Amplify Science – Prince George
High-impact, evidence-based programs that help students make gap-closing gains in reading and math
Amplify Tutoring engages students and drives measurable academic gains. We partner with districts to ensure that children become confident, proficient readers and mathematical thinkers.

About Amplify Tutoring
Grounded in evidence-based practices and taught by caring, consistent tutors, our high-impact tutoring programs use high-quality instructional materials and data-driven mCLASS® products to support and engage students.
- Personalized, data-driven instruction
- Research-backed solutions tailored to support your Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework
- Customizable—before, during, or after school; year-long, semester-long, and summer programming
- Comprehensive, hands-on program management and staffing support
Amplify Literacy Tutoring supports K–6 readers through engaging, systematic instruction aligned to the Science of Reading and driven by mCLASS DIBELS® data.
Amplify Math Tutoring accelerates student achievement in grades 3–5 and builds students’ confidence in speaking, writing, and thinking mathematically.
More than a program: a true partner
Hear directly from district leaders and educators who’ve experienced the Amplify Tutoring difference. In these candid conversations, they share how we partner to deliver solutions for schools, gains for students, and support for teachers.
Our impact
Amplify Tutoring accelerates learning for students who need it most. Students in Amplify Tutoring are more likely to achieve outsized academic gains than similarly at-risk peers in the same schools who are not enrolled in the program.
Reliable, easy-to-read data
With valid and reliable mCLASS assessments and real-time reporting always within reach, everyone involved in a child’s learning journey—from teachers and tutors to school leaders and families—can support student growth.
- Teachers have visibility into students’ data and all tutoring lesson content.
- School and district administrators receive regular tutoring attendance and progress-monitoring reports.
- Caregivers receive Home Connect letters and activities to help their child practice foundational skills at home.


High-quality instructional materials that power Amplify Literacy Tutoring
Amplify Literacy Tutoring includes high-quality resources to support students’ growth.
Targeted lessons generated by precise data
mCLASS Intervention is a research-backed, ESSA rated program that targets instruction based on students’ mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition assessment results. With engaging lessons aligned to the Science of Reading that adapt based on students’ progress monitoring results, mCLASS Intervention streamlines time-consuming data analysis for teachers and makes sure that tutoring focuses on the literacy skills students need.


Transparency into student performance
mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition is our nationally normed benchmarking and progress monitoring assessment tool to measure students’ foundational literacy skills. Students take the benchmark assessment three times a year and progress monitoring occurs every 7–10 lessons in between.
Proven impact for students who need it most
Boost Reading delivers targeted, adaptive practice that meets students where they are, while teachers get simple and meaningful insights into student progress. The program consistently moves students toward grade-level proficiency with just 30 minutes of use per week. Students can continue learning through Boost Reading between tutoring sessions or at home.

High-quality instructional materials that power Amplify Math Tutoring
Amplify Math Tutoring includes high-quality resources to support students’ growth.
Intervention Mini-Lessons aligned to core instruction
Amplify Desmos Math Mini-Lessons provide targeted intervention for students who require additional support or need more time. These lessons are aligned to the most critical topics throughout a unit; they enhance conceptual understanding while improving procedural fluency and application.

Valuable insights into student mathematical thinking
mCLASS Math is our benchmarking and progress monitoring assessment tool. Students take the benchmark assessment three times a year; progress monitoring occurs every 7–10 lessons in between.
Personalized practice—anytime and at home
Fact fluency practice provides students with regular practice beyond rote memorization. The program is used during tutoring sessions and is available on non-tutoring days. Students also have access to Boost Math’s independent learning activities, to continue practicing between tutoring sessions or at home.

