women are seated at a table with papers and a laptop. One woman is working on the literacy curriculum for elementary grades, while the other is smiling.
“Teachers love the ease of implementing the program, and students have fun while learning. Growth is evident in our data, and we have the support of Amplify experts who are available to answer questions and provide top-notch professional development.”

Bridget Vaughan, District K–8 Coordinator of ELA and Literacy

Quincy Public Schools, Massachusetts

Language Studio: Multilingual and English language learner support

Language Studio is Amplify CKLA’s dedicated K–5 program for multilingual and English language learners. Through daily 30-minute lessons, it strengthens reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills while reinforcing core instruction. This tailored support empowers students to confidently access grade-level content as they develop academic English.

A young girl immerses herself in the science of reading at a classroom desk, surrounded by peers and diverse educational materials.

Curriculum Maps

Amplify CKLA serves

150,000+

Classrooms

4,000,000+

Students

50

U.S. States and D.C.

Amplify Caminos program overview

¡El futuro es bilingüe! | The future is bilingual!

Amplify Caminos is a research-based core curriculum essential for Spanish literacy and grounded in the Science of Reading.

View our Caminos Program Guide to find our approach to foundational skills by year, skills practice with student readers and writing, and how Caminos supports teachers meeting the needs of all students with embedded differentiation.

Download Caminos Program Guide

Amplify Caminos offers a robust and authentic elementary Spanish language arts program for grades K–5 that promotes
biliteracy and helps teachers inspire students as they become confident readers, writers, and thinkers in Spanish.

Amplify Caminos offers a robust and authentic elementary Spanish language arts program for grades K–5 that promotes
biliteracy and helps teachers inspire students as they become confident readers, writers, and thinkers in Spanish.

View the video below to learn more about Amplify Caminos. 

Ilustración de un niño alegre participando en el programa de lectura de CKLA, jugando fútbol junto a un libro abierto, con una tortuga, un loro y un exuberante paisaje tropical rodeándolos. La palabra "

Using the program’s two strands, Caminos Conocimiento and Caminos Lectoescritura, teachers develop student
comprehension in Spanish through a program rich in background knowledge and foundational skills activities. The texts students encounter include authentic Spanish literature that honor Spanish language development and build diverse content knowledge in social studies, science, literature, and the arts.

Amplify Caminos is designed to support a variety of bilingual and dual language instructional models to meet your student’s biliteracy needs. Combined with its English language partner, Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA), Amplify Caminos provides a comprehensive biliteracy solution.

Illustration of the amplify caminos language comprehension model, featuring step-by-step progression from simple word recognition to skilled reading, with educational graphics and text excerpts.

Amplify Caminos delivers rich, authentic experiences.

With a robust digital experience and expanding library of online materials, Amplify Caminos provides everything needed to support, challenge, and engage your students. From digital Teacher Guides to lesson projectables, we provide all the tools needed to successfully deliver every lesson.

How Amplify Caminos works with Amplify CKLA

Through direct instruction, both Amplify Caminos and Amplify CKLA develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in their respective languages. Together, the programs empower educators to effectively foster biliteracy with:

  • Intentional knowledge building that connects topics throughout the program.
  • Increased metalinguistic awareness from students exploring the similarities and differences in each language while strengthening their knowledge across both.
  • Equitable instruction using high-quality Spanish and English decodable readers that provide students with opportunities to apply skills learned, and foster each students’ growing competency in reading.
“There were other programs that claimed to be [based on the] Science of Reading, but no other vendor provided the suite of products together. We did not want to be picking from here, picking from there. [Amplify’s literacy suite] met our needs, because it aligned and provided us the best suite of products, hands down.”

Nicole Peterson, Principal, Midway Middle School

Sampson County Schools, North Carolina

Demo Access

Explore the CKLA Teacher Digital Resources

First, watch the quick navigation video to the right. Then, follow the directions below.

  • Go to: learning.amplify.com or click the Access CKLA Teacher Digital button below
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter this username: t1.salem_keizer_3e_cam@demo.tryamplify.net
  • Enter this password: Amplify1-salem_keizer_3e_cam
  • Click the CKLA button
  • Select your desired grade level from the Program drop down
Access CKLA Teacher Digital

Follow the directions below to access the Student Resource Site:

  • Go to: learning.amplify.com or click the Access CKLA Student Digital button below
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter this username: s1.salem_keizer_3e_cam@demo.tryamplify.net
  • Enter this password: Amplify1-salem_keizer_3e_cam
  • From the main page, click the backpack in the top right corner.
  • Click on the grade level to select your desired grade.
Access CKLA Student Digital

Inspiring the next generation of Oklahoma scientists, engineers, and curious citizens

Amplify Science is an engaging new core curriculum designed for three-dimensional, phenomena-based learning.

A powerful partnership

Amplify Science was developed by the science education experts at UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science and the digital learning team at Amplify.

Our Instructional Model

The Amplify Science program is rooted in the proven, research-based pedagogy of Do, Talk, Read, Write, Visualize. Here’s how each element works:

DO
First-hand investigations are an important part of any science classroom, and Amplify Science has students getting hands-on in every unit, from building models of protein molecules to experimenting with electrical systems.

TALK
Student-to-student discourse and full class discussions are an integral part of the program. Students are provided with numerous opportunities to engage in meaningful oral scientific argumentation, all while fostering a collaborative classroom environment.

READ
Students read scientific articles, focusing their reading activities on searching for evidence related to their investigation, and importantly, on asking and recording questions as they read through fascinating texts on 21st-century topics.

WRITE
Following real-world practices, students write scientific arguments based on evidence they’ve collected, making clear their reasoning about how a given piece of evidence connects to one of several claims.

VISUALIZE
By manipulating digital simulations and using modeling tools to craft visualizations of their thinking— just as real scientists and engineers do—students take their learning far beyond the confines of what they can physically see in the classroom in an exciting and authentic way.

Resources to support your review

Remote and hybrid learning supports

Oklahoma remote and hybrid overview video

Amplify has launched a new remote learning solution called Amplify Science@Home. Intended to make extended remote learning and hybrid learning easier, Amplify Science@Home includes two useful options for continuing instruction: @Home Videos and @Home Units. 

Amplify Science @Home Videos are recordings of real Amplify Science teachers teaching the lessons. For those teachers who are unable to meet synchronously with their students, the recorded lessons are a great way to keep their students on track and engaged with Amplify Science while at home. These videos will be produced for all K–5 units, and for the first four units of each 6–8 grade level. Their release will be rolling, beginning in August.   

Amplify Science@Home Units are modified versions of Amplify Science units, strategically designed to highlight key activities from the program. The @Home Units take significantly less instructional time than the complete Amplify Science program and allow students to engage with science at home. @Home Units will be developed for all Amplify Science K–8 units. Each @Home unit includes:

  • Teacher overviews explaining how to use the materials, including suggestions for enhancing the @Home Units if synchronous learning or in-class time with students is available.
  • Overviews to send home to families.

Student materials are available in two formats:

  • @Home Slides (PDF/PPT) + Student Sheets (PDF) for students with access to technology at home.
  • Downloadable @Home Packets (PDF) for students without access to technology at home.

Download the Remote and hybrid learning guide.

What’s included

Flexible resources that work seamlessly together

Science articles
The middle school science articles serve as sources for evidence collection and were authored by science and literacy experts at the Lawrence Hall of Science.

Student Investigation Notebooks
Available for every unit, the Student Investigation Notebooks provide space for students to:

  • Record data
  • Reflect on ideas from texts and investigations
  • Construct explanations and arguments

Available with full-color article compilations for middle school units.

Digital student experience
Students access the digital simulations and modeling tools, as well as lesson activities and assessments, through the digital student experience. Students can interact with the digital student experience as they:

  • Conduct hands-on investigations
  • Engage in active reading and writing activities
  • Participate in discussions
  • Record observations
  • Craft end-of-unit scientific arguments

Teacher’s Guides
Available digitally and in print, the Teacher’s Guides contain all of the information teachers need to facilitate classroom instruction, including:

  • Classroom Slides
  • Detailed lesson plans
  • Unit and chapter overview documentation
  • Differentiation strategies
  • Standards alignments
  • In-context professional development

Hands-on materials kits
Hands-on learning is at the heart of Amplify Science. Each unit kit contains:

  • Consumable and non-consumable hands-on materials
  • Print classroom display materials
  • Premium print materials for student use (sorting cards, maps, etc.)

Scope and sequence

GRADE
UNIT
Kindergarten
  • Needs of Plants and Animals
  • Pushes and Pulls
  • Sunlight and Water
Grade 1 
  • Animal and Plant Defenses
  • Light and Sound
  • Spinning Earth
Grade 2 
  • Plant and Animal Relationships
  • Properties of Materials
  • Changing Landforms
Grade 3 
  • Balancing Forces
  • Inheritance and Traits
  • Environments and Survival
  • Weather and Climate
Grade 4 
  • Energy Conversions
  • Vision and Light
  • Earth’s Features
  • Waves, Energy, and Information
Grade 5 
  • Patterns of Earth and Sky
  • Modeling Matter
  • The Earth System
  • Ecosystem Restoration
Grade
Units

Grade 6
  • Launch: Microbiome
  • Metabolism
  • Metabolism Engineering Internship
  • Thermal Energy
  • Plate Motion
  • Plate Motion Engineering Internship
  • Rock Transformations
  • Weather Patterns
  • Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate

Grade 7
  • Launch: Harnessing Human Energy
  • Phase Change
  • Phase Change Engineering Internship
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Earth’s Changing Climate
  • Earth’s Changing Climate Engineering Internship
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Populations and Resources
  • Matter and Energy in Ecosystems

Grade 8
  • Launch: Geology on Mars
  • Earth, Moon, and Sun
  • Light Waves
  • Force and Motion
  • Force and Motion Engineering Internship
  • Traits and Reproduction
  • Natural Selection
  • Natural Selection Engineering Internship
  • Evolutionary History

Oklahoma Academic Standards for Science coverage

Amplify Science was designed from the ground up to meet the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Science (OASS) are closely aligned to the NGSS at K-8. The guidance below is meant to provide support for integrating additional activities that support full coverage of the OASS. You can view the full K–8 OASS correlation here.

Organized by grade level, each section below will outline:

  • additional activities that support 100% alignment to the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Science; 
  • the standard being addressed with the activities; 
  • the recommended placement of the activities within a specific Amplify Science unit; and 
  • PDFs of any accompanying materials that are necessary to implement the activities. 

Standard: 1.ESS3.1: Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment.

Recommended placement: Animal and Plant Defenses unit, Chapter 1

Materials: The Student Book Investigating Monarchs from the unit Needs of Plants and Animals

Investigating Monarchs emphasizes the needs of monarch caterpillars and butterflies and shows what happens when these animals are not able to meet their needs. The book first introduces the life cycle of monarchs, explaining that monarch caterpillars must eat milkweed to survive and change into butterflies. Their summer habitat must have milkweed. The butterflies then migrate a long distance, from the United States to a forest in the mountains of Mexico, where they take shelter in the trees. Their winter habitat must have trees. Scientists discovered that the monarch population in Mexico was greatly reduced because people were cutting down the trees. The forest was then protected, but the monarch population did not recover as expected. Scientists in the United States found evidence that this was because fields with milkweed are being replaced by farms and buildings. This book could be read with the class either before or after Chapter 1 of the Animal and Plant Defenses unit, which focuses on what plants and animals need to do to survive. Students could be asked to reflect on what the monarchs need to survive (including food and shelter), and how human activities impacted the monarchs’ ability to meet those needs. After reading the book, students could brainstorm ideas for how to reduce the impact of humans on the local environment.

Standard: MS-PS4-2: Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.

Recommended placement: Metabolism unit, Lesson 3.3, addition to Activity 5 

Materials: “What Eyes Can See” science article

As students investigate metabolism and the body systems, the article “What Eyes Can See” should be assigned to deepen their understanding of information processing and sense receptors and connect that understanding to the emerging idea of the interaction of waves with various materials. The article explores how the only thing we can really see is light. Light travels from a light source to the eye, passing through some materials and bouncing off others. Tiny organs inside the eye called rods and cones absorb energy from light, making vision possible. These interactions between light and materials determine our visible world. 

Instructions:

Download the PDF “What Eyes Can See” above and remind students of the Active Reading Guidelines. Before students read the article, invite them to share prior experiences. For example, “Have you ever had an experience where something looked different in one kind of light than in another kind of light? Or where something seemed to appear or disappear when the light changed?”

Standard: MS-PS3-1: Construct and interpret graphical displays of data to describe the relationships of kinetic energy to the mass of an object and to the speed of an object.

Recommended placement: Harnessing Human Energy unit, Lesson 1.4, after Activity 4 

Materials: Force and Motion Simulation; Activity instructions and copymasters

In this activity, students use the Force and Motion Simulation to investigate the relationship between kinetic energy, mass, and velocity. 

Instructions

Download the PDF linked above for the Lesson Guide and copymasters needed for the activity. Note that this investigation is typically implemented during the Force and Motion unit. This means the Lesson Guide will contain some incongruous labeling (e.g., unit name), as well as instructions that are out of context and unnecessary for the purposes of addressing this standard at grade 7. We suggest skipping to step 4 of the Instructional Guide to avoid some of this. Your students will get additional exposure to this activity, and indeed the standard as a whole, when they get to the Force and Motion unit in grade 8.

Standards:

  • MS-PS2-3: Ask questions about data to determine the factors that affect the strength of electric and magnetic forces.
  • MS-PS2-5: Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact.

Recommended placement: Force and Motion unit, after Lesson 1.5 

Materials: Flextension PDF

This hands-on activity builds on and reinforces students’ understanding of forces that act at a distance, with a focus on electrostatic force. Students explore electrostatic forces, prompted by a set of challenges that they try to accomplish. Next, students generate scientific questions based on their observations. Electrostatic force is less predictable and consistent than magnetic force, and investigating it can be both challenging and intriguing. The purpose of this lesson is for students to gain firsthand experience with electrostatic force and to gain experience generating scientific questions based on observations. You might choose to include this Flextension if you would like your students to have more exposure to electrostatic force, and if you would like to challenge your students to explore and ask questions about a challenging type of force. 

Instructions:

Download the PDF linked above for a detailed Lesson Guide and the copymasters associated with the activity. Note that this activity is typically implemented as an add-on Flextension during the Magnetic Fields unit. This means that you will see some information that is out of context (e.g., placement information, unit title), but the activity itself also works for the purposes of the Force and Motion unit. If you have any questions, please reach out to our support team via the chat icon in your account or help@amplify.com. 

Explore the Digital Teacher’s Guide

When you’re ready to review, click the orange button below and use your provided login credentials to access the Amplify Science Digital Teacher’s Guide.

Review now

To help familiarize yourself with navigating the digital Teacher’s Guide, watch our navigational guide videos:

Grades K–5:

Grades 6–8:

Looking for help?

Powerful (and free!) pedagogical support

Amplify provides a unique kind of support you won’t find from other publishers. We have developed an educational support team of former teachers and administrators who provide pedagogical support for every Amplify curriculum, assessment, and intervention program. This service is completely free for all educators who are using our programs and includes:

  • Guidance for developing lesson plans and intervention plans
  • Information on where to locate standards and other planning materials
  • Recommendations and tips for day-to-day teaching with Amplify programs
  • Support with administering and interpreting assessment data and more

To reach our pedagogical team, use our live chat within your program, call (800) 823-1969, or email edsupport@amplify.com

Timely technical and program support

Our technical and program support is included and available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, through a variety of channels, including a live chat program that enables teachers to get immediate help in the middle of the school day.

For your most urgent questions:

  • Use our live chat within your program
  • Call our toll-free number: (800) 823-1969

For less urgent questions:

Email support

Contact us

Contact your South Carolina team representatives:
Jeff Rutter
Field Manager
jrutter@amplify.com
(727) 512-8440

Cathy McMillan
Senior Account Executive
cmcmillan@amplify.com
(904) 465-9904

A powerful partnership

Amplify Science was developed by the science education experts at UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science and the digital learning team at Amplify.

Instructional model

The Amplify Science program is rooted in the proven, research-based pedagogy of Do, Talk, Read, Write, Visualize. Here’s how each element works.

DO
First-hand investigations are an important part of any science classroom, and Amplify Science has students getting hands-on in every unit, from building models of protein molecules to experimenting with electrical systems.

TALK
Student-to-student discourse and full-class discussions are an integral part of the program. Students are provided with numerous opportunities to engage in meaningful oral scientific argumentation, all while fostering a collaborative classroom environment.

READ
Students read scientific articles, focusing their reading activities on searching for evidence related to their investigation and, importantly, on asking and recording questions as they read through fascinating texts on 21st-century topics.

WRITE
Following real-world practices, students write scientific arguments based on evidence they’ve collected, making clear their reasoning about how a given piece of evidence connects to one of several claims.

VISUALIZE
By manipulating digital simulations and using modeling tools to craft visualizations of their thinking— just as real scientists and engineers do—students take their learning far beyond the confines of what they can physically see in the classroom in an exciting and authentic way.

Resources to support your review

Remote and hybrid learning support

A child sits at a desk using a laptop. Next to the desk is a bookshelf with books, a fishbowl, and a soccer ball.

Amplify has launched a new remote learning solution called Amplify Science@Home. Intended to make extended remote learning and hybrid learning easier, Amplify Science@Home includes two useful options for continuing instruction: @Home Videos and @Home Units. 

Amplify Science @Home Videos are recordings of real Amplify Science teachers teaching the lessons. For those teachers who are unable to meet synchronously with their students, the recorded lessons are a great way to keep their students on track and engaged with Amplify Science while at home. These videos will be produced for all K–5 units, and for the first four units of each 6–8 grade level. Their release will be rolling, beginning in August.   

Amplify Science@Home Units are modified versions of Amplify Science units, strategically designed to highlight key activities from the program. The @Home Units take significantly less instructional time than the complete Amplify Science program and allow students to engage with science at home. @Home Units will be developed for all Amplify Science K–8 units. Each @Home Unit includes:

  • Teacher overviews explaining how to use the materials, including suggestions for enhancing the @Home Units if synchronous learning or in-class time with students is available.
  • Overviews to send home to families.

Student materials are available in two formats:

  • @Home Slides (PDF/PPT) + Student Sheets (PDF) for students with access to technology at home.
  • Downloadable @Home Packets (PDF) for students without access to technology at home.

Download the Remote and hybrid learning guide.

What’s included:

Flexible resources that work seamlessly together

Science articles
The middle school science articles serve as sources for evidence collection and were authored by science and literacy experts at the Lawrence Hall of Science.

Amplify Science articles

Student Investigation Notebooks
Available for every unit, the Student Investigation Notebooks provide space for students to:

  • record data.
  • reflect on ideas from texts and investigations.
  • construct explanations and arguments.

Available with full-color article compilations for middle school units.

Louisiana-specific Materials

Louisiana Companion Student Booklet

Collection of educational books from 'amplify science' on topics including ocean atmosphere, matter and energy ecosystems, and insect interactions, displayed in various angles.

Digital student experience
Students access the digital simulations and modeling tools, as well as lesson activities and assessments, through the digital student experience. Students can interact with the digital student experience as they:

  • conduct hands-on investigations.
  • engage in active reading and writing activities.
  • participate in discussions.
  • record observations.
  • craft end-of-unit scientific arguments.
A digital illustration showcasing a laptop and a tablet displaying complex data analysis software interfaces with graphs and heatmaps.

Teacher’s Guides
Available digitally and in print, the Teacher’s Guides contain all of the information teachers need to facilitate classroom instruction, including:

  • Louisiana Companion Teacher Booklet (6-8)
  • Classroom Slides 
  • detailed lesson plans.
  • unit and chapter overview documentation.
  • differentiation strategies.
  • standards alignments.
  • in-context professional development.
A laptop displaying the Geology on Mars webpage sits beside a book titled "Geology on Mars," both featuring the same cover image of Mars and a spacecraft, perfect for enhancing three-dimensional learning in any science classroom.

Hands-on materials kits
Hands-on learning is at the heart of Amplify Science. Each unit kit contains:

  • consumable and non-consumable hands-on materials.
  • print classroom display materials.
  • premium print materials for student use (sorting cards, maps, etc.).
A perforated rectangular board, three small containers with different powders, a black battery holder with red wires, and three colored alligator clips are arranged on a white background.

Scope and sequence

Amplify Science Louisiana K–5 Program Brochure

GRADE

UNITS

Kindergarten

  • Needs of Plants and Animals
  • Pushes and Pulls
  • Sunlight and Water

Grade 1

  • Animal and Plant Defenses
  • Light and Sound
  • Spinning Earth

Grade 2

  • Plant and Animal Relationships
  • Properties of Materials
  • Changing Landforms

Grade 3

  • Balancing Forces
  • Inheritance and Traits
  • Environments and Survival
  • Weather and Climate

Grade 4

  • Energy Conversions
  • Vision and Light
  • Earth’s Features
  • Waves, Energy, and Information

Grade 5

  • Patterns of Earth and Sky
  • Modeling Matter
  • The Earth System
  • Ecosystem Restoration

GRADE

UNITS

Grade 6

  • Launch: Microbiome
  • Populations and Resources
    Additional instruction added: Human impact on Earth systems and Louisiana’s natural resources
  • Matter and Energy in Ecosystems
    Additional instruction added: Structure and properties of matter Structure and function of cells
  • Force and Motion
  • Engineering Internship: Force and Motion
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Earth, Moon, and Sun
  • Light Waves
    Additional instruction added: The function of the cell nucleus

Grade 6 Louisiana  Resources

  • 5 Companion Lessons
  • Units with Companions Lessons: Populations and Resources; Matter and Energy in Ecosystems; Light Waves
  • Louisiana Companion Materials Kit

Grade 7

  • Metabolism
  • Engineering Internship: Metabolism
  • Phase Change
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Traits and Reproduction
  • Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate
  • Weather Patterns
  • Earth’s Changing Climate

Grade 7 Louisiana  Resources

  • 8 Companion Lessons
  • Units with Companions Lessons: Phase Change; Traits and Reproduction; Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate; Weather Patterns; Earth’s Changing Climate
  • Louisiana Companion Materials Kit, not needed in 7th grade

Grade 8

  • Launch: Geology on Mars
  • Plate Motion
  • Engineering Internship: Plate Motion
  • Rock Transformations
  • Thermal Energy
  • Natural Selection
  • Engineering Internship: Natural Selection
  • Evolutionary History

Grade 8 Louisiana Resources

  • 6 Companion Lessons
  • Unit with Companions Lessons: Plate Motion; Rock Transformations; Thermal Energy; Natural Selection
  • Louisiana Companion Materials Kit

Amplify and the Lawrence Hall of Science have created custom Amplify Science Louisiana materials for middle school students and teachers. The Louisiana edition of Amplify Science 6–8 differs from our national program in a few key ways:

  • Standards cited are Louisiana State Standards for Science (LSSS) instead of NGSS
  • A custom scope and sequence tailored to the LSSS is used
  • Louisiana Companion Lessons are included
  • Louisiana companion kits, which contain materials to accommodate the added companion lessons, are available for grades 6 and 8

Explore the Digital Teacher’s Guide

When you’re ready to review, click the orange button below and use your provided login credentials to access the Amplify Science Digital Teacher’s Guide.

Review now

To help familiarize yourself with navigating the digital Teacher’s Guide, watch our navigational guide videos:

Grades K–5:

Grades 6-8

Looking for help?

Powerful (and free!) pedagogical support

Amplify provides a unique kind of support you won’t find from other publishers. We have developed an educational support team of former teachers and administrators who provide pedagogical support for every Amplify curriculum, assessment, and intervention program. This service is completely free for all educators who are using our programs and includes:

  • Guidance for developing lesson plans and intervention plans.
  • Information on where to locate standards and other planning materials.
  • Recommendations and tips for day-to-day teaching with Amplify programs.
  • Support with administering and interpreting assessment data and more.

To reach our pedagogical team, use our live chat within your program, call (800) 823-1969, or email edsupport@amplify.com

Timely technical and program support

Our technical and program support is included and available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, through a variety of channels, including a live chat program that enables teachers to get immediate help in the middle of the school day.

For your most urgent questions:

  • Use our live chat within your program.
  • Call our toll-free number: (800) 823-1969.

For less urgent questions:

Email support

Contact us

Contact your Louisiana representative:
Wayne Hebert
whebert@amplify.com
(337) 298-7833

Amplify Science – West Virginia – state review

To view this protected page, enter the password below:



Welcome, Tigard-Tualatin School District, to the next chapter in the Science of Reading, with Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition!

Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts® (CKLA) is approved by the Oregon Department of Education. 

Truly built on the Science of Reading, Amplify CKLA helps Oregon teachers implement the Oregon English Language Arts and Literacy Standards by translating the science of reading into manageable, engaging, and effective classroom practices. For more than a decade, Amplify CKLA has transformed classrooms nationwide with its intentional knowledge building and systematic skills instruction.

Scroll down to learn how CKLA is uniquely designed to help all your students make learning leaps in literacy.

Download CKLA Program Guide
An astronaut floats in space near the Moon, with a speech bubble displaying

Our approach

Improve outcomes with a program that’s built on a decade of research and meets the strongest ESSA Tier I criteria.

Diagram illustrating the Simple View of Reading model, depicting language comprehension and word recognition pathways converging into skilled reading, with processes becoming increasingly strategic and automatic—a foundational concept in literacy curriculum for elementary education.

Grounded in the Science of Reading

As the original Science of Reading program, Amplify CKLA puts research into action with explicit, systematic foundational skills instruction and a proven knowledge-building sequence. In collaboration with education experts and practitioners, we provide powerful resources that deliver real results.

Success stories

Background knowledge drives results

Amplify CKLA follows the Core Knowledge Sequence, a content-specific, cumulative, and coherent approach to knowledge building. This approach improves reading scores and closes achievement gaps by establishing a robust knowledge base that strengthens comprehension.

In Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition, we’ve enriched our Knowledge Sequence with a wider range of perspectives and high-quality texts in new and enhanced units.

See units and connections
An illustrated person in a yellow shirt looks at a colorful map of Puerto Rico. Above them are two educational posters about world geography and animals, integrating elements from the k–5 literacy curriculum to enhance learning experiences.
An infographic showing the steps to pronounce

Build foundational skills for long-term success.

Students progress from simple to complex skill development starting with phonological and phonemic awareness. Instruction in Grades K–2 explicitly teaches the 150 spellings for the 44 sounds of English, following an intentional progression to ensure student success.

In our 3rd Edition, we’ve added dedicated Grade 3 foundational skills instruction that can either support core lessons or function as an intervention, based on student needs.

Skills by year

Daily writing deepens learning.

Grounded in the Science of Writing—the research on how kids learn to write—instruction is explicit, daily, and woven into the curriculum’s rich content. It covers both transcription (handwriting and spelling) and composition (organizing ideas into narratives) with high-impact activities like sentence-level combining and expanding, and pre-writing exercises. Writing and reading instruction are integrated so students simultaneously strengthen their communication skills, comprehension, and confidence.

See the Simple View of Writing
A child in a green shirt smiles while writing in a notebook at a classroom desk, engaged in their k–5 literacy curriculum, with another student visible in the background.
An open laptop displaying a children's story titled

High-quality, diverse texts

Amplify CKLA students are immersed in a variety of texts—complex read-alouds, decodable chapter books, trade books, and content-rich readers—that reflect varied experiences and connect to learning goals.

Readers are 100% decodable for Grades K–2, empowering students to directly apply what they’ve learned. Novel Study units for Grades 3–5 offer a mix of contemporary and classic literature, and Culminating Research Units in every grade include a set of authentic texts and trade books.

See Research Unit trade books

Reach all learners with differentiated support.

Scaffolds and challenges, developed in collaboration with education experts, make content accessible to every student—including multilingual and English learners. With strategies embedded right in the curriculum, teachers can deliver in-the-moment, individualized instruction to meet diverse student needs.

For a dedicated English language development program aligned to Amplify CKLA, explore Language Studio.

View embedded support
Children sit on the floor in a classroom, some raising their hands, smiling and engaged. The lively atmosphere reflects the effectiveness of the k–5 literacy curriculum being implemented.

What’s included with Amplify CKLA

The comprehensive resources in Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition support effective literacy instruction in every classroom.

Download CKLA Components Guide
Download CKLA Writing Brochure
Image of a laptop displaying an assessment report, surrounded by books about astronomy, an illustration of the moon, and a
Various educational materials, including textbooks, workbooks, a picture book, documents, and a laptop displaying a slide titled

Easy-to-use teacher materials

Amplify CKLA teachers are empowered to deliver effective instruction with the following print and digital resources:

  • Teacher Guides (K–5)
  • Assessment Guides (K–5)
  • Authentic texts and trade books (K–5)
  • Knowledge Image Cards (K–2)
  • Knowledge Flip Books (K–2, digital)
  • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens (K–5, digital)
  • Remediation and intervention resources (K–5)
  • On-demand professional development (K–5, digital)

Immersive Amplify CKLA student resources

Amplify CKLA students stay engaged with the following print and digital resources:

  • Decodable readers (K–2)
  • Student Readers and novels (3–5)
  • Student Activity Books (K–5)
  • Poet’s Journal (3–5)
  • eReaders (K–5, digital)
  • Sound Library featuring articulation videos and songs (K–2, digital)
  • Skill-building practice games (K–5)
An open laptop displaying a poem and a person, alongside two educational booklets and a green butterfly, depicts the essence of a rich core knowledge language arts curriculum. The background includes simple graphic elements enhancing the scene.
A collection of six book covers including

Rich literary experiences

All the high-quality, diverse texts in Amplify CKLA connect to the curriculum, fostering your students’ curiosity and helping them learn to read with confidence.

  • Trade Book Collections (K–5) inspire student research in each grade’s Culminating Research Unit.
  • Classic and contemporary literature (3–5) delight students in Novel Study Units.
  • Increasingly complex Student Readers (K–5) develop students’ literacy across grades.

Hands-on phonics materials

Multisensory phonics and foundational skills resources engage students with fun, varied approaches that promote mastery and build independence.

  • Chaining Folders and Small Letter Cards (K)
  • Read-Aloud Big Books (K–1)
  • Large Letter Cards (K–2)
  • Sound Cards (K–2)
  • Image Cards (K–3)
  • Blending Picture Cards (K)
  • Consonant and Vowel Code Posters and Spelling Cards (1–2)
  • Sound Library (K–2, digital)
Image includes various vowel sounds and combinations on flashcards and worksheets, along with a playful illustrated mammal, all part of a comprehensive literacy curriculum for elementary students.
A laptop displays a student screen showing a quiz question about word usage, part of a literacy curriculum for elementary students. Behind it, a computer monitor shows an assessment report interface. Abstract decorative elements are in the background.

All-in-one digital platform

Our comprehensive platform simplifies your day-to-day tasks and makes it easier to plan and deliver lessons.

  • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens
  • Auto-scored digital assessments
  • Standards-based reporting
  • Assignable skill-building games
  • Sound Library
  • eReaders

Professional development

Move beyond traditional program training with Amplify’s digital PD Library, designed to fully support your shift to the Science of Reading and Amplify CKLA. Deepen your understanding with:

  • Program and planning resources
  • Model lesson videos from real classrooms
  • Guidance on using Amplify’s literacy suite to provide multi-tiered support
Two women are seated at a table with papers and a laptop. One woman is working on the literacy curriculum for elementary grades, while the other is smiling.
“Teachers love the ease of implementing the program, and students have fun while learning. Growth is evident in our data, and we have the support of Amplify experts who are available to answer questions and provide top-notch professional development.”

Bridget Vaughan, District K–8 Coordinator of ELA and Literacy

Quincy Public Schools, Massachusetts

Language Studio: Multilingual and English language learner support

Language Studio is Amplify CKLA’s dedicated K–5 program for multilingual and English language learners. Through daily 30-minute lessons, it strengthens reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills while reinforcing core instruction. This tailored support empowers students to confidently access grade-level content as they develop academic English.

A young girl immerses herself in the science of reading at a classroom desk, surrounded by peers and diverse educational materials.

Curriculum Maps

Amplify CKLA serves

150,000+

Classrooms

4,000,000+

Students

50

U.S. States and D.C.

Amplify Caminos program overview

¡El futuro es bilingüe! | The future is bilingual!

Amplify Caminos is a research-based core curriculum essential for Spanish literacy and grounded in the Science of Reading.

View our Caminos Program Guide to find our approach to foundational skills by year, skills practice with student readers and writing, and how Caminos supports teachers meeting the needs of all students with embedded differentiation.

Download Caminos Program Guide

Amplify Caminos offers a robust and authentic elementary Spanish language arts program for grades K–5 that promotes
biliteracy and helps teachers inspire students as they become confident readers, writers, and thinkers in Spanish.

Using the program’s two strands, Caminos Conocimiento and Caminos Lectoescritura, teachers develop student
comprehension in Spanish through a program rich in background knowledge and foundational skills activities. The texts students encounter include authentic Spanish literature that honor Spanish language development and build diverse content knowledge in social studies, science, literature, and the arts.

Amplify Caminos is designed to support a variety of bilingual and dual language instructional models to meet your student’s biliteracy needs. Combined with its English language partner, Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA), Amplify Caminos provides a comprehensive biliteracy solution.

Ilustración de un niño alegre participando en el programa de lectura de CKLA, jugando fútbol junto a un libro abierto, con una tortuga, un loro y un exuberante paisaje tropical rodeándolos. La palabra "
Illustration of the amplify caminos language comprehension model, featuring step-by-step progression from simple word recognition to skilled reading, with educational graphics and text excerpts.

Amplify Caminos delivers rich, authentic experiences.

With a robust digital experience and expanding library of online materials, Amplify Caminos provides everything needed to support, challenge, and engage your students. From digital Teacher Guides to lesson projectables, we provide all the tools needed to successfully deliver every lesson.

How Amplify Caminos works with Amplify CKLA

Through direct instruction, both Amplify Caminos and Amplify CKLA develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in their respective languages. Together, the programs empower educators to effectively foster biliteracy with:

  • Intentional knowledge building that connects topics throughout the program.
  • Increased metalinguistic awareness from students exploring the similarities and differences in each language while strengthening their knowledge across both.
  • Equitable instruction using high-quality Spanish and English decodable readers that provide students with opportunities to apply skills learned, and foster each students’ growing competency in reading.
“There were other programs that claimed to be [based on the] Science of Reading, but no other vendor provided the suite of products together. We did not want to be picking from here, picking from there. [Amplify’s literacy suite] met our needs, because it aligned and provided us the best suite of products, hands down.”

Nicole Peterson, Principal, Midway Middle School

Sampson County Schools, North Carolina

Demo Access

Explore the CKLA Teacher Digital Resources

First, watch the quick navigation video to the right. Then, follow the directions below.

  • Go to: learning.amplify.com or click the Access CKLA Teacher Digital button below
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter this username: t1.ttsd_ckla_caminos@demo.tryamplify.net
  • Enter this password: Amplify1-ttsd_ckla_caminos
  • Click the CKLA button
  • Select your desired grade level from the Program drop down
Access CKLA Teacher Digital

Follow the directions below to access the Student Resource Site:

  • Go to: learning.amplify.com or click the Access CKLA Student Digital button below
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter this username: s1.ttsd_ckla_caminos@demo.tryamplify.net
  • Enter this password: Amplify1-ttsd_ckla_caminos
  • From the main page, click the backpack in the top right corner.
  • Click on the grade level to select your desired grade.
Access CKLA Student Digital

Welcome, Oak Park USD, to the next chapter in the Science of Reading, with Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition!

For more than a decade, Amplify CKLA has transformed classrooms nationwide with its intentional knowledge building and systematic skills instruction.

Scroll down to learn how CKLA is uniquely designed to help all your students make learning leaps in literacy.

Download CKLA Program Guide
An astronaut floats in space near the Moon, with a speech bubble displaying

Our approach

Improve outcomes with a program that’s built on a decade of research and meets the strongest ESSA Tier I criteria.

Diagram illustrating the Simple View of Reading model, depicting language comprehension and word recognition pathways converging into skilled reading, with processes becoming increasingly strategic and automatic—a foundational concept in literacy curriculum for elementary education.

Grounded in the Science of Reading

As the original Science of Reading program, Amplify CKLA puts research into action with explicit, systematic foundational skills instruction and a proven knowledge-building sequence. In collaboration with education experts and practitioners, we provide powerful resources that deliver real results.

Success stories

Background knowledge drives results

Amplify CKLA follows the Core Knowledge Sequence, a content-specific, cumulative, and coherent approach to knowledge building. This approach improves reading scores and closes achievement gaps by establishing a robust knowledge base that strengthens comprehension.

In Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition, we’ve enriched our Knowledge Sequence with a wider range of perspectives and high-quality texts in new and enhanced units.

See units and connections
An illustrated person in a yellow shirt looks at a colorful map of Puerto Rico. Above them are two educational posters about world geography and animals, integrating elements from the k–5 literacy curriculum to enhance learning experiences.
An infographic showing the steps to pronounce

Build foundational skills for long-term success.

Students progress from simple to complex skill development starting with phonological and phonemic awareness. Instruction in Grades K–2 explicitly teaches the 150 spellings for the 44 sounds of English, following an intentional progression to ensure student success.

In our 3rd Edition, we’ve added dedicated Grade 3 foundational skills instruction that can either support core lessons or function as an intervention, based on student needs.

Skills by year

Daily writing deepens learning.

Grounded in the Science of Writing—the research on how kids learn to write—instruction is explicit, daily, and woven into the curriculum’s rich content. It covers both transcription (handwriting and spelling) and composition (organizing ideas into narratives) with high-impact activities like sentence-level combining and expanding, and pre-writing exercises. Writing and reading instruction are integrated so students simultaneously strengthen their communication skills, comprehension, and confidence.

See the Simple View of Writing
A child in a green shirt smiles while writing in a notebook at a classroom desk, engaged in their k–5 literacy curriculum, with another student visible in the background.
An open laptop displaying a children's story titled

High-quality, diverse texts

Amplify CKLA students are immersed in a variety of texts—complex read-alouds, decodable chapter books, trade books, and content-rich readers—that reflect varied experiences and connect to learning goals.

Readers are 100% decodable for Grades K–2, empowering students to directly apply what they’ve learned. Novel Study units for Grades 3–5 offer a mix of contemporary and classic literature, and Culminating Research Units in every grade include a set of authentic texts and trade books.

See Research Unit trade books

Reach all learners with differentiated support.

Scaffolds and challenges, developed in collaboration with education experts, make content accessible to every student—including multilingual and English learners. With strategies embedded right in the curriculum, teachers can deliver in-the-moment, individualized instruction to meet diverse student needs.

For a dedicated English language development program aligned to Amplify CKLA, explore Language Studio.

View embedded support
Children sit on the floor in a classroom, some raising their hands, smiling and engaged. The lively atmosphere reflects the effectiveness of the k–5 literacy curriculum being implemented.
Image of a laptop displaying an assessment report, surrounded by books about astronomy, an illustration of the moon, and a

What’s included with Amplify CKLA

The comprehensive resources in Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition support effective literacy instruction in every classroom.

Download CKLA Components Guide
Download CKLA Writing Brochure

Easy-to-use teacher materials

Amplify CKLA teachers are empowered to deliver effective instruction with the following print and digital resources:

  • Teacher Guides (K–5)
  • Assessment Guides (K–5)
  • Authentic texts and trade books (K–5)
  • Knowledge Image Cards (K–2)
  • Knowledge Flip Books (K–2, digital)
  • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens (K–5, digital)
  • Remediation and intervention resources (K–5)
  • On-demand professional development (K–5, digital)
Various educational materials, including textbooks, workbooks, a picture book, documents, and a laptop displaying a slide titled
An open laptop displaying a poem and a person, alongside two educational booklets and a green butterfly, depicts the essence of a rich core knowledge language arts curriculum. The background includes simple graphic elements enhancing the scene.

Immersive Amplify CKLA student resources

Amplify CKLA students stay engaged with the following print and digital resources:

  • Decodable readers (K–2)
  • Student Readers and novels (3–5)
  • Student Activity Books (K–5)
  • Poet’s Journal (3–5)
  • eReaders (K–5, digital)
  • Sound Library featuring articulation videos and songs (K–2, digital)
  • Skill-building practice games (K–5)

Rich literary experiences

All the high-quality, diverse texts in Amplify CKLA connect to the curriculum, fostering your students’ curiosity and helping them learn to read with confidence.

  • Trade Book Collections (K–5) inspire student research in each grade’s Culminating Research Unit.
  • Classic and contemporary literature (3–5) delight students in Novel Study Units.
  • Increasingly complex Student Readers (K–5) develop students’ literacy across grades.
A collection of six book covers including
Image includes various vowel sounds and combinations on flashcards and worksheets, along with a playful illustrated mammal, all part of a comprehensive literacy curriculum for elementary students.

Hands-on phonics materials

Multisensory phonics and foundational skills resources engage students with fun, varied approaches that promote mastery and build independence.

  • Chaining Folders and Small Letter Cards (K)
  • Read-Aloud Big Books (K–1)
  • Large Letter Cards (K–2)
  • Sound Cards (K–2)
  • Image Cards (K–3)
  • Blending Picture Cards (K)
  • Consonant and Vowel Code Posters and Spelling Cards (1–2)
  • Sound Library (K–2, digital)

All-in-one digital platform

Our comprehensive platform simplifies your day-to-day tasks and makes it easier to plan and deliver lessons.

  • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens
  • Auto-scored digital assessments
  • Standards-based reporting
  • Assignable skill-building games
  • Sound Library
  • eReaders
A laptop displays a student screen showing a quiz question about word usage, part of a literacy curriculum for elementary students. Behind it, a computer monitor shows an assessment report interface. Abstract decorative elements are in the background.
Two women are seated at a table with papers and a laptop. One woman is working on the literacy curriculum for elementary grades, while the other is smiling.

Professional development

Move beyond traditional program training with Amplify’s digital PD Library, designed to fully support your shift to the Science of Reading and Amplify CKLA. Deepen your understanding with:

  • Program and planning resources
  • Model lesson videos from real classrooms
  • Guidance on using Amplify’s literacy suite to provide multi-tiered support
“Teachers love the ease of implementing the program, and students have fun while learning. Growth is evident in our data, and we have the support of Amplify experts who are available to answer questions and provide top-notch professional development.”

Bridget Vaughan, District K–8 Coordinator of ELA and Literacy

Quincy Public Schools, Massachusetts

Language Studio: Multilingual and English language learner support

Language Studio is Amplify CKLA’s dedicated K–5 program for multilingual and English language learners. Through daily 30-minute lessons, it strengthens reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills while reinforcing core instruction. This tailored support empowers students to confidently access grade-level content as they develop academic English.

A young girl immerses herself in the science of reading at a classroom desk, surrounded by peers and diverse educational materials.

Curriculum Maps

Amplify CKLA serves

150,000+

Classrooms

4,000,000+

Students

50

U.S. States and D.C.

“There were other programs that claimed to be [based on the] Science of Reading, but no other vendor provided the suite of products together. We did not want to be picking from here, picking from there. [Amplify’s literacy suite] met our needs, because it aligned and provided us the best suite of products, hands down.”

Nicole Peterson, Principal, Midway Middle School

Sampson County Schools, North Carolina

Frequently asked questions

Still have questions? We have answers. Check out the following FAQ.

Overview

  • Amplify CKLA is based on research showing that closing the background knowledge gap is necessary for supporting the literacy development of all students. To that end, Amplify CKLA teaches literacy through the lens of cross-curricular domains in science, history, literature, and culture. It was developed in response to research that shows the critical impact of background knowledge on reading comprehension and college- and career-readiness.
  • The program also reflects the latest early reading research showing the importance of explicit foundational skills instruction. The program develops students’ foundational literacy skills through a systematic scope and sequence with a focus on phonics.

Our research-based language arts curriculum is built on findings showing that higher-level reading comprehension depends on both automatic, fluent decoding and background knowledge. Combining well-established findings from the field of early literacy research with classroom-based feedback, Amplify CKLA ensures that children will learn to listen, speak, read, and write confidently and proficiently. For more information, view the Amplify CKLA Research Guide.

Amplify CKLA is a PreK–5 program. While the PreK and K–2 materials respect the important differences between early childhood education and formal schooling, the Grades 3–5 materials ensure a smooth transition to the academic rigors of middle school.

PreK

The focus in PreK is to maintain a developmentally appropriate early childhood setting; the structures, routines, and activities are engaging and children receive a solid foundation for future language arts instruction.

K–2

The focus in K–2 is developing fluent reading and writing skills, and enhancing language comprehension by building background knowledge and vocabulary. This is accomplished through two strands: the Skills Strand and the Knowledge Strand.

The Skills Strand focuses on decoding, encoding, grammar, handwriting, and the writing process, and it contains decodable chapter books for students to practice just-learned sound-spellings.

The Knowledge Strand builds background knowledge and vocabulary through carefully sequenced read-alouds and complex texts. Teachers read aloud stories that are more complex than the text students can decode on their own, enabling children to engage with complex texts and build background knowledge of a variety of connected topics in history, science, literature, and the arts.

3–5

In Grades 3–5, students are still focused on building reading and writing skills as well as knowledge and vocabulary, but the program no longer has two strands. The various lessons in each unit include read-alouds; whole-group, small-group, and partner reading; close reading; literal, inferential, and evaluative comprehension questions; vocabulary; grammar; writing; morphology and spelling (10–15 words per week); and unit assessments.

