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¡Les damos la bienvenida, familias de Amplify ELA!
Nos complace darles la bienvenida a usted y a su estudiante al programa Amplify ELA para el nuevo año escolar y brindarles oportunidades de aprendizaje excepcionales a través de ELA. Hemos reunido una serie de recursos y guías que ayudarán a que su estudiante aproveche al máximo nuestra plataforma. Ponemos a su disposición estos materiales para que también usted pueda brindar apoyo a su estudiante a lo largo de todo el año.
Para la versión en inglés, haga clic aquí.
¿Qué es Amplify ELA?
Amplify ELA ayuda a los estudiantes de los grados 6 a 8 a leer y comprender textos complejos que los alientan a abordar ideas interesantes y a descubrir, por sí mismos, la relevancia de estos textos. Amplify ELA es un programa mixto que incluye materiales digitales e impresos, pero también se puede utilizar solo de manera impresa. Los estudiantes que usan Amplify ELA leen textos con atención, interpretan lo que encuentran, comparten sus ideas con sus compañeros y desarrollan sus ideas por escrito. La estructura de la lección es fácil de seguir, pero lo suficientemente flexible para permitir diversas experiencias de aprendizaje y lo suficientemente variada para mantener a los estudiantes interesados.
Las características incluyen:
- Funcionalidad que permite a cada estudiante trabajar en su propio nivel y enfrentar, al mismo tiempo, desafíos adecuados.
- Herramientas integradas que permiten a los maestros realizar un seguimiento y responder al trabajo de los estudiantes.
- La biblioteca digital (Amplify Library), que contiene más de 700 libros completos de ficción y no ficción descargables.
- La aplicación de vocabulario (Vocab App), que utiliza actividades lúdicas para ayudar a que los estudiantes dominen las palabras clave de los textos del programa. (Los estudiantes que utilicen materiales impresos verán las palabras clave resaltadas.)
- Tareas de escritura independientes llamadas Solos, disponibles en dispositivos móviles.
- Proyectos interactivos llamados Quests que acompañan a ciertas unidades para proporcionar práctica adicional en las habilidades analíticas de lectura, escritura, habla y escucha.
Primeros pasos
Cómo apoyar a su estudiante en casa:
- Si es posible, lea con su estudiante a diario; incluso 15 minutos de lectura juntos al día pueden tener un gran impacto. Pueden leer juntos en voz alta secciones del texto; a muchos estudiantes de secundaria les gusta adoptar el papel de un personaje de una obra de teatro e interpretar parte de sus diálogos o añadir un toque dramático a un poema en el que estén trabajando. Si su estudiante tiene dificultad para leer en voz alta, intente leerle el texto con expresividad y después pida a su estudiante que haga lo mismo. Los días flexibles del programa (Flex Days) tienen una variedad de actividades de fluidez en la lectura que sirven como práctica adicional. Pídale a su estudiante que le ayude a encontrar estas actividades.
- Busquen momentos para conversar sobre lo que están leyendo y descubriendo. Por ejemplo, usted podría preguntarle:¿Qué te llamó la atención de lo que leíste hoy? ¿Alguna frase o palabra te resultó confusa? ¿Qué te sorprendió más? ¿Qué crees que intentaba comunicar el autor? ¿Estás de acuerdo con sus ideas o descripciones? ¿Qué conexiones puedes establecer entre lo que lees y tu propia vida u otros temas que hayas escuchado?
- Escuche a su estudiante leer sus respuestas escritas o pídale que las comparta con un amigo por teléfono o en una videollamada.
- Explore Amplify Library para encontrar libros que su estudiante pueda disfrutar y leer con fluidez por su cuenta.
- Consulte el artículo Proteja a los niños en internet de la Comisión Federal de Comercio, cuyo tema es la seguridad digital.
Cómo acceder a textos en Amplify Library.
¡Invitamos a que los estudiantes utilicen los textos básicos de Amplify Library en casa! Por favor, siga los siguientes pasos para poder descargar un texto y poder leerlo sin contar con acceso a internet:
1. Diríjase al menú Programs & Apps (Programas y aplicaciones) ubicado en la parte superior de la pantalla y desplácese hacia abajo hasta encontrar el icono de Amplify Library. Cuando lo seleccione, Amplify Library se abrirá en una nueva pestaña.
2. Si se le solicita, siga las instrucciones para configurar un pin para Amplify Library; de lo contrario, continúe con el siguiente paso.
3. En la esquina superior derecha de la pantalla, busque el libro que desea descargar. Por ejemplo: The Secret of the Yellow Death: A True Story of Medical Sleuthing.
4. Seleccione el botón Download (Descargar).
5. Si pierde el acceso a internet mientras está en Amplify Library, podrá seguir accediendo y leyendo los libros descargados. Si la página se actualiza sin tener conexión a internet o usted intenta iniciar sesión en otro dispositivo sin tener conexión, perderá el acceso a los libros descargados hasta que se restablezca la conexión.
Para recuperar los textos descargados:
- Desde la aplicación de Amplify Library, abra el menú desplegable My Library (Mi biblioteca) ubicado en la esquina superior izquierda.
- Seleccione Downloaded (Descargados).
- Elija el texto que desea leer de entre todos los textos previamente descargados.
Vistazo general a los materiales
No todas las escuelas funcionan de la misma manera, pero los estudiantes que asisten a escuelas que tienen las ediciones impresas y digitales del programa probablemente tienen los siguientes materiales impresos en casa:
- Edición para estudiantes (Student Edition): Incluye todas las lecturas y actividades necesarias para la instrucción a lo largo del año. Los estudiantes pueden leer las selecciones tanto en formato digital como impreso y anotar en ambos formatos. Las lecciones de la Edición para estudiantes impresa reflejan cada lección digital, pero se han modificado para que funcionen eficazmente en formato impreso.
- Diarios de escritura (Writing Journals): Este espacio proporciona a los estudiantes la posibilidad de responder a indicaciones de escritura (Writing Prompts) y completar otras tareas escritas.
En el caso de que los estudiantes no tengan acceso a dispositivos o Internet, pueden continuar completando tareas clave de lectura y escritura utilizando las Ediciones para estudiantes impresas y los Diarios de escritura para estudiantes.
Los maestros también pueden acceder a, imprimir y enviar por correo las guías de novelas (Novel Guides) para estudiantes. Las guías abarcan hasta 12 novelas que suelen enseñarse en las escuelas. Seis de estas novelas están disponibles en Amplify Library y la mayoría debería estar disponible en una biblioteca pública.
Reseñas de unidades
A continuación, se presentan breves descripciones generales de cada unidad que su estudiante estudiará en su grado a lo largo del año. Con cada unidad se incluye una guía descargable que ofrece un repaso más detallado del contenido cubierto y de cómo puede ayudar a su estudiante a profundizar en la comprensión de los temas.
Unidad 6A
La narrativa de Dahl
Cada estudiante comienza con escritura narrativa para aumentar rápidamente su producción de escritura, aprender la destreza básica de enfoque y familiarizarse con los hábitos y rutinas clave del salón de clases que utilizarán todo el año. Luego, aplica su nueva capacidad de observación a entretenidas lecturas de la biografía de Roald Dahl, Boy, y aprende a trabajar de cerca con evidencias del texto.
Unidad 6B
Misterios e investigaciones
Cada estudiante lee con la atención propia de un investigador, embarcándose en un estudio del cautivante mundo del trabajo de detective en distintos géneros literarios. Al final de la unidad, el niño o la niña escribe una composición para explicar cuál es el rasgo más útil de un investigador en la resolución de problemas.
Unidad 6C
Colección acerca del chocolate
Los aztecas lo usaban como moneda, Robert Falcon Scott lo llevó a la Antártida, los nazis diseñaron con él una bomba para matar a Churchill. La historia del chocolate se remonta a 3,700 años en el pasado y está repleta de vicisitudes que la vuelven un tema de investigación gratificante. En esta unidad los y las estudiantes analizan documentos de primera fuente y conducen investigaciones independientes para entender mejor la extraña y maravillosa gama de roles que el chocolate ha desempeñado en el mundo a lo largo de los siglos.
Unidad 6D
Los griegos
Los mitos griegos nos ayudan a entender no solo la cultura griega antigua, sino también el mundo que nos rodea y la función que cumplimos en él. Partiendo de las rutinas y destrezas establecidas en las unidades anteriores, estas lecciones motivan a cada estudiante a dejar atrás el enfoque en una sola persona —él mismo o ella misma o un personaje— para contemplar cuestiones más amplias sobre el papel que las personas desempeñan en el mundo y en las comunidades donde residen.
Unidad 6E
El verano de las mariposas
Las tierras fronterizas de Estados Unidos y México son lugares poblados de leyendas, tanto verdaderas como ficticias. El verano de las mariposas, de Guadalupe García McCall, implanta una versión de la Odisea en este entorno, embarcando a cinco hermanas en una aventura que transcurre en un mundo de héroes y malhechores inspirado en mitos aztecas y leyendas latinoamericanas. La experiencia ayuda a las hermanas a aceptar la disolución del matrimonio de sus padres y a encontrar fortaleza renovada en su identidad de hermanas y en su conexión a un linaje azteca. En esta unidad, cada estudiante analiza el uso que McCall da a la estructura de una epopeya para crear una narración emocionante de aventuras, y cómo la autora hace uso de la narración para celebrar el poder femenino, su herencia latina y una definición más amplia de lo que es una familia. Cada estudiante también tiene oportunidad de comparar el viaje ficticio de las jóvenes a México con la descripción del viaje real de un jovencito a Estados Unidos.
Unidad 6F
Colección acerca del Titanic
Para aprender a diferenciar las fuentes primarias, secundarias y terciarias, determinar si una fuente dada es fiable y entender los usos éticos de la información, cada estudiante formula sus propias preguntas de investigación y busca las respuestas en internet. Asumirá así el papel de uno de los pasajeros o pasajeras de la lista de embarque del Titanic y considerará cuestiones de clase y género, a medida que investiga y escribe relatos desde el punto de vista de los viajeros.
Unidad 6F y unidad 6G
Comenzar a escribir un cuento
En esta unidad cada estudiante puede poner en práctica sus destrezas de escritura creativa, para aprender elementos de narración y desarrollo de personajes, y la importancia del lenguaje vívido. Cada estudiante consigue una noción de propiedad sobre su propia escritura a medida que experimenta los diferentes impactos de sus decisiones autorales en oraciones, lenguaje, rasgos de personajes y giros de la trama.
Unidad 6F
Gramática
En esta unidad cada estudiante completa instrucciones para seguir un aprendizaje autoguiado y practica lo que el maestro y la maestra le asignará durante el año.
Unidad 7A
La narrativa y La joven del pañuelo rojo
En esta unidad se presenta la autobiografía sumamente cautivante de una joven cuya vida transcurre en China durante la Revolución Cultural. Cada estudiante aprende la historia y el contexto político de este periodo, enfocándose en el relato de alguien que vivió en la época de la revolución. A medida que cada estudiante recorre el camino de la protagonista en ese mundo convulsionado, puede apreciar los cambios que se produjeron en los sentimientos y motivaciones de la joven a lo largo del tiempo.
Unidad 7B
Carácter y conflicto
Leyendo Una pasa al sol y Inocentón, cada estudiante explora el tema de las personas que, al enfrentar adversidades, pueden infligir daño en quienes los rodean sin intención de hacerlo. Las dos narrativas se complementan para brindar a cada estudiante oportunidades de analizar las respuestas de los personajes al conflicto y el desarrollo de ideas del autor o la autora en una obra de ficción.
Unidad 7C
La ciencia del cerebro
¿Podrías sobrevivir después de que una vara de hierro te atravesara el cráneo? Phineas Gage lo hizo y su historia, escalofriante pero real, permite desarrollar la información de contexto y analizar otros textos informativos, incluyendo los contemporáneos El hombre que confundió a su mujer con un sombrero y el obviamente relevante La desmitificación del cerebro adolescente.
Unidad 7D
La poesía y Poe
Los textos de Poe siempre tienen mucho para observar, descifrar, comentar y… crisparnos los nervios. Dado que las cosas no siempre son lo que aparentan, cada estudiante usa las destrezas de lectura atenta para cuestionar si debería creer lo que el narrador de Poe les está contando.
Unidad 7E
Colección acerca de Frida y Diego
Los artistas más famosos y provocativos de México, Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo, formaron una pareja extraordinaria que vivió en tiempos extraordinarios. Eran almas gemelas con personalidades totalmente opuestas. Las obras de Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo y sus vidas multifacéticas ofrecen a cada estudiante un tema fértil y fascinante para examinar documentos de fuente primaria y conducir investigaciones independientes.
Unidad 7F
Colección acerca de La fiebre del oro
Cada estudiante elige entre una extensa colección de fuentes primarias y secundarias para aprender acerca de la amplia diversidad de personas que participaron en La fiebre del oro de California.
Unidad 7G
Escribir un cuento: nivel intermedio
En esta unidad cada estudiante puede poner en práctica sus destrezas de escritura creativa para aprender elementos de narración y desarrollo de personajes, y la importancia del lenguaje vívido.
Unidad 7
Gramática
En esta unidad cada estudiante completa instrucciones para seguir un aprendizaje autoguiado que el maestro o la maestra le asignará durante el año. Las sub unidades están organizadas por temas clave de gramática, de manera de que el maestro o la maestra pueda asignar el contenido que mejor se acomoda a las necesidades de sus estudiantes mientras se asegura de que trabajen con temas clave de gramática apropiados para su grado.
Unidad 8A
Perspectivas y narrativa
Esta unidad procura enseñar a cada estudiante a leer como un escritor o una escritora. Así, pone en práctica la destreza de prestar atención al oficio de la escritura: las decisiones que toma un buen escritor o escritora para darle forma a nuestra percepción de una escena o a nuestros sentimientos hacia un personaje, y para despertar nuestras emociones, sorprendernos o dejarnos pensando en lo que podría suceder después. Cada estudiante lee atentamente ejemplos de narrativas de no ficción, analiza las técnicas que usa cada autor para que sus textos evoquen emociones y practica la aplicación de estas técnicas en sus propios textos narrativos.
Unidad 8B
Libertad e igualdad
Analizamos las palabras de varios creadores —desde el poeta Walt Whitman hasta el abolicionista Frederick Douglass y el presidente Abraham Lincoln— para descubrir cómo sus escritos y obras contribuyeron a los cambios extremos de la organización social: un concepto totalmente nuevo de lo que significaba considerar a las personas “iguales”.
Unidad 8C
Ciencias y ciencia ficción
Cada estudiante leerá la obra Frankenstein de Gris Grimly, una novela gráfica que integra ilustraciones cautivantes en una versión abreviada de la edición de 1818 del libro de Mary Shelley. Combinadas con el texto de Shelley, las inquietantes —y a veces espeluznantes— representaciones de la criatura de Frankenstein diseñadas por Grimly impulsan a cada estudiante a contemplar algunos de los temas centrales del texto: el origen de la humanidad y la raíz del mal. Luego escribe un ensayo, en el cual, después de argumentar a favor de ambos lados de la cuestión, determina si en última instancia la criatura de Frankenstein debería considerarse humana.
Unidad 8D
Romeo y Julieta, de Shakespeare
Romeo y Julieta combina romance y acción, ofreciendo una amplia gama de temas y escenas que cada estudiante puede leer y representar actuando. Cada estudiante de nivel intermedio tiene la edad adecuada para identificarse con los sentimientos intensos de los amantes, y ha alcanzado la madurez suficiente como para analizar de forma crítica las decisiones que toman Romeo y Julieta.
Unidad 8E
El Holocausto: memoria y significado
Esta unidad usa una variedad de artículos, imágenes y videos de primera fuente, así como textos de no ficción literaria y no ficción gráfica, para estudiar los sucesos que hicieron posibles las atrocidades del Holocausto. Cada estudiante investiga cómo se generó y se empleó la propaganda para crear un ambiente político que llegó a corromper a toda una sociedad. Las Olimpiadas se observan a través de la lente de una campaña de propaganda internacional, al amparo de la cual los nazis comenzaron a eliminar de su cultura a las personas que no eran de lo que consideraban “raza aria”. La sub unidad final examina los resultados de la doctrina nazi y su impacto en las víctimas y sobrevivientes judíos.
Unidad 8F
Colección acerca de La carrera espacial
Cada estudiante usa internet para poner a prueba sus destrezas de investigación y lectura atenta, y distingue entre fuentes fiables y fuentes no fiables.
En esta colección los estudiantes exploran documentos primarios y llevan a cabo investigación independiente para comprender mejor esta carrera espacial entre los dos superpoderes del planeta. La dramática historia de la carrera espacial ofrece a cada estudiante un generoso tema de investigación para explorar, mientras desarrollan destrezas de lectoescritura informativa, y aprenden cómo elaborar sus propias preguntas de investigación y exploran Internet en busca de respuestas.
Unidad 8
Gramática
En esta unidad cada estudiante completan instrucciones para seguir un aprendizaje autoguiado que el maestro o la maestra le asignará durante el año. Las sub unidades están organizadas por temas clave de gramática, de manera de que el maestro o la maestra pueda asignar el contenido que mejor se acomoda a las necesidades de sus estudiantes mientras se aseguran de que trabajen con temas clave de gramática apropiados para su grado.
Unidad 8G
Escribir un cuento: nivel avanzado
En esta unidad cada estudiante pueden poner en práctica sus destrezas de escritura creativa, para aprender elementos de narración y desarrollo de personajes. También aprende la importancia del lenguaje vívido para enganchar a sus lectores y atraerles al cuento.
Actividades adicionales
Quests:
Quizás observe que su estudiante trabaja con sus compañeros en el mismo proyecto interactivo durante varios días, intentando resolver un misterio o explicar un acontecimiento histórico. Eso es lo que sucede cuando un maestro asigna una misión (Quest): una exploración minuciosa de una semana que requiere colaboración y ayuda a profundizar la interacción con los textos y con los temas tratados.
Vocab App:
La aplicación de vocabulario (Vocab App) ayuda a los estudiantes a dominar las palabras del vocabulario a través de actividades lúdicas que los hacen pensar en la morfología, la analogía y los sinónimos y antónimos, y a descifrar el significado a través del contexto.
¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre Amplify ELA?
Visite nuestra biblioteca de ayuda (en inglés) y busque respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el programa en nuestros artículos de ayuda.
Para obtener apoyo curricular adicional, comuníquese con su maestro.
Familias y cuidadores, ¡bienvenidos a Amplify Desmos Math California
K–5!
Bienvenidos al Caregiver Hub de Amplify Desmos Math California K–5. Esperamos que su estudiante disfrute explorando las matemáticas, trabajando con amigos para resolver problemas y aprendiendo conceptos nuevos e interesantes. ¡Y esperamos que ustedes disfruten de la experiencia matemática junto con ellos! A continuación, encontrarán algunas sugerencias y recursos para apoyar su aprendizaje en casa.
Obtenga más información sobre Amplify Desmos Math California.
For the English version, please click here.
Recursos de la unidad para cuidadores
Para cada unidad del programa, hemos creado un Recurso para cuidadores (Caregiver Resource), el cual ofrece un resumen de los conceptos clave, además de un problema del conjunto de práctica de la lección que usted puede resolver con su estudiante. Encontrará un Recurso para cuidadores en cada unidad, disponible tanto en inglés como en español.
- Unidad 1: Sumar, restar y trabajar con datos
- Unidad 2: Problemas de palabras de adición y sustracción
- Unidad 3: Suma y resta hasta 20
- Unidad 4: Los números hasta el 99
- Unidad 5: Sumar números hasta el 100
- Unidad 6: Medir el largo de objetos de hasta 120 unidades de longitud
- Unidad 7: Geometría y la hora
- Unidad 1: Introducción a la multiplicación
- Unidad 2: Área y multiplicación
- Unidad 3: Conclusión de la suma y la resta hasta 1,000
- Unidad 4: Relación de la multiplicación con la división
- Unidad 5: Fracciones como números
- Unidad 6: Medir longitud, tiempo, volumen líquido y peso
- Unidad 7: Figuras bidimensionales y perímetro
- Unidad 1: Factores y múltiplos
- Unidad 2: Equivalencia y comparación de fracciones
- Unidad 3: Extender las operaciones a las fracciones
- Unidad 4: De centésimas a centenas de millar
- Unidad 5: Comparación multiplicativa y medidas
- Unidad 6: Multiplicar y dividir números de varios dígitos
- Unidad 7: Ángulos y propiedades de las figuras
- Unidad 1: Volumen
- Unidad 2: Fracciones como cocientes y multiplicación de fracciones
- Unidad 3: Multiplicación y división de fracciones
- Unidad 4: Multiplicación y división con números enteros de varios dígitos
- Unidad 5: Patrones en los valores posicionales y operaciones con decimales
- Unidad 6: Más operaciones con decimales y fracciones
- Unidad 7: Figuras en el plano de coordenadas
Ingrese a Amplify Desmos Math California en casa.
Además del cuaderno de ejercicios impreso de la Edición del estudiante (Student Edition), su estudiante tendrá acceso digital a todos los materiales de aprendizaje, práctica y evaluación a través de la plataforma de Amplify. Es posible acceder al currículo digital desde la escuela o desde casa siguiendo estas instrucciones:
- Haga clic en el botón Amplify Desmos Math California.
- Seleccione Log in with Amplify.
- Ingrese el nombre de usuario y la contraseña de su estudiante que el maestro les haya proporcionado.
- Seleccione el nivel escolar deseado.
Una vez iniciada la sesión, los cuidadores pueden ver el trabajo de los estudiantes abriendo tareas anteriores.
Aprenda a navegar por la página de inicio de los estudiantes (student home page).
Vistazo general a los materiales
Amplify Desmos Math California promueve el aprendizaje mixto por medio de materiales impresos de apoyo y una experiencia digital única. Todas las lecciones en los grados K a 5 están disponibles en un cuaderno de trabajo de la Edición del estudiante. Muchas de las lecciones incluyen actividades prácticas con materiales manipulables, herramientas que ayudan a que los estudiantes hagan tangibles conceptos abstractos para poder comprenderlos. Su estudiante también trabajará con dispositivos digitales durante un número de lecciones que es apropiado para su edad.
Cuando los estudiantes usan dispositivos, los maestros pueden supervisar su trabajo en tiempo real, asegurándose de que reciban el apoyo exacto que necesitan en cada parte de la lección, dentro y fuera del salón de clase.
Componentes de una lección
A los estudiantes en un aula de Amplify Desmos Math California se les ve (¡y se les escucha!) haciendo preguntas, debatiendo respuestas, justificando su razonamiento, enfrentándose a problemas y trabajando juntos o de forma individual.
Una lección típica de Amplify Desmos Math California incluye:
- Calentamiento: Un problema breve e interesante para que los estudiantes se sientan atraídos a la lección.
- Actividades: Una o dos actividades cortas que desafíen las destrezas de los estudiantes para resolver problemas.
- Síntesis: Una discusión para revisar y consolidar los conceptos importantes de la lección.
- Demuestra lo que sabes (Show What You Know) y Reflexión (Reflection): Preguntas para que los estudiantes demuestren lo que aprendieron en la lección. (Nota: La evaluación de la lección “Demuestra lo que sabes” es opcional en kindergarten y primer grado).
- Centros (Centers): Estaciones de actividades dirigidas por los estudiantes que refuerzan los conceptos matemáticos que aprendieron durante las actividades de la lección usando formatos interactivos y, a menudo, lúdicos. En kindergarten y primer grado, el tiempo destinado a los Centros se incorpora en los últimos 15 minutos de cada lección.
Para apoyar, fortalecer y ampliar el aprendizaje de los estudiantes después de la lección, Amplify Desmos Math California ofrece opciones de:
- Diferenciación: Minilecciones (Mini-Lessons), Centros, Extensiones, Boost Personalized Learning y Fluency Practice (Práctica de la fluidez).
- Práctica: Problemas adicionales que el maestro puede asignar para trabajar en clase o como tarea.
Apoye el aprendizaje de las matemáticas en casa.
Usted puede apoyar el aprendizaje de las matemáticas de su estudiante fuera de la escuela de muchas maneras:
El maestro puede asignar problemas de práctica al final de cada lección como trabajo en clase o como tarea. Si su estudiante ya ha completado los problemas de práctica de la lección, pídale que le explique cómo resolvió cada problema o que comente las partes que le resultaron difíciles. Haga preguntas de seguimiento para fomentar el uso del lenguaje matemático mientras explica su razonamiento, por ejemplo: “¿Cómo lo sabes?”, “¿Cómo puedes demostrar tu razonamiento?” o “¿Cómo describirías eso?”. Si su estudiante no consigue avanzar, hágale preguntas de apoyo, por ejemplo: “¿Qué información de aquí conoces?” o “¿Cómo podrías representar este problema?”.
Los juegos de Centro (Center game) se alinean con las matemáticas de la unidad y se pueden jugar con los estudiantes fuera de clase. Es posible que el maestro les explique a los estudiantes cómo jugar un juego de Centro durante o después de una lección. Si no es así, usted puede enseñarle a jugar usando instrucciones fáciles de seguir. Regístrese para obtener una cuenta gratuita y explorar los Centros y el contenido adicional para grados K a 5 en nuestras Colecciones destacadas.
Relacione las matemáticas con actividades cotidianas en casa, ya sea ir de compras, preparar la comida o planear una visita a la tienda. Su estudiante puede ayudarle a calcular cuántas manzanas más hay en el carrito que naranjas, dividir un sándwich en cuatro partes o calcular cuánto cambio recibirá si paga con un billete de diez dólares. Anímelo a señalar las maneras en que ustedes usan las matemáticas en sus quehaceres diarios.
Recuerde al estudiante que bloquearse es una parte necesaria (incluso benéfica) del proceso de aprendizaje. Muchos estudiantes (al igual que personas adultas) temen equivocarse, pero las investigaciones demuestran que cometer errores ayuda a que nuestro cerebro se desarrolle. Cuando su estudiante no consiga avanzar en un problema, anímelo a seguir intentando diferentes estrategias, aunque no esté seguro de si son correctas.
Obtenga más información.
¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre Amplify Desmos Math California? Visite nuestra biblioteca de ayuda (en inglés) para buscar artículos con respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el programa. Para obtener más ayuda, por favor comuníquese con su maestro.
¡El programa de Amplify ELA da la bienvenida a las familias!
Nos complace dar la bienvenida a usted y a su estudiante al programa Amplify ELA en el nuevo año escolar y brindar a su estudiante excelentes oportunidades educativas a través de nuestro programa. A continuación incluimos una serie de recursos y guías útiles para ayudar a que su estudiante aproveche al máximo nuestra plataforma a lo largo del año. For English version, please click here.
¿Qué es Amplify ELA?
El programa Amplify ELA ayuda a los estudiantes de los grados 6 a 8 a leer y entender textos complejos, animándoles a profundizar en ideas interesantes y reflexionar de forma independiente sobre su relevancia. Amplify ELA es un programa mixto que incluye materiales digitales e impresos, así como una versión únicamente impresa. Los estudiantes que usan Amplify ELA leen pasajes de texto detalladamente, interpretan lo que van descubriendo, conversan con sus compañeros acerca de sus puntos de vista y desarrollan sus ideas por escrito. La estructura de las lecciones es fácil de entender y tiene suficiente flexibilidad como para permitir una variedad de experiencias de aprendizaje que fomenten el interés de los estudiantes.
Entre las características del programa, puede encontrar:
- Funcionalidad que permite a cada estudiante trabajar en su propio nivel, a la vez que se le estimula adecuadamente con retos de aprendizaje.
- Herramientas integradas que permiten al maestro/la maestra saber cómo progresan los estudiantes en sus trabajos y responder oportunamente.
- La Biblioteca Amplify digital, con más de 700 libros descargables de ficción y no ficción.
- La aplicación de vocabulario, que usa actividades similares a juegos para ayudar a los estudiantes a dominar las palabras clave de los textos del programa. (Si su estudiante usa materiales impresos, verá las palabras resaltadas).
- Tareas de escritura independiente llamadas Solos, disponibles en dispositivos móviles.
- Proyectos interactivos conocidos como Quests que acompañan a determinadas unidades para ofrecer oportunidades de práctica adicionales en lectura, escritura, expresión oral y comprensión auditiva con un enfoque analítico.
Para comenzar
Cómo apoyar a su estudiante
- Si es posible, lea con su estudiante a diario. Aun 15 minutos de lectura compartida todos los días pueden producir grandes resultados. Pueden leer secciones del texto en voz alta y de forma conjunta. Es posible que, a nivel intermedio, su estudiante disfrute de representar secciones de diálogos asumiendo el papel de alguno de los personajes de una obra o dándole un estilo dramático a algún poema que hayan estado estudiando. Si su estudiante tiene dificultad para leer en voz alta, intente leerle el texto con expresividad y pídale que se lo lea a usted después. Para practicar más, hay una gama de actividades de fluidez en los Días Flex del programa. Pida a su estudiante que le ayude a encontrar estas actividades.
- Busque oportunidades para conversar con su estudiante sobre lo que lee y descubre. Ejemplos de preguntas que usted podría plantear: ¿Qué te llamó más la atención en lo que leíste hoy? ¿Hubo alguna oración o palabra que te resultó confusa? ¿Qué fue lo que más te sorprendió? ¿Qué crees que el autor estaba tratando de comunicar? ¿Estás de acuerdo con las ideas o descripciones del autor? ¿Qué conexiones puedes hacer entre lo que estás leyendo y tu propia vida u otros temas?
- Escuche a su estudiante leer sus respuestas escritas o pídale que las comparta con un amigo o amiga por teléfono o mediante una aplicación de videollamada.
- Visite con su estudiante la Biblioteca Amplify para encontrar libros de su interés que pueda leer con fluidez.
- Recomendamos que lea el artículo Proteja a los niños en internet de la Comisión Federal de Comercio sobre seguridad digital.
Descargar textos de la Biblioteca Amplify
Si no tiene acceso continuo a internet en su casa, le sugerimos que descargue los textos esenciales de la biblioteca de Amplify por adelantado. Siga estos pasos para descargar un texto:
- Navegue hasta el menú “Program & Apps» en la parte superior de su pantalla y desplácese hasta encontrar el icono «Library». Cuando lo seleccione, la biblioteca Amplify se abrirá en una nueva pestaña.
2. Si se le solicita, siga las instrucciones para configurar un pin para la biblioteca Amplify; de lo contrario, continúe con el siguiente paso.
3. En la esquina superior derecha de su pantalla, busque el libro que desea descargar. Por ejemplo: “The Secret of the Yellow Death: A True Story of Medical Sleuthing”.
4. Ahora ubique el botón de “Download” (descargar).
5. Una vez descargado, podrá acceder a este libro incluso cuando no tenga acceso a Internet.
Para acceder a los textos descargados:
- En la aplicación de la biblioteca de Amplify, abra el menú desplegable «My Library» (mi biblioteca) en la esquina superior izquierda.
- Seleccione “Downloaded” (descargados).
- Elija el texto que desea leer de entre todos los textos predescargados.
Vistazo general a los materiales
No todas las escuelas funcionan de la misma manera, pero es probable que los estudiantes que asisten a escuelas que cuentan con las versiones impresa y digital del programa, tengan los siguientes materiales impresos en casa:
- Libro del estudiante: Incluye todas las lecturas y actividades necesarias para la enseñanza a lo largo del año. Los estudiantes pueden leer las selecciones tanto en el formato digital como en la versión impresa y hacer apuntes en cualquiera de los dos. Las lecciones de la versión impresa del Libro del estudiante reflejan las lecciones digitales, pero han sido modificadas para que resulten tan eficaces como las digitales.
- Cuadernos de escritura: En estos cuadernos, los estudiantes responden a las consignas de escritura y realizan otras tareas escritas.
En caso de que los estudiantes no tengan acceso a los dispositivos o a internet, pueden continuar llevando a cabo tareas clave de lectura y escritura empleando la versión impresa del Libro del estudiante y los Cuadernos de escritura.
El maestrotambién puede acceder a las Guías de novelas para los estudiantes e imprimir y enviar por correo hasta doce novelas que comúnmente forman parte del programa de enseñanza. Seis de estas novelas están disponibles en la Biblioteca Amplify y la mayoría de ellas se pueden encontrar en las bibliotecas públicas.
Un vistazo a las unidades
A continuación encontrará resúmenes de cada unidad en las que su estudiante trabajará en su grado durante el año. Junto a cada unidad hay una guía descargable que permite conocer más a detalle cuál es el contenido abarcado y cómo puede ayudar a su estudiante a comprender mejor los temas.
Unidad 6A
La narrativa de Dahl
Cada estudiante comienza con escritura narrativa para aumentar rápidamente su producción de escritura, aprender la destreza básica de enfoque y familiarizarse con los hábitos y rutinas clave del salón de clases que utilizarán todo el año. Luego, aplica su nueva capacidad de observación a entretenidas lecturas de la biografía de Roald Dahl, Boy, y aprende a trabajar de cerca con evidencias del texto.
Unidad 6B
Misterios e investigaciones
Cada estudiante lee con la atención propia de un investigador, embarcándose en un estudio del cautivante mundo del trabajo de detective en distintos géneros literarios. Al final de la unidad, el niño o la niña escribe una composición para explicar cuál es el rasgo más útil de un investigador en la resolución de problemas.
Unidad 6C
Colección acerca del chocolate
Los aztecas lo usaban como moneda, Robert Falcon Scott lo llevó a la Antártida, los nazis diseñaron con él una bomba para matar a Churchill. La historia del chocolate se remonta a 3,700 años en el pasado y está repleta de vicisitudes que la vuelven un tema de investigación gratificante. En esta unidad los y las estudiantes analizan documentos de primera fuente y conducen investigaciones independientes para entender mejor la extraña y maravillosa gama de roles que el chocolate ha desempeñado en el mundo a lo largo de los siglos.
Unidad 6D
Los griegos
Los mitos griegos nos ayudan a entender no solo la cultura griega antigua, sino también el mundo que nos rodea y la función que cumplimos en él. Partiendo de las rutinas y destrezas establecidas en las unidades anteriores, estas lecciones motivan a cada estudiante a dejar atrás el enfoque en una sola persona —él mismo o ella misma o un personaje— para contemplar cuestiones más amplias sobre el papel que las personas desempeñan en el mundo y en las comunidades donde residen.
Unidad 6E
El verano de las mariposas
Las tierras fronterizas de Estados Unidos y México son lugares poblados de leyendas, tanto verdaderas como ficticias. El verano de las mariposas, de Guadalupe García McCall, implanta una versión de la Odisea en este entorno, embarcando a cinco hermanas en una aventura que transcurre en un mundo de héroes y malhechores inspirado en mitos aztecas y leyendas latinoamericanas. La experiencia ayuda a las hermanas a aceptar la disolución del matrimonio de sus padres y a encontrar fortaleza renovada en su identidad de hermanas y en su conexión a un linaje azteca. En esta unidad, cada estudiante analiza el uso que McCall da a la estructura de una epopeya para crear una narración emocionante de aventuras, y cómo la autora hace uso de la narración para celebrar el poder femenino, su herencia latina y una definición más amplia de lo que es una familia. Cada estudiante también tiene oportunidad de comparar el viaje ficticio de las jóvenes a México con la descripción del viaje real de un jovencito a Estados Unidos.
Unidad 6F
Colección acerca del Titanic
Para aprender a diferenciar las fuentes primarias, secundarias y terciarias, determinar si una fuente dada es fiable y entender los usos éticos de la información, cada estudiante formula sus propias preguntas de investigación y busca las respuestas en internet. Asumirá así el papel de uno de los pasajeros o pasajeras de la lista de embarque del Titanic y considerará cuestiones de clase y género, a medida que investiga y escribe relatos desde el punto de vista de los viajeros.
Unidad 6F y unidad 6G
Comenzar a escribir un cuento
En esta unidad cada estudiante puede poner en práctica sus destrezas de escritura creativa, para aprender elementos de narración y desarrollo de personajes, y la importancia del lenguaje vívido. Cada estudiante consigue una noción de propiedad sobre su propia escritura a medida que experimenta los diferentes impactos de sus decisiones autorales en oraciones, lenguaje, rasgos de personajes y giros de la trama.
Unidad 6F
Gramática
En esta unidad cada estudiante completa instrucciones para seguir un aprendizaje autoguiado y practica lo que el maestro y la maestra le asignará durante el año.
Unidad 7A
La narrativa y La joven del pañuelo rojo
En esta unidad se presenta la autobiografía sumamente cautivante de una joven cuya vida transcurre en China durante la Revolución Cultural. Cada estudiante aprende la historia y el contexto político de este periodo, enfocándose en el relato de alguien que vivió en la época de la revolución. A medida que cada estudiante recorre el camino de la protagonista en ese mundo convulsionado, puede apreciar los cambios que se produjeron en los sentimientos y motivaciones de la joven a lo largo del tiempo.
Unidad 7B
Carácter y conflicto
Leyendo Una pasa al sol y Inocentón, cada estudiante explora el tema de las personas que, al enfrentar adversidades, pueden infligir daño en quienes los rodean sin intención de hacerlo. Las dos narrativas se complementan para brindar a cada estudiante oportunidades de analizar las respuestas de los personajes al conflicto y el desarrollo de ideas del autor o la autora en una obra de ficción.
Unidad 7C
La ciencia del cerebro
¿Podrías sobrevivir después de que una vara de hierro te atravesara el cráneo? Phineas Gage lo hizo y su historia, escalofriante pero real, permite desarrollar la información de contexto y analizar otros textos informativos, incluyendo los contemporáneos El hombre que confundió a su mujer con un sombrero y el obviamente relevante La desmitificación del cerebro adolescente.
Unidad 7D
La poesía y Poe
Los textos de Poe siempre tienen mucho para observar, descifrar, comentar y… crisparnos los nervios. Dado que las cosas no siempre son lo que aparentan, cada estudiante usa las destrezas de lectura atenta para cuestionar si debería creer lo que el narrador de Poe les está contando.
Unidad 7E
Colección acerca de Frida y Diego
Los artistas más famosos y provocativos de México, Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo, formaron una pareja extraordinaria que vivió en tiempos extraordinarios. Eran almas gemelas con personalidades totalmente opuestas. Las obras de Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo y sus vidas multifacéticas ofrecen a cada estudiante un tema fértil y fascinante para examinar documentos de fuente primaria y conducir investigaciones independientes.
Unidad 7F
Colección acerca de La fiebre del oro
Cada estudiante elige entre una extensa colección de fuentes primarias y secundarias para aprender acerca de la amplia diversidad de personas que participaron en La fiebre del oro de California.
Unidad 7G
Escribir un cuento: nivel intermedio
En esta unidad cada estudiante puede poner en práctica sus destrezas de escritura creativa para aprender elementos de narración y desarrollo de personajes, y la importancia del lenguaje vívido.
Unidad 7
Gramática
En esta unidad cada estudiante completa instrucciones para seguir un aprendizaje autoguiado que el maestro o la maestra le asignará durante el año. Las sub unidades están organizadas por temas clave de gramática, de manera de que el maestro o la maestra pueda asignar el contenido que mejor se acomoda a las necesidades de sus estudiantes mientras se asegura de que trabajen con temas clave de gramática apropiados para su grado.
Unidad 8A
Perspectivas y narrativa
Esta unidad procura enseñar a cada estudiante a leer como un escritor o una escritora. Así, pone en práctica la destreza de prestar atención al oficio de la escritura: las decisiones que toma un buen escritor o escritora para darle forma a nuestra percepción de una escena o a nuestros sentimientos hacia un personaje, y para despertar nuestras emociones, sorprendernos o dejarnos pensando en lo que podría suceder después. Cada estudiante lee atentamente ejemplos de narrativas de no ficción, analiza las técnicas que usa cada autor para que sus textos evoquen emociones y practica la aplicación de estas técnicas en sus propios textos narrativos.
Unidad 8B
Libertad e igualdad
Analizamos las palabras de varios creadores —desde el poeta Walt Whitman hasta el abolicionista Frederick Douglass y el presidente Abraham Lincoln— para descubrir cómo sus escritos y obras contribuyeron a los cambios extremos de la organización social: un concepto totalmente nuevo de lo que significaba considerar a las personas “iguales”.
Unidad 8C
Ciencias y ciencia ficción
Cada estudiante leerá la obra Frankenstein de Gris Grimly, una novela gráfica que integra ilustraciones cautivantes en una versión abreviada de la edición de 1818 del libro de Mary Shelley. Combinadas con el texto de Shelley, las inquietantes —y a veces espeluznantes— representaciones de la criatura de Frankenstein diseñadas por Grimly impulsan a cada estudiante a contemplar algunos de los temas centrales del texto: el origen de la humanidad y la raíz del mal. Luego escribe un ensayo, en el cual, después de argumentar a favor de ambos lados de la cuestión, determina si en última instancia la criatura de Frankenstein debería considerarse humana.
Unidad 8D
Romeo y Julieta, de Shakespeare
Romeo y Julieta combina romance y acción, ofreciendo una amplia gama de temas y escenas que cada estudiante puede leer y representar actuando. Cada estudiante de nivel intermedio tiene la edad adecuada para identificarse con los sentimientos intensos de los amantes, y ha alcanzado la madurez suficiente como para analizar de forma crítica las decisiones que toman Romeo y Julieta.
Unidad 8E
El Holocausto: memoria y significado
Esta unidad usa una variedad de artículos, imágenes y videos de primera fuente, así como textos de no ficción literaria y no ficción gráfica, para estudiar los sucesos que hicieron posibles las atrocidades del Holocausto. Cada estudiante investiga cómo se generó y se empleó la propaganda para crear un ambiente político que llegó a corromper a toda una sociedad. Las Olimpiadas se observan a través de la lente de una campaña de propaganda internacional, al amparo de la cual los nazis comenzaron a eliminar de su cultura a las personas que no eran de lo que consideraban «raza aria». La sub unidad final examina los resultados de la doctrina nazi y su impacto en las víctimas y sobrevivientes judíos.
Unidad 8F
Colección acerca de La carrera espacial
Cada estudiante usa internet para poner a prueba sus destrezas de investigación y lectura atenta, y distingue entre fuentes fiables y fuentes no fiables.
En esta colección los estudiantes exploran documentos primarios y llevan a cabo investigación independiente para comprender mejor esta carrera espacial entre los dos superpoderes del planeta. La dramática historia de la carrera espacial ofrece a cada estudiante un generoso tema de investigación para explorar, mientras desarrollan destrezas de lectoescritura informativa, y aprenden cómo elaborar sus propias preguntas de investigación y exploran Internet en busca de respuestas.
Unidad 8
Gramática
En esta unidad cada estudiante completan instrucciones para seguir un aprendizaje autoguiado que el maestro o la maestra le asignará durante el año. Las sub unidades están organizadas por temas clave de gramática, de manera de que el maestro o la maestra pueda asignar el contenido que mejor se acomoda a las necesidades de sus estudiantes mientras se aseguran de que trabajen con temas clave de gramática apropiados para su grado.
Unidad 8G
Escribir un cuento: nivel avanzado
En esta unidad cada estudiante pueden poner en práctica sus destrezas de escritura creativa, para aprender elementos de narración y desarrollo de personajes. También aprende la importancia del lenguaje vívido para enganchar a sus lectores y atraerles al cuento.
Actividades adicionales
Quests:
Es posible que observe que su estudiante trabaja con sus compañeros en el mismo proyecto interactivo durante varios días, tratando de resolver un misterio o explicar un evento histórico. Eso es lo que sucede cuando un maestro asigna una misión: una exploración en profundidad de una semana de duración que requiere colaboración y profundiza el compromiso con textos y temas.
Aplicación de vocabulario:
La aplicación Vocab ayuda a los estudiantes a dominar el vocabulario a través de actividades similares a juegos que los desafían a pensar en morfología, analogías y sinónimos/antónimos, y a descifrar el significado a través del contexto.
Contacte con nosotros
¡Estamos aquí para ayudarle!
¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre Amplify ELA?
Visite nuestra biblioteca de ayuda (en inglés) para buscar artículos con respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el programa.
Para obtener apoyo curricular adicional, comuníquese con el maestro de su estudiante.
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.
Familias y cuidadores, ¡les damos la bienvenida a Amplify Desmos Math New York para los grados K–5!
Esta es la versión inicial de Amplify Desmos Math Caregiver Hub de Amplify New York.
Les damos la bienvenida a Amplify Desmos Math Caregiver Hub de Amplify New York, para los grados de kindergarten a 5.º. ¡Nos entusiasma que la escuela de su estudiante haya elegido nuestro programa! Hemos diseñado este espacio para ayudarle a incentivar en su estudiante el aprendizaje de las matemáticas este año. El esfuerzo que usted realice cumple un rol fundamental en la experiencia que el estudiante tenga con las matemáticas.
Esperamos que el estudiante disfrute de explorar las matemáticas usando la tecnología a su disposición, tanto como colaborar con amigos para resolver problemas y aprender todo tipo de conceptos nuevos e interesantes. ¡Y esperamos que a usted le encante acompañarlo en esta experiencia!
Reciban un afectuoso saludo, con mucho entusiasmo por este aprendizaje conjunto.
—El equipo de Amplify Desmos Math
Presentación de Amplify Desmos Math
Amplify Desmos Math es un plan de estudios básico de matemáticas, diseñado para estudiantes de kindergarten a 5.º grado. Desarrollamos el programa con la idea de que todo método estructurado de aprendizaje que se centra en la resolución de problemas debe tomar como base la curiosidad de los estudiantes para poder desarrollar conocimientos perdurables al nivel que corresponde en cada grado. Cada lección ofrece oportunidades de desarrollar los conocimientos de los estudiantes, conectar sus ideas, mejorar su dominio de las destrezas y darles la autonomía de plantear preguntas, explorar y hacer descubrimientos.
Amplify Desmos Math utiliza un método de enseñanza centrado en el estudiante, el cual ha demostrado mejorar significativamente el aprendizaje de las matemáticas. Nuestra misión es que su estudiante aprenda matemáticas ¡y que le encante aprenderlas!
En cada lección, el plan de estudios de Amplify Desmos Math plantea problemas entretenidos y relevantes que solucionar, dando diariamente a los estudiantes oportunidades para pensar críticamente, colaborar y participar activamente en su propio aprendizaje.
Sobre la enseñanza de las matemáticas centrada en el estudiante
La enseñanza centrada en el estudiante puede parecer distinta a las formas de aprender matemáticas del pasado y a la manera en que usted aprendió matemáticas. En lugar de memorizar fórmulas y trucos, el aprendizaje centrado en el estudiante se enfoca en ofrecer oportunidades para descubrir cómo funcionan las matemáticas. Las investigaciones revelan que tanto estudiantes como maestros prefieren este método, además de que los maestros informan que la enseñanza centrada en el estudiante ha ayudado a los suyos a aprender más matemáticas.
Esta forma de aprendizaje ayuda a los estudiantes a:
- Comprender cómo funcionan los conceptos matemáticos.
- Recordar lo que aprenden en clase y aplicar sus conocimientos a situaciones nuevas.
- Obtener mejores resultados en exámenes estandarizados y tener mejores calificaciones que los estudiantes que aprenden con otros métodos.
- Aprender a comunicarse tanto por escrito como verbalmente, comprender y replicar las opiniones de los demás y adquirir confianza para resolver nuevos problemas.
- Desarrollar habilidades clave para la vida, por ejemplo, aprovechar la tecnología, completar proyectos de forma individual y en grupo y perseverar ante problemas difíciles.
¿Qué materiales utilizan los estudiantes?
Amplify Desmos Math promueve el aprendizaje por medio de materiales impresos de apoyo combinados con experiencias digitales singulares. Todas las lecciones de Amplify Desmos Math K-5 están disponibles en un libro de Edición del estudiante que usan para escribir. Muchas de las lecciones están diseñadas para incluir actividades prácticas que incorporan materiales manipulables, y una cierta cantidad de lecciones se diseñó para que los estudiantes usen dispositivos digitales como computadoras portátiles o tabletas, en función de sus edades. Dichas lecciones incluyen experiencias digitales enriquecidas que se recomienda que los maestros asignen a sus estudiantes.
He aquí algunas características que puede esperar de Amplify Desmos Math para su estudiante:
- Lecciones que impulsan el debate en el aula para que los estudiantes puedan colaborar y así, lograr un aprendizaje conjunto y experimentar un sentido de comunidad.
- Feedback receptivo que interpreta las respuestas de los estudiantes en el contexto apropiado y fomenta la perseverancia y la rectificación.
- Planes de clase fáciles de seguir, probados en aulas de todo el país, con sugerencias y estrategias didácticas claras y rutinas de lenguaje matemático.
- Problemas de práctica para lograr dominio y ayudar a los estudiantes a repasar temas anteriores.
- Sugerencias de diferenciación para que los maestros puedan cubrir las necesidades de estudiantes diversos.
- Evaluaciones formativas que proporcionan información sobre la comprensión de cada estudiante y permiten hacer ajustes a la enseñanza para atender las necesidades de toda la clase.
- Evaluaciones sumativas que ayudan a los maestros a comprender qué saben los estudiantes sobre los contenidos matemáticos que han estudiado.
- Evaluaciones diarias en cada lección, con las cuales los maestros pueden verificar constantemente la comprensión. Un recurso para cuidadores en cada unidad, el cual incluye explicaciones de conceptos matemáticos clave y problemas para resolver con el estudiante.
Cuando los estudiantes utilizan dispositivos, los maestros pueden supervisar su trabajo en tiempo real para asegurarse de que cuentan con el apoyo que necesitan en cada sección de la lección, tanto dentro como fuera del aula. Aquí le presentamos un ejemplo de lo que un maestro ve en su panel de control para ayudarle a supervisar los razonamientos y estimular el aprendizaje de los estudiantes.
Los estudiantes también pueden acceder a su trabajo digital en casa. He aquí un artículo sobre cómo navegar por la página de inicio para estudiantes.
¿Cómo es una lección?
En una clase de Amplify Desmos Math, se puede ver (¡y oír!) a los estudiantes al hacer preguntas, debatir respuestas, justificar sus razonamientos, resolver problemas y trabajar juntos o de forma individual.
Esto es lo que normalmente incluye una lección de Amplify Desmos Math:
- Calentamiento: Un problema breve e interesante para que los estudiantes se sientan atraídos por la lección.
- Actividades: Una o dos actividades cortas que desafían las habilidades de los estudiantes para resolver problemas.
- Síntesis: Un debate que repasa y reúne los conceptos importantes de la lección.
- Demuestra lo que sabes y Reflexión: Preguntas para que los estudiantes demuestren lo que aprendieron en la lección. (Nota: La evaluación “Demuestra lo que sabes” se imparte a criterio del maestro en kindergarten y 1.er grado).
- Centros: Estaciones de actividades dirigidas por los estudiantes, las cuales refuerzan los conceptos matemáticos que se aprendieron durante las actividades de la lección a través de formatos interactivos, usualmente similares a juegos. En kindergarten y 1.er grado, el tiempo destinado a los Centros se incorpora a los últimos 15 minutos de cada lección.
Este es el material disponible al término de la lección para apoyar, consolidar y ampliar el aprendizaje de los estudiantes:
- Diferenciación: Minilecciones, Centros, actividades complementarias, aprendizaje personalizado y práctica de dominio.
- Práctica: Problemas adicionales que el maestro puede asignar como trabajo en clase o tareas para casa.
¿Cómo pueden los cuidadores incentivar el aprendizaje de las matemáticas en casa?
Utilice nuestros Recursos de apoyo de la unidad para cuidadores
Hemos agregado un recurso para cuidadores a cada unidad del programa, el cual proporciona un resumen de los conceptos clave, junto con un problema extraído del conjunto de ejercicios de práctica de la lección para que lo resuelva junto con el estudiante.
En cada uno de los enlaces de los grados académicos a continuación, encontrará un documento con los recursos para cuidadores correspondientes a cada unidad, tanto en inglés como en español.
1.er grado
Unidad 1: Sumar, restar y trabajar con datos
English
Spanish
3.er grado
Unidad 1: Introducción a la multiplicación
English
Spanish
5.º grado
Unidad 1: Volumen
English
Spanish
Repasen juntos los problemas de práctica
El maestro puede asignar problemas de práctica al final de cada lección, como trabajo en clase o como tarea. Si el estudiante ya ha completado los problemas de práctica de la lección, pídale que le explique cómo resolvió cada problema o que le hable sobre las partes que le resultaron más difíciles.
Haga preguntas de seguimiento al estudiante para fomentar el uso del vocabulario matemático al explicar sus razonamientos, por ejemplo, “¿cómo lo sabes?”, “¿cómo puedes mostrar tu razonamiento?” o “¿cómo describirías eso?”.
Si el estudiante no consigue avanzar, hágale preguntas de apoyo, por ejemplo, “¿qué información de aquí conoces?” o “¿cómo podrías representar este problema?”.
Recuerde que es válido bloquearse
Haga hincapié en que bloquearse forma parte del proceso de aprendizaje e incluso es fundamental. Muchos estudiantes (¡al igual que adultos!) temen equivocarse. Sin embargo, las investigaciones demuestran que cometer errores ayuda a que el cerebro se desarrolle mejor. Cuando el estudiante no logre avanzar en un problema, anímelo a probar distintas estrategias, aunque no tenga certeza de si son correctas.
Descubran las matemáticas en la vida cotidiana
Relacionen las matemáticas con las actividades cotidianas del hogar, ya sea al ir de compras, preparar una comida o planificar una visita a una tienda. El estudiante puede ayudarle a calcular cuántas manzanas más que naranjas hay en el carrito; puede mostrarle cómo dividir un sándwich en cuartos o calcular cuánto cambio recibirán de un billete de diez dólares. Anime al estudiante a mencionar de qué forma la familia utiliza las matemáticas en sus tareas diarias.
Lea el Cuento de la unidad con el estudiante
Cada unidad de Amplify Desmos Math K–5 comienza con un cuento leído en voz alta que captura el interés de los estudiantes y contextualiza los conceptos matemáticos de la unidad. Los elementos y personajes del Cuento de la unidad aparecen en las lecciones de toda la unidad.
- Cuento de la Unidad 2 de kindergarten
- Cuento de la Unidad 1 de 1.er grado
- Cuento de la Unidad 1 de 2.º grado
- Cuento de la Unidad 1 de 3.er grado
- Cuento de la Unidad 1 de 4.º grado
- Cuento de la Unidad 1 de 5.º grado
Acceda a nuestra colección de lecciones y actividades gratuitas para K–5
Explore nuestros contenidos gratuitos más recientes para estudiantes de kindergarten a 5.º grado en nuestra colección de destacados de Desmos Classroom. En nuestra colección gratuita, puede acceder a:
- Lecciones digitales: interesantes lecciones interactivas.
- Minilecciones: una mezcla de actividades impresas y digitales, diseñadas para la enseñanza a grupos pequeños.
- Rutinas matemáticas: actividades digitales breves para iniciar la enseñanza y fomentar los diálogos matemáticos.
- Momentos matemáticos manejables: actividades digitales de práctica que utilizan materiales manipulables virtuales de Polypad, que por su diseño, pueden usarse de forma flexible.
Haga clic aquí para acceder a la colección e inscribirse gratuitamente.
¿Cómo accede la familia al programa desde casa?
El estudiante tendrá acceso a los materiales de aprendizaje, práctica y evaluación a través de la plataforma de Amplify. El estudiante puede acceder al plan de estudios digital en la escuela y en casa siguiendo estas sencillas instrucciones.
- Haga clic en el botón de color naranja Login to Amplify Desmos Math a continuación.
- Seleccione Log in with Amplify.
- Introduzca el nombre de usuario y la contraseña del estudiante que el maestro proporcionó.
- Seleccione el grado del estudiante.
Fomente y exalte el razonamiento de los estudiantes aprovechando su curiosidad natural.
Amplify Desmos Math ayuda a los maestros a fomentar un aula con estudiantes entusiastas y cooperativos, partiendo de sus ideas y desarrollando diaria y firmemente los conocimientos del grado académico correspondiente de cada estudiante. For English version, please click here.
Amplify Classroom
Para los grados K a 12.º
Gratuito
Una plataforma de enseñanza y aprendizaje que ofrece una colección de lecciones digitales gratuitas y herramientas para diseñar lecciones.
- Los maestros pueden crear sus propias lecciones con la herramienta Activity Builder.
- También pueden explorar contenido creado por otros maestros, por ejemplo:
- Las lecciones que crean los usuarios y se almacenan en la biblioteca.
- Las lecciones de la Colección destacada que produce el equipo de Amplify Classroom.
Más información en classroom.amplify.com
Amplify Desmos Math
Para los grados K a Álgebra 2
De Pago
Próximamente: Un nuevo programa básico de prekindergarten a 12.º grado de Amplify y Desmos Classroom.
- Un método basado en problemas que produce resultados mediante el desarrollo de una comprensión conceptual sólida, fluidez procedimental y ejemplos de uso.
- Tecnología que inspira conexiones en el aula, fomentando la colaboración, el diálogo y la perseverancia en la resolución de problemas.
- La curiosidad natural de los estudiantes propicia una comprensión cabal de las matemáticas y un aprendizaje que dura toda la vida.
- Disponible en inglés y español.
- Programma piloto para los grados K a A1 para el regreso a clases en el 2024.
Un nuevo programa básico para los grados preK al 12.º de Amplify y Desmos Classroom.
Amplify Desmos Math facilita tanto a los maestros como a los estudiantes la migración a un método basado en el planteamiento y la resolución de problemas, proporcionando actividades atractivas, eficaces herramientas de facilitación para el maestro y muchos apoyos para la diferenciación y la práctica.
Hemos combinado lecciones interactivas basadas en problemas con enseñanzas explícitas, refuerzos y prácticas para que los estudiantes dominen auténticamente las matemáticas. Las lecciones sientan una base sólida en cuanto a la fluidez en los procedimientos y cálculos, afianzan la comprensión de los conceptos y permiten a los estudiantes aplicar lo aprendido a situaciones del mundo real.
Amplify Desmos Math estará disponible a partir del curso escolar 2025–26. Los distritos interesados podrán probar la versión Beta a partir del otoño del 2024.
Más de lo que espera de un programa de matemáticas.
Integral
- Plan de estudios basado en Illustrative Mathematics® IM K-12™
- Diferenciación y práctica personalizadas
- Evaluaciones e informes exhaustivos
- Material didáctico en español
Cooperativo
- Apoyos y herramientas eficaces para la facilitación docente
- Los estudiantes analizan y aprenden de las ideas de los demás
- Cada lección cuenta con materiales impresos y digitales totalmente compatibles con un aula inclusiva
Fascinante
- Lecciones que promueven la curiosidad e inspiran a los estudiantes a resolver problemas del mundo real
- Tecnología de Desmos Classroom que proporciona información instantánea e interactiva para potenciar el razonamiento de los estudiantes
- Vistosas instrucciones gráficas para maestros y estudiantes
Qué incluye
Aprovechamos los alcances tecnológicos y las lecciones de Desmos y añadimos simples pero fascinantes componentes impresos y digitales para crear un programa sin precedentes que simplifica la enseñanza.
- Edición para estudiantes (varios volúmenes)
- Páginas de actividades interactivas para el estudiante
- Interacciones enriquecidas (más información en la página 5)
- Herramientas de colaboración
- Práctica personalizada
- Edición para maestros (varios volúmenes)
- Herramientas de facilitación y seguimiento del progreso
- Páginas de presentación
- Apoyos pedagógicos
- Evaluación
- Prácticas adicionales y material fotocopiable en blanco y negro para evaluaciones
Manténgase al día con las últimas novedades sobre Amplify Desmos Math y Desmos Classroom.
Las lecciones digitales deben potenciar el razonamiento de los estudiantes y generar debates interesantes y productivos. Regístrese para obtener más información sobre cómo Amplify Desmos Math y Desmos Classroom incitan a los estudiantes a interesarse por las matemáticas.
¡El Math Teacher Lounge está disponible!
Amplify presenta Math Teacher Lounge, un podcast con los presentadores Bethany Lockhart Johnson y Dan Meyer.
¡El programa de Amplify CKLA da la bienvenida a las familias!
Nos complace dar la bienvenida a usted y a su estudiante al programa CKLA en el nuevo año escolar y brindar a su estudiante excelentes oportunidades educativas a través de nuestro programa. A continuación incluimos una serie de recursos y guías útiles para ayudar a que su estudiante aproveche al máximo nuestra plataforma a lo largo del año. For English version, please click here.
¿Qué es Amplify CKLA?
CKLA, o Conocimientos esenciales de Artes del Lenguaje de Amplify, es un programa de lenguaje para los grados PreK a 5 que combina un enfoque multisensorial de la fonética con textos enriquecidos y cuidadosamente secuenciados para desarrollar conocimientos sobre los contenidos. De esta manera, los estudiantes aprenden a leer y leen para aprender.
Todos los días, los estudiantes de los grados PreK a 2 completan una lección que les permite desarrollar sus destrezas básicas de lectura y otra lección que refuerza los conocimientos previos. En los grados 3 a 5, los estudiantes comienzan a dominar las destrezas de lectura y continúan ampliando su mundo.
Primeros pasos
Cómo apoyar a su niño/a en casa:
- Si es posible, lea con su niño o niña a diario. Aun 15 minutos de lectura compartida todos los días pueden producir grandes resultados.
- Pueden leer secciones del texto en voz alta y de forma conjunta. Si su niño o niña tiene dificultad para leer, intente leerle el texto con expresividad y pídale que se lo lea a usted después.
- Como práctica adicional, mire las grabaciones de lectura en voz alta de los grados K a 2, o pida a su estudiante de grado 3 a 5 que use la aplicación de Vocabulario.
- Busque oportunidades para conversar sobre lo que lee y descubre. Ejemplos de preguntas que usted podría hacerle: ¿Qué te llamó más la atención en lo que leíste hoy? ¿Hubo alguna oración o palabra que te resultó confusa? ¿Qué conclusiones sacaste de este pasaje del autor o la autora? ¿Qué crees que el autor o la autora estaba tratando de comunicar? ¿Estás de acuerdo con las ideas o descripciones del autor o la autora? ¿Qué conexiones puedes hacer entre lo que estás leyendo y tu propia vida u otros temas?
- Escuche a su niño o niña leer sus respuestas escritas o pídale que las comparta con un amigo o una amiga en una videollamada.
- En esta página encontrará material para ayudar a su estudiante a desarrollar destrezas básicas, como Refuerzo de las destrezas básicas y Las destrezas en casa.
- Recomendamos que lea el artículo Proteja a los niños en internet de la Comisión Federal de Comercio sobre seguridad digital.
Inicio de sesión
Una vez que el estudiante inicia sesión, el sistema mostrará automáticamente solo los contenidos del grado correspondiente.
Estudiantes de los grados K a 2
Los estudiantes de los grados K a 2 podrán iniciar sesión con las Credenciales Compartidas que proporcionó el maestro/la maestra.
Cada estudiante ingresa en su dispositivo a learning.amplify.com.
Se hace clic en Log in y luego se introducen las credenciales de inicio de sesión o se hace clic en «Scan QR code» para iniciar sesión con un código QR. Los estudiantes ingresarán a su página de inicio, ¡donde podrán cambiar su avatar y hacer clic en un emoji para definir su estado de ánimo del día! En la página de inicio del estudiante habrá un vínculo de acceso rápido al Hub.
Nota: Los inicios de sesión compartidos son una forma de iniciar sesión en los programas digitales de Amplify para los estudiantes de los grados K a 2 de Amplify CKLA y los estudiantes que aún no han sido matriculados por su escuela o distrito. Hay un inicio de sesión compartido para los estudiantes en cada programa.
Estudiantes de los grados 3 a 5
Ir a learning.amplify.com.
Se hace clic en Log in y luego se introducen las credenciales de inicio de sesión o se hace clic en Scan QR code para iniciar sesión con un código QR. Los estudiantes ingresarán a su página de inicio, donde podrán cambiar su avatar y hacer clic en un emoji para definir su estado de ánimo del día. En la página de inicio del estudiante habrá un vínculo de acceso rápido al Hub.