Consultation and collaboration
Amplify Tutoring tailors our support for educators, schools, districts, caregivers, and state-level leaders, helping to realize the promise of high-impact tutoring programs. Through collaborative partnerships at every level, Amplify Tutoring engages communities in driving academic improvement and boosting attendance.
Our services can include:
Program design consultation: Amplify Tutoring offers expert program design consultation services to help schools and districts create effective and scalable high-impact tutoring programs.
Tailored onboarding: We provide customized training sessions for school, district, and state leaders, ensuring that Amplify Tutoring services are integrated smoothly into existing systems.
Ongoing professional development and coaching: Our program management includes continuous training, coaching support, and office hours with pedagogical experts to fortify the program’s success and adaptability.
Caregiver engagement: We offer resources and support for families and caregivers, including tips for at-home support, helping them stay informed and involved in their child’s progress.
Seamless communication and support: We provide transparent communication and engage all stakeholders—district and school leaders, teachers, caregivers, and students—to keep everyone aligned and informed.
Data reporting: We provide detailed reports and analytics to district and school leaders, giving them the power to monitor progress, make data-driven decisions, and celebrate successes.
Amplify Tutoring is part of a connected early literacy and math suite.
Our literacy and math suite programs are designed to support and complement each other in a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS). Learn more about our related programs.
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.

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.

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.

Domain
Nursery Rhymes and Fables/Rimas y fábulas infantiles
Start learning about literature with these classic Mother Goose rhymes.

Domain
The Five Senses/Los cinco sentidos
Learning about the body starts with learning about how we experience the world.

Domain
Stories/Cuentos
Learn about the parts of a book and some of the stories that go in one.

Domain
Plants/Plantas
Discover the lifecycle of plants and the history of George Washington Carver.

Domain
Farms/Granjas
Now we know how plants make their food… but what about animals?

Domain
Native Americans/Los nativos americanos
Who were the first people in America? A look at the Lenape, Wampanoag, and Lakota Sioux.

Domain
Kings and Queens/Reyes y reinas
To understand fairy tales, it’s best to first understand royalty.

Domain
Seasons and Weather/Las estaciones y el tiempo
The study of natural cycles continues with the weather and why it happens.

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.

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?

Domain
Taking Care of the Earth/Cuidar el planeta Tierra
We only have one Earth—here are some ways to help care for it.

Domain
Presidents and American Symbols/Presidentes y símbolos de los Estados Unidos
Start learning about government through the lives of five presidents.

Domain
Fables and Stories/Fábulas y cuentos
Learn some of the key elements of a story through classic fables.

Domain
The Human Body/El cuerpo humano
What are germs? What are the organs? And what does it all have to do with health?

Domain
Different Lands, Similar Stories/Tierras diferentes, cuentos similares
A world tour of storytelling, and the stories that stay the same across the world.

Domain
Early World Civilizations/Antiguas civilizaciones del mundo
Rivers, farming, writing, and laws: just what does it take to build a civilization?

Domain
Early American Civilizations/Antiguas civilizaciones de América
What will we find in the great temples of the Aztec, Maya, and Inca civilizations?

Domain
Astronomy/Astronomía
How the Earth relates to the moon, the sun, and the rest of the planets.

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?

Domain
Animals and Habitats/Los animales y sus hábitats
A look at the connection between how animals live and where they make their homes.

Domain
Fairy Tales/Cuentos de hadas
What do fairy tales have to teach us about how stories are told?

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.

Domain
Frontier Explorers/Exploradores de la Frontera
The story of the journey west from the newborn U.S.A. to find the Pacific Ocean.

Domain
Fairy Tales and Tall Tales/Cuentos de hadas y cuentos exagerados
Learn about exaggeration and characterization on the frontier.

Domain
Early Asian Civilizations/Antiguas civilizaciones de Asia
Tour the world of classical civilization, starting with India and China.

Domain
Ancient Greek Civilization/La civilización griega antigua
The tour continues with the philosophy and politics of Greece.

Domain
Greek Myths/Mitos griegos
Dive deep into the characters and storytelling of classic myths.

Domain
The War of 1812/La guerra de 1812
Learn about America’s “Second War for Independence.”

Domain
Cycles in Nature/Los ciclos de la naturaleza
Introducing the natural cycles that make our lives possible.

Domain
Westward Expansion/La expansión hacia el oeste
Why did pioneers go west? What happened to the people who were there?

Domain
Insects/Los insectos
Lay the grounds for animal classification by looking at solitary and social insects.

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.

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.

Domain
Immigration/La inmigración
Why did people immigrate to the United States, and what did they find here?