Program design

The Skills strand provides intentional and systematic support in building decoding skills. The lessons support learning related to phonemic awareness, sound-letter patterns (or spelling patterns), decoding (both in explicit lessons and with engaging decodable texts), writing mechanics, and writing structure and processes, for 60 minutes daily.

The Knowledge Strand develops young children’s language and background knowledge. By exposing children to rich and complex texts through daily read-alouds, engaging in text-based and analytic discussions of the text and content, and building connections from the text to the work of the classroom through extension activities, the Knowledge Strand provides daily, extensive (60 minutes) broadening and deepening of children’s oral language and comprehension.

Teaching the Skills Strand and Knowledge Strand in parallel helps students avoid cognitive overload and acquire advanced, complex vocabulary in the Knowledge Strand—in essence, reading to learn from day one—while becoming expert decoders in the Skills Strand. The program is designed to bring these two strands together in grades 3–5, as foundational skills and higher-level comprehension and meaning-making gradually intertwine.

The CKLA program takes a comprehensive approach to teaching the code of the English language in the Skills strand. While the English language has only 26 letters, these letters combine to create 150 spelling patterns that represent 44 sounds of language. In most reading programs, children are explicitly taught only a fraction of this information and must glean the rest from ad hoc and incidental exposure to these spelling patterns through text. CKLA focuses on explicitly teaching each of the 44 sounds and the 150 ways that these sounds are represented (via letters and letter combinations). This comprehensive approach assures educators that children have the knowledge they need to address any text and any word.

The Knowledge Strand reflects the fact that knowledge, comprehension, and vocabulary are intimately related. The materials are designed to provide children sustained time on a variety of domains (bodies of knowledge) through shared read-alouds and discussions. This coherent organization of content is critical to building knowledge, inferring new vocabulary, and enabling comprehension. The content-rich, intentionally sequenced nature of the read-alouds within the Knowledge Strand creates the optimal context for incidental and explicit vocabulary-learning opportunities. After the read-aloud, children analyze the text through interactive discussion questions, engage in activities that foster their comprehension of complex sentences and ideas, and extend the ideas of the read-aloud into other activities in the classroom. In this way, the lessons create rich, academically oriented, oral language experiences that promote both receptive and expressive language skills.

Amplify CKLA embeds a variety of diagnostic and classroom assessments into the program materials.

There are curriculum-based assessments of both foundational skills and content knowledge, placement assessments in Grades 1 and 2 for the Skills Strand, and end-of-year Skills Strand assessments in Grades K–3. These assessments are built into the units of instruction/domains within the Teacher Guides. In Grades 4–5, there are beginning-of-year assessments, frequent spelling assessments, and comprehensive unit assessments.

Formative Assessments are integrated into every lesson, allowing teachers to understand exactly how students are doing on meeting lesson goals and standards-based objectives.

Writing in multiple genres is taught through a process that builds from three highly scaffolded steps to seven flexible steps.
In addition to explicit lessons in handwriting, spelling, and grammar, writing is taught throughout K–5. Instruction begins with a three-step writing process: plan, draft, and edit. The process is reinforced as each new writing genre is addressed. Each genre is taught through a gradual reduction in scaffolding over a set of six lessons that includes teacher modeling, group practice, independent practice, and independent application. This systematic approach allows for continued support and predictable learning as children progress in their knowledge of text types and complexity of writing. By Grade 3, students have worked their way up to a five-step writing process: planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Beginning in Grade 4, the writing process expands to seven components: planning, drafting, sharing, evaluating, revising, and editing (and the optional component of publishing). An important change between the writing process in Grades 3–5 is that the writing process is no longer conceptualized as a series of scaffolded, linear steps that students follow in a set sequence. Rather, students move back and forth between components of the writing process in a flexible manner, similar to the process that mature and experienced writers follow. In addition to specific writing lessons, there are numerous writing opportunities for students throughout the curriculum.

Alignment to the CCSS

Fully implementing the Common Core Standards requires some shifts in prevailing instructional approaches. For early grades language arts, these shifts can be summarized as (1) balancing fiction and nonfiction text, (2) building knowledge, (3) supporting students’ capacity to learn from increasingly complex texts, (4) giving text-based answers, (5) writing from sources, and (6) explicitly supporting the acquisition of academic vocabulary. The following sections document the primary ways that Amplify CKLA meets the demands of these shifts.

  1. The amount of nonfiction gradually increases, reaching the 50-50 balance of fiction and nonfiction by grade 3.
  2. Read-alouds in the Knowledge Strand are designed according to the latest research to build knowledge and vocabulary in history, science, the arts, and more.
  3. The texts in both the Knowledge Strand and the Skills strand increase in complexity as the program progresses within and across grades.
  4. In the Skills Strand, the language and knowledge demands of the texts increase, but remain decodable based on the aspects of the code that have been taught to date.
  5. Both strands engage students in appropriate means of providing text-based answers—orally, pictorially, and eventually in writing.
  6. Together, the Skills and Knowledge Strands enable students to read and digest various sources and then write by drawing on those sources.
  7. In both strands of the program, Amplify CKLA teaches children the process of using the text as a springboard for understanding.
  8. The Knowledge Strand offers repeated exposures to academic vocabulary through authentic texts and explicit word instruction.

Materials

PreK

  • Teacher Guides, Student Activity Pages, 3–4 Trade Books per domain, Flip Books, Image Cards, Transition and Center Cards, Nursery Rhymes and Songs Posters, and a Big Book (Classic Tales)

Grades K–2

  • Knowledge Strand: Teacher Guides, Flip Books, Student Activity Books, Image Cards, and online resources including supplemental lessons
  • Skills Strand: Teacher Guides, Activity Books, Student Readers, Big Books, Letter Cards, Spelling Cards, Individual Code Sheets, Code and Chaining Resources (Vowel/Consonant Code Flip Books, Student Chaining Folders), Blending Cards, and online resources including differentiation and remediation guides

Grades 3–5

  • Teacher Guides, Student Readers, Activity Books, Poet’s Journal, Writer’s Journal, Core Quests (The Viking Age in Grade 3, Eureka: Student Inventor in Grade 4 and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in grade 5) and Writing Quests (The Contraption in Grade 4, The Robot in Grade 5)

Tulsa, exciting updates in CKLA 2nd Edition!

To view this protected page, enter the password below:



Welcome to Amplify Science K–5!

Amplify Science is an engaging core curriculum designed for three-dimensional, phenomena-based learning.

With Amplify Science, Detroit students won’t just passively learn about science concepts. Instead, they will take on the role of scientists and engineers to actively investigate and figure out real-world phenomena. They will do this through a blend of cohesive and compelling storylines, hands-on investigations, collaborative discussions, literacy-rich activities, and interactive digital tools.

Four children around a table engaged in a classroom science project, examining materials closely, with educational posters in the background.

What is Amplify Science?

The Lawrence Hall of Science

Developed by the science education experts at UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science and the digital learning team at Amplify, our program features:

  • A phenomena-based approach where students construct a complex understanding of each unit’s anchor phenomenon.
  • A blend of cohesive storylines, hands-on investigations, rich discussions, literacy-rich activities, and digital tools.
  • Carefully crafted units, chapters, lessons, and activities designed to deliver true three-dimensional learning.
  • An instructional design that supports all learners in accessing all standards.

Proven to work

WestEd Randomized
Control Trial for Grade 1

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WestEd Randomized
Control Trial for Grade 7

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Amplify Science NE
Grades K–5

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Instructional model

The Amplify Science program is rooted in the proven, research-based pedagogy of Do, Talk, Read, Write, Visualize. Here’s how each element works:

Do

First-hand investigations are an important part of any science classroom, and Amplify Science has students getting hands-on in every unit—from building models of protein molecules to experimenting with electrical systems.

Talk

Student-to-student discourse and full-class discussions are an integral part of the program. Students are provided with numerous opportunities to engage in meaningful oral scientific argumentation, all while fostering a collaborative classroom environment.

Read

Students read scientific articles, focusing their reading activities on searching for evidence related to their investigation and, importantly, on asking and recording questions as they read through fascinating texts on 21st-century topics.

Write

Following real-world practices, students write scientific arguments based on evidence they’ve collected, making clear their reasoning about how a given piece of evidence connects to one of several claims.

Visualize

By manipulating digital simulations and using modeling tools to craft visualizations of their thinking— just as real scientists and engineers
do—students take their learning far beyond the confines of what they can physically see in the classroom in an exciting and authentic way.

Program structure

Our cyclical lesson design ensures students receive multiple exposures to concepts through a variety of modalities. As they progress through the lessons within a unit, students build and deepen their understanding, increasing their ability to develop and refine complex explanations of the unit’s phenomenon.

It’s this proven program structure and lesson design that enables Amplify Science to address 100% of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and support students in mastering the Pennsylvania Science Standards.

Flowchart depicting a critical thinking process with four circular nodes connected by arrows, each node representing a step: posing a real-world problem, exploring evidence, elaborating concepts, and evaluating claims.

Unit types

While every unit delivers three-dimensional learning experiences and engages students in gathering evidence from a rich collection of sources, each unit also emphasizes a particular science and engineering practice.

In grades K–2:

  • One unit emphasizes the practice of investigation.
  • One unit emphasizes the practice of modeling.
  • One unit emphasizes the practice of engineering design.

In grades 3–5, students experience the three unit types above, plus:

  • One additional unit that emphasizes the practice of argumentation.

Investigation units focus on the process of strategically developing investigations and gathering data to answer questions. Students are first asked to consider questions about what happens in the natural world and why, and are then involved in designing and conducting investigations that produce data to help answer those questions.

Modeling units provide extra support to students engaging in the practice of modeling. Students use physical models, investigate with computer models, and create their own diagrams to help them visualize what might be happening on the nanoscale.

Engineering design units provide opportunities for students to solve complex problems by applying science principles to the design of functional solutions, and iteratively testing those solutions to determine how well they meet preset criteria.

Argumentation units provide students with regular opportunities to explore and discuss available evidence, time and support to consider how evidence may be leveraged in support of claims, and independence that increases as they mount written arguments in support of their claims.

Unit sequence

Our lessons follow a structure that is grounded in regular routines while still being flexible enough to allow for a variety of learning experiences.

In fact, our multi-modal instruction offers more opportunities for students to construct meaning, and practice and apply concepts, than any other program. What’s more, our modular design means our units can be flexibly arranged to support your instructional goals.

Chart outlining science curriculum by grade, from kindergarten through grade 5, listing topics such as

Program components

Available digitally and in print, our unit-specific reference guides are chock-full of helpful resources, including scientific background knowledge, planning information and resources, color-coded 3D Statements, detailed lesson plans, tips for delivering instruction, and differentiation strategies.

Amplify Science TG

Hands-on learning is an essential part of Amplify Science, and is integrated into every unit. Students actively participate in science, playing the roles of scientists and engineers as they gather evidence, think critically, solve problems, and develop and defend claims about the world around them. Every unit includes hands-on investigations that are critical to achieving the unit’s learning goals.

A young person wearing gloves looks through a microscope at a table with laboratory supplies, including bottles, slides, and a tray, against a plain blue background.

More hands-on with Flextensions:
Hands-on Flextensions are additional, optional investigations that are included at logical points in the learning progression and give students an opportunity to dig deeper if time permits. These activities offer teachers flexibility to choose to dedicate more time to hands-on learning. Materials referenced in Hands-on Flextension activities will either be included in the unit kit or are easily sourced. Supporting resources such as student worksheets will be included as downloadable PDF files.

Our kits include enough materials to support 200 student uses. In other words, teachers can easily support all five periods and small groups of 4-5 students each. Plus, our unit-specific kits mean teachers just grab the tub they need and then put it all back with ease.

Assorted office and household items displayed on a white background, including rubber bands, binder clips, cardboard, and sports balls.

Each unit of Amplify Science K–5 includes six unique Student Books written by the Lawrence Hall of Science specifically for the program. These content-rich nonfiction and informational texts provide opportunities for students to search for evidence relevant to their firsthand investigations, see science practices and dispositions modeled, extend their science knowledge, provide real world connections as they master reading-to-learn and close reading skills, and construct evidence-based arguments.

Important note:
Students in grades K–5 are never asked to read alone. Rather, books are read to, with, and by students with ample scaffolding and support provided by the teacher. Big Books are read aloud or together with the class to introduce ideas. Student Books allow for small-group reading and reading in pairs.

Imagen de lado a lado de dos libros titulados "Un día ocupado en Villa Empuja" y "A Busy Day in Pushville", ambos ilustrados por Anthony Lewis.

Available for every unit, our Student Investigation Notebooks contain instructions for activities and space for students to record data and observations, reflect on ideas from texts and investigations, and construct explanations and arguments.

In grades K–5, one copy of the Student Investigation Notebook is included in each unit’s materials kit for use as a blackline master. Each notebook is also available as a downloadable PDF on the Unit Guide page of the digital Teacher’s Guide.

Dos libros de ciencias titulados “Empujar y jalar: diseñar una máquina de pinball” y “Pushes and Pulls: Designing a Pinball Machine” exhibidos uno al lado del otro.

Amplify Science offers digital experience licenses that make elementary instruction more flexible for students and teachers, as well as providing additional means to engage in remote, hybrid, or in-person learning!

Student-facing digital lessons
With the digital experience, students can engage with digital lesson content in one cohesive experience. It’s the same content from Amplify science in a new, integrated format where students can interact with slides, Sims, modeling tools, videos, books, and more.

Ecosystem Restoration digital simulation

Digital student notebook pages
Students can draw, write, record audio, and insert images into their Investigation Notebook pages. Their work is automatically saved and delivered to you in real time. When students edit their work, those edits are immediately reflected on your teacher work review page. You can access student responses by clicking “View Work,” where you can see students’ Investigation Notebook pages from the lesson, updating live.

Assign in Amplify
The digital experience allows flexibility with optional features like scheduling assignments in advance and setting due dates. You can use Scheduling to determine the date and time that the assignment appears in Student Home. You also have the flexibility to schedule when assignments appear and use dates to remove assignments from Student Home.

Assign in LMS
You can also assign lessons via our integrations with Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams, or by copying a lesson link and sharing it with students through the platform of your choice. The assignment link you send will provide students with direct access to the full lesson—slides, videos, digital tools, and worksheet activities—no student platform navigation required!

Teacher platform and presentation
Teacher-facing lesson content—including sample teacher talk, student responses, pedagogical support, and possible student responses—shows on a teacher’s private Teacher Guide tab. Students only see the lesson slides that are being presented.

Graphic depicting a teacher's device synced with a class presentation for K—5 students. The teacher's laptop displays an Amplify Science lesson on environments, which is mirrored on a larger screen for the class

Explore your print samples

With your Amplify Science print samples, you’ll find unit-specific Teacher’s References Guides, Student Investigation Notebooks, and sets of Student Books for each grade level.

A note about the Teacher’s Reference Guides:

It’s important that you see the full breadth and depth of our instruction. For that reason, we provide a copy of each of our unit-specific Teacher Reference Guides.

Rest assured that teachers do not use these robust reference guides for day-to-day teaching. For that, we have a hands-free TG!

Three laptop screens displaying educational content on earth's energy system, including diagrams and text annotations.
  • Teacher Reference Guide: Unlike a typical TG that requires a series of supplemental books to support it, our encyclopedic reference guide is chock-full of everything a teacher needs to fully implement our program and the NGSS.
  • Ready-to-Teach Lesson Slides: For daily instruction, teachers need their hands free. That’s why we created ready-to-teach lesson slides for every single lesson. What’s more, they are editable and include suggested teacher talk and point-of-use differentiation and other instructional tips. Click to learn more.

A note about the Materials Kits:

Hands-on learning is at the heart of Amplify Science, and is integrated into every unit. In order to make hands-on learning more manageable for busy teachers, Amplify Science materials are organized into unit-specific kits.

Stacked storage bins with labels, arranged neatly; caption notes they are a sample and may not reflect actual quantities or sizes.

Our unit-specific kits:

What’s different about Amplify’s unit-specific material kits?  They…

  • Include more materials — We give teachers enough non-consumable materials to support a class of 36 students and enough consumables to support 72 student uses. In other words, each kit will last two years.
  • Are more manageable — Unlike other programs that require large groups of students to share limited sets of materials, our kits include enough to support small groups of four to five students.
  • Include supportive videos — Each hands-on activity provides clear instructions for the teacher, with more complex activities supported by video demonstrations and illustrations.

Grade-specific lists of all materials included in each kit:

Access your digital samples

Explore as a teacher

When you’re ready to explore the teaching experience on your own, follow these instructions to access the Amplify Science digital teacher platform.

  • Click the Access Amplify Science Platform button below and bookmark the page.
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter the username: t1.dpsscience@demo.tryamplify.net
  • Enter the password: Amplify1-dpsscience
  • Click on Science on the left hand side.
  • Click on the Grade Menu in the top center of the screen and select any grade.
  • Select any unit.
Access Amplify Science Platform

To help familiarize yourself with navigating the digital platform, watch the below navigational video.

Explore as a student

When you’re ready to explore the student learning experience on your own, follow these instructions to access the Amplify Science digital student platform.

  • Click the Access Amplify Science Platform button below and bookmark the page.
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter the username: s1.dpsscience@demo.tryamplify.net
  • Enter the password: Amplify1-dpsscience
  • Click the backpack icon on the top right.
  • Click Science K-5
  • Select any unit.
Access Amplify Science Platform

Spanish-language support

Amplify Science is committed to providing support to meet the needs of all learners, including multiple access points for Spanish-speaking students. Developed in conjunction with Spanish-language experts and classroom teachers, several components are available in Spanish across the Amplify Science curriculum.

Spanish-language materials include:

COMPONENTTEACHER/STUDENT
Student Investigation NotebooksStudent
Student BooksStudent
Printed classroom materials
Unit and chapter questions, key concepts, vocabulary cards, etc.		Teacher and student
CopymastersTeacher
AssessmentsTeacher
Spanish teacher support license
This license includes teacher talk, projections, and downloadable PDFs of all print materials in Spanish.		Teacher

Resources to support your review

Tulsa, exciting updates in CKLA 2nd Edition!

As part of our commitment to creating even richer and more wide-ranging curricula, we have built on the foundation of 1st Edition to release a new edition of Amplify CKLA with a collection of program enhancements that save you time and help you reach every student.

Explore the 2nd Edition Program Guide to learn more.

A couple gazes at three circular vignettes showing an astronaut, a president at a podium with an american flag, and a person breaking a wall with a hammer.

Amplify Caminos for Spanish literacy

Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts® (CKLA) is proud to introduce Amplify Caminos al Conocimiento Esencial, a Spanish language arts program that will inspire and engage your students to become confident readers, writers, and thinkers.

Three colorful book covers featuring artistic styles: a bird in flight, a bicycle near a vine-covered wall, and a vibrant portrait of a woman with flowing hair.

Like Amplify CKLA, Amplify Caminos is designed to spark curiosity through content-rich instruction. Amplify Caminos features complex interactive Read-Alouds and authentic Spanish literature to develop reading and writing skills and build bridges across Spanish and English.

Explore the Amplify Caminos Program Guide.

Research units to inspire inquiry and curiosity

Our brand-new Knowledge Research units carry forward Amplify CKLA’s powerful and proven instructional approach while also:

  • Adding more content for students from all walks of life. The rich topics and highly visual components featured in these units provide students with even more “windows and mirrors” and perspectives as they work to build knowledge.
  • Adding more authentic literature. Each new research unit revolves around a collection of high-interest authentic trade books that will spark more curiosity and inspire more inquiry.
  • Adding more flexibility. Units can be implemented for extended core instruction during flex periods, district-designated Pausing Points, or enrichment periods.

Units cover a variety of rich and relevant topics:

Three illustrations: one shows people at a gaming session, the middle depicts a diverse group standing together, and the third portrays a group gardening outdoors.

With these new units, students will soar to new heights with Dr. Ellen Ochoa, Amelia Earhart, and the Tuskegee Airmen. They’ll feel the rhythm as they learn about Jazz legends Miles Davis, Tito Puente, and Duke Ellington. And they’ll explore the far reaches of the world with Jacques Cousteau, Matthew Henson, and Eugenie Clark.

  • Grade K: Art and the World Around Us
  • Grade 1: Adventure Stories: Tales from the Edge of the World
  • Grade 2: Up, Up, and Away: The Age of Aviation
  • Grade 3: All That Jazz
  • Grade 4: Energy: Past, Present, and Future
  • Grade 5: Beyond Juneteenth: 1865 to present

Watch the overview webinar to learn more.

Units will be made available in English and Spanish, and will include the following components:

A collage of educational materials including comic panels, illustrated worksheets, and classroom posters featuring diverse characters.
  • Teacher Guide
  • Student Activity Books
  • Image Cards
  • Trade Book Collection
  • Digital Components (grades K–3 and 5)

Richly illustrated Skills Readers

Student Readers in grades K–2 are newly redesigned with gorgeous illustrations that celebrate students’ diverse experiences. The new readers feature individuals with a broad range of identities and culture, providing students with more windows and mirrors. Each reimagined reader has a unique illustration style to draw students into the engaging stories, characters, and plots.
Review the new readers.

New digital platform with presentation slides

Amplify CKLA 2nd Edition is on Interactive Classroom, a new digital platform, that makes it easier and more engaging than ever to plan lessons, present digital content, and review and assign student work online.

A person navigating through the curved, narrow sandstone walls of antelope canyon. the natural rock formation casts pink and orange hues.

Interactive Classroom provides ready-to-use, customizable lesson slides, complete with all the prompts from the Teacher Guide embedded in the teacher view. As teachers deliver each lesson, students engage with the content through slides that include digital activities, digital components, multimedia, Student Readers, and more. Students can complete work in the platform through digital Activity Pages that allow them to type, draw, record audio, and more.

Explore the Interactive Classroom overview brochure.

Improved layout, more focused lessons, new content & more

From 1st Edition to 2nd Edition, we made updates to make it easier to plan and deliver Amplify CKLA lessons, including a variety of ways to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all students.

Key enhancements include:

  • Scaffolds for English Language Learners added to all lessons
  • In-the-moment differentiation opportunities added to support and challenge all students
  • Integrated Grade 3 into one instructional strand to better match students’ learning trajectories
  • New layout to make Teacher Guides easier to scan and use.

New content at the beginning of each lesson:

  • Primary Focus Objectives identify the goals of each lesson. Each objective is standards-aligned and corresponds to a formative assessment.
  • Formative Assessment opportunities are explicitly called out in a chart at the beginning of each lesson. Formative assessments are aligned to the Primary Focus Objectives.
  • Universal Access suggests modifications to the lesson to support a diversity of learning styles.

New content within each lesson:

  • Support and Challenge sidebars added throughout for extensions, support, and enrichment.
  • Access Supports provide scaffolds to support English Language Learners across five proficiency levels.

New content in each Skills Strand lesson:

  • Additional Support section at the end of every Skills lesson provides opportunities for re-teaching and reinforcing skills taught in the lesson. Specific activities and extensions are provided to meet the needs of all learners.

New content in all grades, including:

  • Grade K: Picture Reader with supporting instruction
  • Grade 3: Content integrated into one instructional strand to improve pacing and closely match students’ learning trajectories; excerpts of read-aloud text now appear in select student readers; added new Vikings Quest (problem-based interactive learning).
  • Grade 4: Updated the Personal Narratives unit, added The Contraption Quest (writing across the year).
  • Grade 5: Updated Personal Narratives unit, added Chemical Matter unit, added The Robot Quest (writing across the year).
  • Moved Contemporary Fiction unit from Grade 5 to Grade 4.
  • Supplemental cursive instruction and activity book added for Grades 3 and 4.

Take a deeper look at the enhancements.

Language Studio for English Language Learners

Language Studio is a companion English Language Development program to 2nd Edition designed to support students learning English at all proficiency levels. Aligned to WIDA, the program helps students strengthen vocabulary and academic language skills while deepening the background knowledge developed in the core program. This unique approach provides an effective structure for moving English Language Learners students towards English proficiency.

View sample lessons to see how it works.

Multimedia Hub for teachers and students

Students will be able to access multimedia resources and engage in a new way on the Amplify CKLA Hub. Students can access digital resources independently from anywhere, taking full advantage of the instructional multimedia experiences that Amplify CKLA has to offer. Students can access the Hub at home, in the classroom, and on the go, making it ideal for remote learning. It’s compatible with laptops, Chromebooks, tablets, and desktops.

Grades K–2

Grades K–2 students will have access to Knowledge Builder videos to introduce each domain; Sound Library videos and songs for each sound in the English language; and audio-enabled eBooks of grade-level Student Readers.

Grades 3–5

Grades 3–5 students will have access to the Vocab App for independent practice with domain vocabulary and audio-enabled eBooks of grade-level Student Readers in English and Spanish.

Families and caregivers, welcome to Amplify Desmos Math Texas K–5!

Welcome to the Amplify Desmos Math Texas K–5 Caregiver Hub. We’re here to support your student as they explore math, work with friends to solve problems, and learn new and interesting concepts—and to support you as you go on this math journey with them! Below are some suggestions and resources for how you can support their learning at home.

Learn more about Amplify Desmos Math Texas.

Para la versión en español, haga clic aquí.

Three children are engaging in a math activity with a grid and orange markers. One child holds a "9-3" card. The background includes beach elements and abstract math symbols.

Unit Caregiver Resources

For every unit of the program, we’ve created a Caregiver Resource that provides a summary of key concepts. You’ll find a Caregiver Resource for each unit, in both English and Spanish.

Unit 1: Beginning Number Concepts

Unit 2: Numbers 1–10

Unit 3: Shapes, Coins, and Financial Literacy

Unit 4: Understanding Addition and Subtraction

Unit 5: Make and Break Apart Numbers Within 10

Unit 6: Numbers 0–20

Unit 7: Solid Shapes All Around Us

Unit 1: Adding, Subtracting, and Working With Data

Unit 2: Story Problems Within 10

Unit 3: Adding and Subtracting Within 20

Unit 4: Numbers to 99 and Financial Literacy

Unit 5: Adding Within 120

Unit 6: Length Measurement Within 120 Units

Unit 7: Geometry and Time

Unit 1: Working With Data and Developing Financial Literacy

Unit 2: Adding and Subtracting Within 100

Unit 3: Measuring and Solving Problems Using Length

Unit 4: Numbers to 1,200

Unit 5: Geometry and Time

Unit 6: Adding and Subracting Within 1,000

Unit 7: Equal Groups and Area

Unit 1: Introducing Multiplication

Unit 2: Adding, Subtracting, and Rounding Larger Numbers

Unit 3: Relating Multiplication to Division

Unit 4: Fractions as Numbers

Unit 5: Measurement and Financial Literacy

Unit 6: Sorting and Classifying Shapes

Unit 1: Fraction Equivalence and Comparison

Unit 2: Extending Operations to Fractions

Unit 3: From Hundredths to One Billion

Unit 4: Mathematical Relationships and Financial Literacy

Unit 5: Multiplying and Dividing Multi-Digit Numbers

Unit 6: Angles and Properties of Shapes

Unit 1: Volume, Factors, and Expresssions

Unit 2: Multiplying and Dividing Fractions

Unit 3: Multi-Digit Multiplication and Division and Financial Literacy

Unit 4: Place Value Patterns and Decimal Operations

Unit 5: Measurement, Fraction Operations, and Data

Unit 6: Geometry and Algebraic Reasoning

Sub-Unit Summaries

Access Amplify Desmos Math at home.

In addition to a print Student Edition workbook, your student will have digital access to all learning, practice, and assessment materials through the Amplify platform. The digital curriculum can be accessed in school and at home by following these instructions:

  • Select the Amplify Desmos Math button.
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter your student’s username and password provided by your student’s teacher.
  • Select the desired grade level.

Once logged in, caregivers can view student work by opening previous assignments.

Learn how to navigate the student home page.

Amplify Desmos Math

Materials overview

Amplify Desmos Math Texas supports blended learning with supporting print materials and a unique digital experience. All K–5 lessons are available in a write-in Student Edition book. Many of the lessons include hands-on activities with manipulatives, tools that help students understand abstract concepts by making them tangible. Your student will also work with digital devices for an age-appropriate number of lessons.

When students use devices, teachers can monitor their work in real time, making sure they get the exact support that they need at every part of the lesson, in and outside of class.

Una interfaz digital que muestra los nombres anónimos de los estudiantes y su estado de participación en diversas actividades. La interfaz incluye opciones para realizar resúmenes, capturas de pantalla y vistas individuales de los estudiantes.

Components of a lesson

Students in an Amplify Desmos Math Texas classroom can be seen (and heard!) asking questions, debating answers, justifying their thinking, grappling with problems, and working together and independently.

A typical Amplify Desmos Math Texas lesson includes:

  • Warm-up: A short, attention-getting problem to pique students’ interest in the lesson.
  • Activities: One to two mini-activities that challenge students’ problem-solving skills.
  • Synthesis: Discussion to review and bring together the important concepts from the lesson.
  • Show What You Know and Reflection: Questions for students to show what they know from the lesson. (Note: The Show What You Know lesson assessment is optional for kindergarten and grade 1.)
  • Centers: Student-led activity stations that reinforce the math learned during lesson activities through interactive and often game-like formats. In kindergarten and grade 1, time for Centers is built into the last 15 minutes of every lesson.

To support, strengthen, and stretch students’ learning after the lesson, Amplify Desmos Math Texas offers options for:

  • Differentiation: Mini-Lessons, Centers, Extensions, Boost Personalized Learning, and Fluency Practice.
  • Practice: Additional problems your student’s teacher may assign for classwork or homework.

Support math learning at home.

You can support your student’s math learning outside of school in many ways:

Your student’s teacher may assign practice problems at the end of each lesson for classwork or homework. If your student has already completed the practice problems for the lesson, ask them to walk you through how they solved each problem, or talk about any parts that were challenging for them. Ask your student follow-up questions to encourage the use of math language as they explain their thinking, such as, “How do you know?,” “How can you show your thinking?,” or “How would you describe that?” If students are stuck, ask support questions, such as, “What information do you know here?” or “How could you represent this problem?”

Your student’s teacher may introduce a Center game with students in the lesson or beyond the lesson. These games are aligned to the math of the unit and can be played with students outside of class. Your student’s teacher may introduce a Center game to students during or after completing a lesson, or you may need to teach the game before you play by using easy-to-follow instructions. Try out the following Center games with your student!

Each unit in Amplify Desmos Math begins with a Read-Aloud to engage students and provide context for the math of the unit. Elements and characters from the Unit Story then appear in lessons throughout the unit.

Kindergarten

Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

Relate math to daily activities at home, whether grocery shopping, preparing a meal, or planning for a trip to the store. Your student can help you figure out how many more apples there are than oranges in the grocery cart, show how to split a sandwich into fourths, or figure out how much change you’ll receive in exchange for a $10 bill. Encourage your student to point out ways that you use math in your daily tasks.

Remind your student that getting stuck is part of the process—a necessary and beneficial part of learning. Many students (and adults) fear making mistakes, but research shows that mistakes help our brains grow! When your student gets stuck on a problem, encourage them to keep trying different strategies even if they’re not sure they’re right.

Nurturing young children’s curiosity and wonder in the math classroom

Based on my experience in math education, I find that many pedagogical structures or moves sound great in theory, but are often easier said than done. Because of the complexity, asking students to construct mathematical arguments has been one of those things for me. Fortunately, over the years, I have had the joy and privilege to work with Jody and Chepina, whose thinking around math argumentation is grounded in theory and paired with practical and actionable advice and structures. I am so excited for others to share in their deep thinking and look forward to seeing the impact their work will have in classrooms.

—Kristin Gray, Executive Director, Math suite, Amplify

Mathematical argumentation as an opportunity for curiosity

Students bring curiosity and wonder to the classroom every day. When we’re attending to their ideas, we can find more opportunities for mathematical argumentation in our math lessons. Let’s look at how these opportunities arise in a first-grade classroom.

The lesson and card sort activity

The purpose of the lesson was for students to identify equivalent addition expressions by sorting cards, each with a different expression. Students quickly noticed that there is more than one way to get the same value. They could even begin to see the commutative property in action when shown cards with addends in opposite order: 4 + 3 = 3 + 4.

While sorting addition expressions, rather than organizing the cards in piles by their value, one student named Jenna organized the cards in columns. This student-led creative modification to the card sort structure allowed for different noticings and wonderings to emerge. She started by creating a row across the top with cards showing one addend of 0. At first, she wasn’t consistent with the top card being 0 + x or x + 0, but over time changed them so that they were all 0 + x. Then she filled in the last column with expressions equal to 10. As she added cards, she started to change the order so that the first addend on the cards increased going down the column and the second addend decreased.

Math lesson and card sort activity.

As Jenna added each card to her organizational structure, the teacher asked where that card would go and how she knew. When asked about the 2 + 6 card, for example, Jenna said, “Because this is counting to 8, and this”—she pointed to a gap—“has to be 7, because [the 6 is] 2 less than 8. It fits here because these are all twos” (in the row). Jenna was coordinating several characteristics of rows and columns within the structure of the chart.

As Jenna continued to fill in the chart, she noticed yet another pattern. Pointing to the step pattern, Jenna noticed that, “There is a stair step. The pattern keeps going. There’s one more way to make the total as it gets bigger.”

Rows of flashcards with math lessons.

We could state this conjecture more precisely as: “For any whole number n, there are n + 1 ways to add two whole numbers to get a sum of n.” Jenna was making sense of big math ideas and noticing structure embedded in arithmetic.

Reflecting on the experience

As we step back and reflect on what we experienced with Jenna, we wonder what could happen next. How might Jenna justify her thinking? She noticed the stair-step pattern and multiple ways to arrive at the total. What might she say if we asked her, “Why is that happening?” Or if we gave her a tool such as linking cubes and asked if she could use the cubes to show why that works? Are there other questions that could have nudged her to extend her thinking, such as, “Will that always work?” or “What numbers does it work for?” Is there a tool or representation that would help her continue her reasoning?

We can also think about what might happen if we shared Jenna’s idea with the other students. How might they respond to Jenna’s noticing? Would her ideas lead others to see and use structure in similar ways? How would they make sense of her ideas? Perhaps this is an opportunity to engage students in each other’s ideas.

Opportunities for curiosity

The opportunity for Jenna and her classmates to make sense and explore their natural curiosity emerges from a classroom environment that’s playful and filled with wonder—where children are given time to explore and interact with materials and each other. We noticed that as Jenna progressed through the cards, she refined and added on to her thinking. This is evident in the first row of cards. She grouped cards with 0 as an addend, then began to sequence them, and later considered the positioning of the addends to 0 + x. As we might infer from the interaction of the teacher, there isn’t one right way to think about the task, nor one way for the teacher to encourage students to think about it. We hear the teacher ask Jenna to share her reasoning: It’s not a question posed to evaluate Jenna’s thinking, but rather to gain insight into her thinking—something the teacher is genuinely curious about.

In addition to the classroom environment, the card sort also presented an open-ended opportunity. Students made sense of the sort in many different ways, some finding related pairs and starting to identify (not yet naming) the commutative property, others grouping problems with a common addend in piles. All students had access to the task and time to make sense of it.

We share the story of Jenna as one of many instances where young children have shared their brilliance with us. Their wonder and curiosity inspired us to explore their ideas along with K–2 teachers. We saw students notice, wonder, conjecture, justify, and extend ideas that led to a deep understanding of key mathematical concepts while integrating mathematical argumentation.

We share ideas like the brilliance from Jenna in our new book, Nurturing Math Curiosity with Learners in Grades K–2, where we also make connections among instructional routines, center, and card sorts. Our book also discusses supporting students in curious exploration, building on what they already bring to the classroom as a way to bring opportunities for mathematical argumentation into our lessons.

Rumsey, C., & Guarino, J. (2024). Nurturing Math Curiosity with Learners in Grades K–2. Solution Tree. Bloomington, IN. ISBN: 9781960574367

Explore more

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Amplify Caminos Pilot Packs

Pilot educator,

This is the beginning of the Amplify Caminos journey in your classroom! Making this important, evidence-based shift shows your commitment and dedication to your emergent bilingual students. We truly appreciate the work you’re doing and are here to help you along the way.

As a previous pilot teacher myself, I know how overwhelming it can feel to start a new curriculum. Within this site, you’ll find resources to help you get started before your implementation training, including a materials checklist, scope and sequence documents, support videos, and more! These tools will support your 6–12 weeks of core Spanish literacy instruction with Amplify Caminos. I hope this site is helpful in getting you started with your pilot.

Thank you for all you do,

—Maggie Buttaccio

Get started

To get started with your new pilot of Amplify Caminos, you’ll first want to review the following:

You may also find these documents helpful as you begin your pilot:

Pilot Pack components checklist

Below you’ll find the Amplify Caminos Pilot Pack components you should have received in your shipment, outlined by grade level and teacher/student materials. Please click your grade-level teacher materials and student materials to review the list and ensure that you received all of the materials.

Teacher materials

Lectoescritura Unit 4 Teacher Guide

Teacher materials

Lectoescritura Unit 5 Teacher Guide

Teacher materials

Lectoescritura Unit 6 Teacher Guide

Teacher materials

Lectoescritura Unit 4 Big Book

Teacher materials

Lectoescritura Unit 5 Big Book

Teacher materials

Lectoescritura Unit 6 Big Book

Teacher materials

Lectoescritura Large Letter Cards

Teacher materials

Lectoescritura Small Letter Cards

Teacher materials

GK Lectoescritura Image Cards SAMPLER

Teacher materials

Conocimiento Domain 2 Teacher Guide: Los cinco sentidos

Teacher materials

Conocimiento Domain 3 Teacher Guide: Cuentos

Teacher materials

Conocimiento Domain 4 Teacher Guide: Plantas

Teacher materials

Conocimiento Domain 2 Image Cards: Los cinco sentidos

Teacher materials

Conocimiento Domain 3 Image Cards: Cuentos

Teacher materials

Conocimiento Domain 4 Image Cards: Plantas

Student materials

Lectoescritura Unit 5 Reader

Student materials

Lectoescritura Unit 6 Reader

Student materials

Lectoescritura Unit 4 Activity Book

Student materials

Lectoescritura Unit 5 Activity Book

Student materials

Lectoescritura Unit 6 Activity Book

Student materials

Conocimiento SAMPLER (Domains 2, 3, 4)

Teacher materials

Lectoescritura Unit 1 Teacher Guide

Teacher materials

Lectoescritura Unit 2 Teacher Guide

Teacher materials

Lectoescritura Unit 3 Teacher Guide

Teacher materials

Lectoescritura Unit 1 Big Book

Teacher materials

Lectoescritura Unit 2 Big Book

Teacher materials

Lectoescritura Unit 3 Big Book

Teacher materials

Lectoescritura Large Letter Cards

Teacher materials

G1 Lectoescritura Image Cards SAMPLER

Teacher materials

Conocimiento Domain 2 Teacher Guide: El cuerpo humano

Teacher materials

Conocimiento Domain 3 Teacher Guide: Tierras diferentes

Teacher materials

Conocimiento Domain 5 Teacher Guide: Antiguas civilizaciones

Teacher materials

Knowledge Domain 2 Image Cards: El cuerpo humano

Teacher materials

Knowledge Domain 3 Image Cards: Tierras diferentes, cuentos similares

Teacher materials

Knowledge Domain 5 Image Cards: Antiguas civilizaciones de América

Student materials

Lectoescritura Unit 1 Reader

Student materials

Lectoescritura Unit 2 Reader

Student materials

Lectoescritura Unit 3 Reader

Student materials

Lectoescritura Unit 1 Activity Book

Student materials

Lectoescritura Unit 2 Activity Book

Student materials

Lectoescritura Unit 3 Activity Book

Student materials

Conocimiento SAMPLER (Domains 2, 3, 5)

Teacher materials

Lectoescritura Unit 1 Teacher Guide

An orange workbook cover with white outlines of board game pieces and a game path, labeled "Lectoescritura 2" and "Español" for 1st grade.

Teacher materials

Lectoescritura Unit 2 Teacher Guide

Teacher materials

Conocimiento Domain 1 Teacher Guide: Cuentos de hadas

Teacher materials

Conocimiento Domain 4 Teacher Guide: Mitos griegos

Teacher materials

Conocimiento Domain 8 Teacher Guide: Los insectos

Teacher materials

Knowledge Domain 8 Image Cards: Los insectos

Teacher materials

Knowledge Domain 4 Image Cards: Mitos griegos

Student materials

Lectoescritura Unit 1 Reader

Student materials

Lectoescritura Unit 2 Reader

Student materials

Lectoescritura Unit 1 Activity Book

Student materials

Lectoescritura Unit 2 Activity Book

Student materials

Conocimiento SAMPLER (Domains 1, 4, 8)

Teacher materials

Unit 2 Teacher Guide: La clasificación de los animales

An orange workbook cover with white outlines of board game pieces and a game path, labeled "Lectoescritura 2" and "Español" for 1st grade.

Teacher materials

Unit 5 Teacher Guide: La luz y el sonido

Teacher materials

Unit 8 Teacher Guide: Los nativos americanos

Teacher materials

Unit 5 Image Cards: La luz y el sonido

Teacher materials

Unit 8 Image Cards: Los nativos americanos: regiones y culturas

Student materials

Unit 2 Spanish Reader

Teacher materials

Unit 5 Spanish Reader

Student materials

Unit 8 Spanish Reader

Student materials

Unit 2 Activity Book

Student materials

Unit 5 Activity Book

Student materials

Unit 8 Activity Book

Teacher materials

Unit 3 Teacher Guide: Poesía

An orange workbook cover with white outlines of board game pieces and a game path, labeled "Lectoescritura 2" and "Español" for 1st grade.

Teacher materials

Unit 5 Teacher Guide: Geología

Teacher materials

Unit 7 Teacher Guide: La Revolución estadounidense

Student materials

Unit 3 Poet’s Journal

Student materials

Unit 5 Spanish Reader

Student materials

Unit 7 Spanish Reader

Student materials

Unit 5 Activity Book

Student materials

Unit 7 Activity Book

Student materials

Anthology SAMPLER

Teacher materials

Unit 2 Teacher Guide: Las primeras civilizaciones americanas

An orange workbook cover with white outlines of board game pieces and a game path, labeled "Lectoescritura 2" and "Español" for 1st grade.

Teacher materials

Unit 3 Teacher Guide: Poesía

Teacher materials

Unit 4 Teacher Guide: Las aventuras de Don Quijote

Student materials

Unit 2 Spanish Reader

Student materials

Unit 2 Activity Book

Student materials

Unit 3 Poet’s Journal

Student materials

Unit 4 Activity Book

Student materials

Anthology SAMPLER

How to access the Amplify Caminos Teacher Resource Site

You will receive your teacher demo account login information from your sales representative.

Contact us

Contact your account executive to sign up for implementation training.

Sign up

Explore Amplify CKLA K–5 Phonics

Thank you for reviewing the top-rated Amplify CKLA for grades K-3 phonics instruction. Built on the Science of Reading, Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) is a highly-effective, foundational phonics program that will give NYC teachers unmatched support in delivering systematic, explicit, and research-based phonics instruction.

Amplify CKLA is systematic – built on a scope and sequence of sound-spelling patterns to ensure all students have access to the same instruction – and Amplify CKLA is explicit – delivering instruction with learning goals that are clear to teachers and students. Beginning with phonological awareness and progressing through phonemic awareness and phonics instruction, Amplify CKLA comprehensively covers foundational skills.

As you explore the Amplify CKLA Grades K-3 phonics materials, you will see high-quality instructional support needed for every child to master the 44 sounds and 150 sound-spellings of the English language by the end of third grade.

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Laptop screen displaying a login page for "amplify" with multiple sign-in options including google, clever, a qr code, and district sso.

Access your demo account

To explore the Amplify CKLA Skills digital experience and Boost Reading K-3, visit learning.amplify.com and select Log in with Amplify; using the credentials provided here:

  • Username: t.nyc-ckla-skills@tryamplify.net 
  • Password: AmplifyNumber1

Click here for demo login and Amplify CKLA navigation support.

Principles of Amplify CKLA phonics instruction

Amplify CKLA phonics instruction ensures students learn to read words automatically and achieve complete coverage of the Reading Standards for Foundational Skills in the Common Core State Standards.

Explicit instruction in the spelling patterns of the English language transitions students from spending excess mental energy on decoding (learning to read) to fluent automaticity so they can focus on comprehension and analysis (reading to learn).

Amplify CKLA designs reading experiences to maximize practice in newly taught sound spellings, which is achieved in three ways:

  1. Organization of Instruction: CKLA teaches the most frequent sound spellings first in order to maximize the words students can read and move them into engaging, well-written, decodable texts halfway through Kindergarten. 
  2. Systematic Coverage: Students who master both the Basic and Advanced Code taught in CKLA Skills will have all the decoding skills necessary to succeed. Lessons teach print and phonological awareness, sound-letter patterns (or sound spellings), decoding and encoding, writing mechanics, and writing structure and processes for 60 minutes each day.
  3. Decodable Readers: CKLA Decodable Readers are uniquely designed to provide intensive practice with the CKLA code while engaging students with authentic, compelling, and varied stories.  
Review the Amplify CKLA K-3 Foundational Skills Progression
Educational timeline chart showing foundational skills development by year from kindergarten to grade 3, categorized into print concepts, phonological awareness, and phonics and word recognition.
Cover of "amplify core knowledge language arts" teacher guide for grade 3 featuring a simple, stylized illustration of a ribbon badge.