Nota: Los estudiantes deben estar matriculados y tener una licencia adecuada.
Vistazo general a los materiales
Su niño o niña puede acceder al currículo digital de Amplify CKLA en casa si no puede asistir a la escuela y si tiene acceso a internet. El maestro o la maestra le dará los datos para iniciar sesión.
Libros de lectura
Estos libros de lectura han sido específicamente diseñados para que los estudiantes practiquen de manera intensiva mientras leen cuentos sencillos, pero auténticos.
En los grados K a 2, estos libros de lectura son libros de capítulos que permiten a su estudiante practicar los sonidos que acaba de aprender, aplicándolos a una experiencia de lectura auténtica que incorpora tramas convincentes y personajes interesantes.
En los grados 3 a 5, los lectores desarrollan destrezas de lectura atenta y otras destrezas de alfabetización mediante una selección de textos literarios e informativos diversos y de contenido variado.
Amplify CKLA tiene traducciones al español de lectores selectos de CKLA para los grados 3 a 5 únicamente, y están disponibles digitalmente en la Biblioteca de Amplify Hub.
Libros de actividades
En estas páginas de actividades, que son parte de las lecciones diarias, los estudiantes responden al texto que han leído, aplicando sus destrezas y conocimientos. Las páginas también incluyen evaluaciones que permiten seguir el desarrollo de las destrezas del o la estudiante. El maestro o la maestra tiene acceso a estas evaluaciones.
CKLA Hub para estudiantes
Los estudiantes acceden e interactúan con recursos multimedia en el CKLA Hub. Los estudiantes pueden emplear estos recursos digitales de forma independiente desde cualquier lugar, aprovechando por completo las experiencias educativas con multimedia que Amplify CKLA ofrece. Es compatible con laptops, Chromebooks, tabletas y computadoras de escritorio; incluso lo hemos optimizado para dispositivos móviles.
Videos de desarrollo de los conocimientos para los grados K a 2
Cada componente de Conocimiento comienza con un video de Desarrollo del Conocimiento: un cuento corto, entretenido y animado que enriquece la lección y motiva a los estudiantes con personajes, lugares y conceptos nuevos.
Biblioteca de sonidos para los grados K a 2
La Biblioteca de sonidos incluye sonidos grabados, canciones pegadizas y videos animados de articulación para ayudar a los estudiantes a aprender y dominar los sonidos.
Aplicación de vocabulario para los grados 3 a 5
La aplicación de vocabulario fue diseñada para practicar de forma independiente el vocabulario. Los estudiantes pueden usarla en actividades similares a juegos, las cuales presentan retos para fomentar su aprendizaje.
Grabaciones de lectura diaria en voz alta
El maestro o la maestra, así como cada estudiante, tendrán acceso a grabaciones en video de todas las lecturas en voz alta de los conocimientos de los grados K a 2 con ilustraciones de los Rotafolios.
Quests
Cada uno de los grados 3 a 5 contiene un componente llamado Core Quest. En estas unidades especiales, todas las reglas habituales del salón de clases cambian y cada estudiante practica el lenguaje de maneras inesperadas. Por ejemplo, en el grado 5, aprenden a disfrutar del complejo lenguaje empleado por Shakespeare en “Sueño de una noche de verano” mediante imágenes, lectura atenta y actuación.
Resúmenes de unidades
A continuación se presentan descripciones generales rápidas de las unidades (en inglés) en las que trabajarán sus estudiantes en su grado durante todo el año. Al lado de cada unidad hay guías descargables que brindan una visión más profunda del contenido cubierto y cómo puede ayudar a sus estudiantes a mejorar su comprensión de los temas.
Contacte con nosotros
¡Estamos aquí para ayudarle!
¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre Amplify CKLA?
Visite nuestra biblioteca de ayuda (en inglés) para buscar artículos con respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el programa.
Para obtener apoyo curricular adicional, comuníquese con el maestro de su estudiante.
Welcome
Elementary Literacy Program – Family Welcome Letter
Lectoescritura en Español – Carta de bienvenida para las familias
Grade K
- Skills Unit 1
- Skills Unit 2
- Skills Unit 3
- Skills Unit 4
- Knowledge Domain 1: Nursery Rhymes and Fables
- Knowledge Domain 2: The Five Senses
- Knowledge Domain 3: Stories: Fairy Tales and Folktales
- Knowledge Teacher Guide 3: Stories: Fairy Tales and Folktales
- Knowledge Trade Book Guide 3: Stories: Fairy Tales and Folktales
- Knowledge Digital Components 3: Stories: Fairy Tales and Folktales
- Knowledge Flip Book 3: Stories: Fairy Tales and Folktales
- Knowledge Image Cards 3: Stories: Fairy Tales and Folktales
- Knowledge Domain 4: Plants: How Do They Grow?
- Ancillary Materials
- Skills Unit 1
- Skills Activity Book 1 (PDF)
- Skills Unit 2
- Skills Activity Book 2 (PDF)
- Skills Unit 3
- Skills Activity Book 3 (PDF)
- Skills Unit 4
- Skills Activity Book 4 (PDF)
- Knowledge Domain 1: Nursery Rhymes and Fables
- Knowledge Domain 2: The Five Senses
- Knowledge Activity Book 2: The Five Senses (PDF)
- Knowledge Activity Book 2: The Five Senses (Editable PDF)
- Knowledge Domain 3: Stories: Fairy Tales and Folktales
- Knowledge Domain 4: Plants: How Do They Grow
- Read-Aloud Videos
- Conocimiento 1: Rimas y fábulas infantiles
- Conocimiento 2: Los cinco sentidos
- Conocimiento 3: Cuentos: cuentos de hadas y cuentos populares
- Guía del maestro – Conocimiento 3: Cuentos: cuentos de hadas y cuentos populares
- Componentes digitales – Conocimiento 3: Cuentos: cuentos de hadas y cuentos populares
- Rotafolio de imágenes – Conocimiento 3: Cuentos: cuentos de hadas y cuentos populares
- Tarjetas de imágenes – Conocimiento 3: Cuentos: cuentos de hadas y cuentos populares
- Conocimiento 4: Plantas: ¿cómo crecen?
- 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?
- Lectura en voz alta
- English
- Español
Grade 1
- Skills Unit 1
- Skills Unit 2
- Skills Unit 3
- Knowledge Domain 1: Fables and Stories
- Knowledge Domain 2: The Human Body
- Knowledge Domain 3: Different Lands, Similar Stories: Tales Around the World
- Knowledge Teacher Guide 3: Different Lands, Similar Stories: Tales Around the World
- Knowledge Trade Book Guide 3: Different Lands, Similar Stories: Tales Around the World
- Knowledge Digital Components 3: Different Lands, Similar Stories: Tales Around the World
- Knowledge Flip Book 3: Different Lands, Similar Stories: Tales Around the World
- Knowledge Image Cards 3: Different Lands, Similar Stories: Tales Around the World
- Vocabulary
- Ancillary Materials
- Skills Unit 1
- Skills Unit 2
- Skills Unit 3
- Knowledge Domain 1: Fables and Stories
- Knowledge Domain 2: The Human Body
- Knowledge Activity Book 2: The Human Body (PDF)
- Knowledge Activity Book 2: The Human Body (Editable PDF)
- Knowledge Domain 3: Different Lands, Similar Stories: Tales Around the World
- Read-Aloud Videos
- Conocimiento 1: Fábulas y cuentos
- Conocimiento 2: El cuerpo humano
- Conocimiento 3: Tierras diferentes, cuentos similares: relatos del mundo
- Lectura en voz alta
- Conocimiento 1: Fábulas y cuentos
- Conocimiento 2: El cuerpo humano
- Conocimiento 3: Tierras diferentes, cuentos similares: relatos del mundo
- Lectura en voz alta
Grade 2
- Skills Unit 1
- Skills Teacher Guide 1 (Includes Full-Year Cursive Instruction)
- Skills Digital Components 1
- Skills Unit 2
- Skills Unit 3
- Knowledge Domain 1: Fairy Tales and Tall Tales
- Knowledge Domain 2: Early Asian Civilizations
- Knowledge Domain 3: The Ancient Greek Civilization
- Knowledge Teacher Guide 3: The Ancient Greek Civilization
- Knowledge Trade Book Guide Domain 3: The Ancient Greek Civilization
- Knowledge Digital Components Domain 3: The Ancient Greek Civilization
- Knowledge Flip Book Domain 3: The Ancient Greek Civilization
- Knowledge Image Cards Domain 3: The Ancient Greek Civilization
- Knowledge Domain 4: Greek Myths: Gods and Goddesses
- Vocabulary
- Ancillary Materials
- Skills Unit 1
- Skills Unit 2
- Skills Unit 3
- Knowledge Domain 1: Fairy Tales and Tall Tales
- Knowledge Domain 2: Early Asian Civilizations
- Knowledge Domain 3: The Ancient Greek Civilization
- Knowledge Domain 4: Greek Myths: Gods and Goddesses
- Read-Aloud Videos
- Ancillary Resources
- Conocimiento 1: Cuentos de hadas y cuentos exagerados
- Conocimiento 2: Antiguas civilizaciones de Asia
- Conocimiento 3: La civilización griega antigua
- Conocimiento 4: Mitos griegos: dioses y diosas
- Conocimiento 1: Cuentos de hadas y cuentos exagerados
- Conocimiento 2: Antiguas civilizaciones de Asia
- Conocimiento 3: La civilización griega antigua
- Conocimiento 4: Mitos griegos: dioses y diosas
- Lectura en voz alta
- English
- Español
Grade 3
- Unit 1: Classic Tales: The Wind in the Willows
- Teacher Guide Unit 1: Classic Tales: The Wind in the Willows
- Digital Projections Unit 1: Classic Tales: The Wind in the Willows
- Flip Book Unit 1: Classic Tales: The Wind in the Willows
- Image Cards 1: Classic Tales: The Wind in the Willows
- Essential Questions and Writing Prompts 1: Classic Tales: The Wind in the Willows
- Exit Tickets Unit 1: Classic Tales: The Wind in the Willows
- Unit 2: Scales, Feathers, and Fur: Animal Classification
- Teacher Guide Unit 2: Scales, Feathers, and Fur: Animal Classification
- Digital Projections Unit 2: Scales, Feathers, and Fur: Animal Classification
- Flip Book Unit 2: Scales, Feathers, and Fur: Animal Classification
- Essential Questions and Writing Prompts Unit 2: Scales, Feathers, and Fur: Animal Classification
- Exit Tickets Unit 2: Scales, Feathers, and Fur: Animal Classification
- Unit 3: The Human Body: Systems and Senses
- Teacher Guide Unit 3: The Human Body: Systems and Senses
- Digital Projections Unit 3: The Human Body: Systems and Senses
- Flip Book Unit 3: The Human Body: Systems and Senses
- Image Cards Unit 3: The Human Body: Systems and Senses
- Essential Questions and Writing Prompts Unit 3: The Human Body: Systems and Senses
- Exit Tickets Unit 3: The Human Body: Systems and Senses
- Unit 4: The Ancient Roman Civilization
- Vocabulary
- Vocabulary Scope and Sequence: K-5
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 1: Classic Tales: Idioms and Figurative Language
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 2: Scales, Feather, and Fur: Animal Classification: Alphabetizing
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 3: The Human Body: System and Senses: Homophones/Homographs
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 4: The Ancient Roman Civilization: Print and Digital References
- Ancillary Materials
- Unit 1: Classic Tales
- Unit 2: Scales, Feathers, and Fur: Animal Classification
- Unit 3: The Human Body: Systems and Senses
- Unit 4: The Ancient Roman Civilization
- Ancillary Materials
- 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
- Guía del maestro – Unidad 3: El cuerpo humano: sistemas y sentidos
- Proyecciones digitales – Unidad 3: El cuerpo humano: sistemas y sentidos
- Rotafolio de imágenes – Unidad 3: El cuerpo humano: sistemas y sentidos
- Tarjetas de imágenes – Unidad 3: El cuerpo humano: sistemas y sentidos
- Boletos de salida – Unidad 3: El cuerpo humano: sistemas y sentidos
- Unidad 4: La civilización romana antigua
- Guía del maestro – Unidad 4: La civilización romana antigua
- Proyecciones digitales – Unidad 4: La civilización romana antigua
- Rotafolio de imágenes – Unidad 4: La civilización romana antigua
- Tarjetas de imágenes – Unidad 4: La civilización romana antigua
- Boleto de salida – Unidad 4: La civilización romana antigua
- 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: La civilización romana antigua
- English
- Español
Grade 4
- Unit 1: Empires of the Middle Ages: Castles and Caravans, Part 1
- Teacher Guide Unit 1: Empires of the Middle Ages: Castles and Caravans, Part 1
- Essential Questions and Writing Prompts Unit 1: Empires of the Middle Ages: Castles and Caravans, Part 1
- Digital Components Unit 1: Empires of the Middle Ages: Castles and Caravans, Part 1
- Cursive Instruction
- Beginning-of-Year Assessment
- Exit Tickets Unit 1: Empires of the Middle Ages: Castles and Caravans, Part 1
- Unit 2: Eureka! The Art of Invention
- Unit 3: Contemporary Fiction: Mi Calle, Tu Calle
- Unit 4: American Revolution: Building a Nation
- Vocabulary
- Vocabulary Scope and Sequence: K-5
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 1: Empires of the Middle Ages: Castles and Caravans: Formal and Informal Language
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 2: Eureka! The Art of Invention: Adages and Proverbs
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 3: Contemporary Fiction: Mi Calle, Tu Calle: Print and Digital References
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 3: Contemporary Fiction: Mi Calle, Tu Calle: Word Origins and Histories
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 4: American Revolution: Building a Nation: Common Prefixes
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 4: American Revolution: Building a Nation: Common Suffixes
- Unit 2: Eureka! The Art of Invention
- Eureka! Audio
- Eureka! Video Files
- Unit 1: Empires of the Middle Ages: Castles and Caravans, Part1
- Unit 2: Eureka! The Art of Invention
- Unit 3: Contemporary Fiction: Mi Calle, Tu Calle
- Unit 4: American Revolution: Building a Nation
- Unidad 1: Los imperios en la Edad Media: castillos y caravanas, parte 1
- Unidad 2: ¡Eureka! El arte de la invención
- Unidad 3: Ficción contemporánea: mi calle, tu calle
- Unidad 4: La Revolución estadounidense: construir una nación
- Unidad 2: ¡Eureka! El arte de la invención
- Componentes digitales Unidad 2: ¡Eureka! El arte de la invención
- Componentes digitales 2 – Transcripciones de los videos
- Componentes digitales 3 – Imagen del día
- Componentes digitales 4 – Apertura y Notas de los jueces
- Tarjetas de invenciones
- Tarjetas de inventores
- Pegatinas de laboratorio
- Bombilla de la Gloria
- Carteles de silencio y aplauso
- Rueda de la invención
- Unidad 1: Los imperios en la Edad Media: castillos y caravanas, parte 1
- Libro de lectura – Unidad 1: Los imperios en la Edad Media: castillos y caravanas, parte 1
- Cuaderno de actividades – Unidad 1: Los imperios en la Edad Media: castillos y caravanas, parte 1 (PDF)
- Cuaderno de actividades – Unidad 1: Los imperios en la Edad Media: castillos y caravanes, parte 1 (PDF editable)
- Unidad 2: ¡Eureka! El arte de la invención
- Unidad 3: Ficción contemporánea: mi calle, tu calle
- Unidad 4: La Revolución estadounidense: construir una nación
- English
- Español
Grade 5
- Unit 1: Early American Civilizations: Myths, Pyramids, and Kings
- Teacher Guide Unit 1: Early American Civilizations: Myths, Pyramids, and Kings
- Essential Questions and Writing Prompts Unit 1: Early American Civilizations: Myths, Pyramids, and Kings
- Digital Components Unit 1: Early American Civilizations: Myths, Pyramids, and Kings
- Cursive Instruction
- Beginning-of-Year Assessment
- Exit Tickets Unit 1: Early American Civilizations: Myths, Pyramids, and Kings
- Unit 2: The Renaissance: Art and Culture
- Unit 3: The Reformation: When Books Changed the World
- Teacher Guide Unit 3: The Reformation: When Books Changed the World
- Digital Components Unit 3: The Reformation: When Books Changed the World
- Essential Questions and Writing Prompts Unit 3: The Reformation: When Books Changed the World
- Exit Tickets Unit 3: The Reformation: When Books Changed the World
- Vocabulary
- Vocabulary Scope and Sequence: K-5
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 1: Early American Civilizations: Myths, Pyramids, and Kings: Word Origins & Word Histories
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 1: Early American Civilizations: Myths, Pyramids, and Kings: Print & Digital References
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 2: The Renassiance: Art and Culture: Adages and Proverbs
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 3: The Reformation: When Books Changed the World: Formal and Informal Language
- Unit 1: Early American Civilizations: Myths, Pyramids, and Kings
- Unit 2: The Renaissance: Art and Culture
- Unit 3: The Reformation: When Books Changed the World
- Ancillary Materials
- Unidad 1: Las primeras civilizaciones americanas: mitos, pirámides y reyes
- Unidad 2: El Renacimiento: arte y cultura
- Unidad 3: La Reforma: cuando los libros cambiaron el mundo
- Unidad 1: Las primeras civilizaciones americanas: mitos, pirámides y reyes
- Libro de lectura – Unidad 1: Las primeras civilizaciones americanas: mayas, aztecas e incas
- Cuaderno de actividades – Unidad 1: Las primeras civilizaciones americanas: mitos, pirámides y reyes (PDF)
- Cuaderno de actividades – Unidad 1: Las primeras civilizaciones americanas: mitos, pirámides y reyes (PDF editable)
- Unidad 2: El Renacimiento: arte y cultura
- Unidad 3: La Reforma: cuando los libros cambiaron el mundo
Welcome
Elementary Literacy Program – Family Welcome Letter
Lectoescritura en Español – Carta de bienvenida para las familias
Grade K
- Skills Unit 1
- Skills Unit 2
- Skills Unit 3
- Knowledge Domain 1: Nursery Rhymes and Fables
- Knowledge Domain 2: The Five Senses
- Knowledge Domain 3: Stories: Fairy Tales and Folktales
- Knowledge Teacher Guide 3: Stories: Fairy Tales and Folktales
- Knowledge Trade Book Guide 3: Stories: Fairy Tales and Folktales
- Knowledge Digital Components 3: Stories: Fairy Tales and Folktales
- Knowledge Flip Book 3: Stories: Fairy Tales and Folktales
- Knowledge Image Cards 3: Stories: Fairy Tales and Folktales
- Ancillary Materials
- Skills Unit 1
- Skills Activity Book 1 (PDF)
- Skills Unit 2
- Skills Activity Book 2 (PDF)
- Skills Unit 3
- Skills Activity Book 3 (PDF)
- Knowledge Domain 1: Nursery Rhymes and Fables
- Knowledge Domain 2: The Five Senses
- Knowledge Activity Book 2: The Five Senses (PDF)
- Knowledge Activity Book 2: The Five Senses (Editable PDF)
- Knowledge Domain 3: Stories: Fairy Tales and Folktales
- Read-Aloud Videos
- Conocimiento 1: Rimas y fábulas infantiles
- Conocimiento 2: Los cinco sentidos
- Conocimiento 3: Cuentos: cuentos de hadas y cuentos populares
- Guía del maestro – Conocimiento 3: Cuentos: cuentos de hadas y cuentos populares
- Componentes digitales – Conocimiento 3: Cuentos: cuentos de hadas y cuentos populares
- Rotafolio de imágenes – Conocimiento 3: Cuentos: cuentos de hadas y cuentos populares
- Tarjetas de imágenes – Conocimiento 3: Cuentos: cuentos de hadas y cuentos populares
- Conocimiento 1: Rimas y fábulas infantiles
- Conocimiento 2: Los cinco sentidos
- Conocimiento 3: Cuentos: cuentos de hadas y cuentos populares
- Lectura en voz alta
Grade 1
- Skills Unit 1
- Skills Unit 2
- Skills Unit 3
- Knowledge Domain 1: Fables and Stories
- Knowledge Domain 2: The Human Body
- Knowledge Domain 3: Different Lands, Similar Stories: Tales Around the World
- Knowledge Teacher Guide 3: Different Lands, Similar Stories: Tales Around the World
- Knowledge Trade Book Guide 3: Different Lands, Similar Stories: Tales Around the World
- Knowledge Digital Components 3: Different Lands, Similar Stories: Tales Around the World
- Knowledge Flip Book 3: Different Lands, Similar Stories: Tales Around the World
- Knowledge Image Cards 3: Different Lands, Similar Stories: Tales Around the World
- Vocabulary
- Ancillary Materials
- Skills Unit 1
- Skills Unit 2
- Skills Unit 3
- Knowledge Domain 1: Fables and Stories
- Knowledge Domain 2: The Human Body
- Knowledge Activity Book 2: The Human Body (PDF)
- Knowledge Activity Book 2: The Human Body (Editable PDF)
- Knowledge Domain 3: Different Lands, Similar Stories: Tales Around the World
- Read-Aloud Videos
- Conocimiento 1: Fábulas y cuentos
- Conocimiento 2: El cuerpo humano
- Conocimiento 3: Tierras diferentes, cuentos similares: relatos del mundo
- Guía del maestro – Conocimiento 3: Tierras diferentes, cuentos similares: relatos del mundo
- Componentes digitales – Conocimiento 3: Tierras diferentes, cuentos similares: relatos del mundo
- Rotafolio de imágenes – Conocimiento 3: Tierras diferentes, cuentos similares: relatos del mundo
- Tarjetas de imágenes – Conocimiento 3: Tierras diferentes, cuentos similares: relatos del mundo
- Conocimiento 1: Fábulas y cuentos
- Conocimiento 2: El cuerpo humano
- Conocimiento 3: Tierras diferentes, cuentos similares: relatos del mundo
- Lectura en voz alta
Grade 2
- Skills Unit 1
- Skills Teacher Guide 1 (Includes Full-Year Cursive Instruction)
- Skills Digital Components 1
- Skills Unit 2
- Skills Unit 3
- Knowledge Domain 1: Fairy Tales and Tall Tales
- Knowledge Domain 2: Early Asian Civilizations
- Knowledge Domain 3: The Ancient Greek Civilization
- Knowledge Teacher Guide 3: The Ancient Greek Civilization
- Knowledge Trade Book Guide Domain 3: The Ancient Greek Civilization
- Knowledge Digital Components Domain 3: The Ancient Greek Civilization
- Knowledge Flip Book Domain 3: The Ancient Greek Civilization
- Knowledge Image Cards Domain 3: The Ancient Greek Civilization
- Vocabulary
- Ancillary Materials
- Skills Unit 1
- Skills Unit 2
- Skills Unit 3
- Knowledge Domain 1: Fairy Tales and Tall Tales
- Knowledge Domain 2: Early Asian Civilizations
- Knowledge Domain 3: The Ancient Greek Civilization
- Read-Aloud Videos
- Ancillary Resources
- Conocimiento 1: Cuentos de hadas y cuentos exagerados
- Conocimiento 2: Antiguas civilizaciones de Asia
- Conocimiento 3: La civilización griega antigua
- Conocimiento 1: Cuentos de hadas y cuentos exagerados
- Conocimiento 2: Antiguas civilizaciones de Asia
- Conocimiento 3: La civilización griega antigua
- Lectura en voz alta
Grade 3
- Unit 1: Classic Tales: The Wind in the Willows
- Teacher Guide Unit 1: Classic Tales: The Wind in the Willows
- Digital Projections Unit 1: Classic Tales: The Wind in the Willows
- Flip Book Unit 1: Classic Tales: The Wind in the Willows
- Image Cards 1: Classic Tales: The Wind in the Willows
- Essential Questions and Writing Prompts 1: Classic Tales: The Wind in the Willows
- Unit 2: Scales, Feathers, and Fur: Animal Classification
- Teacher Guide Unit 2: Scales, Feathers, and Fur: Animal Classification
- Digital Projections Unit 2: Scales, Feathers, and Fur: Animal Classification
- Flip Book Unit 2: Scales, Feathers, and Fur: Animal Classification
- Essential Questions and Writing Prompts Unit 2: Scales, Feathers, and Fur: Animal Classification
- Unit 3: The Human Body: Systems and Senses
- Teacher Guide Unit 3: The Human Body: Systems and Senses
- Digital Projections Unit 3: The Human Body: Systems and Senses
- Flip Book Unit 3: The Human Body: Systems and Senses
- Image Cards Unit 3: The Human Body: Systems and Senses
- Essential Questions and Writing Prompts Unit 3: The Human Body: Systems and Senses
- Exit Tickets Unit 3: The Human Body: Systems and Senses
- Vocabulary
- Ancillary Materials
- Unit 1: Classic Tales
- Unit 2: Scales, Feathers, and Fur: Animal Classification
- Unit 3: The Human Body: Systems and Senses
- Ancillary Materials
- 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
- Guía del maestro – Unidad 3: El cuerpo humano: sistemas y sentidos
- Proyecciones digitales – Unidad 3: El cuerpo humano: sistemas y sentidos
- Rotafolio de imágenes – Unidad 3: El cuerpo humano: sistemas y sentidos
- Tarjetas de imágenes – Unidad 3: El cuerpo humano: sistemas y sentidos
- Boletos de salida – Unidad 3: El cuerpo humano: sistemas y sentidos
- 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
Grade 4
- Unit 1: Empires of the Middle Ages: Castles and Caravans, Part 1
- Teacher Guide Unit 1: Empires of the Middle Ages: Castles and Caravans, Part 1
- Essential Questions and Writing Prompts Unit 1: Empires of the Middle Ages: Castles and Caravans, Part 1
- Digital Components Unit 1: Empires of the Middle Ages: Castles and Caravans, Part 1
- Cursive Instruction
- Beginning-of-Year Assessment
- Unit 2: Eureka! The Art of Invention
- Unit 3: Contemporary Fiction: Mi Calle, Tu Calle
- Vocabulary
- Vocabulary Scope and Sequence: K-5
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 1: Empires of the Middle Ages: Castles and Caravans: Formal and Informal Language
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 2: Eureka! The Art of Invention: Adages and Proverbs
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 3: Contemporary Fiction: Mi Calle, Tu Calle: Print and Digital References
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 3: Contemporary Fiction: Mi Calle, Tu Calle: Word Origins and Histories
- Unit 2: Eureka! The Art of Invention
- Eureka! Audio
- Eureka! Video Files
- Unit 1: Empires of the Middle Ages: Castles and Caravans, Part1
- Unit 2: Eureka! The Art of Invention
- Unit 3: Contemporary Fiction: Mi Calle, Tu Calle
- Unidad 1: Los imperios en la Edad Media: castillos y caravanas, parte 1
- Unidad 2: ¡Eureka! El arte de la invención
- Unidad 3: Ficción contemporánea: mi calle, tu calle
- Unidad 2: ¡Eureka! El arte de la invención
- Componentes digitales Unidad 2: ¡Eureka! El arte de la invención
- Componentes digitales 2 – Transcripciones de los videos
- Componentes digitales 3 – Imagen del día
- Componentes digitales 4 – Apertura y Notas de los jueces
- Tarjetas de invenciones
- Tarjetas de inventores
- Pegatinas de laboratorio
- Bombilla de la Gloria
- Carteles de silencio y aplauso
- Rueda de la invención
- Unidad 1: Los imperios en la Edad Media: castillos y caravanas, parte 1
- Libro de lectura – Unidad 1: Los imperios en la Edad Media: castillos y caravanas, parte 1
- Cuaderno de actividades – Unidad 1: Los imperios en la Edad Media: castillos y caravanas, parte 1 (PDF)
- Cuaderno de actividades – Unidad 1: Los imperios en la Edad Media: castillos y caravanes, parte 1 (PDF editable)
- Unidad 2: ¡Eureka! El arte de la invención
- Unidad 3: Ficción contemporánea: mi calle, tu calle
Grade 5
- Unit 1: Early American Civilizations: Myths, Pyramids, and Kings
- Teacher Guide Unit 1: Early American Civilizations: Myths, Pyramids, and Kings
- Essential Questions and Writing Prompts Unit 1: Early American Civilizations: Myths, Pyramids, and Kings
- Digital Components Unit 1: Early American Civilizations: Myths, Pyramids, and Kings
- Cursive Instruction
- Beginning-of-Year Assessment
- Unit 2: The Renaissance: Art and Culture
- Unit 3: The Reformation: When Books Changed the World
- Teacher Guide Unit 3: The Reformation: When Books Changed the World
- Digital Components Unit 3: The Reformation: When Books Changed the World
- Essential Questions and Writing Prompts Unit 3: The Reformation: When Books Changed the World
- Exit Tickets Unit 3: The Reformation: When Books Changed the World
- Vocabulary
- Vocabulary Scope and Sequence: K-5
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 1: Early American Civilizations: Myths, Pyramids, and Kings: Word Origins & Word Histories
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 1: Early American Civilizations: Myths, Pyramids, and Kings: Print & Digital References
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 2: The Renassiance: Art and Culture: Adages and Proverbs
- Vocabulary Lesson Unit 3: The Reformation: When Books Changed the World: Formal and Informal Language
- Unit 1: Early American Civilizations: Myths, Pyramids, and Kings
- Unit 2: The Renaissance: Art and Culture
- Unit 3: The Reformation: When Books Changed the World
- Ancillary Materials
- Unidad 1: Las primeras civilizaciones americanas: mitos, pirámides y reyes
- Unidad 2: El Renacimiento: arte y cultura
- Unidad 3: La Reforma: cuando los libros cambiaron el mundo
- Unidad 1: Las primeras civilizaciones americanas: mitos, pirámides y reyes
- Libro de lectura – Unidad 1: Las primeras civilizaciones americanas: mayas, aztecas e incas
- Cuaderno de actividades – Unidad 1: Las primeras civilizaciones americanas: mitos, pirámides y reyes (PDF)
- Cuaderno de actividades – Unidad 1: Las primeras civilizaciones americanas: mitos, pirámides y reyes (PDF editable)
- Unidad 2: El Renacimiento: arte y cultura
- Unidad 3: La Reforma: cuando los libros cambiaron el mundo
¡El programa de Amplify CKLA da la bienvenida a las familias!
Nos complace darle la bienvenida a usted y a su estudiante al programa Amplify CKLA en este nuevo año escolar. Hemos reunido una serie de recursos y guías que ayudarán a que su estudiante aproveche al máximo nuestra plataforma. Ponemos a su disposición estos materiales para que también usted pueda brindar apoyo a su estudiante a lo largo de todo el año.
For English version, please click here.
¿Qué es Amplify CKLA?
CKLA, o Conocimientos esenciales de Artes del Lenguaje de Amplify, es un programa de enseñanza del lenguaje para los grados PreK a 5 que desarrolla el conocimiento de contenidos. El programa combina un enfoque multisensorial de la fonética con textos enriquecidos y cuidadosamente secuenciados. De esa manera, los estudiantes aprenden a leer y “leen para aprender” de forma simultánea.
Todos los días, los estudiantes de grados PreK a 2 completan una lección que les permite desarrollar sus destrezas básicas de lectoescritura, así como una lección más que refuerza sus conocimientos previos. En los grados 3 a 5, los estudiantes comienzan a dominar sus destrezas lectoras y continúan ampliando su universo de conocimientos.
Primeros pasos
Cómo apoyar a su estudiante en casa
- Lea con su estudiante a diario. Incluso 15 minutos de lectura compartida todos los días puede dar grandes resultados.
- Lea secciones del texto en voz alta y de forma conjunta. Si su estudiante tiene dificultad para leer, intente leer el texto con expresividad y después pida a su estudiante que haga lo mismo. Como práctica adicional, miren las grabaciones de lectura en voz alta para grados K a 2, o pida a su estudiante que use la aplicación de vocabulario (Vocab App) para grados 3 a 5.
- Busque oportunidades para conversar sobre lo que el estudiante lea y descubra. Por ejemplo, usted podría preguntarle: ¿Qué te llamó más la atención de lo que leíste hoy? ¿Qué aprendiste que no conocías antes? ¿Te resultó confusa alguna oración o palabra? ¿Qué crees que el autor trataba de comunicar? ¿Estás de acuerdo con las ideas o descripciones del autor? ¿Qué conexiones puedes hacer entre lo que estás leyendo y tu propia vida?
- Pida a su estudiante que lea sus respuestas escritas. También puede pedirle que las comparta con un amigo en una videollamada.
- Le recomendamos que lea el artículo Proteja a los niños en internet de la Comisión Federal de Comercio, cuyo tema es la seguridad digital.
Inicio de sesión
Estudiantes de grados K a 2
Los estudiantes de grados K a 2 podrán iniciar sesión usando las credenciales compartidas que proporcionó el maestro.
Diríjase a learning.amplify.com en cada dispositivo del estudiante.
Seleccione “Log in” y luego introduzca los datos de ingreso o seleccione “Scan QR code” para iniciar sesión usando un código QR. Los estudiantes ingresarán a su página principal (Student Home), ¡donde podrán cambiar su avatar y hacer clic en un emoji para definir su estado de ánimo del día! En la página principal del estudiante, encontrarán un vínculo de acceso rápido al Student Hub.
Nota: Los códigos de inicio compartidos les permiten a los estudiantes de grados K a 2, y a los estudiantes aún no matriculados por su escuela o distrito, ingresar a los programas digitales de Amplify mediante el Hub de Amplify CKLA.
Estudiantes de grados 3 a 5
Diríjase a learning.amplify.com.
Seleccione “Log in” y luego introduzca los datos de ingreso o seleccione “Scan QR code” para iniciar sesión usando un código QR. Los estudiantes ingresarán a su página principal (Student Home), ¡donde podrán cambiar su avatar y hacer clic en un emoji para definir su estado de ánimo del día! En la página principal del estudiante, encontrarán un vínculo de acceso rápido al Student Hub.
Nota: Para poder ingresar a la página principal del estudiante, los estudiantes que se encuentran en esta banda de grados deben estar matriculados y tener una licencia adecuada. Contacte a su maestro para obtener los datos de ingreso.
Vistazo general a los materiales
Si cuenta con acceso a internet, su estudiante tiene la opción de poder ingresar a parte del plan de estudios de Amplify CKLA de forma digital y desde casa. Contacte a su maestro para obtener los datos de ingreso.
Libros de actividades (Student Activity Books)
Durante las lecciones diarias, los estudiantes usan las páginas del libro de actividades para responder al texto que han leído, y poner en práctica sus destrezas y conocimientos.
Libros de lectura (Student Readers)
Los libros de lectura han sido diseñados con la finalidad de que los estudiantes practiquen de manera intensiva, leyendo cuentos sencillos y auténticos.
En los grados K a 2, los libros de lectura contienen capítulos que permiten a su estudiante practicar los sonidos para deletrear recién aprendidos y aplicarlos a una experiencia lectora que abarca tramas y personajes, así como ilustraciones y escenarios encantadores. En los grados 3 a 5, los estudiantes desarrollan destrezas de lectura atenta y otras destrezas de lectoescritura, trabajando con una variedad de textos literarios e informativos ricos en contenido.
CKLA Hub para estudiantes
Ya sea desde casa o desde el salón de clase, los estudiantes y maestros pueden ingresar al Hub de Amplify CKLA e interactuar con nuestro atractivo contenido educativo multimedia. Los estudiantes también pueden usar el Amplify Hub fuera del salón de clase, ya sea por cuenta propia o con supervisión familiar, para practicar más tiempo, o ¡para divertirse!
Los estudiantes pueden ingresar al Amplify Hub desde sus dispositivos en casa, siguiendo el mismo procedimiento que usan en el salón de clase.
Biblioteca de sonidos (Sound Library) para grados K a 2
La Biblioteca de sonidos incluye sonidos grabados, canciones fáciles de recordar y videos animados de articulación para ayudar a que los estudiantes aprendan y dominen los sonidos.
Aplicación de vocabulario (Vocab App) para grados 3 a 5
La aplicación de vocabulario fue diseñada para practicar el vocabulario de forma independiente. Exhortamos a que los estudiantes aprovechen las actividades lúdicas de la app para fomentar su práctica, o ¡como reto adicional!
Descripciones generales de las unidades
A continuación se listan ejemplos de la descripción general de las unidades (en inglés) en las que trabajará su estudiante durante todo el año.
Contacte con nosotros
¡Estamos aquí para ayudarle!
¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre Amplify CKLA?
Visite nuestra biblioteca de ayuda (en inglés) y busque respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el programa en nuestros artículos de ayuda.
Para obtener apoyo curricular adicional, por favor comuníquese con su maestro.
Familias y cuidadores, ¡bienvenidos a Amplify Desmos Math Texas
K–5!
Bienvenidos al Caregiver Hub de Amplify Desmos Math K–5. Esperamos que su estudiante disfrute explorando las matemáticas, trabajando con amigos para resolver problemas y aprendiendo conceptos nuevos e interesantes. ¡Y esperamos que ustedes disfruten de la experiencia matemática junto con ellos! A continuación, encontrarán algunas sugerencias y recursos para apoyar su aprendizaje en casa.
For the English version, please click here.
Recursos de la unidad para cuidadores
Para cada unidad del programa, hemos creado un Recurso para cuidadores (Caregiver Resource), el cual ofrece un resumen de los conceptos clave, además de un problema del conjunto de práctica de la lección que usted puede resolver con su estudiante. Encontrará un Recurso para cuidadores en cada unidad, disponible tanto en inglés como en español.
- Unidad 1: Conceptos Numéricos Iniciales
- Unidad 2: Números 1 a 10
- Unidad 3: Figuras, Monedas y Conocimiento Financiero
- Unidad 4: Comprensión de la suma y la resta
- Unidad 5: Componer y descomponer números hasta el 10
- Unidad 6: Números del 0 al 20
- Unidad 7: Figuras sólidas a nuestro alrededor
- Unidad 1: Sumar, restar y trabajar con datos
- Unidad 2: Problemas Verbales en 10
- Unidad 3: Suma y resta hasta 20
- Unidad 4: Números al 99 y Conocimiento Financiero
- Unidad 5: Números al 120
- Unidad 6: Unidades de Longitud y Medida hasta 120
- Unidad 7: Geometría y la hora
- Unidad 1: Trabajar con datos y desarrollar comprensión de finanzas
- Unidad 2: Suma y resta hasta 100
- Unidad 3: Medir y resolver problemas de longitud
- Unidad 4: Números al 1,200
- Unidad 5: Geometría y la hora
- Unidad 6: Suma y resta hasta el 1,000
- Unidad 7: Grupos Iguales y Área
- Unidad 1: Introducción a la multiplicación
- Unidad 2: Suma, Resta y Redondeo de Números Grandes
- Unidad 3: Conclusión de la suma y la resta hasta 1,000
- Unidad 4: Fracciones como números
- Unidad 5: Medidas y Conocimiento Financiero
- Unidad 6: Organización y Clasificación de Figuras
- Unidad 1: Factores y múltiplos
- Unidad 2: Equivalencia y comparación de fracciones
- Unidad 3: De Cientos a Mil Millones
- Unidad 4: Relaciones Matemáticas y Conocimiento Financiero
- Unidad 5: Multiplicar y dividir números de varios digitos
- Unidad 6: Ángulos y propiedades de las figuras
- Unidad 1: Volumen, Factores y Expresiones
- Unidad 2: Multiplicar y dividir fracciones
- Unidad 3: Multiplicación y División Multidigital y Conocimiento Financiero
- Unidad 4: Patrones de valor posicional y operaciones con decimales
- Unidad 5: Medidas, Operaciones con Fracciones y Datos
- Unidad 6: Geometría y Razonamiento Algebraico
Ingrese a Amplify Desmos Math en casa.
Además del cuaderno de ejercicios impreso de la Edición del estudiante (Student Edition), su estudiante tendrá acceso digital a todos los materiales de aprendizaje, práctica y evaluación a través de la plataforma de Amplify. Es posible acceder al currículo digital desde la escuela o desde casa siguiendo estas instrucciones:
- Haga clic en el botón Amplify Desmos Math.
- Seleccione Log in with Amplify.
- Ingrese el nombre de usuario y la contraseña de su estudiante que el maestro les haya proporcionado.
- Seleccione el nivel escolar deseado.
Una vez iniciada la sesión, los cuidadores pueden ver el trabajo de los estudiantes abriendo tareas anteriores.
Aprenda a navegar por la página de inicio de los estudiantes (student home page).
Vistazo general a los materiales
Amplify Desmos Math Texas promueve el aprendizaje mixto por medio de materiales impresos de apoyo y una experiencia digital única. Todas las lecciones en los grados K a 5 están disponibles en un cuaderno de trabajo de la Edición del estudiante. Muchas de las lecciones incluyen actividades prácticas con materiales manipulables, herramientas que ayudan a que los estudiantes hagan tangibles conceptos abstractos para poder comprenderlos. Su estudiante también trabajará con dispositivos digitales durante un número de lecciones que es apropiado para su edad.
Cuando los estudiantes usan dispositivos, los maestros pueden supervisar su trabajo en tiempo real, asegurándose de que reciban el apoyo exacto que necesitan en cada parte de la lección, dentro y fuera del salón de clase.
Componentes de una lección
A los estudiantes en un aula de Amplify Desmos Math Texas se les ve (¡y se les escucha!) haciendo preguntas, debatiendo respuestas, justificando su razonamiento, enfrentándose a problemas y trabajando juntos o de forma individual.
Una lección típica de Amplify Desmos Math Texas incluye:
- Calentamiento: Un problema breve e interesante para que los estudiantes se sientan atraídos a la lección.
- Actividades: Una o dos actividades cortas que desafíen las destrezas de los estudiantes para resolver problemas.
- Síntesis: Una discusión para revisar y consolidar los conceptos importantes de la lección.
- Demuestra lo que sabes (Show What You Know) y Reflexión (Reflection): Preguntas para que los estudiantes demuestren lo que aprendieron en la lección. (Nota: La evaluación de la lección “Demuestra lo que sabes” es opcional en kindergarten y primer grado).
- Centros (Centers): Estaciones de actividades dirigidas por los estudiantes que refuerzan los conceptos matemáticos que aprendieron durante las actividades de la lección usando formatos interactivos y, a menudo, lúdicos. En kindergarten y primer grado, el tiempo destinado a los Centros se incorpora en los últimos 15 minutos de cada lección.
Para apoyar, fortalecer y ampliar el aprendizaje de los estudiantes después de la lección, Amplify Desmos Math Texas ofrece opciones de:
- Diferenciación: Minilecciones (Mini-Lessons), Centros, Extensiones, Boost Personalized Learning y Fluency Practice (Práctica de la fluidez).
- Práctica: Problemas adicionales que el maestro puede asignar para trabajar en clase o como tarea.
Apoye el aprendizaje de las matemáticas en casa.
Usted puede apoyar el aprendizaje de las matemáticas de su estudiante fuera de la escuela de muchas maneras:
El maestro puede asignar problemas de práctica al final de cada lección como trabajo en clase o como tarea. Si su estudiante ya ha completado los problemas de práctica de la lección, pídale que le explique cómo resolvió cada problema o que comente las partes que le resultaron difíciles. Haga preguntas de seguimiento para fomentar el uso del lenguaje matemático mientras explica su razonamiento, por ejemplo: “¿Cómo lo sabes?”, “¿Cómo puedes demostrar tu razonamiento?” o “¿Cómo describirías eso?”. Si su estudiante no consigue avanzar, hágale preguntas de apoyo, por ejemplo: “¿Qué información de aquí conoces?” o “¿Cómo podrías representar este problema?”.
Los juegos de Centro (Center game) se alinean con las matemáticas de la unidad y se pueden jugar con los estudiantes fuera de clase. Es posible que el maestro les explique a los estudiantes cómo jugar un juego de Centro durante o después de una lección. Si no es así, usted puede enseñarle a jugar usando instrucciones fáciles de seguir.
kindergarten
- Cubos de conexión
1.er grado
- Busca el par Formar 10
2.er grado
- ¿Qué tan cerca? Sumar hasta 100
3.er grado
- Rellenar los cuadrados: Multiplicar por 2, 5 y 10
4.er grado
- ¡Muy pronto!
5.er grado
- La batalla de los rectángulos: Factores 1-5
kindergarten
- Unidad 1: El primer día de clases
- Unidad 2: ¿Qué hay en un restaurante?
- Unidad 3: Figuras en una gran aventura
- Unidad 4: La ciudad de Casey
- Unidad 5: ¿Dónde está Harry?
- Unidad 6: Ganadores
- Unidad 7: Todos necesitamos ayuda
1.er grado
- Unidad 1: La nueva ciudad de Ying
- Unidad 2: ¡A plantar!
- Unidad 3: Imposible
- Unidad 4: Los coleccionistas
- Unidad 5: El día de las coloribazas
- Unidad 6: Uno al lado del otro
- Unidad 7: Un potluck para Pia
2.er grado
- Unidad 1: La nueva mascota de la clase
- Unidad 2: Los héroes de la calle Pineapple
- Unidad 3: Lo que imaginó Orson
- Unidad 4: Conducir por la calle Ricotta 302
- Unidad 5: Arjun, el artista
- Unidad 6: ¿Dónde está Eli?
- Unidad 7: En Clementine Court
3.er grado
- Unidad 1: Mi nombre es Harper
- Unidad 2: La vista desde acá arriba
- Unidad 3: Cocina casera
- Unidad 4: Coen y Obita
- Unidad 5: No te rindas, Sasha
- Unidad 6: A través de los ojos de Piho
4.er grado
- Unidad 1: Paso a paso
- Unidad 2: Finny
- Unidad 3: Myles y las tortugas bobas
- Unidad 4: Solo por diversión
- Unidad 5: Un lei especial para un día especial
- Unidad 6: El tesoro del capitán Bogwart
5.er grado
- Unidad 1: Joyful Green
- Unidad 2: Princess Sweetsocks
- Unidad 3: Andrea
- Unidad 4: Día del mercado
- Unidad 5: Las monarcas
- Unidad 6: Hanan Pacha
Relacione las matemáticas con actividades cotidianas en casa, ya sea ir de compras, preparar la comida o planear una visita a la tienda. Su estudiante puede ayudarle a calcular cuántas manzanas más hay en el carrito que naranjas, dividir un sándwich en cuatro partes o calcular cuánto cambio recibirá si paga con un billete de diez dólares. Anímelo a señalar las maneras en que ustedes usan las matemáticas en sus quehaceres diarios.
Recuerde al estudiante que bloquearse es una parte necesaria (incluso benéfica) del proceso de aprendizaje. Muchos estudiantes (al igual que personas adultas) temen equivocarse, pero las investigaciones demuestran que cometer errores ayuda a que nuestro cerebro se desarrolle. Cuando su estudiante no consiga avanzar en un problema, anímelo a seguir intentando diferentes estrategias, aunque no esté seguro de si son correctas.
Familias y cuidadores, ¡les damos la bienvenida a Amplify Desmos Math
6.º–A1!
Les damos la bienvenida al Amplify Desmos Math Caregiver Hub de los grados 6.º a Álgebra 1. Diseñamos este espacio para apoyar el desarrollo de los estudiantes en su exploración de las matemáticas. Esperamos que los estudiantes disfruten mientras aprenden las matemáticas, colaborando con amigos para resolver problemas y aprendiendo conceptos nuevos e interesantes. Esperamos también que las familias se deleiten en esta aventura matemática.
For the English version, please click here.
Presentación de Amplify Desmos Math
Amplify Desmos Math es un plan de estudios básico de matemáticas, diseñado para estudiantes de kindergarten a Álgebra 1. Cada lección ofrece oportunidades de ampliar los conocimientos de los estudiantes, asociar conceptos, perfeccionar sus destrezas y darles la autonomía de expresar preguntas, explorar y hacer descubrimientos. Los maestros pueden monitorear el trabajo de los estudiantes en tiempo real para asegurarse de que cuentan con el apoyo que necesitan tanto dentro como fuera del aula.
Páginas digitales del estudiante
Los estudiantes interactúan con el contenido de la lección usando dispositivos.
Páginas de ejercicios de práctica
Los estudiantes tienen dos páginas impresas con ejercicios de práctica, por lección, en la Edición del estudiante para practicar en clase o como tarea, además de los ejercicios de práctica en formato digital.
Esto es lo que puede esperar:
- Lecciones interactivas que combinan instrucción en medio impreso y digital (incluyendo el libro práctico Edición del estudiante)
- Problemas de práctica para lograr dominio y ayudar a los estudiantes a repasar temas anteriores
- Recursos en cada lección que responden a las necesidades de estudiantes diversos
- Evaluaciones, así como pruebas en cada lección para verificar la comprensión
- Un recurso para cuidadores en cada unidad, el cual incluye explicaciones de conceptos matemáticos clave y actividades para realizar con el estudiante
Además de poder trabajar en la Edición del estudiante, los estudiantes pueden acceder a su trabajo digital desde casa. He aquí un artículo sobre cómo navegar la página de inicio del estudiante.
¿Qué es la enseñanza centrada en el estudiante?
La enseñanza centrada en el estudiante puede parecer distinta a las formas de aprender matemáticas en el pasado y a la manera en que usted aprendió matemáticas. En lugar de memorizar fórmulas y trucos, el aprendizaje centrado en el estudiante ofrece a los estudiantes oportunidades de descubrir cómo funcionan las matemáticas. El estudiante aprende a comunicarse por escrito y verbalmente, comprender y cuestionar las opiniones de los demás y adquirir confianza para resolver nuevos problemas. Las investigaciones demuestran que tanto estudiantes como maestros prefieren este método; los estudiantes se desempeñan mejor en evaluaciones estandarizadas y mejoran sus calificaciones y, por otra parte, los maestros informan que la enseñanza centrada en el estudiante ha ayudado a los suyos a aprender más matemáticas.
¿Cómo es una lección de Amplify Desmos Math?
Esto es lo que normalmente incluye una lección de Amplify Desmos Math:
- Calentamiento: Una pregunta abierta o una interacción para interesar a los estudiantes en la lección.
- Actividades: De una a tres actividades que constituyen el núcleo de cada lección.
- Te invitamos a explorar más: Problemas que invitan a los estudiantes a explorar un concepto (a menudo uno que trasciende el objeto de la lección) minuciosamente.
- Síntesis: Una oportunidad para que los estudiantes enuncien las ideas clave de la lección en sus propias palabras.
- Demuestra lo que sabes y Reflexión: Una oportunidad para que los estudiantes enuncien las ideas clave de la lección en sus propias palabras.
- Práctica: Problemas adicionales que el maestro de su estudiante puede asignar en formato digital o impreso, incluidos los ejercicios de práctica de la lección, así como el repaso de lecciones y unidades anteriores.
- Recursos adicionales: Minilecciones, prácticas personalizadas (solo para los grados 6.º a 8.º) y actividades complementarias que los maestros emplean para apoyar, fortalecer y ampliar los conocimientos de los estudiantes durante y después de las lecciones.
¿Dónde puedo encontrar recursos a nivel de unidad?
Hemos agregado un Recurso para cuidadores a cada unidad del programa, el cual proporciona un resumen de los conceptos clave y ejemplos de cómo resolver los problemas.
En cada uno de los enlaces para los grados académicos a continuación, encontrará un documento con el Recurso para cuidadores correspondiente a cada unidad, tanto en inglés como en español.
Unidad 1: Área y área de superficie
Unidad 2: Introducción a las razones
Unidad 3: Tasas y porcentajes
Unidad 4: División de fracciones
Unidad 5: Aritmética decimal
Unidad 6: Expresiones y ecuaciones
Unidad 7: Números positivos y negativos
Unidad 8: Descripción de datos – ¡Próximamente!
- Inglés
- Español – ¡Próximamente!
Unidad 1: Dibujos a escala
Unidad 2: Introducción a las relaciones proporcionales
Unidad 3: Medidas de círculos
Unidad 4: Relaciones proporcionales y porcentajes
Unidad 5: Operaciones con números positivos y negativos
Unidad 6: Expresiones, ecuaciones y desigualdades
Unidad 7: Ángulos, triángulos y prismas
Unidad 8: Probabilidad y muestreo
- Inglés
- Español – ¡Próximamente!
Unidad 1: Transformaciones rígidas y congruencia
Unidad 2: Dilataciones, semejanza y pendiente
Unidad 3: Relaciones proporcionales y lineales
Unidad 4: Ecuaciones lineales y sistemas lineales
Unidad 5: Funciones y volumen
Unidad 6: Asociación de datos
Unidad 7: Exponentes y notación científica
Unidad 8: Teorema de Pitágoras y números irracionales
- Inglés
- Español – ¡Próximamente!
Unidad 1: Patrones y secuencias
Unidad 2: Ecuaciones lineales y desigualdades
Unidad 3: Descripción de datos
Unidad 4: Descripción de funciones
Unidad 5: Sistemas de ecuaciones lineales y desigualdades
Unidad 6: Funciones exponenciales
Unidad 7: Funciones cuadráticas
Unidad 8: Ecuaciones cuadráticas
- Inglés
- Español – ¡Próximamente!
¿Cómo puedo incentivar el aprendizaje de las matemáticas en casa?
Usted puede incentivar el aprendizaje de matemáticas de su estudiante fuera de la escuela de muchas maneras:
Descubran las matemáticas en la vida cotidiana.
Relacione las matemáticas con las actividades cotidianas del hogar, ya sea al preparar comida, ir de compras o planificar un viaje en automóvil. Su estudiante puede ayudarle a determinar el precio de un artículo con un cupón, reducir una receta a la mitad o calcular cuánto combustible necesitan para llegar a su destino.
Repasen juntos los problemas de práctica.
Invite al estudiante a que le explique paso a paso el proceso de resolución de cada problema o le platique qué partes le resultaron difíciles de resolver. Para fomentar el uso del vocabulario matemático, considere hacer las siguientes preguntas al estudiante: “¿cómo lo sabes?”, “¿cómo puedes mostrar tu razonamiento?” o “¿cómo describirías eso?”. Si el estudiante no consigue avanzar, hágale preguntas de apoyo, por ejemplo: “¿qué información de aquí conoces?” o “¿cómo podrías representar este problema?”.
Haga hincapié en que es normal bloquearse.
Recuerde al estudiante que bloquearse es una parte natural y necesaria del aprendizaje. Muchos estudiantes (al igual que personas adultas) temen equivocarse. Las investigaciones demuestran que equivocarse ayuda a que el cerebro se desarrolle. Cuando su estudiante no consiga avanzar en un problema, anímelo o anímela a probar distintas estrategias, aunque no tenga certeza de si son correctas.
¿Cómo puedo acceder al programa desde casa?
Su estudiante tendrá acceso a los materiales de aprendizaje, práctica y evaluación a través de la plataforma de Amplify. Usted y su estudiante pueden acceder al plan de estudios digital en la escuela y en casa siguiendo estas instrucciones.
- Haga clic en el botón de Amplify Desmos Math.
- Seleccione Iniciar sesión con Amplify.
- Ingrese el nombre de usuario y la contraseña que el maestro entregó.
- Seleccione el grado escolar del estudiante.
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
- English
- Spanish
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
- English
- Spanish
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
- English
- Spanish
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
- English
- Spanish
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
- English
- Spanish
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
- English
- Spanish
Grade 5
- English
- Spanish
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!
Familias y cuidadores, ¡bienvenidos a Amplify Desmos Math
K–5!
Bienvenidos al Caregiver Hub de Amplify Desmos Math K–5. Esperamos que su estudiante disfrute explorando las matemáticas, trabajando con amigos para resolver problemas y aprendiendo conceptos nuevos e interesantes. ¡Y esperamos que ustedes disfruten de la experiencia matemática junto con ellos! A continuación, encontrarán algunas sugerencias y recursos para apoyar su aprendizaje en casa.
Obtenga más información sobre Amplify Desmos Math.
For the English version, please click here.
Recursos de la unidad para cuidadores
Para cada unidad del programa, hemos creado un Recurso para cuidadores (Caregiver Resource), el cual ofrece un resumen de los conceptos clave, además de un problema del conjunto de práctica de la lección que usted puede resolver con su estudiante. Encontrará un Recurso para cuidadores en cada unidad, disponible tanto en inglés como en español.
- Unidad 1: Sumar, restar y trabajar con datos
- Unidad 2: Problemas de palabras de adición y sustracción
- Unidad 3: Suma y resta hasta 20
- Unidad 4: Los números hasta el 99
- Unidad 5: Sumar números hasta el 100
- Unidad 6: Medir el largo de objetos de hasta 120 unidades de longitud
- Unidad 7: Geometría y la hora
- Unidad 1: Introducción a la multiplicación
- Unidad 2: Área y multiplicación
- Unidad 3: Conclusión de la suma y la resta hasta 1,000
- Unidad 4: Relación de la multiplicación con la división
- Unidad 5: Fracciones como números
- Unidad 6: Medir longitud, tiempo, volumen líquido y peso
- Unidad 7: Figuras bidimensionales y perímetro
- Unidad 1: Factores y múltiplos
- Unidad 2: Equivalencia y comparación de fracciones
- Unidad 3: Extender las operaciones a las fracciones
- Unidad 4: De centésimas a centenas de millar
- Unidad 5: Comparación multiplicativa y medidas
- Unidad 6: Multiplicar y dividir números de varios dígitos
- Unidad 7: Ángulos y propiedades de las figuras
- Unidad 1: Volumen
- Unidad 2: Fracciones como cocientes y multiplicación de fracciones
- Unidad 3: Multiplicación y división de fracciones
- Unidad 4: Multiplicación y división con números enteros de varios dígitos
- Unidad 5: Patrones en los valores posicionales y operaciones con decimales
- Unidad 6: Más operaciones con decimales y fracciones
- Unidad 7: Figuras en el plano de coordenadas
Ingrese a Amplify Desmos Math en casa.
Además del cuaderno de ejercicios impreso de la Edición del estudiante (Student Edition), su estudiante tendrá acceso digital a todos los materiales de aprendizaje, práctica y evaluación a través de la plataforma de Amplify. Es posible acceder al currículo digital desde la escuela o desde casa siguiendo estas instrucciones:
- Haga clic en el botón Amplify Desmos Math.
- Seleccione Log in with Amplify.
- Ingrese el nombre de usuario y la contraseña de su estudiante que el maestro les haya proporcionado.
- Seleccione el nivel escolar deseado.
Una vez iniciada la sesión, los cuidadores pueden ver el trabajo de los estudiantes abriendo tareas anteriores.
Aprenda a navegar por la página de inicio de los estudiantes (student home page).
Vistazo general a los materiales
Amplify Desmos Math promueve el aprendizaje mixto por medio de materiales impresos de apoyo y una experiencia digital única. Todas las lecciones en los grados K a 5 están disponibles en un cuaderno de trabajo de la Edición del estudiante. Muchas de las lecciones incluyen actividades prácticas con materiales manipulables, herramientas que ayudan a que los estudiantes hagan tangibles conceptos abstractos para poder comprenderlos. Su estudiante también trabajará con dispositivos digitales durante un número de lecciones que es apropiado para su edad.
Cuando los estudiantes usan dispositivos, los maestros pueden supervisar su trabajo en tiempo real, asegurándose de que reciban el apoyo exacto que necesitan en cada parte de la lección, dentro y fuera del salón de clase.
Componentes de una lección
A los estudiantes en un aula de Amplify Desmos Math se les ve (¡y se les escucha!) haciendo preguntas, debatiendo respuestas, justificando su razonamiento, enfrentándose a problemas y trabajando juntos o de forma individual.
Una lección típica de Amplify Desmos Math incluye:
- Calentamiento: Un problema breve e interesante para que los estudiantes se sientan atraídos a la lección.
- Actividades: Una o dos actividades cortas que desafíen las destrezas de los estudiantes para resolver problemas.
- Síntesis: Una discusión para revisar y consolidar los conceptos importantes de la lección.
- Demuestra lo que sabes (Show What You Know) y Reflexión (Reflection): Preguntas para que los estudiantes demuestren lo que aprendieron en la lección. (Nota: La evaluación de la lección “Demuestra lo que sabes” es opcional en kindergarten y primer grado).
- Centros (Centers): Estaciones de actividades dirigidas por los estudiantes que refuerzan los conceptos matemáticos que aprendieron durante las actividades de la lección usando formatos interactivos y, a menudo, lúdicos. En kindergarten y primer grado, el tiempo destinado a los Centros se incorpora en los últimos 15 minutos de cada lección.
Para apoyar, fortalecer y ampliar el aprendizaje de los estudiantes después de la lección, Amplify Desmos Math ofrece opciones de:
- Diferenciación: Minilecciones (Mini-Lessons), Centros, Extensiones, Boost Personalized Learning y Fluency Practice (Práctica de la fluidez).
- Práctica: Problemas adicionales que el maestro puede asignar para trabajar en clase o como tarea.
Apoye el aprendizaje de las matemáticas en casa.
Usted puede apoyar el aprendizaje de las matemáticas de su estudiante fuera de la escuela de muchas maneras:
El maestro puede asignar problemas de práctica al final de cada lección como trabajo en clase o como tarea. Si su estudiante ya ha completado los problemas de práctica de la lección, pídale que le explique cómo resolvió cada problema o que comente las partes que le resultaron difíciles. Haga preguntas de seguimiento para fomentar el uso del lenguaje matemático mientras explica su razonamiento, por ejemplo: “¿Cómo lo sabes?”, “¿Cómo puedes demostrar tu razonamiento?” o “¿Cómo describirías eso?”. Si su estudiante no consigue avanzar, hágale preguntas de apoyo, por ejemplo: “¿Qué información de aquí conoces?” o “¿Cómo podrías representar este problema?”.
Los juegos de Centro (Center game) se alinean con las matemáticas de la unidad y se pueden jugar con los estudiantes fuera de clase. Es posible que el maestro les explique a los estudiantes cómo jugar un juego de Centro durante o después de una lección. Si no es así, usted puede enseñarle a jugar usando instrucciones fáciles de seguir. Regístrese para obtener una cuenta gratuita y explorar los Centros y el contenido adicional para grados K a 5 en nuestras Colecciones destacadas.
Relacione las matemáticas con actividades cotidianas en casa, ya sea ir de compras, preparar la comida o planear una visita a la tienda. Su estudiante puede ayudarle a calcular cuántas manzanas más hay en el carrito que naranjas, dividir un sándwich en cuatro partes o calcular cuánto cambio recibirá si paga con un billete de diez dólares. Anímelo a señalar las maneras en que ustedes usan las matemáticas en sus quehaceres diarios.
Recuerde al estudiante que bloquearse es una parte necesaria (incluso benéfica) del proceso de aprendizaje. Muchos estudiantes (al igual que personas adultas) temen equivocarse, pero las investigaciones demuestran que cometer errores ayuda a que nuestro cerebro se desarrolle. Cuando su estudiante no consiga avanzar en un problema, anímelo a seguir intentando diferentes estrategias, aunque no esté seguro de si son correctas.
Obtenga más información.
¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre Amplify Desmos Math? Visite nuestra biblioteca de ayuda (en inglés) para buscar artículos con respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el programa. Para obtener más ayuda, por favor comuníquese con su maestro.
Una evaluación auténtica del español creada específicamente para estudiantes bilingües que están aprendiendo a leer
Como parte del paquete mCLASS® Español, mCLASS Lectura es un evaluador universal para K a 6.º grado basado en investigaciones recientes sobre alfabetización en español que ayuda a los educadores a acelerar el progreso en la lectura para los estudiantes de habla hispana al ofrecer una paridad total entre las evaluaciones de lectura en inglés y en español. For English version, please click here.
Abordar las desigualdades que enfrentan en el salón de clase los estudiantes de habla hispana en la alfabetización temprana
Los estudiantes de habla hispana han estado desatendidos y clasificados erróneamente durante décadas. Al combinar mCLASS Lectura y mCLASS con DIBELS® 8.ª edición, podrá comprender dónde se encuentran sus estudiantes de habla hispana en su trayectoria de alfabetización en inglés y español.