Domain
Fighting for a Cause/Luchar por una causa
How people can do extraordinary things to make the world better for everyone.

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.

Unit 2
Animal Classification/La clasificación de los animales
How do we classify different animals by their appearance and behavior?

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.

Unit 4
The Ancient Roman Civilization/La civilización romana antigua
What is Rome’s greatest cultural contribution? In this unit, your students decide.

Unit 5
Light and Sound/La luz y el sonido
The science behind all the ways we see and hear the world.

Unit 6
The Viking Age/La era vikinga
An immersive narrative experience about what life was like in Viking communities.

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.

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?

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?

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.

Unit 11
Ecology/Ecología
Students keep ecologist’s journals to learn about our world and how best to protect it.

Unit 1
Personal Narratives/Narrativas personales
Read stories of personal experience… and learn to reflect on your own.

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.

Unit 3
Poetry/Poesía
Study the poetry of many nations using licensed text anthologies, and begin to write your own.

Unit 4
Eureka! Student Inventor/¡Eureka! Estudiante inventor
Transform the class into a lab for students to build and present inventions.

Unit 5
Geology/Geología
Plate tectonics, volcanoes, erosion: all the forces that shape the Earth.

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.

Unit 7
American Revolution/La Revolución estadounidense
Why did America seek independence? Let’s investigate the causes and effects.

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.

Unit 3
Poetry/Poesía
Students close read many forms of poetry… and learn to write them.

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.

Unit 6
The Reformation/La Reforma
How did the printing press transform the religion and society of Europe?

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.

Unit 8
Native Americans/Los nativos americanos
How did the policies of the U.S. government impact Native American culture and lives?

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.
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.
Meet Science of Reading changemaker Altramez Simone McQuaige