Grade 3 phonics support

In grades K-2, Amplify CKLA Skills offers explicit and systematic foundational skills and language instruction. Explicitly teaching foundational skills from the early grades is essential to helping students master the code and learn to read words automatically and effortlessly. 

In grade 3, CKLA recognizes that instructional needs will vary widely, particularly for students with gaps in code knowledge and fluency. Through a more integrated language arts approach, students have daily opportunities for ​explicit, teacher-led phonics instruction as they transition to developing and applying literacy skills and deepening background knowledge. 

By the end of grade 2, Amplify CKLA has covered all basic and advanced code, while grade 3 provides differentiated instruction and assessment resources to best support all students in becoming fluent, automatic readers:

  • Unit 1 instruction reviews the phonics instruction from the previous year
  • The Assessment and Remediation Guide provides hundreds of activities and assessments to determine the ideal instructional path for each student
  • Fluency Packet supplements instruction with additional text selections and opportunities for students to practice reading with fluency and expression (prosody)
  • Spelling Cards support decoding and encoding lessons 
  • Individual Code Chart gives students practice recording the consonant and vowel sound-spelling correspondences they’ve learned

If selected, Amplify would welcome the opportunity to partner with the New York City DOE on updating our program with a standalone skills program for grade 3.

The Amplify CKLA digital experience

Amplify CKLA offers an easy to use and interactive teaching and learning experience for grades K-3 that supports teachers with ready-made and student friendly lesson presentation slides.

Everything needed to teach the lesson is included within the slides that teachers project and students access. Students engage directly with the slides via embedded Activity Pages. Students can respond in multiple ways, including drawing, writing, typing, audio recording, or uploading pictures. They can even engage with the sound library, with fun songs and videos that develop phonological awareness and the eReader library of decodable texts.

The digital experience makes instruction easier, more immersive, and flexible for both students and teachers!

Illustration of diverse children jumping rope in a park with a bridge in the background, displayed on a digital tablet.
Eight illustrated book covers depicting diverse themes and characters, including family moments, job hunting, sports, and personal adventures.

Instruction for students from all walks of life

Our goal is to make education, and thereby the world, more accessible to all students, regardless of background.

As part of our commitment to creating richer and more wide-ranging curricula, Amplify CKLA K-2 Skills Readers have been designed to increase student engagement and students’ sense of connection with the decodable stories and their characters. Stories with human characters introduce students to individuals with a broad range of identity factors, including socio-economic status, age, ability, race, ethnicity, country or origin, religion and more.  Other decodable stories have fantastical creatures to bring more excitement and whimsy to the tale. These readers reflect New York City classrooms, giving students windows and mirrors while they practice and apply their skills with 100% decodable texts.

Learn more about the decodable readers here. 

View the Amplify CKLA K-3 alignment to NYC Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework..

The power of Amplify CKLA + Boost Reading

Boost Reading is a student-driven skill practice program that pairs with Amplify CKLA, to provide differentiated, digital instruction in both foundational skills and comprehension strategies. Because Boost Reading is built on the same approach to reading as Amplify CKLA and shares an aligned scope and sequence, students are able to extend their learning from the core program, at their own pace. 

In Boost Reading, students enter a captivating narrative where each storyline requires them to apply foundational skills to navigate a series of games. Each game focuses on a specific skill learned in CKLA, allowing students to practice that skill to mastery. Progression from game to game is based on individual student learning needs—a personalized path where they gain expertise by unlocking new quests at just the right time. This path ensures that each student gets the amount of practice they need to master foundational skills.

Embedded benchmark and progress-monitoring assessments give educators actionable data insights on how their students are progressing through their literacy journey. Easy-to-use reports provide proficiency, growth and risk data individually and in aggregate to further drive classroom instruction.

In a recent study, students who used Boost Reading outperformed non-Boost students on all DIBELS 8th Edition measures.

Explore the Boost Reading teacher and student experience:

  • Visit learning.amplify.com and select Log in using the same Amplify credentials provided in the demo access section above:
    • Username:t.nyc-ckla-skills@tryamplify.net 
    • Password:AmplifyNumber1
  • Select the Reading icon; this will open the program without data as your class has not yet played Boost Reading. Select Explore Demo in the pop up.
  • In the navigation bar, choose the grade band and experience (Educator or Student) you wish to demo.
  • The Educator experience will show you the Teacher Dashboard with sample student data and a recommended guided tour.
  • The Student experience will bring you to a start screen; simply select PLAY to begin.
A tablet screen displaying a children's educational game, focusing on spelling the word "farm," with cartoon-style graphics and a female character.
Illustration of an astronaut in space, a traditional east asian building, a mexican sombrero-clad figure with a donkey, and various animals, against a backdrop of the earth and sun.

New York City Review Materials

The Amplify CKLA Grades K-2 Program Guide provides you with more details on how CKLA Skills works, how it is structured, and the need for explicit instruction in phonics in order to build strong readers in classrooms.

Additional Review Materials:

Amplify CKLA Skills K-2 One-Pager 

Amplify CKLA Skills – Grade K Scope and Sequence

Amplify CKLA Skills – Grade K Curriculum Map (pages 1-10) 

Amplify CKLA Skills – Grade 1 Scope and Sequence

Amplify CKLA Skills – Grade 1 Curriculum Map (pages 1-7)  

Amplify CKLA Skills – Grade 2 Scope and Sequence

Amplify CKLA Skills – Grade 2 Curriculum Map (pages 1-6)   

Amplify CKLA – Grade 3 Unit 1 Teacher Guide

Amplify CKLA decodable readers

Amplify CKLA alignment to New York State Next Generation ELA Learning Standards

CKLA Skills – Grade K; Unit 1 – Assessment and Remediation Guide (differentiation example) 

Boost Reading alignment to New York State Next Generation ELA Learning Standards

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What’s included in our Spanish language arts curriculum

Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts® (CKLA) is available in both English and Spanish. Amplify Caminos al Conocimiento Esencial, our robust Spanish language arts companion for grades K–5, supports multiple teaching models, including dual language immersion and transitional classrooms.

A laptop screen displays a kindergarten instructional webpage in Spanish, showing lesson categories with illustrated thumbnails and navigation options.

Year at a glance

The program’s intentional Knowledge Sequence from K–5 connects knowledge and vocabulary within a grade level and across grade levels, for deeper reading comprehension and preparation for college, career, and life. Instead of “activating prior knowledge,” Amplify Caminos helps you build it in the classroom from day one, for every child, expanding each student’s knowledge base long before they transition to reading to learn.

Curriculum flowchart showing reading themes and activities from Kindergarten to Grade 5, organized by grade level and literary theme, with interconnected boxes for each topic.

Units & domains at a glance

Each Knowledge Domain in grades K–2 and Unit in grades 3–5 varies in the number of days based on instructional purpose. Just as with our top-rated Amplify CKLA program, the Amplify Caminos materials engage and delight young learners with resources that are both appealing and original.

Una mujer rubia con un vestido azul cuida ovejas blancas y negras, sosteniendo un bastón de pastor. Un cerdo vestido de azul corre y un hombre de negro toca el violín en una valla. Al fondo hay una casa.

Domain

Nursery Rhymes and Fables/Rimas y fábulas infantiles

Start learning about literature with these classic Mother Goose rhymes.

Ilustración de tres personas en un paisaje cubierto de hierba, una tratando de atrapar mariposas con una red, otra escondiéndose detrás de una escultura alta y frondosa de una mano y otra con binoculares.

Domain

The Five Senses/Los cinco sentidos

Learning about the body starts with learning about how we experience the world.

Una ilustración que representa a un gran lobo con sombrero de copa liderando un desfile de animales y personas con instrumentos musicales a través de un paisaje montañoso.

Domain

Stories/Cuentos

Learn about the parts of a book and some of the stories that go in one.

Una ilustración vibrante de una escena rural con colinas, una granja, una mariposa, un sol brillante, varias verduras como tomates y lechugas, y un gusano en el suelo.

Domain

Plants/Plantas

Discover the lifecycle of plants and the history of George Washington Carver.

Ilustración de una escena de granja que muestra un camión rojo que transporta verduras, campos de cultivo, vacas pastando en una colina, un granero y un molino de viento contra un cielo azul.

Domain

Farms/Granjas

Now we know how plants make their food… but what about animals?

Ilustración de un nativo remando en una canoa en un río con búfalos pastando en un campo, tipis al fondo y pájaros volando en el cielo bajo un sol brillante.

Domain

Native Americans/Los nativos americanos

Who were the first people in America? A look at the Lenape, Wampanoag, and Lakota Sioux.

Una ilustración muestra un rey y una reina en tronos, un castillo en un acantilado y una mujer con enanos cerca de un árbol. Cortinas rojas enmarcan la escena.

Domain

Kings and Queens/Reyes y reinas

To understand fairy tales, it’s best to first understand royalty.

Ilustración que muestra las cuatro estaciones: primavera con flores, verano con árboles verdes, otoño con hojas que caen e invierno con nieve y gente en trineo. Un niño lee debajo de un árbol.

Domain

Seasons and Weather/Las estaciones y el tiempo

The study of natural cycles continues with the weather and why it happens.

Un velero de madera con símbolos de cruz roja en sus velas navega cerca de una isla tropical con exuberante vegetación y palmeras. A lo lejos se ven otros dos barcos en el agua.

Domain

Columbus and the Pilgrims/Colón y los peregrinos

A look at the first contact between Europe and the Americas, and some of its results.

Una escena histórica muestra gente afuera de una gran mansión de estilo colonial con dos chimeneas. En primer plano se ve un carruaje tirado por caballos y a la izquierda se ve una casa más pequeña.

Domain

Colonial Towns and Townspeople/Las colonias y sus habitantes

Before the War for Independence, how did the town and country depend on one another?

Ilustración de personas clasificando materiales reciclables en un parque cerca de un río contaminado. Las fábricas emiten humo al fondo, mientras que las mariposas, las flores y los árboles están presentes en el primer plano.

Domain

Taking Care of the Earth/Cuidar el planeta Tierra

We only have one Earth—here are some ways to help care for it.

Ilustración del Monte Rushmore con los rostros tallados de cuatro presidentes de Estados Unidos. Un águila vuela en primer plano.

Domain

Presidents and American Symbols/Presidentes y símbolos de los Estados Unidos

Start learning about government through the lives of five presidents.

Una ilustración caprichosa que muestra animales de granja alrededor de una casa en un árbol junto a un río. Un zorro, un conejo y una oveja interactúan mientras la gente acampa junto a una fogata al fondo. Una araña cuelga del árbol.

Domain

Fables and Stories/Fábulas y cuentos

Learn some of the key elements of a story through classic fables.

Ilustración que presenta anatomía humana, actividades de estilo de vida saludable, profesionales médicos, símbolos dietéticos, una ambulancia y microorganismos, destacando la conexión entre salud, nutrición y ejercicio.

Domain

The Human Body/El cuerpo humano

What are germs? What are the organs? And what does it all have to do with health?

Una ilustración que presenta varias escenas de cuentos de hadas y folclore, incluida una calabaza grande, un tigre, Caperucita Roja, personas con atuendos tradicionales y una pagoda roja con una montaña de fondo.

Domain

Different Lands, Similar Stories/Tierras diferentes, cuentos similares

A world tour of storytelling, and the stories that stay the same across the world.

Ilustración que muestra el antiguo Egipto con pirámides, la Esfinge, agricultores arando un campo con bueyes y ganado pastando bajo un cielo soleado.

Domain

Early World Civilizations/Antiguas civilizaciones del mundo

Rivers, farming, writing, and laws: just what does it take to build a civilization?

Escena ilustrada de la antigua Mesoamérica con maíz, un río, agricultores y pirámides al fondo. En primer plano se ve a una persona con traje tradicional.

Domain

Early American Civilizations/Antiguas civilizaciones de América

What will we find in the great temples of the Aztec, Maya, and Inca civilizations?

Ilustración de la exploración espacial: se lanza un cohete, un astronauta se para cerca de un módulo de aterrizaje, una persona usa un telescopio y aparece un planeta distante con anillos sobre un fondo estrellado.

Domain

Astronomy/Astronomía

How the Earth relates to the moon, the sun, and the rest of the planets.

Dos paleontólogos en un paisaje volcánico examinan fósiles en primer plano, mientras un volcán emite humo y lava al fondo.

Domain

The History of the Earth/La historia de la Tierra

Just what lies beneath the Earth’s surface, and what can it teach us about the past?

Una escena de vida silvestre diversa que presenta un cactus del desierto con un pájaro, un conejo, elefantes, un león, un oso polar sobre el hielo y montañas distantes bajo un cielo nublado.

Domain

Animals and Habitats/Los animales y sus hábitats

A look at the connection between how animals live and where they make their homes.

Una princesa con un vestido rosa sostiene una rana junto a un arroyo con un castillo, árboles y gente al fondo. En primer plano camina un zorro con un sombrero con una pluma roja.

Domain

Fairy Tales/Cuentos de hadas

What do fairy tales have to teach us about how stories are told?

Ilustración que muestra una escena histórica con soldados, veleros y hombres con atuendo colonial discutiendo en el interior.

Domain

A New Nation: American Independence/Una nueva nación: la independencia de los Estados Unidos

The story of the birth of the United States out of the 13 Colonies.

Los pioneros con carros cubiertos y caballos señalan hacia un valle con tipis nativos, fogatas y humo elevándose. Un oso se encuentra sobre una roca y se ven montañas al fondo.

Domain

Frontier Explorers/Exploradores de la Frontera

The story of the journey west from the newborn U.S.A. to find the Pacific Ocean.

Un hombre con un hacha se encuentra entre paisajes exagerados con un castillo, un tren con humo, un buey azul y una persona con un mono observando la escena.

Domain

Fairy Tales and Tall Tales/Cuentos de hadas y cuentos exagerados

Learn about exaggeration and characterization on the frontier.

Ilustración de un paisaje vibrante que presenta diversos monumentos culturales, incluidos templos, palacios, pirámides, una escena de elefantes, montañas distantes y fuegos artificiales en el cielo.

Domain

Early Asian Civilizations/Antiguas civilizaciones de Asia

Tour the world of classical civilization, starting with India and China.

Ilustración que muestra la antigua Grecia con un anfiteatro, estatuas, soldados con armadura, un barco y un templo en una colina rodeada de vegetación.

Domain

Ancient Greek Civilization/La civilización griega antigua

The tour continues with the philosophy and politics of Greece.

Illustration of various mythological scenes including greek gods, a flying horse, and roman architecture under a sunny sky.

Domain

Greek Myths/Mitos griegos

Dive deep into the characters and storytelling of classic myths.

Ilustración de una batalla entre barcos británicos y estadounidenses cerca de un fuerte. El barco británico está a la izquierda con soldados, mientras que el barco estadounidense está a la derecha. La gente porta una gran bandera estadounidense en primer plano.

Domain

The War of 1812/La guerra de 1812

Learn about America’s “Second War for Independence.”

Un paisaje nevado con un zorro durmiendo en una madriguera, gente corriendo y andando en bicicleta por un sendero y árboles que muestran los cambios estacionales.

Domain

Cycles in Nature/Los ciclos de la naturaleza

Introducing the natural cycles that make our lives possible.

Ilustración de carros cubiertos tirados por caballos a lo largo de un sendero en el desierto, con un coyote aullando sobre una alta formación rocosa y un tren de vapor al fondo.

Domain

Westward Expansion/La expansión hacia el oeste

Why did pioneers go west? What happened to the people who were there?

Ilustración de un jardín vibrante con flores, abejas, mariposas, una oruga en una hoja, una crisálida y un apicultor que maneja una colmena junto a un estanque.

Domain

Insects/Los insectos

Lay the grounds for animal classification by looking at solitary and social insects.

Ilustración de una escena histórica con gente escuchando el discurso de un hombre en una plataforma. Al fondo se ve un río y una procesión de personas. En primer plano hay un documento de proclamación.

Domain

The U.S. Civil War/La Guerra Civil de los Estados Unidos

Begin to grapple with U.S. history’s central crisis over slavery.

Una escena en la que aparece una persona explicando un diagrama anatómico humano, otra persona haciendo ejercicio, una cadena de ADN, campos y un microscopio de fondo.

Domain

Human Body: Building Blocks and Nutrition/El cuerpo humano: componentes básicos y nutrición

A deeper dive into the digestive system and the nutrition process.

Un grupo diverso de personas se encuentra en un muelle con vistas a un bullicioso puerto con barcos y un gran barco, un avión volando por encima y la Estatua de la Libertad al fondo.

Domain

Immigration/La inmigración

Why did people immigrate to the United States, and what did they find here?

Women in early 20th-century clothing march with signs for voting rights and justice in front of a yellow bus labeled "Cleveland Ave.," making history that can inspire lessons in a K–2 language arts curriculum.

Domain

Fighting for a Cause/Luchar por una causa

How people can do extraordinary things to make the world better for everyone.

Dos ratones antropomórficos en un bote de remos, uno de ellos remando, navegan por un río tranquilo rodeado de exuberante vegetación y árboles. El ratón que rema lleva una chaqueta azul y el otro ratón parece conversar.

Unit 1

Classic Tales: The Wind in the Willows/Cuentos Clásicos: El viento en los sauces

A deep dive into character, theme, and POV in classic stories from around the world.

Ilustración de un jaguar, una garza, una rana roja, una tortuga y un pez en un paisaje vibrante con montañas y vegetación bajo un cielo soleado.

Unit 2

Animal Classification/La clasificación de los animales

How do we classify different animals by their appearance and behavior?

Ilustración de una figura humana que muestra la anatomía interna, incluidos el cerebro, los pulmones, el corazón, el sistema digestivo y una articulación de la cadera resaltada sobre un fondo degradado.

Unit 3

The Human Body: Systems and Senses/El cuerpo humano: sistemas y sentidos

Let’s take a closer look at how the skeleton, muscles, and nervous system all work.

Un ángel se arrodilla ante una mujer sentada en un sofá dorado encima de un templo en una noche estrellada. Unas escaleras conducen al templo en un paisaje montañoso.

Unit 4

The Ancient Roman Civilization/La civilización romana antigua

What is Rome’s greatest cultural contribution? In this unit, your students decide.

Ilustración de un perro saltando bajo un árbol, persiguiendo una abeja, con una mesa en primer plano sosteniendo una jarra y vasos de limonada. El sol brilla intensamente en el cielo.

Unit 5

Light and Sound/La luz y el sonido

The science behind all the ways we see and hear the world.

Un barco vikingo con una proa en forma de dragón navega en el océano bajo un cielo azul con nubes. El barco tiene una sola vela grande y varios escudos recubren sus costados.

Unit 6

The Viking Age/La era vikinga

An immersive narrative experience about what life was like in Viking communities.

Ilustración de una escena espacial con varios planetas y anillos sobre un fondo de estrellas. Dos planetas grandes dominan el primer plano y se ven planetas más pequeños al fondo.

Unit 7

Astronomy: Our Solar System and Beyond/Astronomía: nuestro sistema solar y más allá

More about our universe, including a writing project about daily life on a space station.

Una persona sentada en el borde de un acantilado con vistas a un vasto paisaje desértico con nubes arremolinadas en el cielo.

Unit 8

Native Americans: Regions and Cultures/Los nativos americanos: regiones y culturas

How did Native American nations change their way of life in different parts of the world?

Ilustración de un velero en el océano con la costa este de América del Norte visible a la izquierda.

Unit 9

Early Explorations of North America/La exploración europea de América del Norte

What was it like to sail to North America with the early European explorers?

Una pintura representa una escena del siglo XVII con colonos, un velero al fondo y un hombre conduciendo un carro tirado por caballos cargado de mercancías. Se ve a otras personas descargando y trabajando cerca.

Unit 10

Colonial America/La época colonial en los Estados Unidos

A study of the very different ways of life in the different pre-U.S. colonies.

Ilustración que muestra el ciclo de la vida: un esqueleto en el suelo, un pájaro posado en una cerca, otro pájaro en una planta y un ave rapaz más grande arriba, todos conectados por flechas circulares.

Unit 11

Ecology/Ecología

Students keep ecologist’s journals to learn about our world and how best to protect it.

Una mano alcanza una manzana verde en una rama. Cerca hay una brújula, un termómetro, un lápiz, notas musicales y un granero rojo sobre un paisaje cubierto de hierba.

Unit 1

Personal Narratives/Narrativas personales

Read stories of personal experience… and learn to reflect on your own.

Ilustración medieval que representa un grupo de figuras con armadura a la entrada de un alto castillo gris con puente levadizo, adornado con banderas y rodeado por un paisaje decorado y fondos ornamentados.

Unit 2

Empires in the Middle Ages/Los imperios en la Edad Media, parte 1 & Los imperios en la Edad Media, parte 2

Explore the medieval history of Europe and the Middle East.

Ilustración dorada de un dragón con alas sobre fondo beige, rodeado de diversos elementos decorativos como estrellas, hojas y estampados abstractos.

Unit 3

Poetry/Poesía

Study the poetry of many nations using licensed text anthologies, and begin to write your own.

Vintage styled illustrations of a microscope, an old telephone, and a clock on textured background with geometric patterns.

Unit 4

Eureka! Student Inventor/¡Eureka! Estudiante inventor

Transform the class into a lab for students to build and present inventions.

Formaciones rocosas en un paisaje desértico con capas vibrantes y arremolinadas de arenisca roja, naranja y amarilla bajo un cielo parcialmente nublado.

Unit 5

Geology/Geología

Plate tectonics, volcanoes, erosion: all the forces that shape the Earth.

Una imagen abstracta y colorida que representa varias formas geométricas de edificios sobre un fondo azul estampado.

Unit 6

Contemporary Fiction with excerpts from The House on Mango Street/Ficción Contemporánea con Fragmentos de La Casa en Mango Street

Explore The House on Mango Street… and write a book while doing it.

Cuadro que representa a un hombre y un niño tocando una gran campana en una torre, con espectadores al fondo y un cartel de "LIBERTAD" visible.

Unit 7

American Revolution/La Revolución estadounidense

Why did America seek independence? Let’s investigate the causes and effects.

Un pequeño bote de remos con tres personas navega por mares agitados mientras dos grandes barcos luchan al fondo, con humo y fuego visibles.

Unit 8

Treasure Island/La Isla del Tesoro

How dSeek the treasure of plot in this detailed study of a classic fiction adventure.

Unit 1

Personal Narratives/Narrativas personales

Through writing and sharing their writing, students begin to identify themselves as writers.

Unit 2

Early American Civilizations/Las primeras civilizaciones americanas

Students craft a codex to explain the rise and fall of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca people.

Dos jinetes medievales a caballo, uno de ellos con la espada en alto, avanzan por un terreno rocoso. El fondo presenta un paisaje brumoso bajo un tono violeta.

Unit 3

Poetry/Poesía

Students close read many forms of poetry… and learn to write them.

Collage ilustrado con un paraguas, un cuervo, un sextante náutico, estrellas, una luna creciente y una brújula sobre un fondo beige texturizado.

Unit 4

Adventures of Don Quixote/Las Aventuras de Don Quijote

Was Don Quixote right to fight the windmill? In this full-length novel study, students decide.

Unit 5

The Renaissance/El Renacimiento

Exploring the art and literature of the Renaissance through the works of its masters.

Tres hombres vestidos con ropa de época examinan una gran hoja de papel dentro de una imprenta. Un hombre parece llevar un delantal, mientras que otro señala el papel y el tercero observa de cerca.

Unit 6

The Reformation/La Reforma

How did the printing press transform the religion and society of Europe?

Patrón botánico morado y lila con hojas, plantas y formas abstractas, incluida una luna creciente y estrellas, sobre un fondo violeta oscuro.

Unit 7

William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream/Sueño de Una Noche de Verano de William Shakespeare

Students enter the world of Shakespeare by reading, designing, and acting out his work.

Retrato en tonos sepia de una joven de pelo largo, con un collar de pedrería y un chal drapeado.

Unit 8

Native Americans/Los nativos americanos

How did the policies of the U.S. government impact Native American culture and lives?

Una lupa sobre documentos que contienen una pintura de paisaje de montañas, un dibujo con la etiqueta "Raptor Claw" y una nota adhesiva con la "Pista n.° 2". También se ven un sobre y una insignia exterior.

Unit 9

Chemical Matter/Química

Students use knowledge of chemistry to solve a mystery.

Print & digital components

The program includes instructional guidance and student materials for a year of instruction, with lessons and activities that keep students engaged every day.

Component

FORMAT

Knowledge (Conocimientos) Teacher Guides (K–2)

Knowledge Strand Teacher Guides contain Amplify CKLA’s cross-curricular read-alouds and application activities, all of which are standards-based to build mastery of content knowledge and literacy skills. There is one Teacher Guide per Knowledge Domain.

Print and digital

Knowledge Image Cards (K–2)

Amplify Caminos includes Image Cards for each Knowledge Domain to bring each topic to life through vivid visuals.

Print and digital

Knowledge Flip Books (K–2)

Projectable Flip Books are provided to accompany the read-alouds in each Knowledge Domain.

Digital

Teacher Guides (3–5)

Teacher Guides for grades 3–5 units are based on content-rich topics and incorporate reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in the context of background knowledge. There is one Teacher Guide per unit.

Print or digital

Teacher Resource Site (K–5)

The program includes a one-stop-shop website for lesson projections, digital versions of all Amplify Caminos materials, lesson planning resources, multimedia (such as eBooks), and more.

Digital

Professional Learning Site (K–5)

The Professional Learning site includes training materials, best practices, and other resources to develop program expertise. Access professional development anywhere, anytime.

Digital

Component

FORMAT

Knowledge (Conocimiento) Activity Books (K–2)

Activity Books provide students with the opportunity to deepen world and word knowledge by responding to text in a diversity of ways.

Print

Student Readers (3–5)

Student Readers serve as content-rich anchor texts for each unit. Units such as Poetry and Contemporary Fiction feature authentic texts originally written in Spanish.

Activity Books (3–5)

Activity Books in grades 3–5 provide daily opportunities for students to hone reading and writing skills within the context of each unit.

Print and digital

Explore more programs

Our programs are designed to support and complement one another. Learn more about our related programs.

Amplify CKLA Skills

Amplify CKLA Skills offers the explicit skills instruction needed in today’s cla…

See all programs

Inspiring the next generation of Massachusetts scientists, engineers, and curious citizens

Amplify Science is an engaging new core curriculum designed for three-dimensional, phenomena-based learning.

Collage of four images: a jungle illustration with a giraffe, students using computers, a boy studying with classmates, and an animated hillside with kites flying.

A powerful partnership

Amplify Science was developed by the science education experts at UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science and the digital learning team at Amplify. This partnership extends to 2032, allowing us to continuously improve our program and provide our customers with the most up-to-date enhancements, free of charge. Get a glimpse at our latest back-to-school updates here.

Instructional model

The Amplify Science program is rooted in the proven, research-based pedagogy of Do, Talk, Read, Write, Visualize. Here’s how each element works:

Three blue panels describing educational activities: "hands-on science" with lab experiments, "discuss" with collaborative learning, and "read" with literacy in science articles.

Phenomena-based approach

In each Amplify Science unit, students take on the roles of scientists or engineers in order to investigate a real-world problem. Students work to define the problem and collect and make sense of evidence. Once the context is clear, students collect evidence from multiple sources and through a variety of modalities. At the end of the unit, students are presented with a brand new problem, giving them an opportunity to apply what they’ve learned over the course of the unit to a new context. This represents a shift from asking students to learn about science to supporting students in figuring out the science.

Flowchart of a learning unit divided into four chapters, showing stages of student engagement from introduction to application, with assessments indicated at various points.

Resources to support your review

Scope and Sequence

GRADE

Kindergarten

UNITS

  • Needs of Plants and Animals
  • Pushes and Pulls
  • Sunlight and Water

Grade 1

  • Needs of Plants and Animals
  • Pushes and Pulls
  • Sunlight and Water

Grade 2

  • Plant and Animal Relationships
  • Properties of Materials
  • Changing Landforms

Grade 3

  • Balancing Forces
  • Inheritance and Traits
  • Environments and Survival
  • Weather and Climate

Grade 4

  • Energy Conversions
  • Vision and Light
  • Earth’s Features
  • Waves, Energy, and Information

Grade 5

  • Patterns of Earth and Sky
  • Modeling Matter
  • The Earth System
  • Ecosystem Restoration

Flexible implementation

One of the key features of Amplify Science is the flexibility that it offers. We give students authentic opportunities to experience the full breadth of what it means to be a scientist or engineer. Just as scientists gather evidence from many types of sources, so do students in our program. Like scientists, students gather evidence not just from physical models, but also from digital models, texts, videos, photographs, maps, data sets, and even their peers!
Simply put, real scientists don’t just get messy—they read, write, analyze, hypothesize, model, test, and communicate with purpose, too.

Illustration of the indirect effects of overfishing on northern benguela jelly populations displayed on a laptop screen.

Student Books
Beginning and young readers have unique developmental needs, and science instruction should support these students in reading more independently as they progress through sections of content, the school year, and each grade. One way Amplify Science meets these needs is by strategically deploying different modes of reading throughout each unit: Read-Aloud, Shared Reading, and Partner Reading.

A collage of various educational book covers related to science and math, featuring illustrated themes like sports, nature, and energy.

Student Investigation Notebooks

Available for every unit, the Student Investigation Notebooks provide space for students to:

  • record data.
  • reflect on ideas from texts and investigations.
  • construct explanations and arguments.
Collection of educational books from 'amplify science' on topics including ocean atmosphere, matter and energy ecosystems, and insect interactions, displayed in various angles.

Digital student experience

Students access the digital simulations and Modeling Tools, as well as lesson activities and assessments, through the digital student experience. Students can interact with the digital student experience as they:

  • conduct hands-on investigations.
  • engage in Active Reading and writing activities.
  • participate in discussions.
  • record observations.
  • craft end-of-unit scientific arguments.

Dive into a quick example of our powerful simulations

Grades K–5 simulation

A digital illustration showcasing a laptop and a tablet displaying complex data analysis software interfaces with graphs and heatmaps.

Hands-on materials kits

Hands-on learning is at the heart of Amplify Science and is integrated
into every unit. Students actively take on the roles of scientists and engineers as they gather evidence, think critically, solve problems, and develop and defend claims about the world around them.

Check out this 2-minute video to see an Amplify Science hands-on investigation in action.

Each unit kit contains:

  • consumable and non-consumable hands-on materials.
  • print classroom display materials.
  • premium print materials for student use (sorting cards, maps, etc.).
A perforated rectangular board, three small containers with different powders, a black battery holder with red wires, and three colored alligator clips are arranged on a white background.

Teaching support

Available digitally and in print, the Teacher’s Guides contain all of the information teachers need to facilitate classroom instruction, including:

  • detailed lesson plans.
  • unit and chapter overview documentation.
  • differentiation strategies.
  • standards alignments.
  • in-context professional development.
A laptop displaying the Geology on Mars webpage sits beside a book titled "Geology on Mars," both featuring the same cover image of Mars and a spacecraft, perfect for enhancing three-dimensional learning in any science classroom.

Massachusetts Academic Standards in Science coverage

Amplify Science was designed from the ground up to meet the NGSS, a set of standards that closely align with the Massachusetts Learning Standards for Science coverage. Most grade levels’ respective set of Amplify Science units therefore address the necessary MASS (see correlation). 

For grades K, 1, 2, 3, and 5, teachers should plan to also use the resources provided in the sections below to achieve full coverage of the appropriate standards before their students move on to the next grade band. Organized by grade level, each section outlines:

  • companion lesson materials that were written to support 100% alignment to the Massachusetts Learning Standards for Science coverage when used with the core Amplify Science units for the grade level
  • the standard being addressed with each companion lesson; and
  • the recommended placement of each companion lesson within a specific Amplify Science unit

Standard: K-PS1-1(MA). Investigate and communicate the idea that different kinds of materials can be solid or liquid depending on temperature.

Recommended placement: Following Lesson 5.6 of Sunlight and Weather

Resources: After students finish reflecting on their unit-long exploration of energy and temperature, play and discuss this read-aloud video of the student book Can you Change it Back?, which is featured in the grade 2 unit Properties of Materials. You might also consider borrowing the physical books from a grade 2 colleague’s Properties of Materials kit and reading it as a class instead of or in addition to playing the video.

Using the book, you will introduce students to the idea that heating and cooling can cause changes to materials. In the book, students are presented with a variety of materials and asked to predict whether a certain change caused by heating or cooling is reversible or irreversible.

Companion lesson: “Seasonal Changes”

Standard: 1-ESS1-2– Analyze provided data to identify relationships among seasonal patterns of change, including relative sunrise and sunset time changes, seasonal temperature and rainfall or snowfall patterns, and seasonal changes to the environment.

Recommended placement: Following Lesson 5.1 of Spinning Earth

Resources: Season Changes Classroom Slides and Student Sheet

Companion lesson: “Properties and Weight”

Standard: 2-PS1-3– Analyze a variety of evidence to conclude that when a chunk of material is cut or broken into pieces, each piece is still the same material and, however small each piece is, has weight. Show that the material properties of a small set of pieces do not change when the pieces are used to build larger objects.

Recommended placement: Following Lesson 4.4 of Properties of Materials.

Resources: Weight and Properties Classroom Slides, Resources, and Student Sheet

Companion lesson 1: Extinct Insects

Standard: 3-LS4-1: Use fossils to describe types of organisms and their environments that existed long ago and compare those to living organisms and their environments. Recognize that most kinds of plants and animals that once lived on Earth are no longer found anywhere.

Recommended placement: Following Lesson 2.3 of Environments and Survival

Resources: Extinct Insects Classroom Slides and Student Sheet

Companion lesson 2: Friction

Standard: 3-PS2-1: Provide evidence to explain the effect of multiple forces, including friction, on an object. Include balanced forces that do not change the motion of the object and unbalanced forces that do change the motion of the object.

Recommended placement: Following Lesson 1.1 of Balancing Forces

Resources: Friction Classroom Slides, Resources, and Student Sheet

Companion lesson 1: Composters

Standard: 5-LS2-2(MA)– Compare at least two designs for a composter to determine which is most likely to encourage decomposition of materials.

Recommended placement: Following Lesson 3.7 of Ecosystem Restoration

Resources: Composters Classroom Slides and Student Sheet

Companion lesson 2: Properties of Materials

Standard: 5-PS1-3 (MA) – Make observations and measurements of substances to describe characteristic properties of each, including color, hardness, reflectivity, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, response to magnetic forces, and solubility.

Recommended placement: Following Lesson 1.3 of Modeling Matter

Resources: Properties of Materials Classroom Slides, Resources, Articles, Copymaster, and Student Sheet

Companion lesson 3: Water Filters

Standard: 5-ESS3-2(MA)– Test a simple system designed to filter particulates out of water and propose one change to the design to improve it.

Recommended placement: Following Lesson 5.6 of The Earth System

Resources: Water Filters Classroom Slides and Student Sheet

Benchmark Assessments

Amplify’s Benchmark Assessments are designed to help teachers measure student progress toward the three dimensions—Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs), and Crosscutting Concepts(CCCs)—and performance expectations (PEs) of the NGSS. The assessments provide important insight into how students are progressing toward mastery of different standards ahead of high-stakes, end-of-year assessments.

The Benchmark Assessments are built to be delivered after specific units in the recommended Amplify Science scope and sequence.* They are given three or four times per year, depending on the grade level. The benchmarks are intended to show progress at various points in time across a school year, and are therefore not summative in nature. Digital items and item clusters are also tagged to specific NGSS standards, allowing customization to align with other course sequences. The assessments are available via the following platforms:

Print
PDF files: For administering Benchmark Assessments on paper

Digital platforms

  • Illuminate
  • SchoolCity
  • Otus
  • QTI (“Question and Test Interoperability”) files
    Not sure whether QTI files are compatible with your assessment platform? Contact your school IT or assessment platform representative for more information.
    Please note that Amplify is able to provide access to the QTI files themselves, but is not able to support the integration process. Your assessment platform provider should be able to assist with QTI file integration.

Remote and hybrid learning support

A child sits at a desk using a laptop. Next to the desk is a bookshelf with books, a fishbowl, and a soccer ball.

See an example of our remote and hybrid learning support below:

Intended to make extended remote and hybrid learning easier, Amplify Science @Home includes two useful options for continuing instruction: @Home Videos and @Home Units.
Amplify Science @Home Videos are recordings of real Amplify Science teachers teaching the lessons. For those teachers who are unable to meet synchronously with their students, the recorded lessons are a great way to keep their students on track and engaged with Amplify Science while at home.

Amplify Science @Home Units are modified versions of Amplify Science units, strategically designed to highlight key activities from the program. The @Home Units take significantly less instructional time than the complete Amplify Science program and allow students to engage with science at home. Each @Home unit includes:

  • Teacher overviews explaining how to use the materials, including suggestions for enhancing the @Home Units if synchronous learning or in-class time with students is available
  • Overviews to send home to families

Student materials will be available in two formats:

  • @Home Slides (PDF/PPT) + Student Sheets (PDF) for students with access to technology at home
  • Downloadable @Home Packets (PDF) for students without access to technology at home

Download the remote and hybrid learning guide

Explore the digital Teacher’s Guide

To familiarize yourself with navigation of the digital Teacher’s Guide, watch our navigational guide videos:

Grades K–5:

Looking for help?

Powerful (and free!) pedagogical support

Amplify provides a unique kind of support you won’t find from other publishers. We’ve developed an educational support team of former teachers and administrators who provide pedagogical support for every Amplify curriculum, assessment, and intervention program. This service is completely free for all educators who are using our programs and includes:

  • Guidance for developing lesson plans and intervention plans.
  • Information on where to locate standards and other planning materials.
  • Recommendations and tips for day-to-day teaching with Amplify programs.
  • Support with administering and interpreting assessment data and more.

Timely technical and program support

Our technical and program support is included and available Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET, through a variety of channels, including a live chat program that enables teachers to get immediate help in the middle of the school day.

Ready to dive in?

Contact your Massachusetts representative:

Tracy Yefimenko
518-466-3497
tyefimenko@amplify.com

A powerful partnership

Amplify Science was developed by the science education experts at UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science and the digital learning team at Amplify.

The word "Amplify" is written in orange bold letters with a period at the end against a white background.
The logo for The Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California, Berkeley, features blue text on a light background and is recognized by educators using Amplify Science for middle school science programs.

Back to school 2020–21 updates

Back to school 2020 is coming! Click here for more information on all of the improvements and new features we’re adding to Amplify Science for the new school year.

Program introduction

Onboarding: what to expect

Welcome to Amplify Science! To help you know what’s coming next, we created the following outline of the steps of the onboarding process. You can use it as a reference.

Administrators receive launch email

  • Share the information with teachers
  • Submit the shipping survey sent to your email

Log In

  • Go to learning.amplify.com
  • Click on Log in with Clever or Google 
  • Enter your FCPS credentials
  • Demo Account for full access to Amplify Curriculum without access to personalized class rosters:
    • Go to learning.amplify.com
    • Click on login with Amplify
    • Username: t.Fayette2020@tryamplify.net
    • Password:  AmplifyNumber1

Ensure you have received all materials and components

  • Teachers have access to a series of “Unboxing your materials kit” videos. If you’re interested in watching those, click here.

Check out the professional learning opportunities and/or access the Getting Started Resources below.

If you need assistance, please see the help resources or reach out to your Educational Partnerships Manager or PD manager at caffleck@amplify.com, pworks@amplify.com with any questions.

K–5 resources

To ensure your first day using Amplify Science in the classroom is as seamless and smooth as possible, we recommend reviewing the following checklist before the first day of school.

A graphic with the text "Pre-launch checklist for teachers" and an orange "Download PDF" button below. An icon of a checklist with a down arrow is on the left.

What’s coming to my school?

Each unit of Amplify Science comes with a hands-on materials kit. Each hands-on materials kit arrives in one to three boxes and contains:

  • Consumable materials for two uses of 25 or 36 students (depending on school purchase)
  • Non-consumable materials
  • Classroom wall materials
  • Premium print materials (card sorts, vocabulary rings, etc.).
  • 18 copies of each Student Book (5 titles each unit, K–1 will receive 5 big books per unit)
  • A blackline master of the Student Investigation Notebook

You can find complete materials lists for each unit in the following PDF. This information is also available in the digital Teacher’s Guide within the program.

Button for downloading a PDF of a K-5 materials list. An icon of a document with a downward arrow is on the left.

Onboarding videos

Our team has created a series of short videos to help get you started with Amplify Science:

What’s online?

Planning strategies

How to log in and navigate

NGSS introduction

Planning guides

As you prepare to plan for a unit, download our planning guides to help walk you through the most important resources to locate in either the print or digital Teacher’s Guide to help you plan:

    Additional resources

    If you’re interested in learning more about each unit’s anchor phenomena, the Student Books in each unit, and more program features, download the resources below:

      Amplify CKLA for Anchorage

      To view this protected page, enter the password below:



      What is Amplify CKLA?

      Amplify CKLA is a core ELA program for grades K–5 that delivers:

      • A unique research-based approach truly built on the Science of Reading.
      • A combination of explicit foundational skills with meaningful knowledge-building.
      • Embedded support and differentiation that gets all students reading grade-level texts together.
      • Opportunities for students to see the strengths and experiences that all people share while also celebrating each others’ unique identities and experiences.
      Reading rope showing knowledge-building and skill development strands, and the merging of language comprehension and word recognition

      How does Amplify CKLA work?

      Grades K–2: Dedicated knowledge-building and explicit skills instruction
      Every day, students in Grades K–2 complete one full lesson that explicitly and systematically builds foundational reading skills in the Skills Strand, as well as one full lesson that builds robust background knowledge to access complex text in the Knowledge Strand. Through learning in each of these strands, students develop the early literacy skills necessary to help them become confident readers and build the context to understand what they’re reading.

      Grades 3–5: Integrated instruction
      In Grades 3–5, Knowledge and Skills are integrated in one set of instructional materials. Lessons begin to combine skills and knowledge with increasingly complex texts, close reading, and a greater writing emphasis. Students can then use their skills to go on their own independent reading adventures.

      How does Amplify CKLA integrate with the other parts of the literacy system?

      Amplify CKLA + mCLASS® with DIBELS® 8th Edition

      Amplify CKLA integrates with your mCLASS assessment through the CKLA Connect feature, which matches your students with targeted CKLA lessons based on their mCLASS assessment data. In other words, it aligns your assessments more closely with your core curriculum while recommending effective differentiated instruction.

      Screenshot of an educational platform. It shows lesson plans for a group on "Letter Sound Knowledge" under the heading "CKLA Connect." Group 2 has 2 students. Activities for phonics skills are listed below.

      Amplify CKLA + Amplify Reading

      Amplify Reading is the student-driven skill practice program within CKLA, providing differentiated, digital instruction in both foundational skills and comprehension strategies. Because Amplify Reading is built on the same approach to reading as CKLA, students are able to extend their learning from the core program further, at their own pace.

      Amplify CKLA and Amplify Reading reinforce each other through:

      • An aligned scope and sequence and instructional approach: In both programs, students get instruction and practice in phonological awareness and phonics, with the most common, least ambiguous spellings first.
      • Consistent vocabulary words: Many Amplify CKLA words are taught and practiced in Amplify Reading vocabulary games.
      • Complementary texts: Fiction and nonfiction books within Amplify Reading reinforce Amplify CKLA knowledge domains.
      • Seamless integrations between platforms: Students can easily access Amplify Reading directly from the Amplify CKLA Student Hub.
      Educational website interface showing icons for theater, sounds, library, and activities with a greeting "hello student!" and a grade level indicator.

      What makes Amplify CKLA different?

      Built on the Science of Reading

      Built out of the latest research in the Science of Reading, Amplify CKLA delivers explicit instruction in both foundational literacy skills (systematic phonics, decoding, and fluency) and background knowledge in grades K–2 with an integrated approach to explicit instruction in grades 3–5.

      Review this Science of Reading toolkit to learn more about the Science of Reading best practices integrated throughout CKLA.

      Explicit systematic skills instruction

      Great reading instruction starts with helping kids develop great decoding skills. By building a solid foundation of phonological awareness and phonics, reading the words on the page becomes automatic so that comprehension and critical thinking can happen. Our instruction is supported by:

      • Step-by-step lessons with multisensory approaches, clear lesson objectives, and embedded formative assessments.
      • Decodable books and student readers with ebook and audiobook versions that feature interesting plots and relatable characters.
      • An engaging sound library with fun songs and videos that develop phonological awareness.
      • An interactive Vocab App featuring engaging activities with immediate feedback and automated, customized instruction based on student performance.

      Coherent knowledge instruction

      Students build grade-appropriate subject-area knowledge and vocabulary in history, science, literature, and the arts while learning to read, write, and think creatively and for themselves. Our instruction is supported by:

      • Knowledge builders that provide a quick overview of each domain with its key ideas.
      • Interactive Read-Alouds designed to build knowledge and vocabulary.
      • Content-rich anchor texts that support students as they tackle increasingly complex text and sharpen their analytical skills.
      • Social and emotional learning paired with lessons in civic responsibility.
      Illustration montage featuring scenes of learning: a cartoon character with books, two people shoveling snow under the stars, and an astronaut on a lunar landscape, with educational interfaces.