Basado en la ciencia que subyace a cómo los estudiantes aprenden a leer en inglés y español, el sistema mCLASS permite a los maestros conectarse con sus estudiantes de habla hispana cara a cara, uno a uno y en el idioma que les resulte más cómodo. Los maestros pueden identificar en qué punto del desarrollo de sus destrezas de lectura y escritura se encuentran realmente sus estudiantes hispanohablantes o bilingües emergentes y qué instrucción deben priorizar.
Desarrollado por reconocidos expertos en alfabetización
El evaluador universal mCLASS® Lectura fue desarrollado conjuntamente con el Centro de Enseñanza y Aprendizaje de la Universidad de Oregon. La evaluación fue validada por Amplify en colaboración con la Dra. Lillian Durán de la Universidad de Oregón.
El desarrollo de mCLASS Lectura también involucró a un equipo de expertos reconocidos a nivel nacional que representan una variedad de regiones (México, América Central, América del Sur y el Caribe), junto con grupos focales con maestros regulares, maestros de educación especial, especialistas y administradores.
Nuestro enfoque
Alineado con la Ciencia de la lectura, mCLASS Lectura permite a los maestros conectarse con sus estudiantes a través de una evaluación observacional y en el idioma que les resulte más cómodo. Creamos mCLASS Lectura para que, cuando se use en conjunto con mCLASS con DIBELS 8.ª edición, los educadores puedan lograr una paridad completa entre las destrezas de alfabetización en inglés y español.
Paridad total entre inglés y español
mCLASS Lectura es una evaluación auténtica en español que ofrece paridad total cuando se combina con mCLASS con DIBELS 8.ª edición, que incluye informes paralelos entre evaluaciones en inglés y español así como informes únicos en dos idiomas.
Escuche a sus estudiantes leer en ambos idiomas, uno a uno
mCLASS Lectura proporciona evaluaciones en español administradas por maestros, que brindan mediciones precisas y confiables del progreso de alfabetización de cada estudiante.
Creado a partir de las últimas investigaciones sobre el desarrollo de la alfabetización en español
mCLASS Lectura es una evaluación de alta calidad que tiene en cuenta las principales diferencias entre inglés y español, no simplemente una traducción directa o transadaptación entre los dos idiomas.
Transferir destrezas de un idioma a otro
Al brindar a los maestros información sobre las áreas de destrezas que sus estudiantes dominan en su idioma nativo, el programa ayuda a los hispanohablantes a desarrollar sus fortalezas y establecer conexiones con su segundo idioma. Los educadores también reciben orientación sobre la transferencia interlingüística de destrezas fundamentales en ambos idiomas.
Conozca las desigualdades que enfrentan en el salón de clase los estudiantes de habla hispana y cómo los educadores pueden abordarlas
Descargar ahoraQué se incluye
mCLASS Lectura incluye medidas de un minuto validadas para la detección universal y de dislexia, y proporciona informes en dos idiomas para maestros y administradores.
Medidas integrales de alfabetización en español en mCLASS Lectura
mCLASS Lectura está validado para evaluar todas las destrezas fundamentales para K a 6.º grado, que incluyen:
- Nombrar las letras
- Conciencia fonológica
- Principio alfabético
- Fluidez
- Comprensión
Informes en inglés y español
mCLASS Lectura analiza la alfabetización en español y el desarrollo de la alfabetización en inglés en paralelo, lo que le permite ver en qué nivel se encuentran los estudiantes en ambos idiomas. Conozca más sobre los informes de mCLASS Lectura.
Actividades de instrucción para desarrollar destrezas de alfabetización en español
Con mCLASS Lectura, los educadores obtienen cientos de actividades de instrucción paso a paso para grupos pequeños o estudiantes individuales y reciben actividades eficaces para enfocarse en las destrezas de alfabetización en español en las que los estudiantes necesitan más apoyo.
Informes integrales
mCLASS Lectura proporciona informes para todos en todos los niveles, desde maestros y especialistas en alfabetización hasta directores y líderes distritales, así como padres y cuidadores en el hogar. Conozca más sobre sobre los informes de mCLASS Lectura.
Datos de evaluación detallados
mCLASS Lectura proporciona transcripciones de cada evaluación e identifica patrones de error para ayudar a los educadores a tomar decisiones didácticas sobre las habilidades que más necesitan reforzar los estudiantes. El programa también incluye cartas con resultados y análisis de las evaluaciones de los estudiantes para enviar a casa o usar como base para discusiones durante las conferencias.
Lea sobre la investigación y validación que respaldan a mCLASS Lectura
Descargar nuestro informe técnico¡Les damos la bienvenida, familias de Amplify Caminos!
Nos complace darles la bienvenida a usted y a su estudiante al programa Amplify Caminos para el nuevo año escolar y brindarles oportunidades de aprendizaje excepcionales a través de nuestro programa. Hemos reunido una serie de recursos y guías que ayudarán a que su estudiante aproveche al máximo nuestra plataforma. Ponemos a su disposición estos materiales para que también usted pueda brindar apoyo a su estudiante a lo largo de todo el año.
Para la versión en inglés, haga clic aquí.
¿Qué es Amplify Caminos?
Amplify Caminos es un programa de enseñanza del español para los grados K a 5. Está basado en la Ciencia de la lectura y fue creado y desarrollado completamente para el idioma español.
Hemos diseñado Amplify Caminos en torno a temas que interesan a los niños, desde temas de ciencia e historia universal hasta grandes obras literarias y artísticas. Los estudiantes conectan lo que aprenden en las distintas unidades y grados, profundizando su comprensión y participación cada año.
Primeros pasos
Cómo apoyar a su estudiante en casa:
- Si es posible, lea con su estudiante a diario; incluso 15 minutos de lectura juntos cada día pueden generar un gran impacto.
- Lea secciones del texto en voz alta y de forma conjunta. Si su estudiante tiene dificultad para leer en voz alta, intente leer el texto con expresividad y después pídale a su estudiante que haga lo mismo.
- Busquen momentos para conversar sobre lo que están leyendo y descubriendo en clase. Por ejemplo, usted podría preguntarle:¿Qué te llamó más la atención de lo que leíste hoy? ¿Alguna frase o palabra te resultó confusa? ¿Qué conclusión puedes sacar del pasaje del autor? ¿Qué crees que intentaba comunicar el autor? ¿Estás de acuerdo con las ideas o descripciones del autor? ¿Qué conexiones puedes establecer entre lo que estás leyendo y tu propia vida u otros temas sobre los que hayas escuchado algo?
- Escuche a su estudiante leer las respuestas que haya escrito o pídale que las comparta con un amigo en una videollamada.
- Consulte el artículo Proteja a los niños en internet de la Comisión Federal de Comercio, cuyo tema es la seguridad digital.
Iniciar sesión
Estudiantes de grados K a 2
Los estudiantes de grados K a 2 podrán iniciar sesión con las credenciales compartidas que proporcionó el maestro.
Desde el dispositivo del estudiante, diríjase a learning.amplify.com.
Seleccione “Log in” y luego introduzca los datos de ingreso o seleccione “Scan QR code” para iniciar sesión usando un código QR. Los estudiantes ingresarán a su página principal (Student Home), ¡donde podrán cambiar su avatar y hacer clic en un emoji para definir su estado de ánimo del día! En la página principal del estudiante, encontrarán un vínculo de acceso rápido al Student Hub.
Nota: Los códigos de inicio compartidos les permiten a los estudiantes de grados K a 2 que usan Amplify Caminos Hub, y a los estudiantes aún no matriculados por su escuela o distrito, ingresar a los programas digitales de Amplify.
Estudiantes de grados 3 a 5
Diríjase a learning.amplify.com.
Seleccione “Log in” y luego introduzca los datos de ingreso o seleccione “Scan QR code” para iniciar sesión usando un código QR. Los estudiantes ingresarán a su página principal (Student Home), ¡donde podrán cambiar su avatar y hacer clic en un emoji para definir su estado de ánimo del día! En la página principal del estudiante (Student Home), encontrarán un vínculo de acceso rápido al Student Hub.
Nota: Para poder ingresar a la página principal de estudiante, los estudiantes que se encuentran en esta banda de grados deben estar matriculados y tener una licencia adecuada. Contacte a su maestro para obtener los datos de ingreso.
Vistazo general a los materiales
Si cuenta con acceso a internet, su estudiante puede ingresar a parte del plan de estudios digital de Amplify Caminos. Contacte a su maestro para obtener los datos de ingreso.
Libros de lectura
Amplify Caminos es un programa de Artes del Lenguaje Español (SLA, por sus siglas en inglés), de modo que los libros de lectura están en español y se ajustan al código de español que se enseña en Amplify Caminos. Estos libros solo estarán disponibles para maestros y estudiantes que implementen Caminos en su salón de SLA o de dos idiomas.
Los libros de lectura están diseñados exclusivamente para brindarles a los estudiantes práctica intensiva mientras leen historias simples y auténticas.
En los grados K a 2, los libros de lectura contienen capítulos que permiten a su estudiante practicar los sonidos y patrones de deletreo recién aprendidos, así como palabras de uso común en español. Lo anterior le ayudará a comprender lo que lee y a disfrutar de cuentos encantadores con personajes interesantes. En los grados 3 a 5, los libros de lectura contienen una variedad de textos literarios e informativos ricos en contenido, los cuales ayudan a que los estudiantes desarrollen destrezas de lectura atenta y otras destrezas de lectoescritura.
Cuadernos de actividades para estudiantes
Como parte de las lecciones diarias, estas páginas de actividades piden a los estudiantes que respondan al texto leído y apliquen destrezas y conocimientos. También incluyen evaluaciones (a las que tienen acceso los maestros) que monitorean el desarrollo de las destrezas de los estudiantes.
El Hub de Caminos para estudiantes
Los estudiantes acceden a recursos multimedia y disfrutan de una nueva experiencia digital en el Hub de Caminos. Pueden acceder al Hub desde casa, en el salón de clases o dondequiera que estén, lo que lo hace ideal para el aprendizaje a distancia. También es compatible con computadoras portátiles, Chromebooks, tabletas y computadoras de escritorio; incluso lo hemos optimizado para dispositivos móviles.
Sonidos para los grados K a 2
La Biblioteca de sonidos contiene grabaciones del audio de fonemas. Los maestros pueden incorporar en cualquier momento los materiales de la Biblioteca de sonidos a las actividades existentes, ya sea al comienzo de las lecciones de Lectoescritura o como un repaso divertido para el salón de clases.
Los sonidos de la biblioteca están organizados por unidad, y los sonidos de cada unidad se pueden encontrar en las pestañas de la parte superior de la pantalla. Cada pestaña contiene tarjetas para cada sonido. En cada tarjeta se puede reproducir una grabación del sonido seleccionando el icono del altavoz.
Biblioteca
El Hub del lector de libros electrónicos permite a los niños acceder fácilmente a toda la biblioteca de libros de Caminos. Un índice sencillo facilita la navegación por libros más extensos. Los libros electrónicos de Amplify Caminos incluyen el conjunto completo de libros de lectura para estudiantes de kindergarten a quinto grado.
Misiones
En los grados 3 a 5, cada grado incluye una Misión Básica. En estas unidades especiales se modifican todas las reglas habituales del salón de clases y los estudiantes interactúan con el lenguaje de maneras sorprendentemente nuevas. Por ejemplo, en quinto grado, aprenden a apreciar el denso lenguaje shakespeariano de “Sueño de una noche de verano” haciendo una lectura atenta, prestando atención a las imágenes evocadas e incluso representando algunas escenas.
¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre Amplify Caminos?
Visite nuestra biblioteca de ayuda (en inglés) y busque respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el programa en nuestros artículos de ayuda.
Para obtener apoyo curricular adicional, comuníquese con su maestro.
Welcome to the Amplify Caminos 3rd Edition program review site.
Plan de estudios de lengua y literatura en inglés para la escuela intermedia
Con Amplify ELA, los estudiantes aprenden a abordar cualquier texto complejo y a hacer observaciones, a lidiar con ideas interesantes y a encontrar relevancia para ellos mismos.
Calificado como totalmente ecológico en EdReports, Amplify ELA obtuvo puntuaciones perfectas en todos los portales. For English version, please click here.
Adaptable y fácil de enseñar
Con seis niveles de diferenciación y evaluaciones integradas, los maestros pueden asegurarse de que los estudiantes adquieran destrezas clave sin interrumpir la instrucción. Debido a que el programa realiza este trabajo en segundo plano, los maestros tienen más tiempo para hacer lo que más les gusta.
Además, solo Amplify ofrece 100-Day Pathway, una guía integrada para abarcar el contenido requerido para cada nivel de grado en solo 100 días, a la vez que permite a los maestros agregar lecciones y actividades complementarias.
Calificación verde en EdReports
Calificado como verde en EdReports, Amplify ELA obtuvo puntuaciones perfectas en todos los criterios.
Los textos enriquecidos del plan de estudios Amplify ELA desarrollan conocimientos y forjan conexiones entre niveles de grado, a la vez que brindan apoyo integral tanto a estudiantes como a educadores.
Nuestro enfoque
A través de su atractivo programa digital, poderosas herramientas de diferenciación y evaluación y guías de instrucción paso a paso, nuestro plan de estudios responde directamente a los desafíos y oportunidades que enfrentan los estudiantes y maestros de escuela intermedia.
Capacitamos a los estudiantes para que se conviertan en pensadores críticos.
Con el texto siempre como elemento principal, se anima a los estudiantes a generar por sí mismos ideas y opiniones sobre el significado. En lugar de centrarse en respuestas correctas o incorrectas, desarrollan ideas y opiniones sobre textos relevantes de la vida real.
Ofrecemos seis niveles de apoyo diferenciado.
Múltiples puntos de entrada y seis niveles de apoyo diferenciado integrado permiten que cada estudiante, independientemente de su fluidez o nivel de habilidad, interactúe con los mismos textos complejos y el mismo plan de estudios.
Evaluamos mientras usted enseña.
Las evaluaciones e informes integrados brindan información sobre el progreso de cada estudiante sin tener que interrumpir la instrucción diaria. Al recopilar datos en cada momento del aprendizaje, los maestros pueden responder a las necesidades de los estudiantes más rápido que nunca.
Descarga gratuita
Más allá de “hacerlo divertido”: Cuatro principios para un verdadero entusiasmo en la enseñanza de ELA en la escuela intermedia
DescargarQué se incluye
Amplify ELA es un plan de estudios básico riguroso que empodera a los maestros y despierta el interés de a los estudiantes de escuela intermedia.
Edición del estudiante
Disponibles en formato digital e impreso, los materiales para estudiantes sirven de guía a los alumnos de escuela intermedia a través de textos complejos y la escritura al:
- Motivar a los estudiantes con textos narrativos e informativos de alta calidad.
- Proporcionar videos, apoyos de audio y experiencias digitales que capten su atención.
- Mantener todos sus escritos en un solo lugar con un Diario de escritura personal.
Edición del maestro
Disponible en formato digital e impreso, la Edición del maestro contiene toda la información que los maestros necesitan para facilitar la instrucción en el salón de clase, incluidos:
- Planes de lecciones detallados.
- Consejos para maestros en video integrados en la lección.
- Alineación de estándares y boletos de salida.
- Estrategias de diferenciación en tiempo real.
- Informes exhaustivos.
Misiones interactivas
Las misiones son inmersiones divertidas de una semana de duración en un tema específico de múltiples capas. Permiten a los estudiantes practicar destrezas analíticas de lectura, escritura, expresión oral y comprensión auditiva, a la vez que construyen una estrecha comunidad en el salón de clase.
Una biblioteca digital para lectura independiente
La amplia Biblioteca Amplify incluye más de 700 títulos digitales de ficción, no ficción, clásicos y contemporáneos.
Amplify ELA hace más fácil la vida de los maestros
Nuestro programa garantiza que se cubran los estándares, se enseñen las destrezas y se prepare a los estudiantes con andamiaje y estímulos adecuados.
- Diferenciación integrada para apoyar a todos los lectores.
- Sistema de evaluación informativo y optimizado.
- Informes exhaustivos que rastrean el progreso.
- Potentes herramientas de comentarios.
Explore otros programas
Nuestros programas están diseñados para que se respalden y complementen entre sí. Aprenda más sobre nuestros programas relacionados:
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.
K–5 Core Knowledge Language Arts Program – K–5 Literacy Curriculum | Amplify
Lleve el mundo a los estudiantes con un plan de estudios de alfabetización comprobado de PreK a 5.º grado
Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) es el plan de estudios líder en alfabetización temprana basado en la Ciencia de la lectura. Mediante la combinación del desarrollo de conocimientos y de destrezas fundamentales a partir de la investigación, nuestra instrucción orienta a los educadores en el desarrollo de lectores, escritores y pensadores capaces.
Con una poderosa plataforma en línea y un plan de estudios paralelo de lengua y literatura en español, Amplify CKLA ofrece una solución integral para educadores y estudiantes de PreK a 5.º grado. For English version, please click here.
Los resultados son fruto del conocimiento previo
El plan de estudios de alfabetización de Amplify CKLA de PreK a 5.º grado equipa a los estudiantes con un rico conocimiento que se construye intencionalmente para inspirar curiosidad e impulsar resultados. Explore las investigaciónes que revelan la eficacia del plan de estudios basado en el conocimiento, así como el logro de Amplify CKLA como intervención educativa de conformidad con la ESSA (nivel 1 de evidencia fuerte).
AMPLIFY CKLA
38,000+
Salones de clase
2,700,000+
Estudiantes
50
Estados de EE. UU. y D.C.
Revisado de forma independiente y rigurosa
Amplify CKLA se encuentra entre los pocos planes de estudio que es tanto reconocido por la campaña Knowledge Matters (por su excelencia en construir conocimiento intencionalmente) y como calificado verde en EdReports, obteniendo puntuaciones verdes en todos los criterios.
Nuestro enfoque
Basado en la Ciencia de la lectura y siguiendo el principio de Core Knowledge, el plan de estudios Amplify CKLA para PreK a 5.º grado combina conocimientos de contenido rico en historia, ciencias, literatura y artes con una instrucción sistemática de destrezas fundamentales basada en la investigación.
Basado en la Ciencia de la lectura
Como la primera casa editorial en crear un plan de estudios basado en la Ciencia de la lectura, ponemos la investigación en acción con una instrucción explícita y sistemática de destrezas fundamentales junto con una secuencia comprobada de construcción de conocimientos. En colaboración con expertos y profesionales de la educación, proporcionamos recursos poderosos que generan resultados reales. Explore nuestras historias de éxito de Ciencia de la lectura.
Desarrolla destrezas fundamentales con instrucción explícita y sistemática
El alcance y la secuencia basados en la investigación de Amplify CKLA progresan desde el desarrollo de destrezas simples hasta el más complejo, comenzando con la conciencia fonológica y fonémica. La instrucción le guía en la enseñanza explícita de las 150 ortografías de los 44 sonidos del inglés, con una progresión intencional y una revisión de las destrezas para preparar a sus estudiantes para el éxito.
Adopta una metodología demostrada de adquisición de conocimientos
Siguiendo la Core Knowledge Sequence, un enfoque coherente, acumulativo y de contenido específico para desarrollar conocimientos, los estudiantes profundizan y hacen conexiones entre áreas de contenido para construir una base de conocimientos sólida que les permita comprender textos complejos. Vea cómo se ha demostrado que el plan de estudios Core Knowledge mejora los puntajes de lectura y elimina las brechas en el rendimiento.
Creado en colaboración con la Core Knowledge Foundation
Amplify CKLA es el líder en materiales educativos de alta calidad para lengua y literatura de primaria, creado en colaboración con la Core Knowledge Foundation para ayudar a los estudiantes a desarrollar con eficacia un conocimiento profundo del contenido y destrezas fundamentales.
Cultivar la alfabetización bilingüe con programas paralelos en inglés y español
Amplify Caminos es el compañero perfecto en lengua y literatura del idioma español para Amplify CKLA. Los programas alineados combinan un rico conocimiento del contenido con una instrucción sistemática de destrezas fundamentales basada en la Ciencia de la lectura que sigue los principios de alfabetización bilingüe, y respalda múltiples modelos de enseñanza.
Estudio de eficacia de Amplify CKLA
Evidencia de conformidad con la ESSA (nivel 1): la adquisición de
conocimientos con Amplify CKLA
mejora los logros.
Qué se incluye
El programa proporciona atractivos materiales impresos y multimedia diseñados para construir una base sólida y rica en lectoescritura en todos los salones de clase.
CoreELD y complementos
Materiales de alta calidad para los maestros
Los maestros de Amplify CKLA brindan instrucción de manera eficaz con recursos impresos y digitales, que incluyen:
- Guías para el maestro con diferenciación integrada.
- Evaluaciones formales e informales.
- Diapositivas de lecciones listas para usar y personalizables.
- Libros comerciales y Guías literarias.
- Recursos docentes y desarrollo profesional a pedido.
Recursos inmersivos para estudiantes
Los estudiantes de Amplify CKLA se mantienen interesados con una amplia gama de recursos impresos y digitales, que incluyen:
- Descodificables originales y Libros grandes de lectura en voz alta (K a 2.º grado), Libros de lectura (3.er a 5.º grados) y libros comerciales (K a 5.º grado).
- Cuadernos de actividades para estudiantes con evaluaciones integradas (K a 5.º grado).
- Unidades de investigación para investigaciones independientes desarrollados en torno a un libro comercial (K a 5.º grado).
- Diario del poeta y Diario del escritor (libros de lectura con espacio para escribir para 4.º y 5.º grados).
- Misiones de conocimiento para apoyar el aprendizaje inmersivo basado en problemas en los grados 3.º a 5.º.
Materiales prácticos de fonética
La fonética multisensorial y los recursos de destrezas fundamentales ayudan a los estudiantes a practicar destrezas clave utilizando enfoques divertidos y variados que desarrollan la independencia.
- Carpetas para la práctica de ortografía (K).
- Tarjetas de letras (K a 2.º grado).
- Tarjetas de sílabas (K a 2.º grado).
- Tarjetas de imágenes (K a 3.er grado).
- Tarjetas de combinación de imágenes (K).
- Rotafolios de códigos de consonantes y vocales (1.er y 2.º grados).
- Biblioteca de sonido digital exclusiva.
Experiencia digital robusta
Los recursos para maestros y estudiantes de Amplify CKLA están disponibles a través de una plataforma de experiencia digital que mejora la instrucción y le ahorra tiempo. Con todo lo que necesita en un solo lugar, puede planificar lecciones, presentar contenido y revisar el trabajo de los estudiantes de manera eficaz.
- Presentaciones de lecciones con diapositivas listas para usar y personalizables.
- Herramienta dinámica para estudiantes con revisión en vivo.
- Experiencia interactiva y amigable para los estudiantes.
- Integración LMS.
- Videos animados de Desarrollo de conocimiento
- Lecturas en voz alta grabadas.
- Sitio web de desarrollo profesional.
- Apoyo al programa en tiempo real por correo electrónico, chat en vivo y teléfono.
Programa para estudiantes del idioma inglés
Language Studio, diseñado para Amplify CKLA, brinda instrucción diaria alineada con WIDA para que los estudiantes del idioma inglés profundicen su inglés académico.
Programa de exploración de escritura
Writing Studio, un complemento único para Amplify CKLA, ofrece una inmersión profunda en la redacción de información, narrativa y opinión para formar escritores fuertes y apasionados.
Explore otros programas basados en la Ciencia de la lectura
Todos los programas de nuestro paquete de alfabetización están diseñados para que se respalden y complementen entre sí. Aprenda más sobre nuestros programas relacionados:
Lleve el mundo a los estudiantes con un plan de estudios de alfabetización comprobado de PreK a 5.º grado
Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) es el plan de estudios líder en alfabetización temprana basado en la Ciencia de la lectura. Mediante la combinación del desarrollo de conocimientos y de destrezas fundamentales a partir de la investigación, nuestra instrucción orienta a los educadores en el desarrollo de lectores, escritores y pensadores capaces.
Con una poderosa plataforma en línea y un plan de estudios paralelo de lengua y literatura en español, Amplify CKLA ofrece una solución integral para educadores y estudiantes de PreK a 5.º grado. For English version, please click here.
Los resultados son fruto del conocimiento previo
El plan de estudios de alfabetización de Amplify CKLA de PreK a 5.º grado equipa a los estudiantes con un rico conocimiento que se construye intencionalmente para inspirar curiosidad e impulsar resultados. Explore las investigaciónes que revelan la eficacia del plan de estudios basado en el conocimiento, así como el logro de Amplify CKLA como intervención educativa de conformidad con la ESSA (nivel 1 de evidencia fuerte).
Amplify CKLA serves
38,000+
Salones de clase
2,700,000+
Estudiantes
50
Estados de EE. UU. y D.C.
Revisado de forma independiente y rigurosa
Amplify CKLA se encuentra entre los pocos planes de estudio que es tanto reconocido por la campaña Knowledge Matters (por su excelencia en construir conocimiento intencionalmente) y como calificado verde en EdReports, obteniendo puntuaciones verdes en todos los criterios.
Nuestro enfoque
Basado en la Ciencia de la lectura y siguiendo el principio de Core Knowledge, el plan de estudios Amplify CKLA para PreK a 5.º grado combina conocimientos de contenido ricos y diversos en historia, ciencias, literatura y artes con una instrucción sistemática de destrezas fundamentales basada en la investigación.
Basado en la Ciencia de la lectura
Como la primera casa editorial en crear un plan de estudios basado en la Ciencia de la lectura, ponemos la investigación en acción con una instrucción explícita y sistemática de destrezas fundamentales junto con una secuencia comprobada de construcción de conocimientos. En colaboración con expertos y profesionales de la educación, proporcionamos recursos poderosos que generan resultados reales. Explore nuestras historias de éxito de Ciencia de la lectura.
Desarrolla destrezas fundamentales con instrucción explícita y sistemática
El alcance y la secuencia basados en la investigación de Amplify CKLA progresan desde el desarrollo de destrezas simples hasta el más complejo, comenzando con la conciencia fonológica y fonémica. La instrucción le guía en la enseñanza explícita de las 150 ortografías de los 44 sonidos del inglés, con una progresión intencional y una revisión de las destrezas para preparar a sus estudiantes para el éxito.
Adopta una metodología demostrada de adquisición de conocimientos
Siguiendo la Core Knowledge Sequence, un enfoque coherente, acumulativo y de contenido específico para desarrollar conocimientos, los estudiantes profundizan y hacen conexiones entre áreas de contenido para construir una base de conocimientos sólida que les permita comprender textos complejos. Vea cómo se ha demostrado que el plan de estudios Core Knowledge mejora los puntajes de lectura y elimina las brechas en el rendimiento.
Creado en colaboración con la Core Knowledge Foundation
Amplify CKLA es el líder en materiales educativos de alta calidad para lengua y literatura de primaria, creado en colaboración con la Core Knowledge Foundation para ayudar a los estudiantes a desarrollar con eficacia un conocimiento profundo del contenido y destrezas fundamentales.
Cultivar la alfabetización bilingüe con programas paralelos en inglés y español
Amplify Caminos es el compañero perfecto en lengua y literatura del idioma español para Amplify CKLA. Los programas alineados combinan un rico conocimiento del contenido con una instrucción sistemática de destrezas fundamentales basada en la Ciencia de la lectura que sigue los principios de alfabetización bilingüe, y respalda múltiples modelos de enseñanza.
Estudio de eficacia de Amplify CKLA
Evidencia de conformidad con la ESSA (nivel 1): la adquisición de
conocimientos con Amplify CKLA mejora los logros.
Qué se incluye
El programa proporciona atractivos materiales impresos y multimedia diseñados para construir una base sólida y rica en lectoescritura en todos los salones de clase.
CoreELD y complementos
Materiales de alta calidad para los maestros
Los maestros de Amplify CKLA brindan instrucción de manera eficaz con recursos impresos y digitales, que incluyen:
- Guías para el maestro con diferenciación integrada.
- Evaluaciones formales e informales.
- Diapositivas de lecciones listas para usar y personalizables.
- Libros comerciales y Guías literarias.
- Recursos docentes y desarrollo profesional a pedido.
Recursos inmersivos para estudiantes
Los estudiantes de Amplify CKLA se mantienen interesados con una amplia gama de recursos impresos y digitales, que incluyen:
- Descodificables originales y Libros grandes de lectura en voz alta (K a 2.º grado), Libros de lectura (3.er a 5.º grados) y libros comerciales (K a 5.º grado).
- Cuadernos de actividades para estudiantes con evaluaciones integradas (K a 5.º grado).
- Unidades de investigación para investigaciones independientes desarrollados en torno a un libro comercial (K a 5.º grado).
- Diario del poeta y Diario del escritor (libros de lectura con espacio para escribir para 4.º y 5.º grados).
- Misiones de conocimiento para apoyar el aprendizaje inmersivo basado en problemas en los grados 3.º a 5.º.
Materiales prácticos de fonética
La fonética multisensorial y los recursos de destrezas fundamentales ayudan a los estudiantes a practicar destrezas clave utilizando enfoques divertidos y variados que desarrollan la independencia.
- Carpetas para la práctica de ortografía (K).
- Tarjetas de letras (K a 2.º grado).
- Tarjetas de sílabas (K a 2.º grado).
- Tarjetas de imágenes (K a 3.er grado).
- Tarjetas de combinación de imágenes (K).
- Rotafolios de códigos de consonantes y vocales (1.er y 2.º grados).
- Biblioteca de sonido digital exclusiva.
Experiencia digital robusta
Los recursos para maestros y estudiantes de Amplify CKLA están disponibles a través de una plataforma de experiencia digital que mejora la instrucción y le ahorra tiempo. Con todo lo que necesita en un solo lugar, puede planificar lecciones, presentar contenido y revisar el trabajo de los estudiantes de manera eficaz.
- Presentaciones de lecciones con diapositivas listas para usar y personalizables.
- Herramienta dinámica para estudiantes con revisión en vivo.
- Experiencia interactiva y amigable para los estudiantes.
- Integración LMS.
- Videos animados de Desarrollo de conocimiento
- Lecturas en voz alta grabadas.
- Sitio web de desarrollo profesional.
- Apoyo al programa en tiempo real por correo electrónico, chat en vivo y teléfono.
Programa para estudiantes del idioma inglés
Language Studio, diseñado para Amplify CKLA, brinda instrucción diaria alineada con WIDA para que los estudiantes del idioma inglés profundicen su inglés académico.
Programa de exploración de escritura
Writing Studio, un complemento único para Amplify CKLA, ofrece una inmersión profunda en la redacción de información, narrativa y opinión para formar escritores fuertes y apasionados.
Explore otros programas basados en la Ciencia de la lectura
Todos los programas de nuestro paquete de alfabetización están diseñados para que se respalden y complementen entre sí. Aprenda más sobre nuestros programas relacionados:
Plan your professional development
We’re excited to partner with you on your Amplify journey. Flexible professional development pathways have been designed to meet your needs.
Recommended Professional Development Plan
Our team has curated a recommended professional learning path from initial launch to continuous support. Use the Professional Development Planning Guide below to discuss the plan that best meets your school or district needs with your Account Executive.
mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition sessions overview
| Audience | Title | Duration | Modality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | |||
| New mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition customers with limited time for PD | mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition program overview | Half day | Onsite/Remote |
| New mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition customers | Initial training | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote |
| Initial training: Train the Trainer | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote | |
| Initial training | Self-paced | Online course | |
| Strengthen | |||
| mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition customers with limited time for PD | Understanding your classroom data | Half day | Onsite/Remote |
| All mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition customers | Classroom data analysis and instructional planning | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote |
| Classroom data analysis and instructional planning: Train the Trainer | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote | |
| Classroom data analysis and instructional planning | Self-paced | Online course | |
| All mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition customers | Understanding your school or district data | Half day | Onsite/Remote |
| Data-driven leadership practices | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote | |
| Data-driven leadership practices: Train the Trainer | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote | |
| Data-driven leadership practices | Self-paced | Online course | |
| Strengthening consultation session | 60 min. | Remote | |
| Strengthening consultation session package | 3 60-min. sessions | Remote | |
| Coach | |||
| All mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition customers | Coaching session | 1 day | Onsite |
| Coaching session | Half day | Onsite/Remote | |
| Building readers | |||
| All mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition customers | Building readers for leaders | 2 half days | Onsite/Remote |
| Building readers for teachers | 3 half days | Onsite/Remote | |
Launch
mCLASS with DIBELS 8th edition program overview
Half day (3 hours)
This PD prepares participants to implement the assessment and collect reliable data using standardized guidelines.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to implement the assessment, collect reliable data using standardized guidelines, and use the targeted lessons available on mCLASS to drive differentiated instruction.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training: Train the Trainer
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to implement the assessment, collect reliable data using standardized guidelines, and use the targeted lessons available on mCLASS to drive differentiated instruction. Participants receive annotated session materials to turnkey the session to colleagues.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training
Self-paced
This PD is an individual seat to our self-paced, on-demand online course that contains approximately 6 hours of training. Participants will learn how to implement the assessment, collect reliable data using standardized guidelines, and use the targeted lessons available on mCLASS to drive differentiated instruction. Participants will access and revisit the course anytime for up to one year as a refresher.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome)
Modality: Online
Strengthen
Understanding your classroom data
Half day (3 hours)
This PD prepares participants to understand their students’ data by utilizing the reports available on mCLASS. This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Classroom data analysis and instructional planning
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to deeply understand their students’ data and create actionable instructional plans by utilizing the reports and skills-focused lesson plans available on mCLASS.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
*This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Classroom data analysis and instructional planning: Train the Trainer
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to deeply understand their students’ data and create actionable instructional plans by utilizing the reports and skills-focused lesson plans available on mCLASS. Participants receive annotated session materials to turnkey the session to colleagues.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
*This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Classroom data analysis and instructional planning
Online course (self-paced)
This PD is an individual seat to our self-paced, on-demand online course that contains approximately 6 hours of training. Participants will learn how to deeply understand their students’ data and create actionable instructional plans by utilizing the reports and skills-focused lesson plans available on mCLASS. Participants will access and revisit the course anytime for up to one year as a refresher.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome)
Modality: Online
Understanding your school or district data
Half day (3 hours)
This PD prepares participants to use their data in making schoolwide decisions. This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Audience: Administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Data-driven leadership practices
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to use their data in making school-wide decisions and build a schoolwide culture of data-driven instruction. This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Audience: Administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Data-driven leadership practices: Train the Trainer
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to use their data in making school-wide decisions and build a schoolwide culture of data-driven instruction. This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data. Participants receive annotated session materials to turnkey the session to colleagues.
Audience: Administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Data-driven leadership practices
Online course (self-paced)
This PD is an individual seat to our self-paced, on-demand online course that contains approximately 6 hours of training. Participants will learn how to use their data in making school-wide decisions and build a schoolwide culture of data-driven instruction. Participants will access and revisit the course anytime for up to one year as a refresher.
Audience: Administrators
Modality: Online
Strengthening consultation session
(60-min.)
This 60-minute session will focus on a specific topic that will deepen educators’ understanding of mCLASS and equip them with the tools needed to drive stronger student outcomes. An Amplify facilitator will align with the school or district leadership team in advance of the session on the topic (chosen from a menu of options) that will best meet educators’ unique needs.
Topics include:
- Progress Monitoring
- Zones of Growth
- Data Walkthrough for Leaders
Audience: Teachers and/or administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Remote
Strengthening consultation session package
(3 hours)
This package consists of three 60-minute sessions that can be delivered on the same day or on different days. Each session will focus on a specific topic that will deepen educators’ understanding of mCLASS and equip them in driving towards stronger student outcomes. An Amplify facilitator will align with the school or district’s leadership team in advance on the topics that will best meet educators’ unique needs.
Topics include:
- Progress Monitoring
- Zones of Growth
- Data Walkthrough for Leaders
Audience: Teachers and/or administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Remote
Coach
Coaching session
1 day (6 hours)
This PD will deepen educators’ understanding of how to utilize mCLASS in order to accelerate data-driven student outcomes. An Amplify facilitator will visit one or two school sites for one day and work with teachers and/or leaders. Prior to the visit, the Amplify facilitator will align with each school’s leadership team on their needs and customize the visit schedule accordingly.
Audience: Teachers and/or administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite
Coaching session
Half day (3 hours)
This PD is up to 3 hours of training and will deepen educators’ understanding of how to utilize mCLASS in order to accelerate data-driven student outcomes. An Amplify facilitator will visit one school site for a half-day and work with teachers and/or leaders. Prior to the visit, the Amplify facilitator will align with each school’s leadership team on their needs and customize the visit schedule accordingly.
Audience: Teachers and/or administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Building readers
Building readers for leaders
2 half days (6 hours)
This training session is split into 2 half-day sessions (3 hours each). The same participants should attend both sessions in order to receive all content, which includes learning the Science of Reading and how to align this theory with schoolwide instruction. Part 2 should be scheduled two to three weeks after Part 1.
Audience: Administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite
Building readers for teachers
3 half days (9 hours)
This training series is split into three half-day sessions (3 hours each). The same participants should attend all sessions in order to receive all content, which includes learning the Science of Reading and how to align this theory with classroom instruction. Part 2 should be scheduled two to three weeks after Part 1, and Part 3 should be scheduled two to three weeks after Part 2.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition and TRC sessions overview
| Audience | Title | Duration | Modality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | |||
| New mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition and TRC customers | Initial training | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote |
| Initial training: Train the Trainer | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote | |
| Initial training | Self-paced | Online course | |
| Strengthen | |||
| All mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition and TRC customers | Classroom data analysis and instructional planning | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote |
| Data-driven leadership practices | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote | |
| Coach | |||
| All mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition and TRC customers | Coaching session | 1 day | Onsite |
| Coaching session | Half day | Onsite/Remote | |
Launch
Initial training
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to implement the assessment, collect reliable data using standardized guidelines, and use the targeted lessons available on mCLASS to drive differentiated instruction.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training: Train the Trainer
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to implement the assessment, collect reliable data using standardized guidelines, and use the targeted lessons available on mCLASS to drive differentiated instruction. Participants receive annotated session materials to turnkey the session to colleagues.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training
Self-paced
This PD is an individual seat to our self-paced, on-demand online course that contains approximately 6 hours of training. Participants will learn how to implement the assessment, and collect reliable data using standardized guidelines and use the targeted lessons available on mCLASS to drive differentiated instruction. Participants will access and revisit the course anytime for up to one year as a refresher.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome)
Modality: Online
Strengthen
Classroom data analysis and instructional planning
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to deeply understand their students’ data and create actionable instructional plans by utilizing the reports and skills-focused lesson plans available on mCLASS.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
*This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Data-driven leadership practices
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to use their data in making schoolwide decisions and build a schoolwide culture of data-driven instruction. This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Audience: Administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Coach
Coaching session
1 day onsite (6 hours)
This PD will deepen educators’ understanding of how to utilize mCLASS in order to accelerate data-driven student outcomes. An Amplify facilitator will visit one or two school sites for one day and work with teachers and/or leaders. Prior to the visit, the Amplify facilitator will align with each school’s leadership team on their needs and customize the visit schedule accordingly.
Audience: Teachers and/or administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Coaching session
Half day (3 hours)
This PD is up to 3 hours of training and will deepen educators’ understanding of how to utilize mCLASS in order to accelerate data-driven student outcomes. An Amplify facilitator will visit one school site for a half-day and work with teachers and/or leaders. Prior to the visit, the Amplify facilitator will align with each school’s leadership team on their needs and customize the visit schedule accordingly.
Audience: Teachers and/or administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
mCLASS Lectura sessions overview
| Audience | Title | Duration | Modality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | |||
| New mCLASS Lectura Customers with limited time for PD | mCLASS Lectura program overview | Half day | Onsite/Remote |
| New mCLASS Lectura customers | mCLASS Lectura initial training | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote |
| mCLASS Lectura initial training: Train the Trainer | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote | |
| mCLASS Lectura Initial training | Self-paced | Online course | |
| Strengthen | |||
| All mCLASS Lectura customers with limited time for PD | Understanding your classroom data | Half day | Onsite/Remote |
| All mCLASS Lectura customers | Classroom data analysis and instructional planning | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote |
| Classroom data analysis and instructional planning: Train the Trainer | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote | |
| Understanding your school or district data | Half day | Onsite/Remote | |
| Data-driven leadership practices | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote | |
| Data-driven leadership practices: Train the Trainer | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote | |
| Strengthening consultation session | 60 min. | Remote | |
| Coach | |||
| All mCLASS Lectura customers | Coaching session | 1day | Onsite |
| Coaching session | Half day | Onsite/Remote | |
Launch
mCLASS Lectura program overview
Half day (3 hours)
This PD prepares participants to implement the assessment and collect reliable data using standardized guidelines.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
mCLASS Lectura initial training
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to implement the assessment, collect reliable data using standardized guidelines, and use the targeted lessons available on mCLASS to drive differentiated instruction. While the assessment must be administered in Spanish, English-speaking educators educators who would like to learn about the program but will not be administering the assessment may attend.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
mCLASS Lectura initial training: Train the Trainer
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to implement the assessment and collect reliable data using standardized guidelines. While the assessment must be administered in Spanish, English-only speaking educators who would like to learn about the program but will not be administering the assessment may attend. Participants receive annotated session materials to turnkey the session to colleagues.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
mCLASS Lectura initial training
Online course (self-paced)
This PD is an individual seat to our self-paced, on-demand online course that contains approximately 6 hours of training. Participants will learn how to implement the assessment, collect reliable data using standardized guidelines, and use the targeted lessons available on mCLASS to drive differentiated instruction. Participants will access and revisit the course anytime for up to one year as a refresher.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome)
Modality: Online
Strengthen
Understanding your classroom data
Half day (3 hours)
This PD prepares participants to understand their students’ data by utilizing the reports available on mCLASS. This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Classroom data analysis and instructional planning
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to deeply understand their students’ data and create actionable instructional plans by utilizing the reports and skills-focused lesson plans available on mCLASS.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
*This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Classroom data analysis and instructional planning: Train the Trainer
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to deeply understand their students’ data and create actionable instructional plans by utilizing the reports and skills-focused lesson plans available on mCLASS. Participants receive annotated session materials to turnkey the session to colleagues.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
*This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Understanding your school or district data
Half day (3 hours)
This PD prepares participants to use their data in making schoolwide decisions. This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Audience: Administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Data-driven leadership practices
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to use their data in making school-wide decisions and build a schoolwide culture of data-driven instruction. This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Audience: Administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Data-driven leadership practices: Train the Trainer
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to use their data in making schoolwide decisions and build a schoolwide culture of data-driven instruction. This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data. Participants receive annotated session materials to turnkey the session to colleagues.
Audience: Administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Strengthening consultation session package
(3 hours)
This package consists of three 60-minute sessions that can be delivered on the same day or on different days. Each session will focus on a specific topic that will deepen educators’ understanding of mCLASS and equip them with the tools needed to drive stronger student outcomes. An Amplify facilitator will align with the school or district leadership team in advance of the session on the topic (chosen from a menu of options) that will best meet educators’ unique needs. Topics include progress monitoring, goal setting, and a data walkthrough for leaders.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Remote
Coach
Coaching session
1 day (6 hours)
This PD will deepen educators’ understanding of how to utilize mCLASS in order to accelerate data-driven student outcomes. An Amplify facilitator will visit 1–2 school sites for one day and work with teachers and/or leaders. Prior to the visit, the Amplify facilitator will align with each school’s leadership team on their needs and customize the visit schedule accordingly.
Audience: Teachers and/or administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite
Coaching session
Half day (3 hours)
This PD is up to 3 hours of training and will deepen educators’ understanding of how to utilize mCLASS in order to accelerate data-driven student outcomes. An Amplify facilitator will visit 1 school site for a half-day and work with teachers and/or leaders. Prior to the visit, the Amplify facilitator will align with each school’s leadership team on their needs and customize the visit schedule accordingly.
Audience: Teachers and/or administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
| Launch | Strengthen | Ongoing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BOY | After BOY or MOY | After BOY or MOY | |
| New customers | Program overview | Understanding your classroom data | Coaching session |
| Initial training | Understanding your school or district data | Building readers for teachers | |
| Strengthening consultation session/package | Building readers for leaders | ||
| Returning customers | Coaching session (refresher content) | Classroom data analysis and instructional planning | Coaching session |
| Data-driven leadership practices | Building readers for teachers | ||
| Strengthening consultation session/package | Building readers for leaders | ||
| *Note: If you are currently delivering instruction in a hybrid or remote model, we recommend that all of the sessions above be delivered remotely. | |||
mCLASS Express sessions overview
| Title | Duration | Modality |
|---|---|---|
| Launch | ||
| Initial training | Half day | Onsite/Remote |
| Initial training | Self-paced | Online course |
Launch
Initial training
Half day (3 hours)
Take the first step in launching mCLASS Express! The half-day initial training will help educators understand how mCLASS Express’ voice-recognition scoring generates immediate instructional recommendations for students reading below grade level. Educators will also learn how to utilize the teacher portal to assign assessments, review and correct scoring, track student growth over time, and leverage the program’s activities to create an action plan for a single classroom or across classes/grades.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training
Self-paced (2 hours)
Take the first step in launching mCLASS Express! The two-hour initial training will help educators understand how mCLASS Express’ voice-recognition scoring generates immediate instructional recommendations for students reading below grade level. Educators will also learn how to utilize the teacher portal to assign assessments, review and correct scoring, track student growth over time, and leverage the program’s activities to create an action plan for a single classroom or across classes/grades.
As this is a self-paced, on-demand online course, participants will be able to access the course anytime, move as quickly or slowly as needed through different sections, and revisit the course up to one year as a refresher in the future.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Online
mCLASS: IDEL sessions overview
| Title | Duration | Modality |
|---|---|---|
| Launch | ||
| mCLASS IDEL program overview | Half day | Onsite/Remote |
| Initial training | 1 day | Onsite/Remote |
| Initial training: Train the Trainer | 1 day | Onsite/Remote |
| Initial training | Self-paced | Online course |
Launch
mCLASS IDEL program overview
Half day (3 hours)
This PD prepares participants to implement the assessment and collect reliable data using standardized guidelines.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
Prepare to implement your mCLASS:IDEL assessment with fidelity! Learn about the five basic early literacy skills that are crucial for reading development, and understand how they are assessed on the mCLASS:IDEL assessment. Then, practice administering and scoring each assessment measure and receive targeted feedback from a facilitator. Upon completion of this session, participants will be on their way to collecting reliable data to support all students.
Audience: Teachers and/or administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training: Train the Trainer
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
Prepare to implement your mCLASS:IDEL assessment with fidelity! Learn about the five basic early literacy skills that are crucial for reading development, and understand how they are assessed on the mCLASS:IDEL assessment. Then, practice administering and scoring each assessment measure and compare your responses to exemplars. As this is a Train the Trainer session, participants will receive annotated session materials in order to turnkey the session to colleagues.
Audience: Teachers and/or administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training
Online course (self-paced)
This PD is an individual seat to our self-paced, on-demand online course that contains approximately 6 hours of training. Participants will learn how to implement the assessment, collect reliable data using standardized guidelines, and use the targeted lessons available on mCLASS to drive differentiated instruction. Participants will access and revisit the course anytime for up to one year as a refresher.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome)
Modality: Online
TRC Atlas Español
Launch
TRC Atlas Español program overview
Half day (3 hours)
This PD prepares participants to implement the assessment and collect reliable data using standardized guidelines.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
mCLASS Math sessions overview
| Audience | Title | Duration | Modality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | |||
| New mCLASS Math customers with limited time for PD | mCLASS Math program overview | Half day | Onsite/Remote |
| New mCLASS Math customers | Initial training | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote |
| Initial training: Train the Trainer | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote | |
| Strengthen | |||
| All mCLASS Math customers with limited time for PD | Understanding your classroom data | Half day | Onsite/Remote |
| All mCLASS Math customers | Classroom data analysis and instructional planning | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote |
| Classroom data analysis and instructional planning: Train the Trainer | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote | |
| Understanding your school or district data | Half day | Onsite/Remote | |
| Data-driven leadership practices | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote | |
| Data-driven leadership practices: Train the Trainer | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote | |
Launch
mCLASS Math program overview
Half day (3 hours)
This PD prepares participants to implement the assessment and collect reliable data using standardized guidelines.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
Learn the foundational research for mCLASS Math and how it supports students’ abilities in mathematical reasoning. Understand the various assessment components and develop techniques for interviewing students and documenting their thinking. Interpret assessment results, and brainstorm suggested instructional activities. Upon completion of this session, participants will be on their way to collecting reliable data.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training: Train the Trainer
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
Learn the foundational research for mCLASS Math and how it supports students’ abilities in mathematical reasoning. Understand the various assessment components, and develop techniques for interviewing students and documenting their thinking. Interpret assessment results, and brainstorm suggested instructional activities. Upon completion of this session, participants will be on their way to collecting reliable data. Participants receive annotated session materials to turnkey the session to colleagues.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Strengthen
Understanding your classroom data
Half day (3 hours)
This PD prepares participants to understand their students’ data by utilizing the reports available on mCLASS. This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Classroom data analysis and instructional planning
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to deeply understand their students’ data and create actionable instructional plans by utilizing the reports available on mCLASS.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
*This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Classroom data analysis and instructional planning: Train the Trainer
1 day Onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days Remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to deeply understand their students’ data and create actionable instructional plans by utilizing the reports available on mCLASS. Participants receive annotated session materials to turnkey the session to colleagues.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
*This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Understanding your School or District Data
Half day (3 hours)
This PD prepares participants to use their data in making schoolwide decisions. This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Audience: Administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Data-driven leadership practices
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to use their data in making schoolwide decisions and build a schoolwide culture of data-driven instruction. This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Audience: Administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Data-driven leadership practice: Train the Trainer
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to use their data in making schoolwide decisions and build a schoolwide culture of data-driven instruction. This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data. Participants receive annotated session materials to turnkey the session to colleagues.
Audience: Administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Contact
Amplify welcomes the opportunity to partner with schools and districts to design professional development plans and answer your questions.
If you would like to order any of our professional development services, please contact your local Amplify sales representative or call (800) 823-1969.
Instrucción personalizada de lectoescritura en español, ideal para todos los salones de clase
Boost Lectura es un programa basado en la Ciencia de la Lectura creado para acelerar la alfabetización en español para estudiantes de K-2. Utilizando historias cautivadoras y las últimas investigaciones sobre cómo se desarrolla la alfabetización en español, Boost Lectura involucra a los estudiantes en una instrucción de lectura digital poderosa y personalizada, todo respaldado con eficacia probada. For English version, please click here.
Ciencia de la lectura para bilingües emergentes
Basado en la metodología de la Ciencia de la lectura, Boost Lectura reconoce los matices de la lectoescritura bilingüe y el idioma español. El diseño de la instrucción se basa en cómo se desarrolla la alfabetización en español, manteniéndonos fieles a nuestro principio central de Ciencia de la lectura: la instrucción de alfabetización en cada idioma debe reflejar sus elementos lingüísticos particulares.
Desarrollado con expertos
El plan de estudios de alfabetización en español Boost Lectura se desarrolló en colaboración con expertos en lectoescritura en español y educadores de varias regiones de habla hispana que contribuyeron con perspectivas valiosas para la creación de contenido auténtico y relevante.
Nuestro enfoque
Los estudiantes que aprenden a leer en español merecen una instrucción auténtica y basada en investigaciones. Boost Lectura logra esto y complementa los programas curriculares y de evaluación integral de alfabetización bilingüe de Amplify. Cuando se utiliza con Boost Reading, es la primera solución de aprendizaje personalizada basada en la Ciencia de la lectura para el desarrollo de la alfabetización bilingüe en español e inglés.
Auténtica instrucción de lectoescritura en español
Boost Lectura se centra en las destrezas fundamentales (como la conciencia fonológica, las correspondencias entre letras y sonidos, la decodificación y la comprensión) que, según las investigaciones, no sólo son indispensables para aprender a leer en español, sino que también son transferibles del español al inglés. El programa se creó con la orientación e investigación de expertos sobre cómo se desarrolla la alfabetización bilingüe (particularmente la alfabetización bilingüe en español e inglés).
Ideal para cualquier modelo de salón de clase
Sin tener que dominar el español, los maestros tienen acceso a un alcance y secuencia de alfabetización en español basado en evidencia con contenido de aprendizaje dirigido a las necesidades individuales de los estudiantes. Boost Lectura puede aprovecharse en cualquier modelo de enseñanza de la lectoescritura.
Paridad entre el español y el inglés
Boost Lectura se puede combinar perfectamente con Boost Reading. Cuando se usan juntos, los dos programas desarrollan el dominio de la lectura tanto en inglés como en español para los estudiantes de K a 2.º grado, además de brindar a los maestros información valiosa sobre la progresión de las destrezas de los estudiantes en cada idioma.
Paquete integral de alfabetización bilingüe
Boost Lectura se incorpora al paquete completo de programas de alfabetización bilingüe de Amplify, incluidos Amplify Caminos y mCLASS® Lectura. Mediante una instrucción alineada, estas herramientas y materiales brindan a los educadores todo lo que necesitan para evaluar, instruir y brindar práctica en la alfabetización en español.
Qué se incluye
Instrucción eficaz y de gran riqueza
Los estudiantes participarán en actividades específicas relacionadas con historias auténticas y cautivadoras que honran la cultura y las experiencias de las comunidades de habla hispana. Este potente contenido está cuidadosamente diseñado para mejorar sus destrezas de decodificación, vocabulario y comprensión lectora.
Personalización de destrezas
La tecnología adaptativa de Boost Lectura desarrolla los mapas de destrezas individuales de los estudiantes para proporcionar el contenido adecuado en el momento correcto. Los estudiantes explorarán nuevas misiones, desafíos y juegos que simultáneamente les enseñarán las destrezas fundamentales de alfabetización que los convertirán en lectores de español más seguros.
Datos e información práctica para educadores
El programa ofrece información a nivel de estudiante y de clase para ayudar a los educadores a diferenciar la instrucción, monitorear el progreso en todo el salón de clase, brindar apoyo específico sin más pruebas y acceder a recursos educativos dirigidos por maestros.
Informes paralelos en inglés y español
Cuando Boost Reading y Boost Lectura se usan juntos, los programas brindan a los educadores información paralela sobre las destrezas y el progreso de los estudiantes en cada idioma.
Explore otros programas basados en la Ciencia de la lectura.
Usamos componentes esenciales de la alfabetización bilingüe para fomentar la equidad en los salones de clase.
Plan de estudios de lectura personalizado para acelerar la alfabetización en su salón de clase de K a 5.º grado
Boost Reading ayuda a los educadores de K a 5.º grado a satisfacer las necesidades de cada lector con instrucción de lectoescritura personalizada basada en la Ciencia de la lectura. Nuestros datos de eficacia, medidos por DIBELS® 8.ª edición, muestran que Boost Reading ayudó a un 36 % más de estudiantes a alcanzar el punto de referencia que aquellos que no utilizaban el programa. Este plan de estudios de lectura de Amplify se adapta a cualquier modelo de aprendizaje y proporciona conocimientos prácticos de crecimiento a lo largo del camino. For English version, please click here.
Instrucción personalizada basada en evidencia
Boost Reading es un plan de estudios de lectura suplementario dirigido por estudiantes que le brinda tiempo adicional para apoyar a otros estudiantes y refuerza la instrucción en todos los niveles de instrucción con una verdadera diferenciación en el desarrollo de destrezas. Es su asistente digital en la instrucción de alfabetización: amplía la instrucción básica, aborda las necesidades de recuperación y adapta constantemente las actividades para ayudar a cada lector a prosperar.
Nuestro enfoque
Eficacia probada y comprobada
Se ha demostrado que con solo 30 minutos de uso por semana, Boost Reading mejora los resultados en todas las mediciones de DIBELS 8.ª edición y aumenta el número de estudiantes encaminados hacia el éxito en la lectura en K a 5.º grado, cumpliendo el criterio de evidencia moderado de ESSA (nivel 2). Profundice en nuestro reciente estudio de eficacia en la página de investigación de Boost Reading.
Coherencia pedagógica en todos los niveles
El paquete integral de alfabetización temprana de Amplify, la instrucción básica Amplify CKLA, la evaluación e intervención mCLASS® y la práctica personalizada Boost Reading proporcionan una alineación perfecta y una base sólida a partir de la Ciencia de la lectura para un sistema de apoyo de múltiples niveles en su salón de clase.
Práctica de lectura sistemática y dirigida, para todos
La tecnología altamente adaptable crea mapas de destrezas individuales para cada estudiante, ya sea que estén leyendo por debajo del nivel, a nivel o por encima del nivel de grado, proporcionando recuperación y avance simultáneos en diferentes dominios de destrezas. El programa es un componente eficaz de las soluciones de intervención y recuperación de su salón de clase, con instrucción explícita para todos los estudiantes, incluidos aquellos con dislexia o en clases de educación especial.
Cerrar la brecha para estudiantes multilingües de K a 5.º grado
El programa homólogo de lectoescritura en español de Boost Reading, Boost Lectura, apoya a los estudiantes bilingües emergentes de habla hispana que aprenden a leer en su lengua materna. Cuando se usan juntos, los dos programas impulsan el crecimiento de la alfabetización en inglés y español y brindan a los maestros informes paralelos sobre el progreso de las destrezas en ambos idiomas.
Estudio de eficacia de Boost Reading
Cerrar la brecha de alfabetización para estudiantes de K a 5.º grado
Descargar ahoraQué se incluye
Tecnología de última generación
Boost Reading se adapta constantemente para personalizar la instrucción y brindar andamiaje en las destrezas fundamentales de los estudiantes, desarrollando el dominio de una actividad motivante a la vez. Los estudiantes nunca se quedarán atascados en actividades de práctica estáticas.
Abarca todas las destrezas
El alcance y la secuencia se basan en la Ciencia de la lectura e incluyen instrucción explícita en fonética, conciencia fonológica, comprensión, vocabulario y todas las destrezas críticas para leer con fluidez y /contconfianza.
Evaluaciones de referencia y progreso
Las evaluaciones de referencia integradas miden el dominio de los estudiantes al principio, a la mitad y al final del año, y los Curioso Skill Scans miden el progreso mensual de los estudiantes que utilizan el programa sin interrumpir su participación.
Informes de crecimiento y competencia fáciles de usar
Las evaluaciones integradas da a los maestros información práctica sobre las experiencias de lectura de los estudiantes. La visibilidad del desempeño brinda a los maestros la tranquilidad de saber que los estudiantes están logrando un progreso significativo en su desarrollo de lectoescritura.
Informes para administradores y cuidadores
Los administradores y cuidadores pueden acompañar al estudiante en su trayectoria de lectura mediante datos sobre el uso del programa, el progreso en la lectura y el dominio de las destrezas.
Actividades basadas en la investigación para reforzar destrezas
Boost Reading alerta a los educadores sobre las dificultades que encuentran los estudiantes en el desarrollo de sus destrezas y ofrece lecciones y recursos de alfabetización adicionales de K a 5.º grado para que los maestros aborden y fortalezcan esas destrezas.
Boost Reading es un orgulloso ganador de los premios Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence: Best for Back to School 2023.
Conocer másExplore otros programas basados en la Ciencia de la lectura.
Todos los programas de nuestro paquete de alfabetización están diseñados para apoyarse y complementarse entre sí. Conozca más sobre nuestros programas relacionados:
S1-05: How does coding fit in the science classroom? A conversation with Aryanna Trejo of Code.org
In this episode, Eric sits down with Aryanna Trejo, a professional learning specialist of Code.org. Aryanna shares her journey from working as an elementary teacher in New York City and Los Angeles to teaching other educators at Code.org. Eric and Aryanna chat about computer literacy within the science classroom, problem-solving skills, and ways to model productive struggle for students. Aryanna also shares ways to teach coding and computer literacy in schools, no matter the classroom’s technology level. Explore more from Science Connections by visiting our main page.
Aryanna Trejo (00:00):
I would hear teachers saying things like, “Well, I just can’t do coding; this is too hard for me; the time has passed.” And I would ask them, “Would you say that to your student about math or English?” And they would always sheepishly go, “No.” And I’d say, “Well, be as kind to yourself as you would be to your student.”
Eric Cross (00:19):
Welcome to Science Connections. I’m your host, Eric Cross. My guest today is Aryanna Trejo. Aryanna is a member of the professional learning team at Code.org. Before joining Code.org, Aryanna led computer science professional development for elementary school teachers, and served as an instructional coach for new educators. She also taught fourth and fifth grade in both New York City and in Los Angeles. In this episode, we discuss Aryanna’s journey to Code.org, where she helps educators connect coding to real life, how to use a rubber duck to solve problems, and how coding and computer science principles can be taught to students in areas without access to the internet…or even a computer. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Aryanna Trejo. So I was born and raised here, and I saw that you went to UC San Diego.
Aryanna Trejo (01:11):
I did, I did. I actually just put a deposit down on an apartment in University Heights, ’cause I’m moving back.
Eric Cross (01:16):
You’re coming back?
Aryanna Trejo (01:17):
I’m coming back. Yeah.
Eric Cross (01:19):
So if you need a classroom to visit….
Aryanna Trejo (01:21):
I would love to do more classroom observations!
Eric Cross (01:24):
Are we doing this? Let’s do—we’re making this happen.
Aryanna Trejo (01:26):
We are. Yeah. So I’ll be there. I’m moving there in April. I actually grew up in Orange County too, so I’m like a very diehard SoCal person.
Eric Cross (01:35):
So I feel like I know the answer to, hopefully—Tupac or Biggie? ‘Cause you’re on the East Coast, and you’re on the West Coast.
Aryanna Trejo (01:40):
Yeah. I like Tupac, but I have more Biggie songs committed to memory. Which is not a lot. I have “Juicy” and “Hypnotized” memorized.
Eric Cross (01:53):
All right. So you’re just memorizing, and you have the Biggie songs memorized, but not the Tupac ones.
Aryanna Trejo (01:58):
No, but I do love Tupac songs. You know, it’s like, Biggie has the flow, but Tupac has the lyrics. Nobody’s—they both have something really amazing about them.
Eric Cross (02:06):
You know, I can respect that you broke it down into both of their strengths.
Aryanna Trejo (02:11):
Thanks for buttering me up before this interview. And not….
Eric Cross (02:15):
<laugh> Oh, we already started.
Aryanna Trejo (02:16):
Huh? We already started?
Eric Cross (02:17):
We’re already started. Yeah. We’re already into this.
Aryanna Trejo (02:19):
We’re into it.
Eric Cross (02:21):
You were in the classroom, fourth and fifth grade, and you were doing TFA.
Aryanna Trejo (02:26):
I did. I did Teach For America. I was 2012, New York City Corps. Right after graduation. ‘Cause I graduated UC San Diego in 2012. So graduation was on June 17th, and I touched down at JFK on June 19th.
Eric Cross (02:40):
Even though I wasn’t in TFA, I know a lot of the fellows that are in it. And there’s just some phenomenal teachers in there. How long were you doing elementary school when you were teaching?
Aryanna Trejo (02:49):
Yeah, I taught for—well, I did, three years of teaching fourth grade. Then there happened to be an instructional coach opening in my fourth year. I took that, did some instructional coaching within the same network, and then I moved back to LA and I taught fifth grade for a year.
Eric Cross (03:11):
- And what was it like now? Did you go to Code.org right after the classroom?
Aryanna Trejo (03:17):
No, I didn’t. No. I transitioned after teaching fifth grade for a year in downtown Los Angeles, in the Pico-Union neighborhood. I ended up getting this email out of the blue from someone who had actually found me through the Teach for America job site. ‘Cause I was hitting the pavement; I was really looking to transition out of the classroom. And she invited me to interview with this company called 9 Dots. And they taught computer science to kids K–6 throughout Los Angeles and Compton. And I was like, “Sure, no problem. Let’s do it.” So I interviewed, I got the job, and yeah, that’s how I transitioned to 9 Dots. And then after almost four years there, I transitioned to Code.org, with the same person. Actually, she moved over to Code.org first, and then she helped me get this job.