Awards for teachers—we should probably give them out every day. We try to honor teachers and their exceptional contributions in as many ways as we can at Amplify. That’s why our annual Science of Reading Star Awards is one of our biggest events of the year!
We’re currently accepting nominations through Jan. 31. Apply now!
This annual award program is a great opportunity for us to shine a spotlight on the classroom teachers, school administrators, and educators who are improving student literacy outcomes in schools and communities across the country—like 2024 Changemaker Award winner Altramez Simone McQuaige. We hope her significant contributions inspire you in your work—and inspire you to nominate a teacher for an award next year!
A leadership role: Experience and experimentation
Altramez Simone McQuaige has spent more than 30 years in education, so it’s probably safe to assume she knows what she’s doing. But she’s not afraid to embrace change, or even take risks. “We didn’t go into this profession to do the same thing every day,” she says.
As supervisor of elementary reading and English language arts at Prince George’s County Public Schools, McQuaige took on the challenge of improving literacy instruction in her district by focusing on the Science of Reading.
Foundational skills: Noticing the problem
Several years ago, McQuaige and her team noticed a specific issue with foundational skills instruction, especially in first and second grades. “We were seeing a population of students that we weren’t seeing progress with consistency,” she says.
Under McQuaige’s leadership, a team of coaches, reading leaders, and administrators met to discuss how to improve their foundational skills instruction and student outcomes, asking themselves questions like: Should they shift their curriculum? Their classroom methods? Their entire literacy approach?
Then the pandemic hit.
Coming together: Exploring a new approach
Despite pandemic disruptions, McQuaige and her team convened and launched a cohort of 240 teachers, central office personnel, and reading leaders to learn more about the Science of Reading.
Openness to change was key. The cohort had to be willing to look at the latest research and see—as McQuaige puts it— that “some of the practices that may have been used from yesteryear were not effective.”
Their decision? Start to shift from a balanced literacy environment to a structured literacy approach involving explicit, systematic teaching of the elements of reading and a strong emphasis on phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension strategies.
Varied stakeholders building energy for change
There was “energy around the shift,” she recalls. The excitement coming from that large team of varied stakeholders helped build further buy-in—and success.
“We wanted to ensure that our reading leaders and our central office personnel with ESOL teachers and special educators had an opportunity to engage in these conversations,” she says. “That led us to have teachers practice or pilot programs before we chose the best products to meet the needs of our teachers.”
“We were building capacity across our district,” she says, “and building leaders and allies to talk about why the shift is necessary, and what they noticed as they started to embed those practices in their instruction.”
Professional development: Continued improvement and support
The result? The district successfully moved to a structured literacy approach in just three years, and improvements in student performance data demonstrate the effectiveness of the changes. “Even those who were once reticent are seeing the shift in their students,” McQuaige says of the teachers around her.
She also acknowledges the essential role of their partners: “Amplify’s support was crucial as we shifted. We know that as you make the shift, it will never be one and done. The continuous learning across our district, using our Amplify team, is invaluable.”
But McQuaige knows that even if the shift in approach is technically complete, she—like her students—must always be learning. “Let’s follow the research,” she says. “I know research is always changing, and that means we’re always changing.”
Here’s your nomination form!
Inspired? We’re looking for our shining 2025 Science of Reading leaders now! Visit our Star Awards page for information like our submission deadline, and nominate a teacher for an award today!
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High-impact literacy tutoring for K–6 built on the Science of Reading-NEW | Amplify
Amplify announces new board member Margaret Spellings
Brooklyn, NY (October 25, 2019) — Amplify, a publisher of next-generation curriculum and assessment programs, announced today that it appointed a new board member, Margaret Spellings. Spellings served as the secretary of education under former President George W. Bush from 2005–2009 and was the president of the University of North Carolina from 2016–2019. She was also an advisor to Bush when he served as governor of Texas. She is now president and CEO of Texas 2036, a non-profit organization dedicated to sustaining the success of Texas.
“We are very grateful for the vast experience that Margaret will bring to our board,” said Larry Berger, CEO of Amplify. “As a seasoned leader in U.S. education with expertise at the national, state, and university levels, she will provide invaluable guidance to our company as we continue growing and serving more educators and students across the country.”
“I am excited for this opportunity to work with a company that creates such high-quality curriculum and assessment programs,” said Spellings. “I have seen in my work just how critical it is to provide educators with well-designed materials that engage all of their students in rigorous learning, and I’m committed to partnering with Amplify to help advance the movement of bringing strong curricular materials to schools across the U.S.”
Spellings joins Amplify’s existing board members: Russlynn Ali, Managing Director, Education at the Emerson Collective; Brad Powell, Managing Director, Investments at the Emerson Collective; and Larry Berger, CEO at Amplify.
About Amplify
A pioneer in K–12 education since 2000, Amplify is leading the way in next-generation curriculum and assessment. Our captivating core and supplemental programs in ELA, math, and science engage all students in rigorous learning and inspire them to think deeply, creatively, and for themselves. Our formative assessment products turn data into practical instructional support to help all students build a strong foundation in early reading and math. All of our programs provide teachers with powerful tools that help them understand and respond to the needs of every student. Today, Amplify serves five million students in all 50 states. For more information, visit amplify.com.
Contact: media@amplify.com
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.

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.

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.

Domain
Nursery Rhymes and Fables/Rimas y fábulas infantiles
Start learning about literature with these classic Mother Goose rhymes.

Domain
The Five Senses/Los cinco sentidos
Learning about the body starts with learning about how we experience the world.

Domain
Stories/Cuentos
Learn about the parts of a book and some of the stories that go in one.

Domain
Plants/Plantas
Discover the lifecycle of plants and the history of George Washington Carver.

Domain
Farms/Granjas
Now we know how plants make their food… but what about animals?

Domain
Native Americans/Los nativos americanos
Who were the first people in America? A look at the Lenape, Wampanoag, and Lakota Sioux.

Domain
Kings and Queens/Reyes y reinas
To understand fairy tales, it’s best to first understand royalty.

Domain
Seasons and Weather/Las estaciones y el tiempo
The study of natural cycles continues with the weather and why it happens.

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.

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?

Domain
Taking Care of the Earth/Cuidar el planeta Tierra
We only have one Earth—here are some ways to help care for it.

Domain
Presidents and American Symbols/Presidentes y símbolos de los Estados Unidos
Start learning about government through the lives of five presidents.

Domain
Fables and Stories/Fábulas y cuentos
Learn some of the key elements of a story through classic fables.