      Embedded differentiation for all learners

      Amplify CKLA provides built-in differentiation strategies in every lesson for all students, including supports for English learners and Standard English learners.

      • Access supports for ELs: Integrated ELD supports in each lesson segment
        for English learners and Standard English learners are specific to students’ mastery of the lesson’s objectives.
      • Support and Challenge for all learners: Lessons include Support and Challenge suggestions that provide assistance or opportunities for more advanced work toward the goal of the lesson. These supports are suitable for all learners, including ELs.
      • 30 minutes of Additional Support in every Skills lesson: In the Skills Strand, every lesson concludes with an Additional Support section of recommendations for 30 minutes of extended instruction and activities, directly aligned to the skills taught in the lesson to assist students who need more support in mastering the lesson’s objectives.
      • Intervention Toolkit: The Intervention Toolkit provides easy-to-use resources to assist teachers in filling gaps in students’ foundational skills. Teachers will find of hundreds of activities to support phonics, fluency, comprehension, handwriting, and other key skills.

      Designated ELD

      Amplify CKLA’s designated English Language Development (ELD) component—Language Studio—helps English learners preview and revisit key content within core instruction, building a foundation of academic vocabulary and background knowledge. Core instruction lessons include point-of-use supports for English learners and Support and Challenge strategies for all learners.

      Young boy with his hands over his mouth, looking up in wonder, beside a diagram labeled "language studio" with educational elements.

      This carefully developed program follows the CKLA Knowledge domains, previewing and reinforcing skills and content from core instruction using instruction specifically built for English learners. The program is also designed around frequent formative assessment, including assessment of language proficiency, giving you effective ways to guide and support your English learners.

      Language Studio supports teachers and English learners through the following:

      • 30 minutes of instruction with lesson segments are carefully designed around Content Knowledge, Meaning Making, Language Development, Effective Expression, and Foundational Skills.
      • Every Language Studio lesson accompanies a core lesson, helping English learners deepen domain and academic vocabulary that will help them access core content.
      • Culminating tasks support core projects and target the same skills as primary instruction.

      Ready-to-go slides and all-in-one platform

      The slides-based Amplify CKLA digital experience enhances instruction while saving you time. Everything you need is all in one place, making it easier than ever to plan lessons, present digital content, and review student work.

      • Simplify planning and instruction: Teachers have access to ready-to-use and customizable lesson presentation slides, complete with all the prompts from the print Teacher Guide embedded in the teacher view. As teachers deliver each lesson, students can engage with the content in one cohesive
        experience—through Activity Books, slides, digital components, videos, Student Readers, and more.
      • Interactive student activities: Through the Student Home, students can easily access digital lessons with slides, Activity Pages, ebooks, videos, and other interactive resources from one simple dashboard.
      • Your teacher command center: You’re provided with the tools you need to ensure a productive digital experience that’s personalized to meet your students’ needs. This includes a teacher home from which to launch and track lessons, LMS integrations such as Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams, and other customizations based on classroom needs.
      • Get real-time insights into your students’ work: The innovative live review tool enables you to keep an eye on students drawing, recording audio, uploading and capturing images, and typing or writing in pre-placed text boxes in their Activity Pages.

      Navigating the program

      Digital navigation walkthrough

      Physical materials walkthrough

      Sample materials

      Knowledge Strand:

      Skills Strand:

      Knowledge Strand:

      Skills Strand:

      Integrated Strand

      Demo access

      Laptop screen displaying a login page for "amplify" with multiple sign-in options including google, clever, a qr code, and district sso.

      Follow the instructions below to access your demo account.

      • Click the CKLA Demo button below.
      • Select Log in with Amplify.
      • To explore as a teacher, enter this username: t1.alaskareads@demo.tryamplify.net
      • To explore as a student, enter this username: s1.alaskareads@demo.tryamplify.net
      • Enter the password: Amplify1-alaskareads
      • Click the Programs and apps menu
      • Select CKLA Teacher Resource Site
      • Select the desire grade level
      CKLA Demo

      Check out these additional resources

      Amplify CKLA review resources:

      Hands-on and print materials (“kits”)

      Amplify Science is a new phenomena-based science curriculum for grades K–8.

      An illustration of a whale with jellyfish and turtles from Amplify Science

      Hands-on and print materials (“kits”)

      There is a box of materials associate with every unit of Amplify Science, containing a variety of hands-on activities and print materials that are called for in the various lessons in the unit. Each box, commonly called a “kit,” is associated with a given unit, and each teacher should ideally have their own kit for each unit.

      Hands-on brochures

      Within the kit there are two types of materials:

      1. Physical manipulatives
      2. Printed materials

      The physical manipulatives are the hands-on items used in various lessons in the unit. For example, the Balancing Forces kit contains balloons, batteries, magnets, fasteners, rubber balls, and various other materials.

      There are two types of physical manipulatives: consumables and nonconsumables. Nonconsumables are durable and, if cared for properly, can be used over the course of several years. Consumables are used up with each use and must be replenished.

      There are also print materials in the kits, including:

      • Key concepts: Teachers designate an area of the classroom wall to post “Key Concept” printed cards. These cards contain short sentences that explicitly identify an important idea or concept learned in the unit. By posting that card to the wall, the classroom has a visual anchor – a physical representation of “what we’ve learned so far.”
      • Vocabulary wall: Like the Key Concepts, Vocabulary cards are provided in your unit’s kit. These, too, are posted to a designated area of the classroom wall, and more and more vocabulary cards are added to the wall as we progress through the unit.
      • Unit and Chapter Questions: Printed cards with the unit question and individual chapter questions are also provided in the kit. These cards help students to remember exactly what we are investigating over the course of the chapter, and ultimately, over the course of the unit.
      • Card Sets: Printed cards, specific to a unit, are in each kit (though not all units have Card Sets). Often, students are sorting these cards on their desks, ranking them, ordering them, etc. For example, in the Metabolism unit, students take “Evidence Cards,” each with a piece of evidence, and then rank and arrange the evidence cards from strong-> weak->irrelevant, thereby providing a visualization of their thinking and reasoning.

      Assessments

      Credible. Actionable. Timely. The assessment system for each Amplify Science unit is designed to provide teachers with actionable diagnostic information about student progress toward the learning goals for the unit. Assessment of unit learning goals is grounded in the Unit Progress Build (PB), which describes how student understanding is likely to develop and deepen through engagement with the unit’s learning experiences. The assessment system includes formal and informal opportunities for students to demonstrate understanding and for teachers to gather information throughout the unit – all while giving teachers flexibility in deciding what to score and what to simply review. Built largely around instructionally-embedded performances, these opportunities encompass a range of modalities that, as a system, attend to research on effective assessment strategies and the NRC Framework for K-12 Science Education.

      The variety of assessment options for Amplify Science include:

      • Pre-Unit Assessment (formative): discussion, modeling, and written explanations to gauge students knowledge.
      • On-the-Fly Assessments (OtFA) (formative): each OtFA includes guidance on what to look for in student activity or work products, and offers suggestions on how to adjust instruction accordingly.
      • End-of-Chapter Problem Context Explanations (formative): Three-dimensional performance tasks to support students’ consolidation of ideas encountered in each chapter and provide insight into students’ developing understanding.
      • Self-Assessments (formative): One per chapter; brief opportunities for students to reflect on their own learning, ask questions, and reveal ongoing wonderings about unit content.
      • Critical Juncture Assessment (CJ) (formative): Occurring at the end of each chapter similar in format to the Pre-Unit and End-of-Unit assessments.
      • End-of-Unit Assessment (summative): discussion, modeling, and written explanations to gauge students’ knowledge and growth.

      Hands-On and Print Materials (“Kits”)

      There is a box of materials associate with every unit of Amplify Science, containing a variety of hands-on activities and print materials that are called for in the various lessons in the unit. Each box, commonly called a “kit,” is associated with a given unit, and each teacher should ideally have their own kit for each unit.

      Hands-on brochures

      *One blackline master Student Investigation Notebook is included in each unit kit, grades 3–5.

      Within the kit there are two types of materials:

      1. Physical manipulatives
      2. Printed materials

      The physical manipulatives are the hands-on items used in various lessons in the unit. For example, the Balancing Forces kit contains balloons, batteries, magnets, fasteners, rubber balls, and various other materials.

      There are two types of physical manipulatives: consumables and nonconsumables. Nonconsumables are durable and, if cared for properly, can be used over the course of several years. Consumables are used up with each use and must be replenished.

      There are also print materials in the kits, including:

      • Key concepts: Teachers designate an area of the classroom wall to post “Key Concept” printed cards. These cards contain short sentences that explicitly identify an important idea or concept learned in the unit. By posting that card to the wall, the classroom has a visual anchor – a physical representation of “what we’ve learned so far.”
      • Vocabulary wall: Like the Key Concepts, Vocabulary cards are provided in your unit’s kit. These, too, are posted to a designated area of the classroom wall, and more and more vocabulary cards are added to the wall as we progress through the unit.
      • Unit and Chapter Questions: Printed cards with the unit question and individual chapter questions are also provided in the kit. These cards help students to remember exactly what we are investigating over the course of the chapter, and ultimately, over the course of the unit.
      • Card Sets: Printed cards, specific to a unit, are in each kit (though not all units have Card Sets). Often, students are sorting these cards on their desks, ranking them, ordering them, etc. For example, in the Metabolism unit, students take “Evidence Cards,” each with a piece of evidence, and then rank and arrange the evidence cards from strong-> weak->irrelevant, thereby providing a visualization of their thinking and reasoning.

      Preview Amplify Science: NYC

      Start your view by simply selecting “Preview the Curriculum” and then selecting either Teacher or Student access. We recommend selecting Teacher access as you will also be able to see the student resources.

      Looking for help reviewing the program? Reach out to a New York City Amplify Science curriculum expert.

      Preview K–5 Preview 6–8

      Reading and Literacy Integration

      Amplify Science units provide strategy-based literacy instruction that aims to develop students’ facility with reading, writing, and talking about science. Each unit provides many authentic opportunities for students to learn about and practice the ways of communicating and learning that characterize science as a discipline. The following are the Amplify Science Guiding Principles for Literacy:

      1. Students acquire literacy expertise through the pursuit of science knowledge and by engaging in scientific and engineering practices.
      2. Attention to discipline literacy instruction should begin as soon as students enter school and should continue throughout the grades.
      3. Participation in a disciplinary community is key to acquiring disciplinary expertise and literacy.
      4. Since the purpose of science is to better explain the natural world, argumentation and explanation are the central enterprises of science. Therefore, these practices are central foci of reading, writing, and talk in science.

      Literacy instruction in the Amplify Science program utilizes a Gradual Release of Responsibility approach (Pearson and Gallagher 1983). In this approach, instruction begins with the teacher assuming primary responsibility for modeling strategy or skill and explicitly instruction how to use each strategy or skill. As instruction proceeds, the teacher offers as much support as needed so students can practice using the target strategy more independently. Over time, students take on more responsibility for using the strategy more independently. Depending on the goal, the path from teacher modeling to student independence will vary. Over the course of a unit, students may not achieve independence for every literacy goal, but they will move along the continuum toward flexible use of a wide range of reading, writing, and learning strategies that have been incorporated throughout the program.

      Each Amplify Science Elementary Unit includes five books that students use to build an understanding of science ideas, practices, and crosscutting concepts. While the program does not take on responsibility for providing all literacy instruction required for students’ reading development (e.g., skill-based or fluency-oriented literacy instruction), it is designed to support vocabulary, language, and reading comprehension development.

      Amplify Science provides students with a series of content-rich nonfiction and informational texts that are read for a variety of purposes throughout the unit. The five books in each unit include one book for approximately every five days of instruction and one reference book that students draw upon throughout the 22-lesson units (20 instructional lessons & 2 assessment days for pre/post). Students are encouraged to read books as independently as possible so they can apply the comprehension strategies they are learning in order to understand what they read. In each Amplify Science reading session, comprehension is supported at three stages: before, during, and after reading. At each stage, students engage in planned tasks that build an understanding of the key concepts and themes in a book. The teacher’s role is to scaffold comprehension and provide opportunities for practicing the strategies and skills that are being taught. At each stage, these include:

      • Before-reading activities designed to help students activate their background knowledge, prepare to use particular comprehension strategies, and set a purpose for reading.
      • During-reading activities intended to help students monitor their comprehension, make connections, and read and understand important science vocabulary in context.
      • After reading activities intended to help students reflect on their learning and connect their reading to their firsthand science investigations.

      Nonfiction and informational text. The Amplify Science program is designed to help students gain familiarity with the structures and functions of nonfiction and informational texts by extending students’ exposure to these texts in a rich learning environment. The program uses nonfiction and informational texts because it is an important component of content learning in school; it helps build knowledge of the natural and social world, and it provides students with a purposeful context for learning key concepts and vocabulary. Nonfiction and informational text are also engaging and motivating as it answers genuine questions and capitalizes on student interests and background knowledge. Reading a wide variety of texts have been shown to affect students’ interest in reading overall (Duke 2004). Nonfiction and informational genres are also the genres students are most likely to encounter when reading and writing inside and outside of school. For adults, nonfiction and informational texts are read more often than other genres (Duel 2004; Smith 2000). In order for students to become successful information gatherers as adults, we need to provide opportunities for them to engage with nonfiction and informational texts in school.

      Reading comprehension. Reading instruction in Amplify Science is designed to promote students’ capacity to read for meaning. Guided instruction and a supportive classroom context help students learn to employ powerful comprehension strategies that are critical for gaining a better understanding of text and becoming skilled readers (Duke and Pearson 2002). Comprehension strategies included in the Amplify Science program include posing questions, making inferences, setting goals for reading, summarizing, synthesizing, and using text features. Across units, students are guided to use these strategies flexibly as they read and make sense of a wide range of nonfiction and informational texts. Students also gain critical experience with understanding texts and experiences in relation to one another as they make connections between the books they read and the science they do. These connections then extend their growing conceptual understanding. Reading instruction in Amplify Science also encourages students to reflect on the utility of comprehension strategies, including when, why, and how these strategies helped them. One important way students make connections is through sustained classroom discussion of text with their peers (Nystrand 1997). Students regularly discuss both content and comprehension use before, during, and after reading, learning more about both as they engage in discussions with their peers. The Amplify Science approach also draws on research that demonstrates the benefits of instructional coherence (connected reading, writing, listening, and talk), particularly in the content area of science (Romance and Vitale 2001; Cervetti et. al. 2007; The Directed Reading Model supports reading comprehension before, during, and after reading. Cervetti et. al. 2006). Reading comprehension is enhanced as students connect what they read to what they are investigating and learning in science. The Amplify Science student books provide many opportunities for students to practice their developing reading skills in context, engage in authentic discourse around text, make connections, and support their understandings with textual evidence.

      Digital Simulations

      Digital Sims are digital tools that serve as venues of exploration and means for collecting data and evidence, and present students with opportunities to make observations and manipulate variables of key scientific processes and mechanism. Sims allow students to explore scientific concepts that might otherwise be invisible or impossible to see with the naked eye. Much like real scientists do, students of Amplify Science will use these computer simulations to gain insight into processes that occur on the microscopic scale, or alternatively, to speed up processes that might otherwise take thousands or millions of years to observe.

      In grades 4–8, Amplify Science offers a unique sim which students will use throughout the unit. And each time a sim appears in a lesson, there are clear instructions for both teachers and students on its use.

      Digital simulation from Ecosystem Restoration unit

      Spanish Resources

      Amplify Science is committed to providing support to meet the needs of all learners, including multiple access points for Spanish-speaking students. Developed in conjunction with Spanish-language experts and classroom teachers, multiple components are available in Spanish across the Amplify Science curriculum.

      Spanish-language materials include:

      ComponentTeacher/student
      Student Investigation Notebooks (K–8)Student
      Science articles (6–8)Student
      Student Books (K–5)Student
      Video transcripts (6–8)Student
      Digital simulation translation key (6–8)Student
      Printed classroom materials (K–8)
      (Unit and chapter questions, key concepts, vocabulary cards, etc.)      		Teacher and student
      Copymasters (K–8)Teacher
      Assessments (K–8)Teacher

      Supporting ELLs

      English language learners (ELLs) bring a lifetime of background knowledge and experiences to everything they do. As they work to acquire a new language and new academic knowledge simultaneously, they may need specific linguistic support. In the instruction, the Differentiation Brief points out activities that could pose linguistic challenges for English learners or reduce their access to science content, and suggests supports and modifications accordingly.

      The Lawrence Hall of Science authorship team believes that it is essential for students to develop both a deep understanding of science concepts and facility with disciplinary practices that are essential to the work of scientists and engineers. It is also important to recognize that in a single classroom, students have an array of learning needs and preferences. In particular, English language learners can benefit from learning opportunities designed to meet their needs from additional support then needed as they tackle the language and content demands of science.Five principles helped the Lawrence Hall of Science curriculum developers design instructional sequences to meet the goals of bolstering students who develop understanding of science content, decreasing language demands without diluting science content, and allowing students to more fully engage in disciplinary literacy practices. The five principles are based on research on best practices in the field and have been reviewed by Amplify Science ELL advisors.

      1. Leverage and build students’ informational background knowledge.
      2. Capitalize on students’ knowledge of language.
      3. Provide explicit instruction about the language of science.
      4. Provide opportunities for scaffolded practice.
      5. Provide multimodal means of accessing science content and expressing science knowledge.

      Back to Amplify Science

      Inspiring the next generation of Massachusetts scientists, engineers, and curious citizens

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      Welcome, Amplify CKLA families!

      We’re excited to welcome you and your student to the Amplify CKLA program for the new school year. We’ve assembled the following resources and guides to ensure your student has the most rewarding experience with our platform, and to help you support them throughout the year.

      Para la versión en español, haga clic aquí.

      Illustration of children reading, running, and jumping amid birds, greenery, letters, and a cityscape—capturing the joy of learning and connection to nature inspired by Amplify CKLA Espanol.

      What is Amplify CKLA?

      Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) is a language arts program for grades PreK–5 that combines a multi-sensory approach to phonics with rich texts carefully sequenced to build content knowledge—all in support of students simultaneously learning to read and reading to learn.

      Every day in grades PreK–2, Amplify CKLA students complete one full lesson that builds foundational literacy skills, as well as one full lesson that builds background knowledge. In grades 3–5, students start to master the skills of reading, further opening up their worlds.

      Getting started

      How you can support your student at home:

      • Read with your student daily. Even 15 minutes of reading together each day can have a huge impact.
      • Read sections of the text aloud together. If your student struggles, you might try reading the text to them with expression, then having them read it aloud back to you. For additional practice, watch the recorded Read-Alouds with your K–2 student or have your student in grades 3–5 use the Vocab App.
      • Find moments to discuss what they’re reading and learning. Examples of questions you could ask: What stood out to you from what you read today? What did you learn that you didn’t know before? Were any sentences or words confusing? What do you think the writer was trying to say? Do you agree with the writer’s ideas or descriptions? What connections can you make between what you’re reading and your own life?
      • Ask your student to read their written responses. You could also have them share with a friend over video chat.
      • Review this Protecting Kids Online article by the Federal Trade Commission, which addresses digital safety.

      Logging in

      Students in grades K–2

      K–2 students will be able to log in with Shared Credentials created and provided by the teacher.

      On each student device, navigate to learning.amplify.com.

      Select “Log in,” then enter shared login credentials or select “Scan QR code” for QR code login. Students will be directed to Student Home, where they’ll be able to change their avatar and click on a mood emoji of the day! At Student Home, there will be an easy redirect link to the Student Hub.

      Note: Shared student login credentials allow K–2 students and those not yet enrolled by their school or district to access Amplify’s digital programs through the Amplify CKLA Hub

      Students in grades 3–5

      Go to learning.amplify.com.

      Select “Log in,” then enter shared login credentials or select “Scan QR code” for QR code login. Students will be directed to Student Home, where they’ll be able to change their avatar and click on a mood emoji of the day! At Student Home, there will be an easy redirect link to the Student Hub.

      Note: Students in this grade band must be enrolled and have an appropriate license to access Student Home. Contact your student’s teacher for login information.

      Materials overview

      Some of Amplify CKLA’s digital curriculum may be accessible to your student at home, if internet access is available. Contact your student’s teacher for login information.

      Student Activity Books

      As part of daily lessons, Student Activity Book pages are where students respond to texts they’ve read and apply their skills and knowledge.

      Student Readers

      Student Readers are uniquely designed to provide students with intensive reading practice with simple, authentic stories.

      K–2 Student Readers are chapter books that allow students to practice just-learned sound-spellings within a reading experience that incorporates compelling plots and characters, settings, and illustrations. In grades 3–5, students develop close reading and other literacy skills through a variety of content-rich literary and informational texts.

      A selection of illustrated Amplify CKLA Espanol book covers organized into three rows labeled Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2, with various titles displayed in each row.

      CKLA Hub for students

      At the Amplify CKLA Hub, both students and teachers can access our engaging and instructional multimedia—whether they’re at home, or in the classroom. Students use the Amplify Hub outside of school, either on their own or with a parent, for extra practice or just for fun!

      Students can log into the Amplify Hub on their home devices with the same method they use in class.

      A digital student dashboard for Grade 3 featuring two options: "Vocab" with a yellow character, and "Library" with an open book icon—designed to support Amplify CKLA Espanol learners.

      Sound Library for Grades K–2

      The Sound Library uses audio sounds, catchy songs, and animated articulation videos to help students learn and master sounds.

      A digital interface displays illustrated sound cards, each showing a letter sound, example words, and a related image, with colored unit buttons above—perfect for supporting Amplify CKLA Espanol lessons.

      Vocab App for Grades 3–5

      The Vocab App is designed for independent practice with vocabulary. Students are encouraged to use the App’s game-like activities for practice, or as an extra challenge!

      A digital flashcard interface for Amplify CKLA Espanol shows a stick figure beside a "GO" button, a word list on the right, and activity stats at the bottom.

      Unit Overview samples

      The following Unit Overviews provide samples of the units your student will be engaging with throughout the year.

      Kindergarten Knowledge Curriculum

      Kindergarten Skills Curriculum

      Grade 1 Knowledge Curriculum

      Grade 1 Skills Curriculum

      Grade 2 Knowledge Curriculum

      Grade 2 Skills Curriculum

      Grade 3 Curriculum Overview

      Grade 4 Curriculum Overview

      Grade 5 Curriculum Overview

      Contact us

      We’re here to help you!

      Have a question about Amplify CKLA? 

      Visit our help library to search for articles with answers to your program questions. 

      For additional curriculum support, contact your student’s teacher.

      Our Instructional model

      The Amplify Science program is rooted in the proven, research-based pedagogy of Do, Talk, Read, Write, Visualize. Here’s how each element works:

      DO
      First-hand investigations are an important part of any science classroom, and Amplify Science has students getting hands-on in every unit, from building models of protein molecules to experimenting with electrical systems.

      TALK
      Student-to-student discourse and full class discussions are an integral part of the program. Students are provided with numerous opportunities to engage in meaningful oral scientific argumentation, all while fostering a collaborative classroom environment.

      READ
      Students read scientific articles, focusing their reading activities on searching for evidence related to their investigation, and importantly, on asking and recording questions as they read through fascinating texts on 21st-century topics.

      WRITE
      Following real-world practices, students write scientific arguments based on evidence they’ve collected, making clear their reasoning about how a given piece of evidence connects to one of several claims.

      VISUALIZE
      By manipulating digital simulations and using modeling tools to craft visualizations of their thinking— just as real scientists and engineers do—students take their learning far beyond the confines of what they can physically see in the classroom in an exciting and authentic way.

      Supporting resources

      Scope and sequence

      GRADE

      UNITS

      Kindergarten

      • Needs of Plants and Animals
      • Pushes and Pulls
      • Sunlight and Water

      Grade 1

      • Animal and Plant Defenses
      • Light and Sound
      • Spinning Earth

      Grade 2

      • Plant and Animal Relationships
      • Properties of Materials
      • Changing Landforms

      Grade 3

      • Balancing Forces
      • Inheritance and Traits
      • Environments and Survival
      • Weather and Climate

      Grade 4

      • Energy Conversions
      • Vision and Light
      • Earth’s Features
      • Waves, Energy, and Information

      Grade 5

      • Patterns of Earth and Sky
      • Modeling Matter
      • The Earth System
      • Ecosystem Restoration

      GRADE

      UNITS

      Grade 6

      • Launch: Microbiome
      • Metabolism
      • Metabolism Engineering Internship
      • Thermal Energy
      • Plate Motion
      • Plate Motion Engineering Internship
      • Rock Transformations
      • Weather Patterns
      • Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate

      Grade 7

      • Launch: Harnessing Human Energy
      • Phase Change
      • Phase Change Engineering Internship
      • Magnetic Fields
      • Earth’s Changing Climate
      • Earth’s Changing Climate Engineering Internship
      • Chemical Reactions
      • Populations and Resources
      • Matter and Energy in Ecosystems

      Grade 8

      • Launch: Geology on Mars
      • Earth, Moon, and Sun
      • Light Waves
      • Force and Motion
      • Force and Motion Engineering Internship
      • Traits and Reproduction
      • Natural Selection
      • Natural Selection Engineering Internship
      • Evolutionary History

      South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Science Standards 2021

      Amplify Science was designed from the ground up to meet the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and the South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Science Standards 2021 are closely aligned to the NGSS at K-8. The guidance below is meant to provide support for integrating additional companion activities that support full coverage of the South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Science Standards 2021.

      Organized by grade level, each section below will outline:

      • Additional activities that support 100% alignment to the  South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Science Standards 2021; 
      • The standard being addressed with the activities; 
      • The recommended placement of the activities within a specific Amplify Science unit; and 
      • PDFs of any accompanying materials that are necessary to implement the activities.

      Standard: MS-PS1-4: Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed.
      Recommended placement: Thermal Energy unit, Lesson 4.4, addition to Activity 3
      Materials: “Liquid Oxygen”
      By reading the article “Liquid Oxygen,” which describes how the relationship between attraction and kinetic energy determines when a substance changes phase, students extend their understanding of the possible effects of adding or removing thermal energy to include changes in state (phase). Oxygen is one of the most common elements in the world, but most people are only familiar with oxygen in the gas phase. Because oxygen molecules are only weakly attracted to one another, condensing oxygen is difficult. This article introduces students to molecular attraction and discusses its role in phase change, including how it can be used to turn oxygen from a gas to a liquid.
      Instructions:
      Download PDFs of the “Liquid Oxygen” and distribute it to students. Before they begin reading, remind students of the Active Reading Guidelines. 

      Standard: MS-PS4-2: Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.
      Recommended placement: Weather Patterns unit, Lesson 4.4, addition to Activity 3
      Materials: “Harvesting Sunlight”, “Why No One in Space Can Hear You Scream” and “Making Waves at Swim Practice”
      After investigating weather patterns, which includes a focus of the effects of energy from sunlight, students extend their learning about light by reading three articles about light and other waves.
      “Harvesting Sunlight:” Students read this article to learn about the types of light from the sun that plants use for photosynthesis. The article describes how the sun emits all types of light, but plants can only use certain types of visible light for photosynthesis, mostly red and blue light. Plants also absorb other types of light, and these types of light affect plants in different ways. Students use this information to gather evidence that there are different types of light that can affect a material in different ways.
      “Why No One in Space Can Hear You Scream:” Students read this article to learn about how waves are transmitted. Explosions that would be deafening on Earth are silent in space. This is because sound is produced by sound waves and, unlike light waves, sound waves need matter to travel through. Reading about this phenomenon helps students understand the similarities and differences between mechanical and electromagnetic waves.
      “Making Waves at Swim Practice:” A practice for the school swim team provides an everyday context for discussing light waves and sound waves in this engaging article. First, the article explores sound waves traveling through different materials–the air, the water of the pool, and even a metal poolside bench. Students discover that sound waves travel at different speeds in different materials. The later part of the article discusses light waves, which also travel at different speeds in different materials. As light waves move from one material to another, they change speed and bend. This bending of light waves is called refraction, and it explains why objects that are partly in the water and partly out of the water (such as the legs of a person sitting on the side of a pool) appear ripply and bent.
      Instructions:
      Plan one class period for each article. Download PDFs of the  “Harvesting Sunlight,” “Why No One in Space Can Hear You Scream,” and “Making Waves at Swim Practice” articles. For each article, before students begin reading, preview the article and discuss what students already know and what they wonder about the topic, then remind students of the Active Reading Guidelines. 

      Standard: MS-PS2-3: Ask questions about data to determine the factors that affect the strength of electric and magnetic forces. MS-PS2-5: Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact.
      Recommended placement: Harnessing Human Energy unit, Lesson 3.4, after Activity 1
      Materials: “Earth’s Geomagnetism” and “Painting with Static Electricity”
      After concluding their investigations of energy transfers and conversions, students read two articles that introduce the topic of forces that act at a distance.
      “Earth’s Geomagnetism:” What makes a compass needle point north, no matter what? This article introduces students to Earth’s geomagnetic field and the field lines scientists use to show its direction.
      “Painting with Static Electricity:” This article gives students the opportunity to learn about electrostatic fields and forces in the context of spray painting without making a mess. Electrostatic painting systems use electrostatics to draw spray paint toward the object being painted, and nowhere else. Painters charge the object they are painting with a negative charge and the paint with a positive charge. The opposite charges are attracted to one another, causing the paint to move toward the object. This surprising use of electrostatics saves time and paint and keeps things tidy!
      Instructions
      Plan one class period for each article. Download PDFs of the “Earth’s Geomagnetism” and “Painting with Electricity” articles. For each article, before students begin reading, preview the article and discuss what students already know and what they wonder about the topic, then remind students of the Active Reading Guidelines. 

      What’s included

      Science articles
      The middle school science articles serve as sources for evidence collection and were authored by science and literacy experts at the Lawrence Hall of Science.

      Student Investigation Notebooks
      Available for every unit, the Student Investigation Notebooks provide space for students to:

      • Record data
      • Reflect on ideas from texts and investigations
      • Construct explanations and arguments

      Available with full-color article compilations for middle school units.

      Cuatro folletos blancos con detalles en naranja brillante y varias imágenes de temas de la naturaleza en las portadas. Los títulos son parcialmente visibles, centrándose en información sobre el agua y sus usos.

      Digital student experience
      Students access the digital simulations and modeling tools, as well as lesson activities and assessments, through the digital student experience. Students can interact with the digital student experience as they:

      • Conduct hands-on investigations
      • Engage in active reading and writing activities
      • Participate in discussions
      • Record observations
      • Craft end-of-unit scientific arguments
      Una fotografía de tres pantallas de computadora que muestran diferentes interfaces de software: código sobre un fondo negro, un mapa de calor del clima y un entorno de programación gráfico.

      Teacher’s Guides
      Available digitally and in print, the Teacher’s Guides contain all of the information teachers need to facilitate classroom instruction, including:

      • Classroom Slides
      • Detailed lesson plans
      • Unit and chapter overview documentation
      • Differentiation strategies
      • Standards alignments
      • In-context professional development
      A laptop displaying the Geology on Mars webpage sits beside a book titled "Geology on Mars," both featuring the same cover image of Mars and a spacecraft, perfect for enhancing three-dimensional learning in any science classroom.

      Hands-on materials kits
      Hands-on learning is at the heart of Amplify Science. Each unit kit contains:

      • Consumable and non-consumable hands-on materials
      • Print classroom display materials
      • Premium print materials for student use (sorting cards, maps, etc.)
      A perforated rectangular board, three small containers with different powders, a black battery holder with red wires, and three colored alligator clips are arranged on a white background.

      Remote and hybrid learning supports

      Una persona sentada en un escritorio usando una computadora portátil, con una estantería que contiene libros, una pecera y una pelota de fútbol cerca.

      Amplify has launched a new remote learning solution called Amplify Science@Home. Intended to make extended remote learning and hybrid learning easier, Amplify Science@Home includes two useful options for continuing instruction: @Home Videos and @Home Units. 

      Amplify Science @Home Videos are recordings of real Amplify Science teachers teaching the lessons. For those teachers who are unable to meet synchronously with their students, the recorded lessons are a great way to keep their students on track and engaged with Amplify Science while at home. These videos will be produced for all K–5 units, and for the first four units of each 6–8 grade level. Their release will be rolling, beginning in August.   

      Amplify Science@Home Units are modified versions of Amplify Science units, strategically designed to highlight key activities from the program. The @Home Units take significantly less instructional time than the complete Amplify Science program and allow students to engage with science at home. @Home Units will be developed for all Amplify Science K–8 units. Each @Home unit includes:

      • Teacher overviews explaining how to use the materials, including suggestions for enhancing the @Home Units if synchronous learning or in-class time with students is available.
      • Overviews to send home to families.

      Student materials are available in two formats:

      • @Home Slides (PDF/PPT) + Student Sheets (PDF) for students with access to technology at home.
      • Downloadable @Home Packets (PDF) for students without access to technology at home.

      Download the Remote and hybrid learning guide.

      Looking for help?

      Powerful (and free!) pedagogical support

      Amplify provides a unique kind of support you won’t find from other publishers. We have developed an educational support team of former teachers and administrators who provide pedagogical support for every Amplify curriculum, assessment, and intervention program. This service is completely free for all educators who are using our programs and includes:

      • Guidance for developing lesson plans and intervention plans
      • Information on where to locate standards and other planning materials
      • Recommendations and tips for day-to-day teaching with Amplify programs
      • Support with administering and interpreting assessment data and more

      To reach our pedagogical team, use our live chat within your program, call (800) 823-1969, or email edsupport@amplify.com

      Timely technical and program support

      Our technical and program support is included and available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, through a variety of channels, including a live chat program that enables teachers to get immediate help in the middle of the school day.

      For your most urgent questions:

      • Use our live chat within your program
      • Call our toll-free number: (800) 823-1969

      For less urgent questions:

      Email support

      Contact us

      Contact your South Carolina team representatives:
      Jeff Rutter
      Field Manager
      jrutter@amplify.com
      (727) 512-8440

      Lisa Jurovaty
      Account Executive (West South Carolina)
      ljurovaty@amplify.com
      (803) 526-1899

      Cathy McMillan (East South Carolina)
      Senior Account Executive
      cmcmillan@amplify.com
      (904) 465-9904

      Inspiring the next generation of South Carolina scientists, engineers, and curious citizens

      Amplify Science is an engaging new core curriculum designed for three-dimensional, phenomena-based learning.

      Amplify Science was developed by the science education experts at UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science and the digital learning team at Amplify.

      Collage showing students engaged in classroom science activities and two scientific illustrations: a cheetah in foliage and a diagram of clouds and raindrops above a hill.

      Our Instructional model

      The Amplify Science program is rooted in the proven, research-based pedagogy of Do, Talk, Read, Write, Visualize. Here’s how each element works:

      DO
      First-hand investigations are an important part of any science classroom, and Amplify Science has students getting hands-on in every unit, from building models of protein molecules to experimenting with electrical systems.

      TALK
      Student-to-student discourse and full class discussions are an integral part of the program. Students are provided with numerous opportunities to engage in meaningful oral scientific argumentation, all while fostering a collaborative classroom environment.

      READ
      Students read scientific articles, focusing their reading activities on searching for evidence related to their investigation, and importantly, on asking and recording questions as they read through fascinating texts on 21st-century topics.

      WRITE
      Following real-world practices, students write scientific arguments based on evidence they’ve collected, making clear their reasoning about how a given piece of evidence connects to one of several claims.

      VISUALIZE
      By manipulating digital simulations and using modeling tools to craft visualizations of their thinking— just as real scientists and engineers do—students take their learning far beyond the confines of what they can physically see in the classroom in an exciting and authentic way.

      Explore the Digital Teacher’s Guide

      When you’re ready to review, click the orange button below and use your provided login credentials to access the Amplify Science Digital Teacher’s Guide. If you need login credentials, contact Jeff Rutter, jrutter@amplify.com.

      Review now

      Resources to support your review

      Scope and sequence

      GRADE
      UNIT
      Kindergarten
      • Needs of Plants and Animals
      • Pushes and Pulls
      • Sunlight and Water
      Grade 1 
      • Animal and Plant Defenses
      • Light and Sound
      • Spinning Earth
      Grade 2 
      • Plant and Animal Relationships
      • Properties of Materials
      • Changing Landforms
      Grade 3 
      • Balancing Forces
      • Inheritance and Traits
      • Environments and Survival
      • Weather and Climate
      Grade 4 
      • Energy Conversions
      • Vision and Light
      • Earth’s Features
      • Waves, Energy, and Information
      Grade 5 
      • Patterns of Earth and Sky
      • Modeling Matter
      • The Earth System
      • Ecosystem Restoration
      Grade
      Units

      Grade 6
      • Launch: Microbiome
      • Metabolism
      • Metabolism Engineering Internship
      • Thermal Energy
      • Plate Motion
      • Plate Motion Engineering Internship
      • Rock Transformations
      • Weather Patterns
      • Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate

      Grade 7
      • Launch: Harnessing Human Energy
      • Phase Change
      • Phase Change Engineering Internship
      • Magnetic Fields
      • Earth’s Changing Climate
      • Earth’s Changing Climate Engineering Internship
      • Chemical Reactions
      • Populations and Resources
      • Matter and Energy in Ecosystems

      Grade 8
      • Launch: Geology on Mars
      • Earth, Moon, and Sun
      • Light Waves
      • Force and Motion
      • Force and Motion Engineering Internship
      • Traits and Reproduction
      • Natural Selection
      • Natural Selection Engineering Internship
      • Evolutionary History

      South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Science Standards 2021

      Amplify Science was designed from the ground up to meet the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and the South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Science Standards 2021 are closely aligned to the NGSS at K-8. The guidance below is meant to provide support for integrating additional companion activities that support full coverage of the South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Science Standards 2021.

      Organized by grade level, each section below will outline:

      • Additional activities that support 100% alignment to the  South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Science Standards 2021; 
      • The standard being addressed with the activities; 
      • The recommended placement of the activities within a specific Amplify Science unit; and 
      • PDFs of any accompanying materials that are necessary to implement the activities.

      Standard: MS-PS1-4: Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed.
      Recommended placement: Thermal Energy unit, Lesson 4.4, addition to Activity 3
      Materials: “Liquid Oxygen”
      By reading the article “Liquid Oxygen,” which describes how the relationship between attraction and kinetic energy determines when a substance changes phase, students extend their understanding of the possible effects of adding or removing thermal energy to include changes in state (phase). Oxygen is one of the most common elements in the world, but most people are only familiar with oxygen in the gas phase. Because oxygen molecules are only weakly attracted to one another, condensing oxygen is difficult. This article introduces students to molecular attraction and discusses its role in phase change, including how it can be used to turn oxygen from a gas to a liquid.
      Instructions:
      Download PDFs of the “Liquid Oxygen” and distribute it to students. Before they begin reading, remind students of the Active Reading Guidelines. 

      Standard: MS-PS4-2: Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.
      Recommended placement: Weather Patterns unit, Lesson 4.4, addition to Activity 3
      Materials: “Harvesting Sunlight”, “Why No One in Space Can Hear You Scream” and “Making Waves at Swim Practice”
      After investigating weather patterns, which includes a focus of the effects of energy from sunlight, students extend their learning about light by reading three articles about light and other waves.
      “Harvesting Sunlight:” Students read this article to learn about the types of light from the sun that plants use for photosynthesis. The article describes how the sun emits all types of light, but plants can only use certain types of visible light for photosynthesis, mostly red and blue light. Plants also absorb other types of light, and these types of light affect plants in different ways. Students use this information to gather evidence that there are different types of light that can affect a material in different ways.
      “Why No One in Space Can Hear You Scream:” Students read this article to learn about how waves are transmitted. Explosions that would be deafening on Earth are silent in space. This is because sound is produced by sound waves and, unlike light waves, sound waves need matter to travel through. Reading about this phenomenon helps students understand the similarities and differences between mechanical and electromagnetic waves.
      “Making Waves at Swim Practice:” A practice for the school swim team provides an everyday context for discussing light waves and sound waves in this engaging article. First, the article explores sound waves traveling through different materials–the air, the water of the pool, and even a metal poolside bench. Students discover that sound waves travel at different speeds in different materials. The later part of the article discusses light waves, which also travel at different speeds in different materials. As light waves move from one material to another, they change speed and bend. This bending of light waves is called refraction, and it explains why objects that are partly in the water and partly out of the water (such as the legs of a person sitting on the side of a pool) appear ripply and bent.
      Instructions:
      Plan one class period for each article. Download PDFs of the  “Harvesting Sunlight,” “Why No One in Space Can Hear You Scream,” and “Making Waves at Swim Practice” articles. For each article, before students begin reading, preview the article and discuss what students already know and what they wonder about the topic, then remind students of the Active Reading Guidelines. 

      Standard: MS-PS2-3: Ask questions about data to determine the factors that affect the strength of electric and magnetic forces. MS-PS2-5: Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact.
      Recommended placement: Harnessing Human Energy unit, Lesson 3.4, after Activity 1
      Materials: “Earth’s Geomagnetism” and “Painting with Static Electricity”
      After concluding their investigations of energy transfers and conversions, students read two articles that introduce the topic of forces that act at a distance.
      “Earth’s Geomagnetism:” What makes a compass needle point north, no matter what? This article introduces students to Earth’s geomagnetic field and the field lines scientists use to show its direction.
      “Painting with Static Electricity:” This article gives students the opportunity to learn about electrostatic fields and forces in the context of spray painting without making a mess. Electrostatic painting systems use electrostatics to draw spray paint toward the object being painted, and nowhere else. Painters charge the object they are painting with a negative charge and the paint with a positive charge. The opposite charges are attracted to one another, causing the paint to move toward the object. This surprising use of electrostatics saves time and paint and keeps things tidy!
      Instructions
      Plan one class period for each article. Download PDFs of the “Earth’s Geomagnetism” and “Painting with Electricity” articles. For each article, before students begin reading, preview the article and discuss what students already know and what they wonder about the topic, then remind students of the Active Reading Guidelines. 

      What’s included

      Science articles
      The middle school science articles serve as sources for evidence collection and were authored by science and literacy experts at the Lawrence Hall of Science.

      Illustration of the indirect effects of overfishing on northern benguela jelly populations displayed on a laptop screen.

      Student Investigation Notebooks
      Available for every unit, the Student Investigation Notebooks provide space for students to:

      • Record data
      • Reflect on ideas from texts and investigations
      • Construct explanations and arguments

      Available with full-color article compilations for middle school units.

      Collection of educational books from 'amplify science' on topics including ocean atmosphere, matter and energy ecosystems, and insect interactions, displayed in various angles.

      Digital student experience
      Students access the digital simulations and modeling tools, as well as lesson activities and assessments, through the digital student experience. Students can interact with the digital student experience as they:

      • Conduct hands-on investigations
      • Engage in active reading and writing activities
      • Participate in discussions
      • Record observations
      • Craft end-of-unit scientific arguments
      A digital illustration showcasing a laptop and a tablet displaying complex data analysis software interfaces with graphs and heatmaps.

      Teacher’s Guides
      Available digitally and in print, the Teacher’s Guides contain all of the information teachers need to facilitate classroom instruction, including:

      • Classroom Slides
      • Detailed lesson plans
      • Unit and chapter overview documentation
      • Differentiation strategies
      • Standards alignments
      • In-context professional development
      A laptop displaying a website about Mars exploration with a brochure next to it. Both screens show Mars-related images.

      Hands-on materials kits
      Hands-on learning is at the heart of Amplify Science. Each unit kit contains:

      • Consumable and non-consumable hands-on materials
      • Print classroom display materials
      • Premium print materials for student use (sorting cards, maps, etc.)
      A perforated rectangular board, three small containers with different powders, a black battery holder with red wires, and three colored alligator clips are arranged on a white background.

      Remote and hybrid learning supports

      A person sitting at a desk using a laptop, with a bookshelf containing books, a fish tank, and a soccer ball nearby.

      Amplify has launched a new remote learning solution called Amplify Science@Home. Intended to make extended remote learning and hybrid learning easier, Amplify Science@Home includes two useful options for continuing instruction: @Home Videos and @Home Units. 

      Amplify Science @Home Videos are recordings of real Amplify Science teachers teaching the lessons. For those teachers who are unable to meet synchronously with their students, the recorded lessons are a great way to keep their students on track and engaged with Amplify Science while at home. These videos will be produced for all K–5 units, and for the first four units of each 6–8 grade level. Their release will be rolling, beginning in August.   

      Amplify Science@Home Units are modified versions of Amplify Science units, strategically designed to highlight key activities from the program. The @Home Units take significantly less instructional time than the complete Amplify Science program and allow students to engage with science at home. @Home Units will be developed for all Amplify Science K–8 units. Each @Home unit includes:

      • Teacher overviews explaining how to use the materials, including suggestions for enhancing the @Home Units if synchronous learning or in-class time with students is available.
      • Overviews to send home to families.

      Student materials are available in two formats:

      • @Home Slides (PDF/PPT) + Student Sheets (PDF) for students with access to technology at home.
      • Downloadable @Home Packets (PDF) for students without access to technology at home.

      Download the Remote and hybrid learning guide.

      Looking for help?