Eric Cross (04:07):
Oh, that’s happened a lot—like, that relationship kinda carries over.
Aryanna Trejo (04:11):
Yeah. We’re meant to be coworkers.
Eric Cross (04:13):
Yeah. Are you still? Is she still there? Are you both still together?
Aryanna Trejo (04:17):
Yeah, we’re on the same team and it’s nice. I saw her last night for Happy Hour, with another coworker who’s in LA. So we’re tight. And she’s a wonderful, wonderful mentor to me.
Eric Cross (04:28):
That’s great. Did you have computer-science background, when you were doing elementary school teaching? Did you have—
Aryanna Trejo (04:34):
No. <laugh> Not at all. When I was teaching in New York City, I had like four desktop computers in my classroom, and we rarely used them. Which was such a shame. And then when I moved to Los Angeles and taught fifth grade there, we were a one-to-one school, and the joys of that are just amazing. It was just really wonderful to, you know, get the students used to typing on the computer, using different software to submit their assignments. Getting creative—as creative as you can get—with Google Slides. You know, to show off what they know. And stuff like that. That’s all I had, though. And you know, when I transitioned to 9 Dots I was like, “Sure, why not? Let’s give a shot.” And I learned a lot. It was really interesting, yeah.
Eric Cross (05:26):
And so now at Code.org you are…well, so my journey with Code.org, I’ve been in the classroom for eight years. Still in the classroom as of…an hour ago, I was there. <Laugh> And I use Code.org, and I feel like I’ve checked it periodically, and I feel like it’s evolved over the gaps. And I’ve seen it. It’s become more robust in the things that they offer, over the years I’ve been an educator. Just to kind of…could you give a thumbnail sketch? Like, what is Code.org? Who’s it for? Who’s the target audience? What resources are there?
Aryanna Trejo (06:00):
Yeah. So it’s for everyone. It is a nonprofit that provides curriculum and training and a platform for teachers and students. We provide curriculum for K through 12. It’s completely free. And it comes with lesson plans, slideshows, all that. We focus specifically on underrepresented groups. So we have targeted measures for Black students, for Native American students, for students who identify as female. That’s a huge part of our mission. But we’re really working to expand access to computer science to as many students as we can.
Eric Cross (06:41):
One of the things I’m hearing in your story is you were teaching in Compton; you were in Bronx, New York. One of the reasons why I got into the classroom is because of educators, and the impact they made on me in exposing me to science and technologies I’d never had access to. And that intentionality, that you’re going about it…are there…not just the code, but how you bring that across to different groups…are there strategies, or are there ways to connect this idea of coding to diverse groups and diverse audiences? Or is it kind of, the curriculum applies for everyone? ‘Cause in science, when I’m teaching, I’m always trying to make what I’m doing relevant to the backgrounds of my students.
Aryanna Trejo (07:28):
Sure.
Eric Cross (07:28):
So I’m teaching biology, and I’m trying to make this kind of connection. Sometimes it’s more organic; sometimes it feels kind of forced. Because it’s just not always a nice fit. But it sounds like Code.org is really about inclusion. And in the numbers that I’ve seen for representation, in especially computer science software engineers, the groups that you’re focusing on are not necessarily represented in the professional workforce. At least disproportionately.
Aryanna Trejo (07:54):
Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, that’s correct.
Eric Cross (07:57):
And so how do you go about being intentional about reaching groups that we don’t see in, you know, the Silicon Valley software engineers? How do you start that? Like, at a young age, do you look for specific schools in specific areas to say, “We are going to bring this to the school. We’re going out to these populations of the cities”? Because we’re just not seeing…you know, on the map, we’re not seeing anybody really doing anything with coding here. Or we’re not seeing the numbers come out of these areas, out of these cities, of students who are going into STEM or going into computer science fields.
Aryanna Trejo (08:41):
Yeah. I don’t necessarily work on the recruitment side of it, is the issue, in my position. But I do work on the professional learning, that is brought out to teachers. And we have a huge focus on equity throughout the workshops that we create from K–12. It’s something we’re really passionate about. We definitely aim to prepare teachers to teach computer science. That’s a huge part of it. Knowing the content, but also thinking through, “What does recruitment look like at your school to make sure that the demographics of your classroom match the demographics of your entire school?” Also, thinking through, “How can we make sure that female students feel included in your classroom? How can we make sure that we are, giving students creativity to think about, or we are setting students up to be creative and think about the problems that are in their community, and how they can use computer science to solve them, or at least work towards them?”
Eric Cross (09:39):
So solving real-world problems and that inclusion aspect…are there things like…you were saying “female or students who identify as female”…are there things that teachers can do to ensure that they’re being more inclusive? Or to recruit, or encourage more female students to take part? One of the things I was thinking of, that I’ve seen, is I’ve seen coding kind of camps.
Aryanna Trejo (10:06):
Sure.
Eric Cross (10:08):
That were specifically for a female audience. And that seemed to help with recruitment. Is that something that you see on your side?
Aryanna Trejo (10:16):
That’s not something that we set up, no. But the curriculum that I work with is CS Principles. And it’s offered as an Advanced Placement course, as well as an AP class. So that’s a curriculum that’s designed for students who are in grades 10 through 12. And so at that point, we can really talk to teachers and ask them what the recruitment strategy is. But in terms of strategies that teachers can use to recruit those students…I mean, I’ve heard over and over from lots of different teachers who identify as female that they didn’t think that computer science was for them, until they saw a role model in that position. And so just being a role model for those students is really wonderful.
Eric Cross (11:00):
And I see it too, with—like, we do “Draw a Scientist” activity, which is like a popular science thing—
Aryanna Trejo (11:05):
Sure, yeah, I’m familiar.
Eric Cross (11:05):
But it’s the same thing, right? Like, it fleshes out. My students don’t draw themselves as scientists. They draw what they perceive, based on what television says. I imagine with computer science, it’s probably really similar, when you think about “What’s a software engineer look like?” Do students tend to draw themselves? Or is it even a mystery? Because I don’t even know what a software engineer looks like.
Aryanna Trejo (11:28):
Yeah, absolutely. Well, one of the things we love to do with our professional learning workshops is talk about understanding yourself, your identities, how they show up in the classroom as biases. And, you know, things like stereotype threat. We see that as really important to understand, and think through, and consider, before you step into the classroom. So that you’re not, you know, coddling certain groups of students because you don’t believe that they are able to be successful in computer science. Holding all the students to the same expectations and believing that they can succeed. And computer science, I think a lot of the times people have this conception of it being this utopian, bias-less, technocratic field. When in reality, everything has bias. And people talk about algorithmic bias and facial recognition, but also the people who created computers and computer languages have their own bias that comes through. And I think it’s really important to show students that. So that they can, one, know what they’re working with, and two, make sure that they can create products that reduce that bias.
Eric Cross (12:50):
It’s like…it’s not objective, just because we’re creating software. Like, once it gets to a point of being so sophisticated…I think, like, AI software, right? With facial recognition? And we’re seeing more and more articles come out about, you know, predicting trends based on historical data.
Aryanna Trejo (13:12):
Sure.
Eric Cross (13:13):
But then, the trends and things that they’re seeing tend to target things that have happened in the past. But it also doesn’t take into consideration a lot of other factors that can lead to certain groups or populations being identified. And I’ve seen some articles lately about how your code is really just representation of what you put into it. And like you just said, your bias—if you have that, conscious or unconscious—you’re gonna put that into your code. And the input is gonna be an impact, is gonna impact the output.
Aryanna Trejo (13:44):
Yeah, absolutely. Or even just—and I’m ashamed to say this, ’cause this is an idea that came to me just recently, through an article that I read—but computers themselves have bias. The hardware assumes that you have vision, that you can see the screen, that you are able-bodied, that you can use your hands to work the keyboard, the mouse, et cetera, and that you don’t have to use assistive technology. You know, there are small things like that, where we think that technology, like I said, is this utopian, futuristic science…but there are biases throughout.
Eric Cross (14:19):
You’re absolutely right. I’ve never even—I’ve never even considered that. Even though I do use assistive tech, and figure it out, I’ve never thought from the ground up, the process is built for an able-bodied, sighted, hearing person.
Aryanna Trejo (14:31):
Exactly.
Eric Cross (14:32):
To be able to engage with the hardware. And then these other things, these tertiary things that we kind of add on, so that you can do this, but it’s not designed from the ground up for people who are, you know, different audiences, physically. So I’m glad you brought that up, though. Now I’ve seen—and I haven’t done this—but I know Hour of Code is a big thing. And this is something that’s ongoing. Can you talk a little bit about what Hour of Code is? I know it’s, it’s a big thing for the classroom teachers.
Aryanna Trejo (15:08):
Yeah. So Hour of Code is really exciting, and it’s just blossomed from something small to something tremendous. This year is gonna be the 10th Hour of Code. So what it is, is it happens during CS Education Week in December, during Grace Hopper’s—or to honor Grace Hopper’s birthday. She was a computer scientist and Navy Admiral. And basically the aim of it is to get as many students on the computer doing an hour of code, and demystify what coding is. You know, to do seed-planting. To show teachers that this is something that you can facilitate for your students. And also to show students like, “Hey, computer science is something you can absolutely do. Not just for an hour, but more if you want.” So, yeah. Now it’s worldwide, and it’s really exciting.
Eric Cross (15:58):
That’s awesome. And I think about teachers and I still hear the apologetic—when I’m helping teachers in the classroom with education technology—the self-deprecating “I’m a dinosaur; I’m not good with tech,” which is never true. Like, they’re better than they even realize. And I feel like sometimes there’s still a stigma, too. It’s like <laugh> The Simpsons’ Comic Book Store Guy. The condescending tech support person—
Aryanna Trejo (16:27):
Sure.
Eric Cross (16:28):
—who has that tone. And so I feel like some people have been so negatively impacted by that person. So I know when I’m helping people, I actually try to go full-spectrum the other side. But I’m thinking about teachers’ barrier to entry. Sometimes code is like, “Whoa.” And I don’t teach computer science. Do you see those barriers to entry, or at least the perception of them? And then, what’s the reality for like someone listening, and going, “I’m a fourth grade teacher,” or “I’m a humanities teacher in ninth grade.” What’s the perception that you see, versus reality, with the teachers that you train? Is it much more accessible than we think? Or is there a level of sophistication that you have to have coming into it?
Aryanna Trejo (17:10):
No, not at all. I know computer science, and that says a lot! <Laugh> You know, I know my own corner of computer science. And you know, that’s me being self-deprecating, too. But I think learning computer science has helped me in so many different ways that I wasn’t expecting. I recently took the GRE in hopes of, you know, getting back into grad school. And I think just the way that computer science teaches you to search for bugs in your code, or errors, and kind of tirelessly look at a problem from multiple different angles, I was able to carry that into the math that I was doing. And I noticed just a huge difference in the way that I approached it, and the way that I was open to it. But you asked a great question, in regards to the barriers to technology. In my position at 9 Dots, I was working directly with teachers to lead professional development with them. Sometimes it would be a full day; sometimes it would be an hour after school. And the one thing that I always had in my back pocket that was really useful is that I would hear teachers saying things like, “Well, I just can’t do coding; this is too hard for me; the time has passed.” And I would ask them, “Would you say that to your student about math or English?” And they would always sheepishly go, “No.” And I’d say, “Well, be as kind to yourself as you would be to your student.” You know, it takes some patience and nobody’s gonna get it perfect 100 percent of the time. Have I banged my head against the wall trying to solve one tiny little syntax error in my code? Absolutely! But it feels absolutely phenomenal to fix that. And I was an English major in undergrad, and I had never done computer science before. So it’s something that becomes really satisfying.
Eric Cross (19:07):
Yeah, I imagine. I had someone—a trainer or a presenter—one time bring up the fact that our students rarely get to see us learn in real time.
Aryanna Trejo (19:19):
Yeah.
Eric Cross (19:19):
So we don’t get to ever really model failure. I mean, unless we’re in a classroom situation <laughs> in our failures, with classroom management. Then they see it, they see it! But they don’t get to see us model learning failure. And I don’t mean like failure—and yes, I know, “first attempt is learning,” and “no such thing as failure”—that’s not what I’m talking about. But just when we’re not successful with our code, and then we experience real-time frustration.
Aryanna Trejo (19:42):
Yep.
Eric Cross (19:42):
And they said that is actually a great learning experience for your students to watch you go through productive struggle. And that was really liberating for me. Because now I’m in the classroom, and I’m trying to go through it with my students, and the beautiful thing was, they started helping me. We were all trying to solve the problem. And then we had this authentic problem-solving experience. I think it was like a Scratch program, where we were trying to solve, trying to embed it somewhere, or something. And then, in the background of the class: “Mr. Cross! I got it! I figured it out!” And it was this really neat bonding experience. And I felt that—your ears get red, and you get hot, ’cause you’re not—
Aryanna Trejo (20:19):
Oh yeah.
Eric Cross (20:20):
You don’t know it! And you’re in front of 36 kids! And I said, “OK, I need to tell them how I feel.”
Aryanna Trejo (20:25):
Yeah.
Eric Cross (20:26):
So I said, “Now I feel really frustrated.” Like, “I want to go through this, and here’s my thoughts.” ‘Cause I knew that it would be helpful if they saw and would hear my thoughts. So I just did a quick think-aloud and I said, “In my head, <laugh> I want to just quit,” I said, “But I realize that this is the part where my learning’s happening. So I just want you all to hear what’s going on in my brain.” And now I feel like when I’m doing coding with my students, and it’s just basic coding, I feel much more comfortable, like, not knowing. But I needed someone to release me from that “I have to be the expert in everything” to do it.
Aryanna Trejo (21:06):
And teachers are used to being the experts. Right? And they should be. And coding is just such a different landscape. But I think once you kind of give over to the power of tinkering, I think it’s really gratifying. I love being able to…you can revise a sentence, and then read your paragraph back to yourself in English, and say, “OK, I get it.” But there’s something so gratifying about changing a line of code or a block and then being able to hit play and watch your program come to life, and say, “Hmm, that’s not quite what I wanted. Let’s try something different.”
Eric Cross (21:39):
I love your connection to tinkering. ‘Cause—I had never thought about it—’cause I love tinkering with my hands. But I always think about physical things. But coding is exactly that. It’s tinkering.
Aryanna Trejo (21:47):
It’s exactly that.
Eric Cross (21:47):
That’s exactly what it is.
Aryanna Trejo (21:49):
And a lot of it is, for me, especially when I’m trying something new, it’s guess-and-check. It’s like, “OK, that didn’t work. What if I add a semicolon here? Will it finally work? Or what if I add a ‘for’ loop? Will this get me what I want?” And it’s wonderful because you have that with students as well. Like, you have that record of their thinking, and you can ask them to go step-by-step and tell you, you know, “First, I added this, because I wanted the program to do this,” and so on and so forth. And so you have that record, but you can always get rid of it. Students often wanna get completely get rid of it. That’s something that I’ve noticed a lot as I’ve taught computer science. But, once you can get them to target the specific parts of the program, tinker with that, and continue, that’s a really wonderful learning space. There was also something you said about modeling failure. I love the fact that in computer science you can model failure for your students. You said to your students, “I’m getting frustrated.” I love that, because I never got that in math. Nobody ever showed me what it was like to be frustrated with graphing a parabola. Right? Like, my math teachers were always like, “Doot, doot, doot, here you go, you’re done!” <Laugh> And I would get so frustrated, because it didn’t come that easily to me. And I think there’s two parts to that. So there’s modeling the learning and the thinking and the productive struggle, but also there’s the identity of being a computer scientist and modeling what that looks like. So for me, when I get really frustrated with a program, I walk away. I take five minutes. I take a deep breath. I say, “I’m not gonna think about it in these five minutes.” And I come back to it. And I think once you start teaching computer science, you can facilitate that for students. And there’s so many different strategies that they can pick up. They can pick up rubber ducking, which is where they pick up a rubber duck or a similar object, and they talk to it as if they were a partner and talk through their code. And oftentimes, as you’re rubber ducking, you’re gonna find that error, because you’re explaining it to someone who’s a stand-in for a novice. And rubber ducking is a well-known strategy for computer scientists who make it their career. You know, there’s pair programming. Some students love pair programming; some students hate it. But the students start to build this identity about how they problem-solve. And how they approach failure. And I just love that.
Eric Cross (24:31):
I’m writing this down. Because the rubber-ducking strategy, I love. I just imagine my seventh graders, a bunch of 13-year-olds with, like, rubber on the desk. And not necessarily in coding, but I was thinking in my science class. And they’re working through a challenge, and they’re all looking at this duck, and they’re talking to it. But I just love the the idea of externalizing your thought process and talking through it yourself so that you can hopefully arrive at a conclusion. But it’s such a great practice, and this is something that’s been around for a long time, apparently. So.
Aryanna Trejo (24:59):
Yeah. Yeah. It’s a real thing. And you know, you can go low-fi. It doesn’t have to be a rubber duck. You can have students talk to their pencils or their imaginary friends. That’s not the issue; the issue is, you know, talking to somebody.
Eric Cross (25:10):
I know you support teachers. But I just wanted to…I was just curious about your typical day, what that’s like. And then what you do, how you support ’em.
Aryanna Trejo (25:15):
So, at my previous job at 9 Dots, I was in there with the teachers in the classrooms. I was coaching our internal staff who went out to co-teach with teachers. And I loved that. And I had such a great impact on a local scale. But now at Code.org, I have a much broader impact. But I don’t get to interface with—that’s such a tech-y word!—I don’t get to interact with—
Eric Cross (25:42):
You work at Code.org! You get to—
Aryanna Trejo (25:42):
I know! But I’m a teacher at heart, forever, right? That’s my identity that I forged when I was 22 years old. And a typical day looks like opening up my computer, taking a look at my calendar. I often have meetings to talk about, different things that we’re doing to support our facilitators who go out to our teachers and lead their workshops for them. I recently worked on a product that was designed for CS principles, teachers, to onboard to the course if they weren’t able to get into an in-person workshop. And it’s completely self-paced, so it gives teachers an on-ramp into the course. And now I’m working on some in-person workshop agendas. So I feel really wonderful that my work is going out to thousands of teachers. But at the same time, I really, really miss talking to teachers. Because that’s something that energizes me so much.
Eric Cross (26:46):
When should students start learning computer science? I feel like we see it in this kind of narrow lane. Like, this is computer science if you make an app. Can it be more than that? As far as like the benefit of computer science? And—I guess two-part question—when should students, one, start being exposed to it? And then two, what are some of the benefits beyond just, “I wanna just make an app”?
Aryanna Trejo (27:08):
I taught coding to kindergartners. It can start as early as you as you want it to. And it doesn’t necessarily need to be on the computer. A lot of students that I worked with didn’t have computers at home, were interacting with computers for the first time. And that’s a huge barrier, of course, to a lot of teachers. But there are so many unplugged lessons that you can do to start to start to have students think about algorithms, which is just a series of steps to complete to solve a problem. As long as a student can use a computer, I think they can do computer science. There are products out there like codeSpark, where students—and Code.org has these products too—where students are moving an avatar around a board, kind of like a quadrant to…you know, they feed the directions to a computer and then the computer enacts it for them. And with that, they can learn algorithms. You know, that is computer science. And a lot of people don’t see it that way, but it really is. And it starts to set students up for more complex thinking as they move on.
Eric Cross (28:13):
One of the biggest underserved communities, geographically, are students in rural areas.
Aryanna Trejo (28:20):
Yep.
Eric Cross (28:21):
They can be reservations; they can be places just not an urban area. Is there a way to serve our communities of students and bring these skills in an unplugged way?
Aryanna Trejo (28:32):
Yeah. Yeah. If you typed in “unplugged computer science lessons” to Google, you’ll have a ton of hits. And there are so many students out there—not just in rural areas. But there’s incarcerated students. It hurts my heart to even say those words, but in urban areas too. Like in my classroom, where I only had four desktop computers. Access is a real struggle. And there’s things, like I said, instead of moving an avatar around a grid on the computer, I used to have an actual mat that I would take out to my kindergarten classrooms, lay it out, and it would have a grid on it. And we’d have one of the students act as the avatar and the rest of the students would give them directions to get to a different point on the grid. And there, you’re building an algorithm or just a series of steps. Like I said, it’s not some fancy term to solve a problem. And there’s multiple ways to solve that problem, too. And I think investigating that can be a really good way to stretch those lessons.
Eric Cross (29:32):
It almost sounds like an oxymoron, but this low-tech computer science strategy. Develop these skills and then transfer that once you have access to the tools.
Aryanna Trejo (29:39):
Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. And I think it’s a good way for students who need kinesthetic means to start to understand something, or just different learning styles, to start transferring that over.
Eric Cross (29:53):
I probably have students in the classroom where those kinesthetic moving things would help be a great way—or WILL be a great way—for them to learn the principles and the fundamentals of coding. Instead of only giving the option to just do the computer, actually giving them some choice. Or giving them a way to be able to manipulate things. We’re still in the system of education that’s still very siloed. It’s been the same way for a hundred years. We got math and then we got science and we got English. I’m wondering, how can a teacher fit this into their daily lessons? And then, do you have any experiences or stories or things that you’ve seen, just really creative ways that you’ve seen teachers incorporate this? Outside the norm of, “This is a computer science class; we’re just gonna code.” But have you seen it branch out? In the trainings that you’ve done?
Aryanna Trejo (30:40):
I’ve seen examples of that. I’ve seen a teacher use Scratch to demonstrate different climates of California, and show the different climates. This past year for Hour of Code, my friend Amy—the one who helped me move to 9 Dots and at Code.org—she created this incredible tutorial called Poetry Bot. And it was a way to get students to match the mood of the poem to some of the elements that were happening in the stage. So they would have different backgrounds show up at different parts of the poem. When the words would show up, they would have different sprites show up. They would have, sometimes, sounds. Or the text would show up with different animations. So there are cross-curricular opportunities everywhere, if you can be creative enough to find them, or if you beg, borrow, steal from other educators who are doing this incredible work out there.
Eric Cross (31:36):
Yeah. I say this all the time, but I’m an educational DJ, not an MC.
Aryanna Trejo (31:44):
Oh yeah.
Eric Cross (31:45):
So MCs write their lyrics and DJs remix with things that other people have done.
Aryanna Trejo (31:48):
Absolutely.
Eric Cross (31:48):
I was like, I’m a DJ. I was like, all day. Sometimes I’ll write a lyric, once or twice, but most of the time I’m remixing things. So teachers, if you’ve been out there and you got an awesome interdisciplinary thing, or you’ve incorporated coding and it’s something that’s traditionally not seen, please send it to us. Share it with us.
Aryanna Trejo (32:03):
Yeah. And there are so many different places where you can find that. We have a forum for Code.org, but there’s also CSTA, the Computer Science Teachers Association. You can join your local chapter and get to know other computer science teachers out there.
Eric Cross (32:19):
I guess…to wrap up, I’ve been using Scratch programming, the MIT website. My students do the basic animated name, CS First, stuff. But over the years, I’ve noticed that my students are coming in with a higher level of sophistication in Scratch to where now the differentiation…some of my students are just doing very basic…and then I have other students who’ve created full-on video games with complex…like, you look at their Scratch page and it’s just an amazing amount of blocks and integrations and things that they have. Is there anything on Code.org that could be a next step? That takes them beyond, maybe like the visuals? And if so, what would be a good next step, to take students to advance them to another platform? There’s so many coding languages out there, I feel like. Or I might not even be thinking about that the right way.
Aryanna Trejo (33:20):
No, I think you are. You know, we have three different curricula out on our website right now. We have CS Fundamentals, which is probably more in line with what you’re talking about. We have a free CS Discoveries curriculum, and that is designed for, grades, I believe, 6 through 10. And that would be a really good entry point, for both teachers and for students.
Eric Cross (33:44):
There’s a lot of new stuff that I hadn’t seen yet, a few years ago.
Aryanna Trejo (33:49):
Yeah.
Eric Cross (33:49):
So I was really excited.
Aryanna Trejo (33:50):
One thing that I do know is that CS Discovery has just added an artificial intelligence slash machine-learning unit, that you can just pick up and give to your students. You don’t have to go in order with CS Discoveries, like you do with CS Principles. And I’ve gone through some of those lessons. They are really rad. And I would’ve loved to have learned that when I was in middle school or high school. So yeah, we’re constantly thinking of how we can make things one, relevant to our students, and two relevant to what’s going on in the world.
Eric Cross (34:20):
So would I be overselling it if I said, “If you go through this, you’ll be able to create an AI or a neural net to do all your homework”?
Aryanna Trejo (34:26):
You would be overselling it.
Eric Cross (34:27):
I would be? OK. So what I’ll do is, I’ll wait until the end of the school year, and then introduce it, and then by the time they’ve realized it’s not true, they’ll be eighth graders.
Aryanna Trejo (34:35):
There you go. Good old bait-and-switch.
Eric Cross (34:37):
You’re amazing. Thank you for serving teachers, and for being part of such a great organization that puts out great stuff. So much free curricula for teachers to be able to use. Especially nowadays we hunt and scour the internet for those types of things. And to be able to bring computer literacy into the classroom, and with your focus of serving communities of underrepresented groups, it feels good to know that not only is it high-quality material, but it’s also trying to raise everyone up. Because ultimately when we have more people trying to solve a common problem, we come up with better solutions. And I was talking to somebody who was a materials engineer somewhere in Europe, and he said one of the things about the U.S., As he was critiquing me on this flight, critiquing the U.S., He said, “One of the things about your country is that you have a heterogeneous group of people who, in a group, when you have multiple perspectives attacking a problem, you come up with more novel solutions.” He says, “That’s one of the great things, is that there’s not necessarily just a hive mind.” And I think that that’s one of the great things. We uplift different communities, and we uplift women, people of color, people who, have backgrounds that parents didn’t go to college but have these amazing qualities and strengths. And we put everybody focusing on the same issue. We come up with novel solutions that we wouldn’t have come up with if only select groups were trying to look at it and solve it. And so—.
Aryanna Trejo (36:22):
Yeah.
Eric Cross (36:23):
And we couldn’t do that without organizations like yours, that help empower teachers. So.
Aryanna Trejo (36:27):
Yeah! You really said it.
You’re coming to my classroom when you’re back in San Diego?
Aryanna Trejo (36:31):
Yeah! I totally will. Yeah. Let’s make it happen.
Eric Cross (36:34):
Last question. If you think back in your schooling, your own schooling, K through college, is there a person or a teacher that had a big impact on you? Or a learning experience that had an impact on you? And it could be, you know, positive or negative. But something that impacted you, even to this day, that stands out to you, that you remember?
Aryanna Trejo (36:56):
This is a big diversion from the topics that we’re talking about. But in grades 10 through 12, my drama teacher, Mr. Byler, who I still talk with, was such a huge impression on me. Really wonderful. And I couldn’t tell you the teaching moves that he did that were wonderful. I don’t know much about his management. But I can tell you that he gave me space to be confident, and grow into myself, through drama productions. They were high school productions, so they weren’t amazing. But I just really came into myself in high school, because I had the confidence to get on stage. And he was just such a wonderful mentor to all of us. So, props to Mr. Byler.
Eric Cross (37:39):
Shout out to Mr. Byler for creating space for Aryanna to fly! Thanks for making time, after your workday, to talk with us and to share Code.org with teachers.
Aryanna Trejo (37:54):
Of course. Happy to.
Eric Cross (37:59):
Thanks so much for joining me and Aryanna today. We want to hear more about you. If you have any great lessons or ways to keep student engagement high, please email us at stem@amplify.com. Make sure to click subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. And join our brand new Facebook group, Science Connections: The Community for some extra content.
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Meet the guest
Aryanna is a member of the Code.org Professional Learning Team. Before joining Code.org, Aryanna led computer science professional development for K-6 teachers and served as an instructional coach for new educators. She also taught fourth and fifth grade in New York City and Los Angeles. In her spare time, Aryanna loves taking advantage of the California sunshine, creating wheel-thrown pottery, and hanging out with her dog Lola.
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. Listen here!
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- Maximizing impact: Data-informed remediation with the ARG/DERG 3–5
- Writing K–2 3–5
- Note: teachers should bring a recent class set of student writing samples from the Amplify curriculum to this session.
- Enhancing observations for leaders K–5
Focus (1 hour)
Launch
Initial training (6 hours)
- Initial training for teachers K–2 3–5
- Skills Strand initial training for teachers K–2
- Knowledge Strand initial training for teachers K–2
Program overview (3 hours)
- Program overview for teachers K–2 3–5
- Skills Strand program overview for teachers K–2
- Knowledge Strand program overview for teachers K–2
- Program overview for leaders K–5
CKLA 2nd Edition to 3rd Edition Transition Training (1 hour)
- Transition Training for Teachers K–2 3–5
- Skills Strand Transition Training for Teachers K–2
- Knowledge Strand Transition Training for Teachers K–2
Grade 3 Skills (1 hour)
Launch
Initial training (6 hours)
Program Overview (3 hours)
Launch
Initial training (6 hours)
- Initial training for teachers K–5 6–A1 High School
Program overview (3 hours)
- Program overview for teachers K–5 6–A1 High School
- Program overview for leaders K–5 6–A1 High School
Strengthen
Strengthen (3 hours)
- Supporting all Learners K–5 6–A1
- Enhancing observations for leaders K–A1
- Enhancing planning for teachers K–5 6–A1 High School
- Enhancing practice for teachers K–5 6–A1 High School
Focus (1 hour)
- Snapshots in the Teacher Dashboard 6–A1
- Teaching a lesson with Digital Student Screens K–5
- Unit-level planning K–5 6–A1 High School
Launch
Initial training (6 hours)
Program overview (3 hours)
Strengthen
Strengthen (3 hours)
- Enhancing planning for teachers K–5 6–8
- Enhancing practice for teachers K–5 6–8
- Supporting all learners with complex texts K–5 6–8
- Supporting English learners K–5 6–8
- Writing in science K–5 6–8
- Engineering internship 6 – MET 7 – PM 8 – FAM
- Science Seminar 6–8
- Enhancing observations for leaders K–5 6–8
- Assessment system K–5 6–8
Focus (1 hour)
- Enhancing the digital experience K–5
- Planning with the Coherence Flowchart K–8
- Planning an Amplify Science lesson K–8
- Supporting all learners: exploring the resources K–8
- Supporting all learners: teacher modeling and student discourse K–8
- Supporting all learners: multimodal instruction K–8
- Analyzing student work K–8
- Note: teachers should bring a recent set of student work samples from an Amplify Science assessment to this session.
Core: Coaching options
Select your program to view options for building a coaching session and coaching PLC or grade-level meeting topic menus.
Coaching session agenda options
Use this resource as a reference for building a coaching session agenda.
Coach PLC session topic menu
Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.
Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting.
Coaching session agenda options
Use this resource as a reference for building a coaching session agenda.
Coach PLC session topic menu
Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.
Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting.
Coaching session agenda options
Use this resource as a reference for building a coaching session agenda.
Coach PLC session topic menu
Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.
Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting.
Coaching session agenda options
Use this resource as a reference for building a coaching session agenda.
Coach PLC session topic menu
Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.
Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting.
Coaching session agenda options
Use this resource as a reference for building a coaching session agenda.
Coach PLC session topic menu
Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.
Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting.
Coaching session agenda options
Use this resource as a reference for building a coaching session agenda.
Coach PLC session topic menu
Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.
Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting.
Launch
Administration and instruction essentials (6 hours)
Administration and scoring training (3 hours)
Administration and reporting training (3 hours)
Strengthen
Strengthen (3 hours)
Focus (1 hour)
Launch
Administration and instruction essentials (6 hours)
- Administration and instruction essentials for teachers
- Spanish – Administration and instruction essentials for teachers
Administration and scoring training (3 hours)
- Administration and scoring training for teachers
- Spanish – Administration and scoring training for teachers
Administration and reporting training (3 hours)
Strengthen
Strengthen (3 hours)
Focus (1 hour)
Launch
Administration and instruction essentials (6 hours)
Administration and reporting training (3 hours)
Strengthen
Strengthen (3 hours)
Focus (1 hour)
Launch
Program overview (3 hours)
Program overview (3 hours)
Launch
Program overview + DIBELS 8th Edition Administration and scoring training (6 hours)
Initial training + DIBELS 8th Edition Administration and scoring training (9 hours)
Strengthen
Strengthen (3 hours)
Focus (1 hour)
Assessment and Intervention: Coaching options
Select your program to view options for building a coaching session agenda.
Coaching session agenda options
Use this resource as a reference for building a coaching session agenda.
Coach PLC session topic menu
Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.
Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting.
Coaching session agenda options
Use this resource as a reference for building a coaching session agenda.
Coach PLC session topic menu
Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.
Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting.
Coaching session agenda options
Use this resource as a reference for building a coaching session agenda.
Coach PLC session topic menu
Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.
Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting.
Online course outlines
mCLASS
mCLASS Lectura
Boost Reading
mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition
mCLASS Lectura
State-specific session agendas
Select your program to preview a session agenda and any other session specific preparation steps for participants.
Launch
Initial training (6 hours)
- Initial training for teachers K–2 3–5 6–8
- Skills strand initial training for teachers K–2
- Knowledge strand initial training for teachers K–2
Program overview (3 hours)
Strengthen
Strengthen (3 hours)
- Enhancing planning for teachers K–2 3–5 6–8
- Enhancing practice for teachers K–2 3–5 6–8
- Writing K–2 3–5 6–8
- Enhancing observations for leaders K–5 6–8
- Supporting all learners for 6–8 teachers 6–8
- Data informed instruction 6–8
Focus (1 hour)
Coach
K–5
Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.
Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting.
6–8
Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.
Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting.
Launch
Initial training (6 hours)
- Initial training for teachers K–2 3–5
- Skills strand initial training for teachers K–2
- Knowledge strand initial training for teachers K–2
Program overview (3 hours)
- Program overview for leaders K–5
Strengthen
Strengthen (3 hours)
Focus (1 hour)
Coach
K–5
Use this resource as a menu of possible topics to choose from for a PLC or grade level meeting.
Note: this resource will only be needed if your coaching session agenda includes a PLC or grade level meeting.
Launch
Initial training (6 hours)
Program overview (3 hours)
Launch
Administration and instruction essentials (6 hours)
Administration and scoring training (3 hours)
Administration and reporting training (3 hours)
Strengthen
Strengthen (3 hours)
Focus (1 hour)
Launch
Administration and instruction essentials (6 hours)
Administration and scoring training (3 hours)
Administration and reporting training (3 hours)
Strengthen
Strengthen (3 hours)
Focus (1 hour)
Launch
Administration and instruction essentials (6 hours)
Administration and reporting training (3 hours)
Launch
Administration and instruction essentials (6 hours)
Administration and scoring training (3 hours)
Launch
Administration and instruction essentials (6 hours)
Administration and scoring training (3 hours)
¡Bienvenidos, cuidadores de Amplify Tutoring!
¡Le damos la bienvenida a Amplify Tutoring!
Nos entusiasma poder apoyar a su estudiante poniendo a su disposición tutorías de gran alcance tanto de lectura como de matemáticas. Nuestro programa se basa en la investigación y está diseñado para fomentar la confianza, fortalecer destrezas fundamentales y acelerar el aprendizaje. También brindamos herramientas y recursos para ayudar a maestros y cuidadores a colaborar en la creación de una sólida cultura de aprendizaje en casa y en la escuela. For English version, please click here.
¿Qué es la tutoría de gran alcance?
La tutoría de gran alcance es una forma de enseñanza focalizada e impartida en grupos pequeños que puede producir beneficios significativos en el aprendizaje. Amplify Tutoring consigue estos beneficios adoptando las mejores prácticas:
Materiales de alta calidad
Los tutores imparten lecciones de lectura y matemáticas que son de alta calidad y cuya eficacia está comprobada. Usted verá un progreso y una mejora reales en los resultados individuales de su estudiante.
Tutorías de gran alcance con sesiones frecuentes y coherentes
Los tutores proporcionan atención personalizada en grupos pequeños. Nuestro programa prevé que los estudiantes participen en tres o más sesiones de 30 minutos por semana.
Relaciones de apoyo y capacitación
La formación coherente de parejas de tutores y estudiantes fomenta las relaciones y un mayor logro académico. Los tutores reciben desarrollo profesional continuo.
Amplify Tutoring está listo para brindar a su estudiante programas de tutoría eficaces e interesantes a lo largo del año.
Cada minuto cuenta.
Cada minuto cuenta para ayudar a que su estudiante aprenda y se desarrolle. Para aprovechar al máximo la tutoría, es importante que asista a tiempo y de manera regular. A continuación listamos unos breves recordatorios:
Cómo puede ayudar a su estudiante a aprovechar al máximo la tutoría:
- Haga de los días de tutoría una prioridad. Haga todo lo posible para que su estudiante asista a la escuela los días de tutoría. ¡Cada sesión le ayudará a avanzar más!
- Pregunte por el horario de tutorías. Comuníquese con su maestro o con el coordinador de tutorías para averiguar los días y horarios de las tutorías.
- Planifique el tiempo de las tutorías. Si puede, programe citas y otras actividades en diferentes horarios para que su estudiante no se pierda ninguna sesión.
- Comuníquese con el maestro de su estudiante. Si su estudiante no puede asistir a la tutoría, simplemente avísele al maestro o coordinador para que puedan apoyarlo.
Platique con su estudiante sobre sus sesiones de Amplify Tutoring.
Hable sobre la tutoría con su estudiante, ya sea en casa o mientras se prepara para el día. Para apoyar su aprendizaje, puede considerar:
Celebrar el progreso.
Pregunte:
- ¿Qué nuevas destrezas de lectura o de matemáticas has aprendido?
- ¿Cómo han mejorado tu lectura o tu uso de las matemáticas desde que comenzaste la tutoría?
- ¿Tienes alguna actividad favorita en la tutoría?
Definir metas juntos.
Pregunte:
- ¿Qué destrezas de lectura o de matemáticas te gustaría mejorar en la tutoría?
- ¿Qué objetivo te gustaría alcanzar al término del programa de tutoría?
- ¿Qué pasos puedes tomar que te ayuden a alcanzar esos objetivos?
- ¿Cómo puedo ayudarte a alcanzar tus objetivos?
Brinde apoyo
Pregunte:
- ¿Cómo puedo ayudarte con tu trabajo de lectura o de matemáticas?
- ¿Podemos destinar tiempo a que practiques tus destrezas cada día?
- ¿Cuál fue la parte más interesante de tu sesión de tutoría?
- ¿Qué te enorgullece haber logrado en las sesiones de esta semana?
- ¿Cuándo sentiste verdadero entusiasmo por lo que estabas aprendiendo?
Materiales y recursos de apoyo para la lectoescritura en Amplify Tutoring
Cuidadores, a continuación encontrarán materiales y recursos que pueden serles útiles a usted y a su estudiante.
mCLASS®:
- Las escuelas que participan en Amplify Tutoring usan mCLASS assessment (evaluación de mCLASS) y mCLASS Intervention (intervención de mCLASS).
- mCLASS assessment identifica riesgos en la lectura y ayuda a responder a las necesidades de los estudiantes mediante intervenciones personalizadas, como las tutorías de gran alcance.
- Consulte información sobre las evaluaciones de lectura, los recursos para los cuidadores y el desarrollo del aprendizaje en la Guía para comprender mCLASS.
- Explore el mCLASS Caregiver Hub en inglés y español.
- Lea la carta Home Connect de muestra que resalta las fortalezas y áreas de crecimiento de su estudiante.
Boost Reading:
- Boost Reading proporciona una forma de enseñanza personalizada, fundamentada en la ciencia de la lectura (Science of Reading).
- Complementa la tutoría de gran alcance que recibe su estudiante, brindándole un sitio para practicar esas destrezas.
- Explore los recursos para cuidadores de Boost Reading.
Nota: Todas las escuelas que participan en Amplify Tutoring usan mCLASS Intervention. Pida información a su estudiante o maestro sobre la implementación de Boost Reading.
Materiales y recursos de apoyo para las matemáticas en Amplify Tutoring
Cuidadores, a continuación encontrarán materiales y recursos que pueden serles útiles a usted y a su estudiante.
Materiales de Amplify Math Tutoring:
- Las escuelas que participan en Amplify Math Tutoring utilizan mCLASS math assessment (evaluación de matemática) de Amplify, Amplify Desmos Math Mini-Lessons (lecciones cortas) y Fluency by Heart (fluidez de memoria) de Amplify.
- mCLASS assessment proporciona información valiosa sobre el razonamiento matemático de los estudiantes. Muestra cómo piensan los estudiantes sobre las matemáticas de su nivel escolar y lo que ya comprenden.
- Las Amplify Desmos Math Mini-Lessons son las lecciones que utilizan los tutores para ayudar a guiar a su estudiante a través de los conceptos de matemáticas para su nivel escolar.
- Fluency by Heart de Amplify es el programa de fluidez de operaciones que su estudiante usará durante la tutoría. Exhortamos a que los estudiantes continúen practicando su fluidez de operaciones con este programa ¡incluso fuera de la tutoría!
- ¡Explore el Math Caregiver Hub en inglés y español para conocer más sobre Amplify Desmos Math!
- Visite la página de inicio de la carta Home Connect. En ella encontrará una carta de muestra que resalta el desarrollo de destrezas matemáticas por parte de su estudiante en contraste con las expectativas de su nivel escolar.
- Visite Recursos para cuidadores, donde encontrará actividades para que su familia practique conceptos clave.
- Obtenga más información sobre la evaluación de mCLASS Math que su estudiante realizará.
Los beneficios de la tutoría
¡Amplify Tutoring ayuda a los estudiantes que más lo necesitan! En un extenso estudio sobre Amplify Literacy Tutoring, el 70 por ciento de los estudiantes con una calificación por debajo del benchmark y que participaron con regularidad en Amplify Tutoring tuvo un desarrollo superior a la media. La probabilidad de que los estudiantes de tutoría se desarrollaran a un ritmo más acelerado fue un 22 por ciento mayor que la de sus compañeros con un perfil similar, pero que no recibían tutoría de gran alcance para el desarrollo de la lectoescritura, en su escuela. Amplify Math Tutoring también ha demostrado mejorar el desempeño académico de los estudiantes en matemáticas. Después de 15 semanas de tutoría de matemáticas, estudiantes de grados tercero a quinto mejoraron más del 15% en preguntas sobre Número y Operaciones durante su evaluación posterior.
Al brindar un apoyo focalizado y adecuado a las necesidades individuales, Amplify Tutoring permite que los estudiantes reciban la ayuda que necesitan y merecen.
Conozca cómo Amplify Tutoring acelera el aprendizaje
¿Busca ayuda o más información?
Visite amplify.com/tutoring para obtener más información sobre Amplify Tutoring.
Si necesita ayuda adicional, comuníquese con su maestro.
¡Gracias por todo lo que hace para contribuir al aprendizaje de su estudiante!
mCLASS®
Starting in 2025–2026, California Education Code Section 53008 requires LEAs to annually screen K-2 students for reading difficulties, including dyslexia, using CDE-approved instruments. LAUSD implements the Reading Difficulties Risk Screener through mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura.
These research-backed assessments provide real-time insights into literacy development, enabling educators to identify at-risk learners, differentiate instruction, and implement targeted interventions. This ensures state compliance while reinforcing LAUSD’s commitment to evidence-based literacy instruction for all students.
Click here to go back to the LAUSD homepage.
Getting Started
One Amplify app for everything.
Educators can log into Schoology, using their LAUSD Single Sign-On (SSO), to access the Amplify app. One click into the Amplify app takes you to the Educator Home page and into the mCLASS Portal.
Attention iOS device users:
You must sync your device before upgrading your iOS version. If you update your iOS version before syncing, all unsynced mCLASS data will be lost since any Apple-related software updates clear Safari’s cache memory. If your device prompts you to upgrade your iOS version, tap cancel or close to decline and then sync your assessments. We encourage you to follow best practices and sync your assessment data regularly. Establishing a regular sync routine helps ensure that your assessment data isn’t lost due to device changes, software updates, or any unforeseen issues.
- DIBELS 8 Help Guide
- mCLASS Classes and Groups Help – Refer to our mCLASS Help system for instructions on using Amplify’s enrollment tools for administrators and other staff with school-wide or system access. If you need to help teachers administer mCLASS or assist substitute teachers with assessing a class, you can add yourself to a class. You can also create student groups to organize students within classes or to share students across classes with other staff.
mCLASS Instruction
How mCLASS® Instruction works
All schools in LAUSD have access to mCLASS® Instruction, which can help you use your benchmark data to individualize instruction for each student. You can access the following tools at Amplify Home > My Assessments > DIBELS 8th Edition (in the upper-left corner you will see an Instruction button). View our Instruction webcast for overviews of the tools.
- mCLASS® Item-Level Advisor automatically highlights important patterns, offering detailed analysis and suggesting next steps for targeted instruction.
- mCLASS® Small-Group Advisor uses results to create optimal groups of students with similar needs and selects targeted instructional activities at the appropriate level.
- mCLASS® Home Connect® allows you to easily provide parents with progress reports and specific activities to help bolster students’ learning at home.
Student Online Assessments
How to enable the mCLASS Student Online Assessments Video
Online Assessments:
- MAZE Online (required for DIBELS 8 composite)
- About MAZE Online
- Assigning Maze Online (Video)
- Assigning Maze Online (Job Aid)
- Manually entering MAZE Results on mCLASS
- Help with LAUSD SSO- Schoology: MyMail Pin
- Spelling Online (available in Spanish)- In the Spelling assessment, students hear a target word and use letter tiles to spell the word. These words include the phoneme-grapheme correspondences that students at each grade level are expected to learn over the course of a year based upon the scopes and sequences of published reading and spelling curricula. The final score is the number of words spelled correctly, with partial credit provided for correct spelling sequences within a word. This makes the Spelling measure more sensitive to students’ actual spelling skills, giving more information about their progress.
- Vocabulary Online (available in Spanish)- In the Vocabulary assessment, students demonstrate their knowledge of grade-specific words, as well as their skill at deriving meaning from context. The assessment covers words that are high utility (i.e. Tier 2) and content specific (i.e. Tier 3). Depending on grade level, students may be asked to answer questions about the word, to fill in a blank correctly with the word, or to match the word with its definition.
Progress Monitoring
DIBELS 8 Progress Monitoring
- Progress monitoring materials are included in the DIBELS 8 benchmark booklets.
¡Les damos la bienvenida, familias de la ciudad de Nueva York!
Nos complace darles la bienvenida a usted y a su estudiante al programa Amplify Caminos Lectoescritura para el nuevo año escolar y brindarles oportunidades de aprendizaje excepcionales a través de nuestro programa. Hemos reunido una serie de recursos y guías que ayudarán a que su estudiante aproveche al máximo nuestra plataforma. Ponemos a su disposición estos materiales para que también usted pueda brindar apoyo a su estudiante a lo largo de todo el año.
Para la versión en inglés, haga clic aquí.
¿Qué es Amplify Caminos Lectoescritura?
Amplify Caminos Lectoescritura es un programa integral de destrezas fundamentales para los grados K a 2 que ayuda a que los estudiantes adquieran seguridad y fluidez en la lectura.
Basado en la Ciencia de la Lectura, el programa ha sido desarrollado para respetar por completo las estructuras y matices del idioma español. En lugar de limitarse a traducir las reglas fonéticas del inglés, Amplify Caminos Lectoescritura ofrece una progresión culturalmente auténtica, basada en investigaciones y diseñada para encaminar a los estudiantes más jóvenes a alcanzar un éxito duradero como lectores.
Primeros pasos
Cómo apoyar a su estudiante en casa:
- Si es posible, lea con su estudiante a diario; incluso 15 minutos de lectura juntos cada día pueden generar un gran impacto.
- Lea secciones del texto en voz alta y de forma conjunta. Si su estudiante tiene dificultad para leer en voz alta, intente leer el texto con expresividad y después pídale a su estudiante que haga lo mismo.
- Busquen momentos para conversar sobre lo que están leyendo y descubriendo en clase. Por ejemplo, usted podría preguntarle:¿Qué te llamó más la atención de lo que leíste hoy? ¿Alguna frase o palabra te resultó confusa? ¿Qué conclusión puedes sacar del pasaje del autor? ¿Qué crees que intentaba comunicar el autor? ¿Estás de acuerdo con las ideas o descripciones del autor? ¿Qué conexiones puedes establecer entre lo que estás leyendo y tu propia vida u otros temas sobre los que hayas escuchado algo?
- Escuche a su estudiante leer las respuestas que haya escrito o pídale que las comparta con un amigo en una videollamada.
- Consulte el artículo Proteja a los niños en internet de la Comisión Federal de Comercio, cuyo tema es la seguridad digital.
Iniciar sesión
Estudiantes de grados K a 2
Los estudiantes de grados K a 2 podrán iniciar sesión con las credenciales compartidas que proporcionó el maestro.
Desde el dispositivo del estudiante, diríjase a learning.amplify.com.
Seleccione “Log in” y luego introduzca los datos de ingreso o seleccione “Scan QR code” para iniciar sesión usando un código QR. Los estudiantes ingresarán a su página principal (Student Home), ¡donde podrán cambiar su avatar y hacer clic en un emoji para definir su estado de ánimo del día! En la página principal del estudiante, encontrarán un vínculo de acceso rápido al Student Hub.
Nota: Los códigos de inicio compartidos les permiten a los estudiantes de grados K a 2 que usan Amplify Caminos Hub, y a los estudiantes aún no matriculados por su escuela o distrito, ingresar a los programas digitales de Amplify.
Vistazo general a los materiales
Si cuenta con acceso a internet, su estudiante puede ingresar a parte del plan de estudios digital de Amplify Caminos Lectoescritura. Contacte a su maestro para obtener los datos de ingreso.
Libros de lectura
Amplify Caminos Lectoescritura es un programa de Artes del Lenguaje Español (SLA, por sus siglas en inglés), de modo que los libros de lectura están en español y se ajustan al código de español que se enseña en Amplify Caminos Lectoescritura. Estos libros solo estarán disponibles para maestros y estudiantes que implementen Caminos Lectoescritura en su salón de SLA o de dos idiomas.
Los libros de lectura están diseñados exclusivamente para brindarles a los estudiantes práctica intensiva mientras leen historias simples y auténticas.
En los grados K a 2, los libros de lectura contienen capítulos que permiten a su estudiante practicar los sonidos y patrones de deletreo recién aprendidos, así como palabras de uso común en español. Lo anterior le ayudará a comprender lo que lee y a disfrutar de cuentos encantadores con personajes interesantes.
Cuadernos de actividades para estudiantes
Como parte de las lecciones diarias, estas páginas de actividades piden a los estudiantes que respondan al texto leído y apliquen destrezas y conocimientos. También incluyen evaluaciones (a las que tienen acceso los maestros) que monitorean el desarrollo de las destrezas de los estudiantes.
El Hub de Caminos para estudiantes
Los estudiantes acceden a recursos multimedia y disfrutan de una nueva experiencia digital en el Hub de Caminos. Pueden acceder al Hub desde casa, en el salón de clases o dondequiera que estén, lo que lo hace ideal para el aprendizaje a distancia. También es compatible con computadoras portátiles, Chromebooks, tabletas y computadoras de escritorio; incluso lo hemos optimizado para dispositivos móviles.
Sonidos para los grados K a 2
La Biblioteca de sonidos contiene grabaciones del audio de fonemas. Los maestros pueden incorporar en cualquier momento los materiales de la Biblioteca de sonidos a las actividades existentes, ya sea al comienzo de las lecciones de Lectoescritura o como un repaso divertido para el salón de clases.
Los sonidos de la biblioteca están organizados por unidad, y los sonidos de cada unidad se pueden encontrar en las pestañas de la parte superior de la pantalla. Cada pestaña contiene tarjetas para cada sonido. En cada tarjeta se puede reproducir una grabación del sonido seleccionando el icono del altavoz.
Biblioteca
El Hub del lector de libros electrónicos permite a los niños acceder fácilmente a toda la biblioteca de libros de Caminos Lectoescritura. Un índice sencillo facilita la navegación por libros más extensos. Los libros electrónicos de Amplify Caminos Lectoescritura incluyen el conjunto completo de libros de lectura para estudiantes de kindergarten a segundo grado.
¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre Amplify Caminos Lectoescritura?
Visite nuestra biblioteca de ayuda (en inglés) y busque respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el programa en nuestros artículos de ayuda.
Para obtener apoyo curricular adicional, comuníquese con su maestro.
¡Les damos la bienvenida, familias de mCLASS Math!
Nos entusiasma poder colaborar con usted este año escolar para apoyar el aprendizaje de las matemáticas de su estudiante. Este Caregiver Hub de mCLASS® Math está diseñado para ayudarle a comprender cómo funciona mCLASS Math y brindarle formas sencillas de apoyar el aprendizaje de las matemáticas en casa, antes y después de las evaluaciones.
For English version, please click here.
¿Qué es mCLASS Math?
mCLASS Math es un sistema de evaluación digital que ofrece a los maestros una visión clara de cómo conciben los estudiantes los conceptos matemáticos principales de su nivel escolar. También ayuda a identificar lo que su estudiante ya sabe y en qué aspectos podría necesitar más apoyo. Lo anterior permite que los maestros puedan personalizar la enseñanza y ayudar al desarrollo del aprendizaje de cada estudiante. Las evaluaciones de mCLASS Math son completamente digitales y permiten que los estudiantes demuestren su razonamiento mediante preguntas abiertas. De esa manera, los maestros obtienen una visión inmediata del progreso de los estudiantes y de sus necesidades educativas. Para obtener más información sobre la experiencia del estudiante, haga clic aquí.
Obtenga más información sobre mCLASS Math.
Primeros pasos
¿Por qué es importante evaluar?
Con las evaluaciones de mCLASS Math, los maestros comprenden no solo lo que los estudiantes ya conocen, sino también cómo piensan. Esto les permite apoyar mejor su desarrollo del aprendizaje.
Más allá de respuestas correctas o incorrectas, mCLASS Math captura cómo resuelven problemas los estudiantes, destacando sus fortalezas, experiencias, razonamientos y estrategias individuales (o “assets” (ventajas), como los llamamos colectivamente), y utilizándolos para orientar el proceso de enseñanza. Con esta información, los maestros pueden personalizar el aprendizaje, reconocer las fortalezas de los estudiantes y fomentar un crecimiento significativo.
Obtenga más información sobre la evaluación basada en “assets”.
Formas de apoyar a su estudiante
Junto a su estudiante, obtenga una vista previa de los ítems de muestra en casa.
Exploren los ítems de muestra de mCLASS Math juntos para que su estudiante se sienta más cómodo y familiarizado con la experiencia de evaluación. Estos ejemplos muestran los tipos de preguntas que su estudiante podría ver y cómo va a interactuar con la plataforma.
Mientras revisan los ítems juntos, anime a su estudiante a explicar su razonamiento. Intente hacer preguntas tales como:
- “¿Qué te piden que resuelvas?”
- “¿Cómo puedes demostrar tu pensamiento?”
- “¿Puedes explicar tu respuesta?”
Si su estudiante no consigue avanzar, ayúdele con preguntas como:
- “¿Qué sabes hasta ahora?”
- “¿Cómo podrías representar este problema usando objetos o dibujos?”
Recuerde al estudiante que bloquearse es normal y una parte necesaria del proceso de aprendizaje. Muchos estudiantes (y personas adultas) temen cometer errores, pero las investigaciones demuestran que cometerlos ayuda a que nuestro cerebro se desarrolle. Desarrollar la confianza en el uso de las matemáticas comienza con la práctica en un espacio de apoyo donde el estudiante se sienta seguro.
Apoye a diario el proceso de aprendizaje matemático con Fluency Practice.
Ayude a su estudiante a fortalecer las habilidades matemáticas básicas (suma, resta, multiplicación y división) con solo 5 a 10 minutos diarios de Fluency Practice (Práctica de la fluidez). Fluency Practice utiliza un método de aprendizaje probado llamado repetición espaciada, con el fin de aumentar la precisión, velocidad y confianza en el uso de operaciones y datos matemáticos.
Para obtener una introducción a Fluency Practice haga clic aquí.
Otras ideas para apoyar el aprendizaje de las matemáticas
- Siempre que sea posible, destaque el uso que haga su estudiante de las matemáticas en el mundo real y promueva esta práctica.
- Ayude con la tarea de matemáticas tanto como sea posible.
- Utilice frases intencionales y positivas sobre las matemáticas, incluyendo el uso que su estudiante haga de ellas.
Próximamente: Actividades matemáticas asistidas por cuidadores
Para el aprendizaje en casa, mCLASS ofrece una serie de recursos matemáticos que las familias pueden usar trabajando juntas, incluyendo actividades matemáticas asistidas por los cuidadores para ayudar a reforzar y practicar destrezas en casa.
Le recomendamos que lea el artículo Proteja a los niños en internet de la Comisión Federal de Comercio, cuyo tema es la seguridad digital.
¡Estamos aquí para ayudarle!
¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre mCLASS Math?
Visite nuestra biblioteca de ayuda (en inglés) y busque respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el programa en nuestros artículos de ayuda.
Para obtener apoyo curricular adicional, comuníquese con su maestro.
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.
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 equity), 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.
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 diversity. 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:
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.
- Guía del maestro: Cuentos de aventuras: relatos desde los confines de la Tierra
- Cuaderno de actividades: Cuentos de aventuras: relatos desde los confines de la Tierra
- Tarjetas de imágenes: Cuentos de aventuras: relatos desde los confines de la Tierra
- Componentes digitales: Cuentos de aventuras: relatos desde los confines de la Tierra
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.
Diverse 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. In addition to featuring a diverse range of authors and topics, our texts represent individuals and characters with a broad range of identity factors, including socioeconomic status, age, ability, race, ethnicity, country of origin, religion, 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: Amplify Caminos is built on the conviction that equitable instruction is vital to an effective program. Decodable Student Readers at grades K–2 are newly re-designed to celebrate students’ diverse experiences and feature individuals with a broad range of identity factors, including socioeconomic status, age, ability, race, ethnicity, country of origin, religion, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Sample materials
Finally, click on the grade levels below to explore your requested sample units.
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.
Conocimiento Strand:
- Guía del maestro, Conocimiento 12: Luchar por una causa
- Cuaderno de actividades, Conocimientos 7–12
- Rotafolio de imágenes, Conocimiento 12
- Tarjetas de imágenes, Conocimiento 12
Lectoescritura Strand:
Additional resources
- Caminos Program Guide
- Biliteracy and Science of Reading Principles
- Amplify Caminos Conocimiento Scopes and Sequences
- Grade K Knowledge Strand
- Grade 1 Knowledge Strand
- Grade 2 Knowledge Strand
- Grade 3 Integrated Strand
- Grade 4 Integrated Strand
- Grade 5 Intgrated Strand
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.
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.
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.
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.
- Guía del maestro: Cuentos de aventuras: relatos desde los confines de la Tierra
- Cuaderno de actividades: Cuentos de aventuras: relatos desde los confines de la Tierra
- Tarjetas de imágenes: Cuentos de aventuras: relatos desde los confines de la Tierra
- Componentes digitales: Cuentos de aventuras: relatos desde los confines de la Tierra
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Sample materials
Finally, click on the grade levels below to explore your requested sample units.
Conocimiento Strand:
- Guía del maestro, Conocimiento 12: Luchar por una causa
- Cuaderno de actividades, Conocimientos 7–12
- Rotafolio de imágenes, Conocimiento 12
- Tarjetas de imágenes, Conocimiento 12
Lectoescritura Strand:
Additional resources
- Caminos Program Guide
- Biliteracy and Science of Reading Principles
- Amplify Caminos Conocimiento Scopes and Sequences
- Grade K Knowledge Strand
- Grade 1 Knowledge Strand
- Grade 2 Knowledge Strand
- Grade 3 Integrated Strand
- Grade 4 Integrated Strand
- Grade 5 Intgrated Strand
Presentación de Amplify Desmos Math California
Amplify Desmos Math California es un plan básico de estudios de matemáticas diseñado para estudiantes que cursan desde kindergarten hasta el grado 12. Creemos que un enfoque estructurado del aprendizaje basado en la resolución de problemas fomenta la curiosidad de los estudiantes y ayuda a desarrollar una comprensión duradera y adecuada a su nivel escolar.
El plan de estudios de Amplify Desmos Math California utiliza un método de enseñanza centrado en el estudiante. En cada lección, los estudiantes resuelven problemas interesantes y relevantes, reflexionan de manera crítica, trabajan en conjunto y participan activamente en su propio aprendizaje.
Explore recursos según el nivel escolar:
Enseñanza centrada en el estudiante
La enseñanza centrada en el estudiante puede parecer distinta a la forma en que usted aprendió matemáticas. Su objetivo es crear un entorno de aprendizaje donde los estudiantes se sientan empoderados y comprometidos con su propio proceso de aprendizaje, brindándoles oportunidades para comprender cómo funcionan las matemáticas en lugar de simplemente memorizar fórmulas y trucos. Aprenden a comunicarse tanto verbalmente como por escrito, arriban a la comprensión y al cuestionamiento de las opiniones de los demás, mientras se nutren de confianza. Este enfoque les permite recordar lo aprendido y aplicar sus conocimientos a nuevas situaciones.
A continuación listamos otros beneficios de la enseñanza centrada en el estudiante:
- Las investigaciones muestran que los estudiantes y maestros prefieren este método.
- Los estudiantes se desempeñan mejor en las pruebas estandarizadas y consiguen un mayor crecimiento en sus calificaciones.
- Los maestros informan que la enseñanza centrada en el estudiante ayuda a que sus estudiantes aprendan un mayor número de conceptos matemáticos.
- Los estudiantes desarrollan destrezas clave para tener éxito en la universidad, el lugar de trabajo y más allá. Entre estas destrezas se encuentra cómo usar la tecnología, completar proyectos de forma independiente y en equipo, y cómo perseverar ante desafíos.
Componentes de una lección
Esto es lo que normalmente incluye una lección de Amplify Desmos Math California:
Calentamiento: Una pregunta o interacción de respuesta abierta para que los estudiantes se sientan atraídos a la lección.
Actividades: De una a tres actividades que constituyen el núcleo de cada lección.
Te invitamos a explorar más: Problemas que invitan a los estudiantes a explorar un concepto con mayor profundidad, a menudo más allá del alcance de la lección. Estos problemas están disponibles para todos los estudiantes de manera intencional.
Síntesis: Una oportunidad para que los estudiantes expresen las ideas claves de la lección en sus propias palabras.
Demuestra lo que sabes (Show What You Know) y Reflexión (Reflection): Una verificación de comprensión centrada en los conceptos clave de la lección.
Centros (Centers; solo en los grados K a 5): Estaciones de actividades dirigidas por los estudiantes que refuerzan los conceptos matemáticos que aprendieron durante las actividades de la lección usando formatos interactivos y, a menudo, lúdicos. En kindergarten y primer grado, el tiempo destinado a los Centros se incorpora en los últimos 15 minutos de cada lección.
Práctica: Problemas adicionales que el maestro puede asignar, como prácticas sobre la lección en curso y un repaso de lecciones o unidades previas.
Obtenga más información.
¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre Amplify Desmos Math California? Visite nuestra biblioteca de ayuda (en inglés) para buscar artículos con respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el programa. Para obtener más ayuda, por favor comuníquese con su maestro.
¡Les damos la bienvenida, familias de Amplify Demos Math!
Bienvenidos al Caregiver Hub de Amplify Desmos Math. Diseñamos este espacio para apoyar a su estudiante en su proceso de aprendizaje de las matemáticas. Esperamos que su estudiante disfrute mientras explora las matemáticas, trabaja con amigos para resolver problemas y adquiere conceptos nuevos e interesantes. Y esperamos que usted también disfrute de este aprendizaje.
For the English version, please click here.
Presentación de Amplify Desmos Math
Amplify Desmos Math es un plan básico de estudios de matemáticas diseñado para estudiantes que cursan desde kindergarten hasta el grado 12. Creemos que un enfoque estructurado del aprendizaje basado en la resolución de problemas fomenta la curiosidad de los estudiantes y ayuda a desarrollar una comprensión duradera y adecuada a su nivel escolar.