Domain
The Human Body/El cuerpo humano
What are germs? What are the organs? And what does it all have to do with health?

Domain
Different Lands, Similar Stories/Tierras diferentes, cuentos similares
A world tour of storytelling, and the stories that stay the same across the world.

Domain
Early World Civilizations/Antiguas civilizaciones del mundo
Rivers, farming, writing, and laws: just what does it take to build a civilization?

Domain
Early American Civilizations/Antiguas civilizaciones de América
What will we find in the great temples of the Aztec, Maya, and Inca civilizations?

Domain
Astronomy/Astronomía
How the Earth relates to the moon, the sun, and the rest of the planets.

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?

Domain
Animals and Habitats/Los animales y sus hábitats
A look at the connection between how animals live and where they make their homes.

Domain
Fairy Tales/Cuentos de hadas
What do fairy tales have to teach us about how stories are told?

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.

Domain
Frontier Explorers/Exploradores de la Frontera
The story of the journey west from the newborn U.S.A. to find the Pacific Ocean.

Domain
Fairy Tales and Tall Tales/Cuentos de hadas y cuentos exagerados
Learn about exaggeration and characterization on the frontier.

Domain
Early Asian Civilizations/Antiguas civilizaciones de Asia
Tour the world of classical civilization, starting with India and China.

Domain
Ancient Greek Civilization/La civilización griega antigua
The tour continues with the philosophy and politics of Greece.

Domain
Greek Myths/Mitos griegos
Dive deep into the characters and storytelling of classic myths.

Domain
The War of 1812/La guerra de 1812
Learn about America’s “Second War for Independence.”

Domain
Cycles in Nature/Los ciclos de la naturaleza
Introducing the natural cycles that make our lives possible.

Domain
Westward Expansion/La expansión hacia el oeste
Why did pioneers go west? What happened to the people who were there?

Domain
Insects/Los insectos
Lay the grounds for animal classification by looking at solitary and social insects.

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.

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.

Domain
Immigration/La inmigración
Why did people immigrate to the United States, and what did they find here?

Domain
Fighting for a Cause/Luchar por una causa
How people can do extraordinary things to make the world better for everyone.

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.

Unit 2
Animal Classification/La clasificación de los animales
How do we classify different animals by their appearance and behavior?

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.

Unit 4
The Ancient Roman Civilization/La civilización romana antigua
What is Rome’s greatest cultural contribution? In this unit, your students decide.

Unit 5
Light and Sound/La luz y el sonido
The science behind all the ways we see and hear the world.

Unit 6
The Viking Age/La era vikinga
An immersive narrative experience about what life was like in Viking communities.

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.

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?

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?

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.

Unit 11
Ecology/Ecología
Students keep ecologist’s journals to learn about our world and how best to protect it.

Unit 1
Personal Narratives/Narrativas personales
Read stories of personal experience… and learn to reflect on your own.

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.

Unit 3
Poetry/Poesía
Study the poetry of many nations using licensed text anthologies, and begin to write your own.

Unit 4
Eureka! Student Inventor/¡Eureka! Estudiante inventor
Transform the class into a lab for students to build and present inventions.

Unit 5
Geology/Geología
Plate tectonics, volcanoes, erosion: all the forces that shape the Earth.

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.

Unit 7
American Revolution/La Revolución estadounidense
Why did America seek independence? Let’s investigate the causes and effects.

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.

Unit 3
Poetry/Poesía
Students close read many forms of poetry… and learn to write them.

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.

Unit 6
The Reformation/La Reforma
How did the printing press transform the religion and society of Europe?

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.

Unit 8
Native Americans/Los nativos americanos
How did the policies of the U.S. government impact Native American culture and lives?