      Powerful (and free!) pedagogical support

      Amplify provides a unique kind of support you won’t find from other publishers. We have developed an educational support team of former teachers and administrators who provide pedagogical support for every Amplify curriculum, assessment, and intervention program. This service is completely free for all educators who are using our programs and includes:

      • Guidance for developing lesson plans and intervention plans
      • Information on where to locate standards and other planning materials
      • Recommendations and tips for day-to-day teaching with Amplify programs
      • Support with administering and interpreting assessment data and more

      To reach our pedagogical team, use our live chat within your program, call (800) 823-1969, or email edsupport@amplify.com

      Timely technical and program support

      Our technical and program support is included and available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, through a variety of channels, including a live chat program that enables teachers to get immediate help in the middle of the school day.

      For your most urgent questions:

      • Use our live chat within your program
      • Call our toll-free number: (800) 823-1969

      For less urgent questions:

      Email support

      Contact us

      Contact your South Carolina team representatives:
      Jeff Rutter
      Field Manager
      jrutter@amplify.com
      (727) 512-8440

      Cathy McMillan
      Senior Account Executive
      cmcmillan@amplify.com
      (904) 465-9904

      Welcome to Amplify Science 6–8!

      Amplify Science is an engaging core curriculum designed for three-dimensional, phenomena-based learning.

      With Amplify Science, Detroit students don’t just passively learn about science concepts. Instead, they take on the role of scientists and engineers to actively investigate and figure out real-world phenomena. They do this through a blend of cohesive and compelling storylines, hands-on investigations, collaborative discussions, literacy-rich activities, and interactive digital tools.

      What is Amplify Science?

      The Lawrence Hall of Science

      Developed by the science education experts at UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science and the digital learning team at Amplify, our program features:

      • A phenomena-based approach where students construct a complex understanding of each unit’s anchor phenomenon.
      • A blend of cohesive storylines, hands-on investigations, rich discussions, literacy-rich activities, and digital tools.
      • Carefully crafted units, chapters, lessons, and activities designed to deliver true three-dimensional learning.
      • An instructional design that supports all learners in accessing all standards.

      Proven to work

      WestEd Randomized
      Control Trial for Grade 1

      Read More

      WestEd Randomized
      Control Trial for Grade 7

      Read More

      Amplify Science NE
      Grades K–5

      Read More

      Instructional model

      The Amplify Science program is rooted in the proven, research-based pedagogy of Do, Talk, Read, Write, Visualize. Here’s how each element works:

      Do

      First-hand investigations are an important part of any science classroom, and Amplify Science has students getting hands-on in every unit—from building models of protein molecules to experimenting with electrical systems.

      Talk

      Student-to-student discourse and full-class discussions are an integral part of the program. Students are provided with numerous opportunities to engage in meaningful oral scientific argumentation, all while fostering a collaborative classroom environment.

      Read

      Students read scientific articles, focusing their reading activities on searching for evidence related to their investigation and, importantly, on asking and recording questions as they read through fascinating texts on 21st-century topics.

      Write

      Following real-world practices, students write scientific arguments based on evidence they’ve collected, making clear their reasoning about how a given piece of evidence connects to one of several claims.

      Visualize

      By manipulating digital simulations and using modeling tools to craft visualizations of their thinking— just as real scientists and engineers
      do—students take their learning far beyond the confines of what they can physically see in the classroom in an exciting and authentic way.

      Program structure

      Our cyclical lesson design ensures students receive multiple exposures to concepts through a variety of modalities. As they progress through the lessons within a unit, students build and deepen their understanding, increasing their ability to develop and refine complex explanations of the unit’s phenomenon.

      It’s this proven program structure and lesson design that enables Amplify Science to address 100% of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and support students in mastering the Pennsylvania Science Standards.

      Flowchart depicting a critical thinking process with four circular nodes connected by arrows, each node representing a step: posing a real-world problem, exploring evidence, elaborating concepts, and evaluating claims.

      Unit types

      While every unit delivers three-dimensional learning experiences and engages students in gathering evidence from a rich collection of sources, each unit also serves a unique instructional purpose.

      In grades 6–8:

      • One unit is a launch unit.
      • Three units are core units.
      • Two units are engineering internships.

      Launch units are the first units taught in each year of Amplify Science. The goal of the Launch unit is to introduce students to norms, routines, and practices that will be built on throughout the year, including argumentation, active reading, and using the program’s technology. For example, rather than taking the time to explain the process of active reading in every unit in a given year, it is explained thoroughly in the Launch unit, thereby preparing students to read actively in all subsequent units.

      Core units establish the context of the unit by introducing students to a real-world problem. As students move through lessons in a Core unit, they figure out the unit’s anchoring phenomenon, gain an understanding of the unit’s disciplinary core ideas and science and engineering practices, and make linkages across topics through the crosscutting concepts. Each Core unit culminates with a Science Seminar and final writing activity.

      Engineering Internship units invite students to design solutions for real-world problems as interns for a fictional company called Futura. Students figure out how to help those in need, from tsunami victims in Sri Lanka to premature babies, through the application of engineering practices. In the process, they apply and deepen their learning from Core units.

      Unit sequence

      Our lessons follow a structure that is grounded in regular routines while still being flexible enough to allow for a variety of learning experiences.

      In fact, our multi-modal instruction offers more opportunities for students to construct meaning, and practice and apply concepts than any other program. What’s more, our modular design means our units can be flexibly arranged to support your instructional goals.

      Three columns listing education curriculum topics for grades 6, 7, and 8, focusing on science themes such as microbiomes, mars geology, and harnessing human energy.

      Program components

      Available digitally and in print, our unit-specific reference guides are chock-full of helpful resources, including scientific background knowledge, planning information and resources, color-coded 3D Statements, detailed lesson plans, tips for delivering instruction, and differentiation strategies.

      Amplify Science TG

      Hands-on learning is an essential part of Amplify Science, and is integrated into every unit. Students actively participate in science, playing the roles of scientists and engineers as they gather evidence, think critically, solve problems, and develop and defend claims about the world around them. Every unit includes hands-on investigations that are critical to achieving the unit’s learning goals.

      A young person wearing gloves looks through a microscope at a table with laboratory supplies, including bottles, slides, and a tray, against a plain blue background.

      More hands-on with Flextensions:
      Hands-on Flextensions are additional, optional investigations that are included at logical points in the learning progression and give students an opportunity to dig deeper if time permits. These activities offer teachers flexibility to choose to dedicate more time to hands-on learning. Materials referenced in Hands-on Flextension activities will either be included in the unit kit or are easily sourced. Supporting resources such as student worksheets will be included as downloadable PDF files.

      Our kits include enough materials to support 200 student uses. In other words, teachers can easily support all five periods and small groups of 4-5 students each. Plus, our unit-specific kits mean teachers just grab the tub they need and then put it all back with ease.

      Assorted office and household items displayed on a white background, including rubber bands, binder clips, cardboard, and sports balls.

      Our digital Simulations and Practice Tools are powerful resources for exploration, data collection, and student collaboration. They allow students the ability to explore scientific concepts that might otherwise be invisible or impossible to see with the naked eye.

      Available for every unit, our Student Investigation Notebooks contain instructions for activities and space for students to record data and observations, reflect on ideas from texts and investigations, and construct explanations and arguments.

      In grades 6–8, one copy of the Student Investigation Notebook is included in each unit’s materials kit for use as a blackline master. Each notebook is also available as a downloadable PDF on the Unit Guide page of the digital Teacher’s Guide.

      Two booklets titled "El clima cambiante de la Tierra: la desaparición del hielo" and "Earth’s Changing Climate: Vanishing Ice" with landscape illustrations on the covers.

      These customizable PowerPoints are available for every lesson of the program and make delivering instruction a snap with visual prompts, colorful activity instructions, investigation set-up videos and animations, and suggested teacher talk in the notes section of each slide.

      Amplify Science Classroom Slides

      Explore your print samples

      With your Amplify Science print samples, you’ll find unit-specific Teacher’s References Guides and Student Investigation Notebooks for each grade level.

      A note about the Teacher’s Reference Guides:

      It’s important that your committee sees the full breadth and depth of our instruction. For that reason, we provided a copy of each of our unit-specific Teacher Reference Guides.

      Rest assured that teachers do not use these robust reference guides for day-to-day teaching. For that, we have a hands-free TG!

      Three laptop screens displaying educational content on earth's energy system, including diagrams and text annotations.
      • Teacher Reference Guide: Unlike a typical TG that requires a series of supplemental books to support it, our encyclopedic reference guide is chock-full of everything a teacher needs to fully implement our program and the NGSS.
      • Ready-to-Teach Lesson Slides: For daily instruction, teachers need their hands free. That’s why we created ready-to-teach lesson slides for every single lesson. What’s more, they are editable and include suggested teacher talk and point-of-use differentiation and other instructional tips. Click to learn more.

      A note about the Materials Kits:

      Hands-on learning is at the heart of Amplify Science, and is integrated into every unit. In order to make hands-on learning more manageable for busy teachers, Amplify Science materials are organized into unit-specific kits.

      Stacked storage bins with labels, arranged neatly; caption notes they are a sample and may not reflect actual quantities or sizes.

      Our unit-specific kits:

      • Include more materials — We give teachers enough materials to support 200 student uses.
      • Are more manageable — Unlike other programs that require large groups of students to share limited sets of materials, our kits include enough to support small groups of 4–5 students.
      • Include supportive videos — Each hands-on activity provides clear instructions for the teacher, with more complex activities supported by video demonstrations and illustrations.

      At your request, we did not include our materials kits with our submissions samples. However, we did provide grade-specific lists of all materials included in each kit, which you can also find with the links below.

      Access your digital samples

      Explore as a teacher

      Follow these instructions to explore the Amplify Science digital platform as a teacher.

      • Click the Access Amplify Science Platform button below and bookmark it.
      • Select Log in with Amplify.
      • Enter the username: t1.dps68sci@demo.tryamplify.net
      • Enter the password: Amplify1-dps68sci
      • Click the Science icon.
      • Click on the Grade Menu in the top center of the screen and select any grade.
      • Select any unit.
      Access Amplify Science Platform

      To help familiarize yourself with navigating the digital platform, watch the below navigational video.

      Spanish-language support

      Amplify Science is committed to providing support to meet the needs of all learners, including multiple access points for Spanish-speaking students. Developed in conjunction with Spanish-language experts and classroom teachers, several components are available in Spanish across the Amplify Science curriculum.

      Spanish-language materials include:

      COMPONENTTEACHER/STUDENT
      Student Investigation NotebooksStudent
      Science articlesStudent
      Video TranscriptsStudent
      Digital simulation translation keysStudent
      Printed classroom materials
      Unit and chapter questions, key concepts, vocabulary cards, etc.      		Teacher
      CopymastersTeacher
      AssessmentsTeacher
      Digital student experience license
      This license gives students access to the student resources in Spanish, including instructional text, articles, and assessments. Teachers can control student access to Spanish-language content through the digital Teacher’s Guide.      		Teacher
      Spanish teacher support license
      This license includes teacher talk, projections, downloadable PDFs of all print resources, and video transcripts and closed captioning in Spanish.      		Teacher

      Explore as a student

      Follow these instructions to explore the Amplify Science digital platform as a student.

      • Click the Access Amplify Science Platform button below and bookmark it.
      • Select Log in with Amplify.
      • Enter the username: s1.dpsscience@demo.tryamplify.net
      • Enter the password: Amplify1-dpsscience
      • Click the Science icon.
      • Click on the Grade Menu in the top center of the screen and select any grade.
      • Select any unit.
      Access Amplify Science Platform

      Resources to support your review

      What is Amplify CKLA?

      Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) is a language arts program for Grades PreK-5 that was developed in partnership with the Core Knowledge Foundation and specifically designed to help you implement structured literacy and Science of Reading best practices.

      The program combines a multi-sensory approach to phonics with rich texts carefully sequenced to build content knowledge—so that students learn to read and read to learn at the same time. 

      Every day in Grades PreK–2, students complete one full lesson that builds foundational reading skills, as well as one full lesson that builds background knowledge. In Grades 3–5, students start to master the skills of reading, further opening up their worlds.

      Illustrative circles depicting educational stages from prek to grade 5, each showing children engaged in age-appropriate activities or learning themes.

      CKLA in Action

      There’s no better way to understand the power of Amplify CKLA than seeing it in action. Watch Ms. Lehman’s second graders in the video below as they learn how to decode and spell words with the long /ā/ sound.

      CKLA Overview Video

      Unit Overviews

      Below are quick overviews of the units your student will be working through in their grade throughout the year. Next to each unit are downloadable guides which provide a more in-depth look at the content covered and how you can help your student advance their understanding of the topics.

      Kindergarten Knowledge Curriculum 

      Kindergarten Skills Curriculum

      Grade 1 Knowledge Curriculum

      Grade 1 Skills Curriculum

      Grade 2 Knowledge Curriculum

      Grade 2 Skills Curriculum

      Grade 3 Curriculum Overview

      Grade 4 Curriculum Overview

      Grade 5 Curriculum Overview

      Materials overview

      Amplify CKLA is a blended program, which means your student will be interacting with both print and digital materials.

      Print materials

      Student Readers

      These readers are uniquely designed to provide intensive practice while reading simple but authentic stories. All readers are also available as ebooks and audiobooks on the teacher resource site, which caregivers can now access.

      In grades K-2, these readers are chapter books that allow students to practice just-learned sound-spellings within an authentic reading experience that incorporates compelling plots and interesting characters.

      Children's book covers and pages displayed, featuring diverse characters and themes like sharing and adventure, labeled "grade k.

      In grades 3-5, readers develop close reading and other literacy skills through a selection of diverse, content-rich literary and informational texts.

      Grade 1 reading materials featuring illustrated children, a "Snapshots" cover, two open storybooks showing kids and activities, and a page about a holiday with text and drawings.
      Open educational book for grade 2, showing illustrations and text about a chicken nugget story and the war of 1812.

      Student Activity Books

      Part of the daily lessons, these activity pages ask students to respond to the text they’ve read and apply skills and knowledge. They also include assessments that track students’ skills development, to which teachers have access.

      Digital materials

      CKLA Hub for grades K–5

      We are excited to announce that students will be able to access multimedia resources and engage in a new digital experience on the CKLA Hub. Unlike ever before, students can access digital resources independently from anywhere, taking full advantage of the instructional multimedia experiences that Amplify CKLA has to offer. Students can access the Hub at home, in the classroom, and on the go, making it ideal for remote learning. It’s compatible with laptops, Chromebooks, tablets, and desktops—we’ve also optimized it for mobile devices.

      Knowledge Builder videos for grades K–2

      Each Knowledge Domain starts with a Knowledge Builder video: a short, fun, animated story that enriches the lesson and motivates students with new characters, places, and concepts.

      Recorded daily read-alouds for grades K–2

      Teachers and students will have access to video recordings of all K–2 Knowledge Read-Alouds with pictures from the Flip Books.

      Cover image for "Cycles in Nature" by Amplify CKLA. Features illustrations of a dinosaur, plant, wagon, book, fish, cat on desk, and various nature-related items against a pink background.

      Sound Library for grades K-2

      The Sound Library uses audio sounds, catchy songs, and animated articulation videos to help students learn and master sounds.

      A webpage titled "Sound Library" displays search bar and sound cards for different phonemes, each with example words and buttons for sound, video, and song.

      Foundational Skills Boost for grades 1–3

      Designed for grades 1–3, these video-based, self-guided lessons target critical foundational skills from the previous year’s instruction in order to fill in any gaps. They offer approximately nine weeks of instruction organized as daily lessons, with additional teacher-led small-group activities and family resources.

      A chocolate chip cookie in a glass of milk, a person speaking, a speech bubble saying “Let’s say it together!”, and two illustrated eyes on a green background.

      Vocab App for grades 3-5

      The Vocabulary App is designed for independent practice with vocabulary. Students can use the Vocabulary App for game-like activities that challenge them.

      Screenshot of the Amplify Vocab App webpage, showing interactive vocabulary tools for students in grades 3-5, with a "Launch App" button and navigation menu at the top.

      Quests for grades 3–5

      Each of the grade levels in 3–5 contains a Core Quest. In these special units, all the normal rules of the classroom change, and students engage with language in surprising new ways. For example, in grade 5, they learn to love the dense Shakespearian language of A Midsummer Night’s Dream through imagery, close reading, and performance.

      A collage showing illustrated cards of Titania, Puck, and Athens, a lesson on performing Shakespeare, and two photos of actors performing on stage.

      Home-school connection

      We’ve developed a set of resources for caregivers to use with their students that includes instructions and materials to teach and practice grade-level phonics at home. Resources include sound videos, Readers, and a how-to video with editable instructions that caregivers can customize to meet individual student needs.

      Parent and child at home working on sofa

      Additional materials to support your review

      Inspiring the next generation of Alabama scientists, engineers, and curious citizens

      To view this protected page, enter the password below:



      Welcome to Amplify Desmos Math California!

      California educators, welcome to math that motivates. Introducing Amplify Desmos Math California, a new, curiosity-driven TK–12 program that builds lifelong math proficiency. Each lesson poses problems that invite a variety of approaches before guiding students to synthesize their understanding of the learning goals. Students encounter math problems they are eager to solve; teachers spend more time where it’s most impactful: creating a collaborative classroom of learners.

      Scroll to learn more about the program and explore sample materials.

      About the program

      Amplify Desmos Math California is a TK–12 core math program designed to meet the CA Math Framework and the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Offered in English and Spanish, Amplify Desmos Math California thoughtfully combines conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application through a structured approach to problem-based learning. Through engaging activities, Amplify Desmos Math California invites curiosity and math discourse into the classroom to create lifelong math proficiency.

      Please scroll to learn more about the K–8 program and explore sample materials. (TK and high school materials are in development and will be available soon.)

      A powerful math suite

      Amplify Desmos Math California combines the best of assessment, problem-based core lessons, personalized practice, and intervention into a coherent and engaging experience for both students and teachers.

      Laptop displaying a math problem interface with student assessment reports in the background.

      Assessment

      mCLASS benchmark assessments, along with daily formative checks, measure not only what students know, but also how they think. The asset-based assessment system provides teachers with targeted, actionable insights, linked to core instruction and intervention resources. Unit- and lesson-level core assessments give teachers data at their fingertips to guide and differentiate instruction. In grades 3–8, core assessments and performance tasks are designed to prepare students for success on the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) testing.

      Core instruction

      Amplify Desmos Math California core lessons pair problems students are eager to solve with clear instructional moves for teachers. Each lesson is designed to tell a story by posing problems that invite a variety of approaches before guiding students to synthesize their understanding of the learning goals. With built-in differentiation and Multilingual / English Learner support, Amplify Desmos Math California will allow every student to find success in the math classroom.

      An educational game screen with a worm on a log and numbered blocks. Adjacent is a worksheet titled "Finding the Missing Pair" with instructions and incomplete equations.
      A digital educational screen showing a math problem about converting meters to centimeters. It involves a diving toy sinking 5 meters into a pool. Text prompts users to input the conversion.

      Personalized learning

      Boost Personalized Learning activities help students access grade-level math through engaging, independent digital practice. Responsive Feedback adjusts to students’ work, providing item-level adaptivity to further support their learning.

      Intervention

      Integrated resources like Mini-Lessons, Fluency Practice, and Math Adventures provide targeted intervention on a specific concept or skill connected to the daily lesson. Extensions are also available to stretch students’ understanding.

      Two pages of a math workbook displaying exercises on determining coordinates after rotation. The pages include diagrams, tables, and practice problems.
      Network diagram with interconnected nodes labeled: Measure and Compare Objects, Represent Data, Dollars and Cents, Problem Solving with Measure, Skip Counting to 100, Number Strategies, Squares in an Array, Seeing Fraction in Shapes.

      Big Ideas

      The CA Mathematics Framework encourages a shift from power standards to thinking about math as a series of connected Big Ideas. Each Amplify Desmos Math California lesson supports one or more Big Ideas and the connections between Big Ideas. The grade-level diagram changes through the course based on the math concepts being addressed.

      Focus, coherence, and rigor

      Each lesson highlights why the content being covered is important, how students will engage with the mathematics, and what students will do with the learning. Our lesson opener helps teachers understand the most important concepts of the lesson, and includes the Drivers of Investigation (DI), Content Connections (CC), and Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMP) that drive learning in each lesson.

      An educational slide on addition story problems, detailing goals for solving problems, language goals, and strategies using equal expressions, tens and ones, and number sense.
      A screen titled "Match the Score" with a 2D target graph showing various scores. Instructions request four ordered pairs to total 400. Four pairs are listed: (4, 2), (7, 4), (7, 6), (10, 6). A "Try again" button is shown.

      Built-in authentic tasks

      Mathematics is not learning in isolation. Students are connected to each other’s thinking and can use math to understand the world. With accessible invitations to authentic tasks, all students can experience mathematical success. Amplify Desmos Math California provides these authentic invitations in a variety of ways:

      Each unit begins with an “Explore” lesson, which allows students to engage with authentic exploration in low-floor, high-ceiling tasks. These tasks are designed in such a way that all students can access the basic mathematical concepts, but they also offer possibilities for advanced exploration and problem-solving for those ready for more complex work, promoting an inclusive and differentiated learning environment.

      Our innovative course-level investigations are designed to facilitate multipart exploration. Students grapple with Big Ideas, diving deep into key concepts that encourage comprehensive understanding. Data science is infused into the approach, equipping students with a strong foundation in interpreting and applying data-driven solutions. The Environmental Principles and Concepts (EP&Cs) are also a focus of our investigations, enabling students to understand and appreciate the coherence and interrelationship of Earth’s environmental systems.

      A focus on multilingual and English learners

      Children sitting at desks in a classroom with a large illustrated caterpillar on the wall. Beside them are printed educational materials labeled “Amplify Desmos Math” and “Ying’s Aquarium Story.”.

      In building Amplify Desmos Math California, we partnered with the English Learner Success Forum (ELSF) to provide guidance on our multilingual/English learner support for teachers. ELSF is a national nonprofit organization that advocates for high-quality instructional materials that are inclusive of multilingual learners. ELSF’s guiding documents reflect research-based instructional strategies that are critical to curriculum design and were created by researchers, linguists, and practitioners from across the country. ELSF reviewed our materials and provided directional guidance and feedback to ensure that the program fully supports multilingual/English learners.

      A component of our K–5 curriculum is the engaging unit stories that interweave mathematics with real-life situations and relatable narratives. These unit stories are specifically crafted to inspire curiosity and foster a deep connection between the learner and the math concepts being explored. This unique approach not only makes learning fun and interesting, but also allows our young learners to see themselves in the math.

      To help students grow their domain-specific and academic vocabulary, Amplify Desmos Math California provides embedded vocabulary routines, such as prompting teachers to use a Frayer Model. These routines allow students to make connections to new language and offer repeated opportunities to develop and refine language.

      Amplify Desmos Math California recognizes the diverse language needs of our students and is designed to be inclusive. Each lesson in the program features a parallel language activity, designed to be available to all students, in the form of teacher guidance and student activities. The activities in the Math Language Development Resource has leveled ELD (Emerging, Expanding, Bridging) differentiation to support all levels of Multilingual and English Learners. This approach ensures that all students, regardless of their language skills, can participate fully, grasp the material, and excel in their mathematical journey.

      Uploaded digital glossary for languages other than Spanish. Up to nine languages of translations will be provided for.

      Amplify Desmos Math California will include support resources for Spanish-speaking students across TK–Algebra 1/Integrated I beginning in the 20262027 school year.

      A computer displays an educational activity about measuring platform heights. A notebook page is layered behind it, with a colorful hamster-themed illustration.

      K–5 sample materials

      Click the links in the drop-down sections below to explore sample materials from each grade. 

      For helpful navigation tips and more program information, download the Amplify Desmos Math Program Guide.

      You can also watch a product expert walk through a lesson and the available program components.

      Screenshot of a kindergarten curriculum outline featuring units like Math in Our World, Numbers 1-10, Positions and Shapes, Understanding Addition, Making 10, and Shapes All Around Us. This comprehensive program utilizes New York Math standards to build foundational skills.
      Program structure

      Get to know the content and structure of Kindergarten Amplify Desmos Math California.

      Cover of Amplify Desmos Math Grade K Teacher Edition featuring three children playing with math-related objects and a group of rabbits sitting nearby, aligning with the engaging curriculum seen in New York math classrooms.
      Teacher Edition pages

      Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Counting and Comparing Objects.

      Digital educational activity showing a blue backpack illustration with dots, a task to match dots on cards, and printed sheet featuring a similar dot-matching exercise.
      Digital experience

      Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

      Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition Kindergarten," featuring an illustration of three children playing with math-related toys. A group of small white animals, possibly hamsters, play nearby. The scene brilliantly captures the joy of New York math exploration for young learners.
      Student Edition pages

      Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

      Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade K Centers Resources" featuring a large, stylized red and pink "C" on a light pink background with simple geometric designs. This distinctive cover complements New York math curriculums with its engaging visual elements.
      Centers Resources

      Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

      Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Grade K." The title is displayed with a geometric "I" illustration in the center. Subtitle reads "Intervention and Extension Resources" on a pink and white background, ideal for New York math standards.
      Intervention and Extension Resources

      Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

      Illustration of a bear choosing a path with more mushrooms. Activity book page titled "A Furry Feast" with groups of objects to compare quantities.

      In this lesson, students apply their understanding of how to compare groups of images as they determine which group has more or fewer and then compare their strategies by guiding a bear through a path that has more mushrooms than the other.

      A clear plastic box contains various math manipulatives, including counting cubes, geometric shapes, rulers, and dice, displayed outside the box.
      Hands-on manipulative kit

      An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

      Grade 1 math curriculum overview displaying six units with instructional and assessment days: counting, addition, subtraction, numbers to 10, comparing numbers, measuring length, and geometry—aligned with the New York Math standards.
      Program structure

      Get to know the content and structure of Grade 1 Amplify Desmos Math California.

      Children interact with math activities on a large tablet while observing fish illustrations. The text reads "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 1 Teacher Edition, aligned with New York Math standards.
      Teacher Edition pages

      Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Story Problems in Maui.

      A digital educational activity showing a math problem about leaves on a kalo plant with a related worksheet on plant growth.
      Digital experience

      Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

      Illustration of three children engaged in math activities from the "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition 1" textbook. One child holds a number card, while the others manipulate counters and images, experiencing an exciting approach inspired by New York math techniques.
      Student Edition pages

      Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

      Centers Resources

      Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

      Intervention and Extension Resources

      Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

      Interactive math activity for kids featuring a frog and number line for subtraction problems, asking to find differences to locate bugs.

      In this lesson, students find differences when subtracting 1 and 2 from the same number by helping a frog reach a lily pad where it can eat a bug.

      A clear plastic box contains various math manipulatives, including counting cubes, geometric shapes, rulers, and dice, displayed outside the box.
      Hands-on manipulative kit

      An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

      A curriculum overview for Grade 2 in New York Math displaying 8 units, including topics like comparisons, addition, subtraction, and geometric shapes, with details on the number of instructional and assessment days. This plan integrates resources from Amplify Desmos Math to enrich learning experiences.
      Program structure

      Get to know the content and structure of Grade 2 Amplify Desmos Math California.

      Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 2 Teacher Edition, showcasing children measuring with rulers and a poster displaying a mathematical equation, set against whimsical scenery with a colorful dragon. Perfect for New York math classrooms.
      Teacher Edition pages

      Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Adding and Subtracting.

      Two digital worksheets about Theo's aquarium with tasks to estimate animal quantities using draggable graphs and illustrations of fish, frogs, and shrimps.
      Digital experience

      Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

      Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Student Edition 2" showing three children performing a New York math activity with blocks and measurements.
      Student Edition pages

      Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

      Cover of an educational book titled "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 2 Centers Resources" featuring a green "C" on a light green background, perfect for enhancing New York math education.
      Centers Resources

      Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

      Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 2: Intervention and Extension Resources" featuring a green numeral 1 on a light green background, aligning with the New York math standards.
      Intervention and Extension Resources

      Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

      Educational activity on a screen showing a worm and blocks with numbers. Another page shows an activity titled "Finding the Missing Pair," with numbered options and a video prompt.

      Students continue to develop fluency by finding the number that makes 10 by helping a millipede reach its favorite food – a clump of leaves!

      A clear plastic box contains various math manipulatives, including counting cubes, geometric shapes, rulers, and dice, displayed outside the box.
      Hands-on manipulative kit

      An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

      An educational curriculum outline for Grade 3 with seven units covering various mathematics topics, including multiplication, shapes, fractions, and measurement. Suggested instructional days are provided. The New York Math approach ensures a thorough understanding of each concept.
      Program structure

      Get to know the content and structure of Grade 3 Amplify Desmos Math California.

      Cover of a "Grade 3 Amplify Desmos Math Teacher Edition" book, featuring a cutaway building with diverse students and a teacher working on New York math problems and organizing materials.
      Teacher Edition pages

      Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Concepts of Area Measurement.

      Math activity screenshot showing a problem to calculate the area of an unpainted wall space with given side lengths in a room diagram.
      Digital experience

      Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

      Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Student Edition 3" showcasing illustrated children engaged in various mathematical activities inside a glass house structure, reflecting the dynamic energy of New York math.
      Student Edition pages

      Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

      Cover of the Amplify Desmos Math Grade 3 Centers Resources book, featuring a 3D letter "C" in blue and white on a minimalistic background, perfect for aligning with New York math standards.
      Centers Resources

      Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

      Cover of an "Amplify Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 3 book featuring intervention and extension resources, with a blue geometric "I" on a light blue background, aligning with New York Math standards.
      Intervention and Extension Resources

      Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

      Activity sheets showing a bar graph and a table for counting animal stickers: 7 rabbits, 5 raccoons, and 2 foxes. Includes instructions for arranging data points on a graph.

      Students compare data represented on bar graphs with different scales by using animal stickers to create scaled bar graphs.

      A clear plastic box contains various math manipulatives, including counting cubes, geometric shapes, rulers, and dice, displayed outside the box.
      Hands-on manipulative kit

      An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

      A course outline for Algebra 1 with 8 units, each detailing the number of instructional and optional days. The total suggested instructional days are 144 and 28 optional days, aligning with New York Math standards.
      Program structure

      Get to know the content and structure of Grade 4 Amplify Desmos Math California.

      Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Teacher Edition Grade 4" showing children learning New York Math outdoors, using large mathematical tools and numbers, with one child in a wheelchair.
      Teacher Edition pages

      Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Size and Location of Fractions.

      Screenshot of a digital math activity showing a fraction number line task with a log-cutting visual and an instruction page titled "Locating Fractions.
      Digital experience

      Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

      Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Student Edition, Grade 4," showcasing students collaborating on math problems involving shapes and numbers against a vibrant backdrop that blends cityscapes and natural scenery, capturing the essence of New York math learning.
      Student Edition pages

      Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

      Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 4 Centers Resources book, featuring a large, stylized blue letter "C" on a light blue background. This essential resource for New York math educators ensures engaging and effective instruction.
      Centers Resources

      Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

      Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Grade 4: Intervention and Extension Resources," featuring a geometric illustration and a blue and orange color scheme inspired by New York math standards.
      Intervention and Extension Resources

      Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

      An educational activity displays a drag-and-drop task to determine platform heights using tube lengths, showing a room scene and instructions on a digital interface.

      Students choose tube lengths to connect to platform heights for hamster homes, identifying possible heights using what they know about multiples.

      A clear plastic box contains various math manipulatives, including counting cubes, geometric shapes, rulers, and dice, displayed outside the box.
      Hands-on manipulative kit

      An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

      A Grade 5 curriculum scope and sequence chart with units covering volume, fractions, multiplication, shapes, place value, and measurement. Each unit lists instructional and assessment days to amplify Desmos Math activities.
      Program structure

      Get to know the content and structure of Grade 5 Amplify Desmos Math California.

      Illustration of three students engaging with various math activities outdoors and around large blocks. Text at the top reads "Amplify Desmos Math, Grade 5, Teacher Edition" - a perfect resource for New York math educators.
      Teacher Edition pages

      Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Fractions as Quotients.

      Activity worksheet and digital screen showing a panda on a cliff, with instructions about placing a missing bamboo shoot to help it reach the leaf.
      Digital experience

      Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

      Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition, Grade 5" featuring students engaged in various mathematical activities outside, such as block building, measuring, and gardening—a perfect resource aligning with New York math standards.
      Student Edition pages

      Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

      Cover image of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 5 Centers Resources" featuring a large purple letter C on a light purple background, showcasing the innovative approach of Amplify Desmos Math that's making waves in New York math education.
      Centers Resources

      Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

      Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 5: Intervention and Extension Resources," featuring a large, stylized number five in purple against a light purple background with minimal geometric patterns, ideal for New York math curriculum support.
      Intervention and Extension Resources

      Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

      Screen showing a student activity about decomposing a figure into prisms, with a drag-and-drop exercise and an adjacent worksheet labeled "Seeing Prisms.

      Students decompose a figure into rectangular prisms and determine the volume of the figure by adding the volumes of the individual prisms.

      A clear plastic box contains various math manipulatives, including counting cubes, geometric shapes, rulers, and dice, displayed outside the box.
      Hands-on manipulative kit

      An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

      6–A1 sample materials

      Click the links in the drop-down sections below to explore sample materials from each grade. 

      For helpful navigation tips and more program information, download the Amplify Desmos Math Program Guide.

      You can also watch a product expert walk through a lesson and the available program components.

      Laptop showing a math activity with geometric shapes. Two textbooks titled "Amplify Desmos Math" are displayed above.
      An educational document titled "Scope and Sequence" for Grade 6 math, designed in collaboration with Amplify Desmos Math, outlining six units with instructional and optional days for topics such as fractions, integers, and expressions.
      Program structure

      Get to know the content and structure of Grade 6 Amplify Desmos Math California.

      Cover of the Grade 6 Amplify Desmos Math Teacher Edition, showcasing students engaging in various mathematical activities around a balance scale with variables, inspired by New York math educational standards.
      Teacher Edition pages

      Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from three sub-units on this site: Unit 1, Sub-Unit 1: Area; Unit 3, Sub-Unit 1: Units and Measurement; and Unit 6, Sub-Unit 1: Solving Equations.

      A digital activity showing two model trains on a track with a question about speed. A printed page on the right is titled "Model Trains" with warm-up instructions.
      Digital experience

      Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

      Cover of “Amplify Desmos Math, Student Edition, Grade 6” featuring an illustration of children engaging in various New York math-related activities outdoors.
      Student Edition pages

      Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

      Cover image of "Amplify Desmos Math" for Grade 6, featuring a 3D pink letter "I" and the text "Intervention and Extension Resources." This New York math edition supports students with comprehensive resources.
      Intervention and Extension Resources

      Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

      A digital illustration of math balancing scales featuring boxes and a fox, alongside a worksheet displaying similar content and activities for learning math concepts.

      Students use equations and tape diagrams to represent seesaw situations and to determine unknown animal weights, helping them make connections between diagrams that represent equations of the form `x+p=q` or `px=q`.

      A clear plastic storage box filled with educational math manipulatives, including colorful blocks, shapes, measuring tools, and counting cubes displayed outside the box.
      Hands-on manipulative kit

      An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

      A Grade 7 math curriculum outline, featuring units on scale drawings, proportional relationships, measuring circles, rational numbers, operations, equations, angles, area, and probability with sequencing and days allocated. Perfectly aligned with Amplify Desmos Math for New York Math standards.
      Program structure

      Get to know the content and structure of Grade 7 Amplify Desmos Math California.

      Cover image of "Amplify Desmos Math Teacher Edition Grade 7" featuring an illustration of students engaging in math-related activities with geometric shapes and construction elements against a New York cityscape background.
      Teacher Edition pages

      Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from three sub-units on this site: Unit 1, Sub-Unit 1: Scaled Copies; Unit 4, Sub-Unit 1: Percentages as Proportional Relationships; and Unit 6, Sub-Unit 1: Equations and Tape Diagrams.

      Activity page showing a grid for shape creation with an area of 8 square centimeters. Includes shape options and instructions on rotation. A booklet page displays area challenges and warm-up tasks.
      Digital experience

      Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

      Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Student Edition, Grade 7" showing students engaged in math activities against a cityscape reminiscent of New York, with purple geometric structures and a crane in the background.
      Student Edition pages

      Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

      Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Grade 7 – Intervention and Extension Resources" featuring a stylized 3D "I" on a light purple background, ideal for both New York math and national curricula.
      Intervention and Extension Resources

      Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

      Screenshot of an educational website showing a math activity featuring a sheep named Shira. There is a graph and a worksheet on inequalities displayed.

      Students solve inequalities with positive and negative coefficients to solve a variety of challenges featuring a fictional sheep who eats grass according to an inequality.

      A clear plastic storage box filled with educational math manipulatives, including colorful blocks, shapes, measuring tools, and counting cubes displayed outside the box.
      Hands-on manipulative kit

      An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

      Grade 8 math curriculum chart featuring 9 units, such as Rigid Transformations and Congruence, with Suggested Instructional days. Each unit outlines instructional days, assessment days, and optional days—complemented by insights from Amplify Desmos Math to enhance your New York math learning experience.
      Program structure

      Get to know the content and structure of Grade 7 Amplify Desmos Math California.

      Illustration of children engaging in learning activities outdoors near a large slide. The title "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 8 Teacher Edition" is shown at the top, highlighting its relevance to New York math curriculum standards.
      Teacher Edition pages

      Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from three sub-units on this site: Unit 1, Sub-Unit 1: Rigid Transformations; Unit 3, Sub-Unit 2: Linear Relationships; and Unit 6, Sub-Unit 2: Analyzing Numerical Data.

      Image of a digital math activity titled "Line Capture #2" featuring a grid, equations, and instructions. A paper worksheet with graphs and a "Line Zapper" title is displayed alongside.
      Digital experience

      Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

      Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Student Edition for Grade 8, featuring students engaging in various mathematical activities in a stylized outdoor New York setting.
      Student Edition pages

      Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

      Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 8: Intervention and Extension Resources" featuring a stylized "I" on a gray background, tailored for New York math standards.
      Intervention and Extension Resources

      Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

      An educational worksheet on robots, featuring a graph with red, purple, and blue robot icons, and instructions for a warm-up activity.

      Students connect points on a scatter plot with individuals in a population and rows of data in a table. The analysis of scatter plots continues with data about the eye distances and heights of robots.

      A clear plastic storage box filled with educational math manipulatives, including colorful blocks, shapes, measuring tools, and counting cubes displayed outside the box.
      Hands-on manipulative kit

      An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

      A course outline for Algebra 1 with 8 units, each detailing the number of instructional and optional days. The total suggested instructional days are 144 and 28 optional days, aligning with New York Math standards.
      Program structure

      Get to know the content and structure of Algebra 1 Amplify Desmos Math California.

      Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Algebra 1, Teacher Edition" featuring diverse characters engaged in mathematical activities, with a graph and a bridge in the background, illustrating the vibrant energy of New York math.
      Teacher Edition pages

      Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from two complete sub-units on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Units 1–2: One-Variable Equations and Multi-Variable Equations.

      A digital educational interface shows a graph with data points and textual instructions comparing year and breeding pairs. Adjacent is a page discussing penguin populations with charts and illustrations.
      Digital experience

      Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

      Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math" Student Edition A1, featuring an illustration of diverse characters engaging in New York math activities against a backdrop of graphs and mathematical concepts.
      Student Edition pages

      Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

      A digital math activity screen showing block arrangements and a worksheet page titled "Shelley the Snail" with related graphics.

      Students represent the solutions of a situation using a table, a graph, and multiple forms of an equation to identify multiple combinations of blocks that can help Shelley the Snail cross a gap.

      Contact us

      For questions, samples, or more information, please contact your local Amplify Account Executive:

      Erin King
      Sales Director, CA
      (512) 736-3162
      eking@amplify.com

      Northern CA
      Wendy Garcia
      Senior Account Executive
      (510) 368-7666
      wgarcia@amplify.com

      Bay Area
      Lance Burbank
      Account Executive
      (415) 830-5348
      lburbank@amplify.com

      Central Valley and Central Coast
      Demitri Gonos
      Senior Account Executive
      (559) 355-3244
      dgonos@amplify.com

      Ventura and L.A. County
      Jeff Sorenson
      Associate Account Executive
      (310) 902-1407
      jsorenson@amplify.com

      Orange and L.A. County
      Lauren Sherman
      Senior Account Executive
      (949) 397-5766
      lsherman@amplify.com

      San Bernardino and L.A. County
      Michael Gruber
      Senior Account Executive
      (951) 520-6542
      migruber@amplify.com

      Riverside and L.A. County
      Brian Roy
      Account Executive
      (818) 967-1674
      broy@amplify.com

      San Diego County
      Kirk Van Wagoner
      Senior Account Executive
      (760) 696-0709
      kvanwagoner@amplify.com

      Under 2300 students in Bay Area, Sacramento Valley, and Northern Counties
      Kevin Mauser
      Lead Account Executive
      (815) 534-0148
      kmauser@amplify.com

      Under 2300 students in Southern CA, Central Coast, and Southern Central Valley Counties
      Charissa Snyder
      Account Executive
      (720) 936-6802
      chsnyder@amplify.com

      Request additional samples.

      Ready to learn more? Connect with an Amplify Desmos Math California expert to request additional program samples.

      Texas ELAR Literacy Adoption

      To view this protected page, enter the password below:



      The next chapter in the Science of Reading

      Introducing Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition, a K–5 core literacy program within Amplify’s literacy suite. For more than a decade, Amplify CKLA has transformed classrooms nationwide with its intentional knowledge building and systematic skills instruction. Available for the 2025–2026 school year, the 3rd Edition builds on this successful foundation to better support all students in becoming confident readers, writers, and thinkers. Together, let’s write the next chapter in the Science of Reading.

      Request samples
      An astronaut floats in space near the Moon, with a speech bubble displaying

      Amplify CKLA serves

      150,000+

      Classrooms

      4,000,000+

      Students

      50

      U.S. States and D.C.

      Our approach

      Improve outcomes with a program built on a decade of research, and that meets the strongest ESSA Tier I criteria.

      Diagram illustrating the Simple View of Reading model, depicting language comprehension and word recognition pathways converging into skilled reading, with processes becoming increasingly strategic and automatic—a foundational concept in literacy curriculum for elementary education.

      Grounded in the Science of Reading

      As the original Science of Reading program, Amplify CKLA puts research into action with explicit, systematic foundational skills instruction and a proven knowledge-building sequence. In collaboration with education experts and practitioners, we provide powerful resources that deliver real results.

      Success stories

      Background knowledge drives results

      Amplify CKLA follows the Core Knowledge Sequence, a content-specific, cumulative, and coherent approach to knowledge building. This approach improves reading scores and closes achievement gaps by establishing a robust knowledge base that strengthens comprehension.

      In Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition, we’ve enriched our Knowledge Sequence with a wider range of perspectives and high-quality texts in new and enhanced units.

      See units and connections
      An infographic showing the steps to pronounce

      Build foundational skills for long-term success.

      Students progress from simple to complex skill development starting with phonological and phonemic awareness. Instruction in Grades K–2 explicitly teaches the 150 spellings for the 44 sounds of English, following an intentional progression to ensure student success.

      In our 3rd Edition, we’ve added dedicated Grades 3–5 foundational skills instruction that can either support core lessons or function as an intervention, based on student needs.

      Skills by year

      Daily writing deepens learning.

      Grounded in the Science of Writing—the research on how kids learn to write—instruction is explicit, daily, and woven into the curriculum’s rich content. It covers both transcription (handwriting and spelling) and composition (organizing ideas into narratives) with high-impact activities like sentence-level combining and expanding, and pre-writing exercises. Writing and reading instruction are integrated so students simultaneously strengthen their communication skills, comprehension, and confidence.

      See the Simple View of Writing
      A child in a green shirt smiles while writing in a notebook at a classroom desk, engaged in their k–5 literacy curriculum, with another student visible in the background.
      An open laptop displaying a children's story titled

      High-quality, diverse texts

      Amplify CKLA students are immersed in a variety of texts—complex read-alouds, decodable chapter books, trade books, and content-rich readers—that reflect varied experiences and connect to learning goals.

      Readers are 100% decodable for Grades K–2, empowering students to directly apply what they’ve learned. Novel Study units for Grades 3–5 offer a mix of contemporary and classic literature, and Culminating Research Units in every grade include a set of authentic texts and trade books.

      See Research Unit trade books

      Reach all learners with differentiated support.

      Scaffolds and challenges, developed in collaboration with education experts, make content available to every student—including multilingual and English learners. With strategies embedded right in the curriculum, teachers can deliver in-the-moment, individualized instruction to meet all student needs.

      For a dedicated English language development program aligned to Amplify CKLA, explore Language Studio.

      View embedded support
      Children sit on the floor in a classroom, some raising their hands, smiling and engaged. The lively atmosphere reflects the effectiveness of the k–5 literacy curriculum being implemented.

      What’s included

      The comprehensive resources in Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition support effective literacy instruction in every classroom.

      Image of a laptop displaying an assessment report, surrounded by books about astronomy, an illustration of the moon, and a
      Various educational materials, including textbooks, workbooks, a picture book, documents, and a laptop displaying a slide titled

      Easy-to-use teacher materials

      Amplify CKLA teachers are empowered to deliver effective instruction with the following print and digital resources:

      • Teacher Guides (K–5)
      • Assessment Guides (K–5)
      • Authentic texts and trade books (K–5)
      • Knowledge Image Cards (K–2)
      • Knowledge Flip Books (K–2, digital)
      • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens (K–5, digital)
      • Remediation and intervention resources (K–5)
      • On-demand professional development (K–5, digital)

      Immersive Amplify CKLA student resources

      Amplify CKLA students stay engaged with the following print and digital resources:

      • Decodable readers (K–2)
      • Student Readers and novels (3–5)
      • Student Activity Books (K–5)
      • Poet’s Journal and Writer’s Journal (3–5)
      • eReaders (K–5, digital)
      • Sound Library featuring articulation videos and songs (K–2, digital)
      • Assignable Practice Games (K–5)
      An open laptop displaying a poem and a person, alongside two educational booklets and a green butterfly, depicts the essence of a rich core knowledge language arts curriculum. The background includes simple graphic elements enhancing the scene.
      A collection of six book covers including

      Rich literary experiences

      All of the high-quality, diverse texts in Amplify CKLA connect to the curriculum, fostering your students’ curiosity and helping them learn to read with confidence.