El plan de estudios de Amplify Desmos Math utiliza un método de enseñanza centrado en el estudiante. En cada lección, los estudiantes resuelven problemas interesantes y relevantes, reflexionan de manera crítica, trabajan en conjunto y participan activamente en su propio aprendizaje.
Explore recursos según el nivel escolar:
Enseñanza centrada en el estudiante
La enseñanza centrada en el estudiante puede parecer distinta a la forma en que usted aprendió matemáticas. Su objetivo es crear un entorno de aprendizaje donde los estudiantes se sientan empoderados y comprometidos con su propio proceso de aprendizaje, brindándoles oportunidades para comprender cómo funcionan las matemáticas en lugar de simplemente memorizar fórmulas y trucos. Aprenden a comunicarse tanto verbalmente como por escrito, arriban a la comprensión y al cuestionamiento de las opiniones de los demás, mientras se nutren de confianza. Este enfoque les permite recordar lo aprendido y aplicar sus conocimientos a nuevas situaciones.
A continuación listamos otros beneficios de la enseñanza centrada en el estudiante:
- Las investigaciones muestran que los estudiantes y maestros prefieren este método.
- Los estudiantes se desempeñan mejor en las pruebas estandarizadas y consiguen un mayor crecimiento en sus calificaciones.
- Los maestros informan que la enseñanza centrada en el estudiante ayuda a que sus estudiantes aprendan un mayor número de conceptos matemáticos.
- Los estudiantes desarrollan destrezas clave para tener éxito en la universidad, el lugar de trabajo y más allá. Entre estas destrezas se encuentra cómo usar la tecnología, completar proyectos de forma independiente y en equipo, y cómo perseverar ante desafíos.
Componentes de una lección
Esto es lo que normalmente incluye una lección de Amplify Desmos Math:
Calentamiento: Una pregunta o interacción de respuesta abierta para que los estudiantes se sientan atraídos a la lección.
Actividades: De una a tres actividades que constituyen el núcleo de cada lección.
Te invitamos a explorar más: Problemas que invitan a los estudiantes a explorar un concepto con mayor profundidad, a menudo más allá del alcance de la lección. Estos problemas están disponibles para todos los estudiantes de manera intencional.
Síntesis: Una oportunidad para que los estudiantes expresen las ideas claves de la lección en sus propias palabras.
Demuestra lo que sabes (Show What You Know) y Reflexión (Reflection): Una verificación de comprensión centrada en los conceptos clave de la lección.
Centros (Centers; solo en los grados K a 5): Estaciones de actividades dirigidas por los estudiantes que refuerzan los conceptos matemáticos que aprendieron durante las actividades de la lección usando formatos interactivos y, a menudo, lúdicos. En kindergarten y primer grado, el tiempo destinado a los Centros se incorpora en los últimos 15 minutos de cada lección.
Práctica: Problemas adicionales que el maestro puede asignar, como prácticas sobre la lección en curso y un repaso de lecciones o unidades previas.
Obtenga más información.
¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre Amplify Desmos Math? Visite nuestra biblioteca de ayuda (en inglés) para buscar artículos con respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el programa. Para obtener más ayuda, por favor comuníquese con su maestro.
¡El futuro es bilingüe! | The future is bilingual!
Promueva la alfabetización bilingüe con Amplify Caminos, un plan de estudios de lengua y literatura en español para K a 5.º grado que ayuda a los maestros a infundir confianza en los estudiantes para que se conviertan en lectores, escritores y pensadores competentes en español. El programa combina un amplio conocimiento del contenido con una instrucción sistemática de destrezas fundamentales que se basa en la Ciencia de la lectura y es compatible con múltiples modelos de enseñanza. For English version, please click here.
Cultivar vías de alfabetización bilingüe
Amplify Caminos está diseñado para respaldar cualquier modelo de lectoescritura bilingüe, incluidos el inglés como segundo idioma (ESL), programas bilingües de transición, modalidades de dos idiomas y programas de inmersión en español. En combinación con su complemento en el idioma inglés, Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA), Amplify Caminos ofrece una solución integral de lectoescritura bilingüe.
Nuestro enfoque
Basado en la Ciencia de la lectura y siguiendo los principios de alfabetización bilingüe, Amplify Caminos combina conocimientos de contenidos de gran riqueza con enseñanza sistemática de destrezas fundamentales para ofrecer un plan de estudios de lectoescritura bilingüe basado en investigaciones.
Aprovechar la Ciencia de la lectura
Al centro de la Ciencia de la lectura se encuentra la Visión simple de la lectura, una fórmula que describe cómo una lectura hábil requiere tanto la comprensión del lenguaje como el reconocimiento de palabras. Amplify Caminos se basa en este modelo, con recursos poderosos que generan resultados reales.
Desarrollar destrezas fundamentales de forma explícita y sistemática
La instrucción de Amplify Caminos se basa en cómo funciona el idioma español. Los estudiantes aprenden los sonidos de las vocales y sonidos comunes antes de combinarlos para formar sílabas y palabras. Más adelante se presentan consonantes menos frecuentes y otros elementos complejos, con una progresión intencional que prepara a los estudiantes para el éxito.
El refuerzo de los conocimientos previos impulsa los resultados
Los estudiantes profundizan y hacen conexiones entre áreas de contenido para crear una base de conocimientos sólida para comprender textos complejos. Amplify Caminos y Amplify CKLA siguen la Core Knowledge Sequence, un enfoque coherente, acumulativo y de contenido específico para desarrollar conocimientos, con temas paralelos para respaldar la enseñanza equitativa y basada en investigaciones en español e inglés de nivel 1.
Textos culturalmente relevantes y exigentes
Los estudiantes aprenden sobre una variedad de temas y géneros a la vez que se comprenden mejor a sí mismos y al mundo gracias a una extensa selección de textos. La literatura en español auténtica, que incluye textos originales de autores latinos e hispanos, y los textos transadaptados conectan los temas de conocimiento y la enseñanza de destrezas fundamentales para brindar una experiencia de aprendizaje enriquecedora.
Ser bilingüe es un superpoder
El bilingüismo es una fortaleza cognitiva: las investigaciones lo atribuyen a una mayor atención, una mejor memoria de trabajo, una mayor conciencia del lenguaje y más. Honre las destrezas, fortalezas y necesidades únicas de sus estudiantes multilingües con Amplify Caminos y Amplify CKLA.
Qué se incluye
Amplify Caminos presenta atractivos materiales impresos y multimedia, accesibles desde cualquier lugar, diseñados para proporcionar una base sólida y rica de lectoescritura en cada salón de clase.
Materiales docentes de alta calidad
Los maestros de Amplify Caminos imparten la enseñanza de forma eficaz con recursos impresos y digitales, que incluyen:
- Guías del maestro con diferenciación integrada.
- Evaluaciones formales e informales.
- Diapositivas de lecciones listas para usar y que pueden ser personalizadas.
- Bilingual Connections para apoyar la transferencia interlingüística.
- Recursos para docentes y desarrollo profesional a pedido.
Recursos inmersivos para estudiantes
Los estudiantes de Amplify Caminos se mantienen interesados con una amplia gama de recursos impresos y digitales, que incluyen:
- Libros descodificables originales y Libros grandes para leer en voz alta (K a 2.º grado), Libros de lectura (3.er a 5.º grados) y antologías de literatura española auténtica (4.º y 5.º grados).
- Diario del poeta y Diario del escritor (libros de lectura con espacio para escribir para 4.º y 5.º grados).
- Cuadernos de actividades para estudiantes con evaluaciones integradas.
- Unidades de investigación para investigaciones independientes desarrolladas en torno a un libro comercial.
- Materiales de fonética multisensorial:
- Tarjetas de letras (K a 2.º grado).
- Tarjetas de sílabas (K a 2.º grado).
- Tarjetas de imágenes (K a 3.er grado).
- Además: gráficos de anclaje digitales y una biblioteca de sonidos.
Experiencia digital robusta
Al igual que Amplify CKLA, Amplify Caminos se enorgullece de ser la principal oferta de material didáctico de alta calidad (HQIM, por sus siglas en inglés) en lengua y literatura de primaria, con un contenido variado y basado en la investigación, incluida una biblioteca de atractivos materiales digitales en constante expansión, que le ayuda a apoyar, motivar y cautivar el interés genuino de sus estudiantes. Desde Guías del maestro digitales hasta materiales proyectables, proporcionamos todas las herramientas necesarias para impartir con éxito cada lección.
Explore más programas basados en la Ciencia de la lectura
Todos los programas de nuestro paquete de alfabetización están diseñados para apoyarse y complementarse entre sí. Conozca más sobre nuestros programas relacionados:
Getting Started
One Amplify app for everything.
Educators can log into Schoology, using their LAUSD Single Sign-On (SSO), to access the Amplify app. One click into the Amplify app takes you to the Educator Home page and into the mCLASS Portal.
Attention iOS device users:
You must sync your device before upgrading your iOS version. If you update your iOS version before syncing, all unsynced mCLASS data will be lost since any Apple-related software updates clear Safari’s cache memory. If your device prompts you to upgrade your iOS version, tap cancel or close to decline and then sync your assessments. We encourage you to follow best practices and sync your assessment data regularly. Establishing a regular sync routine helps ensure that your assessment data isn’t lost due to device changes, software updates, or any unforeseen issues.
- DIBELS 8 Help Guide
- mCLASS Classes and Groups Help – Refer to our mCLASS Help system for instructions on using Amplify’s enrollment tools for administrators and other staff with school-wide or system access. If you need to help teachers administer mCLASS or assist substitute teachers with assessing a class, you can add yourself to a class. You can also create student groups to organize students within classes or to share students across classes with other staff.
mCLASS Instruction
How mCLASS® Instruction works
All schools in LAUSD have access to mCLASS® Instruction, which can help you use your benchmark data to individualize instruction for each student. You can access the following tools at Amplify Home > My Assessments > DIBELS 8th Edition (in the upper-left corner you will see an Instruction button). View our Instruction webcast for overviews of the tools.
- mCLASS® Item-Level Advisor automatically highlights important patterns, offering detailed analysis and suggesting next steps for targeted instruction.
- mCLASS® Small-Group Advisor uses results to create optimal groups of students with similar needs and selects targeted instructional activities at the appropriate level.
- mCLASS® Home Connect® allows you to easily provide parents with progress reports and specific activities to help bolster students’ learning at home.
Student Online Assessments
How to enable the mCLASS Student Online Assessments Video
Online Assessments:
- MAZE Online (required for DIBELS 8 composite)
- About MAZE Online
- Assigning Maze Online (Video)
- Assigning Maze Online (Job Aid)
- Manually entering MAZE Results on mCLASS
- Help with LAUSD SSO- Schoology: MyMail Pin
- Text Reading Online (TRO) is a new computer-administered assessment for grades 1-6 that measures oral reading fluency, accuracy, and comprehension to evaluate students’ reading proficiency against grade level expectations. TRO employs innovative voice recognition technology that automatically and immediately scores the recording of students reading as they progress through the assessment. REMINDER: Students must read out loud while reading.
- TRO Job Aid
- Click HERE to view online help for TRO
- Decoding Online (DO) is a new computed-administered assessment for grades 1-6 that measures students’ skill in reading grade-level words in isolation. The results help educators plan decoding instruction by providing information about the specific word types where students may need more practice at a given point in time. Click HERE to view online help for DO.
- Spelling Online (available in Spanish)- In the Spelling assessment, students hear a target word and use letter tiles to spell the word. These words include the phoneme-grapheme correspondences that students at each grade level are expected to learn over the course of a year based upon the scopes and sequences of published reading and spelling curricula. The final score is the number of words spelled correctly, with partial credit provided for correct spelling sequences within a word. This makes the Spelling measure more sensitive to students’ actual spelling skills, giving more information about their progress.
- Vocabulary Online (available in Spanish)- In the Vocabulary assessment, students demonstrate their knowledge of grade-specific words, as well as their skill at deriving meaning from context. The assessment covers words that are high utility (i.e. Tier 2) and content specific (i.e. Tier 3). Depending on grade level, students may be asked to answer questions about the word, to fill in a blank correctly with the word, or to match the word with its definition.
Progress Monitoring
DIBELS 8 Progress Monitoring
- Progress monitoring materials are included in the DIBELS 8 benchmark booklets.
TRC Progress Monitoring
- Teachers should add the titles they will use to their Book List on mCLASS (located at the top right by the Support button). If the publisher of the books you use for TRC progress monitoring made digital copies of materials available, you will be sharing the digital book as you assess your student remotely.
- Reading/Learning A-Z books are on mCLASS (2300+ titles). LAUSD purchased for all schools. Teachers will need to add them to their Book List on mCLASS.
Reading 3D
Text Reading Comprehension (TRC)
How TRC (Text Reading & Comprehension) works
After completing the mCLASS foundational skills assessment, teachers record observations with a running record to quickly analyze reading comprehension. They assign reading levels and monitor progress to support mastery of increasingly complex texts.
- Quickly log observations and easily identify error patterns for any level.
- Compare student progress with predictive, research-based benchmark goals.
- Translate assessment data into instructional support.
- Track progress and target instruction to individual student needs.
Additional Links:
Professional development for assessment and intervention programs
Amplify professional development (PD) provides learning experiences that intentionally develop the knowledge and skills you need for effective and self-sustaining implementation.
Learn how to administer and score your assessment and develop a deeper understanding of reporting and instruction by investing in professional development.
Amplify professional development has been vetted by Rivet Education’s team through a rigorous three-step process and is listed in the Professional Learning Partner Guide.
About Amplify PD
Change is more likely to stick and get results if you take a systemic approach. Partner with us to do just that by developing a learning plan that will drive your program implementation, enrich your instructional practices, and increase student impact.
Amplify’s professional development is designed to ensure successful, sustained implementation of our programs. Sessions are strategically bundled to provide continuous support, adapting to your K–8 educators’ evolving needs throughout the year.
Our packages include:
- Launch sessions: Propel your teachers into the new school year by introducing them to their Amplify program, laying a strong foundation for effective implementation.
- Strengthen sessions: Enhance implementation with mid-year sessions that target specific instructional practices, providing the support needed to enhance program efficacy.
- Coach sessions: Provide tailored guidance and support for educators and leaders to address specific needs, refining and advancing their instructional practices.
About Amplify assessment and intervention programs
Amplify’s high-quality programs make it easier for K–8 educators to teach inspiring, impactful lessons that celebrate and develop the brilliance of their students. Equipped with tools that provide robust scaffolding and differentiated instruction, assessment, and intervention, educators gain real-time insights and can provide personalized, actionable plans that support every learner.
Learn how to get the most out of your assessment and intervention program(s) through Amplify’s PD.
Assessment
- mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition (grades K–8)
- mCLASS Lectura (grades K–6)
- mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura biliteracy
- mCLASS Math (grades K–8)
Intervention
- mCLASS Intervention
We provide PD sessions for all Amplify programs. Contact your account executive to discuss the extended catalog of PD session options or request a quote.
mCLASS Assessments
We’ve created professional development offerings that will help you meet your unique needs this school year. Explore the Begin and Practice packages available for mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS Math (K–8) by selecting the session titles to learn more.
Please note that mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura biliteracy sessions are currently unavailable for the Hybrid 4 and Virtual 4 packages.
Begin packages for mCLASS Literacy
Assessment programs
*Assessment Strengthen sessions should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed for participants to work with their own data.
Begin: Launch: Administration and instruction essentials for K–8 teachers
On-site or virtual, 6 hours
Dive into the essentials of your mCLASS assessment program. Learn how to administer and score the assessment(s) and leave ready to leverage mCLASS reports and lessons to accelerate data-driven student outcomes.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Begin: Launch: Administration and scoring training for K–8 teachers
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Learn how to administer and score your mCLASS assessment(s) and leave ready to collect data using standardized guidelines.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6)
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Begin: Launch: Administration and reporting training for K–8 leaders
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Prepare to implement your assessment program(s) at your school site(s). Determine systems-level actions that will ensure assessment fidelity and leave ready to leverage key admin reports to support data-informed decisions.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura
Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English only.
Available July 2026
Begin: Launch: mCLASS additional assessment measures training for K–3 teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Participants will dive into the essentials of mCLASS Spelling, RAN, Vocabulary, and/or Oral Language and leave ready to administer the assessment to collect data using standardized guidelines.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–3)
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Available July 2026
Begin: Launch: mCLASS Español assessment measures training for K–3 teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Participants will dive into the essentials of mCLASS Spelling Español, Vocabulary Español, and/or Oral Language Español and leave ready to administer the assessment to collect data using standardized guidelines.
Session options: mCLASS Lectura (K–3)
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English.
Available July 2026
Begin: Launch: mCLASS/mCLASS Español additional assessment measures training for K–3 teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Participants will dive into the essentials of mCLASS Spelling/Spelling Español, RAN, Vocabulary/Vocabulary Español, and/or Oral Language/Oral Language Español and leave ready to administer the assessment to collect data using standardized guidelines.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–3) and mCLASS Lectura (K–3)
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Begin: Strengthen: Creating a data-driven classroom for K–8 teachers
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Dive deep into mCLASS reports and instructional recommendations to drive stronger student outcomes in your classroom. You will leave ready to leverage mCLASS progress monitoring and grouping tools to support a robust MTSS program.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Begin: Strengthen: Building a data-driven culture for K–8 leaders
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Cultivate a schoolwide culture of data-driven practices. Use mCLASS reports to drill into key school-level data and leave with a systems-level action plan to drive stronger student and teacher outcomes.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura
Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English only.
Begin: Strengthen Focus: Assessing with fidelity for K–8 teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Fortify your assessment administration with trainer-led practice targeted to your unique needs.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Begin: Strengthen Focus: Reporting and instruction basics for K–8 teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Learn how to use mCLASS classroom reporting, instructional tools, and resources to accelerate data-driven student outcomes.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Begin: Strengthen Focus: Goal setting and growth outcomes for K–8 teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Learn how to use mCLASS Zones of Growth (Zonas de crecimiento for mCLASS Lectura) reports to set meaningful, ambitious, and attainable student goals that drive student progress and growth.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Begin: Strengthen Focus: Progress monitoring for K–8 teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Implement mCLASS progress monitoring and MTSS best practices to track student progress and accelerate growth.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Begin: Strengthen Focus: Reporting basics for K–8 leaders
Examine your school-level mCLASS benchmark assessment data to identify key levers for improving student outcomes.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura
Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English only.
Coach session
On-site, 6 hours or virtual, 3 hours
Coach sessions focus on building internal school and district capacity and leadership excellence to accelerate data-driven student outcomes for teachers using mCLASS. Coaching is customized to meet a school or district’s needs and can include observations, modeling, real-time coaching, and/or co-planning.
Audience: Individual teachers, grade-level teams, PLCs, and/or instructional leaders (maximum 30 participants)
mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura: Administration and instruction essentials for teachers
Online course, self-paced
Dive into the essentials of your mCLASS assessment program through this on-demand course. Learn how to administer and score the assessment and leave ready to leverage mCLASS reports and lessons to accelerate data-driven student outcomes.
Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately 8 hours to complete. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.
Course options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition, mCLASS Lectura
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)
Available July 2026
mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition: Calibration training course for teachers
Online course, self-paced
Ensure accuracy and reliability of mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition test administration through this on-demand course. Review how to administer and score each teacher-administered measure, then calibrate your scoring through scoring mastery checks.
Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately 1–3 hours to complete, depending on learner needs. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.
Course options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)
mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition: Transition training course for DDS teachers
Online course, self-paced
Prepare to administer and score the DIBELS 8th Edition assessment in the mCLASS platform through this on-demand course. Learn the essentials of your mCLASS assessment program and leave ready to leverage mCLASS reports and lessons to accelerate data-driven student outcomes.
Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately 8 hours to complete. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.
Course options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)
Begin packages for mCLASS Math 2nd Edition
Assessment programs
New
Begin: mCLASS Math: Program overview for K–5 or 6–8 teachers
Available for grades 6–8 teachers July 2026
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Dive into the essentials of your mCLASS Math assessment program. Learn how these assessments both highlight students’ strengths and help identify what’s next through an asset-based approach. Leave ready to administer assessments and understand reporting.
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
New
Begin: mCLASS Math: Program overview for K–5 or 6–8 leaders
Available for grades K–5 and grades 6–8 leaders July 2026
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Prepare to implement your mCLASS Math assessment program at your school site(s). Determine systems-level actions that will ensure successful assessment administration and leave ready to leverage key admin reports to support data-informed decisions.
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
New
Begin: mCLASS Math: Student thinking and instructional next steps for grades K–5 teachers
Available for grades 6–8 teachers Oct. 2026
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Explore how mCLASS Math helps determine what students know in relation to grade-level content, and how to use data to inform instructional next steps that support, strengthen, and stretch student thinking. Dig into your own student data and leave with actionable next steps that connect directly to the ways your students are thinking about mathematics.
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
New
Begin: mCLASS Math + Boost Math: Understanding and using data to plan intervention for grades K–5 or 6–8 teachers
Available for grades K–5 teachers July 2026 and grades 6–8 teachers Oct. 2026
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Explore how Boost Math uses mCLASS Math data to inform intervention recommendations and monitor student progress. Dig into your student data, explore relevant instructional resources, and leave with actionable next steps for intervention.
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
New
Begin: Strengthen Focus: mCLASS Math: Leveraging assessment data to strengthen mathematical explanations for grades K–5 or 6–8 teachers
Available for grades K–5 teachers July 2026 and grades 6–8 teachers Oct. 2026
Virtual, 1 hour
Dig into mCLASS Math to reveal what students understand about mathematical concepts and give them the tools to become more clear and confident communicators in math class.
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Available July 2026
Begin: mCLASS Math 2nd Edition: Program overview and instructional next steps for grades K–5 teachers
Online course, self-paced
Through this self-paced, on-demand online course, participants will dive into the essentials of mCLASS Math K–5 and leave ready to administer the assessment, understand reporting, and take instructional next steps based on the data.
Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately six hours to complete. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.
Course options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)
Available July 2026
Begin: mCLASS Math 2nd Edition: Program overview and instructional next steps for grades 6–8 teachers
Online course, self-paced
Through this self-paced, on-demand online course, participants will dive into the essentials of mCLASS Math 6–8 and leave ready to administer the assessment, understand reporting, and take instructional next steps based on the data.
Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately six hours to complete. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.
Course options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)
Practice packages for mCLASS Literacy
| On-site package (6 hours) |
Virtual 6 package (6 hours) |
Virtual 4 package (4 hours) |
Virtual 2 package (2 hours) |
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| Two Strengthen sessions per package | ||||
| Strengthen session titles* | ||||
| On-site 3 hr. |
Virtual 3 hr. |
Virtual 3 hr. and 1 hr. |
Virtual 1 hr. |
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| Creating a data-driven classroom for K–8 teachers |  |
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| Building a data-driven culture for K–8 leaders | |
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| Assessing with fidelity for K–8 teachers | |
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| Reporting and instruction basics for K–8 teachers | |
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| Progress monitoring for K–8 teachers | |
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| Goal setting and growth outcomes for K–8 teachers | |
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| Reporting basics for K–8 leaders | |
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| NEW: mCLASS DIBELS 8 additional assessment measures training for K–8 teachers | |
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| NEW: mCLASS Español assessment measures training for K–8 teachers | |
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| NEW: mCLASS DIBELS 8 and mCLASS Lectura additional assessment measures training for K–8 teachers | |
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*Assessment Strengthen sessions should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed for participants to work with their own data.
Practice: Creating a data-driven classroom for K–8 teachers
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Dive deep into mCLASS reports and instructional recommendations to drive stronger student outcomes in your classroom. You will leave ready to leverage mCLASS progress monitoring and grouping tools to support a robust MTSS program.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Practice: Building a data-driven culture for K–8 leaders
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Cultivate a schoolwide culture of data-driven practices. Use mCLASS reports to drill into key school-level data and leave with a systems-level action plan to drive stronger student and teacher outcomes.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura
Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English only.
Practice: Strengthen Focus: Assessing with fidelity for K–8 teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Fortify your mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition assessment administration with trainer-led practice targeted to your unique needs.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Practice: Strengthen Focus: Reporting and instruction basics for K–8 teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Learn how to use mCLASS classroom reporting, instructional tools, and resources to accelerate data-driven student outcomes.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Practice: Strengthen Focus: Progress monitoring for K–8 teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Implement mCLASS progress monitoring and MTSS best practices to track student progress and accelerate growth.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Practice: Goal setting and growth outcomes for K–8 teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Learn how to use mCLASS Zones of Growth (Zonas de crecimiento for mCLASS Lectura) reports to set meaningful, ambitious, and attainable student goals that drive student progress and growth.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Practice: Reporting basics for K–8 leaders
Virtual, 1 hour
Examine your school-level mCLASS benchmark assessment data to identify key levers for improving student outcomes.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8), mCLASS Lectura (K–6), and/or mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura
Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English.
Available July 2026
Practice: Strengthen Focus: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition additional assessment measures training for K–8 teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Participants will dive into the essentials of mCLASS Spelling, RAN, Vocabulary, and/or Oral Language and leave ready to administer the assessment to collect data using standardized guidelines.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8)
Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)
Available July 2026
Practice: Strengthen Focus: mCLASS Español assessment measures training for K–8 teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Participants will dive into the essentials of mCLASS Spelling Español, Vocabulary Español, and/or Oral Language Español and leave ready to administer the assessment to collect data using standardized guidelines.
Session options: mCLASS Lectura (K–6)
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English.
Available July 2026
Practice: Strengthen Focus: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura additional assessment measures training for K–8 teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Participants will dive into the essentials of mCLASS Spelling/Spelling Español, RAN, Vocabulary/Vocabulary Español, and/or Oral Language/Oral Language Español and leave ready to administer the assessment to collect data using standardized guidelines.
Session options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition (K–8) and mCLASS Lectura (K–6)
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Add on: Coach session
On-site, 6 hours or virtual, 3 hours
Coach sessions focus on building internal school and district capacity and leadership excellence to accelerate data-driven student outcomes for teachers using mCLASS. Coaching is customized to meet a school or district’s needs and can include observations, modeling, real-time coaching, and/or co-planning.
Audience: Individual teachers, grade-level teams, PLCs, and/or instructional leaders (maximum 30 participants)
Available October 2026
Add on: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition: Data-driven instruction for K–5 teachers
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Dive deep into mCLASS reports and instructional recommendations to drive instructional decisions in Amplify CKLA and stronger student outcomes in your classroom. You will leave ready to leverage mCLASS progress monitoring and grouping tools to support a robust Multi-Tiered System of Supports program with Amplify CKLA as your core instruction.
Course options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition
Audience: K–2 or 3–5 teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Add on: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura: Administration and instruction essentials for teachers
Online course, self-paced
Dive into the essentials of your mCLASS assessment program through this on-demand course. Learn how to administer and score the assessment and leave ready to leverage mCLASS reports and lessons to accelerate data-driven student outcomes.
Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately eight hours to complete. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.
Course options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition, mCLASS Lectura
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)
Available July 2026
Add on: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition: Calibration training course for teachers
Online course, self-paced
Ensure accuracy and reliability of mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition test administration through this on-demand course. Review how to administer and score each teacher-administered measure, then calibrate your scoring through scoring mastery checks.
Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately 1–3 hours to complete, depending on learner needs. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.
Course options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)
Available July 2026
Add on: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition: Transition training course for DDS teachers
Online course, self-paced
Prepare to administer and score the DIBELS 8th Edition assessment in the mCLASS platform through this on-demand course. Learn the essentials of your mCLASS assessment program and leave ready to leverage mCLASS reports and lessons to accelerate data-driven student outcomes.
Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately eight hours to complete. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.
Course options: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)
Amplify intervention PD sessions
Each intervention program offers Launch and Coach sessions for up to 30 participants per program for year one and beyond. Our interactive sessions are available on-site or virtually, empowering teachers and leaders anywhere with the tools and skills they need to inspire all students to think deeply, creatively, and for themselves.
mCLASS Intervention
mCLASS Intervention is a staff-led Tier 2 and Tier 3 reading intervention program that does the heavy lifting of data analysis and lesson sequencing, freeing up teachers to teach the reading skills each student needs. View the table and select the session title to learn more about each mCLASS Intervention PD session.
| On-site or virtual sessions 6 hr. |
Self-paced course | |
| Launch sessions | ||
| Initial training for K–6 interventionists and intervention coordinators | |
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| Initial training for K–6 interventionists and intervention coordinators | |
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Coach sessions
| On-site sessions 6 hr. |
On-site or virtual sessions 3 hr. |
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| Coach session |
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| Coach session |
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Launch
Propel your teachers into the new school year with sessions that introduce them to their Amplify program(s) and support a strong implementation.
Initial training for K–6 interventionists and intervention coordinators
On-site or virtual, 6 hours
In part 1 of this training, interventionists and intervention coordinators will prepare to deliver mCLASS Intervention lessons and learn how to administer the diagnostic and progress monitoring measures. In part 2, intervention coordinators will learn the essentials of coordinating mCLASS Intervention and leave ready to implement the program at their school site.
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff, intervention coordinators (maximum 30 participants)
Initial training course for K–6 interventionists and intervention coordinators
Online course, self-paced
Prepare to deliver mCLASS Intervention lessons and learn how to administer the diagnostic and progress monitoring measures through this on-demand course. Intervention coordinators will additionally learn the essentials of coordinating mCLASS Intervention to support implementation at their school site.
Upon finishing the course, participants can download a certificate of completion. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately three hours to complete. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)
Coach
Support teachers and leaders with learning experiences tailored to meet their specific needs.
Coach session
On-site, 6 hours
Coach sessions focus on building internal school and district capacity and leadership excellence to accelerate data-driven student outcomes for teachers using mCLASS Intervention. Coaching is customized to meet a school or district’s needs and can include observations, modeling, real-time coaching, and/or co-planning.
Audience: Individual teachers, grade-level teams, PLCs, and/or instructional leaders (maximum 30 participants)
Coach session
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Coach sessions focus on building internal school and district capacity and leadership excellence to accelerate data-driven student outcomes for teachers using mCLASS Intervention. Coaching is customized to meet a school or district’s needs and can include observations, modeling, real-time coaching, and/or co-planning.
Audience: Individual teachers, grade-level teams, PLCs, and/or instructional leaders (maximum 30 participants)
Additional assessment and intervention programs
Additional sessions and online courses are also available for other mCLASS programs (Paper DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Intervention Universal).
To learn more about enhancing your Amplify experience by purchasing other mCLASS programs and/or accompanying PD sessions, please contact your account executive.
Contact us
mCLASS Professional Development
¡Bienvenidas, familias de estudiantes de Amplify Science para primaria!
Carta de los Estándares de Ciencias para la Próxima Generación
Cada unidad incluye una carta que describe los Estándares de Ciencias para la Próxima Generación y una explicación de cómo se presentan estos estándares en todas las unidades de cada grado.
Si le interesa ver cómo se incorporan estos estándares en el aprendizaje de su estudiante, haga clic abajo para descargar la carta correspondiente a su grado.
- Kindergarten (en inglés)
- Grado 1 (en inglés)
- Grado 2 (en inglés)
- Grado 3 (en inglés)
- Grado 4 (en inglés)
- Grado 5 (en inglés)
Mapas de las unidades
Cada unidad de Amplify Science incluye un mapa para los maestros. Este documento contiene las preguntas científicas que los estudiantes encontrarán en la unidad y explica cómo hallarán las respuestas.
Si le interesa saber más, haga clic abajo, en el grado de su estudiante, para descargar el Mapa de la unidad.
- Kindergarten (en inglés)
- Grado 1 (en inglés)
- Grado 2 (en inglés)
- Grado 3 (en inglés)
- Grado 4 (en inglés)
- Grado 5 (en inglés)
Simulaciones
En los grados 3–5, el uso de aplicaciones digitales interactivas es tan solo uno de los métodos que los estudiantes emplean para interpretar los conceptos de la unidad. El siguiente video muestra un ejemplo de una simulación:
Recursos para el evento de regreso a clases
La presentación siguiente ofrece una mirada al currículo de Amplify Science. Es probable que el maestro o la maestra haya presentado este recurso en el evento escolar de regreso a clases.
Haga clic aquí para descargar la presentación.
Investigaciones en casa
Si le interesa ampliar la experiencia escolar de Amplify Science en casa, vea una de las siguientes tarjetas de Perfil del científico. Considere usarlas para iniciar conversaciones sobre carreras de ciencias e ingeniería.
Haga clic aquí para descargar las tarjetas de Perfil del científico.
El programa Amplify Science también incluye varias investigaciones para hacer en casa que podrá explorar con el estudiante fuera del horario de clases. El maestro o la maestra de su estudiante podría asignar investigaciones para hacer en casa a medida que la clase avanza en las unidades, pero si desea explorarlas por su cuenta, simplemente haga clic en los siguientes nombres de las unidades. Haga clic abajo, en el grado de su estudiante.
- Kindergarten (en inglés)
- Grado 1 (en inglés)
- Grado 2 (en inglés)
- Grado 3 (en inglés)
- Grado 4 (en inglés)
- Grado 5 (en inglés)
Preguntas para conversar en casa
os documentos “Preguntas para conversar en casa” para cada unidad en los grados K-5 contienen preguntas para que las familias hagan a sus estudiantes para ayudar a guiar la discusión y el aprendizaje continuos fuera del aula.
Sepa dónde encontrar ayuda
¡Nuestro compromiso es brindarle ayuda! ¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre Amplify Science?
Ingrese a nuestra biblioteca de ayuda para encontrar artículos con las respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el programa. Si necesita ayuda adicional con el currículo, comuníquese con el maestro o la maestra de su estudiante.
Setting up your session for success
We know your time is valuable. This site is designed to help you quickly select the right professional development topics for your team and gather the step-by-step guidance you need for a successful session.
Quick Navigation Tips:
- Find your program: Click any program in the sidebar to expand and explore its specific session topics and online courses.
- Reset your view: To see the full list of programs again, simply click the “Return to Top” arrow in the bottom right corner or scroll past your current selection.
Preparation checklist
To make the most of your learning plan, follow the directions below. They’ll guide you through preparing your participants, location, and support for your Launch and Strengthen sessions. (Your PLS will support you in building your Coaching session.)
Onsite sessions
Prepare your participants
Communicate session details with participants:
- Session time & location
- Session objectives and topics using the agendas on this page
- Materials required:
- A charged device that meets Amplify’s tech requirements
- Personal Amplify login (if available)
- Participant notebook (This will be shipped to you or you will receive a PDF attachment in your confirmation email.)
Prepare your space
- Select a location with a strong internet connection.
- Mark this location clearly for participants and your PLS.
- Provide Wi-Fi details for participants and your PLS.
- Set up a projector and screen with audio.
Plan your support
- Designate a tech lead to address connectivity issues and provide login and navigation support during the session.
- For your PLS, share your contact information in case of emergencies and any special directions for accessing the location.
- Inform your PLS if you did not receive enough participant notebooks.
Remote sessions
Prepare your participants
Communicate session details with participants:
- Session time & remote meeting link
- Session objectives and topics using the agendas on this page
- Materials required:
- A charged device that meets Amplify’s tech requirements
- Personal Amplify login (if available)
- Participant notebook (This will be shipped to you or you will receive a PDF attachment in your confirmation email.)
Prepare your remote space
- Plan for participants to join from individual devices from separate locations (highly recommended).
- If participants share a room, they must still use individual devices to fully engage.
- To prevent audio feedback join using Google Meet’s Companion mode.
- If using another platform, use headphones or ensure all but one device in the room has its microphone and speakers fully muted.
Plan your support
- For your PLS, share your remote setup plan.
- Designate a tech lead to address connectivity issues and provide login and navigation support during the session.
Select your program
Use the sidebar to select your program and explore the objectives and topics covered in your session or online course.
Amplify Caminos
Launch sessions
Launch sessions introduce Amplify programs and support strong implementation.
| Session topic | Duration | Amplify Caminos 1st Edition agendas | Amplify Caminos 3rd Edition agendas | Amplify Caminos California Edition agendas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial training for teachers | 6 hours | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 Grade 6 ELA + Caminos |
| Skills Strand initial training for teachers | 6 hours | K–2 | K–2 | K–2 |
| Knowledge Strand initial training for teachers | 6 hours | K–2 | 3–5 | K–2 |
| Program overview for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 Grade 6 |
| Knowledge strand program overview for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 | K–2 | K–2 |
| Skills Strand program overview for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 | K–2 | K–2 |
| Program overview for leaders | 3 hours | K–5 | PreK–5 | TK–5 |
| Skills supplement training for teachers | 1 hour | 3–5 | 3–6 | |
| Transition training for teachers to 3rd Edition | 1 hour | K–2 3–5 Skills Strand Knowledge Strand |
Strengthen sessions
Strengthen sessions deepen understanding of Amplify programs through targeted support.
| Session topic | Duration | Amplify Caminos 1st Edition agendas | Amplify Caminos 3rd Edition agendas Coming soon! | Amplify Caminos California Edition agendas Coming soon! |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enhancing planning for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 Grade 6 |
| Enhancing practice for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 Grade 6 |
| Writing for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 3–5 | ||
| Student engagement for teachers | 1 hour | K–5 | K–5 | K–5 Grade 6 ELA + Caminos Grade 6 |
| Supporting all learners for teachers | 1 hour | K–5 | K–5 | K–5 |
| Pacing for teachers | 1 hour | K–5 | K–5 | K–5 Grade 6 ELA + Caminos Grade 6 |
| Enhancing observations for leaders | 3 hours | Grade 6 | ||
| Grading and assessment for teachers | 1 hour | Grade 6 ELA + Caminos Grade 6 |
Coach sessions
Coach sessions can include model lessons, observations, walk-throughs, and/or co-planning. Use the resources to build your coaching session.
| Directions | Resource |
|---|---|
| 1. Select agenda items to build your coaching session. | Coaching agenda options |
| 2. If you select any PLC or grade-level meetings, select topics for those meetings. | PLCs or grade-level planning meeting options |
Amplify CKLA
Launch sessions
Launch sessions introduce Amplify programs and support strong implementation.
| Session topic | Duration | Amplify CKLA 2nd Edition agendas | Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition agendas | Amplify CKLA Florida Edition agendas | Amplify CKLA California Edition agendas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial training for teachers | 6 hours | PreK K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 | Transitional Kindergarten (TK) K–2 3–5 |
| Skills Strand initial training for teachers | 6 hours | K–2 | K–2 | K–2 | |
| Knowledge Strand initial training for teachers | 6 hours | K–2 | K–2 | K–2 | |
| Program overview for teachers | 3 hours | PreK K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 | TK K–2 3–5 |
| Skills Strand program overview for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 | K–2 | K–2 | |
| Knowledge Strand program overview for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 | K–2 | K–2 | |
| Program overview for leaders | 3 hours | PreK–5 | PreK–5 | K–5 | PreK–5 |
| Transition training for teachers | 1 hour | K–2 3–5 | |||
| Skills Strand transition training for teachers | 1 hour | K–2 | |||
| Knowledge Strand transition training for teachers | 1 hour | K–2 | |||
| Skills supplement training for teachers | 1 hour | Grade 3 | Grade 3 | 3–8 |
Strengthen sessions
Strengthen sessions deepen understanding of Amplify programs through targeted support.
| Session topic | Duration | Amplify CKLA 2nd Edition agendas | Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition agendas | Amplify CKLA Florida Edition agendas | Amplify CKLA California Edition agendas Coming soon! |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enhancing planning for teachers | 3 hours | PreK K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 | TK K–2 3–5 |
| Enhancing practice for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 | K–2 |
| Maximizing impact: Data-informed remediation with the ARG for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 | K–2 | K–2 3–5 | |
| Maximizing impact: Data-informed remediation with the ARG/DERG for teachers | 3 hours | 3–5 | 3–5 | ||
| Writing for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 3–5 | Coming soon! | K–2 3–5 | |
| Enhancing observations for leaders | 3 hours | K–5 | K–5 | K–5 | K–5 |
| Student engagement for teachers | 1 hour | K–5 | K–5 | K–5 | |
| Supporting all learners for teachers | 1 hour | K–5 | K–5 | K–5 | |
| Pacing for teachers | 1 hour | K–5 | K–5 | K–5 | |
| Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition + mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition: Data driven instruction for teachers | 3 hours | Coming soon! |
Amplify CKLA companion programs
Coach sessions
Coach sessions can include model lessons, observations, walk-throughs, and/or co-planning. Use the resources to build your coaching session.
| Directions | Resource |
|---|---|
| 1. Select agenda items to build your coaching session. | Coaching agenda options |
| 2. If you select any PLC or grade-level meetings, select topics for those meetings. | PLCs or grade-level planning meeting options |
Amplify CKLA + Caminos
Launch sessions
Launch sessions introduce Amplify programs and support strong implementation.
| Session topic | Duration | Amplify CKLA 2nd Edition + Amplify Caminos 1st Edition agendas | Amplify CKLA/Caminos 3rd edition agendas | Amplify CKLA/Caminos California Edition agendas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial training for teachers | 6 hours | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 |
| Skills Strand initial training for teachers | 6 hours | K–2 | K–2 | K–2 |
| Knowledge Strand initial training for teachers | 6 hours | K–2 | K–2 | K–2 |
| Program overview for leaders | 3 hours | PreK–5 | PreK–5 | TK–5 |
| Transition training for teachers to 3rd Edition | 1 hour | K–2 3–5 Skills Strand Knowledge Strand |
Strengthen sessions
Strengthen sessions deepen understanding of Amplify programs through targeted support.
| Session topic | Duration | Amplify CKLA 2nd Edition + Amplify Caminos 1st Edition agendas | Amplify CKLA/Caminos 3rd Edition agendas Coming soon! | Amplify CKLA/Caminos California Edition agendas Coming soon! |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enhancing planning for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 |
| Enhancing practice for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 |
| Writing for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 3–5 | ||
| Student engagement for teachers | 1 hour | K–5 | K–5 | K–5 |
| Supporting all learners for teachers | 1 hour | K–5 | K–5 | K–5 |
| Pacing for teachers | 1 hour | K–5 | K–5 | K–5 |
Coach sessions
Coach sessions can include model lessons, observations, walk-throughs, and/or co-planning. Use the resources to build your coaching session.
| Directions | Resource |
|---|---|
| 1. Select agenda items to build your coaching session. | Coaching agenda options |
| 2. If you select any PLC or grade-level meetings, select topics for those meetings. | PLCs or grade-level planning meeting options |
Amplify Desmos Math
Launch sessions
Launch sessions introduce Amplify programs and support strong implementation.
| Session topic | Duration | Amplify Desmos Math agendas | Amplify Desmos Math California Edition agendas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial training for teachers | 6 hours | K–5 6–A1 High school | |
| Program overview for teachers | 3 hours | PreK/TK K–5 6–A1 High school | PreK/TK High school |
| Program overview for leaders | 3 hours | K–5 6–A1 High school | High school |
Strengthen sessions
Strengthen sessions deepen understanding of Amplify programs through targeted support.
| Session topic | Duration | Amplify Desmos Math agendas | Amplify Desmos Math California Edition agendas Coming soon! |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supporting all learners for teachers | 3 hours | K–5 6–A1 | |
| Enhancing observations for leaders | 3 hours | K–A1 | High school |
| Enhancing planning for teachers | 3 hours | K–5 6–A1 High school | |
| Enhancing practice for teachers | 3 hours | K–5 6–A1 High school | |
| Snapshots in the Teacher Dashboard for teachers | 1 hour | 6–A1 | |
| Teaching a lesson with digital student screens for teachers | 1 hour | K–5 | |
| Unit-level planning for teachers | 1 hour | K–5 6–A1 High school | |
| Supporting and facilitating meaningful discourse for teachers | 3 hours | Coming soon! | K–5 6–A1/M1 High school |
| Assessment in action: Analyzing data, reports, and planning next steps for teachers | 3 hours | Coming soon! | K–5 6–A1/M1 |
| Increasing engagement with instructional routines for teachers | 1 hour | Coming soon! |
Coach sessions
Coach sessions can include model lessons, observations, walk-throughs, and/or co-planning. Use the resources to build your coaching session.
| Directions | Resource |
|---|---|
| 1. Select agenda items to build your coaching session. | Coaching agenda options |
| 2. If you select any PLC or grade-level meetings, select topics for those meetings. | PLCs or grade-level planning meeting options |
Amplify ELA
Launch sessions
Launch sessions introduce Amplify programs and support strong implementation.
| Session topic | Duration | Amplify ELA 2nd Edition agendas | Amplify ELA Florida Edition agendas | Amplify ELA California Edition agendas | Amplify Caminos & Biliteracy agendas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial training for teachers | 6 hours | 6–8 | 6–8 | 6–8 | Grade 6 |
| Program overview for teachers | 3 hours | 6–8 | 6–8 | 6–8 | |
| Program overview for leaders | 3 hours | 6–8 | 6–8 | 6–8 | Grade 6 |
Strengthen sessions
Strengthen sessions deepen understanding of Amplify programs through targeted support.
| Session topic | Duration | Amplify ELA 2nd Edition agendas | Amplify ELA California Edition agendas Coming soon! | Amplify Caminos & Biliteracy agendas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enhancing planning for teachers | 3 hours | 6–8 | 6–8 | Grade 6 |
| Enhancing practice for teachers | 3 hours | 6–8 | 6–8 | Grade 6 |
| Writing: Improving through feedback for teachers | 3 hours | 6–8 | ||
| Supporting all learners for teachers | 3 hours | 6–8 | ||
| Data-informed instruction for teachers | 3 hours | 6–8 | ||
| Enhancing observations for leaders | 3 hours | 6–8 | 6–8 | Grade 6 |
| Teaching with print and digital for teachers | 1 hour | 6–8 | ||
| Lesson planning for teachers | 1 hour | 6–8 | ||
| Pacing for teachers | 1 hour | 6–8 | 6–8 | |
| Increasing student engagement for teachers | 1 hour | 6–8 | 6–8 | |
| Grading and assessment for teachers | 1 hour | 6–8 | 6–8 |
Amplify ELA companion programs
| Session topic | Duration | Amplify ELA Language Studio California Edition agenda |
|---|---|---|
| Amplify ELA California 6–8 Language Studio companion for teachers | 3 hours | Agenda |
Coach sessions
Coach sessions can include model lessons, observations, walk-throughs, and/or co-planning. Use the resources to build your coaching session.
| Directions | Resource |
|---|---|
| 1. Select agenda items to build your coaching session. | Coaching agenda options |
| 2. If you select any PLC or grade-level meetings, select topics for those meetings. | PLCs or grade-level planning meeting options |
Amplify Math
Launch sessions
Launch sessions introduce Amplify programs and support strong implementation.
| Session topic | Duration | Amplify Math agendas |
|---|---|---|
| Initial training for teachers | 6 hours | Grade 6–Algebra 1 Geometry–Algebra 2 |
| Program overview for teachers | 3 hours | Grade 6–Algebra 1 Geometry–Algebra 2 |
| Program overview for leaders | 3 hours | Grade 6–Algebra 1 Geometry–Algebra 2 |
Strengthen sessions
Strengthen sessions deepen understanding of Amplify programs through targeted support.
| Session topic | Duration | Amplify Math agendas |
|---|---|---|
| Enhancing planning for teachers | 3 hours | Agenda |
| Enhancing practice for teachers | 3 hours | Agenda |
| Addressing prerequisite skills for teachers | 3 hours | Agenda |
| Using differentiation supports for teachers | 3 hours | Agenda |
| Using data to drive instruction for teachers | 3 hours | Agenda |
| Orchestrating math discussions for teachers | 3 hours | Agenda |
| Enhancing observations for leaders | 3 hours | Agenda |
| Lesson-level planning for teachers | 1 hour | Agenda |
| Unit-level planning for teachers | 1 hour | Agenda |
| Increasing engagement with instructional routines for teachers | 1 hour | Agenda |
| Building language with math routines for teachers | 1 hour | Agenda |
Coach sessions
Coach sessions can include model lessons, observations, walk-throughs, and/or co-planning. Use the resources to build your coaching session.
| Directions | Resource |
|---|---|
| 1. Select agenda items to build your coaching session. | Coaching agenda options |
| 2. If you select any PLC or grade-level meetings, select topics for those meetings. | PLCs or grade-level planning meeting options |
Amplify Science
Launch sessions
Launch sessions introduce Amplify programs and support strong implementation.
Strengthen sessions
Strengthen sessions deepen understanding of Amplify programs through targeted support.
| Session topic | Duration | Amplify Science agendas |
|---|---|---|
| Enhancing planning for teachers | 3 hours | K–5 6–8 |
| Enhancing practice for teachers | 3 hours | K–5 6–8 |
| Supporting all learners with complex texts for teachers | 3 hours | K–5 6–8 |
| Supporting multilingual/English learners for teachers | 3 hours | K–5 6–8 |
| Writing in science for teachers | 3 hours | K–5 6–8 |
| Engineering Internship for teachers | 3 hours | Grade 6–Metabolism Grade 7–Plate Motion Grade 8–Force and Motion |
| Science Seminar for teachers | 3 hours | 6–8 |
| Enhancing observations for leaders | 3 hours | K–5 6–8 |
| Assessment system for teachers | 3 hours | K–5 6–8 |
| Enhancing the digital experience for teachers | 1 hour | K–5 |
| Planning with the Coherence Flowchart for teachers | 1 hour | K–8 |
| Planning an Amplify Science lesson for teachers | 1 hour | K–8 |
| Supporting all learners: Exploring the resources for teachers | 1 hour | K–8 |
| Supporting all learners: Teacher modeling and student discourse for teachers | 1 hour | K–8 |
| Supporting all learners: Multimodal instruction for teachers | 1 hour | K–8 |
| Analyzing student work for teachers | 1 hour | K–8 |
| Unit Materials Kits and prep for teachers | 1 hour | K–8 |
| Grading with Amplify Science for teachers | 1 hour | K–8 |
Coach sessions
Coach sessions can include model lessons, observations, walk-throughs, and/or co-planning. Use the resources to build your coaching session.
| Directions | Resource |
|---|---|
| 1. Select agenda items to build your coaching session. | Coaching agenda options |
| 2. If you select any PLC or grade-level meetings, select topics for those meetings. | PLCs or grade-level planning meeting options |
Boost Literacy
Launch sessions
Launch sessions introduce Amplify programs and support strong implementation.
Strengthen sessions
Strengthen sessions deepen understanding of Amplify programs through targeted support.
Online courses
Online courses prepare teachers to implement Boost Literacy programs.
mCLASS® Intervention
mCLASS Intervention sessions
| Session topic | Duration | mCLASS Intervention agendas |
|---|---|---|
| Initial training for interventionists and coordinators | 6 hours | K–6 |
mCLASS Intervention Universal sessions
| Session topic | Duration | Agendas |
|---|---|---|
| Initial training + DIBELS 8th Edition: Administration and scoring training for interventionists and coordinators | 9 hours | K–6 |
Coach sessions
Coach sessions can include model lessons, observations, walk-throughs, and/or co-planning. Use the resources to build your coaching session.
| Directions | Resource |
|---|---|
| 1. Select agenda items to build your coaching session. | Coaching agenda options |
| 2. If you select any PLC or grade-level meetings, select topics for those meetings. | PLCs or grade-level planning meeting options |
Online courses
Online courses prepare teachers to administer and score mCLASS Literacy programs.
| Course topic | Course overviews |
|---|---|
| Program overview for interventionists | K–6 |
mCLASS Literacy
Launch sessions
Launch sessions introduce Amplify programs and support strong implementation.
| Session topic | Duration | mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition agendas | mCLASS Lectura agendas | mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/mCLASS Lectura agendas | Louisiana K–3 Literacy Screener agendas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Administration and instruction essentials for teachers | 6 hours | K–8 | K–6 English K–6 Spanish | K–8 | K–3 |
| Administration and scoring training for teachers | 3 hours | K–8 | K–6 English K–6 Spanish | K–3 | |
| Administration and reporting training for leaders | 3 hours | K–8 | K–6 | K–8 |
Strengthen sessions
Strengthen sessions deepen understanding of Amplify programs through targeted support.
| Session topic | Duration | mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition agendas | mCLASS Lectura agendas | mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/ mCLASS Lectura agendas | Louisiana K–3 Literacy Screener agendas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creating a data-driven classroom for teachers | 3 hours | K–8 | K–6 | K–8 | K–3 |
| Building a data-driven culture for leaders | 3 hours | K–8 | K–6 | K–8 | K–3 |
| Assessing with fidelity for teachers | 1 hour | K–8 | K–6 | K–8 | K–3 |
| Reporting and instruction basics for teachers | 1 hour | K–8 | K–6 | K–8 | |
| Progress monitoring for teachers | 1 hour | K–8 | K–6 | K–8 | K–3 |
| Goal setting and growth outcomes for teachers | 1 hour | K–8 | K–6 | K–8 | K–3 |
| Reporting basics for leaders | 1 hour | K–8 | K–6 | K–8 | K–3 |
Coach sessions
Coach sessions can include model lessons, observations, walk-throughs, and/or co-planning. Use the resources to build your coaching session.
| Directions | Resource |
|---|---|
| 1. Select agenda items to build your coaching session. | Coaching agenda options |
| 2. If you select any PLC or grade-level meetings, select topics for those meetings. | PLCs or grade-level planning meeting options |
Online courses
Online courses prepare teachers to administer and score mCLASS Literacy programs.
| Course topic | mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition overviews | mCLASS Lectura overviews | Louisiana K–3 Literacy Screener overviews | mCLASS Literacy North Carolina overviews | mCLASS Lectura North Carolina overviews | Paper DIBELS 8th Edition overviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Administration and instruction essentials for teachers | K–8 | K–6 | K–3 | K–6 | K–6 | |
| Calibration training for teachers | K–8 Coming soon! | K–8 Coming soon! | ||||
| Transition training for DDS teachers | K–8 | |||||
| Administration and scoring training for DDS teachers | K–8 | |||||
| Administration and reporting training for leaders | K–3 |
mCLASS Math & Boost Math
Launch sessions
Launch sessions introduce Amplify programs and support strong implementation.
Strengthen sessions
Strengthen sessions deepen understanding of Amplify programs through targeted support.
| Session topic | Duration | mCLASS Math 2nd Edition agendas | California Edition agendas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student thinking and instructional next steps for teachers | 3 hours | K–5 6–8 | K–5 6–8 |
| mCLASS Math + Boost Math: Understanding and using data to plan intervention | 3 hours | K–5 6–8 | K–5 6–8 |
| Leveraging assessment data to strengthen mathematical thinking for teachers | 1 hour | K–5 6–8 |
Coach sessions
Coach sessions can include model lessons, observations, walk-throughs, and/or co-planning. Use the resources to build your coaching session.
| Directions | Resource |
|---|---|
| 1. Select agenda items to build your coaching session. | Coming soon! |
| 2. If you select any PLC or grade-level meetings, select topics for those meetings. | Coming soon! |
Online courses
Online courses prepare teachers to administer and score mCLASS Literacy programs.
| Course topic | Course overviews |
|---|---|
| Program overview and instructional next steps for teachers | Coming soon! |
General sessions
Amplify Classroom
Amplify Classroom sessions build expertise in Activity Builder to design, organize, and facilitate engaging digital activities.
Multilingual/English learners
Multilingual/English learners sessions align instruction with best practices for multilingual reading and writing development.
Problem-based math
Problem-based math sessions identify actionable strategies that build students’ conceptual understanding while developing a sense of joy in learning math
Science of Reading
Science of Reading sessions examine the connections between literacy and the brain to align instructional practices with models that develop skilled reading and writing.
Texas programs
Select your program from the sidebar to explore its sessions.
Amplify Desmos Math Texas sessions
Strengthen sessions
Strengthen sessions deepen understanding of Amplify programs through targeted support.
| Session topic | Duration | mCLASS Math 2nd Edition agendas |
|---|---|---|
| Supporting and facilitating meaningful discourse for teachers | 3 hours | Coming soon! |
| Assessment in action: Analyzing data, reports, and planning next steps for teachers | 3 hours | Coming soon! |
Amplify Texas ELAR & SLAR
Launch sessions
Launch sessions introduce Amplify programs and support strong implementation.
| Session topic | Duration | Amplify Texas ELAR agendas | Amplify Texas ELAR + SLAR agendas | Amplify Texas SLAR agendas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial training for teachers | 6 hours | K–2 3–5 6–8 | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 |
| Skills Strand initial training for teachers | 6 hours | K–2 | K–2 | K–2 |
| Knowledge Strand initial training for teachers | 6 hours | K–2 | K–2 | K–2 |
| Program overview for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 3–5 6–8 | K–2 3–5 | |
| Program overview for leaders | 3 hours | K–5 6–8 | K–5 | |
| Skills Strand program overview for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 | K–2 | |
| Knowledge Strand program overview for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 | K–2 |
Strengthen sessions
Strengthen sessions deepen understanding of Amplify programs through targeted support.
| Session topic | Duration | Amplify Texas ELAR agendas | Amplify Texas ELAR + SLAR agendas | Amplify Texas SLAR agendas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enhancing planning for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 3–5 6–8 | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 |
| Enhancing practice for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 3–5 6–8 | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 |
| Writing for teachers | 3 hours | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 | K–2 3–5 |
| Enhancing observations for leaders | 3 hours | K–5 6–8 | ||
| Supporting all learners for 6–8 teachers | 3 hours | 6–8 | ||
| Data-informed instruction for teachers | 3 hours | 6–8 | ||
| Student engagement for teachers | 1 hour | K–5 6–8 | K–5 | K–5 |
| Supporting all learners for teachers | 1 hour | K–5 | K–5 | K–5 |
| Teaching with print and digital for teachers | 1 hour | 6–8 | ||
| Lesson planning for teachers | 1 hour | 6–8 | ||
| Pacing for teachers | 1 hour | K–5 6–8 | K–5 | K–5 |
| Grading and assessment for teachers | 1 hour | 6–8 |
Coach sessions
Coach sessions can include model lessons, observations, walk-throughs, and/or co-planning. Use the resources to build your coaching session.
| Directions | ELAR resources | ELAR + SLAR resources |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Select agenda items to build your coaching session | Coaching agenda options | Coaching agenda options |
| 2. If you select any PLC or grade level meetings, select topics for those meetings | PLCs or grade-level planning meeting options |
Boost Reading Texas sessions
Launch & Strengthen sessions
mCLASS Literacy Texas sessions
Launch sessions
Launch sessions introduce Amplify programs and support strong implementation.
| Session topic | Duration | mCLASS Texas agendas | mCLASS Lectura Texas agendas | mCLASS Texas DIBELS 8/ Lectura agendas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Administration and instruction essentials for teachers | 6 hours | K–8 | K–2 | K–2 |
| Administration and scoring training for teachers | 3 hours | K–8 | K–2 | |
| Administration and reporting training for leaders | 3 hours | K–8 | K–2 | K–2 |
Strengthen sessions
Strengthen sessions deepen understanding of Amplify programs through targeted support.
| Session topic | Duration | mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition Texas agendas | mCLASS Lectura Texas agendas | mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition/Lectura Texas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creating a data-driven classroom for teachers | 3 hours | K–8 | K–6 | K–8 |
| Building a data-driven culture for leaders | 3 hours | K–8 | K–6 | K–8 |
| Assessing with fidelity for teachers | 1 hour | K–8 | K–6 | |
| Reporting and instruction basics for teachers | 1 hour | K–8 | K–6 | |
| Progress monitoring for teachers | 1 hour | K–8 | K–6 | |
| Goal setting and growth outcomes for teachers | 1 hour | K–8 | K–6 | K–8 |
| Reporting basics for leaders | 1 hour | K–8 | K–6 |
Online courses
mCLASS Math Texas sessions
Launch sessions
Launch sessions introduce Amplify programs and support strong implementation.
Strengthen sessions
Strengthen sessions deepen understanding of Amplify programs through targeted support.
| Session topic | Duration | mCLASS Math 2nd Edition agenda |
|---|---|---|
| Student thinking and instructional next steps for teachers | 3 hours | K–5 |
Online courses
| Course topic | mCLASS Math 2nd Edition online agenda |
|---|---|
| Administration and instruction essentials for teachers | Coming soon! |
¡El programa Boost Reading da la bienvenida a las familias!
Nos complace darle la bienvenida a usted y a su estudiante al Boost Reading Caregiver Hub en el nuevo año escolar. A continuación incluimos una serie de recursos y guías para ayudar a que su estudiante aproveche al máximo nuestra plataforma a lo largo del año. For English version, please click here.
¿Qué es Boost Reading?
Boost Reading es un programa de aceleración y refuerzo en lectoescritura basado en la Ciencia de la lectura que usa tecnología adaptativa para proveer aprendizaje personalizado a estudiantes de K a 5.º grado. El apasionante mundo de Boost Reading se adapta a cada lector o lectora en particular. Su estudiante puede usar el programa durante las horas escolares y, de manera independiente, en casa.
¡Le damos la bienvenida a Boost Reading!
¿Cuál es mi rol?
Asegurarse de que su estudiante pueda iniciar sesión por cuenta propia
Recomendamos que los cuidadores ayuden a su estudiante a iniciar sesión en casa.
Tenga en cuenta que pueden iniciar sesión a través de Clever u otra plataforma. El maestro o la maestra de su estudiante también puede descargar e imprimir un código QR o un usuario y contraseña únicos que los estudiantes pueden usar para iniciar sesión. Contacte al maestro o la maestra si tiene dudas o no recibió la información para el inicio de sesión.
Sugerencias
- Practique el inicio de sesión con su estudiante de manera regular hasta que él/ella pueda iniciar sesión por su propia cuenta.
- ¡Mantenga la información de inicio de sesión en un solo lugar para que sepa adónde ir si la olvida!
Dar a los estudiantes tiempo y espacio para que jueguen de forma independiente
Prepare a su estudiante para usar Boost Reading en casa asegurándose de que tenga auriculares y un lugar tranquilo para jugar. Boost Reading está personalizado según las necesidades de cada estudiante, así que usted no necesitará ayudarle con su aprendizaje. Una vez que él/ella pueda iniciar sesión, podrá comenzar a usar el programa.
Algunos estudiantes comenzarán con una actividad de nivelación que ayuda al programa a asignarles el mejor contenido. Para garantizar la nivelación más precisa posible, es importante que los estudiantes realicen cada actividad de manera independiente ¡Siempre será útil animar a su estudiante a divertirse y a hacer su mejor esfuerzo!
Recomendamos que lea el artículo Proteja a los niños en internet de la Comisión Federal de Comercio sobre seguridad digital.
¡Únase a la diversión!
Dentro del programa, cada estudiante tiene un compañero digital llamado Curioso. ¡Imprima las Páginas para colorear a Curioso para que su estudiante pueda decorar a su propio Curioso en papel!
Páginas para colorear a Curioso
Cómo obtener ayuda
¡Estamos aquí para ayudarle!
¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre Boost Reading?
Visite nuestra biblioteca de ayuda (disponible en inglés) para encontrar artículos con las respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el programa.
Si necesita ayuda adicional, comuníquese con el maestro o la maestra de su estudiante.
Preguntas frecuentes de los cuidadores
Como los estudiantes pueden usar Boost Reading durante la jornada escolar, recomendamos ponerse en contacto con el maestro o la maestra de su estudiante para determinar cuánto tiempo debería usar este programa en casa. Nuestra orientación general es la siguiente:
Boost Reading
Los estudiantes que usan Boost Reading en los grados K–3.º deberían jugar durante un total de 30–45 minutos por semana, repartidos en sesiones de 10–15 minutos cada una. Los estudiantes que usan Boost Reading en los grados 4.º y 5.º deberían jugar durante un total de 40–60 minutos por semana, repartidos en sesiones de 20–30 minutos cada una.
Boost Reading y Boost Lectura
Recomendamos que, tanto en Boost Reading como en Boost Lectura, los estudiantes deben aspirar a usar ambos programas durante aproximadamente 40 minutos por semana.