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.
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.
Transcripts and additional resources:
Meet Our Guest(s):
Lillian Durán, Ph.D.
Lillian Durán has a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Minnesota and is a professor in the Department of Special Education and Clinical Services at the University of Oregon. She holds a bachelor’s in elementary education from Antioch College and a master’s in education and human development from George Washington University. Her research focuses on large-scale equitable language and literacy measurement development in English and Spanish from preschool to 6th grade. She also is project director on several training grants from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs, which prepare master’s and doctoral students to serve marginalized populations with disabilities with a focus on equity and improving educational outcomes. Durán frequently delivers presentations on the topic of recommended practices in language, and on literacy practices with multilingual/English learners. She has served on multiple equity and diversity councils, including the National Association for Young Children and the Division for Early Childhood. Prior to her work in higher education,Durán spent nine years as an elementary special education teacher both in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and in rural southwestern Minnesota.
Meet our host, Susan Lambert
Susan Lambert is the Chief Academic Officer of Elementary Humanities at Amplify, and the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast. Her career has been focused on creating high-quality learning environments using evidence-based practices. Lambert is a mom of four, a grandma of four, a world traveler, and a collector of stories.
As the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Lambert explores the increasing body of scientific research around how reading is best taught. As a former classroom teacher, administrator, and curriculum developer, Lambert is dedicated to turning theory into best practices that educators can put right to use in the classroom, and to showcasing national models of reading instruction excellence.
Quotes
“Language is inextricably linked to culture. We want to make sure these families and children feel valued and honored within our schools.”
“No matter what language you start to learn some of those skills in, there's a transfer and understanding of how to listen to sounds and how to put sounds together.”
Meet Our Guest(s):
A. Simone McQuaige
A. Simone McQuaige has dedicated 34 years to education within the Prince George’s County Public School (PGCPS) system. A proud alumna of PGCPS, she began her career as an elementary school teacher. She has since had various leadership roles, including mentor teacher, reading specialist, and Reading/English Language Arts Instructional Specialist, as well as serving as an adjunct professor. She is the Supervisor of Reading/English Language Arts, K–5, and she leads the Elementary Literacy Support Team in the Office of Curriculum and Instruction.
In 2024, Simone was honored with Amplify’s Changemaker Science of Reading Star Award.
Meet our host, Ana Torres.
Ana has been an educator for 30 years, working in both the K–8 and higher education sectors. She served as an administrator and instructor at various public and private colleges and universities and as a bilingual and dual language teacher, dual language math and reading interventionist, dual language instructional coach, assistant principal, and principal in K–8 schools. Ana is currently the bilingual and multilingual specialist on Amplify’s product specialist team, and delivers literacy and biliteracy presentations across the nation. Ana’s passion and advocacy for biliteracy and multiculturalism has led her to educate leaders, teachers, and parents about the positive impact of bilingualism and biliteracy in our world.