      • Trade Book Collections (K–5) inspire student research in each grade’s Culminating Research Unit.
      • Classic and contemporary literature (3–5) delight students in Novel Study Units.
      • Increasingly complex Student Readers (K–5) develop students’ literacy across grades.

      Hands-on phonics materials

      Multisensory phonics and foundational skills resources engage students with fun, varied approaches that promote mastery and build independence.

      • Chaining Folders and Small Letter Cards (K)
      • Read-Aloud Big Books (K–1)
      • Large Letter Cards (K–2)
      • Sound Cards (K–2)
      • Image Cards (K–3)
      • Blending Picture Cards (K)
      • Consonant and Vowel Code Posters and Spelling Cards (1–2)
      • Sound Library (K–2, digital)
      Image includes various vowel sounds and combinations on flashcards and worksheets, along with a playful illustrated mammal, all part of a comprehensive literacy curriculum for elementary students.

      All-in-one digital platform

      Our comprehensive platform simplifies your day-to-day tasks and makes it easier to plan and deliver lessons.

      • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens
      • Auto-scored digital assessments
      • Standards-based reporting
      • Assignable Practice Games
      • Sound Library
      • eReaders

      Professional Development

      Move beyond traditional program training with Amplify’s digital PD Library, designed to fully support your shift to the Science of Reading and Amplify CKLA. Deepen your understanding with:

      • Program and planning resources
      • Model lesson videos from real classrooms
      • Guidance on using Amplify’s literacy suite to provide multi-tiered support
      Two women are seated at a table with papers and a laptop. One woman is working on the literacy curriculum for elementary grades, while the other is smiling.

      Ready to continue your learning journey?

      We also offer live, tailored professional learning sessions by expert partners to expand your Science of Reading expertise, strengthen implementation, and improve student outcomes.

      Explore Amplify PD
      “Teachers love the ease of implementing the program, and students have fun while learning. Growth is evident in our data, and we have the support of Amplify experts who are available to answer questions and provide top-notch professional development.”

      Bridget Vaughan, District K–8 Coordinator of ELA and Literacy

      Quincy Public Schools, Massachusetts

      A circular flow chart titled

      A true Science of Reading early literacy suite for Grades K–5

      Amplify has combined the critical elements of a Science of Reading system: assessment, core curriculum, personalized learning, and intervention. Based on 20 years of experience with the Science of Reading, this complete system saves you time and aligns your literacy practices.

      • Assess with mCLASS®: A universal and dyslexia screener, powered by DIBELS 8th Edition
      • Instruct with Amplify CKLA: Core curriculum to build foundational skills and knowledge
      • Practice with Boost Reading™: Personalized learning program to extend and reinforce core
      • Intervene with mCLASS Intervention: Staff-led Tier 2 and 3 intervention for intensive support
      “There were other programs that claimed to be [based on the] Science of Reading, but no other vendor provided the suite of products together. We did not want to be picking from here, picking from there. [Amplify’s literacy suite] met our needs, because it aligned and provided us the best suite of products, hands down.”

      Nicole Peterson, Principal, Midway Middle School

      Sampson County Schools, North Carolina

      Language Studio: Multilingual and English language learner support

      Language Studio is Amplify CKLA’s dedicated K–5 program for multilingual and English language learners. Through daily 30-minute lessons, it strengthens reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills while reinforcing core instruction. This tailored support empowers students to confidently access grade-level content as they develop academic English.

      A young girl immerses herself in the science of reading at a classroom desk, surrounded by peers and diverse educational materials.

      Explore more programs in Amplify’s literacy and biliteracy suite.

      All of the programs in our literacy suite and our biliteracy suite are designed to support and complement each other. Learn more about our related programs:

      Collage of six varied educational scenes including students in classrooms, animation of a campus, and a stylized eagle over mountains, highlighting the Amplify Caminos Spanish language program.

      Amplify Caminos

      Amplify Caminos is a K–5 Spanish language arts program and curriculum designed t…

      Illustration of a colorful, stylized map showing various buildings, roads, trees, and icons with people engaged in different reading activities or roles related to the science of reading.

      Boost Reading

      Boost Reading provides your child with the opportunity to learn and practice lit…

      Teacher looking at tablet with student

      mCLASS

      mCLASS is an assessment and instruction system that helps measure your child’s l…

      See All Programs

      The next chapter in the Science of Reading

      Introducing Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition, a K–5 core literacy program within Amplify’s literacy suite. For more than a decade, Amplify CKLA has transformed classrooms nationwide with its intentional knowledge building and systematic skills instruction. Available for the 2025–2026 school year, the 3rd Edition builds on this successful foundation to better support all students in becoming confident readers, writers, and thinkers. Together, let’s write the next chapter in the Science of Reading.

      Request samples
      An astronaut floats in space near the Moon, with a speech bubble displaying

      Amplify CKLA serves

      150,000+

      Classrooms

      4,000,000+

      Students

      50

      U.S. States and D.C.

      Our approach

      Improve outcomes with a program built on a decade of research, and that meets the strongest ESSA Tier I criteria.

      Diagram illustrating the Simple View of Reading model, depicting language comprehension and word recognition pathways converging into skilled reading, with processes becoming increasingly strategic and automatic—a foundational concept in literacy curriculum for elementary education.

      Grounded in the Science of Reading

      As the original Science of Reading program, Amplify CKLA puts research into action with explicit, systematic foundational skills instruction and a proven knowledge-building sequence. In collaboration with education experts and practitioners, we provide powerful resources that deliver real results.

      Success stories

      Background knowledge drives results

      Amplify CKLA follows the Core Knowledge Sequence, a content-specific, cumulative, and coherent approach to knowledge building. This approach improves reading scores and closes achievement gaps by establishing a robust knowledge base that strengthens comprehension.

      In Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition, we’ve enriched our Knowledge Sequence with a wider range of perspectives and high-quality texts in new and enhanced units.

      See units and connections
      An infographic showing the steps to pronounce

      Build foundational skills for long-term success.

      Students progress from simple to complex skill development starting with phonological and phonemic awareness. Instruction in Grades K–2 explicitly teaches the 150 spellings for the 44 sounds of English, following an intentional progression to ensure student success.

      In our 3rd Edition, we’ve added dedicated Grades 3–5 foundational skills instruction that can either support core lessons or function as an intervention, based on student needs.

      Skills by year

      Daily writing deepens learning.

      Grounded in the Science of Writing—the research on how kids learn to write—instruction is explicit, daily, and woven into the curriculum’s rich content. It covers both transcription (handwriting and spelling) and composition (organizing ideas into narratives) with high-impact activities like sentence-level combining and expanding, and pre-writing exercises. Writing and reading instruction are integrated so students simultaneously strengthen their communication skills, comprehension, and confidence.

      See the Simple View of Writing
      A child in a green shirt smiles while writing in a notebook at a classroom desk, engaged in their k–5 literacy curriculum, with another student visible in the background.
      An open laptop displaying a children's story titled

      High-quality, diverse texts

      Amplify CKLA students are immersed in a variety of texts—complex read-alouds, decodable chapter books, trade books, and content-rich readers—that reflect varied experiences and connect to learning goals.

      Readers are 100% decodable for Grades K–2, empowering students to directly apply what they’ve learned. Novel Study units for Grades 3–5 offer a mix of contemporary and classic literature, and Culminating Research Units in every grade include a set of authentic texts and trade books.

      See Research Unit trade books

      Reach all learners with differentiated support.

      Scaffolds and challenges, developed in collaboration with education experts, make content available to every student—including multilingual and English learners. With strategies embedded right in the curriculum, teachers can deliver in-the-moment, individualized instruction to meet all student needs.

      For a dedicated English language development program aligned to Amplify CKLA, explore Language Studio.

      View embedded support
      Children sit on the floor in a classroom, some raising their hands, smiling and engaged. The lively atmosphere reflects the effectiveness of the k–5 literacy curriculum being implemented.

      What’s included

      The comprehensive resources in Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition support effective literacy instruction in every classroom.

      Image of a laptop displaying an assessment report, surrounded by books about astronomy, an illustration of the moon, and a
      Various educational materials, including textbooks, workbooks, a picture book, documents, and a laptop displaying a slide titled

      Easy-to-use teacher materials

      Amplify CKLA teachers are empowered to deliver effective instruction with the following print and digital resources:

      • Teacher Guides (K–5)
      • Assessment Guides (K–5)
      • Authentic texts and trade books (K–5)
      • Knowledge Image Cards (K–2)
      • Knowledge Flip Books (K–2, digital)
      • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens (K–5, digital)
      • Remediation and intervention resources (K–5)
      • On-demand professional development (K–5, digital)

      Immersive Amplify CKLA student resources

      Amplify CKLA students stay engaged with the following print and digital resources:

      • Decodable readers (K–2)
      • Student Readers and novels (3–5)
      • Student Activity Books (K–5)
      • Poet’s Journal and Writer’s Journal (3–5)
      • eReaders (K–5, digital)
      • Sound Library featuring articulation videos and songs (K–2, digital)
      • Assignable Practice Games (K–5)
      An open laptop displaying a poem and a person, alongside two educational booklets and a green butterfly, depicts the essence of a rich core knowledge language arts curriculum. The background includes simple graphic elements enhancing the scene.
      A collection of six book covers including

      Rich literary experiences

      All of the high-quality, diverse texts in Amplify CKLA connect to the curriculum, fostering your students’ curiosity and helping them learn to read with confidence.

      • Trade Book Collections (K–5) inspire student research in each grade’s Culminating Research Unit.
      • Classic and contemporary literature (3–5) delight students in Novel Study Units.
      • Increasingly complex Student Readers (K–5) develop students’ literacy across grades.

      Hands-on phonics materials

      Multisensory phonics and foundational skills resources engage students with fun, varied approaches that promote mastery and build independence.

      • Chaining Folders and Small Letter Cards (K)
      • Read-Aloud Big Books (K–1)
      • Large Letter Cards (K–2)
      • Sound Cards (K–2)
      • Image Cards (K–3)
      • Blending Picture Cards (K)
      • Consonant and Vowel Code Posters and Spelling Cards (1–2)
      • Sound Library (K–2, digital)
      Image includes various vowel sounds and combinations on flashcards and worksheets, along with a playful illustrated mammal, all part of a comprehensive literacy curriculum for elementary students.

      All-in-one digital platform

      Our comprehensive platform simplifies your day-to-day tasks and makes it easier to plan and deliver lessons.

      • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens
      • Auto-scored digital assessments
      • Standards-based reporting
      • Assignable Practice Games
      • Sound Library
      • eReaders

      Professional Development

      Move beyond traditional program training with Amplify’s digital PD Library, designed to fully support your shift to the Science of Reading and Amplify CKLA. Deepen your understanding with:

      • Program and planning resources
      • Model lesson videos from real classrooms
      • Guidance on using Amplify’s literacy suite to provide multi-tiered support
      Two women are seated at a table with papers and a laptop. One woman is working on the literacy curriculum for elementary grades, while the other is smiling.
      “Teachers love the ease of implementing the program, and students have fun while learning. Growth is evident in our data, and we have the support of Amplify experts who are available to answer questions and provide top-notch professional development.”

      Bridget Vaughan, District K–8 Coordinator of ELA and Literacy

      Quincy Public Schools, Massachusetts

      A circular flow chart titled

      A true Science of Reading early literacy suite for Grades K–5

      Amplify has combined the critical elements of a Science of Reading system: assessment, core curriculum, personalized learning, and intervention. Based on 20 years of experience with the Science of Reading, this complete system saves you time and aligns your literacy practices.

      • Assess with mCLASS®: A universal and dyslexia screener, powered by DIBELS 8th Edition
      • Instruct with Amplify CKLA: Core curriculum to build foundational skills and knowledge
      • Practice with Boost Reading™: Personalized learning program to extend and reinforce core
      • Intervene with mCLASS Intervention: Staff-led Tier 2 and 3 intervention for intensive support
      “There were other programs that claimed to be [based on the] Science of Reading, but no other vendor provided the suite of products together. We did not want to be picking from here, picking from there. [Amplify’s literacy suite] met our needs, because it aligned and provided us the best suite of products, hands down.”

      Nicole Peterson, Principal, Midway Middle School

      Sampson County Schools, North Carolina

      Language Studio: Multilingual and English language learner support

      Language Studio is Amplify CKLA’s dedicated K–5 program for multilingual and English language learners. Through daily 30-minute lessons, it strengthens reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills while reinforcing core instruction. This tailored support empowers students to confidently access grade-level content as they develop academic English.

      A young girl immerses herself in the science of reading at a classroom desk, surrounded by peers and diverse educational materials.

      Explore more programs in Amplify’s literacy and biliteracy suite.

      All of the programs in our literacy suite and our biliteracy suite are designed to support and complement each other. Learn more about our related programs:

      Collage of six varied educational scenes including students in classrooms, animation of a campus, and a stylized eagle over mountains, highlighting the Amplify Caminos Spanish language program.

      Amplify Caminos

      Amplify Caminos is a K–5 Spanish language arts program and curriculum designed t…

      Illustration of a colorful, stylized map showing various buildings, roads, trees, and icons with people engaged in different reading activities or roles related to the science of reading.

      Boost Reading

      Boost Reading provides your child with the opportunity to learn and practice lit…

      Teacher looking at tablet with student

      mCLASS

      mCLASS is an assessment and instruction system that helps measure your child’s l…

      See All Programs

      What’s New for Amplify Science 6–8!

      Denver Public Schools (DPS), check out what’s new from Amplify Science 6-8!  The first part of this site will take you through the updates that have been made to Amplify Science. The second will be a refresher of Amplify Science for any new users in DPS. With Amplify Science, DPS students don’t just passively learn about science concepts. Instead, they take on the role of scientists and engineers to actively investigate and figure out real-world phenomena. With culturally sustaining pedagogy, Amplify Science strives to make sure every student feels included in the science classroom.

      Two students collaborating on a project using a laptop in a classroom filled with other students working in the background.

      Update: The Digital Experience

      The digital experience allows students to engage with digital lessons and provides teachers with everything they need in one place—ready-to-use slides-based lessons, seamlessly integrated teacher prompts and guidance, robust PD resources, and more. It’s now easier and more engaging than ever to plan lessons, present digital content, and review student work. To learn more, click here.

      Update: The PD Library

      All professional development (PD) content is consolidated into the PD Library, a one-stop hub for all your self-paced PD needs. As a result, the “Professional Learning Resources” tile will no longer be available on the main Amplify Science Program Hub page. The rest of the non-PD content in the Program Hub will remain as is, including the on-demand resources.

      Update: Educator & Student Home expansion

      Educator and Student Home landing pages will now be available for all Amplify Science users. This Home page provides a central location to access all Amplify programs in one place and a customized stream based on your activity.

      Your Amplify Science grades 6–8 students will no longer access My Work for assignments, scores, and teacher feedback. Instead, they’ll find it all on Student Home, the page they already land on when logging in to Amplify Science.

      Keep in mind: Amplify Science middle school teachers will continue to have access to Classwork.

      Update: Caregiver Hub

      Throughout the school year, teachers can share the Amplify Science Caregiver Hub with students’ families. This site provides curriculum details, an overview of what caregivers can expect throughout the school year, and resources they can use with students at home.

      What is Amplify Science?

      The Lawrence Hall of Science

      Developed by the science education experts at UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science and the digital learning team at Amplify, our program features:

      • A phenomena-based approach where students construct a complex understanding of each unit’s anchor phenomenon.
      • A blend of cohesive storylines, hands-on investigations, rich discussions, literacy-rich activities, and digital tools.
      • Carefully crafted units, chapters, lessons, and activities designed to deliver true three-dimensional learning.
      • An instructional design that supports all learners in accessing all standards.
      Aerial view of the lawrence hall of science at the university of california, berkeley, showcasing the building and surrounding trees with a foggy city backdrop.

      Proven to work

      WestEd Randomized
      Control Trial for Grade 1

      Read More

      WestEd Randomized
      Control Trial for Grade 7

      Read More

      Amplify Science NE
      Grades K–5

      Read More

      Instructional model

      The Amplify Science program is rooted in the proven, research-based pedagogy of Do, Talk, Read, Write, Visualize. Here’s how each element works:

      Do

      First-hand investigations are an important part of any science classroom, and Amplify Science has students getting hands-on in every unit—from building models of protein molecules to experimenting with electrical systems.

      Talk

      Student-to-student discourse and full-class discussions are an integral part of the program. Students are provided with numerous opportunities to engage in meaningful oral scientific argumentation, all while fostering a collaborative classroom environment.

      Read

      Students read scientific articles, focusing their reading activities on searching for evidence related to their investigation and, importantly, on asking and recording questions as they read through fascinating texts on 21st-century topics.

      Write

      Following real-world practices, students write scientific arguments based on evidence they’ve collected, making clear their reasoning about how a given piece of evidence connects to one of several claims.

      Visualize

      By manipulating digital simulations and using modeling tools to craft visualizations of their thinking— just as real scientists and engineers
      do—students take their learning far beyond the confines of what they can physically see in the classroom in an exciting and authentic way.

      Program structure

      Our cyclical lesson design ensures students receive multiple exposures to concepts through a variety of modalities. As they progress through the lessons within a unit, students build and deepen their understanding, increasing their ability to develop and refine complex explanations of the unit’s phenomenon.

      It’s this proven program structure and lesson design that enables Amplify Science to address 100% of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and support students in mastering the Pennsylvania Science Standards.

      Flowchart depicting a critical thinking process with four circular nodes connected by arrows, each node representing a step: posing a real-world problem, exploring evidence, elaborating concepts, and evaluating claims.

      Unit types

      While every unit delivers three-dimensional learning experiences and engages students in gathering evidence from a rich collection of sources, each unit also serves a unique instructional purpose.

      In grades 6–8:

      • One unit is a launch unit.
      • Three units are core units.
      • Two units are engineering internships.

      Launch units are the first units taught in each year of Amplify Science. The goal of the Launch unit is to introduce students to norms, routines, and practices that will be built on throughout the year, including argumentation, active reading, and using the program’s technology. For example, rather than taking the time to explain the process of active reading in every unit in a given year, it is explained thoroughly in the Launch unit, thereby preparing students to read actively in all subsequent units.

      Core units establish the context of the unit by introducing students to a real-world problem. As students move through lessons in a Core unit, they figure out the unit’s anchoring phenomenon, gain an understanding of the unit’s disciplinary core ideas and science and engineering practices, and make linkages across topics through the crosscutting concepts. Each Core unit culminates with a Science Seminar and final writing activity.

      Engineering Internship units invite students to design solutions for real-world problems as interns for a fictional company called Futura. Students figure out how to help those in need, from tsunami victims in Sri Lanka to premature babies, through the application of engineering practices. In the process, they apply and deepen their learning from Core units.

      DPS Scope and Sequence

      Our lessons follow a structure that is grounded in regular routines while still being flexible enough to allow for a variety of learning experiences.

      In fact, our multi-modal instruction offers more opportunities for students to construct meaning, and practice and apply concepts than any other program. What’s more, our modular design means our units can be flexibly arranged to support your instructional goals.

      Un gráfico que muestra los cursos de ciencias para los grados 6 a 8. Cada grado tiene una lista de clases categorizadas como Launch, GROW y GOAT, con el título de cada curso y la duración en minutos o días.

      Program components

      Available digitally and in print, our unit-specific reference guides are chock-full of helpful resources, including scientific background knowledge, planning information and resources, color-coded 3D Statements, detailed lesson plans, tips for delivering instruction, and differentiation strategies.

      Amplify Science TG

      Hands-on learning is an essential part of Amplify Science, and is integrated into every unit. Students actively participate in science, playing the roles of scientists and engineers as they gather evidence, think critically, solve problems, and develop and defend claims about the world around them. Every unit includes hands-on investigations that are critical to achieving the unit’s learning goals.

      A young person wearing gloves looks through a microscope at a table with laboratory supplies, including bottles, slides, and a tray, against a plain blue background.

      More hands-on with Flextensions:
      Hands-on Flextensions are additional, optional investigations that are included at logical points in the learning progression and give students an opportunity to dig deeper if time permits. These activities offer teachers flexibility to choose to dedicate more time to hands-on learning. Materials referenced in Hands-on Flextension activities will either be included in the unit kit or are easily sourced. Supporting resources such as student worksheets will be included as downloadable PDF files.

      Our kits include enough materials to support 200 student uses. In other words, teachers can easily support all five periods and small groups of 4-5 students each. Plus, our unit-specific kits mean teachers just grab the tub they need and then put it all back with ease.

      Assorted office and household items displayed on a white background, including rubber bands, binder clips, cardboard, and sports balls.

      Our digital Simulations and Practice Tools are powerful resources for exploration, data collection, and student collaboration. They allow students the ability to explore scientific concepts that might otherwise be invisible or impossible to see with the naked eye.

      Available for every unit, our Student Investigation Notebooks contain instructions for activities and space for students to record data and observations, reflect on ideas from texts and investigations, and construct explanations and arguments.

      In grades 6–8, one copy of the Student Investigation Notebook is included in each unit’s materials kit for use as a blackline master. Each notebook is also available as a downloadable PDF on the Unit Guide page of the digital Teacher’s Guide.

      Two booklets titled "El clima cambiante de la Tierra: la desaparición del hielo" and "Earth’s Changing Climate: Vanishing Ice" with landscape illustrations on the covers.

      These customizable PowerPoints are available for every lesson of the program and make delivering instruction a snap with visual prompts, colorful activity instructions, investigation set-up videos and animations, and suggested teacher talk in the notes section of each slide.

      Amplify Science Classroom Slides

      Explore your print samples

      With your Amplify Science print samples, you’ll find unit-specific Teacher’s References Guides, Student Investigation Notebooks, and sets of Student Books for each grade level.

      A note about the Teacher Reference Guides:

      It’s important that you see the full breadth and depth of our instruction. For that reason, we provide a copy of each of our unit-specific Teacher Reference Guides.

      Rest assured that teachers do not use these robust reference guides for day-to-day teaching. For that, we have a hands-free Teacher’s Guide!

      Three laptop screens displaying educational content on earth's energy system, including diagrams and text annotations.
      • Teacher Reference Guide: Unlike a typical TG that requires a series of supplemental books to support it, our encyclopedic reference guide is chock-full of everything a teacher needs to fully implement our program and the NGSS.
      • Ready-to-Teach Lesson Slides: For daily instruction, teachers need their hands free. That’s why we created ready-to-teach lesson slides for every single lesson. What’s more, they are editable and include suggested teacher talk and point-of-use differentiation and other instructional tips. Click to learn more.

      A note about the Materials Kits:

      Hands-on learning is at the heart of Amplify Science, and is integrated into every unit. In order to make hands-on learning more manageable for busy teachers, Amplify Science materials are organized into unit-specific kits.

      Stacked storage bins with labels, arranged neatly; caption notes they are a sample and may not reflect actual quantities or sizes.

      Our unit-specific kits:

      • Include more materials — We give teachers enough materials to support 200 student uses.
      • Are more manageable — Unlike other programs that require large groups of students to share limited sets of materials, our kits include enough to support small groups of 4–5 students.
      • Include supportive videos — Each hands-on activity provides clear instructions for the teacher, with more complex activities supported by video demonstrations and illustrations.

      At your request, we did not include our materials kits with our submissions samples. However, we did provide grade-specific lists of all materials included in each kit, which you can also find with the links below.

      Access your digital samples

      Explore as a teacher

      Follow these instructions to explore the Amplify Science digital platform as a teacher.

      • Click the Access Amplify Science Platform button below and bookmark it.
      • Select Log in with Amplify.
      • Enter the username: t1.dps68sci@demo.tryamplify.net
      • Enter the password: Amplify1-dps68sci
      • Click the Science icon.
      • Click on the Grade Menu in the top center of the screen and select any grade.
      • Select any unit.
      Access Amplify Science Platform

      To help familiarize yourself with navigating the digital platform, watch the below navigational video.

      Spanish-language support

      Amplify Science is committed to providing support to meet the needs of all learners, including multiple access points for Spanish-speaking students. Developed in conjunction with Spanish-language experts and classroom teachers, several components are available in Spanish across the Amplify Science curriculum.

      Spanish-language materials include:

      COMPONENTTEACHER/STUDENT
      Student Investigation NotebooksStudent
      Science articlesStudent
      Video TranscriptsStudent
      Digital simulation translation keysStudent
      Printed classroom materials
      Unit and chapter questions, key concepts, vocabulary cards, etc.      		Teacher
      CopymastersTeacher
      AssessmentsTeacher
      Digital student experience license
      This license gives students access to the student resources in Spanish, including instructional text, articles, and assessments. Teachers can control student access to Spanish-language content through the digital Teacher’s Guide.      		Teacher
      Spanish teacher support license
      This license includes teacher talk, projections, downloadable PDFs of all print resources, and video transcripts and closed captioning in Spanish.      		Teacher

      Resources to support your review

      Contact Us

      If you have any further questions as your review Amplify Science, please contact:

      Monty Lammers

      Senior Account Executive

      719-964-4501

      mlammers@amplify.com

      Welcome to Amplify Science Pennsylvania
      (K–5)!

      Amplify Science is an engaging core curriculum designed for three-dimensional, phenomena-based learning.

      With Amplify Science, Pennsylvania students shift from learning about to figuring out science through authentic three-dimensional (3D) learning and phenomena-based exploration. In each unit, students take on the role of a scientist or engineer to investigate a real-world problem. This prepares them to become critical thinkers who can solve problems in their communities and beyond.

      Review 6-8 Science
      Four children gather around a classroom table, engaging with their Amplify Science project, as notebooks and papers are spread out in front of them—an inspiring scene supported by Pennsylvania teachers.

      What is Amplify Science Pennsylvania?

      Customized lessons for Pennsylvania

      Amplify Science Pennsylvania (K–5) combines our nationally recognized, proven curriculum with custom lessons specifically designed to ensure you are meeting Pennsylvania’s STEELS standards.

      A digital interface displays six science lessons from Amplify Science, with "Ancient Water Purification" in Lesson 2.9 highlighted as a PA STEELS Custom Lesson. Each lesson features a simple sky and mountain graphic, perfect for Science programs for elementary.

      The Lawrence Hall of Science

      Developed by the science education experts at UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science and the digital learning team at Amplify, our program features:

      • A phenomena-based approach in which students construct a complex understanding of each unit’s anchor phenomenon.
      • A blend of cohesive storylines, hands-on investigations, rich discussions, literacy-rich activities, and digital tools.
      • Carefully crafted units, chapters, lessons, and activities designed to deliver true three-dimensional learning.
      • An instructional design that supports all learners in accessing all standards.
      Aerial view of the lawrence hall of science at the university of california, berkeley, showcasing the building and surrounding trees with a foggy city backdrop.

      Proven to work

      A pdf cover from wested titled "learning and literacy development together: initial results from a curriculum study," featuring an adult helping children with schoolwork in a classroom.

      WestEd Randomized
      Control Trial for Grade 1

      Read More

      Pdf cover titled "curriculum materials designed for the next generation science standards: initial results from gold standard research trials", published by wested.

      WestEd Randomized
      Control Trial for Grade 7

      Read More

      A teacher and students engage in a science activity around a table. The text promotes the Amplify Science K–8 curriculum, highlighting its focus on hands-on learning and real-world problem-solving.

      Amplify Science Pennsylvania NE
      Grades K–5

      Read More

      Instructional model

      The Amplify Science Pennsylvania program is rooted in the proven, research-based pedagogy of Do, Talk, Read, Write, Visualize. Here’s how each element works:

      Do

      Firsthand investigations are an important part of any science classroom, and Amplify Science Pennsylvania has students getting hands-on in every unit—from building models of protein molecules to experimenting with electrical systems.

      Talk

      Student-to-student discourse and full-class discussions are an integral part of the program. Students are provided with numerous opportunities to engage in meaningful oral scientific argumentation, all while fostering a collaborative classroom environment.

      Read

      Students read scientific articles, focusing their reading activities on searching for evidence related to their investigation and on asking and recording questions as they read through fascinating texts on 21st-century topics.

      Write

      Following real-world practices, students write scientific arguments based on evidence they’ve collected, making clear their reasoning about how a given piece of evidence connects to one of several claims.

      Visualize

      By manipulating digital simulations and using modeling tools to craft visualizations of their thinking— just as real scientists and engineers
      do—students take their learning far beyond the confines of what they can physically see in the classroom in an exciting and authentic way.

      Program structure

      Our cyclical lesson design ensures that students receive multiple exposures to concepts through a variety of modalities. As they progress through the lessons within a unit, students build and deepen their understanding, increasing their ability to develop and refine complex explanations of the unit’s phenomenon.

      It’s this proven program structure and lesson design that enables Amplify Science Pennsylvania to address 100% of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and support students in mastering the Pennsylvania Science Standards.

      Flowchart depicting a critical thinking process with four circular nodes connected by arrows, each node representing a step: posing a real-world problem, exploring evidence, elaborating concepts, and evaluating claims.

      Unit types

      While every unit delivers three-dimensional learning experiences and engages students in gathering evidence from a rich collection of sources, each unit also emphasizes a particular science and engineering practice.

      In grades K–2:

      • One unit emphasizes the practice of investigation.
      • One unit emphasizes the practice of modeling.
      • One unit emphasizes the practice of engineering design.

      In grades 3–5, students experience the three unit types above, plus:

      One additional unit that emphasizes the practice of argumentation.

      Investigation units focus on the process of strategically developing investigations and gathering data to answer questions. Students are first asked to consider questions about what happens in the natural world and why, and are then involved in designing and conducting investigations that produce data to help answer those questions.

      Modeling units provide extra support to students engaging in the practice of modeling. Students use physical models, investigate with computer models, and create their own diagrams to help them visualize what might be happening on the nanoscale.

      Engineering design units provide opportunities for students to solve complex problems by applying science principles to the design of functional solutions, and iteratively testing those solutions to determine how well they meet preset criteria.

      Argumentation units provide students with regular opportunities to explore and discuss available evidence, time and support to consider how evidence may be leveraged in support of claims, and independence that increases as they mount written arguments in support of their claims.

      Unit sequence

      Our lessons follow a structure that is grounded in regular routines while still being flexible enough to allow for a variety of learning experiences.

      In fact, our multimodal instruction offers more opportunities for students to construct meaning, and practice and apply concepts, than any other program. What’s more, our modular design means our units can be flexibly arranged to support your instructional goals.

      Chart outlining science curriculum by grade, from kindergarten through grade 5, listing topics such as

      Program components

      Available digitally and in print, our unit-specific reference guides are chock-full of helpful resources, including scientific background knowledge, planning information and resources, color-coded 3D Statements, detailed lesson plans, tips for delivering instruction, and differentiation strategies.

      Amplify Science TG

      Hands-on learning is an essential part of Amplify Science Pennsylvania and is integrated into every unit. Students actively participate in science, playing the roles of scientists and engineers as they gather evidence, think critically, solve problems, and develop and defend claims about the world around them. Every unit includes hands-on investigations that are critical to achieving the unit’s learning goals.

      Two children sit at a table blowing into plastic straws held together, likely making musical sounds, with containers and rubber bands on the table.

      More hands-on with Flextensions:
      Hands-on Flextensions are additional, optional investigations that are included at logical points in the learning progression and give students an opportunity to dig deeper if time permits. These activities offer teachers flexibility to choose to dedicate more time to hands-on learning. Materials referenced in Hands-on Flextension activities will either be included in the unit kit or are easily sourced. Supporting resources such as student worksheets will be included as downloadable PDF files.

      Our kits include enough non-consumable materials to support a class of 36 students and enough consumable items to support 72 students. In other words, each kit can last two years! Plus, our unit-specific kits mean teachers just grab the tub they need for the unit and then put it all back with ease.

      Assorted office and household items displayed on a white background, including rubber bands, binder clips, cardboard, and sports balls.

      Each unit of Amplify Science Pennsylvania (K–5) includes six unique Student Books written by educators at the Lawrence Hall of Science specifically for the program. These content-rich nonfiction and informational texts provide opportunities for students to search for evidence relevant to their firsthand investigations, see science practices and dispositions modeled, extend their science knowledge, provide real-world connections as they master reading-to-learn and close reading skills, and construct evidence-based arguments.

      Important note:
      Students in grades K–5 are never asked to read alone. Rather, books are read to, with, and by students with ample scaffolding and support provided by the teacher. Big Books are read aloud or together with the class to introduce ideas. Student Books allow for small-group reading and reading in pairs.

      Two children's books, one in Spanish "Un día ocupado en Villa Empuja" and one in English "A Busy Day in Pushville," both illustrated by Anthony Lewis and depicting a busy town scene.

      Available for every unit, our Student Investigation Notebooks contain instructions for activities and space for students to record data and observations, reflect on ideas from texts and investigations, and construct explanations and arguments.

      In grades K–5, one copy of the Student Investigation Notebook is included in each unit’s materials kit for use as a blackline master. Each notebook is also available as a downloadable PDF on the Unit Guide page of the digital Teacher’s Guide.

      Amplify Science Student Investigation Notebooks

      Amplify Science Pennsylvania offers digital experience licenses that make elementary instruction more flexible for students and teachers and provide additional means to engage in remote, hybrid, or in-person learning!

      Student-facing digital lessons
      With the digital experience, students can engage with digital lesson content in one cohesive experience. It’s the same content from Amplify Science Pennsylvania in a new, integrated format, in which students can interact with slides, Sims, modeling tools, videos, books, and more.

      Ecosystem Restoration digital simulation

      Digital student notebook pages
      Students can draw, write, record audio, and insert images into their Investigation Notebook pages. Their work is automatically saved and delivered to you in real time. When students edit their work, those edits are immediately reflected on your teacher work review page. You can access student responses by clicking “View Work,” where you can see students’ Investigation Notebook pages from the lesson, updating live.

      Assign in Amplify
      The digital experience allows flexibility with optional features such as scheduling assignments in advance and setting due dates. You can use Scheduling to determine the date and time that the assignment appears in Student Home. You also have the flexibility to schedule when assignments appear and to use dates to remove assignments from Student Home.

      Assign in LMS
      You can also assign lessons via our integrations with learning management systems (LMS) such as Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams, or by copying a lesson link and sharing it with students through the platform of your choice. The assignment link you send will provide students with direct access to the full lesson—slides, videos, digital tools, and worksheet activities—no student platform navigation required!

      Teacher platform and presentation
      Teacher-facing lesson content—including sample teacher talk, student responses, pedagogical support, and possible student responses—shows on a teacher’s private Teacher Guide tab. Students only see the lesson slides that are being presented.

      Graphic depicting a teacher's device synced with a class presentation for K—5 students. The teacher's laptop displays an Amplify Science lesson on environments, which is mirrored on a larger screen for the class

      Explore your print samples

      With your Amplify Science Pennsylvania print samples, you’ll find unit-specific Teacher’s References Guides, Student Investigation Notebooks, and sets of Student Books for each grade level.

      A note about the Teacher Reference Guides:

      It’s important that you see the full breadth and depth of our instruction. For that reason, we provide a copy of each of our unit-specific Teacher Reference Guides.

      Teachers do not use these robust reference guides for day-to-day teaching. For that, we have a hands-free Teacher’s Guide!

      Three laptop screens displaying educational content on earth's energy system, including diagrams and text annotations.
      • Teacher’s Reference Guide: Unlike a typical Teacher’s Guide that requires a series of supplemental books to support it, our encyclopedic reference guide is chock-full of everything a teacher needs to fully implement our program and the NGSS.
      • Ready-to-Teach Lesson Slides: For daily instruction, teachers need their hands free. That’s why we created ready-to-teach lesson slides for every single lesson. What’s more, the slides are editable and include suggested teacher talk and point-of-use differentiation and other instructional tips. Click to learn more.

      A note about the Materials Kits:

      Hands-on learning is at the heart of Amplify Science Pennsylvania, and is integrated into every unit. To make hands-on learning more manageable for busy teachers, Amplify Science Pennsylvania materials are organized into unit-specific kits.

      Stacked storage bins with labels, arranged neatly; caption notes they are a sample and may not reflect actual quantities or sizes.

      What’s different about Amplify’s unit-specific material kits?

      • They include more materials. We give teachers enough non-consumable materials to support a class of 36 students and enough consumables to support 72 student uses. In other words, each kit will last two years.
      • They’re more manageable. Unlike other programs that require large groups of students to share limited sets of materials, our kits include enough to support small groups of four to five students.
      • They include supportive videos. Each hands-on activity provides clear instructions for the teacher, with more complex activities supported by video demonstrations and illustrations.

      Grade-specific lists of all materials included in each kit:

      Spanish-language support

      Amplify Science Pennsylvania is committed to providing support to meet the needs of all learners, including multiple access points for Spanish-speaking students. Developed in conjunction with Spanish-language experts and classroom teachers, several components are available in Spanish across the Amplify Science Pennsylvania curriculum.

      Spanish-language materials include:

      COMPONENT TEACHER/STUDENT
      Student Investigation Notebooks Student
      Student Books Student
      Printed classroom materials
      Unit and chapter questions, key concepts, vocabulary cards, etc.      		 Teacher and student
      Copymasters Teacher
      Assessments Teacher
      Spanish teacher support license
      This license includes teacher talk, projections, and downloadable PDFs of all print materials in Spanish.      		 Teacher

      Resources to support your review

      Contact us

      Support is always available. Our team is dedicated to helping you every step of the way.

      Contact your dedicated Pennsylvania representative.

      A woman with long brown hair and glasses wearing a light blue sweater, smiling at the camera against a gray background.

      Julie Couch

      District Enrollment
      ＜1800 students

      A woman with long blonde hair and blue eyes is smiling at the camera, wearing a black top, in a well-lit indoor setting.

      Jen Mee

      Western PA

      A smiling person with shoulder-length gray hair, wearing a peach-colored scarf and a gray sweater, stands against a plain white background. This image captures the essence of Pennsylvania teachers who are dedicated to enriching Science programs for elementary students.

      Monica Vincent

      Southeast PA

      A man with curly brown hair and a beard, smiling broadly, wearing a suit, dress shirt, and floral tie, standing outdoors with trees and grass in the background.

      Keenan Zambelli

      Northeast & Central PA

      The next chapter in the Science of Reading

      Introducing Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition, a K–5 core literacy program within Amplify’s literacy suite. For more than a decade, Amplify CKLA has transformed classrooms nationwide with its intentional knowledge building and systematic skills instruction. Available for the 2025–2026 school year, the 3rd Edition builds on this successful foundation to better support all students in becoming confident readers, writers, and thinkers. Together, let’s write the next chapter in the Science of Reading.

      Request samples
      An astronaut floats in space near the Moon, with a speech bubble displaying

      Amplify CKLA serves

      150,000+

      Classrooms

      4,000,000+

      Students

      50

      U.S. States and D.C.

      Our approach

      Improve outcomes with a program built on a decade of research, and that meets the strongest ESSA Tier I criteria.

      Diagram illustrating the Simple View of Reading model, depicting language comprehension and word recognition pathways converging into skilled reading, with processes becoming increasingly strategic and automatic—a foundational concept in literacy curriculum for elementary education.

      Grounded in the Science of Reading

      As the original Science of Reading program, Amplify CKLA puts research into action with explicit, systematic foundational skills instruction and a proven knowledge-building sequence. In collaboration with education experts and practitioners, we provide powerful resources that deliver real results.

      Success stories

      Background knowledge drives results

      Amplify CKLA follows the Core Knowledge Sequence, a content-specific, cumulative, and coherent approach to knowledge building. This approach improves reading scores and closes achievement gaps by establishing a robust knowledge base that strengthens comprehension.

      In Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition, we’ve enriched our Knowledge Sequence with a wider range of perspectives and high-quality texts in new and enhanced units.

      See units and connections
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      Build foundational skills for long-term success.

      Students progress from simple to complex skill development starting with phonological and phonemic awareness. Instruction in Grades K–2 explicitly teaches the 150 spellings for the 44 sounds of English, following an intentional progression to ensure student success.

      In our 3rd Edition, we’ve added dedicated Grades 3–5 foundational skills instruction that can either support core lessons or function as an intervention, based on student needs.

      Skills by year

      Daily writing deepens learning.

      Grounded in the Science of Writing—the research on how kids learn to write—instruction is explicit, daily, and woven into the curriculum’s rich content. It covers both transcription (handwriting and spelling) and composition (organizing ideas into narratives) with high-impact activities like sentence-level combining and expanding, and pre-writing exercises. Writing and reading instruction are integrated so students simultaneously strengthen their communication skills, comprehension, and confidence.

      See the Simple View of Writing
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      High-quality, diverse texts

      Amplify CKLA students are immersed in a variety of texts—complex read-alouds, decodable chapter books, trade books, and content-rich readers—that reflect varied experiences and connect to learning goals.

      Readers are 100% decodable for Grades K–2, empowering students to directly apply what they’ve learned. Novel Study units for Grades 3–5 offer a mix of contemporary and classic literature, and Culminating Research Units in every grade include a set of authentic texts and trade books.

      See Research Unit trade books

      Reach all learners with differentiated support.

      Scaffolds and challenges, developed in collaboration with education experts, make content available to every student—including multilingual and English learners. With strategies embedded right in the curriculum, teachers can deliver in-the-moment, individualized instruction to meet all student needs.

      For a dedicated English language development program aligned to Amplify CKLA, explore Language Studio.

      View embedded support
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      What’s included

      The comprehensive resources in Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition support effective literacy instruction in every classroom.

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      Easy-to-use teacher materials

      Amplify CKLA teachers are empowered to deliver effective instruction with the following print and digital resources:

      • Teacher Guides (K–5)
      • Assessment Guides (K–5)
      • Authentic texts and trade books (K–5)
      • Knowledge Image Cards (K–2)
      • Knowledge Flip Books (K–2, digital)
      • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens (K–5, digital)
      • Remediation and intervention resources (K–5)
      • On-demand professional development (K–5, digital)

      Immersive Amplify CKLA student resources

      Amplify CKLA students stay engaged with the following print and digital resources:

      • Decodable readers (K–2)
      • Student Readers and novels (3–5)
      • Student Activity Books (K–5)
      • Poet’s Journal and Writer’s Journal (3–5)
      • eReaders (K–5, digital)
      • Sound Library featuring articulation videos and songs (K–2, digital)
      • Assignable Practice Games (K–5)
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      Rich literary experiences

      All of the high-quality, diverse texts in Amplify CKLA connect to the curriculum, fostering your students’ curiosity and helping them learn to read with confidence.

      • Trade Book Collections (K–5) inspire student research in each grade’s Culminating Research Unit.
      • Classic and contemporary literature (3–5) delight students in Novel Study Units.
      • Increasingly complex Student Readers (K–5) develop students’ literacy across grades.

      Hands-on phonics materials

      Multisensory phonics and foundational skills resources engage students with fun, varied approaches that promote mastery and build independence.

      • Chaining Folders and Small Letter Cards (K)
      • Read-Aloud Big Books (K–1)
      • Large Letter Cards (K–2)
      • Sound Cards (K–2)
      • Image Cards (K–3)
      • Blending Picture Cards (K)
      • Consonant and Vowel Code Posters and Spelling Cards (1–2)
      • Sound Library (K–2, digital)
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      All-in-one digital platform

      Our comprehensive platform simplifies your day-to-day tasks and makes it easier to plan and deliver lessons.

      • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens
      • Auto-scored digital assessments
      • Standards-based reporting
      • Assignable Practice Games
      • Sound Library
      • eReaders

      Professional Development

      Move beyond traditional program training with Amplify’s digital PD Library, designed to fully support your shift to the Science of Reading and Amplify CKLA. Deepen your understanding with:

      • Program and planning resources
      • Model lesson videos from real classrooms
      • Guidance on using Amplify’s literacy suite to provide multi-tiered support
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      Ready to continue your learning journey?

      We also offer live, tailored professional learning sessions by expert partners to expand your Science of Reading expertise, strengthen implementation, and improve student outcomes.

      Explore Amplify PD
      “Teachers love the ease of implementing the program, and students have fun while learning. Growth is evident in our data, and we have the support of Amplify experts who are available to answer questions and provide top-notch professional development.”

      Bridget Vaughan, District K–8 Coordinator of ELA and Literacy

      Quincy Public Schools, Massachusetts

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      A true Science of Reading early literacy suite for Grades K–5

      Amplify has combined the critical elements of a Science of Reading system: assessment, core curriculum, personalized learning, and intervention. Based on 20 years of experience with the Science of Reading, this complete system saves you time and aligns your literacy practices.