Si su estudiante tiene problemas con el contenido, Boost Reading se adaptará para proporcionarle apoyo e instrucciones adicionales dentro del juego. Por esta razón, no se recomienda que los cuidadores brinden ayuda. Aunque puede ser difícil no ofrecer ayuda a su estudiante, el programa fue diseñado cuidadosamente para proporcionar el nivel de apoyo que cada estudiante necesita para avanzar.
Plan your professional development
We’re excited to partner with you on your Amplify journey. Flexible professional development pathways have been designed to meet your needs.
Recommended Professional Development Plan
Our team has curated a recommended professional learning path from initial launch to continuous support. Use the Professional Development Planning Guide below to discuss the plan that best meets your school or district needs with your Account Executive.
Sessions overview
| Title | Duration | Modality |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary school sessions | ||
| Initial training (online course) | Self-paced (approximately 3 hours) | Online course |
| Initial training | 2 hours | Onsite/Remote |
| Initial training, 2 sessions in 1 day | 2 2-hour sessions | Onsite/Remote |
| Initial training, 3 sessions in 1 day | 3 2-hour sessions | Onsite/Remote |
| Initial training (add-on session) | 2 hours, scheduled consecutively with another Amplify training | Onsite |
| Initial training: Train the Trainer | 2½ hours | Onsite/Remote |
| mCLASS® Initial training with Boost Reading Texas overview | This Boost Reading Texas session occurs during the last hour of a 1-day mCLASS initial training. | Onsite/Remote |
| Teacher dashboard reporting and analysis (online course) | Self-paced (approximately 3 hours) | Online course |
| Teacher dashboard reporting and analysis | 2 hours | Onsite/Remote |
| Comprehensive implementation PD package | 2 2-hour sessions, scheduled separately | Remote |
| Administrator reporting | 2 hours | Onsite/Remote |
| Middle school sessions | ||
| Initial training | 2 hours | Onsite/Remote |
| Initial training, 2 sessions in 1 day | 2 2-hour sessions | Onsite/Remote |
| Initial training, 3 sessions in 1 day | 3 2-hour sessions | Onsite/Remote |
| Initial training: Train the Trainer | 2½ hours | Onsite/Remote |
| Deeper dive | 1 hour | Remote |
| Elementary and middle school sessions | ||
| Initial training package | 2 2-hour sessions | Remote |
Elementary school sessions
Initial training (online course)
Self-paced
Our self-paced, on-demand online course contains approximately three hours of training. Teachers in grades K-5 who are new to Boost Reading Texas will learn how to implement the program by learning about the structure of the program, the student experience, data reporting, and implementation setup.
As this is a self-paced, on-demand online course, participants will be able to access the course anytime, move as quickly or slowly as needed through different sections, and revisit the course up to one year as a refresher in the future.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome)
Modality: Online course
Initial training
2 hours
Teachers in grades K-5 who are new to Boost Reading Texas will prepare to implement the program in their classrooms by learning about the student experience, data reporting, and implementation setup.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training
2 sessions in one day
Teachers in grades K-5 who are new to Boost Reading Texas will prepare to implement the program in their classrooms by learning about the student experience, data reporting, and implementation setup. Two training sessions will be scheduled consecutively in one day to accommodate a larger number of teachers (up to 60 teachers, with 30 participants per session.)
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training
3 sessions in one day
Teachers in grades K-5 who are new to Boost Reading Texas will prepare to implement the program in their classrooms by learning about the student experience, data reporting, and implementation setup. Three training sessions will be scheduled consecutively in one day to accommodate a larger number of teachers (up to 90 teachers, with 30 participants per session).
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training (add-on session)
2 hours
Scheduled consecutively with another Amplify training.
Teachers in grades K-5 who are new to Boost Reading Texas will prepare to implement the program in their classrooms by learning about the student experience, data reporting, and implementation setup.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite
Initial training: Train the Trainer
2½ hours
Educators in grades K-5 who are new to Boost Reading Texas will prepare to implement the program in their classrooms by learning about the student experience, data reporting, and implementation setup. As this is a Train the Trainer session, participants will have increased time to deepen their knowledge and receive greater hands-on support from an Amplify facilitator. Participants will also receive annotated session materials in order to turnkey the session to colleagues.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
mCLASS initial training with Boost Reading overview
6 hours
This training includes both mCLASS® and Boost Reading training. The first five hours are mCLASS Texas initial training, where educators will learn how to administer the mCLASS assessment. The last hour is a Boost Reading Texas overview, where educators will receive an overview of Boost Reading Texas and how it connects with their mCLASS data in grades K-5. This Boost Reading Texas session occurs during a one-day mCLASS Texas initial training.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Teacher dashboard reporting and analysis (online course)
Self-paced
Our self-paced, on-demand online course contains approximately three hours of training. After teachers in grades K-5 have used Boost Reading Texas for at least six weeks, they will learn how to analyze data on the Teacher dashboard and use that data to identify small groups and target instruction.
As this is a self-paced, on-demand online course, participants will be able to access the course anytime, move as quickly or slowly as needed through different sections, and revisit the course up to one year as a refresher in the future.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome)
Modality: Online course
Teacher dashboard reporting and analysis training
2 hours
Delivered after teachers in grades K-5 have used Boost Reading Texas for at least six weeks, this training will help teachers analyze the data on their teacher dashboard and use that data to identify small groups and target instruction.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Comprehensive implementation PD package
2 2-hour sessions
This package is intended for schools and/or districts that want the highest level of support in launching Boost Reading Texas! The first session is an initial training session and prepares teachers in grades K-5 to implement the program in their classrooms by learning about the student experience, data reporting, and implementation setup. The second session is the Boost Reading Teacher dashboard session and is delivered after at least six weeks of usage. This session will support K-5 teachers in analyzing the data on their teacher dashboard and using that data to identify small groups and target instruction.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Remote
Administrator reporting
2 hours
This training supports K-5 administrators in accessing and leveraging Boost Reading Texas reports.
Audience: Administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Middle school sessions
Initial training
2 hours
Teachers in grades 6-8 who are new to Boost Reading Texas will prepare to implement the program in their classrooms by learning about the student experience, data reporting, and implementation setup.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training
2 sessions in one day
Teachers in grades 6-8 who are new to Boost Reading Texas will prepare to implement the program in their classrooms by learning about the student experience, data reporting, and implementation setup. Two training sessions will be scheduled consecutively in one day to accommodate a larger number of teachers (up to 60 teachers, with 30 participants per session.)
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants per session
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training
3 sessions in one day
Teachers in grades 6-8 who are new to Boost Reading Texas will prepare to implement the program in their classrooms by learning about the student experience, data reporting, and implementation setup. Three training sessions will be scheduled consecutively in one day to accommodate a larger number of teachers (up to 90 teachers, with 30 participants per session.)
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants per session
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training: Train the Trainer
2½ hours
Educators in grades 6-8 who are new to Boost Reading will prepare to implement the program in their classrooms by learning about the student experience, data reporting, and implementation setup.
As this is a Train the Trainer session, participants will have increased time to deepen their knowledge and receive greater hands-on support from an Amplify facilitator. Participants will also receive annotated session materials in order to turnkey the session to colleagues.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training
3 sessions in one day
Teachers in grades 6-8 who are new to Boost Reading Texas will prepare to implement the program in their classrooms by learning about the student experience, data reporting, and implementation setup. Three training sessions will be scheduled consecutively in one day to accommodate a larger number of teachers (up to 90 teachers, with 30 participants per session.)
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants per session
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Deeper dive
1 hour
This training supports educators in grades 6-8 in understanding how Boost Reading Texas was designed to benefit students and how to leverage data to inform instructional next steps.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Remote
Elementary and middle school sessions
Initial training package
2 2-hour sessions
This package consists of two 2-hour remote sessions and is intended to support schools or districts launching Boost Reading Texas in grades K–8. One session will be geared toward K–5 teachers, and the other session will be geared toward 6–8 teachers. In each session, teachers who are new to Boost Reading Texas will prepare to implement their respective program (either elementary or middle school) in their classrooms by learning about the student experience, data reporting, and implementation setup.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Remote
Pricing
We offer the following pricing for training sessions and packages:
| Session type | Pricing |
|---|---|
| Online course | $49 per individual seat |
| 1-hour remote session | $500 |
| 2-hour remote session | $750 |
| 2 sessions in 1 day, remote | $1,200 |
| 3 sessions in 1 day, remote | $1,500 |
| 2-hour onsite session | $2,200 |
| 2 sessions in 1 day, onsite | $2,800 |
| 3 sessions in 1 day, onsite | $3,200 |
| 2-hour add-on to onsite training | $1,200 |
| 2 ½-hour Train the Trainer session, remote | $950 |
| 2 ½-hour Train the Trainer session, onsite | $2,400 |
| 1-day mCLASS initial training with Boost Reading Texas overview, remote | $1,200 |
| 1-day mCLASS initial training with Boost Reading Texas overview, onsite | $3,200 |
| Comprehensive implementation PD package | $1,500 |
| Elementary and middle school initial training package | $750 |
Please note that the prices are general ranges and may be subject to change.
Contact
Amplify welcomes the opportunity to partner with schools and districts to design professional development plans and answer your questions.
If you would like to order any of our professional development services, please contact your local Amplify sales representative or call (800) 823-1969.
Plan your professional development
We’re excited to partner with you on your Amplify journey. Flexible professional development pathways have been designed to meet your needs.
Recommended Professional Development Plan
Our team has curated a recommended professional learning path from initial launch to continuous support. Use the Professional Development Planning Guide below to discuss the plan that best meets your school or district needs with your Account Executive.
Sessions overview
| Recommended sessions are highlighted below. |
| Audience | Title | Duration | Modality |
|---|---|---|---|
| mCLASS Texas Edition Launch | |||
| All mCLASS Texas Edition customers | Initial training | 2 half days or self-paced | Remote/Online course |
| New mCLASS Texas Edition customers | Initial training | 1 day | Onsite |
| Initial training: Train the Trainer | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote | |
| New mCLASS Texas Edition customers with limited time for PD | mCLASS program overview, English measures only | Half day | Onsite/Remote |
| mCLASS program overview, Spanish measures only | Half day | Onsite/Remote | |
| Experienced mCLASS Texas Edition customers | Refresher training | Half day | Onsite/Remote |
| mCLASS Texas Edition and Amplify Reading Launch | |||
| New mCLASS Texas Edition and Amplify Reading customers | Initial training with Amplify Reading overview | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote |
| Initial training with Amplify Reading overview: Train the Trainer | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote | |
| mCLASS Texas Edition and TRC Launch | |||
| New mCLASS Texas Edition and TRC customers | Initial training with TRC overview | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote |
| Initial training with TRC overview: Train the Trainer | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote | |
| Experienced mCLASS Texas Edition customers | TRC initial training | Half day | Onsite/Remote |
| TRC initial training: Train the Trainer | Half day | Onsite/Remote | |
| mCLASS Express Launch | |||
| New mCLASS Express customers | Initial training | Half day | Onsite/Remote |
| Initial training | Self-paced | Online course | |
| mCLASS Texas Edition Strengthen | |||
| All mCLASS Texas Edition customers with limited time for PD | Understanding your classroom data | Half day | Onsite/Remote |
| All mCLASS Texas Edition customers | Classroom data analysis and instructional planning | 1 day | Onsite |
| All mCLASS Texas Edition customers | Classroom data analysis and instructional planning | 2 half days | Remote |
| Classroom data analysis and instructional planning: Train the Trainer | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote | |
| Classroom data analysis and instructional planning | Self-paced | Online | |
| All mCLASS Texas Edition customers | Data-driven leadership practices | 1 day onsite | Onsite |
| All mCLASS Texas Edition customers | Data-driven leadership practices | 2 half days | Remote |
| Data-driven leadership practices: Train the Trainer | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote | |
| Data-driven leadership practices | Self-paced | Online | |
| Understanding your school or district data | Half day | Onsite/Remote | |
| Strengthening consultation session | 1-hour session | Remote | |
| All mCLASS Texas Edition customers | Strengthening consultation session package | 3 1-hour sessions | Remote |
| mCLASS Texas Edition Coach | |||
| All mCLASS Texas Edition customers | Coaching session | 1 day | Onsite |
| All mCLASS Texas Edition customers | Coaching session | Half day | Onsite/Remote |
Launch
mCLASS Texas Edition
Initial training
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to implement the assessment, collect reliable data using standardized guidelines, and use the targeted lessons available on mCLASS to drive differentiated instruction.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training: Train the Trainer
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to implement the assessment, collect reliable data using standardized guidelines, and use the targeted lessons available on mCLASS to drive differentiated instruction. Participants receive annotated session materials to turnkey the session to colleagues.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
mCLASS program overview, English measures only
Half day (3 hours)
This PD prepares participants to implement the English measures of the mCLASS Texas assessment and collect reliable data using standardized guidelines. Only English measures are covered in this half-day training.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
mCLASS program overview, Spanish measures only
Half day (3 hours)
This PD prepares participants to implement the Spanish measures of the mCLASS Texas assessment and collect reliable data using standardized guidelines. Only Spanish measures are covered in this half-day training.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Refresher training
Half day (3 hours)
The half-day refresher training is designed for teachers and instructional leaders who are experienced with any version of DIBELS® and/or Acadience Reading and are invested in successfully implementing mCLASS Texas Edition. This session will help educators focus on what’s new to the assessment and understand mCLASS Texas Edition’s potential to impact all students through improved measures, stronger insight into students’ instructional needs, and bolstered skills-focused lessons to support instructional planning. Upon completion of this session, participants will be prepared to implement the new assessment, collect reliable data using standardized guidelines, and use the targeted lessons available on mCLASS Texas Edition to drive differentiated instruction as part of their regular classroom practice.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
mCLASS Texas Edition and Amplify Reading
Initial training with Amplify Reading overview
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
Take the first step in launching mCLASS Texas Edition and Amplify Reading! The initial training will help educators understand how mCLASS Texas Edition assesses the basic early literacy skills that are crucial for reading development, gain hands-on experience administering and scoring the assessment using standardized guidelines, and access the Instruction page in order to find skills-focused lessons that will support instructional planning. A high-level overview of how to get started with Amplify Reading will also be provided at the end of the training along with supplementary, on-demand resources. Upon completion of this session, participants will be prepared to implement the new assessment, collect reliable data using standardized guidelines, use the targeted lessons available on mCLASS Texas Edition to drive differentiated instruction as part of their regular classroom practice, and understand key Amplify Reading features.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training with Amplify Reading overview: Train the Trainer
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
Take the first step in launching mCLASS Texas Edition and Amplify Reading! The initial training will help educators understand how mCLASS Texas Edition assesses the basic early literacy skills that are crucial for reading development, gain hands-on experience administering and scoring the assessment using standardized guidelines, and access the Instruction page in order to find skills-focused lessons that will support instructional planning. A high-level overview of how to get started with Amplify Reading will also be provided at the end of the training along with supplementary, on-demand resources. Upon completion of this session, participants will be prepared to implement the new assessment, collect reliable data using standardized guidelines, use the targeted lessons available on mCLASS Texas Edition to drive differentiated instruction as part of their regular classroom practice, and understand key Amplify Reading features. Participants receive annotated session materials to turnkey the session to colleagues.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
mCLASS Texas Edition and TRC
Initial training with TRC overview
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
Take the first step in launching mCLASS Texas Edition and Amplify Reading! The initial training will help educators understand how mCLASS Texas Edition assesses the basic early literacy skills that are crucial for reading development, gain hands-on experience administering and scoring the assessment using standardized guidelines, and access the Instruction page in order to find skills-focused lessons that will support instructional planning. A high-level overview of how to get started with Amplify Reading will also be provided at the end of the training along with supplementary, on-demand resources. Upon completion of this session, participants will be prepared to implement the new assessment, collect reliable data using standardized guidelines, use the targeted lessons available on mCLASS Texas Edition to drive differentiated instruction as part of their regular classroom practice, and understand key Amplify Reading features.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Initial training with TRC overview: Train the Trainer
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
Take the first step in launching mCLASS Texas Edition and TRC! The initial training will help educators understand how mCLASS Texas Edition assesses the basic early literacy skills that are crucial for reading development, gain hands-on experience administering and scoring the assessment using standardized guidelines, and access the Instruction page in order to find skills-focused lessons that will support instructional planning. A high-level overview of how to get started with TRC will also be provided at the end of the training along with supplementary, on-demand resources. Upon completion of this session, participants will be prepared to implement the new assessment, collect reliable data using standardized guidelines, use the targeted lessons available on mCLASS Texas Edition to drive differentiated instruction as part of their regular classroom practice, and understand key TRC features. Participants receive annotated session materials to turnkey the session to colleagues.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
TRC initial training
Half day (3 hours)
Take the first step in launching TRC! The half-day initial training will help educators understand how TRC assesses the basic early literacy skills that are crucial for reading development, gain hands-on experience administering and scoring the assessment using standardized guidelines, and access the Instruction page in order to find skills-focused lessons that will support instructional planning.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Remote
TRC initial training: Train the Trainer
Half day (3 hours)
Take the first step in launching TRC! The half-day initial training will help educators understand how TRC assesses the basic early literacy skills that are crucial for reading development, gain hands-on experience administering and scoring the assessment using standardized guidelines, and access the Instruction page in order to find skills-focused lessons that will support instructional planning. Participants receive annotated session materials to turnkey the session to colleagues.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Remote
mCLASS Express
Initial training
Half day (3 hours)
Take the first step in launching mCLASS Express! The half-day initial training will help educators understand how mCLASS Express’ voice-recognition scoring generates immediate instructional recommendations for students reading below grade level. Educators will also learn how to utilize the teacher portal to assign assessments, review and correct scoring, track student growth over time, and leverage the program’s activities to create an action plan for a single classroom or across classes/grades.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Remote
Initial training
Self-paced
Take the first step in launching mCLASS Express! The two-hour initial training will help educators understand how mCLASS Express’ voice-recognition scoring generates immediate instructional recommendations for students reading below grade level. Educators will also learn how to utilize the teacher portal to assign assessments, review and correct scoring, track student growth over time, and leverage the program’s activities to create an action plan for a single classroom or across classes/grades. As this is a self-paced, on-demand online course, participants will be able to access the course anytime, move as quickly or as slowly as needed through different sections, and revisit the course for up to one year as a refresher in the future.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome)
Modality: Remote
Strengthen
Understanding your classroom data
Half day (3 hours)
This PD prepares participants to understand their students’ data by utilizing the reports available on mCLASS. This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Classroom data analysis and instructional planning
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to deeply understand their students’ data and create actionable instructional plans by utilizing the reports and skills-focused lesson plans available on mCLASS.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
*This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Classroom data analysis and instructional planning: Train the Trainer
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to deeply understand their students’ data and create actionable instructional plans by utilizing the reports and skills-focused lesson plans available on mCLASS. Participants receive annotated session materials to turnkey the session to colleagues.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
*This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Classroom data analysis and instructional planning
Self-paced
This PD is an individual seat to our self-paced, on-demand online course that contains approximately 6 hours of training. Participants will learn how to deeply understand their students’ data and create actionable instructional plans by utilizing the reports and skills-focused lesson plans available on mCLASS. Participants will access and revisit the course anytime for up to one year as a refresher. Note: The online course focuses on the English measures only.
Audience: Teachers (administrators welcome)
Modality: Online
Understanding your school or district data
Half day (3 hours)
This PD prepares participants to use their data in making schoolwide decisions. This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Audience: Administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Data-driven leadership practices
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to use their data in making schoolwide decisions and build a schoolwide culture of data-driven instruction. This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data.
Audience: Administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Data-driven leadership practices: Train the Trainer
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This PD prepares participants to use their data in making schoolwide decisions and build a schoolwide culture of data-driven instruction. This session should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed so that participants can work with their own data. Participants receive annotated session materials to turnkey the session to colleagues.
Audience: Administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Data driven leadership practices
Self-paced
This PD is an individual seat to our self-paced, on-demand online course that contains approximately 6 hours of training. Participants will learn how to use their data in making schoolwide decisions and build a schoolwide culture of data-driven instruction. Participants will access and revisit the course anytime for up to one year as a refresher. Note: The online course focuses on the English measures only.
Audience: Administrators
Modality: Online
Strengthening consultation session
60 minutes
This 60-minute session will focus on a specific topic that will deepen educators’ understanding of mCLASS and equip them in driving towards stronger student outcomes. An Amplify facilitator will align with the school or district’s leadership team in advance on the topic from a menu of options that will best meet educators’ unique needs. Topics include progress monitoring, zones of growth, and a data walkthrough for leaders.
Audience: Teachers and/or administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Remote
Strengthening consultation session package
3 hours
This package consists of three 60-minute sessions that can be delivered on the same day or on different days. Each session will focus on a specific topic that will deepen educators’ understanding of mCLASS and equip them in driving towards stronger student outcomes. An Amplify facilitator will align with the school or district’s leadership team in advance on the topics that will best meet educators’ unique needs. Topics include progress monitoring, zones of growth, and a data walkthrough for leaders.
Audience: Teachers and/or administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Remote
Coach
Coaching session
1 day onsite (6 hours)
This PD will deepen educators’ understanding of how to utilize mCLASS in order to accelerate data-driven student outcomes. An Amplify facilitator will visit one or two school sites for one day and work with teachers and/or leaders. Prior to the visit, the Amplify facilitator will align with each school’s leadership team on their needs and customize the visit schedule accordingly.
Audience: Teachers and/or administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Coaching session
Half day (3 hours)
This PD is up to 3 hours of training and will deepen educators’ understanding of how to utilize mCLASS in order to accelerate data-driven student outcomes. An Amplify facilitator will visit one school site for a half-day and work with teachers and/or leaders. Prior to the visit, the Amplify facilitator will align with each school’s leadership team on their needs and customize the visit schedule accordingly.
Audience: Teachers and/or administrators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Remote
Pricing
We offer the following pricing for training sessions and packages:
| Session type | Pricing |
|---|---|
| 1-day onsite session | $3,200 |
| 1-day onsite session: Train the Trainer | $3,500 |
| 2 half-day remote sessions | $1,500 |
| 2 half-day remote sessions: Train the Trainer | $2,000 |
| Half-day onsite session | $2,500 |
| Half-day remote session | $750 |
| 2-hour self-paced online course | $20 per individual seat |
| 6-hour self-paced online course | $49 per individual seat |
Please note that the prices are general ranges and may be subject to change.
Contact
Amplify welcomes the opportunity to partner with schools and districts to design professional development plans and answer your questions.
If you would like to order any of our professional development services, please contact your local Amplify sales representative or call (800) 823-1969.
S3-04: Using AI and ChatGPT in the science classroom
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!
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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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.
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.
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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¡Bienvenidas, familias de estudiantes de Amplify Science para nivel intermedio!
Carta de los Estándares de Ciencias para la Próxima Generación
La carta siguiente, que también se incluye en el programa, describe los Estándares de Ciencias para la Próxima Generación y explica cómo se presentan en las unidades de Amplify Science de nivel intermedio.
Haga clic aquí para descargarla.
Video de navegación del alumno
Mire el video a continuación para obtener ayuda para los estudiantes que navegan en Amplify Science (en inglés).
Mapas de las unidades
Cada unidad de Amplify Science incluye un mapa para los maestros. Este documento contiene las preguntas científicas que los estudiantes encontrarán en la unidad y muestra cómo hallarán las respuestas.
Haga clic aquí para descargar el Mapa de la unidad sobre el metabolismo a modo de ejemplo (en inglés).
Si le interesa ver los mapas de las unidades del nivel escolar de su estudiante, contacte a su maestro o maestra.
Simulaciones
En los grados 6–8, el uso de aplicaciones digitales es tan solo uno de los métodos que los estudiantes emplean para interpretar los conceptos de la unidad. Este video muestra un ejemplo de una simulación:
Recursos para el evento de regreso a clases
Esta presentación ofrece una mirada al currículo de Amplify Science. Es probable que el maestro o la maestra haya presentado este recurso en el evento escolar de regreso a clases.
La tarea en familia
Si les interesa ampliar la experiencia escolar de Amplify Science en casa, vean una de las siguientes tarjetas de Perfil del científico. Consideren usarlas para iniciar conversaciones sobre carreras de ciencias e ingeniería.
Haga clic aquí para descargar las tarjetas de Perfil del científico (en inglés).
El programa Amplify Science también incluye varias tareas en familia que podrá explorar con el estudiante fuera del horario de clases. El maestro o la maestra de su estudiante podría asignar tareas en familia a medida que la clase avanza en las unidades, pero si desea explorarlas por su cuenta, haga clic en los siguientes nombres de las unidades.
- Reacciones químicas
- La Tierra, la Luna y el Sol
- El clima cambiante de la Tierra
- El clima cambiante de la Tierra, pasantía de ingeniería
- Historia de la evolución
- Fuerza y movimiento
- Fuerza y movimiento, pasantía de ingeniería
- La geología de Marte
- Aprovechamiento de la energía humana
- Las ondas de luz
- Campos magnéticos
- La materia y la energía en los ecosistemas
- Metabolismo
- Metabolismo, pasantía de ingeniería
- Microbiomas
- Selección natural
- Selección natural, pasantía de ingeniería
- Océano, atmósfera y clima
- Cambios de fase
- Cambios de fase, pasantía de ingeniería
- Movimiento de las placas terrestres
- Movimiento de las placas terrestres, pasantía de ingeniería
- Poblaciones y recursos
- Transformaciones de las rocas
- Energía térmica
- Rasgos y reproducción
- Patrones del tiempo atmosférico
Sepa dónde encontrar ayuda
¡Nuestro compromiso es brindarle ayuda! ¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre Amplify Science?
Ingrese a nuestra biblioteca de ayuda para encontrar artículos con las respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el programa. Si necesita ayuda adicional con el currículo, comuníquese con el maestro o la maestra de su estudiante.
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!
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:
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
S1-06: Supporting students with a creative twist: A conversation with Kentucky Science Teacher of the Year, Shad Lacefield
In this episode, Eric sits down with the Kentucky Science Teacher of the Year, Shad Lacefield. Shad shares his experience teaching during the first year of the pandemic, where Shad dressed up in over 100 costumes to create a unique and engaging online learning experience for his students. Shad also explains ways he connects with his students to celebrate student success, as well as large-scale efforts he leads within his school to cultivate the love of learning science content. Explore more from Science Connections by visiting our main page.
Shad Lacefield (00:00):
When you stay relevant, it’s being engaged with your students and figuring out, or what are, what are they liking? And every year it’s gonna be different. And that helps you stay relevant. When you have conversations and you build relationships with your kids,Eric Cross (00:13):
Welcome to science connections. I’m your host. Eric Cross. My guest today is Shad Layfield. Shad is a teacher at garden Springs elementary and a part-time professor at Asbury University in Kentucky during the first year of the pandemic, Mr. Layfield dressed up in over a hundred costumes to create a unique and engaging online learning experience for his students. He also created Vader visits, where he visited students at their homes, dressed as Darth Vader to celebrate their online successes and keep them encouraged. During a challenging time. In this episode, we discuss how creativity impacts engagement, transferring lessons learned from distance teaching back to in-person instruction, and how upper grades can apply the same principles to improve student learning. I hope you enjoy this discussion with shad lays field. So you’ve been in fourth grade for four years, and then you were in second grade and fifth grade. And so like how long have you been teaching for like total?
Shad Lacefield (01:09):
So this is my 15th year teaching.
Eric Cross (01:12):
Really? Yeah. You’ve been in the game for a while.
Shad Lacefield (01:15):
Yeah. Yep. It, it doesn’t, and it’s always surprising to parents too during that, that first like, come in and meet your teacher. And I walk in, I’m like, yeah, I’ve been teaching for 15 years and every time it gets ’em, they’re like no way. And I’m like, yeah,
Eric Cross (01:28):
That’s, that’s a good thing though. That’s a good thing. Right?
Eric Cross (01:31):
You know? So like, well the energy and then, and you’re just how you’re perceived. Like you’re, they’re just, I don’t know. It’s something about work with young people. Like it keeps you young.
Shad Lacefield (01:39):
That’s what it is. Absolutely.
Eric Cross (01:41):
So how did, how, like, what’s your origin story? Like, how did you become a teacher? Like what, what was it? Was it something like you knew second career, like right outta school? Like how did you end up in the classroom?
Shad Lacefield (01:53):
Yeah. No, and I love this question cause I’m a big Marvel and, and superhero. So origin stories are all, I love a good origin story. So I grew up on a 13 acre farm in a little bitty town called Gustin, Kentucky, and very early on, like we were instilled my parents, amazing, amazing parents. But they really instilled like a, a super important work ethic in our lives of like, it’s, it’s all about hard work and it’s important that you’re working hard in whatever it is that you do. And I’m one of six kids as well in my family.
Eric Cross (02:24):
Where are you in the–
Shad Lacefield (02:25):
I’m second to last.
Eric Cross (02:26):
Second to last. Okay. So you’re the second youngest.
Shad Lacefield (02:29):
Yes. Okay. And and so, and so growing up, like with that, like, you know, I worked in tobacco, I worked in hay, you know, we did things being on the farm and stuff like that. And within my family as well, there’s four boys. And so when I decided to go to college I was the first guy in my family to go to college. And the first and only boy that ended up going to college. And so it was like this big deal, like, oh, you know, we got one of our boys gonna go to college. So what is he gonna be? And I was like, well, if I’m gonna put forth the, the time and effort and then the financial strain that it would cause cuz we were not poor at all. My dad worked two jobs to make sure, but I really felt the responsibility of like, if I’m gonna go, I’m gonna work in a profession.
Shad Lacefield (03:09):
That’s gonna make a lot of money. And here I am as a teacher now. So I didn’t go to college to be a teacher. I actually was pre dentistry. I thought, now here’s a profession. You can, a lot of money. You don’t work weekends or holidays, you know, I can still be the doctor thing. And so I’m gonna be pre dentistry. But like all good origin stories. There was a, there was a flip. So in my first year I started working at the most majestic place that you will ever go. It’s called Squire, boon, caverns. It’s a cave in Southern Indiana. And it’s an amazingly beautiful little place. You have to like one lane highway, like road to go back there up and down. Like you, you think you’re never gonna make it. And if it rains too much, the bridge will flood and you actually can’t even get back there.
Shad Lacefield (03:52):
So that’s how we’re talking like way back in the sticks. But once you get back, back there totally worth it. And as part of the job you were a tour I also did grist mill demonstrations and gym mining adventures, or, you know, as they’re gym mining and stuff like that. And within that, I started working with school aged kids and on very large tours and stuff. And my manager at the time, Claudia, I’m still great friends with and we still take our kids back there. Every summer she, to me, you’re really good with kids. Like you’re really good with kids. We have this scout program that’s on the weekends. And then during the summers and you would be teaching kindergarten through eighth grade kids, geology and forestry. What do you think about doing that? And I said, well, right, let’s try that out. And then I got the teaching bug and it hit and I was like, oh my gosh, like I don’t wanna spend my life doing something that is all about money or, or that is like, this is where it’s at. Like, I love this, I enjoy this. I enjoy the response that I get when I’m talking. And kids are excited about learning and getting new information and learning new stuff. And so then I change my major and here I am now, all these years later teaching instead of being a dentist,
Eric Cross (05:04):
Are there, are there days, do you ever have days where you’re like, you know, dentistry, it’s still an option. Like I can, I can go back.
Shad Lacefield (05:12):
Oh, rare, rare occasions. Rarely. Yeah.
Eric Cross (05:16):
Okay. Yeah. All right. All right. Fair enough. I, I, I always joke and say that like we have, you know, sometimes I have my, my alternate job on the hard days, which is for me, it’s working at the gap where I just want to fold clothes and go home at the end of the day, you know, on those really rough days. And you know, it’s never the kids, right. It’s always other things. The kids are like the great part. And then there’s all these other things. And I just wanna work at the gap. I just wanna work at the gap. Fold some clothes. Yes, sir. Yes. Ma’am absolutely. I can find that size for you. And then I just go home cause about their job when they go home at the end of the day, when you work at the gap, at least sorry, gap workers. I’m sure hard of that, but my perception in my mind is that you close up shop and then you’re done. Yeah,
Shad Lacefield (05:52):
Absolutely. Like you said, they can turn it, like it’s a turnoff at the end. Exactly. As teachers we know, like you don’t ever turn it off, it’s always there.
Eric Cross (06:00):
Yeah. So one of the things that I was super excited about when I, when I first heard about you is I went on your website and there’s so many things I feel like I can just talk about your website and just the, the content that you’ve produced. I, I, there’s so many directions I can go. But one, one of the things I want to ask you is, is about that. Now, one of the things that’s on there, and this is coming from a fellow star wars, Fisha who finished Bobba FET and the Mandalorian recently and is Jones in four OB one to come out.
Shad Lacefield (06:33):
Oh, so yes,
Eric Cross (06:35):
I live in Southern California next to Disneyland visited Galaxy’s edge star wars. You have these things called VA Vader visits. And so what do you do in those? And like, where did you get the idea for these Vader visits?
Shad Lacefield (06:50):
So the costumes were bringing the kids into the classroom. But when they left my room because you would, we only had them for a certain amount of time. There was still a lot of extra work that they needed to get done. And what I was seeing was I could get them to come in and they were really engaged during my lesson. But then afterwards, when it came to work completion or getting things done, there was, it was starting to fall off. As you know, we were experiencing, you know, more and more craziness of what’s going on. So then as an incentive, I decided if you have everything turned in, by the end of the day, I’m gonna dress up in my Darth Vader outfit, full costume, the, you know, the, the full helmet, like everything. And I’m gonna show up to your house and we’re gonna hang out and play any game at all that you wanna play.
Shad Lacefield (07:34):
So then it was a way of rewarding. My kids for getting everything turned in. But same time I felt like it would also help me build a relationship with them. That was a very challenging part of online learning. Like, again, I want you to feel like you’re a part of my classroom. I wanna feel like I’m invested in you and wanna learn about you. And it was a commitment because some of those kids put me through the ringer, whether it was we’re gonna do gymnastics on a trampoline. And again, I’m in full costume doing gymnast on the trampoline, or we’re doing soccer drills with their soccer coach at their house playing football games. I mean, all kinds of stuff. I made a Yachty game for a kid that loves Harry Potter. And it was really a big part of getting work turned in because, and it’s the crazy thought they wanted to spend time with me. Like that’s what it was. And so it was like, yeah, absolutely. I’ll keep dressing up. I did over 50 plus Vater visits. It wasn’t just for my homeroom. It was for all of fourth grade. So I went over 50 visits and it was cool to see kids in their home and talk to them and meet their parents. It was a great opportunity for me to engage with parents as well. How is online learning, going, what can I do to support you? Do you guys have any questions and stuff like that? So
Eric Cross (08:39):
This thing of relationships is like leading to work completion, which isn’t, which isn’t always the, the thing that we think to as educators of like how, you know, work completion. A lot of times we think of like structures or you know, certain protocols that you do in class get work completion, but here you are addressing as Darth Vader. And, and you said students were turning in more work because they’re connected to, you saw an increase in, in yeah. Engagement.
Shad Lacefield (09:07):
And absolutely. And, and I remember even saying that to myself, like this is, this is what’s getting them. But it, it was, and as part of the Vader visit as well with the videos we recorded all of them and I said, I’m gonna make you a YouTube star. And so I would, I, I recorded them. I put ’em on my YouTube channel. And so a lot of the videos that are on my website, all those Vader visits are like the kids showing off and playing against the teacher. And I promise you, I didn’t take it easy on any one of those kids. Like when it was like a verse match, I went all out and I told ’em. I was like, if you beat me, you know, it’s gonna be like, you earned it.
Eric Cross (09:38):
What a great way to leverage, just what, what is relevant to our students? Like you used your platform and then now you’re showcasing them on your, you know, your platform or what you were using. And then they’re seeing each other. And I could just see, regardless of the grade level, like just students, like beam from, from getting that kind of positive praise through, through, you know a medium that doesn’t, that tends to be more of a, just content consumption, but you’re kind of watching other folks do stuff, but now it’s about them. Like, and they’re, they’re getting that attention directly. Now I have to ask about the Vader costume. Did you, did you buy it for this event or did you already have that Darth Vader costume in your closet?
Shad Lacefield (10:19):
I had parts of the costume, but not the complete costume. And honestly, the very first Vader visit I had, I had the Vader mask that makes sounds, and like you could talk and it makes you sound like Vader.
Eric Cross (10:29):
My dark saber is on order. Yes. And it keeps getting delayed from best buy. It’s supposed to arrive in April, but I do have dark staple and order that I ordered back in November. So the best to your point, I don’t know who doesn’t have one, I’m waiting for mine though.
Shad Lacefield (10:42):
There you go, come on. Best buy come through for us. So
Eric Cross (10:44):
You, you did all this investment in time and, and you created all this content, but then we went back in person. Were, were you able to bring this back into the classroom or any of the things that you had generated during distance learning back in the classroom? Or are you, are you using some of the things that you learned? Like what, or is it just completely separate and you’re just doing something completely different. Now
Shad Lacefield (11:04):
That’s a great question. So I still try to dress up at least once every week, if not once every other week just to make whatever we’re doing fun, cuz I already have costumes that were connected to the content that I was doing. So had I had made a character called captain Soundwave that will use when I’m teaching my amplify lessons over sound. And so then I, you know, I have that or I would have, you know, specific characters that were designed for certain lessons that I would do. And so I still
Eric Cross (11:32):
Lemme interrupt you real quick. Where did you get these character ideas from? Cause they are super creative. I clicked on one random one. And you have had like a, a knitted like skull cap and like some blue shiny like cloak and I like who is this guy? I think, is that him? Is that captain sound wave? That’s
Shad Lacefield (11:48):
That’s hilarious. That was, that was my attempted Elsa. Oh, that was yeah. Started buying more and more costumes and and making characters and putting costumes together. And so yeah, it just ends up being this thing where you never know when I’m gonna show up in a completely random costume and be like today, we’re getting ready to learn about how sedimentary rocks form. And I dressed in my rock outfit, which is the old school rock with the turtleneck and the gold chain with,
Eric Cross (12:16):
Wait, do you have a Fanny pack too?
Shad Lacefield (12:17):
I have a Fanny pack. Yes you have. Yep. You nailed it. And they’re like, what does this guy
Eric Cross (12:22):
Do? He raise the one eyebrow. Can you do the, the rock eyebrow? Oh yeah, you got this. Oh, people on the podcast. Can’t see. Chad’s got it down. He’s got it down. He’s got the, he’s got the eyebrow going. Okay, so you, so I feel like I can go on a tangent and talk about all your costumes that you have, but the thinking about this. So tons of engagement, younger people now taking like some of the principles that you’ve learned from this, how can, how can upper grades like bring this joy to their classroom? Like middle school students, you know, older kids sometimes, you know, they can, they’re still kids, but you know, they might not be the same thing as fourth graders. Like would you, do you have any ideas of like how teachers and upper grades can kind of take these elements that you’ve done and, and apply them?
Shad Lacefield (13:04):
Absolutely. So some of the things that you had talked about, like with YouTube can also be applied to like TikTok videos and things like that, that kids are, are willing to watch and, and be engaged in. And so those things, I feel like I’ve seen other middle and high school teachers really utilize in their classroom. But honestly, and this is a new initiative that we’ve started in our district. Minecraft has been something that a lot of kids play and are really engaged in and has shown an amazing engagement for all of our kids when it comes to science engagement, particularly. And so with that, so there’s 126 million active Minecraft players right now in the world. And Minecraft is one of the largest selling video games. The average age, cuz they’re always like, oh, Minecraft is for kids who actually the average age is like 24.
Shad Lacefield (13:51):
So a lot of the older kids are playing Minecraft as well with the younger kids. And with that in mind, it was a way when I looked at Minecraft and specifically like Minecraft educational edition came out and it was during COVID and it was free. So if you had a school email or it’s like the, what the go 365 account, you could get it for free and all of our kids got it for free. And so then, then we went from playing Minecraft on the computer as like a fun game to me looking at it and saying like, wait a minute. I feel like when I’m doing energy conversions, we can take Redstone and Minecraft and kids can now show how a simple system using different parts and devices can work and understand even more con creates how energy is converted from one form to another.
Shad Lacefield (14:39):
And so let’s make this a, a, a, an actual activity. Let’s take what I’m teaching in the classroom. And if they get done early as an enrichment piece, because there’s not a ton of science and enrichment activities at times for kids to be able to do, like, what do I do when I’m done, Minecraft ended up being that. And so I could have these elaborate worlds that I would build for them that they could then go and play and be super engaged in and show me way more on this Minecraft world, what they knew than what they were writing on paper sometimes, cuz I, you know, you’d get like a sentences out of them on paper, but then all of a sudden when they would build this elaborate system and you just had them record and talk, it was like, oh my gosh, you understand way more than I was thinking that you did with that last exit slip, an assessment that we did.
Shad Lacefield (15:25):
And so like, this is awesome. So then I went to my district and I actually proposed an idea what if we did tire Minecraft build challenges for the whole district? So our district has 37 elementary schools and I was like, I think this could be something that, you know, as we’re looking for science, curriculum engagement and making kids excited about learning science and stuff again, cuz that was always the hard part. I feel like sometimes with COVID everything kids lost this love of, of being in the classroom and, and, and learning and that it was like, you know, getting them to come back into the classroom and, and finding, learning fun again. It was like this, this started to get ’em excited and like, yeah, I get to play in Minecraft and I’m learning at the same time. And it was working for all kinds of content areas.
Shad Lacefield (16:07):
We’re doing a blast off to, to Mars. We it’s called blast off to us. We’re partnering with CLO of the future. They’re working with SpaceX. Our kids will actually get to send postcards to space and yes, it’s, it’s a super cool thing. And I love my district and all of the office of technology, individuals, Ashley Josh and Kelly for putting this together. And so it asks this question if you could a community in space, what would it be like? And the goal is that kids will write on the back what they want. And then we send this postcard off to space, they stamp it saying it’s been in space and the kids get to have it back and, and be able to use it. But what, what we decided, what we could do with Minecraft is what if they actually built the colony on Mars, like really research put time and effort into reading scientific articles about plants and how plants would grow and, and water and, and structures and apply all of that in a massive build challenge. And then that be, you know what we’re doing? That can be the answer to the question. And so it’s not just a couple sentences on a postcard, but it’s like a week or two week unit that pulls all this scientific content and standards that we’re working with and really allows kids to show so much creativity like on my Twitter I’ve been posting like pictures and stuff like that of some of the students builds. And I’m gonna continue to do that throughout the build challenge.
Eric Cross (17:26):
Now, are you using Minecraft EDU?
Shad Lacefield (17:28):
Yes. That is correct.
Eric Cross (17:29):
I love Minecraft EDU. Like it, it, you talking about it inspires me to, to try to dive back into it. One of the things sometimes I feel limited by is the time that I have and the things that we’re trying to cover. And it’s almost, it almost feels like we’re doing something wrong using a video game to teach, but it’s such a great educational tool. Like you said, you just said that students are able to show what they know in, in a way by creating something that’s different than if they would’ve just written it, but they’re actually creating, and this is one of the things, I guess you kind of hit on this, but I wanted to probe it a little more. Is do you have your students creating content like you do? Cause I kind of heard that they, you were, did you say that they were explaining or doing a video recording or describing it? How are they, how are they, how are they doing that work?
Shad Lacefield (18:17):
Yeah. So what they actually do is they’ll write a script and they will use Screencastify to record and then upload to Flipgrid. And then that way they can actually show their build to all of fourth grade. Since we weren’t allowed to be in the same class, like we were all departmentalized, so then we will have voting challenges. So after you record, you get to see everyone’s videos, you get to like and comment and leave feedback on their builds. So you can see what the other kids created. And then then from those initial videos and voting, we selected a certain of kids that then go on to the district level for our Minecraft build challenge. And then those videos are viewed by administration and other teachers to vote again. And then you end up having grade level winners and then an overall winner, which shout out to my boy in fourth grade, who was our overall winner, Eli, super proud of him.
Shad Lacefield (19:07):
He, he made this really, really space saving system, which was hidden stairs that ran off of Redstone and used motion, energy. And again, in his video, he talks about like how motion energy has changed to electrical energy and then back into motion through the process of how this hidden staircase would be in the wall. And then you’d be able to use this lever to then release that staircase. So you could go up and down but it was just, and again, when you, when you let kids talk about energy conversions and you let them build all of a sudden, you have kids making security systems for banks. Another kid that made a feeding system for kids for animals at the zoo, and it was just like, oh my gosh, I had no idea that this was what you guys could run out and do. When I, when I taught you how energy conversions work, that this is what you could produce and come over, like this is mind blowing. I love it,
Eric Cross (19:56):
What our kids can do and what they can create always kind of blows us away when we give them an opportunity to kind of have that freedom to, to create and take their knowledge and actually do something with it versus channel it into what, show me what, you know, but only do it like this. This is, this is the lane that you have to stay in. How do you get these ideas and, and stay, stay relevant? Like so many of the things like you’re touching, like pop culture, you, you have this hand in education technology, you have you’re, you’re doing video editing. Like where are you drawing from? Cause I’m just thinking like, as a teacher listening to this, that might be newer. And they go to the side like, oh my gosh, this, this guy is doing these so many things like where are you drawing from for inspiration or ideas?
Shad Lacefield (20:39):
I think a lot of it is like you say, when, when you stay relevant, it’s being engaged with your students and figuring out, or what are, what are they liking? And every year it’s gonna be different. And that helps you stay relevant. When you have conversations and you build relationships with your kids to figure out, you know, what’s going on. Because I was not a big Minecraft person. It was the group that came in that really challenged me to do Minecraft because it, it showed up on their Chromebooks one day and all of a sudden it’s like, oh, we can play Minecraft all the time. And I said, no, you can’t play Minecraft until that I’ve had training. And I know what’s going on because I’m super nervous about this new thing. And I wanna make sure you guys aren’t doing something that you’re not supposed to.
Shad Lacefield (21:13):
And like, they hounded me hardcore about you better do you need to do that training, Mr. Lacefield, you need to, we wanna play Minecraft. You better be doing this. Right. And so I was like, all right, man, I’ll, I’ll invest. I’ll, I’ll put some time into this training. And I’m so glad that I did yeah, again, that’s it just like building relationships and having those conversations help you realize like, what’s, what’s what are they interested in? What what’s going on and what would be really funny, even connecting that back to the costumes. What would it be really funny if I showed up in you know, today, princess Jasmine.
Eric Cross (21:42):
Yeah.
Shad Lacefield (21:43):
Been yes. Done that. That’s a great one. I,
Eric Cross (21:45):
I, I just went to the social studies page. I, and I stop laughing while you were talking. Cause I saw the princess Jasmine.
Shad Lacefield (21:52):
Oh yeah. Folks.
Eric Cross (21:53):
I’m telling you, you have to go, you have to go to his videos and see what he’s done. I mean, they’re just, they’re just amazing with my middle school students. They, I, I find myself having to be into things that I’m not normally into. And we have these intergenerational relationships, right? Like I think teachers are unique in this I aspect where I can connect with a 12 year old with what 12 year olds are in no matter where this 12 year old’s from. Cuz I get 12 year old culture. But sometimes when I go back into my adult world, like I forget that like, Hey yeah, haven’t watched a new anime you know, or, or whatever, you know, up
Shad Lacefield (22:26):
That. Yeah. No said too. And a kid will show up wearing a, a shirt to school and I’m like, I wasn’t the world’s that like, I’ve never even seen that before. And you’re like, okay, I’m gonna have to learn what that is cuz that yeah.
Eric Cross (22:38):
And then the next student asks you about, Hey, do you like, do you like these this game? I’m like, yeah, yeah, let me go Google that game real quick. Yeah, I’m totally into it. I’m downloading on my phone real quick. And, and now I’m connected to all kinds of obscure random interests, but to your, to what you said, it like, it helps keep us fresh, right? With I, with ideas, there, there is something that is super practical that you’ve done that you’ve created that I’ve encouraged teachers to do. And I think you really nailed it. On your site, you have these video tutorials. When I look at those, I, I think about how much time you must have saved yourself of not having to explain the same exact thing multiple times. Because you’ve created this virtual help section that allows students to log in amplify earth, check, Flipgrid, whatever. Like do you, when you’re, when you’re teaching students, do you, do you use those in direct students there so they can kind of support themselves? Or is that, what, how did that come to be when you, when you made these, these virtual tools? Because I could just imagine these are time savers for you.
Shad Lacefield (23:49):
Absolutely. Cuz again, like you said, it’s it saves on time. So a lot of when you have kids that are already visual learners as well, and they love watching YouTube and they learn stuff from YouTube, why not? I mean, make the video and then attach it to my Google classroom, keeping everything online. Everyone always has access. And by still having those videos, it allows kids to hear the directions multiple time, but on their time and at their pace. So then it’s posted on the assignment. So even though I probably still will give those directions verbally out loud if a kid forgets and maybe they feel a little nervous about asking in front of their peers, like, oh, how do I do this again? Or, oh, I don’t remember how to do that. That video is linked on there. So that way they can go back and watch it.
Eric Cross (24:28):
It’s almost like a little co-teacher that you have like a little aide that’s like, but it’s you, but it’s like a mini you who’s helping you out. I found that putting sometimes those tutorial videos on ed puzzle, where at different points in time, you can set it up so that at a certain timestamp, it asks a question and you can control it. So they can’t move faster past it until they respond to the question and you have the question be about whatever you just said. And then it, it syncs with Google classroom. So you can import all the grades and you can see how far through the video they got. But that was one other layer that I was able to do. So I can have some accountability and make sure that okay, everybody watched it and they answered all five questions of like, how do you do this?
Shad Lacefield (25:07):
Oh, see, now you’re sharing stuff with me, Eric, because I, I’m not as familiar with ed puzzle. I’ve used like near pod and per deck, but I mean just you saying that I’m like, okay, I need to check out ed puzzle and, and see what, what this is all about. Cause that sounds awesome.
Eric Cross (25:20):
Hey, I shared something with Chad and it it’s useful. I’m I’m feeling good right now. I’m feel I’m feeling good. So as we, as we kind of wind down one, couple questions I wanna ask. One of ’em is you’ve been in teaching for, for 15 years and I, I talk to you like right now and I get this energy and this vibe that’s just so upbeat, so positive. How do you stay fresh, fresh. And how did you stay fresh during a time when things have been so hard, you know, and it, and still is for so many educators, how do you stay encouraged? Like what, what have you done and, and to stay in, in education for, for this long,
Shad Lacefield (26:00):
I think it, it even goes back to like when I made my initial decision to switch my major to education, like I, I really felt like I found so thing that I thoroughly loved and enjoyed, and I always feel like you go through seasons. Like, and I definitely, when, when COVID hit, like you went through a season of where you start to feel again, that pressure like do I really like doing this as much as I thought that I like doing this and am I ready for this next thing? And then I just go back to just the, well, why did I do this to begin with? And, and it gets me, you know, excited to be like, I did it for the kids, like, and it’s about the kids. And I get joy when they’re laughing and smiling. So again, with the videos, it’s like, how can I make ’em laugh and smile because if they’re laughing and smiling and having a good time, I’m gonna get, you know, jacked and ready to start teaching again.
Eric Cross (26:48):
And I just hear that so much in what you’re saying is you’re serving your kids is, is being more than that building the relationship, that connection. And then through all that, the learning happens. The last question I wanna ask you is who’s one teacher that created a memorable experience for you or inspired you. Is it someone that you remember when you were in school or learn experience that just, that stands out to you to this day? Cuz as teachers, we remember thi like our kids remember us and it’s weird to be in that position to think that we’re gonna be that person. So is there anybody or anything that stands out to you that you remember from a, a teacher and experience?
Shad Lacefield (27:27):
Gosh, I have, I have a lot that you know, from my fifth grade science teacher, Mr. Goodman, who we did the ecology meet and the ecology team, and we went to OT Creek park and we competed against other schools about science, connected materials to my physics teacher in high school that let us build boats out of cardboard and take it to the only hotel in our town and the pool. And we had like boat races with the cardboard boats that we did. But really I, I go back to Squire boon and Claudia my manager and I remember not only was, she’s such a, a pivotal like getting me into teaching. But I remember the, the curriculum that we were using at the time that I was. And again, it goes back to what if I was to teach that curriculum, I would not still be a teacher because again, as sometimes you experience with curriculum, it can be boring and not engaging. And I was already putting my own flare on it at SQUI boon during the scout lessons. And I said, what if I just completely rewrote this curriculum? What if I made it really fun and put my own, spin on it? And, and she was like, absolutely, absolutely do that. And I feel like that encouragement as teachers, when we encourage kids to be creative when we encourage kids to, to take risk and to try new things we end up getting such amazing results that we didn’t even expect
Eric Cross (28:45):
Thought I out to Mr. Goodman for the ecology meet the physics teacher for the, the boat races, which are hilarious, by the way, if you’ve ever been able to watch students, did you make ’em at a cardboard?
Shad Lacefield (28:53):
We did. Yep.
Eric Cross (28:54):
Yeah. Those are hilarious to watch. And Claudia for giving the freedom to let you be a educational DJ and remix things to make it fun. Thanks for being on the podcast. Thanks for your inspiration and for sharing your stuff like publicly and letting other people see it and, and get ideas. It’s, I’m sure there’s more people than, you know, and more teachers than, you know, that are looking at that and getting their own ideas and coming up with their own. It might not be star wars, but coming up with their own inspiration, maybe it’s like Harry Potter or Lord of the rings or some like that.
Shad Lacefield (29:26):
Yeah. Whatever. You’re passionate about. Pull that in.
Eric Cross (29:31):
Thanks so much for joining me and Shad today. We want to hear more about you. If you have any great lessons or ways to keep student engagement high, please email us at stem@amplify.com. That’s STEM@amplify.com and make sure to click, subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts until next time.
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Meet the guest
Shad Lacefield is a teacher at Garden Springs Elementary and part-time professor at Asbury University in Kentucky. Mr. Lacefield leads professional development in his district, and has been a guest speaker for Eastern Kentucky University, Campbellsville University, and Amplify Education. His topics include classroom managment, integrating techology, and student engagement. He earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Campbellsville University in 2007, and his master’s in science from Southwest Baptist University in 2011. Shad has either taught or coached every grade K-12, and in his 14 years in education he has served as a lead teacher in literacy, math, science, and social studies. He currently coordiantes with the FCPS Office of Instructional Technology to plan Minecraft build challenges for elementary students, and is working on setting up a science field trip that turns a golf course into a STEM lab. During the first year of the pandemic, Shad dressed up in over 100 costumes to create a unique and engaging online learning experience for his students. He also created Vader Visits where he visited students at their homes dressed as Darth Vader to celebrate their online successes, and keep them encouraged during a challenging time. His creative teaching style, and over 50 “Vader Visits” with students, have been featured on WKYT-TV, LEX-18, Spectrum 1 News, and several local and college news publications. Shad lives in Lexington Kentucky with his wife Whitney Lacefield and their three children.
Check out his website, YouTube channel, and Facebook account!
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. Listen here!
Next-generation speech recognition technology
Text Reading Online was created in partnership by Amplify and SoapBox Labs, a Dublin-based developer of accuracy and privacy driven voice technology for children. Text Reading Online represents the first literacy assessment of its kind to enable remote evaluation of reading accuracy, fluency, and comprehension.
Assess remotely with Text Reading Online
How it works
To perform the Text Reading Online assessment, students read two texts aloud. The first text is at the student’s grade level and the read-aloud is evaluated for reading accuracy and fluency through SoapBox Lab’s speech recognition technology.
Students then answer a set of text-dependent comprehension questions to evaluate their degree of understanding. This is repeated with the second text, which is adapted based on the student’s performance on the initial text, including their accuracy, fluency, and comprehension.
Data from the oral reading fluency assessment, including reading rate and specific error types, provides educators with near-real-time feedback, which they can use to identify areas of focus and cater lessons to each student’s needs.
Learn about mCLASS
Text Reading Online is a measure available within mCLASS, a K–6 universal assessment, instruction, and intervention suite. To learn how to bring mCLASS to your school or district, visit this page to fill out a contact form.
Welcome, North Carolina educators!
Welcome, North Carolina educators!
Amplify Science resources for Chicago Public Schools
S3-05: Thinking is power
Join us as we sit down with Melanie Trecek-King, college professor and creator of Thinking is Power, to explore how much of an asset science can truly be in developing the skills students need to navigate the real world. You’ll learn about “fooling” students and the importance of developing critical thinking, information literacy, and science literacy in the classroom. We’ll also share real strategies and lesson examples that help build these essential skills and engage students in learning.
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!
Melanie Trecek-King (00:00):
We say knowledge is power, but it’s not enough to know things. And there’s too much to know. So being able to think and not fall for someone’s bunk is my goal for my students.
Eric Cross (00:12):
Welcome to Science Connections. I’m your host, Eric Cross. On this third season, we’ve been talking about science’s underdog status. And just this past March at the NSTA conference in Atlanta, I had the chance to speak with science educators from around the country about this very topic.
Hermia Simanu (00:28):
Right now, there’s only two teachers in our high school teaching science.
Shane Dongilli (00:32):
I have 45 minutes once a week with each class. The focus is reading and math.
Alexis Tharpe (00:38):
Oftentimes science gets put by the wayside. And you know, I love math and I love my language arts, but I also think science needs to place be placed on that high pedestal as well.
Askia Little (00:46):
In fifth grade, oh, they teach science, because that’s the only grade that it’s tested.
Eric Cross (00:50):
That was Hermia Simanu from American Samoa. Her team flew for three days to make it to the conference. You also heard from Shane Dongilli from North Carolina, Alexis Tharpe from Virginia, and Askia Little from Texas. All of these teachers were excited to be at the conference and had a lot to say about the state of science education in their local schools. Throughout this season, we’ve been trying to make the case for science, showing how science can be utilized more effectively in the classroom. We’ve explored the evidence showing that science supports literacy instruction. We’ve talked about science and the responsible use of technology like AI. My hope is that all of you listeners out there can use some of this evidence to feel empowered to make the case for science in your own communities. And on this episode, we’re going to examine how science can help develop what might be the most important skill that we try to develop in our students: Good thinking. On this episode, I’m joined by a biologist who actually advocated for eliminating the Intro to Bio course at her college. Instead, Professor Trecek-King created a new course focused on critical thinking, information literacy, and science literacy skills. In this conversation, we discuss why the science classroom is such a good environment for helping students become better thinkers. Now, I don’t think that you can make a much stronger argument for science than using it to develop the skills that Melanie describes in this conversation. So, without further ado, I’m thrilled to bring you this conversation with Melanie Trecek-King, Associate Professor of Biology at Massasoit Community College, and creator of Thinking Is Power. Here’s Melanie.
Eric Cross (02:29):
Well, Melanie, thank you for joining us on the show. It’s so good to have you.
Melanie Trecek-King (02:34):
I am so happy to be here.
Eric Cross (02:35):
Now, I went to your session at NSTA in Chicago … I think it was two years ago. A couple years ago. And I was listening to your session, and as I was listening to you, I started Reverse Engineering in my mind what you were doing with your college students. I started reverse engineering the K–8. I was like, “This is amazing.” Where has what you’ve been doing been hiding? We need this not just in the college, higher ed. We need this all the way up and down. Because I hadn’t seen it before. So I think a good place for us to start is gonna be like the story of how and why you as a biologist wound up making the case to actually eliminate the Intro to Biology course at your college. So can you start off and tell us a little bit about that story?
Melanie Trecek-King (03:20):
Sure. So I started teaching at a community college in Massachusetts. And I absolutely love teaching at a community college. And I was teaching the courses that people who don’t wanna be scientists when they grow up have to take to fulfill their science requirement. And that course was Intro Bio. And I tried every way I could figure out to make that class be useful,] relevant to students. I mean, the thing is, our world is based on science and you have to understand science to be a good consumer of information, to make good decisions. And I’m a biologist, so it pains me to say this, but you know, somewhere in the middle of teaching students about the stages of mitosis and protein synthesis, I thought, “Is this really — like, if I have one semester that’s gonna be the last chance that someone’s gonna get a science education, is this really what they need?” And I just decided, “No.” So, to my college’s credit, they were very supportive. I went to them and said, “You know, I think we should assess the non-majors courses. Like, why do we teach non-majors science?” And we all agreed, well, it was for science literacy. OK, great. Do our existing non-majors courses do that? And so we evaluated each of the courses. I made a case that Intro Bio was not doing it. And so we actually replaced it with a course that I call Science for Life. And the whole course is designed to teach science literacy, critical thinking, and information literacy skills.
Eric Cross (04:48):
And so you did this while you were looking at mitosis. And you’re looking at students who may or may not be science majors. And then kind of asking that question. I know every educator asks this, and whether or not it’s welcomed or supported is a different question: “Is what I’m teaching actually gonna be relevant and useful later on down the road for this group of students?” And you actually got to run with it and then create this course, this new course. So, what were the skills that you were hoping to achieve with the new course you developed, and and why were those skills so important?
Melanie Trecek-King (05:21):
Well, if I just go back for a second to what you said, ’cause it, really hit me: I remember the actual moment — it had been building up to that point, but the actual moment that it hit me — I was teaching students the stages of mitosis. And I was applying it to cancer, because the thought is that if we use issues that are relevant to students to teach concepts, that it will be more meaningful to them. They’ll learn it better; they’ll be able to apply it. And they just looked absolutely deflated. They didn’t wanna be there. And I had this moment where I thought, “You know, if, if these students ever have cancer somewhere in their lives, is what I taught them going to be something that they remember? Is it going to be useful to them?” And quite frankly, like, no. <Laugh> They’re not gonna remember proto-oncogenes. And quite frankly, is that really what they need to know at that moment? What they need to know is, “What does this mean? Who is a reliable source of information here? If these treatments are recommended, what is the evidence for them? What are the cost-benefit analyses? Where do I go to find reliable information?” And in that space, cancer in particular, we have this whole field of — I wanna say charlatans, ’cause they may not actually be lying, but they’re pedaling false cures, false hopes. And people need that kind of hope, and so in their time of need, they’re more likely to fall for that kind of thing. Which leads me to the skills that I teach students. I call them this tree of skills. And the order is important. I start — and there’s a lot of overlap to be fair — but critical thinking, and then information literacy, and science literacy. The idea is that students carry in their pockets access to basically all of human’s knowledge at this moment in time. And if they needed to access it, they could. The question is, do they know what they’re looking for? Are they aware of their own biases that are leading them to certain sources, or certain false hopes? Are there certain things that are making them more vulnerable to the people that might prey on them? Are they able to use that information to make good decisions? There’s a great Carl Sagan quote, and it’s something like, “If we teach people only the findings of science, no matter how useful or even inspiring they may be, without communicating the method, then how is anyone to be able to tell the difference between science and pseudoscience?” So yes, the process of science is a process of critical thinking. However, we do tend to present science most of the time. Like, here’s what science has learned. And to be fair, those things that we’ve learned from science are really useful and inspiring. But if we don’t teach the process, so you’ve got somebody now who let’s say has been diagnosed with cancer and is on their phone and they’re scrolling through social media and everything looks the same. And of course the algorithms learn who you are. Next thing you know, there’s all of these like pseudo-treatments popping up. It all looks the same. Somebody who says that acupuncture can be used to cure cancer can feel the same, from someone who doesn’t understand the process of science, as a medical fact. And so the process is the process of critical thinking. My class everything is open note. The quizzes are open note. The exams — and I say open note, they’re also open online, because I know for the rest of their life they’re gonna have resources available to them; I want them to be good consumers with that information, which to me requires metacognition and critical thinking and information literacy and all those skills that I’m trying to teach them.