Meet our Classroom Insider, Eric Cross.
Eric Cross is a middle school science teacher who hopes to someday be a lifelong educator, like the guests on Beyond My Years! In each episode, Eric connects with host Ana Torres to discuss her guests’ best insights gleaned from their long and rewarding careers in the classroom. Then, Eric talks about bringing some of their wisdom into his current classroom and busy life.
Transcripts and additional resources:
Quotes
“I want future me to be grateful for past me.”
“There are a lot of lessons to be learned from ‘back in the day.’ It doesn’t mean we always had it right. We were learning along the way and we recognize that our students are not the same students that were sitting in front of us ‘back in the day.’”
“Seasoned teachers are often looked at as the ones with all the answers, and they may not truly have all the answers, but they’ve lived experiences that I think a lot of new teachers could learn from.”
“When you look at a lot of the seasoned teachers who’ve been in the profession for quite some time, there’s a calmness about them. And you work effectively when you’re in that calm space.”
“One of the things that I’ve learned over the years is you cannot make change by yourself.”
“We’re talking about the kind of professional development that people have time to invest in learning, and where teachers are treated as the professionals they are.”
“When you think about legacy, you’re thinking about what things you can put in place that are going to support the generations in the future. And that means you are investing in the people around you now that will be in the field to make those decisions.”
“All of us kind of feel like there’s work undone … it’s never ever finished. But I think you get to a point where you just feel that you have given your entire heart.”
Meet Our Guest(s):
Fawn Nguyen
Fawn Nguyen is director of STEM Initiatives at Amplify. Before joining Amplify, she was a math coach in a K–8 school district for three years and a middle school math teacher for 30 years. She has received many accolades, including being named the 2014 Ventura County Teacher of the Year, Raytheon’s 2009 Math Teacher Hero, and the 2005 Sarah D. Barder Fellow at the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. She has also been a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator at math conferences nationwide. In 2012, she co-founded the Math Teacher’s Circle in Thousand Oaks, California. From 2015–2018, Fawn served as a member of NCTM’s Professional Development Services Committee.
A. Simone McQuaige
A. Simone McQuaige has dedicated 34 years to education within the Prince George’s County Public School (PGCPS) system. A proud alumna of PGCPS, she began her career as an elementary school teacher. She has since had various leadership roles, including mentor, teacher, reading specialist, and reading/English language arts instructional specialist, as well as serving as an adjunct professor. Simone is the supervisor of reading/English language arts K–5 and she leads the Elementary Literacy Support Team in the Office of Curriculum and Instruction.
Rebecka Peterson
Recognized as the 2023 National Teacher of the Year, Rebecka Peterson is a math teacher who loves stories. Rebecka has been teaching for 16 years, the last 12 of which at Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She believes that when we learn each other’s stories, we carry a piece of each other with us, enabling us to authentically advocate for our students, teachers, and communities.
In the midst of a challenging first year of teaching, Rebecka joined other educators in a daily practice of noting “one good thing” in her classroom. Together they found inspiration by embracing the motto: “Every day may not be good, but there is one good thing in every day.” This shift in perspective transformed her work. Rebecka now collaborates with fellow educators, emphasizing the importance of cultivating intentional joy as a means of sustaining oneself in the difficult but beautiful profession of teaching.
Meet our host, Ana Torres.
Ana has been an educator for 30 years, working in both the K–8 and higher education sectors. She served as an administrator and instructor at various public and private colleges and universities and as a bilingual and dual language teacher, dual language math and reading interventionist, dual language instructional coach, assistant principal, and principal in K–8 schools. Ana is currently the bilingual and multilingual specialist on Amplify’s product specialist team, and delivers literacy and biliteracy presentations across the nation. Ana’s passion and advocacy for biliteracy and support for all students from all walks of life has led her to educate leaders, teachers, and parents about the positive impact of bilingualism and biliteracy in our world.