      • Assess with mCLASS®: A universal and dyslexia screener, powered by DIBELS 8th Edition
      • Instruct with Amplify CKLA: Core curriculum to build foundational skills and knowledge
      • Practice with Boost Reading™: Personalized learning program to extend and reinforce core
      • Intervene with mCLASS Intervention: Staff-led Tier 2 and 3 intervention for intensive support
      “There were other programs that claimed to be [based on the] Science of Reading, but no other vendor provided the suite of products together. We did not want to be picking from here, picking from there. [Amplify’s literacy suite] met our needs, because it aligned and provided us the best suite of products, hands down.”

      Nicole Peterson, Principal, Midway Middle School

      Sampson County Schools, North Carolina

      Language Studio: Multilingual and English language learner support

      Language Studio is Amplify CKLA’s dedicated K–5 program for multilingual and English language learners. Through daily 30-minute lessons, it strengthens reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills while reinforcing core instruction. This tailored support empowers students to confidently access grade-level content as they develop academic English.

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      Explore more programs in Amplify’s literacy and biliteracy suite.

      All of the programs in our literacy suite and our biliteracy suite are designed to support and complement each other. Learn more about our related programs:

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      Amplify Caminos

      Amplify Caminos is a K–5 Spanish language arts program and curriculum designed t…

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      Boost Reading

      Boost Reading provides your child with the opportunity to learn and practice lit…

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      mCLASS

      mCLASS is an assessment and instruction system that helps measure your child’s l…

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      S3-04: Using AI and ChatGPT in the science classroom

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      In the latest episode of the Science Connections podcast, we explore AI in education and its impact on students. Listen as I sit down with teachers Donnie Piercey and Jennifer Roberts to discuss ChatGPT and how we can use it to build science and literacy skills in K–12 classrooms while preparing students for the real world.

      And don’t forget to grab your Science Connections study guide to track your learning and find additional resources!

      We hope you enjoy this episode and explore more from Science Connections by visiting our main page!

      DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT

      Jennifer Roberts (00:00:00):

      If a kid graduates from school without knowing that AI exists, they’re not gonna be prepared for what they face out in the world.

      Eric Cross (00:00:07):

      Welcome to Science Connections. I’m your host, Eric Cross.

      Eric Cross (00:00:12):

      This season of the podcast, we’re making the case for everyone’s favorite underdog, science. Recently we’ve been highlighting the magic that can come from integrating science and literacy. So if you haven’t checked out those recent episodes, definitely go back in your feed after you’re done with this one. This time around, we’re going to deep dive into what artificial intelligence means for literacy instruction, and how science can be a force for good, in responsibly exposing students to AI. To help me out, I’m joined by two extremely accomplished educators. Jen Roberts, a veteran high-school English teacher from San Diego, who among many things runs the website LitAndTech.com. And I’m also joined by fifth-grade teacher Donnie Piercey. In addition to being Kentucky’s 2021 Teacher of the Year, Donnie also has an upcoming book about bringing AI into the classroom. Whether you’ve never heard of ChatGPT or whether you’re already using it every day, I think you’ll find this a valuable discussion about the intersection of science, English, and technology. Here’s Jen and Donnie.

      Eric Cross (00:01:17):

      So first off, welcome to the show. It’s good to see you all. What I wanna do is kind of start off by introducing both of you. And so we’ll just go K–12. So <laugh>, Donnie.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:01:30):

      Donnie goes first.

      Eric Cross (00:01:31):

      Donnie’s gonna go first. Donnie out in Kentucky. Just a little background. What do you teach; how long you’ve been in the classroom; and what are you having fun with right now?

      Donnie Piercey (00:01:38):

      Yeah, so my name is Donnie Piercey. I’m a fifth-grade teacher from Kentucky. Live and teach right here in Lexington, Kentucky, right in the center of the state. I’m the 2021 Kentucky Teacher of the Year. But I’ve been teaching elementary school for the past … I think this is year 16 or 17. It’s long enough where I’ve lost count, and I can’t even count on fingers anymore. My friends like to joke that I’ve taught long enough where now I can count down. You know, it’s like, “All right, only so many more years left.” But yeah, teach all subjects. Science definitely is one of the subjects that I don’t just try to squeeze into my day, but make sure that … it’s not even a devoted subject, but one that I definitely try to — don’t just have that set time, but also try to do some cross-curricular stuff with it. So definitely the rise of AI in these past few months, which feels like years by this point, has definitely played quite the role, in not just changing the way that I’ve been teaching science, but really all my subjects. So, excited to chat with y’all about it.

      Eric Cross (00:02:47):

      Nice. I’m excited that you’re here. And Jen?

      Jennifer Roberts (00:02:51):

      Hi, I’m Jen Roberts. I teach ninth-grade English at Point Loma High School, and that’s where I usually stop when I introduce myself. But for your sake—

      Eric Cross (00:03:00):

      I will keep introducing you if you stop there. <laugh>

      Jennifer Roberts (00:03:04):

      I am nationally board-certified in English Language Arts for early adolescence. I am the co-author of a book called Power Up: Making the Shift to 1:1 Teaching and Learning, from Stenhouse, with my fabulous co-author Diana Neebe. Shout out to Diana. I blog at LitAndTech.com about teaching and technology and literacy and the intersection of those things. And I’m looking forward to talking about how AI is showing up in my classroom and the fun things I’m doing with it.

      Donnie Piercey (00:03:31):

      And one of us is actually secretly a robot, and you have to guess which one.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:03:35):

      Have to guess which one. Yes. <laugh>

      Eric Cross (00:03:37):

      That would be super-meta. And you were the CUE — Computer-Using Educator — outstanding teacher or educator? Whatever. Either one. Of the year.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:03:45):

      I was the CUE ’22 Outstanding Educator. Yes. And I’ve won a few other things as well.

      Eric Cross (00:03:53):

      The gaming backpack.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:03:54):

      I’ve won a gaming backpack recently! Yes. I once won an iPad in a Twitter chat.

      Eric Cross (00:03:58):

      What?

      Donnie Piercey (00:03:58):

      What’s a gaming backpack? Hold on. We need to talk about that.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:04:01):

      We will talk about that. <laugh> And then, I was once a finalist for county Teacher of the Year. That’s as close as I got to Donnie. Donnie was the Kentucky Teacher of the Year. He got to go to the White House and stuff. That was exciting.

      Donnie Piercey (00:04:13):

      <laugh> I mean, to be fair, there’s only three million people in Kentucky, and about what, 50 million people that live in California? <Laugh> So odds are definitely stacked in my favor, I think.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:04:23):

      So you’re saying we’re even there? Is that, is that what you’re going for?

      Donnie Piercey (00:04:25):

      Yeah, evens out. Evens out.

      Eric Cross (00:04:27):

      So I’ve been looking forward to talking to you both for a while now, and talking about artificial intelligence. It’s like the big thing. And both of you, at different ends of the spectrum and in my life, have contributed to this. Donnie, you’ve been sharing so much great information online about how you’re using AI in elementary. Jen, you are the reason I got into education technology years ago, right when I was becoming a teacher. And so being able to talk with you both about it excites me a lot. So first off, for the listeners who may not have any experience with it — and there’s still a lot of people out there who have not been exposed to it, haven’t got their feet wet with it yet — I’m hoping we could start off maybe with an explanation of … we could do AI, ChatGPT, I know that’s the big one. But simply explaining what it is, just for the new person. And whoever wants to start off can tell us about it. Or maybe we’ll start … we’ll, let’s actually, let’s do this: Let’s continue going like K–12? So Donnie, maybe you could … what’s your pitch to the new person of, “Hey, this is what it is”?

      Donnie Piercey (00:05:31):

      All right. So, AI, artificial intelligence, probably the way that most people are exposed to it, at least since November when it launched, is through ChatGPT. Where if you Google it, you know it’s made by a company called OpenAI. The best way to describe what it is … when you go there for the first time, make an account, it’s free. You have like a little search window, looks like a Google search bar. And instead of searching for information, you can ask it to create stuff for you. So for example, like on Google search, you might type in a question like, “Who was the 19th president of the United States?” Where on ChatGPT, instead of just searching for information, it creates stuff for you. So you could say, you could ask it to, “Hey, write a poem about the 19th president of the United States.” Or, “Write a short little essay comparing, I don’t know, Frederick Douglass to Martin Luther King Jr.” And it would do that for you. You know, that’s most people’s first exposure to AI, at least in these past few months. Instead of … you know, it’s artificial intelligence, but it’s not just chatbots. There’s lots of other AI that exist out there.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:06:47):

      And I think that’s the thing: that people don’t realize how much AI is already in their lives.

      Donnie Piercey (00:06:51):

      For sure. Yeah.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:06:52):

      You know, they just haven’t seen … the term that I see being used a lot now is “generative AI.” AI that can produce something. It can produce writing, it can produce art, it can produce a script, it can produce a character. But the AI that has been helping you pick what to watch next on Netflix and the AI that’s helping Google help you get where you wanna go on Google Maps faster, those are forms of artificial intelligence as well.

      Donnie Piercey (00:07:21):

      Yeah. I mean, even those, when you get that that message in Gmail, and instead of having to type out that response that says, “Yeah, that sounds great,” you can just click the little button that says, “Yeah, that sounds great.” I mean, that’s been in Gmail for years, but that’s artificial intelligence too.

      Eric Cross (00:07:39):

      Absolutely. So why is it important, do you think, for educators to, to be familiar with it? Like, why are we all so excited about it?

      Jennifer Roberts (00:07:47):

      So, educators need to know what kids are into, and kids are obviously into ChatGPT. And anyone who’s an educator right now has probably already had something cross their desk — or more likely their computer screen — that was written by AI and passed off as a student’s own work. And that is, of course, the great fear among teachers everywhere, that this is what kids are just gonna do these days and they won’t be able to catch it and children won’t be doing their own work and this and this. But I think the big reason teachers need to know what’s going on is because teachers need to be futurists. Our clientele will live in the future. We teach kids, kids will become adults, adults will live in the world. And so if we’re not thinking about and trying to predict on some level what’s gonna happen 5, 10, 15 years from now … we might be wrong, but what if we’re right?

      Jennifer Roberts (00:08:38):

      And if we’re not at least trying to think about what is their future world gonna look like, then we’re not serving our students well. I did a whole night talk on that. So I think ChatGPT is part of that. I teach seniors. I had this moment of realization I felt a few months ago. I’m like, “This is gonna be the world they graduate into. They need to know what this is before they leave me.” If I don’t teach them how to use this well, and not the way they’re using it — which is to copy and paste the teacher’s assignment and drop it into ChatGPT and take whatever it spits out and turning that in without even looking at it — if I don’t teach ’em how to use it critically, if I don’t teach them how to write effective prompts, if I don’t teach them how to use the AI as a tool, as a collaborator, then they’re gonna graduate into a world where they lose out to people who do know how to do that. And I think the advantage goes to kids who have access and knowledge of what’s in front of them and what’s available, and can use all of the tools at their disposal. Because when you’re writing in school and you write with a collaborator, that could be considered cheating. But when you do that out in the adult world, that’s considered doing a good job. <Laugh> Being a team player. <Laugh> You know, adults don’t work alone for the most part. And adults are expected to churn out beautiful, perfect content no matter how they got there. So if I’m not teaching my kids how to use this, they’re not being ready. They’re not gonna be ready to be the adults that I want them to be.

      Donnie Piercey (00:10:07):

      A hundred percent agree. And I also believe … as you know, I teach elementary school. I also don’t think anybody is saying that on the first day of kindergarten, you hand a kid a Chromebook and load up an AI chatbot or ChatGPT and say, Hey, this thing’s gonna do all your work for you for the next 12 years; just coast through life. You don’t have to think creatively. You don’t have to learn how to develop a paragraph or learn how to write a speech or develop an idea. Like, I don’t think anybody’s saying that, because as an elementary school teacher, there’s many days when I’m like, “Y’all, we’re just putting the Chromebooks away today and we’re just gonna go old-school. We’re just gonna maybe just jot down five quick ideas and stand up and present those ideas to the class.”

      Donnie Piercey (00:10:54):

      Because while AI definitely will, like you were saying, Jen, play a significant role in the lives of our students who are, not just graduating, but the 10- and 11-year-olds in my classroom this year. A significant role in their lives. It’s also really important to recognize that we’re not saying that this means that “Hey, kids don’t have to work anymore.” They still have to put forth that effort. There’s still — one of the ways that you become a good writer is by trial and error. And sometimes that trial and error comes through talking to a teacher or talking like you were saying to a peer or collaborating with a peer and saying to them, “Well, this sentence here, this paragraph here, really doesn’t make sense.” And I do believe one of the ways — especially as AI starts to become more fine-tuned and starts to be embedded more and more in tools like Google Docs and Microsoft Word — is it’s almost going to be a tutor to students.

      Donnie Piercey (00:11:56):

      Mm-hmm. <affirmative> Where I could very easily see in a few years, or maybe a few months, who knows what Google or any of these other big companies has rolling out, where a student could highlight a paragraph that they wrote simply, and then say, “Hey, proofread this for me,” or “Check for coherence.” Or even just ask a simple question: “Does this paragraph make sense?” Because you can already do that. You can copy a paragraph over into a chatbot and say, “Hey, does this make sense?” You know, “Rate my idea from one to 10,” and it’ll do that for ’em.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:12:26):

      We did that last week <laugh>.

      Donnie Piercey (00:12:28):

      Yeah. Right. I mean, that’s the thing. That technology exists now. It’s just not totally embedded yet. But based on what I’ve read and what I’ve seen, that’s gonna happen sooner rather than later. And it’s really, really important that we teach our students that, “No, you’re not just gonna use this, this tool to cheat, but you can use this tool to help you become a more creative student.”

      Jennifer Roberts (00:12:50):

      This is the use case in my classroom. Can I talk about that? You ready for that?

      Eric Cross (00:12:53):

      Please.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:12:54):

      OK.

      Eric Cross (00:12:54):

      Please.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:12:55):

      So my ninth graders are writing a comparative analysis essay, where I took them to the student art gallery and I made them pick two pieces of completely unknown student art and take notes on it, so they could go back and write this essay. And as soon as we got back to class, I said, can ChatGPT write this for you? And they all kind of froze ’cause I didn’t tell them what ChatGPT was. And they weren’t sure if they were allowed to know or not. And finally one of them kind of bravely raised his hand and said, “No.” And I said, “Why not?” And he said, “Well, the AI hasn’t seen the art. How can it write an essay about art when the art is completely original that we just went and looked at?” I said, “It’s almost like I planned it that way, isn’t it?” And they laughed nervously. And then I said, “Does that mean it can’t help us with this assignment?” And they said, “Well, no — of course it can’t help us, because it has not seen the art.” And I said, “Well. …” And I open ChatGPT, and I typed in what they were trying to do: “I need to write a comparative analysis essay comparing two pieces of student art on these reasons. And I need to choose which one did it better, basically. Can you help me with an outline?” and ChatGPT produced a lovely outline. And I looked at that with my students and we looked at it together and I said, “This is what it gave us. Would this be helpful to you?” And they’re like, “Yeah, that would be helpful to us.” So we — to be clear here, I was the only one using ChatGPT in the room. They were not actually using it. We were using it together. I copied and pasted the outline that it gave us and put it in their learning management system where they could access it so they could use the outline that the robot provided, and then they could use that to make their own writing better. So then I let them write for a little while, and, after they’d written for a little while, I said, “Does anybody wanna let me share your first paragraph with ChatGPT and see what it thinks of how you’re doing?” And a brave student raised his hand and we took his paragraph and we put it in ChatGPT, and it spit back advice. We said, “This is what I have so far for my first paragraph. Do you have any advice for me?” And we gave it the writing, and the first piece of advice it gave back was very generic, you know, “Add a hook,” you know, like kind of thing. But after that, it started to get more specific about things he was actually doing in his writing. And it started to give him some feedback. And we looked at that together as a class. And I said, “Does any of that feedback help you?” And he said, “Oh yeah, absolutely. I’m gonna go add some revisions to my paragraph.” And other students did too. They looked at the feedback he got and used that to improve their writing. And so everybody went and revised. And I said, “Look, if you take what the robot gives you and you copy and paste it, and you turn it in as your own work, it’s gonna get flagged for plagiarism. And that’s not gonna go well. But if it gives you writing advice the same way I would give you writing advice, and you decide that advice is good, and you take that advice and you incorporate it into your own writing yourself, then the robot’s making you better, but you’re still the one doing your own writing.” And the writing they turned in from that assignment was, was better. It wasn’t written by ChatGPT; it was still about the student art that they found in the gallery. But I showed them a path. Like, it can help you with an outline, it can help you with feedback. Right? These are fair ways to use it that’s gonna make you better. And they really liked that. They really liked — no one had shown them that before. The idea that you don’t just take the teacher’s prompt and give it to it … like, these are new uses to students and worked well.

      Eric Cross (00:16:17):

      So right now, you both just laid out these ways that you’re using it. And I do this with people that I’m trying to introduce to ChatGPT or AI. ‘Cause I get excited. Anyone could write a 500-word persuasive essay on the use of color in The Great Gatsby or The Outsiders, and they can get something back within seconds. But for a lot of educators, it might feel like the sky is falling.

      Donnie Piercey (00:16:43):

      Oh, understandably! Understandably. I mean, that totally makes sense.

      Eric Cross (00:16:49):

      What would you say to them? Donnie, go ahead.

      Donnie Piercey (00:16:51):

      Yeah. Well, I feel like every teacher kind of goes through the same experience when they see like a generative chatbot. I mean, all these major companies are gonna start incorporating AI, the generative AI piece. And a lot of times, when they see it for the first time, two things. First they’ll say “Oh, but I’ll know that that’s not my students’ writing.” Which, frankly, I think is a good thing, because that tells me that the teachers know their students’ writing. They’ve seen them write in person. They’ve conferenced with them one-on-one. And if a student were to turn something in to me, who I know might be a struggling writer, maybe it’s not their strength, and all of a sudden they’re turning in this10-page dissertation-worthy thesis written at a PhD level, I’m like, “All right, man, you’re nine. Can we talk about where this came from?” <laugh> But I also don’t think that at like the heart, I don’t feel like kids want to cheat. I really don’t. I feel like sometimes like kids are in a situation where they’re like, “OK, I’ve got nothing left. I gotta get this assignment done.” And when those kind of things happen, that’s when we as teachers, we have those one-on-one conversations. Even when I showed my students ChatGPT and even some of the AI image-generating stuff for the first time, and I talked to them about, “What do y’all think about this?” Because, you know, they’re under 13. In my district, ChatGPT is blocked for students. Staff, we have access to it. And that’s just because one, it’s so new, and at the same time, we need to figure out, “What’s the best way they can go about using this tool?” But when we were talking about it as a class, you know, I didn’t want to ignore the elephant in the room. So I asked them, I said, “Hey, do you feel like this is something that you all would use to. …” I mean, I used the word. I said “cheat.” And to be honest, the majority of the students in my class, they were taken aback. They’re like, “What? You think we just would cheat all the time?” Right? <Laugh> And I’m like, “Oh, well good. I’m glad to know that integrity is still alive and well.” But yeah, that’s definitely my thoughts on it, as far as not only the student integrity piece — I think that that’s the big thing that you need to just bring up with your students. Because again, I like to think that I’ve seen my students write enough that if they were going to turn something in that wasn’t their voice, or it didn’t sound like them, like I could have that conversation. And don’t be surprised, too, if in the next … I don’t know, one month to a year, there’s lots of AI detectors that exist. A lot of them are these like third-party things. You can go ahead, but I would not be surprised if in the next year or so, like you start to see those AI detectors be built into Google Docs, into Microsoft Word, into even Canva. And honestly, it’s almost like a fail-safe button for teachers, that we could say “All right, this is telling me that this is 99% probably written by AI.” So you can have that conversation with a student that way.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:20:03):

      I mean, if you’re worried about it, Formative, right now, will even tell you if something is copy-and-pasted into the boxes that they give you for students to write in. I find that kids who cheat are desperate, you know. Especially at the high school level. They’re panic mode. And, and usually their panic comes from, “I have no idea how to even start this assignment.” And so part of what I wanna use ChatGPT for is to lower that barrier for them. Like, you’ve got an assignment, you don’t know where to start. Tell the robot, tell ChatGPT, about the assignment and ask it for a list of steps. You know, ask it for an outline. Ask it for a time management plan. I see so much tremendous potential for this to help many of my students with IEPs who have executive functioning issues.

      Donnie Piercey (00:20:49):

      Oh, a hundred percent, right?

      Jennifer Roberts (00:20:51):

      Yes, a hundred percent. This can be their personal assistant who, you know, instead of me sitting with them one-on-one and saying, you know, “This is the task you need to do, let’s break it down into these six discrete chunks,” the artificial intelligence can do that for them. And it can do that for teachers too. <laugh>

      Donnie Piercey (00:21:09):

      Jen, I was just thinking about, how long until we see like the phrase artificial intelligence written onto a student’s IEP? I could see that happening very, very soon.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:21:20):

      Right? They should be able to use that. And then, also, of course, all of its amazing beneficials for teachers. I had to completely rewrite a unit of my curriculum. I knew what I wanted to do. I had some ideas of things I wanted to put in there. And I resorted to, I went to EducationCopilot.com and typed in my stuff that I had: You know, what standards I wanted to cover, what outcomes I was hoping for mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And it generated an eight-week unit for me. And I actually told it then to go back and do it as a 12-week unit so that I’d have more stuff in there to go and cherry-pick to decide what I really wanted to do. But it gave me ideas. It gave me places to start. It saved me an hour of just brainstorming. And I don’t think that was cheating. I still got to go in and decide which ideas were valid. And I still got to … you know, I mean, I’m a teacher. Can I get accused of cheating? I don’t think that’s a thing. It’s—

      Eric Cross (00:22:18):

      That’s collaborating! It’s collaborating!

      Donnie Piercey (00:22:20):

      Collaborating! It’s a feature! It’s a feature.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:22:22):

      It’s Tony Stark talking to Jarvis. You know, they’re figuring it out together.

      Donnie Piercey (00:22:26):

      Oh, when you use the AI, Jennifer, do you call yours Jarvis? In my class we call him Jeeves. ‘Cause remember Ask Jeeves?

      Jennifer Roberts (00:22:33):

      I think Eric calls it Jarvis.

      Eric Cross (00:22:35):

      Yeah. Jarvis is gonna be the AI’s name when, when I can get that fully functioning. There are some things that you had said, I just wanna circle back on. Donnie, Jen — so what I heard was like, best intentions. The part you said about integrity and students wanting to cheat … even the mindset that we go in assuming our students, what they would want to do and assuming best intentions, really kind of frames how you look at this kind of technology. And then Jen, you kind of brought up why students cheat, and realizing that either they don’t feel equipped, or maybe it’s time management, or something else. But most people — and I believe this as an educator — most students want to learn, and they want to be able to perform and achieve. And when they cheat, it’s because they didn’t feel like they could, for whatever reason. Whether it’s it’s outside factors, whether it’s something internal, motivation, whatever it is.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:23:24):

      Or they were very disconnected and just didn’t care.

      Eric Cross (00:23:27):

      Sure.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:23:27):

      This is just busy work the teacher’s giving me, so I’m gonna give it very little of my time and energy. But I think, yeah, it can be that. But if the kid cares about it, if they wanna learn, they wanna learn, you know?

      Eric Cross (00:23:40):

      Right.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:23:40):

      This is the day of the internet. Any kid can learn anything they really want to learn. And we see that all the time in our classes. The kid who has zero interest in what I’m teaching in English, but he is an expert coder, and that’s what he wants to spend his time learning. He’s like, “Can I read this C++ book as my independent reading book?” And I’m like, “You know, actually, you can. Go ahead.” <Laugh>

      Eric Cross (00:24:01):

      Yeah. And for both of you, saying that this makes content more accessible … and I think Donnie, or Jen, you said something about IEPs. I actually put in having it write an IEP to see what would happen. I gave it a prompt for a student’s ability level and I asked it to create a plan. And then I asked it to create a rationale. And it did! And it was good! I went through and vetted it. And right now … you know, a lot of it is funny, ’cause the conversation I’m having with different teachers is kind of like the Wikipedia one. Remember when Wikipedia first got out and everyone was like trying to discourage everybody from using it, because, well, it could be changed by anybody? And now everyone’s like, “Oh, check Wikipedia, and then steal the sources, ’cause they’re already done for you.” Like, the mindset has shifted since then. And I was talking to someone and they said, “Well. …” And I said, “We can use AI, it could be a tutor, these other things. …” And they said, “Yeah, but what happens?” And then insert apocalyptic scenario. Like, what happens if you don’t have access to wifi? And it reminded me of, for some reason, cooking classes. So in the 1700s you probably had to be able to farm to be able to generate your food. Right? Like, you had to get it from somewhere. But if you take a culinary class now, you just go to the grocery store. And someone might say, “Well, but you should know how to farm, ’cause what if there was this worldwide apocalypse and nobody could go to the grocery stores?” <Laugh> And you’re like, “Well, balance of probability though.” You know, it’s like we’ve been really been living in these iterations of life, and I think this next step for some folks … like, we don’t even realize, even like something like bank statements, right? So many folks are paperless. And there’s always a what-if scenario. What if you need it and the internet goes down. But we get so used to to to technology advancing and making our lives different. This kind of seems like that next iteration. And I wanna ask you this question: Are we looking at like the next calculator? The next internet, with this tech? Or do you think it’s too early to say?

      Donnie Piercey (00:26:01):

      Well, I’ve seen a lot of people compare ChatGPT to a calculator. I’ve seen that pop up on social media. There’s, “Oh well, no, this is like when the calculator was invented. Everyone was up in arms about how ‘that’s not what math students should do.’ Math should be pencil and paper, math should be this.’” However, you can give a kid a calculator and you can give ’em a word problem and they can punch in all the numbers, but they could do the wrong operation or they could put the decimal point in the wrong place, ’cause the student is still the one who’s controlling what’s on the calculator. Where with AI, all you gotta do is just copy it and then paste it into the bot and it’ll spit out whatever the question asked it for. Whether it was, you know, a 500-word rationale or proof for something in geometry, or if it’s analyzing data on a chart, it’ll do all that.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:27:00):

      Yes. But it’s not that magical. It’s back to what Eric did with the IEP. He put in a prompt and then he knew enough to ask for a rationale and then he knew enough about IEPs to critically read the results he got and make sure they actually worked for what he needed. He had to know all that. He was an expert using it to do an expert thing. My husband’s a computer scientist; he got ChatGPT to help him write an app, and it was a new programming language to him, and he could put in the data and he could ask for things that I would’ve never thought to ask for. But because he knows the language of computer science, he knew what to ask for. And when it gave him results that were bad, he could see that, and he could say, “Yes, but do it again, but without this,” or “make this part more efficient.” He, again, knew what to ask for. So I think the generative AI is, as a partner with humans, a powerful thing. But if the human doesn’t know what they’re doing, yeah. You’re still not gonna get great results.

      Donnie Piercey (00:28:03):

      <laugh> And I think that’s why I’m coming at this from the elementary school perspective, right? Because in K–5 students are still learning, like, “Hey, where does the decimal point go?” They’re still learning, you know, if you’re dividing by a two-digit number, where does the first digit go, if you go in the old long-division algorithm? And so they’re still acquiring that base-level knowledge that … I don’t know, maybe this is similar to in Jurassic Park when Jeff Goldblum says, “It didn’t take any knowledge to attain,” you know, “they stood on the shoulders of geniuses,” that whole thing. Like they had to acquire the knowledge for themselves, was his whole point. And so that’s why I don’t think it’s exactly the same as the calculator. It is definitely going to change things, in a similar way that the calculator did. But to me it’s just a whole new animal. And I don’t know if it’s going to be like the next internet, Eric — if you’re gonna get little devices that have AI built into it, like a Star Wars kind of thing, like a droid or something that follows you around — all that would be kind of cool, not gonna lie. But whether it’s something that you’ll access through the internet, something that’s built into your TV, that part I don’t know. But I do know that there’s a reason why all of these apps and all these companies are investing so much — not just energy, but time and money into it. Because they’re recognizing. “OK, this really has the potential to change things.” But if used well, and used safely, to change people’s lives for the better.

      Eric Cross (00:29:41):

      So I definitely hear that you both agree with the statement that if AI ChatGPT was used in the classroom, it could be a force for good. And literacy development. And I wanna shift gears a bit and then come back to the AI. So with that said — and we’re gonna get into some best practices in a minute — in Science Connections right now in this season, we’re making the case for how science can do more in classrooms and in schools. And so I’m I’m curious about what both of you think about the role in science fostering a better future when it comes to AI and education. And this season we’re really talking a lot about literacy. You know, in schools, so often it’s taught in a siloed way. And Donnie, you’re doing multi-subject. Jen, you’re single-subject: English. And we’ve really been trying to make this case for how science can actually support literacy, and these skills that students are trying to develop. So we’re going a little old-school, kind of diving into your content specialty, but maybe even pre-AI, or maybe AI has a component in this. But Don, maybe we’ll start with you. How has science been a way that has been helpful for your own literacy instruction? I know you do a lot of science, because I see your Google Earth stuff and the thing you did with the solar systems back in the day. And I think —.

      Donnie Piercey (00:30:54):

      Oh my gosh! You remember my <laugh> … wow.

      Eric Cross (00:30:58):

      That was amazing!

      Donnie Piercey (00:31:00):

      We haven’t done that since the pandemic. But I had my students go out, and using Google Earth, we built a scale model. Each of the students partnered up and they planned out on Google Earth a scale model of the solar system. They picked an object from around their house and we talked about like, “Don’t pick something bigger than a beach ball, or else, you know, your Neptune’s gonna end up like 10 miles away.” But you know, they just picked like a small ball, like a basketball, soccer ball, something like that. Or football, for international friends. And then we calculated the size of every other planet. And then on Google Earth, using their front lawn as where the sun was, then we went and we calculated where other planets would be, and then we actually drove to those locations and like held up the objects that would represent Neptune, Jupiter, Saturn, and all that. But it was a lot of fun.

      Eric Cross (00:31:59):

      And is that still accessible? ‘Cause I know you have some websites that you put resources out there.

      Donnie Piercey (00:32:03):

      Yeah. Yeah, I can … I wanna say on my Resources page — Resources.MrPiercey.com — I’ve got a link on there to a couple of student examples that I can share. And if not, when we get off this call, I’m gonna go on and put them on there <laugh> so people can find it. I’ll even throw on there just the assignment itself. So if you wanted to copy that and do that with your students, you could.

      Eric Cross (00:32:27):

      Donnie, the reason why I brought that up is because I saw that you had posted that or shared it a long time ago, and I just thought it was the coolest thing that you could totally do with middle-school students or high-school students. Jen, when I became a teacher, you said, “We’re all teachers of literacy.”

      Jennifer Roberts (00:32:43):

      <laugh> Yeah. I think we forgot to tell them that I was one of your professors.

      Eric Cross (00:32:47):

      Yes. <Jennifer laughs> One of the people who’ve definitely influenced and shaped my teaching. And that statement has never left my mind: that we’re all teachers of literacy. And I want to ask you, at the high-school level, how can science educators, or how can science — how have you seen it, or how does it, support literacy, when it’s done right?

      Jennifer Roberts (00:33:09):

      Like I said, I think we’re all teachers of literacy, but I think literacy is bigger than just reading and writing. I don’t think someone is literate if they can’t talk somewhat knowledgeably about what’s happening with climate change. I don’t think someone’s literate if they don’t know what’s going on in the world. And I think so much of what’s going on in the world has to do with science. We’re doing that all the time. If I could teach English just by giving kids articles about science, things to read, that would make my day. Right? We would never read another piece of fiction again. It would all be, you know, what’s happening to the ice sheet in Greenland. My students thrive on reading non-fiction. And then whenever that non-fiction touches on science is even more interesting. And whenever I can get them writing about data, particularly their own data that they collected, I think that’s building those science literacy skills as well. So I think science and English blend together very, very well. I think the literacy aspects of that are fantastic. There are more subject-specific vocabulary words, advanced vocabulary words, in science than any other discipline. And I don’t see why those shouldn’t come up in English as well. You know, my seniors will do a unit at the end of the year on the new space race. Unless I replace it with a unit about generative AI, which I’m seriously considering doing, ’cause I think they really need to learn about bias in AI algorithms and things like that. And I would like to have them read a whole bunch about that stuff. And I wanna give them the open letter that all those CEOs signed that said that AI research should slow down, and make them part of that live conversation about what’s happening in that field. So science comes into that. You know, when we read Into the Wild, we start talking about a whole bunch of scientific concepts. And when it rains in Southern California, we pull up weather maps and look at radar and talk about that and how that works.

      Donnie Piercey (00:34:59):

      That’s like once every 10 years, Jen? <Laugh>

      Jennifer Roberts (00:35:02):

      Well, actually, this year it rained a lot. It rained a lot in San Diego. Which is actually very high-interest for them. ‘Cause they wanna know, is it gonna be raining at lunchtime?

      Eric Cross (00:35:12):

      Jen, you said something … you have your students writing about data?

      Jennifer Roberts (00:35:16):

      Oh yeah.

      Eric Cross (00:35:17):

      Can you tell me more about that?

      Jennifer Roberts (00:35:19):

      So, this is something we’ve done with the ninth grade team for a long time now, is writing about their own data. So it started with a unit about stereotypes and stereotype threat. And they would collect data individually and then they would enter that data into a Google form and then we would give them the spreadsheet of the aggregate data from the whole ninth grade. And then we morphed that unit into one about academic honesty, and they filled out a survey at the beginning of the unit about their feelings about academic honesty and about experiences with academic honesty and cheating and homework and things like that. And then we would do the unit. We’d do all the readings in the unit. And they’d have these “aha” moments about things that were happening at other schools. And then at the end of the unit, we would give them back their own aggregate data and ask them to write about whether or not academic honesty was an issue at our school. And then to support that answer with evidence from their own dataset. So they had that spreadsheet to comb through and figure out, you know, where am I gonna stand on this? We give them the multiple-choice questions we gave them as the graphs, in Google Slides, so that they could write about them and talk about them, too. So yeah, getting kids to write about data. And the the sentence frames we gave them were sentence frames out of, They Say, I Say, from the chapter on writing about science. And <laugh> as they write this stuff, they’re like, “I feel so smart writing this way.” And I’m like, “I know, ’cause you’re writing about big important topics!” Right? And writing about their own data come to think of it is another great way to make an assignment both very personal to them, but also make it ChatGPT-proof, you know, if you’re looking for something that kids can’t just hand to the robot, the robot doesn’t have that data set.

      Eric Cross (00:37:08):

      Absolutely. And Donnie, at the elementary level, do you, do you make connections between science and literacy? In your class? You talked about with math, definitely with the solar system, but now, I’m curious, what are your newer projects? What have you been working on lately?

      Jennifer Roberts (00:37:23):

      What’s up now, Donnie?

      Eric Cross (00:37:24):

      Yeah, what are you doing?

      Donnie Piercey (00:37:25):

      Oh, man. Well, let me think. I’m just trying to think of some fun projects that we’ve done this year. Science that we can tie in Literacy and also some student creation. Just recently we had a … so I’ve wanted to expose my students to famous scientists that weren’t just white dudes from Europe. So for this year, what I did — and I actually used AI for this — I went into ChatGPT and I asked for 64 famous scientists and it listed them all off. And then I asked it, like, how many of these were white? And I think it said like 61 of them. You know, it had like Neil DeGrasse Tyson, and a couple of other … I didn’t know who they were. So I’m like, “All right, so we need to make this more diverse and make this more equitable.” ‘Cause you know, with the student population in my classroom, try to find equal representation to make sure they can see themselves in some of these scientists. So, eventually got it narrowed down to where I had about 64 scientists. Half are women, half are men from all continents except Antarctica. I assigned these scientists to my students. Some got two; some got three. And their assignment was to go and one, do some individual research on this person, find out what they were famous for, what they were most well-known for, turn it actually into a persuasive piece, where I said, “Hey, you’re gonna have one slide.” And I’ll tell you why I gave him one slide in a minute. On that one slide, you’ve gotta convince the person who sees it that this scientist is the most important scientist since the dawn of creation. I said, “You could use images, text — I don’t care if they were famous for something that you didn’t even understand what it was. It’s a persuasive piece. You’re 10. Go all out. Add gifs, do that whole thing.

      Eric Cross (00:39:21):

      This is awesome.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:39:21):

      I wanna do this project.

      Donnie Piercey (00:39:23):

      And if you picked up on the number 64, and I did this in March, so what we did was throughout the weeks of March Madness of the women’s and men’s NCAA tournament, whenever a game was going on, we had another round of voting. I just paired ’em up. I was gonna like seed them, like 1 to 64 — that’s just way too much work for me <laugh>. So I just kind of did random kind of thing. But all the students had to do — they just saw the slides side-by-side, and the only question they had was, “Based on what you see here, who is the most important scientist? This person or this person?” And it eventually came down to Carl Sagan going up against Marie Curie.

      Eric Cross (00:40:04):

      OK, that’s a good matchup.

      Donnie Piercey (00:40:06):

      Yeah, well, the Marie Curie slide, they just liked the radium piece. So they added like some green glowing gifs. And I said, “Guys, it doesn’t always grow glow green.” But whatever. Anyway, eventually Carl Sagan, in case you wanted to know, according to the 10-year-olds in my classroom, is the most important scientist in the history of the world. So I don’t know if I agree with that per se — I think maybe Newton or somebody else might have had something else to say about it — but fun assignment. It was a unique way to expose my students to a bunch of ideas. I remember the student that I assigned Newton, the only thing that that she knew about Isaac Newton was “Didn’t he get hit in the head with an apple?” And I said, “Well, not exactly, I think you might have read or maybe seen too many like old-school cartoons or whatever.” But she ended up doing some research. She’s like, “Oh, I’ve heard of that before! That equal and opposite reaction thing.” Didn’t know what it meant. I had another student that just got really … you know, if you’ve ever been on one of those YouTube kicks where it’s just, you go like nine levels deep onto like, “What does this theorem mean?” Student sits in back of my classroom, I walked by one day and he’s just watching something on like the fifth dimension and what it might be. And I said, “Oh, your scientist got you started on that.” So definitely was a lot of fun. Unique way to combine reading, writing, but also expose my students to some ideas. And we’re definitely gonna do it again. I’ve actually done this assignment before. I picked 64 random elements on the periodic table. But their only slide that they have to make is “What’s your element? What is it used for? And then, why is this the most important element since the dawn of creation?” <Laugh> And, you know, there’s always that student that gets hydrogen. They’re just like “Sweet!” Right? They get excited about that one. <laugh>

      Eric Cross (00:41:59):

      Explosions.

      Donnie Piercey (00:42:00):

      Yeah. But then, for that kid who likes a challenge, or that student with the “gifted” label, you give them, like, einsteinium or palladium. Some of the more challenging ones. And they go all out with this. I didn’t use AI for that one, but it was kind of fun, and I figured it’d be neat to share an idea that another teacher could try.

      Eric Cross (00:42:20):

      Well you probably have at least two teachers right now that are gonna go and try that. And we’re both looking at you. So.

      Donnie Piercey (00:42:24):

      Go for it.

      Eric Cross (00:42:25):

      Thanks for that idea. I’m imagining my students coming in with jerseys with “neon.”

      Donnie Piercey (00:42:29):

      Oh yeah. <laugh>

      Eric Cross (00:42:30):

      “Neon” on it. Just all ’80s out.

      Donnie Piercey (00:42:33):

      The game behind it, too, is you tell kids — again, this is just so the 10-year-olds in my class don’t get their feelings hurt — but I say, “Hey, and if your element gets knocked out, you just have to start cheering for whoever beats you in the tournament.” So by the end, you kind of got half the class cheering for one and half the class cheering for whatever.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:42:53):

      So the only thing I got outta that whole story that I’ve got for you is, as a child I met Carl Sagan. That’s all I got.

      Donnie Piercey (00:43:02):

      For real?

      Jennifer Roberts (00:43:02):

      For real.

      Donnie Piercey (00:43:03):

      So did he talk with that cadence and tone?

      Jennifer Roberts (00:43:06):

      Yes.

      Donnie Piercey (00:43:06):

      Like in real life? Wow.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:43:07):

      Yes. My father was one of the cinematographers on the original Cosmos. And I got to go to the set a few times.

      Donnie Piercey (00:43:14):

      That’s incredible!

      Jennifer Roberts (00:43:15):

      I did not appreciate what I was seeing as a child. But as an adult, I’m like, “That was cool. I was there.”

      Donnie Piercey (00:43:20):

      “You can see my shadow off in the distance.”

      Jennifer Roberts (00:43:23):

      I mean, maybe that’s part of why I’ve always had an interest in science. I’ve always had fantastic science teachers. Every science teacher I ever had was amazing.

      Donnie Piercey (00:43:31):

      I credit mine to Mr. Wizard. I don’t know if you ever watched Mr. Wizard and Beakman’s World?

      Eric Cross (00:43:35):

      I remember Mr. Wizard. Yep. Yep. I definitely remember Mr. Wizard, Beakman’s World, all those. That was on Nickelodeon back in the day. I had to get up early to watch that one. But there’s a YouTube video—

      Donnie Piercey (00:43:44):

      Six am!

      Eric Cross (00:43:44):

      <laugh> It was! It was super-early! But there was one, Don, I don’t know if you’ve seen this on YouTube, but it said “Mr. Wizard Is Mean,” and it’s just clips of when he’s—

      Donnie Piercey (00:43:56):

      Yelling at kids!

      Eric Cross (00:43:56):

      Chastising. Or being really direct. It’s just one after another.

      Donnie Piercey (00:44:02):

      He always asked ’em a question and if the kid, you know, didn’t answer it right, he’d be like, “Well, you’re not right, but you’re wrong.” You know, whatever. <Laugh>

      Eric Cross (00:44:14):

      I have to make sure I’m not subconsciously saying Mr. Wizard quotes when I’m talking in the classroom, when things are happening. But yeah, that video’s hilarious. So I just want to bring us back to AI, and ask this question: Do you think science has a special role to play when it comes to teaching kids about AI responsibly? Does science have a special role in that?

      Jennifer Roberts (00:44:36):

      I think the responsible piece of AI I wanna teach my students about is the part about the bias in the algorithms and the bias in the training. And I want them to understand how it works, well enough to make informed decisions about how it impacts their lives.

      Donnie Piercey (00:44:56):

      Hmm.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:44:57):

      Because I do have concerns about a tool that was trained on the internet. And the answers it gives you is the average of the internet. And do we trust the internet? And the answer from kids is always, “Well sorta, no.” <Laugh> So I want them to understand the social science behind that.

      Donnie Piercey (00:45:18):

      Yeah. And just along that same point, having the students recognize that just because, you know, you copy-and-paste a question in, the answer it spits out might not always be correct. So, teaching them that just like you would with a source that you find about a topic that you’re researching, you’ve gotta fact-check.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:45:44):

      It’s just like being a good scientist. A good scientist wouldn’t always accept a single result or the first result. You know, you would look at multiple angles. You would try things different ways. Last week I took the article my seniors were reading about victim compensation after 9-11, and in front of them, I gave ChatGPT, I said, “Are you familiar with this article by Amanda Ripley? And ChatGPT came back and said, “Oh yes, this was written in the Atlantic in 2020 and it’s about these things, blah, blah blah.” And my students looked at that and went, “That’s not the article we read.” And I said, “I know. It got it wrong. That’s amazing!” Yeah. And I was so happy that it got it wrong! ‘Cause I wanted them to see that happen.

      Donnie Piercey (00:46:21):

      And I guess one of the big science questions there, or one of the big science components there, is that idea of inquiry. Right? It’s almost like you have to teach students how to ask those deep questions about what AI spits out.

      Eric Cross (00:46:35):

      All of those tips are great. And it leads me to this last question I want to ask. New teachers that are out there — it actually doesn’t even matter; new teachers, experienced teachers, all of us are kind of new at different levels of this race. We’re all kind of starting it together. I mean, it hit mainstream. We’re all getting exposed to it. You all really dive into it. When tech comes out, I know you two really like, “OK, how can we use this to transform education and do awesome things for kids?”

      Donnie Piercey (00:47:04):

      Usually, when new tech comes out, “How can this make my life easier?” is usually the question. Yeah.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:47:09):

      “How can I save myself time with this?” Yes.

      Donnie Piercey (00:47:11):

      “How can this result in me watching more TV and you know, less grading,” sometimes.

      Eric Cross (00:47:16):

      And I start there like you, but then I end up more time that I fill with another project. And I need to learn how to stop doing that. I’m like, “Oh! I got more free time! … to go take on this other task.”

      Jennifer Roberts (00:47:28):

      Oh, all of my tech adoption is driven by “how can I work less?”