Eric Cross (08:58):
You’re basically taking what … we’ve taught science for so long. And more recently, it’s changed to more focusing on skills. At least in K through 12. But a lot of it was just memorization of a ton of different things that now we can pull up our phone, go on the internet. You can pull up a lot of those facts. But those facts don’t necessarily translate to actual real-world skills. When I listen to… I kind of make this analogy sometimes: students say … it’s funny, I have 12-year-olds that say this. They go, “How come they don’t teach us how to do our taxes?” And you know they’re regurgitating what they hear from adults, right? “Teach us real-world skills!” And I was like, really, if we taught you right now how to do your taxes, how many of you would really be like, “Oh, this is an awesome lesson! We’re really engaged!” But their point is that “I wanna learn something that I could actually use later on, that’s that I’m gonna carry on.” And in your course, you’re talking about these skills that actually can apply. Like you said, if I had cancer and I’m looking at different types of medical procedures, do I have the skills to really be able to evaluate and make informed decisions on that? And that’s, that’s not something that I’ve seen explicitly taught really anywhere. And I hadn’t heard anybody talk about it, really, until I heard your session, where you’ve kind of unpacked this, and over the last couple of years, have created some programs or resources for educators, where they can take this into their classroom. So what were some of those skills, again? What were were some of the skills that you thought, “I wanna make sure that my students can walk out and they know how to do this and apply it to maybe several different fields”?
Melanie Trecek-King (10:35):
Oh, that’s a really good question. Because the whole thing was a process for me. Like, when I finally let go of Intro Bio, I was so glad to see that class go, by the way. ‘Cause I just felt like I was beating a dead horse. So when I let go of it, I thought, “What do they need instead?” And for me, what I realized was I was trying to make the class I would’ve wanted to take. I realized the things that I personally didn’t know, that my own education maybe let me down a bit. But things that I thought were important. So then I took all of those, synthesized them, tried to figure out the best order. The class is currently in its third iteration. And I hope every iteration is an improvement. But I’m thinking about the students that I taught before the pandemic. It was Intro Bio. Up to just maybe the couple years before the pandemic, and during the pandemic, we had a new virus and we had a new vaccine and we had new treatments. There was hydroxychloroquine and there was ivermectin and then there’s masks. Are masks effective? Well, you know, in what circumstances? What kind of mask? There are all of these questions. And that whole thing was we saw science playing out in real time.
Eric Cross (11:50):
Absolutely.
Melanie Trecek-King (11:51):
And so were my students able to follow that? And then what happened in that process is that science became politicized. And in a time where things are uncertain and we need answers, ’cause it’s scary, people want certainty and science doesn’t tend to provide that. Especially when it’s just starting out. And then when it becomes politicized, people decide that they’re going to — it’s not necessarily a conscious decision — but they retreat into what people in their camps are saying or their groups are saying. Which actually leads me to one of the more important parts of information literacy skills in there, which is most of our knowledge is shared. We tend to have overinflated senses of what we individually know. And studies actually show that with Google, if you have access to Google, you think you’re smarter than if you don’t have access to Google. But we all have access to knowledge in our communities, and that’s one of the reasons humans are so successful, is that we can each specialize in different things and share our expertise and become greater than the sum of our parts. The problem with that, of course, is that we forget what we don’t know, and we assume that we know what the community knows. And so recognizing the limits of your own knowledge and how different communities produce knowledge, like the different epistemic processes that communities use to come to knowledge. When it comes down to it, an important part of knowing is knowing who to trust, right? Knowing where the source of knowledge lives. And in order to do that, you have to understand the processes that they’re using to come to that knowledge and the limits of your own knowledge. And then how to find who has that knowledge so that you can use that to make better decisions.
Eric Cross (13:38):
So, when I hear what you’re doing with your college students, and I think about what I’m doing in the classroom, in the middle school, we are really focusing on literacy as skills. Reading, writing, speaking, listening. And then when I think of the next step of the journey, your information literacy and the literacy you’re teaching is really the application of those things in the real world. And the examples that you gave are very critical examples. Evaluating claims about Covid. Making informed decisions about a medical procedure that you might need. And we all get that applied to us. We’re scrolling through social media and somehow social media is listening. It’s figuring out exactly what I’m doing, because all of a sudden the ads are telling me … how did you know I was alking about KitchenAid mixers now? I just said KitchenAid mixers and it’s gonna show up in my feed! But <laugh> I take that in the same way from the same place that I take in maybe an oncologist. So it’s it’s coming through the same channels. So now I kind of wanna pivot. So we’ve talked about what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, the connection between “am I really teaching the skills that my students need in the science class? Is it really critical thinking explicitly or is it just kind of implied?” Now I wanna ask you how you do it. What’s the annotated, abbreviated kind of syllabus of your course?
Melanie Trecek-King (15:03):
So the course is called Science for Life. And the premise behind it is the kinds of skills and understanding of the process of science that they would need to make good decisions to be empowered in a world based on science. And so the very first lecture, I say, “OK, I’m gonna tell you a story and I just want you to listen to the story. And at the end I’m gonna ask you why I told the story.” And the story that I tell them is some of the history of the witchcraft trials in Europe. And I start with the Malleus Maleficarum, or the Hammer of Witches, from the Pope, and about how people would accuse witches of causing birth defects or storms or crops dying. And, the best evidence that they had to absolutely know somebody was a witch was if somebody accused them, and then if they were accused, if they confessed. OK? But the problem is, to get them to confess, they would torture them. Roasting over coals, or splitting until somebody broke. And so I tell my students, “OK, this was absolute proof that someone was guilty of witchcraft. I don’t know about you; I would confess to anything, right? Make it stop!” So this is where I get to ask students, “Why would I ask you this? Why would I tell you this story? And traumatize you on the very first day of lecture?” And they see the reasoning, right? They thought they had evidence. The question was, is that good evidence? And so, you know, I’m getting students to have a basic understanding of epistemology, right? Without calling it that, or without going into all of the philosophical background of epistemology. Apply this to your own reasoning. What are you wrong about? Well, you probably wouldn’t know. OK, how would you know if you were wrong? Like what kinds of things do you feel that you’re so right about? How good is your evidence for that? So what I want them to do is internalize the thinking about thinking, and analyzing how they come to conclusions, and proportioning how strongly they believe. Their confidence in how right they are. So I think starting with that kind of misinformation, and getting students to internalize that process is important. But I think the example is really useful, because most of my students don’t believe in witchcraft. Right? So it’s not an issue that would immediately threaten them in some way. So when, when a belief is tied to identity or how we see ourselves or is really important to us, then it’s very difficult to be objective about that belief. And so by starting with witchcraft, it’s not triggering. I get them to think about thinking and practice that muscle so that when we get to those more important issues, they have the skills they need to evaluate them.
Eric Cross (17:55):
So would it be fair to say that your Science for Life class is really applied scientific thinking for the real world?
Melanie Trecek-King (18:01):
Absolutely. That’s the idea. I mean, science is too good to keep to ourselves, right? And it’s everywhere. So how can you understand the world through a scientific lens?
Eric Cross (18:10):
What are the nuts and bolts of how you teach your students these strategies? What do you do? What are some strategies and techniques that we can maybe share with listeners? And then where I want to go after that is I wanna ask you, how early do you think this can be started? So lemme start off first with, what do you do?
Melanie Trecek-King (18:28):
So I use three different strategies. One is, I provide students with a toolkit. And the toolkit is one that I created and it is like my one toolkit to rule them all. It is trying to apply critical thinking and science reasoning all together in one place. So that if students are met with a claim, they’ve got the toolkit with an acronym. They can now start and have somewhere to go. In that if I gave you a claim and said, “Just critically think through this claim,” I mean, that’s a mighty task. But if you have a structured toolkit, then it’s hopefully a systemic way that’s helpful. The toolkit is summarized by FLOATER. I have published it on Skeptical Inquirer. It’s free. So it’s Falsifiability, Logical, Objectivity, Alternative Explanations, Tentative Conclusions, Evidence, and Reproducibility. So I provide students with a toolkit. The next thing I do is I use a lot of misinformation in class. Back to what Carl Sagan says: What I heard was we should use pseudoscience to teach students the difference between a pseudo-scientific process and a scientific process. So, I use science denial, conspiracy theories, and give my students a lot of opportunities to practice evaluating claims with the toolkit. And the other thing I do is, I use inoculation activities. So inoculation theory is based on William McGuire’s original research in the ’60s, which is basically like a vaccine analogy. Where you can inject a small amount of a virus or bacterium into the body, so that it creates an immune response, so that it can learn the real thing. And so in the real world, it can fight it off. Inoculation theory does the same thing, but with misinformation. So, what we can do is, in controlled environments, expose students to little bits of misinformation so that they can recognize it in the real world. There’s different kinds of inoculation, but I’m a big fan of what’s called active and technique-based inoculation. So technique-based means that students are learning not the facts of misinformation, not factually why this thing is wrong, but about the technique used to deceive. So maybe the use of fake experts. Or maybe the use of anecdotes. Or the use of logical fallacies. The other part of that is active, which is where students create the misinformation. So for example, my students, just now, we finished covering pseudoscience. And I teach students the characteristics of pseudoscience. And basically we have fun with it. Where they pretend to be grifters and they sell a pseudoscience product. And so they have to make an ad like they’d see on social media, using the different techniques. And the point there is that it’s supposed to be funny, right? And lighthearted. But in a real way, by using the techniques used to sell something like pseudoscience, it’s opening their eyes. You can’t unsee how every alternative product has, “it’s an all-natural and used for centuries and millions use it and look at this person who says, ‘Wow, it worked for me!’ And it’s certified by some society that doesn’t exist, but this doctor behind it says that it’s really great!” I mean, it’s all the same stuff. So they create the misinformation using their own techniques.
Eric Cross (22:02):
That’s one of my favorite things that you’ve talked about, and I want to dive in that a little bit more. But when you’re teaching the toolkit, FLOATER, what does that look like in the classroom, when you’re actually breaking all of those things down? What does it look like as you’re walking your students through this, and you’re kind of coaching them on all of those different things? ‘Cause I feel like some things might be like, “Oh yeah, I got that.” And then some of them might be, “Oh, what is that?”
Melanie Trecek-King (22:24):
Yeah, it takes me probably a good solid lecture to get through the basis of the toolkit. But then over the rest of the semester, I’ll spend more time going into different parts, different rules, a bit more in-depth. So, for example, logical fallacies and objectivity. So the rule of objectivity basically states that you need to be honest with yourself. I’m gonna quote Feynman here, so: “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself — and you are the easiest person to fool.” We don’t tend to think that we can be fooled. But of course we can. So actually, if you wanna talk about it, I start class by fooling my students.
Eric Cross (23:03):
Wait, what do you do? What do you do for that?
Melanie Trecek-King (23:05):
Oh, so this is really fun. Day 1 of class, after the syllabus, I tell my … so you’re in my class now, Eric. “So I have a friend, and she’s a psychic. She’s an astrologer and she’s pretty good at what she does. I mean, she’s got books and she’s been on TV and stuff. She knows I teach this course about skepticism. And so she’s agreed to test how effective she is by providing personality assessments to students in class. So if you wanna participate, what I need from you is your birthday, your full name, answer a few questions. Like, if your house was on fire and you could take one thing, what would it be? Or if you could get paid for anything to do anything for a living, what would it be? Um, there’s a third one. Oh! If you could have any superpower, what would it be?” So the next class, it’s usually over a weekend. The next class I say, “OK, I’ve got your personality assessments back, but remember, we wanna test how effective she is. So in order to do that, I need you to read your profile as quietly as possible. And then I’m gonna have you rate her accuracy on a scale of 1 to 5. OK? So close your eyes; rate her.” Over the years doing this, it’s about a 4.3 to 4.5 out of 5. They think she’s pretty accurate. OK? “So now, if you feel comfortable, get with a person next to you. And I want you to talk about what parts of the personality assessment really spoke to you and, and why, and why you thought she was accurate or not.” And it takes them 5, 10 minutes before they realize they all got the same one. So, this is not my original experiment. It was first done by Bertram Forer in … I think it was the ’50s. And it’s done in psychology classrooms. James Randi made it famous. But the personality assessment itself is full of what are called Barnum statements. So, named after P.T. Barnum. These are statements that are very generic. So, “You have a need to be liked and admired by people. You are often quiet and reserved, but there are times where you can be the life of the party.”
Eric Cross (25:13):
How do you know this about me, by the way? This is a — I feel like you know me right now.
Melanie Trecek-King (25:17):
“There are times where you’ve wondered whether you’ve done the right thing.”
Eric Cross (25:19):
This is getting weird.
Melanie Trecek-King (25:21):
I’m just on fire, right? So these are Barnum statements. They’re the basis of personality assessment.
Eric Cross (25:29):
Mel, can I pause you right there? You said Barnum. Is that the same Barnum, like Barnum & Bailey Circus?
Melanie Trecek-King (25:34):
Yeah. P.T. Barnum, who didn’t actually say “There’s a sucker born every minute,” but we attribute him with that kind of ethos. These statements though, if you read a horoscope or even like personality indicators, like the MBTI, it is basically pseudo-scientific. And it ends up with lots of these Barnum statements. They produce what’s called the Barnum Effect, which is, “Wow, that’s so me! How did you know me?” I could even do more. Like, you have a box of photos in your house that need to be sorted. Or unused prescriptions. And these can apply to nearly everyone, but they produce this effect where we go, “Wow, that is so me!” Right? So by fooling them this way, I get to … well, so the next thing is, “Yes, I lied to you. And I’d like to tell you I won’t do that again. But I’m not going to, ’cause I might. So be on your guard.” But I did it for free. And why did I do it? “I did it because I could tell you ‘I could fool you,’ but you wouldn’t necessarily believe me. So I fooled you, so that you would learn what it feels like to be fooled.” It’s not fun. But we’re gonna make a joke outta this. And students are almost never upset about this ’cause it’s a fun process and they’re all fooled. And again, the point is, I didn’t disprove psychic powers. I didn’t just disprove psychics with this exercise. But I did show you how easy it was to fake. So if somebody is gonna tell you that they can know these things about you through some way, hopefully the evidence they provide should be stronger than something that’s easily faked. Right? Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. If you claim to be able to read my personality based on my birthdate, then I need more than something that you can be taught to do in 15 minutes. So, I fool them to convince them that they could be fooled.
Eric Cross (27:27):
You’re giving them a practice scenario for thinking. And I was thinking about basketball. I grew up playing basketball. And my coach would have our own team be the defenders of the next team we were gonna play, so that we can be prepared for the defense. We were gonna see. Now, when I’m thinking about education, and what you just said reminded me of this, it’s like we’re often just teaching offense. We’re always teaching the plays. We’re always teaching what to do. But we rarely teach defense. What happens when someone comes towards you and, and they challenge you or they come at you with claims? How do we evaluate this? And I think in pockets we do it. We do claim-evidence-reasoning. We present claims and evidence and reasoning. But we don’t always have practice defending them. And I think there’s great resources. There’s Argumentation Toolkit and there’s all these awesome resources that do this. But does that fit? You’re kind of having them practice defense?
Melanie Trecek-King (28:26):
Yeah. You know, that’s brilliant. I never considered that analogy. But, yeah, in the real world, you don’t just get to always try to score all the time. Someone’s gonna challenge you and give you a claim that maybe you haven’t heard before. So how do you think through it?
Eric Cross (28:41):
Yeah. And you become better. So now I’m thinking about how early could we start doing this? For one, I love the idea of lying to your students, because I do that. And it’s just such a fun scenario. How early could we start implementing these strategies or these ideas or these toolkits? In your mind, what do you imagine? How early could we start this with young people?
Melanie Trecek-King (29:07):
Yeah. I’m so glad you asked that question, ’cause honestly, by the time they get to me, it’s almost too late. And I don’t wanna say it’s too late, ’cause it’s never too late. But, oh, we need to start so much earlier! That example that I gave about the selling pseudoscience argument? I have a wonderful colleague, Bertha Vasquez, who’s a middle school teacher in Miami and the director of TIES at CFI. She did this with her middle school students. And quite frankly, their examples were just as good, or in some cases better, than my college students. And they had so much fun with it, too. And she just said that, you know, <laugh>, they actually are more savvy with the kinds of things that they see online than we — I don’t wanna say give them credit for. But almost that we want to believe. My students give me examples of things that are from corners of the internet that I didn’t know existed. And quite frankly, that’s probably a good thing for my own mental health. But students are on there too, like middle school students, and we need to prepare them for the kinds of things that they see in the wild.
Eric Cross (30:13):
So in middle school, definitely. Now, you’ve also done some work in high school as well, right? In Oklahoma? Did you do some. …?
Melanie Trecek-King (30:17):
Yeah.
Eric Cross (30:18):
…some work with high schoolers? What was that like? Did you see any impact there?
Melanie Trecek-King (30:21):
So I didn’t actually do it in Oklahoma. I have taught the course … actually, you were talking about younger kids. I’ve taught the course to high schoolers in my area that are parts of dual enrollment. And they absolutely ate up the curriculum. And they were wonderful, wonderful students. And it was completely appropriate for … they were juniors, actually. But the course has also been taught in Oklahoma, through a dual enrollment program as well. And it was a small sample size. But we have pre-post testing that showed that it improved their critical thinking, their acceptance of science. But anecdotally the head of the program there said that in his years doing this, he’d never seen a course that helped them improve in their other courses so well. So, I felt very rewarded by hearing this. But apparently their critical thinking skills and information literacy skills helped them succeed in their other courses that they were taking. And I love that the students were transferring those skills to other classes. That’s the whole point.
Eric Cross (31:23):
And that’s a big … I think that what you just said is really the core, especially of what we’ve been talking about this season: What you’re talking about and what you’re teaching can transfer and supports literacy. And this is an example of science doing that across all other content areas. So I think that that’s huge, that that was said. What do people say about this course? I know I went on your website, and I looked at some of the comments that some folks were saying, and I know it’s just a snippet, but what do you hear from the education world about this? Because I don’t see it in many places. I see it kind of embedded, sprinkled into different content areas. But you’re actually teaching it explicitly. Do you tend to find positive feedback, overwhelmingly? Or do you get pushback on on some of this? What’s it been like for you?
Melanie Trecek-King (32:16):
I think the biggest pushback — and it’s good pushback, and I would agree entirely — is with inoculation activities, you do need to be careful to, when you debrief students, you wanna tell them why you did what you did and to use their powers for good and not for fooling other people. And I think importantly, for not putting misinformation out into the wild without having context around it. So if you do these kinds of inoculation activities, like if you have your students create pseudoscience ads, don’t just let them put them on social media. Obviously, you can’t control everything that they’re doing. But explain to them why you wouldn’t wanna do that. As far as everything else, I’ve heard really great feedback. You’re referencing my website. So, when I put together the course, I was trying to find resources for students to read. Textbooks are ridiculously expensive and I couldn’t find anything that I really wanted students to buy. So I just started writing, and I put it on my site. I have a site that’s basically the core of the curriculum. More in progress. And then I’ve got some of the topics that we explore and those are all assigned readings. My students are captive, in that I know they want a grade, and for four months they have to sit with me for the entire semester, in that I’ve specifically ordered the content in a way that would be most conducive to them learning these things. On the internet, though, and on social media, ’cause I post on there as well, people come in from all kinds of entry points, and so the goal would be to have them start at the beginning and go to the end. But people … I’m pleasantly surprised that there is an audience for critical thinking and science literacy content out there. And so that really warms my heart. But I am doing more and more for educators. And so I have a section for educators. I put content on there. I put assignments, the assignments that we’ve talked about and more, are on there. And the educators that I’ve had use it have just been really wonderful. Like, I hear great things. If I might, the biggest issue that I’m having is actually reaching educators. I’ve gone to — I met you at NSCA, actually, that was only last summer.
Eric Cross (34:30):
Oh, wow. Wow.
Melanie Trecek-King (34:32):
Right?
Eric Cross (34:32):
Yeah, you’re right. It wasn’t even a year.
Melanie Trecek-King (34:35):
Yeah, I think it was like July last year. So, um, you’ve been to the conferences. And I just went to the last one as well. But I have yet to figure out a way to really get in front of enough educators to share the content. So if anybody’s listening and is interested in learning more, please let me know! <Laugh>
Eric Cross (34:52):
Yes. And we talked about your website, but I didn’t say what the website was. So it’s ThinkingIsPower.com.
Melanie Trecek-King (34:57):
Yes.
Eric Cross (34:58):
And on there, there’s tons of resources. There is the toolkit. And it’s all free.
Melanie Trecek-King (35:06):
Yes.
Eric Cross (35:07):
And there’s a dope t-shirt on there that I just bought today, that Melanie’s actually wearing right now. It says, “Be curious, be skeptical, and be humble.” And I love that. Because I think one of the things that we can’t forget about teaching people how to think and critically evaluating information, sometimes those conversations can become very dehumanizing. And what I mean by that is it sometimes can become, like, intellectual sport, where we forget that there’s a human being on the other other side. And we lose that empathy and compassion. We can kind of see that. It just becomes this intellectual jousting and arguing. And one of the things I know about you, and when you talk about this or you talk about the work that you do, and even the shirt that you’re wearing, there’s this, “be humble.” There’s this human that is never lost in this. And you said it, too: When you’re teaching your students and you’re equipping them with all of these intellectual skills and all of these tools, to use it for good. So to maintain your humanity, to maintain your character, and then to use it to edify and lift people up, not to go out and do harm. That balance, I think, is so, so important. So it’s something that I really appreciate about you and how you teach.
Melanie Trecek-King (36:19):
I appreciate those kind words. Actually—
Eric Cross (36:21):
Oh, of course!
Melanie Trecek-King (36:22):
—and if I might, I sometimes see people using critical thinking like a weapon. It’s like, “I have learned fallacies and I’m just gonna use the tools of critical thinking to tell you why you’re stupid, or why you’re wrong, and why my position is right!” But real critical thinking involves applying those same standards to your own thought processes. And even something like argumentation: the goal of our argumentation is not to BE right; it’s to GET it right. And so we’re on the same team. If we’re arguing about something, if the idea is in scientific argumentation we’re trying to find the truth, which one of us is making a better argument based on the evidence? Can your perspective help me see my own blind spots and vice versa? And the more different perspectives that we have, the more able we are to find whatever reality is. But we are in this together. And so, yeah, I think … I’m glad to hear that that’s coming through. But if you don’t have the kind of humility that says, “You know, I could be wrong,” then you’re never gonna change your mind anyway. So having the humility to say, I’m wrong. <Laugh>
Eric Cross (37:33):
Yeah. You end up just seeing people just defend turf, as opposed to support “look for truth.” And I know for me, my own education journey, I end up with more questions than answers anyways. So I go in trying to find an answer for something and I end up with 10 more questions. And I go, “OK, this is kind of how it is.” You go down this rabbit hole and you just end up with all these different questions. And it forces the humility, because you’re like, “I don’t know! I think this is what it could be, but it could also be these other answers or explanations. So this is just where I’m at, based on what we know right now, at this present time, which might shift.”
Melanie Trecek-King (38:07):
And that sounds reasonable. Yes. Which might shift. Yes.
Eric Cross (38:11):
And especially for us as life-science biology teachers, our content is something that definitely shifts. I know some of the things I teach now are not things that I learned when I was even in middle school. Just because things evolve. They change. We learn, we get new data. That’s just the way it is.
Melanie Trecek-King (38:24):
<Sighs> And Pluto is no longer a planet.
Eric Cross (38:26):
I know. Rest in — well, no, Pluto’s still there. Yeah. It’s no longer a planet. But that was one part of my kindergarten memorizations <laugh> is Pluto being in there.
Melanie Trecek-King (38:36):
Gotta change your mind.
Eric Cross (38:38):
I know. Any words of advice for science educators out there who want to focus more on honing these critical thinking skills and strategies with their own students, but they don’t know where to start? Where would you point them? Or what advice would you give them?
Melanie Trecek-King (38:52):
I think start with what you want the students to know. And not necessarily the FACTS that you want students to know, but start with the skills that you want them to know. And then really be honest with your process. When I designed Science for Life, I started with, “these are the skills that I want students to know.” And everything was in service of that. So this sort of backwards design, I think, helped me follow a path that was more likely to be useful, if that makes any sense. But it really required doing it all over again. So don’t be afraid to question the things that you’re currently doing, even if that’s all you’ve been taught or all you know.
Eric Cross (39:41):
What I’m hearing is, don’t be afraid to question your own assumptions about what you’re doing. And don’t be afraid to adapt or change or modify. Kinda, pivot. Be flexible.
Melanie Trecek-King (39:51):
Yes, be flexible and pivot. And this is where I’m in a different position than middle school and high school educators. Because I have complete freedom over what I teach in my class.
Eric Cross (40:01):
Sure.
Melanie Trecek-King (40:01):
At the end of the semester, I always joke with non-majors that there’s nothing they have to know, which actually gives me a lot of flexibility, because I could teach ’em a lot of different things. So if there are things that you have to teach students, obviously that’s one thing. But I personally think that the way that we’ve been teaching science needs a refresher. A rethinking. And so I would say, “If you want your students to learn science literacy, honestly ask, what does that mean to you? And what would that look like to get to that point?” For me, though, it was also keeping in mind that maybe I didn’t already know the best way to do that.
Eric Cross (40:43):
One of the things you mentioned earlier is trying to reach out to educators. And I know that when we work together, it’s a force multiplier. And what you’re doing is developing skills. And there’s these skills that are happening right now in academia that you’re doing. And then how do we transfer that into middle and high school. Or, I’m sorry, middle and elementary school, high school. We need to get more people into this conversation to kind of brainstorm and figure that out. We have a Facebook group, Science Connections: The Community, where we have educators that gather. That can be one place we start the conversation. And again, I know on your website you’ve been super active on social media; you’ve grown your presence on Twitter and all these different places, engaging with folks. Which is awesome. ‘Cause I know I see your posts and I’m saving the things that you’re posting and I’m thinking of ways that I can do it in my classroom. I’m gonna take that product. By the way, is that on your website, the lesson that you do with the product?
Melanie Trecek-King (41:43):
No, actually. So the article, “How to Sell Pseudoscience” is … I know Bertha Vasquez wrote up a version of it.
Eric Cross (41:50):
Maybe we can grab that. ‘Cause we might be able to put that into the show notes for folks, because she’s a middle school educator. If there’s already something that’s been done for teachers like us, we’re like, “Yeah, let me get that and let me remix it and make it my own!” if there’s already a exemplar out there.
Melanie Trecek-King (42:04):
Yeah, she’s done it. And so I will absolutely share that with you.
Eric Cross (42:08):
So, all season long, we’ve been talking about science as the underdog. We kind of framed it, you know, science oftentimes takes a back seat to math and English. It’s kinda the first thing to go. Or the first area where time can get cut. Because of what gets tested gets focused on, oftentimes. And then in addition to that, when you’re a multi-subject teacher, elementary science isn’t just one thing — it’s every field. You know, you’re a biologist, which is different than a geologist. And when you’re teaching every subject, that’s a lot. And you might not have had a science class for years. And the realities that we’re seeing over and over with different researchers and practitioners is that science could actually enhance literacy, and building those skills. And I think you really talked about it with the critical thinking skills. Those can transfer. Or the administrator that said, “This is one of the only courses I’ve seen where it transfers to other areas.” Could you share maybe with our listeners, just any advice for advocating for science in their own world?
Melanie Trecek-King (43:13):
Wow, I’m not sure I’m qualified to answer that question! One of the things that comes to mind though — because I was listening to your last episode and educators … I honestly didn’t realize how little time they had for science. And how often science was then the first to go, to allow room for other subjects. But science overlaps with a lot of other issues. And so I feel like there could be a way to bring in science when teaching these other subjects. So, for example, argumentation and logical fallacies are easy to apply to reading and writing. Information literacy, and being able to find good information online, teaching students how to laterally read, to be able to check a source, or how to use Google effectively, to put in neutral search terms to find sources, or teaching students how to recognize the characteristics of conspiratorial thinking: All of these things can overlap with so many other subjects. So the scientist in me is a little biased towards science being important enough to do this. But try to bring it into the other subjects. It doesn’t have to be completely separate.
Eric Cross (44:43):
So integrating science into other things. And I … big believer. And a hundred percent agree with you. Now I’m gonna ask a question that kinda like takes us backwards. You shared an app with me when we first met that I thought was really cool. And I know it’s a friend or colleague of yours. But as a middle school teacher, I thought it was great, because it was something that my students could download and practice some of the skills that you’re talking about. Would you talk a little bit about the cranky uncle? Is it the Cranky Uncle app?
Melanie Trecek-King (45:17):
Cranky Uncle.
Eric Cross (45:18):
Could you share a little bit about that?
Melanie Trecek-King (45:20):
Yeah. Cranky Uncle is awesome. So, Cranky Uncle is the brainchild of John Cook, who is the founder of Skeptical Science and the author of the 97% Consensus study on climate change. Cranky Uncle … so he’s also a cartoonist. And Cranky Uncle is a cartoon game where … I don’t even have to explain who Cranky Uncle is to my students. Everybody inherently gets the, the character, right? So he’s like the guy at Thanksgiving that you don’t wanna talk to because he denies climate change and he’s just really cranky. But Cranky Uncle uses the techniques of science denial, which are summarized by the acronym FLICC: So it’s Fake experts, Logical fallacies, Impossible expectations, Cherry-picking, and Conspiratorial thinking. So he uses those techniques. Again, this is technique-based inoculation. So they recognize the techniques in the game, and you earn cranky points. And as you make Cranky crankier and crankier because you’re recognizing his techniques, you learn the techniques of science denial, and level up and open up other techniques. This is another one of those examples where climate change has a lot of science behind it, right? And if you wanted to get to the science behind climate change for any particular issue … so let’s say it’s cold today, so I’m gonna say there’s no climate change. OK? If I’m gonna unpack that at a factual level, and with science, we could be here for a while. But if I told you, “That’s like saying, ‘I just ate a sandwich so there’s no global hunger.’” OK? So that’s a parallel argument. Humorous. Love to use this kind of argumentation, ’cause it makes for some … I mean, it’s funny, but you get the point. It’s an anecdote. And anecdotes aren’t good evidence. So just like that, you could teach the technique of using an anecdotal fallacy for climate-change denial. So, I have my students play this game. You could do it when you’re studying argumentation. You could do it for science denial. I use an inoculation extension with that, where I have my students pretend that … um, actually, back up for a second. So I teach a class on critical thinking. And at the end of semesters I would get emails from students on, well, they’re failing the class, but they really shouldn’t, for all of these reasons. And reading these emails, I’m like, “If you think that’s a good argument, you clearly didn’t learn what I was hoping you would learn.” So I now have my students, early in the semester, after they play Cranky, pretend that it is the end of the semester and you’re failing the class and you’re failing because you didn’t do the work. Use at least four of the fallacies from class to argue for why you should pass. So they have to put it on a discussion forum, and they’ll say things like, “Well, if you fail me, then I won’t get into graduate school and then people will die and it will all be your fault.” Or, “My dog died, and so I was really sad.” Or, um, “You’re just a terrible teacher. And you’re short. So I don’t like you.” Or that kind of thing. So, oh, they love to attack my character. It’s really funny. But it’s supposed to be funny. And the point is, the students are using those arguments, they’re using the fallacies, to argue for something. And so by creating that misinformation themselves, they learn how those fallacies work. But taken together, I mean, everything that we just talked about there, Cranky Uncle, and the fallacy assignment, or whatever iteration you want that to be in, that doesn’t have to be in a purely science unit. Right? That could be sociology. It could be argumentation. It could be English.
Eric Cross (49:01):
Absolutely. That could be totally a prompt in an English class. And practiced in there. And then this could be an interdisciplinary thing, going back and forth between English and and science. Just having these discussions and looking at it from different angles. And you’re practicing the skills in two different contexts. So you get into argumentation. And then that app, I know I had fun with it. And the questions on there definitely resonate with people in my own family. I’m like, “I feel like I’m talking to exactly somebody that I’m related to right now.” <Laugh> Melanie, anything else that you wanna share, or discuss or highlight, before we wrap up?
Melanie Trecek-King (49:39):
So we could talk about lateral reading, if you like. ‘Cause I know a lot of educators use the crap test.
Eric Cross (49:45):
Please, please, please talk about that.
Melanie Trecek-King (49:47):
So, when evaluating sources, a lot of educators teach what’s called the CRAP test. And I wish I remembered what it stood for. But basically what you do, a lot of us have been taught when you go to a website, to figure out if it’s reliable, you wanna go to the about page. Read the mission; see who they are; maybe read some of the content; evaluate the language. So is it inflammatory? Are they making logical arguments? Are the links to reputable sources as well? And the problem is that if a site wants to mislead you, they’re not going to tell you that it’s a bunk site, right? They’re just gonna do a good job of misleading you. And so, what you wanna do instead … the CRAP test basically is an evaluation of a site. And that’s what’s called vertical reading. So you’re looking through a site to determine if it’s reliable. Uh, I think his name’s Sam Wineberg at Stanford, proposed something called lateral reading. Where, instead of on the site, what you wanna do is literally open a new tab and into the search engine type the source. You could do the claim, too. And then something like Reliability or FactCheck or whatever it’s that you’re checking, and then see what other reputable sites have to say about it. So, in their study, actually, they did a really interesting study where they compared professional fact checkers to PhD historians to Stanford undergrads. And they evaluated — I wish you could … um, there’s two pediatrician organizations. One’s like the American Association of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatricians, something like that. They’re very similar sounding. So you give them to students. I do this with my students as well, the same study. So I give my students those two websites. And I say, “Which one of these is more reliable?” And they do exactly what most of us do, which is spend time on the site looking around. And most of the time, if not nearly all the time, they come to the wrong conclusion. And so then I tell them what lateral reading is: “OK, instead of looking through the site, open a new tab, search the organization and reliability.” Something like that. And it takes probably 30 seconds before they realize one of them has been dubbed by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group. As opposed to the other one, which is like a hundred year old huge pediatrician organization that produces their own journals and so on. But nearly all my students are fooled. And in the study, none of the fact checkers were fooled. I’m gonna get the number right. It’s something like 50% of the historians and 20% of the Stanford undergraduates got the correct answer. And they spent a lot more time on it. So it’s a great way to teach students how to use the power of the internet to evaluate sources much more quickly and, effectively. And yes, use Wikipedia, right? Wikipedia is not a final answer, but Wikipedia is actually pretty accurate. So if Wikipedia is the first place you stop, then yes, go there, see what Wikipedia says, and then follow some of their sources.
Eric Cross (52:47):
What popped in my head was like, Yelp reviews for websites. That almost sounds like what it was. It’s like when I search for a product, I don’t go and read the product description marketing. ‘Cause that’s all designed to sell me on something. But I’ll go and look in Reliability, if it’s like a car, or just other sites to cross-reference. And that sounds like what you were talking about is like cross-referencing. Seeing what FactChecker [sic] said about this site, versus seeing what a site says about itself.
Melanie Trecek-King (53:14):
Well, that’s a great analogy. Because if I wanted to know if a product was effective, what the manufacturer says about the product, clearly there’s a strong chance of bias. Right? They’re going to be on their best, um, put their best foot forward. Versus, what do independent reviewers say about this product?
Eric Cross (53:35):
Yep. And I am known to research something to death. And I get something called “paralysis by analysis.”
Melanie Trecek-King (53:42):
Ohhhh, yeah.
Eric Cross (53:44):
And it’s so bad that even if I’m trying to buy, like, towels, I need to find the best-bang-for-the-buck towel. I have to defer some of these decisions out, because I’m on the internet for three hours now. I’ll be a pseudo-expert in towels, and thread count, and all of that stuff. But yeah, that maybe that’s just the science person.
Melanie Trecek-King (54:03):
I mean, I feel your pain. I do the same thing. <Laugh> It’s annoying. Like, it’s just towels. What does it really matter? But yeah.
Eric Cross (54:10):
Coffee! It doesn’t matter what it is. I just need to go, “OK, I have to use these powers for good. Otherwise I’m gonna be researching forever.”
Melanie Trecek-King (54:16):
I wanna say one other thing. So, again, this is a college class and I have a lot of freedom. But one of the driving philosophies behind the class is a wonderful quote in a book, Schick and Vaughn, How to Think about Weird Things. And they said, “The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your decisions, and the quality of your decisions is determined by the quality of your thinking.” And I know my students want a grade. But I’m really trying to teach them how to be empowered through better thinking. That’s where the name “Thinking is Power” came from. I mean, we say “Knowledge is Power,” but it’s not enough to know things. And there’s too much to know. So being able to think and be empowered to have your own agency and not fall for someone’s bunk is my goal for my students.
Eric Cross (55:07):
And doing that is gonna help them through the rest of their lives. Not be swindled, not be taken advantage of, be able to make better decisions. There’s so many benefits to building that skill. And I know your students have definitely grown and benefited. I’m sure you’ve heard, long after you’ve taught them, heard back from them and how they’ve applied that course to their lives. Melanie, thank you so much for being here. For a few things. One, for providing and filling this space where there’s such a need. Again, the critical thinking resources, the tools that you used, are so, so important. If we ever lived in a time where they were critical, it was really what we experienced during the pandemic in the last few years. We watched people’s information literacy and science literacy play out in real time. And we literally saw life-and-death decisions being made based off those skills. That highlighted, I think how important this is. And then, taking the time to generate resources for educators like myself, that we can take and adapt and put into our classroom and start teaching our students. ‘Cause like you said, by the time they get to you, they’re, they’re so far downstream or so far in a system that, depending on the teachers that they’ve had and the education system they’ve been in, may or may not have even touched on these things. They might have learned a lot of facts, but they may not have built their muscle to be able to critically analyze and interpret the world around them. And you’ve just — even the last year, it hasn’t even been a year since we talked the first time — I’ve watched your resources continue to grow, and you share them. And so I, on behalf of those of us in K–12, thank you. And thank you for being here.
Melanie Trecek-King (56:49):
Oh, well, thank you so much for this opportunity. Thank you for everything that you do, reaching out to other educators and for giving me a platform to hopefully reach other educators.
Eric Cross (57:00):
Thanks so much for listening to my conversation with Melanie Trecek-King, Associate Professor of Biology at Massasoit Community College and creator of Thinking Is Power. Make sure you don’t miss any new episodes of Science Connections by subscribing to the show, wherever you get podcasts. 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. You can find more information on all of Amplify shows at our podcast hub, Amplify.com/Hub. Thanks again for listening.
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Meet the guest
Melanie Trecek-King is the creator of Thinking is Power, an online resource that provides critical thinking education to the general public. She is currently an associate professor of biology at Massasoit Community College, where she teaches a general-education science course designed to equip students with empowering critical thinking, information literacy, and science literacy skills. An active speaker and consultant, Trecek-King loves to share her “teach skills, not facts” approach with other science educators, and help schools and organizations meet their goals through better thinking. Trecek-King is also the education director for the Mental Immunity Project and CIRCE (Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative), which aim to advance and apply the science of mental immunity to inoculate minds against misinformation.
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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Winter Wrap-Up 02: Mathematizing Children’s Literature
While we’re hard at work producing the exciting fifth season of Math Teacher Lounge: The Podcast, we’re continuing to share some of our favorite conversations from our first four seasons. This time around, we’re revisiting our popular episode that connected literacy and math!
In this episode, we sit down with Allison Hintz and Antony Smith, authors of Mathematizing Children’s Literature, to talk about what would happen if we were to approach children’s literature, and life, through a math lens–and how we can apply those same techniques to classroom teaching!
Explore more from Math Teacher Lounge by visiting our main page.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:02):
Hi, I’m Bethany Lockhart Johnson.
Dan Meyer (00:04):
Hi, I’m Dan Meyer.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:05):
And we are so excited for another episode of Math Teacher Lounge. And as you know, podcast format; you’re listening now. I think one beautiful thing about the podcast format is that it gives us a little bit more time to have these rich conversations. And I promise I won’t do it, but I could talk to our guests for hours, hours! Authors Allison Hintz and Tony Smith have just released Mathematizing Children’s Literature: Sparking Connections, Joy, and Wonder Through Read-Alouds and Discussion. And today we get to talk to the authors. Allison, Tony, welcome. Welcome to the lounge.
Allison Hintz (00:53):
Thank you. We’re so grateful to be here.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:55):
We’re so excited to have you here. And I wanna say that my very first—was it my first math conference? Maybe it was my first math conference—up in Seattle, the CGI conference, and I’m all like, you know, wide-eyed and just like, “Can this be a place for me, this math community?” Re-envisioning my relationship with math and thinking about myself as a math teacher, what? And I went to your session on mathematizing children’s literature, and I was just so fired up. I was so wowed by your ideas, your energy, and your passion for students’ thinking. And I feel like as I read this book, I felt like I was hanging out with you. Like you were just so encouraging all the way through. Of educators, of other folks working with young people, and really guiding us how to listen with joy and with an open curious mind.
Dan Meyer (02:03):
Yeah. I would love to hear a bit about the genesis of this book for you folks. Like, I’m coming at this from a secondary educator lens. I’ve got small kids, so that’s also part of my interest here. But I love any book, any idea that seeks to merge what seems like two disparate worlds. Like it’s often the case that we feel like, well, there’s approaches for ELA and approaches for math, and they’re kind of separate disciplines. And these poor elementary teachers have to learn all of them and be experts at all of them. And here you both come along and say, “Hey, what if they are the same kind of technique?” Can you just speak to how this came about?
Allison Hintz (02:38):
Definitely. Tony, do you wanna take a try? Do you want me to start us off?
Antony Smith (02:42):
I can start. We oftentimes present and talk together and so we kinda switch back and forth. So that’s just how we are. So probably about eight or nine years ago, Allison and I, our offices were next to each other on our small campus. We’re both professors and we just happened to have a few children’s books that we looked at together and we were just thumbing through the pages. We really liked children’s literature. And we noticed that I would stop at certain points wondering about character motive or plot or sequence of events or language use. And Allison would stop at very different points in the book and notice number and concepts or something about mathematics. And that’s when we started to wonder, what would it be like if we were sharing a children’s book with a group of children and we put our ideas together? Where would we stop? What would we talk about? What would we ask children about in terms of their thinking and what they notice?
Allison Hintz (03:42):
And so we started playing with these questions that we had and started approaching stories with multiple lenses to see what kinds of things would children notice and what kinds of things might they say. And we were also on our own journey in trying to understand how to plan for and facilitate lively discussions and classrooms that surface really complex mathematics. And it felt like stories were a place where that might be a fruitful context for hearing children’s thinking. We’ve worked with a lot of teachers and students in our region. We live in the Seattle area and we’ve applied for some funding over time that’s really helped us be in a lot of community-based organizations and educational contexts and libraries and pediatricians’ offices and classrooms, various classrooms, and see what’s interesting about this and what might teachers and children do with stories that would surface complex mathematics to think about together.
Antony Smith (04:41):
Over time, we came to the realization that if we wanted to hear children’s ideas, we had to stop bombarding them with questions. <laugh> Yeah. And at first it made it worse that we were asking them math and literacy questions at the same time. And so we realized that what we needed to do was to back off and to ask children what they noticed and wondered.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (05:01):
Can you say more about that and how that kind of evolved into mathematizing children’s literature?
Antony Smith (05:07):
We did work with a number of very thoughtful, talented classroom teachers and children’s librarians in public library systems who were just so masterful at asking open-ended prompts and questions, rather than kind of like the de facto reading quiz, that a read-aloud can become, which I’ve always disliked as a literacy educator. And we realized in our observing these read-alouds or interactive read-alouds or shared reading experiences that given the opportunity in the space and an adult who was actually listening, that children came up with all of the ideas we would have asked them about and more. So we didn’t have to be bombarding them with questions. They were already much more thoughtful than what would’ve been sufficient to answer our questions.
Allison Hintz (05:58):
And much like mathematics, it was really an iterative process. You know, we had some clunky read-aloud discussions where we were trying to accomplish so much and toggling multiple chart papers and different colored pens and all sorts of “how do we capture these ideas” and “do we separate ’em? do we keep ’em together?” And so it’s really been over time that with partners, we’ve learned these ways of having multiple reads of the same story that allow us to hear what children notice and wonder, and then to delve more deeply into their questions and their ideas through multiple reads where we might spotlight literary ideas that they notice; we might spotlight mathematical ideas that they notice. We might make purposeful integrations between those. But we found it to be most productive—and Kristin Gray really help us think about this—to have an open Notice and Wonder, get everything out much like an open-strategy share. We welcome here, record all the ideas, and it goes all over everywhere. You know, it can be a really not math-y noticing! And those are amazing! So there’s a lot of, um, yes, there is a ladybug on this page! The grandma is wearing green triangle earrings! Oh, your grandma wears green earrings! I mean, it all comes out.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (07:27):
Wait, have you been in my classroom? ‘Cause that’s exactly— <laugh>
Allison Hintz (07:29):
<laugh> And then, you know, we think of it a lot like if math teachers might use the 5 Practices for selecting and sequencing, or if you might move from an open-strategy share to a targeted share, how can we get out all the questions that children are asking and then step back from them, take some time to really think about what they’re telling us they’re curious about, and plan some purposeful, intentional subsequent discussions that can delve more deeply into their ideas.
Dan Meyer (08:02):
I’d love to go into that a little bit more if that’s all right. Um, I’m gonna speak from someone who doesn’t have an elementary background and I’m gonna voice some worries that I had, some anxiety. One anxiety I have like in a classroom or a curriculum is when there’s no room for student ideas. Right? When it’s like, oh, there’s just room for the curriculum author or the teacher here. That is a sadness. But I when I see an instructional environment like you’re describing here, where there is openness to all kinds of different student ideas, of different levels of formality, from different kinds of cultural fonts of knowledge or wherever, I also get a little bit nervous because that, like, increases the risk that a student might come to understand that “my ideas are not good enough,” whereas in the class with no room for their ideas from their home or their language or their hobbies, like, they’re not gonna internalize the message that, “that wasn’t good enough.” And so I’m really curious as you move from the open Notice and Wonder where kids share all of themselves with you, and then you move to a targeted focus on some sort of disciplinary objective, how do you navigate that tension and help students feel like their contributions are valuable, even though we aren’t taking them up per se?
Allison Hintz (09:18):
That’s such an important question. I mean, I think we’ve grappled with this broadly in math education. I think any time we’re thinking about which ideas we choose to take up to pursue to consider, we have a responsibility to think carefully about whose ideas are being taken up and heard and considered. And so one of the tensions I hear you naming, I think, Dan, is when we engage in lively discussion where children’s thinking’s at the center, how do we make sure to upend and interrupt kinda status norms that run the risk of being deepened? Um, and I think by paying attention to whose ideas are taken up as much as which ideas are taken up, and what’s the mathematics we wanna explore is one tension. Um, another tension I might hear you naming is, you know, the complications that teachers face with time and pressure and coverage, and which mathematics ends up getting worked on. And, um, you know, it’s something we’ve really had to struggle with in mathematics education, where we move to more discussion-oriented classrooms that are really centered in sense-making to know that it takes a lot of time to do this thoughtful, thoughtful work. Um, does that begin to get at some of the tensions you’re raising? Is there, is there more you’re thinking about?
Dan Meyer (10:53):
I think it’s really helpful that you kind of broadened the scope of the question beyond your book to “this is an issue that we are, you know, really challenged by and focused on broadly in math education.” And, um, I appreciate you bringing the element in of whose idea—not just which idea is taken up, but whose idea is taken up—is an opportunity where, let’s say, multiple people raise an idea that is towards an objective the teacher has, they have the opportunity to disrupt certain kinds of status, like ideas about status, in that moment. From your perspective, like, are there techniques to say, I don’t know, parking-lot certain kinds of questions and say like, “Hey, like these are awesome”? I don’t know. I just know that I see kids at like ninth grade. They are very reticent, often. They’ve internalized totally this sense of like, “I’m not gonna just, like, share about the pants the grandma’s wearing, you know; that will not be received well.” And so I’m just kinda wondering how that happens and like, what are the ways we can disrupt that? That process?
Antony Smith (11:54):
So thinking about that, Dan, from the teacher’s perspective, in those kinds of scenarios where you wanna honor each child’s contribution, a couple of things that come to mind: One is that by, you know, initially by modeling what I as a teacher, something that I notice or wonder about, helps kind of set the expectation for what kind of response would be encouraged. And it’s broad, but it gives an example. And then also we really try to record or to chart all of the ideas that are shared so that we can revisit and honor those together. And then either later or on another day, if we choose one or two of those to explore in some way within a more focused read, then another thing that we do is have the idea investigation afterward that continues that thought, but goes back to being as open-ended as possible, so that those students or children who maybe didn’t have their idea as the one that was focused on by the group could go back to that or explore some other idea of their own, so that the idea investigation isn’t a lockstep extension activity, which is why we don’t call it that. So they could again bring in their own perspective. But I have to say from the teacher’s point of view, there is that moment of potential panic <laugh> because there is that power transfer when you’re asking children to help steer where this is going. And if you really mean it, you have to let them steer a little bit. And that can be terrifying. And, um, I always think of one teacher, Ashley, we worked with who read an adorable book, Stack the Cats, by Susie Ghahremani. And in that book, there’s a point where there are eight cats and they’re kind of trying to be a tower of cats and they fall and they’re sort of in the air on that page. And she asked her first graders—she stopped, and she asked, “How, do you think, how will the cats land?” And for about a minute and a half, the entire <laugh> class, was silent. They had their little papers; they had chart paper; they had clipboards; they had everything they needed. But that unusual phenomenon of a group of six- and seven-year-olds actually just sitting and thinking and not being peppered with activities was really stressful, but amazing. And then, after about the 90 seconds, they started out into their exploration of how the eight cats might land. They just needed a minute to think. And it’s so rare that we’re able to let children have that.
Allison Hintz (14:40):
In that same moment, Ashley, who’s a learning partner to us, she turned to us kind of quietly, like, “Should I pose a different question?” And <laugh>, we’re like, “No, let’s stick with it. Let’s see what happens.” So I think it creates this space too, this thinking culture, right? And this culture of “what does that mean to really pose a rich task?That’s open-ended, where there’s multiple access points?” Those eight cats could land in so many different ways. And there was broad access, there was a wide range of all the cats landing, and one’s on their feet, ’cause cats always land on their feet <laugh>, and there was every combination. And so, um, I think what’s really interesting—and to me, this brings back to your wonder, Dan—is, you know, “What’s the risk in openness?” And there’s always risk in openness. Um, it’s scary as a teacher, right? If I’m not the authority of knowledge and I don’t have control over where we’re gonna go, it might get into places that I didn’t anticipate. Or I don’t really feel as solid in the math as I want to. Or I don’t know what it sounds like to stick with silence and wait time, to know if my students are really in productive struggle or if that question was a flop. And so, um, I think this is some practice space for young mathematicians and teachers of mathematics, and just teachers, to explore with that openness and kind of the risk of the openness required for complex thinking to emerge.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (16:12):
You know, it feels like the way you’re both describing this, it really is a culture shift, right? I kept feeling like I was given permission to be a beginner as I read this book. Like I was really…I loved how you said, I believe it was you, Allison, when you were in the class, you had a couple index card that you kept on your clipboard and that as you walked around, you were like, “Hey, if I don’t know what to ask, I ask one of these questions.” You know? And just this idea that, that, like Dan was saying, there is that loss of control, but that’s also a way to create this culture where students ideas are valued and we are allowing students to really generate the questions, which I thought was such an important idea to explore.
Allison Hintz (17:00):
We started this work long ago, super-excited about math-y books. And we saw a lot of potential in them and we still do. But the limitation we saw is that math-y books, they, they put forth a certain mathematics to be curious about. In some ways they tell you what mathematics to think about. So we started asking ourselves what would happen if we considered any story a chance to engage as mathematical sense-makers. And we started playing with non-math-y books and we got to a place where we could consider every story an opportunity to engage in mathematical thinking. And so we started noticing things over times, oh, these books tend to be really math-y. We call those text-dependent. We’d have to pay attention to the mathematics to understand the story. Whereas this pile of stories, these, they’re not overtly math-y. You could really enjoy the story and not pay attention to mathematics and have an amazing conversation. But what would happen if we thought of about this story as mathematical sense-makers and how might it deepen our understanding of the story? And then this other teetering pile of books, these are books where, you know, children didn’t tend to engage as overtly as mathematicians in it, but there’s opportunities in this story to go back to something—to a moment, to an illustration, to a comment—and think as mathematicians. And those were more about illustration exploring. And so, as we notice these different kinds of books, we really broaden what we thought about. And I think one of the things we really wanna think about in community through this book is what happens if we approach any story, every story, as mathematical sense-makers, because stories are alive in children’s lives, in homes and communities and in schools. And it’s a broad opportunity that we wanna take up. I was thinking, as I stay in this strait for just a moment about book selection, before we move into that process, um, Bethany in a previous MTL, you talked about representation.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (19:12):
Mm, yeah.
Allison Hintz (19:14):
And do you remember when you shared the image of hair braiding?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (19:19):
Yes. Vividly, yes. <laugh>.
Allison Hintz (19:22):
Yeah. And can you say just what that meant to you? What that….
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (19:27):
Yeah. Well, it was from a conference; Sunil Singh had used it and was talking about the artistry in mathematics and beauty in hair braiding. And, um, particularly, he was showing this particular image of this Black woman with her hair braided in profile and looking at the angles and the symmetry. And I shared that, you know, I spent so many hours in the beauty shop with my aunties and my mom and my grandma and continue to, to this day, that it just, it struck me immediately as familiar. And it struck me immediately as seeing an image that was reflective of my lived reality, projected as valuable and worthwhile for consideration in the world of mathematics. Which is not what I felt as a student of mathematics as a young adult or child. So it was this beautiful moment of, for me, the power of when we see images and we allow opportunities for re-envisioning what may be a common practice for that student, or may be something that they see every day.
Allison Hintz (20:44):
And in that same way, that image that was put up, we wanna think really carefully about representation in the stories that we select. And when we think of stories as mirrors or windows, we really wanna be mindful in story selection of whose stories are told and whose stories are heard. And when you said that you would sit down to listen to a story and you felt at ease or that you saw an image and you saw yourself that can be and should be something we really think carefully about when we select the stories that we select.
Dan Meyer (21:21):
It’s a wider path for representation of different kinds of people in literature, because people’s stories seem so much more present and towards the surface of their lives, versus, say, the abstractions and numbers and shapes in mathematics. It feels like more of a struggle to find ways to show people, hey, like you’re here, this, this place belongs to you. So in all these reasons, I think it’s really great you folks are using literature, which has this history of humanities, literally humanities, as a vehicle for mathematics. That seems pretty special here.
Antony Smith (21:56):
We both go to libraries and bookstores and look through books as often as we can, but also our partner, a children’s librarian, Mie-Mie Wu, helped us go through—when we would meet, she would bring three or four hundred books at a time.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (22:13):
When you described her wheeling in the cart, oh, I wish I been in that room! <Laugh>
Antony Smith (22:18):
And the cart was, you know, probably three or four times bigger than she was sometimes. And we would go through hundreds of books and look at them and listen to her thoughts as a skilled librarian sharing with families, diverse families, and what catches the attention of a three-year-old sitting with her grandfather. And that was really a valuable, helpful experience. And it’s a partnership that continues. So in Last Stop on Market Street—and this is in the book; we talk about this, this children’s book quite a bit—in this story, CJ with his Nana, his grandmother, are riding the bus to the last stop on Market Street in San Francisco, to go, as we will find out, to help serve in a soup kitchen to help the community. And the teacher, Susan Hadreas, had the children record their ideas. She charted them in an open Notice and Wonder read. And one of the ideas that a young boy noticed was that CJ on the bus…a man with a guitar starts playing the guitar on the bus and CJ closes his eyes and it says CJ’s chest grew full. And he was lost in the sound and the sound gave him the feeling of magic. So this boy said, “I wonder, what does that feel like if you’re feeling the magic? What’s that?” And that was one of many ideas in the open Notice and Wonder, and Allison will talk about the math lens read, but first Susan went back and read with them. She had that idea, she circled it on the chart paper, and another day that week, she said, let’s go back and visit this story we really liked. And remember, we wondered what feeling the magic was like. Let’s go back through and let’s keep track of all the feelings and emotions that CJ had across the journey to the soup kitchen in this book. And so they did another read of the story; they were very familiar with it, of course, but they noticed new things and they also, every few pages, stopped and she helped chart all of the emotions that CJ experienced from envy to excitement to sadness. There’s a huge range in this book. And it was fascinating.
Allison Hintz (24:36):
I think one of the things that the children noticed was that CJ’s feelings were shaped by community. And that he shaped and shaped…he was shaped by and helped shape his community. And so the ways that he felt across the story were impacted by the other characters that he comes across. The guitar man on the bus. The bus driver who can pull a coin out from behind someone’s ear. The lady with the butterflies in the jar. Nana helping him to see the rainbow. And the students started, you know, being curious about that. How do we shape and how are we shaped by community? What communities are we a part of? This class is one community. I’m in many communities across my life. And they started to quantify the number of people in the story. So Mrs. Hedreas went back for a math lens read, and she said, let’s just keep track of and pay attention to how many people are in CJ’s life in this day. Because I can hear you starting to think about quantity. This class at the same time in other areas of the day had been working on counting collections, how to keep track, so they got out their tools. Some people pulled out ten frames, some people pulled out clipboards. They had a wide range of things they could use to help them keep track. They developed their own strategy, keep track however you want. She did a quicker read through it, flipping the pages, and then they get into these debates: <laugh> “We already counted that person!” “But they took their hat off and put it down to collect money!
Antony Smith (26:10):
“What about the dog?”
Allison Hintz (26:11):
“That’s the same person!” “Yeah, there’s a dog pound in his community!” <laugh> “Do animals count in our community?”
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (26:17):
I love it!
Allison Hintz (26:17):
“Yes, they count!” Uh, and so we went through and quantified and there was really this understanding as you saw these people throughout the story that communities can be of different sizes, but community has impact. And you have responsibility in your community to show up and to lean in and to know that bringing your full, authentic, vulnerable self, you shape people and they shape you. And what communities are people a part of. And it turned into this really interesting discussion about quantity and helped us think more about quantity and community. I think a really important moment for us and for that class was the transition from being people who almost did mathematics to a story, like counted things on a page, um, count acorns on a page in an autumn book, to being mathematicians who thought within the story.
Antony Smith (27:17):
And then two idea investigations that came from that —not at the same time, of course, but with the same group of children—one was they identified an emotion of their own and wrote and drew about that. And also, who helped them address or get out of or acknowledge that emotion. And then the other idea investigation was that all of the children drew or kind of mapped out a community that they were part of. Whether it was their neighborhood or their classroom or their soccer team or whatever it was. And so then those investigations strengthened the connections of those concepts to the lives of those children.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (28:05):
Well, I, actually wanted to ask you about idea investigations. Because I feel like that was such an important invitation in your book. And the way I understood the idea investigation is you’re really paying attention to what’s coming up in your other reads. Right? And then these are opportunities to extend the thinking, or like you said, to extend a particular aspect: What’s your community? Can we map your community? Or what’s a particular emotion? And it was in such contrast to what I think I have probably done in my classroom more than once, which was like, “Oh, we read this story about seals. So now my story problem is gonna be about seals, right? <laugh> Like in the story, you know, Jojo, the seal had five balls. <laugh> So if Jojo still had five balls and two of them bounced away…” You know, or whatever. Right? But that’s not what an idea investigation is. Right?
Allison Hintz (29:03):
Yeah. I think this is where we also had some stumbles and can totally relate to what you’re saying as previous classroom teachers as well. We have come to a place where we are pretty in favor of a super open-ended idea investigation that takes up the things that have surfaced in the multiple reads and making sure it’s a rich task with many, many ways children can engage with that. There’s many, many, many right answers or ways to engage. Less is more there. So we moved way away from, like, even a worksheet that might have an idea from it to blank paper and math tools and places to get into some productive struggle around some of the complex things that were raised.
Antony Smith (29:59):
A challenge with worksheets is that they put a frame around children’s ideas. So either there are only three lines to write on, or there’s only a small box to draw in. Whereas a blank page really opens up the possibility. Um, and so—is it Ann Jonas who wrote Splash!? sorry, I don’t have it in front of me—the book Splash!, about animals that end up in and out of the pond, including a cat that is not happy about ending up in the pond, an idea investigation after that for very young children was, with the list of the different creatures displayed at the front of the room: On blank paper, hey, draw your own pond and decide how many of which and each type of animal you want in your pond and then write about it. Just on blank paper. And so that allowed some children to draw, like, three giant goldfish. But other children drew 17 frogs and three cats. And, and just, it lets children follow—
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (31:02):
It was theirs, right? It was theirs.
Antony Smith (31:04):
Their idea. <laugh> And that comes partly from, I think, as Allison mentioned, we both were classroom teachers before moving into academia. And I remember giving children worksheets, particularly math worksheets, where they weren’t necessarily bad, but right at the bottom, it says like, explain your strategy. And it gives two lines.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (31:23):
Right! <laugh>
Antony Smith (31:25):
The only thing a seven-year-old can write there is “I thought.” Or “I solved it.” <laugh> And that’s not where we need to go.
Dan Meyer (31:34):
Yeah. If I could just ask the indulgence of the primary crowd here, like, I’m trying to make sense of all this. And I just wanna like, offer my perspective. My summary statement of what’s going on here. I’m trying to—I love how you both came here—
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (31:45):
<laughs> How ya doin’, Dan? How ya doin’?
Dan Meyer (31:47):
<laughs> I’m, ah, A, I’m loving this a lot. Um, B, I came in here loving how you folks are broadening the work of primary education to kind of find commonalities between these sometimes seemingly disparate kinds of teaching in ELA and math. Love that, I wanna say. But I think you folks are describing, with all these teachers you observed and your own work, is the work of attaching meaning to what students might not realize yet has meaning. Or they might think it only has one kind of meaning. But you, the teacher, with their knowledge, realizes that there are many more dimensions of meaning that can be attached to those thoughts. And I’m hearing that from you folks, when you describe A, what math is and the power of a teacher to name a thing as mathematical. Like, “Oh, you didn’t think math was that, but math is noticing; math is wondering; math is asking questions,” for one. But also this work you’re describing of how, like, first the task has to invite lots of student thoughts and then to say like, “Oh, I see that there’s a similarity to these two.” And to raise those up for a conversation or to ask a question like to extend one person’s, one student’s question a little bit more. But it’s always…I’m just hearing you folks attaching more meaning than the student might have originally thought. I appreciate the conversation. That’s really interesting.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (33:03):
Well, and now that the book is out, I think it’s gonna keep evolving, right? Now that it’s gonna be in the hands of teachers and librarians and educators and caregivers, it’s exciting to see kind of where it goes next. Which actually brings us to our MTL challenge. Dan Meyer, do you wanna share?
Dan Meyer (33:22):
Math Teacher Lounge, we have a challenge for the folks who listen and we’d love for them to hop into the Facebook group Math Teacher Lounge, or hit us up on Twitter at @MTLShow and just, like, kind of exercise beyond listening, exercise the ideas you folks are talking about, some kind of a challenge that can help us dive deeper into your ideas. So what would you folks suggest for our crowd, for our listeners?
Allison Hintz (33:42):
I would love to invite people to playfully experiment with a favorite story, with a story that’s new to you. I would love to invite listeners to sit with a story maybe on your own, and just ask yourself as a mathematician: What do you notice and wonder in this story? Don’t feel any pressure. Maybe sit with a child or some children and listen to what they notice and wonder. Like, really listen! Don’t ask questions! But hear their questions and place children at the center and consider multiple reads. Consider continuing to pursue their questions. And we have a planning template that might support people in kind of sketching out some ideas if you’re open to playing with that too.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (34:34):
And we will post—
Dan Meyer (34:36):
That’s awesome.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (34:36):
—a link for that planning template in our Facebook group and on Twitter as well. So thank you so much for that resource, because I think it’ll definitely help. It could help you, like you said, it could help you kind of organize your thoughts or help you think about this work in a new way. So thank you for that resource and thank you for the amazing resource that is Mathematizing Children’s Literature. I am so excited to continue to engage with you both and with listeners as they dive into this book. If folks want to engage with you more, where can they find you? How can they reach you?
Allison Hintz (35:12):
Well, we’re on Twitter.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (35:14):
Great.