Meet our Classroom Insider, Eric Cross.
Eric Cross is a middle school science teacher who hopes to someday be a lifelong educator, like the guests on Beyond My Years! In each episode, Eric connects with host Ana Torres to discuss her guests’ best insights gleaned from their long and rewarding careers in the classroom. Then, Eric talks about bringing some of their wisdom into his current classroom and busy life.
Quotes
“ My biggest mistake early on was needing to have the last word.”
“ Something I really struggled with and actually took me several years to feel confident in [was] how to manage my classroom in a way that felt good and true to me.”
“Looking back, I realized it would’ve been so helpful to have learned how to set boundaries for myself, prioritize tasks, and definitely build time for my own self-care.”
Transcripts and additional resources:
Meet Our Guest(s):
Reid Lyon, Ph.D.
Reid Lyon is a neuroscientist and specialist in learning disorders who currently serves as a senior advisor to the Drexel University ALLIED Hub. From 1991 to 2025, he served as Chief of the Child Development and Behavior Branch at The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)/National Institutes of Health, where he developed and oversaw research programs in cognitive neuroscience and reading development. In this role, he designed and directed the 44-site NICHD Reading Research Network and served as an advisor to President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush on developmental science, language, and reading. He co-authored landmark legislation including the Reading Excellence Act (1996) and Reading First Initiative (2002), and authored the legislative language for the National Reading Panel.
Lyon has published over 130 peer-reviewed articles and co-authored the definition of dyslexia now used by the International Dyslexia Association. A Vietnam combat veteran who received the Bronze Star, he brings both scientific expertise and personal perspective to understanding learning differences and translating research into practice and policy.
Meet our host, Susan Lambert, Ed.D.
Susan Lambert is chief academic officer of literacy at Amplify and host of Science of Reading: The Podcast. Throughout her career, she has focused on creating high-quality learning environments using evidence-based practices. Lambert is a mom of four, a grandma of four, a world traveler, and a collector of stories.
As the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Lambert explores the increasing body of scientific research around how reading is best taught. A former classroom teacher, administrator, and curriculum developer, she’s dedicated to turning theory into best practices that educators can put right to use in the classroom, and to showcasing national models of reading instruction excellence.
Quotes
“I know we've let children down, but boy have we let teachers down.”
“The hallmark of a profession is a common language displaying a common knowledge.”
“How is it that we know so much yet we are still far behind the curve in helping the majority of struggling readers learn to read?”
“Science is neutral. The Science of Reading is not a belief system. It's a container with facts that constantly evolves.”
“Much of our difficulties moving the science [of literacy] into classrooms is a function of not having established ourselves as a profession.”
“We have a responsibility to use the best information possible that has taught us how we can improve the person's life.”
“Assessment is a great friend.”
“What we know is only as good as what we do.”
Transcripts and additional resources:
Meet Our Guest(s):
Timothy Shanahan, Ph.D.
Timothy Shanahan, Ph.D., is distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Prior to this work, he served as director of reading for Chicago Public Schools and was a visiting professor at Queens University in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He has written and edited more than 300 publications, including his book Leveled Reading, Leveled Lives: How Students’ Reading Achievement Has Been Held Back and What We Can Do About It. He is also a former president of the International Literacy Association and served on the National Institute for Literacy Advisory Board under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. He was inducted to the Reading Hall of Fame in 2007 and is a former first-grade teacher.
Meet our host, Susan Lambert
Susan Lambert is chief academic officer of literacy at Amplify and host of Science of Reading: The Podcast. Throughout her career, she has focused on creating high-quality learning environments using evidence-based practices. Lambert is a mom of four, a grandma of four, a world traveler, and a collector of stories.
As the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Lambert explores the increasing body of scientific research around how reading is best taught. A former classroom teacher, administrator, and curriculum developer, she’s dedicated to turning theory into best practices that educators can put right to use in the classroom, and to showcasing national models of reading instruction excellence.
Quotes
“ We're trying to teach kids to read, and a text that is immediately comprehensible leaves you very little to learn.”
“You can increase the learning for most people if you increase the difficulty, because people have to think about it more. They have to work.”
“Reading comprehension is not just a psychological or cognitive action—it's an ethical action.”
“We should be teaching kids with more challenging texts than we have been.”
“Athletes don't do all of their training at peak levels of difficulty; they work up to those.”
Transcripts and additional resources:
Meet Our Guest(s):
Tim Shanahan, Ph.D.
Timothy Shanahan, Ph.D., is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Prior to this work, he served as Director of Reading for Chicago Public Schools and was a visiting research professor at Queens University in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He has written and edited more than 300 publications, including his new book, Leveled Reading, Leveled Lives: How Students’ Reading Achievement Has Been Held Back and What We Can Do About It (Harvard Education Press, 2025). He was also a former president of the International Literacy Association and served on the National Institute for Literacy Advisory Board under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. He was inducted to the Reading Hall of Fame in 2007 and is a former first-grade teacher.
Meet our host: Susan Lambert
Susan Lambert is Chief Academic Officer of Literacy at Amplify and host of Science of Reading: The Podcast. Throughout her career, she has focused on creating high-quality learning environments using evidence-based practices. Lambert is a mom of four, a grandma of four, a world traveler, and a collector of stories.
As the host of Science of Reading: The Podcast, Lambert explores the increasing body of scientific research around how reading is best taught. A former classroom teacher, administrator, and curriculum developer, she’s dedicated to turning theory into best practices that educators can put right to use in the classroom, and to showcasing national models of reading instruction excellence.
Quotes
“This notion of trying to match kids to books and get everybody to their right level is, at the very least, wasteful. It's not benefiting kids.”
“We're spending an awful lot of time doing a lot of work that is not only not paying off, but it's probably holding a lot of kids back.”
“When we try to ease the path so much so that the kids will hardly even know that they're learning anything, they're probably hardly ever gonna learn anything.”
“Maybe we should be having kids read some of these texts more than once. Maybe we should be doing some of our fluency work, not after we did the comprehension work, but ahead of time.”