      Eric Cross (00:47:32):

      So you’re you’re talking to a new teacher, teacher’s getting exposed to this, they’re starting the school year or they’re just getting their feet wet with it. What advice would you give them about AI, incorporated into content or even just best practices? Where you’re at right now in your own journey, and someone’s asking you about it —what would you share with ’em? And Jen, I want to start with you.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:47:53):

      So, the first thing I did is I was in the middle of grading, you know, 62 essays from my seniors about Into the Wild, when ChatGPT became a thing last November. And I wanted to see what would happen. So the first thing I did was take the prompt that I had given my students and gave it to ChatGPT, ’cause I had just graded a whole bunch of those essays and my brain was very attuned to what my rubric was doing and what I was expecting as the outcome. So I could take what ChatGPT gave me as that quote unquote “essay” and evaluate it critically. And I was ready to do that. So my first advice is take something you’re already asking students to do and ask ChatGPT to do the same thing. So that as you look at the student results, you can compare that to what ChatGPTgives you. If what you’re finding is that ChatGPT can generate something that would earn a decent grade from you, you might need to change that assignment. And it doesn’t need to be a big change, but it might need a tweak or something, so that it, it does rely on the student voice, the students to do something more personal. I’m finding very helpful in my classroom is having my kids do projects where they are recording themselves on — I like Flip. So they’re writing a scene together and they’re having to record the scene together. And I’m emphasizing more of the speaking roles than the writing roles necessarily. So yes, first, take something you’re already doing, paste in to ChatGPT, see what the results are, see how that fits with what your students are doing, and then do that for every assignment you give and just sort of see what comes out of that, and see which assignments are failing and which assignments are working. ‘Cause that’s gonna give you a sense, when you do see one of those results from your students, you’ll be able to recognize it. But it’ll also help you tweak your assignments and decide, “How can I make this a little more original or a little bit more authentic for my students?” And if the robot, if the AI, can’t generate a response, what could the AI do that would be helpful to your students? Would be my next question. So can you use the AI to help them generate an outline? Can you use the AI to help them generate a list of steps to help them get started? And when you’re comfortable enough doing that by yourself, then don’t be afraid to open it in front of your class. If it’s not blocked at your school site, which I hope it’s not. Because I think the advantage goes to kids who have access to this in the long run, or at least see what it is and know what it is. Right? Because if a kid graduates from school without knowing that AI exists, they’re not gonna be prepared for what they face out in the world. So give them a chance to see you using it. Model effectively using it. I have a blog post about that. I just wrote it. LitAndTech.com. You can check that out. “Introducing 9th graders to ChatGPT.” How it went, right? There’s a chart there you can have. It’s my very first draft of this, but it seems to be very popular. So, you know, show students how it can be used as their mentor. If I can’t come read your paragraph because I have 36 kids in my classroom and I cannot stop and read everybody’s first paragraph, can you, if you want to, give your first paragraph to ChatGPT and ask for advice? And will that advice be helpful to you? So showing students how it can be used responsibly is, I think, something every teacher should be doing right now. And don’t hold back just because you’re afraid you’re gonna be teaching them what this is. They know what this is. Right?

      Donnie Piercey (00:51:13):

      They know what it is.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:51:13):

      Especially if you teach high school. They know what it is. I’ve had parents thank me for showing them how to use it responsibly. You know, this can actually be a really useful tool, but if you’re trying to make it do your work for you, it will probably fail you. If you’re trying to use it to help you do your work, it will probably be helpful. Sort of the way I’m breaking it down for them at this point. You want the great metaphor? The great metaphor is if you build a robot and send it to the top of a mountain, did you climb that mountain? No. If you build a robot and ask it to help you get to the top of the mountain, and you and the robot go together, did you climb that mountain? Yes.

      Eric Cross (00:51:53):

      I like that. I’m thinking through this. I’m processing that now.

      Donnie Piercey (00:51:57):

      Me too.

      Eric Cross (00:51:59):

      Yeah. I just imagine a robot holding my hand climbing Mount Everest and I’m like, “Yeah, I did it.”

      Donnie Piercey (00:52:04):

      If I got a robot though, like I would have to dress it like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2. Like I would just have to.

      Eric Cross (00:52:10):

      Of course.

      Donnie Piercey (00:52:10):

      Of course.

      Eric Cross (00:52:13):

      Donnie, same question. Advice. Teachers getting immersed into it. Tips. What would you say?

      Donnie Piercey (00:52:20):

      So, I would definitely agree with everything that Jen said. Just, if anything else, to familiarize yourself with it. Almost like pretend like it’s a student in your classroom and it’s answering questions, just so that way you can see what it can do. And you’re kind of training yourself, like, “Oh, well, if I ever need examples, exemplars.” If you’re in a writing piece and you don’t wanna sit there and write out four different types of student responses — you know, advanced writer, beginning writer, whatever — great way to to do that is you just—

      Jennifer Roberts (00:52:48):

      Oh yeah. We did that.

      Donnie Piercey (00:52:48):

      —copy the prompt in and give a beautifully written piece that a fifth grader would be impressed with. Boom. It’ll do it for you. In my classroom, the way that I approach it is I kinda look at AI as almost like this butler that I don’t have to pay. That if I need it to do something for me, it’s just bookmarked. I can click it. And I mean, sometimes I just talk to it like it’s a person. And it’s almost like, in the chat window, I’m just rambling at it, what I’m trying to do. And it’s almost like I’m talking to a coworker, and I’m trying to hedge out some ideas for a lesson. Simple example: For a science lesson, if you’re trying to come up with … let’s say you’re a fifth-grade — or, sorry, I teach fifth grade. Say you’re a seventh-grade science teacher. And you’re trying to teach the students in your class about Newton’s third law of motion. You know, every action [has an ] equal and opposite reaction. Look around your room. See what you have. Maybe look around and you’re like, “All right, I got a whiteboard, microscope, I’ve got magnets, a cylinder. …” And you just copy all this stuff into ChatGPT. Say, like, “Hey, I have all of these items. Cotton balls, peanut butter, whatever.” And say, “I’m trying to teach students Newton’s third law of motion. Give me some ideas of some ways I could teach it using some of these materials.” And it’ll do it! It’ll give you like five to 10 ideas!

      Jennifer Roberts (00:54:15):

      And then tell it what your students are into. Like, my students are really into basketball. Can you work that into this lesson?

      Donnie Piercey (00:54:21):

      Yeah! They’re into the Avengers! Hey, find some way to tie Spider-Man into this. You know, that was a pun that didn’t go so well. But, you know <laugh> figure out some way that you could incorporate this and it’ll do it. And Eric, like you said, it won’t be perfect. Right? But if anything else, if you’re a starting teacher and you’re trying to brainstorm ideas — try it.

      Eric Cross (00:54:44):

      And Donnie, as you were saying that, I was thinking — first, I imagined Spider-Man shooting cotton balls with peanut butter all over them — and then my mind went to having students have these items, like you were saying. And then they create labs, working alongside AI. To do inquiry. To create a lab about something, and then going and performing and collecting data. OK, that’s — now I wanna go do that tomorrow!

      Donnie Piercey (00:55:10):

      Listen, it is so easy to do. If you have an extra computer in your classroom. … We were talking about Jarvis and Iron Man and Tony Stark earlier. Make a new chat in ChatGPT. Tell it, “I want you to pretend that you are Tony Stark. Only answer questions as if you are Tony Stark.” Or “Pretend you’re Jarvis.” Whatever. “Stay in character the whole time. I’m going to have sixth grade students come up to you and ask you questions about science or forces of nature, and only answer questions like you’re Iron Man.” And guess what? You keep that station in your classroom. Students are working on a project — you know, in elementary school, a lot of times we’ll have that, “ask three before me” — you’re supposed to ask three friends before you go and bug the teacher. Well, maybe one of those “three before me” can be that little computer station, where they go up and ask Tony Stark a question, and then it answers them as Jarvis or Iron Man. I mean, we’re really just scratching the surface with all this AI stuff. And as more and more companies and more and more creatives are gonna start to realize everything that it can do, we’re gonna start to see it more and more. And hopefully we as teachers can really figure out how to use this tool to, of course, help students, but also help them be creative and explore and learn on their own.

      Eric Cross (00:56:35):

      That’s amazing. And just both of you are just dropping gems right now. And I wanna wrap up by saying — and I’ve said this before on earlier podcasts I’ve done — but at this phase in my life, the people that I’m the biggest fans of are teachers. And it’s true. I don’t mean that in a cliche way. When I watch celebrities and things like that, when I watch professional sports, that doesn’t fill me the way it used to when I was a kid. At this point, as a professional, I get inspired by other educators who are just doing awesome things. And when I think about educators who are doing that, you two are on that list of people that make me better. And when I get better, I can do better things for my kids. And so, one, I want to thank you for staying in the classroom and continue to support students. They’re so lucky to have you both. The second thing I wanted to say is, Jen, I wanna start with you. Where can people — and I know we said at the beginning — but where can people find the stuff that you put out? You got blogs, your social, your book.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:57:28):

      I got lots of social. Twitter, I’m JenRoberts1 on Twitter. And then my blog is LitAndTech.com. And then I’m on lots of the new social too, the Mastodons, the Spoutables, the Posts — those kinds of things — as just Jen Roberts, because I got in early and I got my real name without a 1. And there was some other one I’m on recently that I’ve forgotten about. But there’s lots of ’em. They’re fun. And I’m Jen Roberts. You can find me there.

      Donnie Piercey (00:57:56):

      And I’m SergeantPepperD on AOL, if anyone’s interested.

      Eric Cross (00:58:00):

      If you wanna hit Donnie up on AIM. <Laugh>

      Donnie Piercey (00:58:03):

      SergeantPepperD.

      Jennifer Roberts (00:58:04):

      You know, speaking of rock stars and people who do amazing things, I did write a blog post about using ChatGPT in the classroom, but I hear Donnie wrote a whole book.

      Eric Cross (00:58:13):

      Oh yeah. So, Donnie! Donnie, that’s a great segue. Thanks Jen. Donnie, how do people find out more? And can you tell us about this book you wrote, that’s coming out in the summer?

      Donnie Piercey (00:58:22):

      Yeah, so the book I wrote is called 50 Strategies for Integrating AI Into the Classroom. It’s published by Teacher Created Materials. They reached out to me. They had seen some of the stuff that I was doing, not just with ChatGPT, but also some image-generating AI stuff. You know, I got featured on Good Morning America, which was kind of cool. And they saw that and they said, ‘Hey, that looks really neat.” Reached out to me and asked me to write a book. And the idea behind the book, that launches this summer, it’s just 50 ideas, 50 prompts, different things that, as a classroom teacher, that you can do. So, you know, I think there’s so many AI books that are out there now. A lot of them are big ideas, which I think are important. Definitely important discussions that need to be, have around, the ethics of AI. What’s the role that AI should play in the classroom. But I just wanted to write a book, kind of like the discussion that, that Jen and I were just having, which is like, “Can we just share a whole bunch of ideas, different things that we could try with our students?” So definitely check it out. And I appreciate you giving me a shout-out too. That was cool, Eric. Thank you.

      Eric Cross (00:59:35):

      Of course. Definitely. And Donnie, your Twitter is again. …

      Donnie Piercey (00:59:39):

      Oh, @MrPiercey, M R P I E R C E Y.

      Eric Cross (00:59:44):

      Follow Donnie. Follow Jen. Tons of stuff on there. Both of you, thank you so much. For your time, for talking about students and how we can take care of them, science, literacy, AI. I hope we can talk about this again. I feel like even if in just six months, we might be saying different things. In a year, the landscape might completely change. And that makes it really fun. But thank you both for being on the show.

      Jennifer Roberts (01:00:04):

      Thank you for having us, Eric.

      Donnie Piercey (01:00:05):

      Thank you so much, Eric. We appreciate it, bud.

      Eric Cross (01:00:10):

      Thanks so much for listening to my conversation with Jen Roberts and Donnie Piercey. Jen Roberts is a veteran English teacher at San Diego’s Point Loma High School and author of the book Power Up: Making the Shift to 1:1 Teaching and Learning. You can keep up with her at LitAndTech.com. And Donnie Piercey is a fifth-grade teacher from Lexington, Kentucky. He hosts the podcast Teachers Passing Notes. Stay up-to-date with him at Resources.MrPiercey.com. And let us know what you think of this episode in our Facebook discussion group, Science Connections: The Community. Make sure you don’t miss any new episodes of Science Connections by subscribing to the show, wherever you get podcasts. And as always, we’d really appreciate it if you can leave us a review. It’ll help more people and AI robots find the show. You can find more information on all of Amplify’s shows on our podcast hub, Amplify.com/hub. Thanks again for listening.

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      What Jennifer Roberts says about science

      “If I’m not teaching my students how to use this, then they’re not going to turn into the adults we need them to be… If we’re not at least trying to think about what our future world is going to look like, then we’re not serving our students well.”

      – Jennifer Roberts

      High School English Teacher

      Meet the guests

      Jen Roberts is a Nationally Board Certified high school English teacher with 25+ years of experience teaching Social Science and English Language Arts in grades 7-12. She has had 1:1 laptops for her students since 2008 and is the co-author of Power Up: Making the Shift to 1:1 Teaching and Learning. A Google for Education Certified Innovator since 2011, Jen was named the CUE Outstanding Educator in 2022. Her interests include literacy instruction, standards based grading, and leveraging Google tools to make her teaching more efficient and effective.

      A woman with light skin and blond hair stands outdoors, framed by illustrated graphics including a blue flask and curved lines. Green foliage is visible in the background.

      Donnie Piercey, the 2021 Kentucky Teacher of the Year, is a fifth-grade teacher in Lexington, Kentucky.  With a passion for utilizing technology to promote student inquiry, learning, and engagement, he has been teaching since 2007. In addition to being in the classroom, he runs a podcast, Teachers Passing Notes that is produced by the Peabody Award winning GZMShows, and holds several recognitions, including a National Geographic Fellowship to Antarctica in 2018. His most recent work in Artificial Intelligence has not gone unnoticed, earning him multiple appearances on Good Morning America, the Associated Press, and PBS. His upcoming book, “50 Strategies for Integrating AI in the Classroom” published by Teacher Created Materials, is written for educators looking for practical classroom approaches to using AI. All told, Donnie has been invited to keynote and present at schools in thirty-three states and on five continents.

      A man with short brown hair and a beard smiles at the camera, wearing a red shirt, framed by a circular graphic with a blue flask icon.
      A laptop screen displays the “Science Connections: The Community” private group page, with science-themed icons decorating the background and edges.

      About Science Connections

      Welcome to Science Connections! Science is changing before our eyes, now more than ever. So…how do we help kids figure that out? We will bring on educators, scientists, and more to discuss the importance of high-quality science instruction. In this episode, hear from our host Eric Cross about his work engaging students as a K-8 science teacher. 

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      S1-04: Connecting with students and caregivers in the science classroom: Ryan Rudkin

      Promotional graphic for "science connections", season 1, episode 4, featuring a smiling woman named Ryan Rudkin, themed with science illustrations like atoms and a globe, highlighting how to engage students

      In this special episode, our host Eric Cross sits down with veteran middle school teacher Ryan Rudkin. Ryan shares her expertise after almost two decades in the classroom, discussing ways to incorporate aspects of problem-based learning into the K–8 science classroom. Eric and Ryan talk about how to increase parent engagement, involve community members, and add excitement to lessons.

      Explore more from Science Connections by visiting our main page.

      Download Transcript

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (00:00):

      I know there’s other goals in mind, you know, standards and test scores. But at the end of the day, I wanna come back and I want them to come back.

      Eric Cross (00:35):

      My name’s Eric Cross, host of our science podcast, and I am with Ryan Rudkin, middle-school teacher out here in California just to the north up near Sacramento? El Dorado Hills?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (00:46):

      Yeah. 20 miles east of Sacramento.

      Eric Cross (00:49):

      Nice. And I am down here in San Diego. And so Ryan, to start off, what I wanna do is ask you about your origin story, like a superhero. So how did you become a middle-school science teacher to become part of this elite profession of science folks that get to do awesome things with kids?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (01:08):

      I would agree with you that it is definitely an elite profession. I got my credential and I thought I was gonna teach third or fourth grade elementary school. And the second day I got called for a sub job for middle school. And I just thought, “We’ll take it,” you know? And by second period, I knew: This is where I belong. The kids, middle school, students are just a species of their own. And you have to appreciate them. And if you do appreciate them, then you’re in the right spot. And I quickly looked at my coursework and I was able to get authorizations in science, history, and English, and I love science. So I chose science. And the rest is history. It’s been a wild ride and I wouldn’t have changed or asked for anything different. I love it.

      Eric Cross (02:02):

      I definitely agree with you. So, your history—you’ve been in various middle-school classrooms. Can you tell us a little bit about that? What classrooms have you been in? What disciplines of science have you taught or are currently teaching?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (02:14):

      I was hired for seventh grade life science, and then I did that for a few years and then I got moved into eighth physical science, and I was there for 12 years. Love eighth grade science. I love eighth graders. Chemistry and physics are my favorite. There’s just so much opportunity for just awesome labs, great conversations, student discourse, all of that. And then the past three years I’ve been in sixth grade and now we’re integrated. So,a sixth grade integrated science and I also teach social studies and a technology design class.

      Eric Cross (02:52):

      Oh, nice. What do you do in your technology design class? That sounds cool.

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (02:56):

      Right now it’s mostly internet media and we use WeVideo, it’s an editing-video program, and we produce and put on our school weekly news bulletin. And then we weave in other projects. We do some interdisciplinary projects. Right now my students are working on a mythology God, Goddess, and Monster project that relates to our social studies curriculum. And we’re learning about Greece. So yeah, we just try to give them added projects and they’re using the WeVideo platform. By sixth grade, they’re coming to us now with wonderful skills with all the tech. I mean, if I need help, I ask them like, “How do you do something on Google Docs?” Or, “How do you do something on Drive?” The kids are definitely tech-savvy.

      Eric Cross (03:49):

      They must love being the teacher in the classroom. They get to—it kind of switches power roles, where they get to teach the teacher something.

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (03:56):

      Yes. And especially WeVideo, sometimes we’ve had some hiccups, and the kids show everybody, and that’s part of the design class. They’re trying to solve—we’re teaching them how to solve their own problems. So if there’s any kind of issue with anything with the technology, honestly, I usually tell them, “Go ask a friend,” or we kind of shout out, “Hey, who knows how to troubleshoot this?” And the kids are eager to help each other, which is nice.

      Eric Cross (04:21):

      And they have this authentic experience where they’re actually doing real problem-solving, as opposed to something that we manufactured. Like, those are real things that we have to deal with in life. And that’s exactly like how we solve it, right? We just go ask people! We look it up, and the ahas are genuine too. Throughout!

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (04:36):

      Yes, especially thinking on the fly. Especially yesterday, I was in the middle of teaching and my laptop froze, and it’s like, “OK, everybodytake a couple minutes, you know, work on this, this, or that while I switch out laptops!” And so I’m modeling, too, how to solve my own problems. And I think it teaches the kids how to do that too.

      Eric Cross (04:59):

      I’ve always thought it was interesting that when teachers get to teach in real time, how do we handle stress and frustration when it’s really happening? And I think the tech—at times, failure is the real one where you feel this chill or this sweat that kind of comes over you and you’re trying to present or cast or the video won’t play and things like that. I think I’ve done enough times in my years of teaching where now my students know what to do, or they want to come up and help, and we’re good with it. But I remember in the beginning when those things would kind of glitch or go wrong or the wifi goes down, and you’re like, OK, what do we need now?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (05:33):

      I think it’s honestly, after the fact, when I think in the moment, I’m not thinking of feeling stressed, but just afterwards, then I’m like, “Oh my gosh, this has just been a wild day.” But yeah, you just have to kind of go with it. And that’s just the beast of middle school. I just added to the list of why we love it.

      Eric Cross (05:53):

      You said something about interdisciplinary work, and I wanna kind of ask about that. Because it sounds like you’ve had your hand in several different areas of science and grade levels. Working, doing design courses, working with tech. Are there certain lessons that are your favorites to teach? The ones that you really enjoy, or that no matter what, you’re like, “We need to do this; this is such a rich experience for students”?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (06:17):

      Yeah. I definitely try to do lessons or activities along the way. I like to do projects at the end of my units. When I taught physics, we did a project and it was mainly an assessment tool called the Wheeling and Dealing. The kids, they would all get a different car. And then they to sell their car. And so they had to pretend to be a car salesman, and they did that with their knowledge of the physics unit. So everything we did on forces and speed and motion. So I like doing culminating projects like that. And you’re kind of tricking them into assessing them.

      Eric Cross (06:57):

      When I think about your car salesman project, I’m thinking of a bunch of students, but they’re like on Shark Tank, but they’re just littler versions. And they’re doing these sales pitches, but they’re speaking in scientific terms as they’re trying to do it. Do you record these or do they just exist in the classroom?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (07:12):

      No…And that was a long time ago, when I taught eighth grade. I wish I had; I wish I had recorded. That was definitely—it was fun, ’cause the kids, they would get their little piece of paper and they—some of ’em didn’t know what car it was. And so they’re like “A Boo… A Boo-gatti? What’s a Boo-gatti?” And then someone from across the room would be like, “Ooh, I want it! Here, I’ll trade you my Ford Focus!” And <laugh> so they would kind of wheel-and-deal which car they would…and then once they got their choice, then they would do the project.

      Eric Cross (07:44):

      So they’re really embodying this persona of a car salesman. The wheeling and doing back-and-forth and trying to trade a Bugatti for a Ford Focus. <Laugh>

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (07:53):

      I know. <Laugh> I like to make my class, my learning environment, enjoyable. You know, I gotta be there; they gotta be there. So I know there’s other goals in mind—you know, standards and test scores—but at the end of the day, I wanna come back, and I want them to come back. And I just have that as a priority.

      Eric Cross (08:18):

      Well, based on the projects that you’re doing and the way that you approach education with students, I can see why middle-school students would want to come back, even if they had the option not to. Just because of the cool things that you’re doing. Now we’re on this—hopefully, fingers crossed—tail end of COVID in the classroom and schools, and I know it’s impacted all of us differently. Has student engagement changed since COVID and if so, how, and what have you done in these last two years to maybe adjust your approach, to continue that engagement and that richness that you provide for your kids?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (08:57):

      I definitely—I think for me, I recognize that when the students are in my classroom, I want them to, I dunno, for lack of a better word, just escape the noise at home. And I know we’ve always had students that are going through divorce situations or their dog died, other things, but I think with COVID, it’s definitely been compounded. And just creating a safe place for the kids to want to be and…it’s hard. We’ve had a lot of students that have been out, absent, for various reasons and on quarantine. And they’re struggling with doing work from home, ’cause their parents are stressed and their parents are dealing with their work issues. And so I think just having grace for the kids and just keeping…I don’t know, I guess like I said, I’ve always had student engagement as top of my list.

      Eric Cross (10:06):

      It sounds like—the things I hear you say really have to do with who these students are as people.

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (10:12):

      Yeah.

      Eric Cross (10:13):

      And then as a second, who they are as students. How do relationships fit into your engagement? ‘Cause I’m hearing this connection that you seem to be making with kids as you’re talking about things that are beyond academics: their home life, how they’re impacted.

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (10:28):

      Yes.

      Eric Cross (10:28):

      Is there anything that you do to build these relationships, or to connect with your students, to make them feel wanted or feel connected to the classroom or to you?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (10:37):

      Yeah, I do. I do a few things to build those connections. And again, this timeframe in their life is so out of their control, their peer relationships, relationships with their parents. And when they’re in my classroom, I want them to feel loved and appreciated. Something I do it’s called Phone Fridays. And in one of the social media groups, someone posted about it, and I’ve been doing it for over a year now, actually. So on Fridays I call parents and give good news. And so I’ll pick maybe one or two students. And it could be academic reasons. It could be behavior, I’ve seen a slight improvement of behavior. Maybe a role model in the classroom. And my goal is to get everybody every trimester. So everybody gets a phone call by the end of the trimester. And it’s funny ’cause sometimes the parents are a little like “Uh-oh”! When they pick up, they see the caller ID, and their school’s calling. ‘Cause Some kids don’t get good calls. So it’s a really—I would say every single parent that I’ve called, I usually get a follow-up email, either to me or my admin, just saying it’s such a cool idea I do this; thank you so much. And yeah, I just call and give good news and just put ’em on the spot. And usually the kids are a little embarrassed, but you can tell, even though they’re kind of—I think they’re faking it, that they’re embarrassed! ‘Cause You know that they got the Phone Friday, and everybody’s like, “Who’s gonna get the phone Friday?!” And so it’s a very big deal in my class.

      Eric Cross (12:07):

      What a great way to—I mean, it seems like that hits on so many levels. You’re making these positive calls home. You’re praising publicly, which a lot of times can happen where students can get criticized or redirected publicly and then praised privately, which is a lot of times the reverse what we should be doing. But here you are praising them publicly. And then you’re not only building a relationship with yourself, but you’re also connecting them with their parent or whoever is caring for them, because now when they go home, there’s this, “Hey, your teacher called; you’re doing awesome!” So it’s this kind of triangle that’s forming there. I think that’s super-cool and a great thing for teachers to do.

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (12:45):

      It takes, you know, the last five minutes of my class. I do it every class. And then I have a system. Like I said, I keep track of all the kids. That way, by the end of the trimester I’ve gotten everybody. Sometimes I let the students, whoever I call first, then I let them pick a peer and I tell them, “OK, we have to have a solid reason. Why are we calling?” And a couple times they’ll have a student, like one of my energized ones, they’ll raise their hand. “How About me? How about me?” And I and the kids kind of laugh a little and I said, “Well, how about this? Let’s make a goal. How about next week we’re gonna make a goal and we’re gonna have a reason to call home.” So just working on the kids that need a little push in the right direction. That’s other reasoning to it. But yeah, it’s fun. I love it.

      Eric Cross (13:33):

      And you have the community. You have this goal setting. We were talking a little earlier about this transition—so you’re becoming this…your school’s going through the IB process, is that right?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (13:44):

      Yes.

      Eric Cross (13:44):

      And we were talking about the ATL skills and one of them is goal-setting management. You already kind of organically do this in your classroom, which is really neat. I know being an IB teacher, a lot of times I find the things that I’ve already been doing and find, “Oh, this is actually an approach to learning!” or “This is something that has a title!” I just thought it was just being helpful! Ah…So the kids are connected. You have this process where you’re calling parents; it’s working; students are involved, so it’s building this community. Now you’re engaging students. Do you have any favorite student engagement tools that you use in your classroom or when you’re teaching that you feel like you get a lot of bang for your buck? There’s so many things out there these days. And so many approaches, tools, web apps. Do you have any favorites that you use?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (14:40):

      No. Nothing comes up top of my mind right now. Mostly just projects, like I said. And being excited. I think having my students see me excited about something…and I’m honest when we’re doing something that’s not quite my favorite, then I’m honest about that too. But just having my—like, we just started thermal energy this week and I told my students, I said, “OK guys, I’m gonna weave in some chemistry in there. I’m gonna weave in some particle motion,” and they’re like, “Oh! That’s when you taught eighth grade, huh!” Cause I talk a lot about when I taught eighth grade before. I don’t know, just showing my own enthusiasm, I think, is a good payoff to me. That’s a bang for your buck. Other things…I try to give ’em cool videos and Mark Grober, he’s definitely a favorite of mine I like to show my students. I like to bring in guest speakers from our community. When I taught eighth grade for physics, I always brought in a local CHP officer and they would bring in the radar and lidar guns and the kids would mark off the parking lot and they would calculate their speed. And then they would verify it with the radar gun. Two years ago when I taught math, I brought in a local landscaper company, a father-and-son outfit, and they showed the kids how they would do bids on jobs. And so, relate it to our chapter on volume and area. So just making that connection with real life. Plus it’s just a nice opportunity, too, for the community to come in. With our design class, put on our newscast. And then one of our units in our sixth grade curriculum is weather. And so I brought in a local weatheruh, chief meteorologist. And he actually talked to the students about his job as a meteorologist and then also being on the news and putting on a newscast. So we got him on our green screen and did a little like Mark Finan, you know, little cameo on our newscast for the week for school. So that was kind of cool.

      Eric Cross (16:45):

      They must have been excited.

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (16:47):

      Yeah. They’re pretty starstruck by him. So that was pretty fun.

      Eric Cross (16:51):

      This person was on their local news? So they would know him?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (16:56):

      Yeah, he’s on Channel 3 out of Sacramento. Yeah. KCRA Channel 3, Mark Finan.

      Eric Cross (17:00):

      So all these guest speakers that you have…how do you reach out to these people? And you sound like you get a lot of success. Do you ever get nos? Like if I’m sitting here listening and that inspires me, but you’re getting celebrities and you see a few people…like, how do you reach out to them? And does everybody say yes? How does it go?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (17:21):

      Well, usually at my back-to-school night, I always ask the parents if they have a career or hobby that could lend itself to the curriculum. And so sometimes I’ll hear about—students will talk about, like, “My mom’s a doctor.” And so I’ll reach out to parents and just say, “Hey, you know, your kiddo said, you’re a doctor. May I ask what type?” And most of the time the nos that I’ve received are just because of schedule conflicts. You just have to get creative! Look in your community and see what you have. People want to come and talk to kids. I’ve had some presentations that the person is so intelligent and amazing, but they just, weren’t very kid-friendly. I mean, that happens. Butsomeone knows someone. And just ask! I mean, it doesn’t hurt to ask to have ’em come out, come hang out for the day, with my students. Andone time I had a nurse practitioner she was in the cardiac unit. And so she brought in hearts and led a heart dissection with my students. And we did a station set-up. I’ve had elaborate ones like that, or just a mom come in to tell my students about her job as a nutritionist and relate it to our unit on metabolism. And so just did like a little 15-minute Q&A with the kids on nutrition. And I would just say, look at your community and/or post on social media. I always do that. Post in your school’s PTA groups. So the parents know someone, that’s for sure. Or someone’s retired. One time I had—I think he was a grandfather of one of the kids—he was into rocks. And he had a bunch of meteorites <laugh> and brought in his meteorites.

      Eric Cross (19:15):

      Bring in your rocks!

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (19:15):

      I know! Right? And he <laugh> just brought in his meteorite collection! I was like, sure, come on in!

      Eric Cross (19:23):

      That’s one of the things I love about being a middle-school teacher is that my students have such varied interests and I’ll get the Rock Kid every once in a while and he’ll come in and he’ll have all these rocks and crystals. And a lot of times there’s a grandfather that’s responsible for this inherited geologic treasure that they have.

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (19:45):

      Yeah, something like that—I mean rocks are not my favorites, but I don’t really tell the kids that. I was like, “Sure, yeah, come on in! We can have a whole-day lesson on rocks!”

      Eric Cross (19:55):

      <Weakly> “This is great!”

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (19:58):

      Just utilizing your resources. That’s all it’s about.

      Eric Cross (20:02):

      Well, I think the back-to-school night was really helpful. That’s something that’s super doable. You have a bunch of parents and you just simply ask, “Who do you know? What do you do?” And then just collecting that and then just asking people to come in. I’ve I’ve been reluctant to do it more often than I’ve wanted to, because I haven’t figured out—and maybe you can help me with this—I have three class periods a day plus other class periods that are not necessarily science. And I don’t want to dominate a person’s schedule. Do they tend to be willing to stay all day? Or do you do, one class gets it, and you record it? Like, how do you balance out the speakers with your school schedule?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (20:39):

      Mostly they’ll they’ll just come for the whole day. When I taught eighth grade, I had five classes, so that was easy. That was an all-day thing. And then usually I’ll offer to call lunch, have lunch delivered, or snacks during the day. I mean—

      Eric Cross (20:53):

      Feeding them is key.

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (20:54):

      Yeah. Just something kind of nice. Donuts in the morning. I mean, you’d be very surprised. Most people that are in the field or retired, like I said, they’re more than willing to come. And even if they have to wait an hour, while you teach another class that doesn’t pertain to it, then they’ll either leave or come back or just hang out in the back and pretend to be a student during that history class that you have.

      Eric Cross (21:20):

      It’s my own limiting belief where I feel guilty. I don’t think about it. I need to think about it through the perspective that you do, that these people WANT to talk. I just assume everybody’s so busy. But I do know, the times I’ve had speakers come out, at the end of the day, they’re so energized or they’re so happy or they’re so grateful. ‘Cause They’re like, “This is what it’s like to teach every day?” I’m like, “Yeah, this is what it’s like.”

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (21:42):

      I think too, a lot of parents…usually being being in the stops at elementary. A Lot of parents don’t get the opportunity to come help out in the classroom, because the middle school kids, you know, it’s not very cool or it’s just not needed like in the elementary classes. So a lot of times, like I said, you’d be surprised. A lot of the parents they’re more than happy to come and hang out. And again, some students, they don’t want their mom or dad to be there, but then I talk it up. I’m like, “Everyone’s gonna be so like impressed that your dad’s a doctor,” or “your mom’s a doctor” or —so then I kind of like downplay it. Like, “Oh, whatever, you’re you’re faking it. It’ll be fine. Don’t be embarrassed.” Leading up to their parent coming into the classroom.

      Eric Cross (22:36):

      Right. Kind of redirect that energy toward something positive. With guest speakers, projects, pacing, all these awesome things that you have going on, how do you find balance as a teacher, as a person? And what encouragement would you give to new or aspiring teachers? We work in a profession that will take as much as you give it. And you fall asleep at night worrying about other people’s kids and we love it. And teachers by personality can just give and give and give and give. But in order for us to last—I’m thinking about those new teachers who are going into it, who are gonna go in and be there before the sun gets up and stay after the sun gets down. How do you maintain balance, taking care of yourself? You’ve been in education for—how long have you been teaching for?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (23:29):

      Sixteen. This is my 16th year.

      Eric Cross (23:31):

      Enough to be that veteran. So how do you find balance? And then, what encouragement would you give to new or aspiring teachers?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (23:39):

      I would say each year, pick one or two things to add on. You can’t add on 10 things, even though you’re gonna find 10 things that are awesome. But just make a little list, put ’em in a file, and every year, just get good at what you do and then just add on one or two things. And reflect on what’s not going well that you can get rid of to make room to add something else. Try to be patient with yourself. And don’t reinvent the wheel. There’s so many things out there that you can borrow and make it your own. Again, I think that’s a time-saver, just leaning on your colleagues. And take lots of notes, because then when you do it again next year, you can refresh yourself and, “Oh yeah, this lesson, wasn’t the best…” What can you add in to make it a little bit better? And yeah, I would say just take on one or two things each year. And then by the time you get to, you know, being a veteran, you can do all these awesome things and it’ll feel natural ’cause you’ve been practicing and just adding in one thing at a time. I coached Science Olympiad a bunch of years ago, and Science Olympiad is so rewarding. It’s just so amazing.

      Eric Cross (24:59):

      What is Science Olympiad, for the people who’ve never heard of it?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (25:03):

      Oh, Science Olympiad is so awesome. Google it. I think it’s just ScienceOlympiad.org. It’s 23 different events across all disciplines of science, different topics. And then you have a team of 15 students. And so your 15 students have to cover the 23 events. So for example, if the student’s on the anatomy team, usually there’s a team of two kids they’re gonna study and learn. They provide all the rules and the guidelines. So the students learn and study whatever the parameters are for that year. And then they take a test. And then they compete against other schools. And there’s build events, the engineering events, they can build things like trebuchets matchbox cars or mousetrap cars. Oh gosh, there’s all kinds of things. There’s like a Rube Goldberg device. It changes every year. And it’s so rewarding to see the kids; they pick their area of science that they love. And sometimes you have to put them on an event that they don’t know, and then they end up loving it. It’s so rewarding as a teacher to see these kids that are just on fire and you know that one day they’re gonna go off and do amazing things. They just commit. They commit to their event. And then they blow it outta the water and they win medals and just the recognition…it’s super, it’s just an amazing program.

      Eric Cross (26:42):

      One of the competitions that’s really low-tech that I’ve taken into my classroom is Write It, Do It. Have you done that one before?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (26:50):

      Oh, yes. Yeah. That’s one. Yep.

      Eric Cross (26:52):

      It’s such a low-tech, simple one to do, but it teaches such great skills. And for those people who haven’t heard of the Write It, Do It project, you create kinda some abstract art out of random crafts. That’s very difficult to describe. You have pipe cleaners and foam and balls and you know, all these different things. And you make it. And then one person on the team is the writer, and they look at it and they write the procedures, and then their teammate, who’s in a different room and doesn’t get to see it, gets all the materials to build it and the procedures, and they have to rebuild it as closely as possible to the actual original. Even though they don’t get to see the original. So they have to rely on their partner’s ability to write procedures step-by-step. And it was fun to watch my students become teammates in that. And they learned how to communicate in a really fun competition. So I expanded it to do it with all of my students as an activity, just to teach them how write descriptively, to write procedurally, to be technical writers. And it’s, it’s fun! It’s fun to see what they build based on what the students say. <Laugh> And it’s also fun to watch them interact with each other, which for seventh graders, usually it’s conflict. <Laugh> But, like, playful conflict. <Laugh> It’s pretty funny to see what they build.

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (28:11):

      They’re like, “Man, what are you talking about? That doesn’t mean this; it means this!”

      Eric Cross (28:16):

      <Laugh> I know part of me feels guilty, but not enough to stop the project. ‘Cause I know for some of ’em, it’s gonna be a really trial by fire being able to practice their skills with writing procedures.

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (28:27):

      But they’re learning among themselves how to provide more details and to be more thorough with their writing and and their thoughts, put their thoughts onto paper. So yeah, that’s a funny event. Definitely.

      Eric Cross (28:41):

      Earlier you had mentioned something about connecting your kids with kids and students outside of your classroom. What is it that you do with that? Because I thought that was a really cool project. Can you speak to that a little bit?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (28:57):

      Yes, I’ve done—they haven’t had it in a few years, but there’s something called the Pringles Challenge. And if you Google that, I’m sure it’s on the Internet still. So you sign your class up, or your classes, and you get partnered with another school somewhere in the U.S., someplace else. And you decide individually teams, whatever they build. And they make a package to ship a single Pringle chip through the mail. And then you actually mail a Pringle chip through the mail. And then your partner team or partner school, they send their chips to you and then you open everything and then you can take pictures and video. And then there was a whole scoring process where you would score when you receive the chips. And then you input all the data on the website so you can see like how your—and most schools would trade pictures, so that the kids found out how their chip survived. March Mammal Madness is so much fun. Again, Google that.

      Eric Cross (30:01):

      Did you say March Mammal Madness?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (30:02):

      Yes.

      Eric Cross (30:03):

      Like March Madness, with mammals?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (30:05):

      Yes.

      Eric Cross (30:05):

      1. What is this?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (30:06):

      It starts up in March. And you can sign your students up. And that one—it’s not too interactive with other schools, but this is opportunity to get the kids interacting within your site or within your district. Or if you have teacher friends at other schools. There’s like 60…I think it’s 64 animals? And they have this massive bracket that they post. And then you can have the students, I did it—it would be very time-consuming to have the kids individually research each animal. So I just gave one animal per student and so as a class we researched all the animals and then, I think it’s every three days or so, they have these bouts. And it’s all posted on YouTube. Google it. It’s kind of fun.

      Eric Cross (30:56):

      I’ve already got the website up, ready to go! Folks, everybody who needs to Google this: <articulates carefully> March Mammal Madness. And is it Arizona State University? Is that the main site, ASU?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (31:04):

      Yes.

      Eric Cross (31:04):

      So people, listen to this. Check it out. March Mammal Madness. Look, I’m doing this! I’m already,—you’ve already sold me on this.

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (31:14):

      It is so much fun, oh my gosh. And then, then the kids—each round, they pick their pick, just like basketball. They do their picks and then you wait for the video. And they do it live on—I think it’s live on Instagram, or the next day on YouTube. And then the kids get all excited. And then usually the kids, whatever animal they got as their research animal, they’re rooting for that one to win, the whole thing.

      Eric Cross (31:42):

      But we still have time; we still have time to—

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (31:45):

      You can jump in anytime. Even if it’s already started, you can jump into it. It usually lasts—I believe it’s a two-week from beginning to end. When they do the first round, the wild card, and then all the way to the winner, I believe it’s a two-week process. Oh, maybe three, actually.

      Eric Cross (31:59):

      I’m already seeing this lead-up to the video being watched in class to see…I’m already thinking about like, “How do I prevent my students from finding the video?” Or like, “When does it go live so that I could be the one to show them so they didn’t go find it early?”

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (32:13):

      It takes time out of the class, but I believe it’s one of those things where you have to just…it takes 10 minutes out of the class, but it’s important. So when they each round and then the next day, they release the YouTube video. Last year, when it got down to the final round, we were on spring break. And so I told my students, “You guys, let’s do some optional Zooms. And so I had a bunch of kids log on and we all watched the videos together. So that was kind of fun. And then this year, the other thing, the first time I’ve ever done this and it’s going really well is—on social media, I was talking with one of the teachers from Ohio who teaches science and she and I decided we’re gonna do penpals for our students this year. Paper-And-Pen penpals. So that’s been a lot of fun. We just partnered up all the students, her students and my students, and once a month we send and receive the letters to each other. So that’s been a really cool experience.

      Eric Cross (33:14):

      If you keep doing that, and you need more teachers to be involved, can my students be penpals with your students?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (33:20):

      Yeah!

      Eric Cross (33:20):

      If you open it up to more people? I think that, to get a letter, old-school? Letter in the mail? It would be so exciting.

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (33:28):

      It is. We mail them, the teacher and I, we just put them all together in one package. But yeah, it’s an actual handwritten letter.

      Eric Cross (33:37):

      The only letters I feel like I get in the mail now are bills.

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (33:42):

      Right? Exactly.

      Eric Cross (33:42):

      But I feel like the digital version of that is if someone calls me, it’s probably bad news. I don’t know if I’m the only one that’s like that, but I’m like, “Who’s calling me? Why aren’t you texting me? What’s going on? Text me first, then call! I need to know who’s going on, and if you’re unknown, you’re going to voicemail.

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (34:00):

      Exactly. The penpals has been a lot of fun.

      Eric Cross (34:03):

      You’ve been in education for a while. You’re on the other side of what it’s like to be a student in the classroom. Which can be surreal in itself, when we think about our own experiences as being a student. Is there a teacher or a learning experience that’s had an impact on you while you were a student in school that really stands out to you? And you can interpret the question however you want. But is there someone that’s memorable or an experience that’s memorable that you still carry with you today?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (34:32):

      Definitely. My favorite teacher, and we actually still keep in contact on social media is Mrs. Sheldon. She was my fifth and sixth grade teacher. I had the pleasure when I was in elementary school, I was in an all-day contained GATE class—Gifted and Talented Education class. I vividly remember doing so many amazing projects. We built this big, giant—she brought in a big ol’, like, TV box. It was big, big, big. And you could stick like three kids inside there, standing up shoulder-to-shoulder. And we built this big dragon. The head, and we had the whole rest of the class in a big sheet behind us, and we would do a little parade around the school. And she had that thing for years after. They had to repair it every year, and they would do the little parade around school. She did a lot of traveling and when we would go on vacation and then come back, that was always the big deal: “Where did Mrs Sheldon go?” And she had sand from Egypt and pictures from the rainforest. And later when I became a teacher and then I looked her up and we reconnected I did ask her, “Did you go to those places? Or did you, like, lie about it? <Laugh> To get us engaged?

      Eric Cross (35:52):

      You went for the real questions!

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (35:54):

      I did. And she laughed and thought that was funny. And she did travel for real. But yeah, she’s an amazing woman. We still keep in contact. And I remember, you know, little things…like we would be out there doing our PE time and she’d have her long skirt, you know, dress on, with her tennies, and she’s out there playing kickball with us. Just a very kindhearted, smart, amazing woman. I’m very fortunate and I’m grateful that we are able to keep in contact. Love social media for that reason. So.

      Eric Cross (36:33):

      Yeah. And that’s Miss Sheldon?

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (36:35):

      Mrs. Sheldon. Marlene Sheldon. Yeah.

      Eric Cross (36:37):

      Shout-Out to Marlene Sheldon influencing the next generation of teachers, with engagement with your world travels and all those different things.

      Eric Cross (37:04):

      Ryan, thank you so much for one, serving our students. And in the classroom, our middle-school students who need us. I think that middle school especially, elementary school, those years are when students are really starting to decide, “What am I good at?” And the experiences that we create for our students really shape what they believe they can do. These really cool, engaging experiences, these projects that you’re giving them, whether they’re doing these car sales, Shark Tanks, or they’re doing penpals, or you have guest speakers, or they’re designing planets. These are things that students don’t forget. And then when they move on to higher grades, they remember more than anything, I think, how they felt about something. And it sounds like you’re crafting these awesome experiences. And so I just wanna thank you for your time. I know as a teacher it’s very short. And I thank you for being on the podcast with us.

      Ryan Renee Rudkin (38:04):

      Thank you. This has been a great experience. I just—I really enjoy my students. And I feel very, very grateful and very blessed for finding where I belong.

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      What Ryan Rudkin says about science

      “I like to make my class and my learning environment enjoyable. I know there’s other goals in mind… but at the end of the day, I want to come back and I want [students] to come back. It’s so rewarding as a teacher to see these kids that are just on fire… and you know that one day they’re going to go off and do amazing things. ”

      – Ryan Renee Rudkin

      Middle school science teacher

      Meet the guest

      Ryan Rudkin is a middle school science educator near Sacremento, California. Although she originally thought she would teach elementary students, Ryan connected with middle school and never looked back. Now in her 16th year in the classroom, Ryan also supports teachers in her district with professional development. Ryan’s favorite part of teaching science is seeing students grapple with concepts and explore phenomena.

      A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair smiles at the camera, wearing earrings and a dark top. The background is blurred green and gray.

      About Science Connections: The podcast

      Welcome to Science Connections: The Podcast! Science is changing before our eyes, now more than ever. So…how do we help kids figure that out? We will bring on educators, scientists, and more to discuss the importance of high-quality science instruction. In this episode, hear from our host Eric Cross about his work engaging students as a K-8 science teacher.

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