Dan Meyer (35:15):
What’s your home address? <laugh>
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (35:24):
Wait, let me try that again. <laugh> ‘Cause it does sound like I’m like, <fake ominous voice> “Where can they find you?”
Allison Hintz (35:29):
4-2-5…. <laughs>
Antony Smith (35:32):
At the bookstore!
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (35:34):
Y’all, if folks want to continue this conversation or share these ideas or the math challenge, how can they tag you? How can they, they reach you on the World Wide Web, besides the Math Teacher Lounge Facebook group?
Antony Smith (35:50):
Yeah. Well, we are both on Twitter, and we’ve been trying to promote the hashtag #MathematizingChildrensLiterature. It’s very long, but once you type it once, your phone or computer…
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (36:01):
Easy. Yeah, those click, right? Is that what it is now?
Antony Smith (36:03):
<laugh> The other is that we do for our project, we have an Instagram account that is @MathematizeChildren’sLiterature.
Allison Hintz (36:11):
We care really deeply about hearing from people. You know, we think our ideas are constantly evolving and that there’s such exciting room to grow. And we just felt compelled to share what we were learning now so that together we could learn and build vibrant experiences for young children and teachers and families through stories. So we want to hear from people! We wanna learn about stories that are important in your lives and what children say, and grow these ideas together.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (36:42):
And credit to Dan, you told me you went and ordered a bunch of the books they have on the suggested read list.
Dan Meyer (36:48):
Oh my gosh.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (36:49):
You read ’em to your son.
Dan Meyer (36:50):
I got such a side-eye from my significant others around here for what I dropped on Amazon in one night! <laugh> Uh, all these books I didn’t have. Some of them I did. We are not fully illiterate around here! We do love the written word at the Meyer household! But there were a bunch that that I grabbed. I’m morseling them out day by day.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (37:09):
Wait, at bedtime I read my one-year-old One Is a Snail, Ten Is a Crab. <laugh> And let me tell you, he had vigorous pointing and “Da? Da da da da?”
Allison Hintz (37:22):
<laugh> Aww, da da!
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (37:22):
So hey, we’re on the road. <laugh> <music> Deeply grateful, not only for your work and your beautiful book and your work, but also for the invitation to dive into the world of children’s literature in a way that many of us have not before. And it’s fun! Thank you, Tony. And thank you, Allison. And thanks for hanging out in the lounge.
Allison Hintz (37:48):
Thanks for having the lounge!
Antony Smith (37:49):
It’s been fun!
Allison Hintz (37:52):
Thank you both.
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Meet the guest
Allison B. Hintz: Dr. Hintz’s research and teaching are in the area of mathematics education. Her focus on mathematics came about during her years as a fifth grade teacher – it was alongside her students that she developed her own positive identity as a mathematician! Today she studies teaching and learning, specifically facilitating engaging discussion. Her research and teaching happen in partnership with educators and children in formal and informal settings and focuses on beliefs and practices that support all children in lively mathematics learning. She is a co-author, with Elham Kazemi, of Intentional Talk: How to Structure and Lead Productive Mathematical Discussions.
Twitter: @allisonhintz124
Antony T. Smith: Antony T. Smith is an associate professor of literacy education at the University of Washington, Bothell. He works alongside teachers to create engaging literacy-mathematics learning experiences through exploring and discussing children’s literature. He is committed to the concepts of motivation, engagement, challenge, and creativity in literacy teaching and learning.
Twitter: @smithant Instagram: mathematizechildrensliterature
About Math Teacher Lounge: The podcast
Math Teacher Lounge is a biweekly podcast created specifically for K–12 math educators. In each episode co-hosts Bethany Lockhart Johnson (@lockhartedu) and Dan Meyer (@ddmeyer) chat with guests, taking a deep dive into the math and educational topics you care about.
Join the Math Teacher Lounge Facebook group to continue the conversation, view exclusive content, interact with fellow educators, participate in giveaways, and more!
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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.
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.
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.
Dive into a quick example of our powerful simulations
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.
- Grade 2: Hands-on investigation from Animal and Plant Relationships
- Grade 6: Hands-on investigation from Populations andResources
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.).
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.
Scope and Sequence
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
About mCLASS in NC
DPI is committed to providing literacy instruction for all by:
- Aligning core curriculum, instruction, and assessments with Science of Reading.
- Providing appropriate literacy interventions to address difficulty with reading development.
- Implementing practices based on the Science of Reading in every classroom every day.
- Providing aligned resources to parents, guardians and family members.
mCLASS is built on decades of research at the Center on Teaching and Learning at the University of Oregon, a national center for early childhood assessment and instruction. The measures are already in use in many districts in North Carolina. With the additional mCLASS suite including reporting, grouping, lessons and caregiver support, DPI’s early literacy goals for North Carolina students will be met.
North Carolina mCLASS DIBELS 8 requirements
DIBELS 8th Edition fulfills legislative requirements for K-3 students with sub test measures for:
- Phonemic awareness
- Phonics
- Fluency
- Vocabulary
- Comprehension
For the above reasons, the state will begin using DIBELS 8 data for EVAAS purposes effective 2021-22 from MOY-EOY for Kindergarten, BOY-EOY for all 1-2 teachers, and BOG-EOG for grade 3.
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Amplify assessment invalidation process
- Teacher requests approval for an invalidation from a school-level administrator and provides a valid reason for requesting the invalidation.
- School-level administrators reach out to the district Read to Achieve (RtA) contact to approve the invalidation.
- District RtA contact approves the request and notifies the school-level administrator who notifies the teacher.
- Teacher invalidates assessment.
Professional Learning
Stay tuned for new registration links!
Stay tuned for new registration links!
Preparing for EOY (Administrators and Enrollment)
North Carolina Online Course
All of our monthly webinars will be linked in the online course. You will access the North Carolina Online Course to view previous webinars.
- When you open your course you will see a navigation panel along the left hand side.
- At the top of this panel, you will see a small back arrow by the title mCLASS in North Carolina Initial Training.
- Click on that back arrow to be taken to the beginning of the course with the introduction.
- When you land on that Introduction page along the left panel, you will see the welcome to the course.
- Scroll down that left panel to the section titled Monthly Recorded Webinars, within that section you will see a link to the page where we are posting the webinars, click on the “this page” link.
mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition online course
As part of the implementation of mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition for the 2023-24 school year, all North Carolina educators will have access to a self-paced online course as a support for a successful implementation and to serve as a resource throughout the school year.
Learn how to:
- Administer and score mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition Interpret student data Identify students’ instructional need Access skills-focused lessons.
- Plan differentiated instruction.
- Please contact your district for access information to the online course. Districts received the link for the course in the DPI memo. Please reach out to your DPI consultant for assistance.
Monthly Webinar recordings will be placed on the Online Course site upon the completion of each session.
In addition, PSUs may purchase additional remote or in-person training sessions. Amplify offers in-person training options pending:
- agreement to Amplify’s Covid safety guidelines, and
- confirmation of availability for the requested training date.
Contact us for more information on additional PD.
Reading Camp
Overview
The Excellent Public Schools Act of 2021 defines “Reading camp” as an additional educational program outside the instructional calendar that the local school administrative unit offers as a literacy intervention to:
- any third-grade student who does not demonstrate reading proficiency and
- any second-grade student who demonstrates difficulty with reading development. Local school administrative units may offer a reading camp as a literacy intervention to any first-grade student who demonstrates difficulty with reading development.
Resources
The resources below review the Summer Benchmark assessment, Reading Camp data, and explain enrollment for Reading Camp.
- Districts hosting Reading Camp at each individual school
- Districts merging schools for Reading Camp
- Charters
- Accessing Summer Benchmark Data
Additional support:
We will be hosting office hours each Wednesday from 2:00 pm-2:30 pm EDT starting May 20th, 2026 and continuing through July 15th, 2026. This is a time for you to chat directly with us so we can help answer any questions you may have regarding reading camp.
Click here to join the office hours.
Office hours will occur on the following dates:
- May 20th
- May 27th
- June 3rd
- June 10th
- June 17th
- June 24th
- July 1st
- July 8th
- July 15th
Please note that this is not a presentation, but a chance to ask questions and receive specific support.
Enrollment resources
Each night, DPI extracts rostering files from Infinite Campus and sends them to Amplify. Changes in the enrollment system are captured in mCLASS the next day. As a reminder, no manual changes can take place in mCLASS.
In order to be included in the staff file sent to mCLASS from Infinite Campus, staff members must have a Read to Achieve role assigned to them. It is also important to ensure staff members are active, have a district assignment (Navigation to verify district assignment: Search Staff > Census > Staff > District Assignments), and an email address associated with NCEdCloud; If a staff member receives a “user not found” message when attempting to log in to mCLASS via NCEdCloud, this means they do not have a staff record enrolled in mCLASS.
Additional troubleshooting documents around enrollment can be found here.
Infinite Campus Resources:
mCLASS reporting
mCLASS gives you instant results and clear next steps for each student. Quick and actionable reports provide detailed insight into students’ reading development across foundational literacy skills for teachers, specialists, administrators, and caregivers.
View the mCLASS Reporting Guide to learn more.
Charter Schools
More information coming soon!
Remote assessment
We at Amplify and the team at the University of Oregon are here to provide continued guidance and support around collecting and using DIBELS® 8th Edition data.
This guide offers recommendations for benchmark assessment with DIBELS as well as tips for interpreting benchmark data during our unpredictable school disruptions.
North Carolina remote assessment guidance
Service Hub
Amplify Service Hub Now Live:
The Service Hub is an online portal which allows district- and school-level administrators to create support tickets, check on ticket status, and view reports related to support cases. Educators who have an RtA Admin role have access to the Service Hub. You can access the Service Hub here. Log in with the SSO Login icon and search for North Carolina Public Schools. Your NCEdCloud credentials will enable you to access the Service Hub.
Learn about navigating, viewing insights, and more in the
Spanish in NC
mCLASS Lectura is available for all students enrolled in a Dual Language program. When mCLASS Lectura is used with D8 teachers have access to the dual language report. This report provides side-by-side data of the student’s performance in Spanish and English.
Then mCLASS suggests actual strategies and specific activities to promote cross-linguistic transfer for bilingual students.
If you have students that would benefit from this assessment but are not enrolled in a dual language program, individual licenses can be purchased. Please reach out to your CSM and Jennifer Eason, your Account Executive, for more information.
Science of Reading resources
To continue your own professional learning around the Science of Reading, subscribe and join with your colleagues.
Science of Reading: The Podcast delivers the latest insights from researchers and practitioners in early reading. Further your professional development with each episode by subscribing and downloading them now.
Science of Reading: The Community is built for those committed to fostering conversation around the Science of Reading and implementing best practices in the classroom (including the virtual classroom).
What does classroom instruction look like when it is based on Science of Reading practices? We’ve outlined a Science of Reading action plan to guide your evaluation in our new FREE ebook, Science of Reading: Making the shift.
Caregiver supports
The mCLASS Home Connect website houses literacy resources for parents and caregivers, including at-home lessons organized by skill to help students at home during remote learning. Our mCLASS parent/caregiver letters in English and Spanish ensure that families know how to best support their child.
Support
NCDPI has been provided with its own dedicated support line: +1 (888) 890-2505
The current national support line will remain available and include the North Carolina option on the phone tree throughout the fall.
FAQs
Interested in learning more?
Amplify and NC DPI are collaborating on this FAQ. Please continue to check back, as we are updating this based on questions we receive about mCLASS and the current NC implementation.
Additional Amplify products
Get in touch with us to learn more about bringing other high-quality Amplify programs to your school or district.
¡Les damos la bienvenida, familias de Boost Reading!
Nos complace darles la bienvenida a usted y a su estudiante al Caregiver Hub de Boost Reading en este nuevo año escolar. Hemos reunido una serie de recursos y guías que ayudarán a que usted pueda brindar apoyo a su estudiante a lo largo de todo el año y a que este aproveche al máximo nuestra plataforma.
For English version, please click here.
¿Qué es Boost Reading?
Boost Reading es un programa de intervención digital dirigido por estudiantes y basado en la Ciencia de la lectura (Science of Reading). El apasionante mundo de Boost Reading utiliza tecnología adaptativa para brindar apoyo de recuperación personalizado a estudiantes de grados K a 5, adaptándose a las necesidades únicas de cada lector. Su estudiante puede usar el programa durante el horario de clase y también de forma independiente en casa.
¡Le damos la bienvenida a Boost Reading!
¿Cuál es mi rol?
Asegúrese de que su estudiante pueda iniciar sesión por cuenta propia.
Le recomendamos que ayude a su estudiante a iniciar sesión en casa a través de Clever u otra plataforma. El maestro también puede descargar e imprimir un código QR o un nombre de usuario y contraseña únicos que su estudiante pueda usar para iniciar sesión. Si tiene dudas sobre el proceso de inicio de sesión o no recibió los datos de ingreso, comuníquese con el maestro.
Sugerencias
- Practique el inicio de sesión con su estudiante de manera regular hasta que pueda iniciar sesión de forma independiente.
- Mantenga sus datos de ingreso en un solo lugar para que su estudiante sepa adónde recurrir si los olvida.
Procure un espacio tranquilo para que su estudiante pueda trabajar.
Prepare a su estudiante para usar Boost Reading en casa: asegúrese de que tenga auriculares y un lugar tranquilo para jugar. Boost Reading es un programa personalizado que responde a las necesidades de cada estudiante, así que no necesitará asistirlo con su aprendizaje. Una vez que su estudiante pueda iniciar sesión, podrá comenzar a usar el programa por cuenta propia.
Aparte tiempo para que su estudiante pueda jugar de forma independiente.
Es posible que su estudiante comience con una actividad de nivelación que ayudará al programa a asignarle el mejor contenido, de acuerdo con su nivel de lectura. Para garantizar la nivelación más precisa posible, es importante que el estudiante realice cada actividad de manera independiente. ¡Anime a su estudiante a que se esfuerce y se divierta!
Revise la seguridad digital.
Le recomendamos que revise Proteja a los niños en internet, un sitio web de la Comisión Federal de Comercio, cuyo tema es la seguridad digital.
¡Diviértanse más!
Cada estudiante tiene un compañero digital llamado Curioso. ¡Imprima estas páginas para colorear, y compártalas con su estudiante para que decore su propio Curioso!
Descargue las páginas para colorear Curiosos.
Cómo obtener ayuda
¡Estamos aquí para ayudarle!
¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre Boost Reading?
Visite nuestra biblioteca de ayuda (en inglés) y busque respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el programa en nuestros artículos de ayuda.
Para obtener apoyo curricular adicional, comuníquese con su maestro.
Preguntas frecuentes
Como los estudiantes pueden usar Boost Reading durante la jornada escolar, recomendamos ponerse en contacto con el maestro o la maestra de su estudiante para determinar cuánto tiempo debería usar este programa en casa. Nuestra orientación general es la siguiente:
Boost Reading
Los estudiantes que usan Boost Reading en los grados K–3.º deberían jugar durante un total de 30–45 minutos por semana, repartidos en sesiones de 10–15 minutos cada una. Los estudiantes que usan Boost Reading en los grados 4.º y 5.º deberían jugar durante un total de 40–60 minutos por semana, repartidos en sesiones de 20–30 minutos cada una.
Boost Reading y Boost Lectura
Recomendamos que, tanto en Boost Reading como en Boost Lectura, los estudiantes deben aspirar a usar ambos programas durante aproximadamente 40 minutos por semana.
Si su estudiante tiene problemas con el contenido, le recomendamos que no intervenga. Aunque sabemos que esto puede resultar difícil, Boost Reading está diseñado para adaptarse según las respuestas de su estudiante y proporcionarle un mayor apoyo e instrucción con el fin de que pueda avanzar en el juego.
Puyallup 6–8 Science Review | Amplify
S4 – 03: LIVE from NCTM with Bethany and Dan
In this episode, co-hosts Bethany Lockhart Johnson and Dan Meyer are LIVE with more than one hundred Math Teacher Lounge listeners at the recent National Council of Teachers of Mathematics conference. Listen in as they answer the pressing question: Who is the best teacher in film or television?
Explore more from Math Teacher Lounge by visiting our main page.
Presenter (00:00):
Ladies and gentlemen, from Math Teacher Lounge, we have Bethany Lockhart Johnson and Dan Meyer! <cheering>
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:08):
Doesn’t go well that the door was locked. Like, I could not get in! <Laugh>
Dan Meyer (00:12):
Yeah. Gotcha. All right. We’re gonna sit a little bit. Let’s see how that works—
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:16):
Hi!
Dan Meyer (00:16):
Yeah. I think we’ll stand up? Or whaddaya think, sit…?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:19):
Should we stand? Hi.
Dan Meyer (00:22):
Hello. Great to see you folks. Yeah, I can hear you.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:25):
Can you hear me? That’s—I know YOU can me. Can you hear me OK? OK! We’re here. Hello. Thank you for like, lining up and coming out and being here. Thank you!
Dan Meyer (00:35):
Means so much to me that you could be here for me, on my show, with Bethany Lockhart Johnson, my co-host. <Audience laughs>
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:40):
The hour has just started.
Dan Meyer (00:42):
We’re just getting going. Yeah. If you folks have heard the podcast, you don’t know how much gets cut out. And it’s like, mostly me just having, you know, anxious nerves and saying something silly and then we cut it out and we can’t do that here today. So it should be real fun for all of us, I think. Yeah.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:55):
It’s not true. It’s mostly dancing. “Bethany, can you stop talking? Bethany?” Cause it’s mostly—
Dan Meyer (00:59):
“It’s my turn. It’s my turn! Bethany <laugh>! I haven’t been heard for a while.”
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (01:02):
Dan. We’re at an in-person conference.
Dan Meyer (01:05):
In-person BIG conference, I would say. I’d say a big conference. Yeah.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (01:08):
And have you been to the Amplify booth?
Dan Meyer (01:11):
I have! Have these people? There’s a claw machine with free socks.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (01:16):
Yeah. You’re saving me socks, right? That’s what you’re saying. <Laugh> I mean, it’s exciting. How has your conference been so far?
Dan Meyer (01:21):
So far it’s been a blast. I feel fed. I feel like the community’s been awesome. How are you feeling about it?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (01:29):
OK. Let’s talk about me for just a second.
Dan Meyer (01:31):
Yeah. Talk about you.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (01:31):
Last night, Dan, was the very first night that I was away from my toddler. <Audience: Aw!>
Dan Meyer (01:38):
Big commitment being here. Thank you.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (01:40):
I got super-emotional walking back to the hotel after dinner, and then I got in my room, <laugh> I put on pajamas, and I turned on music. I slept so good!
Dan Meyer (01:50):
Yeah. <Audience laughs> Give it up for no kids! <Audience laughs> Hey!
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (01:55):
I love him so much. But I slept all the way through the night. Oh, by the way, I ordered room service in the morning.
Dan Meyer (02:01):
On Amplify.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (02:01):
That bill’s coming. But it’s been a great conference and I’m so delighted to be here in person and to get to share energy…and hopefully that’s all we’re sharing today. Y’all got your tests, right? Yep. Sharing energy and community today. Because we know it’s been hard. Hardness. Hard.
Dan Meyer (02:25):
Yeah.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (02:26):
Years. Hard. And to be in person, I know conferences reinvigorate me and I go back into my educational spaces feeling revitalized with new connections and new ideas to try. So yeah, I’ve been excited to be here. And thank you all for being here.
Dan Meyer (02:40):
Yep. I don’t care if I get six different strains of Covid here. I’m just thrilled to be here. <Audience laughs> I don’t know if you’ve had the same feeling, though, Bethany, you folks…I’m a little bit confused to some degree about what we’re doing. I just wanna be really transparent. This is my sarcastic voice but I’m being sincere here. It kind of feels like we’re in a little bit of a time capsule. Like we all got in a time capsule in 2019 and, you know, you open it back up and it’s like, OK, so we’re still, you know, talking about X, Y, or Z protocol for establishing classroom routines or whatever. And I’m like, OK! Like, I loved that in 2019! But I do admit, I’m still trying to figure out a little bit like, what are we doing now? What’s our relationship to the world out there? Things are very different. I have had some great sessions that I’ve enjoyed. I’m also like, still waiting for a session to draw a little blood. Do you know what I mean? Like there’s been sessions…no? OK. You’ve been in these sessions where it’s like, “Oh, ow.” Like, and you look down and there’s and there’s blood there. It’s like, I thought I knew what we were up to. Like, I thought I knew what teaching was and how we relate to the world. I dunno, like in any Danny Martin session in 2019, “Take a Knee” was one, where I was like, “Oh, OK. Like, I’m not as hot as I think I am here. Like, I’m part of a system.” That kind of thing for me draws blood. And I haven’t been in one of those yet. Been some great sessions. I’m a little hopeful that today we draw a little blood and think about what we’re doing here, is my hope here, if that’s OK. So Bethany’s gonna moderate that impulse and she’ll be the fun one and I’ll be the blood-drawing one.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (04:05):
No, I don’t…that metaphor doesn’t speak to me personally. But what I will say is, I get what you’re saying about really wanting to be in that room where there’s like this synergy happening. No promises about that today other than—
Dan Meyer (04:18):
I promise. <Audience laughs> Go on.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (04:20):
Other than I get what you’re saying. I’ll find my own metaphor that does not involve bloodshed, but.
Dan Meyer (04:25):
Sure. There’s a lot of ways we we could go about this today. And the one that I’m excited about is, you know, we could like, you know, analyze some results from students, and talk about what went into that. Look at classroom video. Lots of possibilities. But here’s what we’re up to today. Hope you’re into it. Which is, we are here in the heart of the entertainment industry. You know, Tinseltown! Um, the Big Apple! Uh…
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (04:47):
No!
Dan Meyer (04:47):
Come on. What do you got here? Um…
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (04:51):
It was daytime at night. Like the lights were so bright.
Dan Meyer (04:54):
The City of Lights.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (04:55):
There was a movie premiere outside my hotel room, which I was not invited to, unfortunately. But so what are we doing today?
Dan Meyer (05:01):
So here’s what we’re doing. We are gonna settle, once and for all, a question you have not asked yourself yet, perhaps, but will want to know the answer to in a moment. Which is: Who is the best teacher in all of film or television? OK? We’re gonna do that. It’ll be fun. But I hope that in debating this a little bit with a special guest we’ll bring up in a moment, that we will start to uncover some truths about what makes good teaching. How that’s different from teaching as we see it in movies and tv. Why middle-class America wants teachers to look a certain way in movies and tv. What all that means. And it’ll be awesome. I think. I’m hopeful it’ll be awesome. So what we did here is we’ve invited eight people. Eight folks you people may have known. You’ve been in their sessions today, in this conference, perhaps. And asked them: Who’s your fave? Like, we might have our favorites, but we wanted to democratize it a bit. So asked some cool people who you folks like, who are very smart and thoughtful about teaching: Who’s your favorite teacher?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (05:58):
A few of whom are in this room. Thank you for your submission.
Dan Meyer (06:00):
Thank so much. Yeah. We’ll see what happens here. <laugh>
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (06:03):
As they shrink down.
Dan Meyer (06:03):
Yeah. Might draw some blood that I don’t mean to right now. We’ll see. OK.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (06:06):
That metaphor, what IS that??
Dan Meyer (06:07):
Yeah. Yeah. I love it. I’m still going with it. <laugh> And you folks will be a huge part of this. THE part of this, really. So what will happen is I’ll share with you our first nominees. A few of us will make a case for our favorites, or least favorites, as the case may be sometimes. And then by applause, by acclamation, you folks will decide who wins and advances to the next round. Start with eight, move to four. You folks know math.You know where this goes. OK.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (06:34):
No, keep going. Keep going.
Dan Meyer (06:36):
Two, then one.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (06:36):
Yeah. Got it.
Dan Meyer (06:37):
Then a half of it. No?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (06:38):
He had to school me on the making of brackets. But we got it. Yeah.
Dan Meyer (06:41):
How brackets work.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (06:41):
But we got it. March Madness, what?
Dan Meyer (06:44):
Yeah, in order to do this right, we had to bring up—all the folks that you’ll see are also former Math Teacher Lounge guests, or like, just fan favorites. And we’re also bringing up a former Math Teacher Lounge guest to help us decide this and debate this in a respectful manner.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (06:59):
New dad.
Dan Meyer (07:00):
New dad.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (07:01):
You see where my brain’s still at? I miss him. <Laughs>
Dan Meyer (07:03):
Friend from San Diego. Really cool teacher.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (07:06):
Incredible teacher.
Dan Meyer (07:06):
Works at Desmos and Amplify. And I just want you to welcome up your friend and mine. Chris Nho!
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (07:11):
Chris Nho!
Dan Meyer (07:13):
Come up, Chris. Let’s go, buddy. We didn’t talk about it, but did you want to do the cornball stuff too?
Chris Nho (07:22):
Wow. Would I love to do—
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (07:23):
And then the door could be locked! And then you have to wait and like, just—
Chris Nho (07:27):
Yeah, I’ll skip that part.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (07:28):
Hi. Welcome. You’re here. We’re here in person.
Chris Nho (07:30):
Very glad to be here. Thank you all for having me.
Dan Meyer (07:33):
Tell me who you are.
Chris Nho (07:34):
My name is Chris Nho. I live in San Diego. I’m a new dad. A three month old, just had. Yeah, she’s actually here at the conference with us in the hotel room. And I promise you she is not by herself. She is with…come on. I was like, “Hey, just gimme one hour. I’ll be right back. I have to do very important work.” But yeah, I think I got invited here because I have opinions and I’m willing to draw…some…blood.
Dan Meyer (08:02):
There we go! Two outta three! We’re good on the metaphor now.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (08:06):
We’re so glad you’re here. If you haven’t listened to the episode where Chris and Molly and some other public math folks share their ideas and ideas of how to take math out into the world, please listen, because we had a blast.
Dan Meyer (08:19):
Inspiring work. Really inspiring work. Very cool. Cool. OK. Right on. OK.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (08:23):
Let’s do this!
Dan Meyer (08:24):
Let’s get started here. Yeah! <Audience cheers> Yeah. And we might ask you who your favorite teacher is, who’s missing from our list of eight? We might have forgotten some people. Anyway. All right. So here’s our first two. Our first two are nominated by way of, let’s see, um, Mandy Jansen is a professor at the University of Delaware. Got some awesome talks here this week, a Shadow Con talk last night. She’ll be nominating one. And also, um, Lani Horn is a professor at Vanderbilt, also extremely cool, prolific author and speaker, just all-around great human and friend of teachers everywhere. And she’ll nominate another in this bracket, which is the Northeastern Comedy bracket, Northeastern comedy bracket.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (09:06):
It just worked out that way.
Dan Meyer (09:07):
Yeah. Here it is. Here is Tina Fey in Mean Girls.
Tina Fey in Mean Girls (09:12):
“OK. Everybody close your eyes. All right. I want you to raise your hand if you have ever had a girl say something bad about you behind your back. Open your eyes. Now close your eyes again. And this time I want you to raise your hand if you have ever said anything about a friend behind her back. Open up. It’s been some girl-on-girl crime here.”
Lani Horn (09:52):
I am nominating Sharon Norbury from Mean Girls as the best movie math teacher. She is an awesome teacher who is always there for her kids. She always sees the best in them. She shows that she can forgive even some pretty bad behavior, if she sees that kids are trying. She’s a strong feminist who makes sure that smart girls don’t dumb themselves down just to impress boys.
Tina Fey in Mean Girls (10:22):
“Katie, I know that having a boyfriend may seem like the most important thing in the world right now, but you don’t have to dumb yourself down to get guys to like you.”
Lani Horn (10:30):
She’s also super hard-working. She works three jobs. She’s always there for the kids. She plays piano in the talent show and takes them to Mathlete competitions. And she’s also socially aware. And when things go really badly among the girls, she does some pretty creative things to try to get them to be kinder to each other.
Dan Meyer (10:54):
OK. That’s one.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (10:55):
Helen Case.
Dan Meyer (10:57):
All right. Settle down. Settle down. Settle down. All right.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (10:59):
Piano too!
Dan Meyer (11:00):
Bethany’s already trying to bias people here. All right. Chill out. Hold on. So next one is Mandy Jansen with Jack Black from School of Rock. Uh-oh. Uh-oh.
Jack Black in School of Rock (11:09):
“What was your name?”
Kid in School of Rock (11:10):
“Katie.”
Jack Black in School of Rock (11:11):
“Katie. What was that thing you were playing today? The big thing.”
Kid in School of Rock (11:14):
“Cello.”
Jack Black in School of Rock (11:15):
“OK. This is a bass guitar and it’s the exact same thing, but instead of playing like this, you tip it on the side. Chellooooo! You’ve got a bass! <Laugh> Try it on.”
Mandy Jansen (11:25):
And I’m nominating for best teacher in a film Jack Black as Dewey Finn playing Mr. Ned Schneebly in the film School of Rock. So why this portrayal? First of all, playing a longterm sub. Those are so hard to find right now. <Audience laughs> Really hard. And then he teaches using class projects. That’s brilliant. Integrated learning. And then love this. He gives students roles and tasks that are differentiated and align to the specific strengths that each student has.
Kid 2 in School of Rock (12:05):
“I can also play clarinet, you know!”
Jack Black in School of Rock (12:06):
“I’ll find something for you when we get back from lunch. I’ll assign the rest of you killer positions.”
Mandy Jansen (12:13):
And the film culminates in a performance of a collaborative song that they all wrote and performed together. And the students experience that collaboration and teamwork and creating something beautiful is much more important than winning first place. And finally, one of the songs that the character sings in the film is “Math is a Wonderful Thing.” Can’t beat that.
Dan Meyer (12:40):
All right. That’s tough. That’s tough. So here’s the deal. What we have right now is just a quick minute—so Bethany, you ranked, we all ranked our own faves here outta the list of eight. And Bethany put Jack Black in School of Rock a bit higher than Tina Fey in Mean Girls.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (12:54):
Missed the piano part though.
Dan Meyer (12:55):
And Chris, vice versa here. So Bethany, would you start us off and just make a quick case here for Jack Black versus Tina Fey?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (13:01):
OK. So here’s what I’m thinking. There’s been rumor that maybe they’re putting less than credentialed people into classrooms to fill teaching gaps. I mean, just rumor. And so here’s this guy who is a rocker. He is not a substitute. He has no teaching training. And yet he goes in there and it turns out that he has the ability to see students’ potential and to recognize their unique abilities. And like Mandy said, he really tapped into, like, he saw them and said, “No, more is possible for you than what you think is possible.” And there’s like real sub anxiety. When you walk in, you can either be like, happy there’s a sub, but I was usually really nervous. Right? And he goes in and he makes that classroom into a home.
Dan Meyer (13:53):
Wow.
Chris Nho (13:54):
Wow.
Dan Meyer (13:56):
Chris, speak on it. Tina Fey needs you. Chris.
Chris Nho (13:59):
Tina Fey. Here we go. I’m gonna argue here that—when was that movie made?
Dan Meyer (14:03):
T is for terrific. I is for Interesting.
Chris Nho (14:06):
Decades ago. And I’m gonna argue that Tina Fey was very progressive for her time. OK, let’s talk about social emotional learning. Hello. <Audience laughs> Love that. Right? Stand up if, I mean, she’s getting people to talk about their emotions. And there’s a curriculum. But let’s just pause, because that’s not what’s really happening in the classroom right now. So social emotional learning, I think she’s, she’s got that a lot. And then number two, you know, if you remember the plot of Mean Girls a little bit, she gets her name written in that Burn Book. Like she sees what they say about her. Restorative justice. Let’s go. <Audience laughs>.
Dan Meyer (14:38):
Whom amongst us. Yes.
Chris Nho (14:40):
You write Mr. Nho in the Burn Book?? Well, your grade book is gonna look like a Burn Book! OK? <Audience laughs> Tina Fey, Tina Fey, she was like, “No, you know, know what? I’m actually gonna spend more time with you. You’re gonna become a mathlete.” And Lindsay Lohan discovers—she drops the most iconic line in all of math education. “The limit does not exist.” Thank you, Tina Fey, for that. For that gift.
Dan Meyer (15:04):
Bless. Bless you. Tina Fey. Wow.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (15:05):
Oh, man. Wow.
Dan Meyer (15:09):
Let’s see what the people say here. I do wanna just add one quick thing about—it’s interesting to me how often in these movies—just kind of go in a little bit, zoom out just a minute—how often it’s a teacher who has no training as a teacher. <Bethany laughs> I am kind of curious why it is. Like, those are the movies that get hot, that get made. Again, these are all kind of a mirror of the taste of the moviegoing public. You know what I’m saying? Like, these, these are not movies—I wanna believe they are made for me and for us as teachers. But they are not. There’s not enough of us to justify, you know, Jack Black’s, you know, M&M budget or whatever he’s got going on in his trailer or whatever. That needs to be for everybody in middle-class America. So what is it about middle-class America that wants to see teaching as something that anybody can do? Just like, you know, just, just run up there in your van and make it happen.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (15:54):
Magic magically manifests.
Dan Meyer (15:56):
Yeah. Manifest. Yeah. That’s just interesting to me. I just toss that out there as some red meat. Let’s see what the people say here. All right, OK, so you’re ready. Let’s get the bracket going here. The question is Tina Fey versus Jack Black. You had a moment here. Just whisper to someone real fast who you’re going for here real quick. What are you thinking here? <Crowd murmuring> All right. Crowd’s buzzing. Crowd’s buzzing. Would you folks…? All right. Bring it back. Go ahead and make some noise for Tina Fey. <Crowd cheers> OK. OK. Make some noise for Jack Black! <Crowd cheers> Judges say Tina Fey. Tina Fey moves on. All right. All right.
Chris Nho (16:44):
Stunned. I’m stunned. I’m speechless.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (16:46):
Tina Fey moves on. Wow.
Dan Meyer (16:48):
This has exceeded my expectations in terms of having some fun, but also getting deep, getting deep and real about teaching. I’m into this right here. Yeah. What’s up?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (16:54):
That’s the goal. That’s the goal. OK. You wanted blood? Oooh, this next matchup might just be where that blood comes forth! OK. Stretch. Warm up. Dan Meyer, who’s up next?
Dan Meyer (17:11):
We’ve got the animated/animatronic round here in the Southeast. And repping the two contestants here, who do we have? We have Allison Hintz, professor, author outta Washington, as one of the two nominators. And the other nominator is one of my heroes, though we’ll find out very wrong about this nomination, Jenna Laib, who’s in the crowd, and I’m trying not to make eye contact here. <Laugh> And here are the two nominations. A couple minutes each. And then we’ll chat about it. And one of us will probably die. But we’ll see how it goes.
Allison Hintz (17:50):
A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, MTL, we began learning from the Jedi Master of Teaching. With the Socratic and experiential approach. With unparalleled mindfulness, compassion, and humility. The best teacher in TV and film, Yoda is. <Audience laughs> Yoda lives the values we share as teachers and learners. He humbly comes alongside us as we construct new knowledge.
Yoda (18:29):
“You must unlearn what you have learned.”
Allison Hintz (18:32):
Yoda allows us to struggle and sees mistakes as critical to learning.
Yoda (18:39):
“The greatest teacher, failure is.”
Allison Hintz (18:43):
Yoda values curiosity and reminds us of the beauty and joy of teachers learning from children.
Yoda (18:52):
“Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is.”
Allison Hintz (18:59):
MTL! Join the Resistance! Let the force flow through you in declaring, the best teacher in TV and film, Yoda is.
Dan Meyer (19:18):
Give it up for Allison Hintz! All right! <Audience applauds>
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (19:20):
Alison! And to have that on hand too, which Is kind of perfect.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (19:26):
Just to be clear, the helmet is not a part of a Zoom background.
Dan Meyer (19:29):
You may evaluate the quality of the nomination based on the costumes of the nominator. That is acceptable. That’s acceptable.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (19:35):
That is a REAL HELMET.
Dan Meyer (19:35):
All right. The next nominator here, this one is from Jenna Laib, math coach, all-around stellar human. Here we go. This is Ms. Frizzle.
Ms. Frizzle (19:42):
“Single file, class. Our rotten field trip has only just begun.”
Jenna Laib (19:47):
And I think that the best teacher from TV or movies is Ms .Valerie Frizzle from The Magic School Bus. First and foremost, Ms. Frizzle believes in her students. She encourages them to take an active role in their learning, and also to advocate for change in their local community. For example, there’s an episode where there is a logger who’s gonna cut down a rotting log that would benefit the local ecosystem. And the students figure out a way to convince him to leave the log so that all of the animals and the plant life can benefit. She orchestrates really challenging situations for these students, and she allows them the space to ask questions and engage in problem-solving and puzzle their way out of these really, really difficult scenarios. Ms. Frizzle has unmatched pedagogy. She’s bold, she’s innovative, and she’s a major proponent of experiential learning. So these students are heading straight into a storm to learn about weather systems. <Audience laughs> These students are heading into the human body to learn about digestion and disease. They literally get baked into a cake to learn about some chemistry and reactions.
Children in The Magic School Bus (20:54):
“What’s happening?” <Audience laughs> “Why is it suddenly getting so hot?” “Maybe it’s because the floor is on fire!” <Audience laughs>
Jenna Laib (21:02):
This pedagogy is all led by her outstanding catchphrase, which is:
Ms. Frizzle (21:06):
“Take chances; make mistakes; get messy!”
Jenna Laib (21:14):
From her pedagogy to the classroom community that she creates, Ms. Frizzle is an inspiration, and that is why I think that she is the best teacher from TV or film. <Audience applauds>
Dan Meyer (21:25):
Right on! Give it up for Jenna. Give it up for Jenna. All right. I’m gonna take first pass at this. Chris knows my argument already, so I’m gonna take this here. I see some of you are feeling how I’m feeling on this one. OK, so I don’t have tons to say in favor of Yoda. I think it was all true what Allison said. I think the costume was banging. It was awesome. So there’s all that, but I have more to say against Ms. Frizzle than for Yoda.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (21:48):
No, no, no. Wait a second!
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (21:49):
Let’s let it happen. Bethany, I’ve come prepared.
Dan Meyer (21:54):
I may have made a misstep here, I realize.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (21:56):
I’ve come prepared.
Dan Meyer (21:56):
So I think Jenna is all correct. I think those clips spoke for themselves. I think that what they add up to, to me, is not “great teacher,” but more “someone who should be locked up.” <Audience laughs> Or at the very minimum, “someone who should be kept away from children.” <Audience laughs> Do not let that woman around children. I mean, check it out. Look, I don’t wanna throw down credentials. I’ve been to grad school, though. I know how this works. When your brain is stressed, you get these—all the cortisol happens. Your working memory shrinks up. You cannot learn when you’re stressed. And those kids, like whatever lesson Ms. Frizzle is teaching by sending them into an oven, I repeat, an oven <audience laughs>, like, they’re not gonna learn anything ’cause their brains are freaking out with stress and fear. OK?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (22:41):
“What’s happening??”
Dan Meyer (22:43):
“What’s happening? Am I on fire? Well…I’m learning lots, though! Sure is magical!” <Audience laughs> It’s like, “No. Get that woman out of a classroom.” That’s my opening and closing argument. Right? There’s all it is.
Chris Nho (23:01):
All right. All right. All right.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (23:02):
Chris knows.
Chris Nho (23:03):
I’ve got, I’ve got lots to say. First off, I think Dan was in charge of the editing of those video clips. So let’s let that be—you know, let the record stand. <Audience laughs>
Dan Meyer (23:11):
Where’s the lie though? Where’s the lie?
Chris Nho (23:14):
And, you know, second, I think, um—this is the guy up here saying, “I wanna see blood.” You know? And then he has a teacher who literally takes the students into a blood cell and, and you get a little scared! You get a little worried for the students, you know? So I just don’t get it, Dan. This or that. OK? I think Ms. Frizzle—so I actually went to a project-based learning school. I taught at a project-based learning school. And the best thing about it is like, your learning, it doesn’t just stay in this box of math lesson or writing lesson, history lesson. And I think with Ms. Frizzle, like you can’t help but learn things because you are getting baked in a cake. <Audience laughs> Yeah, it is a little scary. And I imagine there’s cortisol and things happening, but guess what? Probably the next episode, they go into their own brains and explore what’s happening. That kind of thing. You know?
Dan Meyer (24:07):
The kids that survived, just be clear. <Audience laughs>
Chris Nho (24:10):
Yeah. OK. Would I want Nora, my three-month-old, to be babysat by Ms. Frizzle? Maybe not. <Audience laughs> But what I have to say about Yoda is Yoda maybe wins the best tutor award. Give it up for Yoda’s Best Tutor Award.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (24:24):
Oh, yeah…
Chris Nho (24:25):
That ratio’s looking really nice. I could teach the heck outta Luke Skywalker. OK? But 20 little Luke Skywalkers running around. I’m not sure. OK?
Dan Meyer (24:34):
Luke did survive the training, though. <Audience laughs> So that’s awfully nice to say about it. All right, Great words from Chris here. I’m still not convinced. We’ll see how you’re convinced here. Would you whisper to someone where you’re leaning here? Frizzle or Yoda? <Audience buzzing>
Chris Nho (24:47):
I tried. I tried.
Dan Meyer (24:53):
All right. That’s enough of that. Let’s hear it folks. Give it up for Yoda. <Audience cheers> Give it up. Give it up. You. Give. It. Up.
Chris Nho (25:05):
Hey, next. Next.
Dan Meyer (25:06):
All right. All right, all right. <Mutters> Give it up for Ms. Frizzle. <Audience cheers louder> I dunno, it’s pretty close. Call a tie. Maybe Yoda? Yoda by nose? <Audience laughs> All right. All right. Let’s…let me see who’s it. Let’s get the people advancing here. I’ll keep on moving here.
Chris Nho (25:26):
As you’re doing that. Um, Dan ranked Ms. Frizzle last in his personal ranking. And I ranked Ms. Frizzle very high, so we knew this one would be spicy,
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (25:36):
<laugh> Spicy it was. Are you having a good time so far? <Audience cheers> So while we love seeing these images and we love seeing these video clips, at the core, what are these things about how teachers are portrayed? And how accurate is that to our real lives? I mean, besides the cake part, right? That my chemistry class did often feel like I was on fire. I was so stressed in it. Um, we’re ready?
Dan Meyer (26:05):
Yep. Great. We’re ready, we’re up here. So the next two nominees are coming to you folks from Tracy Zager, who is the editor of my book, forthcoming in 2027 at the earliest and 2032 at the latest. And also your very own Zak Champagne from Florida, here in the room. Hey, Zak. Zak, let’s see who the nominations are. I’m gonna skip past that, didn’t work out so well for me. Here it is. This is Marshall Kane from the TV show Community.
Michael K. Williams in Community (26:32):
“You two complete your case to the class and let them decide your grades.”
Joel McHale in Community (26:37):
“Professor, thank you.”
Michael K. Williams in Community (26:40):
“It’s not a favor, Mr. Winger. Man’s gotta have a code.”
Joel McHale in Community (26:44):
“Awesome.”
Zak Champagne (26:46):
This is a pitch for an underdog. This teacher didn’t stand on desks or encourage his students to follow their musical passions. In fact, this teacher was seen only in a few episodes of my favorite TV show of all time, Community, Community has set at Greendale Community College in Colorado. And in season three, we get to meet Dr. Marshall Kane, a biology professor whose story is an inspiration to anyone who just takes the time to look and listen. Dr. Marshall Kane slowly earned his PhD while in prison, serving a sentence of 25 to life. In his classroom, he inspires students to love biology, question why LEGO has become so complicated, and randomly pairs his students for group projects to ensure no one feels left out. His greatest performance comes when a group of students believe their yam project was intentionally sabotaged. Dr. Kane took this as an opportunity for some trans-disciplinary real-world learning. So yes, at community college, he felt that a middle-school mock trial was the best way to determine who killed the yam. So let’s all pick the underdog and vote for Dr. Marshall Kane. After all, man’s gotta have a code. <Audience goes “oh!” and applauds>
Dan Meyer (27:53):
Thank you, Zak.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (27:54):
I have a code.
Dan Meyer (27:56):
Next up is Tracy Zager, nominating an unusual nomination, not a single person, but an ensemble performance. A bunch of people from a movie called Searching for Bobby Fisher. Here we go.
Rapid-fire movie dialogue (28:11):
“What’s that?” “Schleimann attack.” “Schleimann attack? Where’d you learn that from, a book?” “No, my teacher taught me.” “Aw, your teacher. Well, forget it. Play like you used to, from the gut. Get your pawns rolling on the queen’s side.”
Tracy Zager (28:26):
Hey, Math Teacher Lounge. This is Tracy Zager. I’m excited to share my nominee for the best movie teacher. But I have to admit that when I first got the email, I thought, oh, who am I gonna nominate? Because most movies about teachers are highly problematic. They usually have like a saviorism thing, usually white saviors. And I just felt like I couldn’t suggest any of those. So rather than nominate a movie about a single teacher, I wanted to nominate a movie that taught me something about teaching. And that movie is a deep cut. It’s Searching for Bobby Fischer. It’s a movie about a chess prodigy. And what I love about it is that all of the different adults in the movie are in teacher roles in some way. And the student, Josh, the chess player, is a fully realized character, not an empty pail, who pulls from the strengths of each one of those adults while also dealing with their flaws and humanity. And there’s just beautiful synergy in the way he gets the best out of everybody, but also has to overcome some of the barriers that they put in front of him. So I feel like it’s a much more authentic and humbling, but also inspiring, movie about the power of teaching. So if you haven’t ever seen it, check it out. And I can’t wait to see who the other nominees are. Thanks so much.
Dan Meyer (29:53):
Right on. Thank you, Tracy. Wherever you are. <Applause> We’ll move a little quicker here. I’m curious, Bethany, you put Marshall Kane pretty high. I put Bobby Fischer pretty high. What do you have to say about Marshall Kane for us here?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (30:04):
Well, I just wanna say two things. One is that, like Zak said, he has this code of conduct that he brings in. And he stays true to it no matter what happens. If you saw him in in Community, you know that he held himself up to such high esteem, but not just himself, his students as well. And he took accountability when he felt he had done wrong, even though, well, that’s controversy. But first—oh, the other thing, rest in peace, Michael K. Williams. Oh my gosh. The actor who plays Marshall K. And the thing that I wanna say most of all about it is that he brings his whole self to the classroom. He was in prison for decades. He brings his whole self and says, “This is who I was. This is who I am today. And this is how we can work together as a community.”
Dan Meyer (30:58):
That’s big. I love your comments about code of conduct too. It makes me wish that Ms. Frizzle had a code of conduct also.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (31:05):
I knew that was coming back!
Chris Nho (31:06):
Two slides ago, Dan. That was two slides ago.
Dan Meyer (31:08):
Can’t let it go. So yeah, I love what you said there. I have no strong beef here either way. Bobby Fischer’s a movie I have loved dearly and can’t be objective about it. I love that the kid in that movie, more than any other movie here, the kid teaches the adults so much through his innocence and how he challenges them and how they’re treating him. Dig all that so much. Will not, will not begrudge anyone any vote either way here. I do begrudge many of you your vote in previous rounds. <Audience laughs> So let’s just, let’s hear. We’re not gonna ask you folks at all to chitchat. We’re gonna move on this one. So would you folks make some noise here for Marshall Kane in Community? OK. OK. And would you make some noise here for Bobby Fischer, the kid in Bobby Fischer, the ensemble? <Audience cheers, applauds>
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (31:56):
Marshall Kane.
Dan Meyer (31:57):
Marshall Kane takes it. All right. Good job, Marshall Kane! All right. Zak’s feeling good. Moving on to the final four here, Zak, right on. OK. Our last—the Northwest Division here is also the large urban district division here. We have a couple different teachers in sets of large urban schools. They’re nominated, they’re advanced by a couple people here. One is past president of NCTM, Robert Berry. And another is Fawn Nguyen, Southern California phenom. Great teacher and friend of lots of us. Um, let’s see who they nominated here. First from Robert Berry, let’s see, who is it here? Janine Teagues from Abbott Elementary.
Abbott Elementary dialogue (32:37):
“Hey, you know what? I’m probably probably gonna be Kenny’s second-grade teacher. Why don’t you just let him get a head start with me today?” “That’d be great.” “Yeah? OK. Hey, Kenny, would you like to be in my group today?” “Not really.” “That’s the spirit.”
Robert Berry (32:54):
My nomination is gonna be Quinta Brunson, the Emmy Award-winning Quinta Brunson from Abbott Elementary. Janine Teagues is the character. She exemplifies care not only from an affect way, but she also exemplifies care in the things that she does for her students. While the scenes in the show are entertaining, they do represent the challenges that teachers experience when they’re trying to meet the needs of her students. So she goes, goes all out for her students and finding resources. She accesses other people to get resources for her students. But the care shows up in the way that she is mindful of their needs. And so, for me, when I think about teachers and teaching, sometimes we can talk about pedagogy, but sometimes we also can talk about those kind of intangibles that makes a teacher a great teacher. It is apparent from her students that she cares about them, she supports them, and she goes all out 100% for her students. Janine Teagues, Quinta Brunson is, I think, is my choice of the best teacher on television because of the realism and the representation that she brings to this character of what teaching is about. <Applause>
Dan Meyer (34:28):
Right on. Right on. OK. OK. Next up, we’ve got, Fawn Nguyen is nominating Erin Gruwell from Freedom Writers. Here we go.
Hilary Swank in Freedom Writers movie (34:39):
“Look, you can either sit in your seats reading those workbooks or you can play a game. Either way, you’re in here till the bell rings. OK? This is called the Line Game. I’m gonna ask you a question. If that question applies to you, you step onto the line and then step back away for the next question. Easy, right? The first question. How many of you have the new Snoop Dog album? <kids move around> OK, back away. Next question. How many of you have seen Boys in the Hood?”
Fawn Nguyen (35:26):
We all learn about Miss G and her 150 students in the movie Freedom Writers starring Hilary Swank. All great teachers share a common set of traits. They care deeply about their students, have high expectations of them, and always believing wholeheartedly that they will succeed. Great teachers go above and beyond, not because they extraordinary—as Anne Gruwell would always refer to herself as an ordinary teacher—but because extraordinary things happen to people when we believe in them, give them hope, help them write their own story with a different ending. So what stood out for me with Miss G is the scope of her reach, the ever-expanding sphere of her humanity. The red tape she had placed on the classroom floor for the line game shows just how much we all have in common despite our differences. Her students didn’t just learn from her; they learned from one another. If you’d like to be part of this expanding sphere to give voice and hope, please check out Freedom Writers Foundation dot org.
Dan Meyer (36:38):
OK. This right here is a tough one for us. Thank you, Fawn. We collectively ranked—that’s our number one seed and number eight seed, which I hasten to say does not have to do with Erin Gruwell, a person, but the portrayal and the movie. So we don’t have like a whole lot of…there’s not a lot of defense we have to offer here of our eighth seed. And I heard like a kind of a little bit of a murmur over the crowd on Erin Gruwell. So I’m more interested than having a defense back and forth. I’d be curious what you, Bethany, think about what, like, what both movies have to say about like, what teaching is, especially teaching urban schools with black and brown kids and lower-class kids, for instance. They both have, I think, very different things to say about them. Do you have thoughts about that?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (37:19):
Well, it’s interesting because there is some overlap in the sense that the arguments that both Fawn and Robert Berry put out, they both care deeply about their students, right? We’re not gonna argue that. They care deeply. And something that I would say about Miss Teagues is there’s something about the way that she sees not only her classroom, her students, but she sees all of the students in the school as her students. And her idea of resource generation is really helping the teachers to generate resources from their community themselves, and to also realize that the students see themselves reflected in the teachers. And I think that—you know, again, this is not about the real person—but the movie portrayal, and we often see kind of this, for Freedom Writers, we often see this like, Great Last Hope whisked in and her personal sacrifices are what makes these students, these brown and black students’ transformation possible. Because of her sacrifices. Including her marriage. Including, you know, three jobs. And it’s just portrayed in a way that I think really celebrates her sacrifices rather than what the students have already brought—they already come into the room bringing so much as they are, already, without her intervention.
Dan Meyer (38:38):
I love the portrayal of the teacher as part of a community of teachers. Versus in so many of these movies, it’s the teacher as the only person who gets it, you know, oftentimes coming from outside of the world of teaching and everyone’s against them and wants ’em just to fall in line and do the thing we always do, and they’re the outlier. But in Abbott Elementary, it’s like we all rise and we fall together. And teachers are investing in each other’s success, especially with Gregory the longterm sub. We’re all rooting for his, you know, his flourishing. I love that. And yeah. That’s bigtime.
Chris Nho (39:09):
Yeah, I think one interesting thing is that Freedom Writers, when it came out, I think it was like a commercial success.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (39:17):
Oh, big time. Yeah. It was.
Chris Nho (39:18):
It probably influenced a lot of people to try teaching out. So I do wonder what it says about us, right? Like that we want teaching to fit this narrative, and we wanna be those people who could go into a classroom and <puts on “cool voice”> “Y’all listen to Snoop Dog?” and just have that question HIT. <laughter> And you know, I’ve taught in a large urban school district, and I’ve been that person and I’ve seen other people try and be that person. And I think stepping away from it a little bit, just—it’s a reflection of what people want out of teaching and what they think better education looks like.
Dan Meyer (39:57):
Yeah, yeah. This idea that, so I’m a middle-class person, let’s say, and like, there’s this idea, like, “I know what I would do if I was going into circumstances of impoverishment.” Like I have—
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (40:06):
“All they really need is…”
Dan Meyer (40:07):
…for me to give ’em some real talk and tell ’em, you know, pull their pants up or whatever, listen to Snoop Dog, that kind of thing. And that will be the key. And that’s not how it is in, you know, in Jack Black in School of Rock or Tina Fey school, which are, you know, coded as largely like upper-class or largely white schools. And in those movies, it’s interesting, like how it’s about students discovering themselves, oftentimes. And the central figures are often students. And the students need to reject an oppressive parent figure or something and find themselves. But no, in Freedom Writers, it’s like, “You need to become more like the middle-class teachers who are coming in here to give you this wisdom.” It’s just interesting. I do find it—a pet peeve of mine is when movies portray teachers as only successful if you endure, for instance, the failure of your marriage, or even in Stand and Deliver, for instance, like Jaime Escalante, they depict him having a heart attack. And, like, the job oughta be…easier. <Audience laughs>
Chris Nho (41:04):
Truth.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (41:05):
That’s the barometer for how much….
Dan Meyer (41:09):
Like, no heart attacks and no divorces related to the job, that kind of thing. I do love how in Abbott—one last thing and we’ll vote and Abbott will win <audience laughs>—is like how, like there, there is a lot of degradation in Abbott, but it’s not a divorce or a heart attack—it’s the petty indignities of asking a student, “Do you wanna hang with me?” And a student says, “Nah, not really.” And that just spoke to me like how it’s not cinematic, but teaching, successful teaching, is like a collection of developing an immunity to students saying, “You’re not hot.” <Laugh> You know? And so I love that. I do wish that there was more depiction of students in Abbott Elementary. It’s a lot of adult stuff. Whatever. Give it up for Abbott, if you would, please. Let’s just get this done here. All right. That’s plenty. That’s plenty. Not gonna ask folks about Freedom Writers. OK, let’s move on to— all right, let’s hear it for Freedom Writers! Yeah. OK, cool. We go, yep.
Chris Nho (42:05):
Plot twist!
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (42:07):
OK, let’s see our final four. Cut and paste. Real time. Real time.
Audience member (42:12):
Where’s Dolores Umbridge?
Dan Meyer (42:14):
Oh….
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (42:16):
Hey, did you hear that? He said, “Where’s Dolores Umbridge?”
Dan Meyer (42:20):
All right. OK.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (42:20):
See, we missed so many. We could…
Dan Meyer (42:21):
So coming up here, we’ve got in the Eastern Conference, Tina Fey and Ms. Frizzle. Y’all know how I feel about that one. Let’s just get this one done. OK, let’s give it up for Tina Fey. Let’s hear it. <Audience cheers> OK. All right. Yes! Let’s give it up for menace to children everywhere, the terror, the Ms. Frizzle. <Audience cheers> One more time for Tina Fey. Let’s hear it. <Audience cheers> One more time for Ms. Frizzle. Let’s hear it. <Audience cheers>
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (42:59):
Yeah. OK.
Dan Meyer (43:00):
It took ’em one round, but they made the right call in the end. <Laugh>
Chris Nho (43:04):
All it took was 10 minutes of constant Ms. Frizzle-bashing. <Laugh>
Dan Meyer (43:09):
Persevering and problem-solving, that’s my game. Yes. All right. So, do either of you want to influence the audience one way or the other?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (43:16):
That’s not how I play, Dan.
Dan Meyer (43:18):
Oh, OK. Yeah, that’s true. That’s true. You’re good. On Abbott versus Marshall Kane, should we just let ’em have it? All right. All right. Give it up For Abbott Elementary. Not bad. And for Marshall Kane. OK. OK. I hear Zak and five other people. All right, cool. <laugh> Right on. All right. We got our, we got our finals,
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (43:45):
We did it. We made it to two. And we know: We left out a lot of people. Right? And honestly, I kind of wish we could poll like everyone. I mean, think you put it on Twitter, right? Like, who would you pick? But I would say we had a pretty solid eight there. I’m excited to see who… Look at the little crown he put, you guys. Come on.
Dan Meyer (44:05):
I worked hard for you. For you. <Laugh> Yeah. I liked that it was a good bunch that had a lot of different kinds of qualities…and lack of qualities in some cases. And it allowed us that—I shouldn’t knock her while she’s down, and she IS down, it’s true. <Laugh> And I appreciate the conversation we’ve had, what they have revealed overall about teaching and what the world wants teaching to be versus what it actually is or actually should be. I appreciate that. So let’s settle this here. Give it up, if you would, for Abbott Elementary. <Audience cheers> And give it up for Tina Fey in Mean Girls. <Audience cheers>
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (44:49):
Wow.
Dan Meyer (44:51):
That was close. I almost give that to Tina Fey.
Audience member (44:55):
Yeah, we do!
Dan Meyer (44:55):
I don’t know. That was a bracket-buster for me right there. Yeah. I lost money in the office pool off that right there. Maybe let’s just find out one more time here. One more time.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (45:03):
Last time.
Dan Meyer (45:03):
Time to summon up all your conviction on one or the other here. No half-measures right now. All right.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (45:07):
Emmy Award-winning Quinta Brunson.
Dan Meyer (45:09):
Yeah, you saw Robert Berry on that, right? He was like, “Oh, I got one more card to play. Emmy Award-winning.” That’s admissible. That’s admissible. We’ll take that. All right. So…give it up for Abbott Elementary, one last time. <Audience cheers> OK. All right. All right. And give it up for Tina Fey in Mean Girls. <Audience cheers>
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (45:30):
Drumroll, please!
Chris Nho (45:33):
Best teacher is….
Dan Meyer (45:34):
Tina Fey in Mean Girls! Yeah. Not a bad pick.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (45:39):
I love it. And I think, too, I think we’re gonna have a little bit of a more reflective lens than we thought we did when we see depictions of teachers in film and television. And, you know, hopefully we’ll see some new tropes come in, right?
Dan Meyer (45:55):
Yep. Yeah. Every dollar we spend on movies with lousy teachers is just encouraging these people to make more lousy teacher movies, you know? Awesome. Thank you for being here for a live taping—
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (46:06):
Thank you for being here.
Dan Meyer (46:06):
—of our podcast, Math Teacher Lounge, in a hot room. Appreciate that. Yeah, it’s been fun for us to have you here. Um, super-important, super-important final remark: Bethany loves Oprah and Oprah occasionally, in the show—
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (46:18):
Is she coming?! Is she here?!
Dan Meyer (46:19):
Not here! Not here! Calm down. Calm down. Um, but we do have in Oprah fashion, not something—
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (46:24):
Oh. Oh, OK. Oh, that’s, that’s OK. Sorry. I got, had really excited for a second. As if the Amplify playing cards, The Amplify t-shirts being chucked at you at high speed—I did try to get a t-shirt cannon, and that was quickly ruled out <laugh>. They didn’t know about my rocket arm, right?
Dan Meyer (46:46):
Yeah, you got a cannon. <Laugh>
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (46:47):
Yeah. Oh, that’s a compliment. Oh, is that a compliment? Thank you, Dan. Thank you. Look under your seat because we have five winners. We wanna thank you for being here in person. We wanna thank the folks who are listening. We wanna thank Amplify. Oh my God. Somebody just pulled off the chair tag. You get to take that chair home with you.
Dan Meyer (47:08):
Does anybody have a prize?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (47:10):
OK, stand up if you…stand up if you…Yes! Stand up if you have one!
Dan Meyer (47:16):
Free set of classroom dry-erase boards, right here. Congratulations.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (47:22):
And for you who pulled off the chair tag, I don’t know. We gotta we gotta find something for you.
Dan Meyer (47:27):
Put that in your backpack.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (47:30):
Thank you again for being here. Thank you. Amplify. Thank you, Desmos. Thank you. Dan Meyer.
Dan Meyer (47:36):
Thank you folks. Chris, thank you buddy.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (47:38):
Chris! Chris Nho, everybody!
Dan Meyer (47:40):
We will be, we will be at—Bethany and I will be at the booth, if you wanna chit-chat and hang out, sign some stuff. Whatever. You wanna have Bethany sign you, she’ll do that. Um, come on down to the Amplify booth and we’ll—
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (47:50):
We’ll talk to you more about Ms. Frizzle.
Dan Meyer (47:52):
Fun and prizes. I will share with my real thoughts about Ms. Frizzle down there. I’d love to see you. Thanks for being here, folks.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (47:57):
Thanks for listening. Bye.
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Meet the guests
Dan Meyer
Dan Meyer taught high school math to students who didn’t like high school math. He has advocated for better math instruction on CNN, Good Morning America, Everyday With Rachel Ray, and TED.com. He earned his doctorate from Stanford University in math education and is currently the Dean of Research at Desmos, where he explores the future of math, technology, and learning. Dan has worked with teachers internationally and in all 50 United States and was named one of Tech & Learning’s 30 Leaders of the Future.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson
Bethany Lockhart Johnson is an elementary school educator and author. Prior to serving as a multiple-subject teacher, she taught theater and dance and now loves incorporating movement and creative play into her classroom. Bethany is committed to helping students find joy in discovering their identities as mathematicians. In addition to her role as a full-time classroom teacher, Bethany is a Student Achievement Partners California Core Advocate and is active in national and local mathematics organizations. Bethany is a member of the Illustrative Mathematics Elementary Curriculum Steering Committee and serves as a consultant, creating materials to support families during distance learning.
About Math Teacher Lounge: The podcast
Math Teacher Lounge is a biweekly podcast created specifically for K–12 math educators. In each episode co-hosts Bethany Lockhart Johnson (@lockhartedu) and Dan Meyer (@ddmeyer) chat with guests, taking a deep dive into the math and educational topics you care about.
Join the Math Teacher Lounge Facebook group to continue the conversation, view exclusive content, interact with fellow educators, participate in giveaways, and more!
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S4 – 02. Bethany and Dan share their math biographies
In this episode, co-hosts Bethany Lockhart Johnson and Dan Meyer get personal and share their “math bios”—their early experiences with math and how those experiences turned them into the educators they are today.
Explore more from Math Teacher Lounge by visiting our main page.
Dan Meyer (00:00):
We’re recording. What’s up, everybody. This is Dan Meyer with Math Teacher Lounge.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:08):
And I’m Bethany Lockhart Johnson. We are so excited to be back. Season Four, Episode Two. Hi, Dan.
Dan Meyer (00:16):
Hey, Bethany, how are you doing today?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:18):
I’m so excited to be talking with you! You know, as we record this, our reunion at NCTM is getting closer and closer.
Dan Meyer (00:28):
The NCTM live show is gonna be bonkers. I don’t think people are ready for it. You think you know what we’re about on MTL from listening to us, but the live show is gonna be outta control. You cannot imagine how many clowns and elephants Bethany wants to have at the live show. We’re still—we’re trying to talk her down from like three to one, but we’ll see.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:44):
All I want is the t-shirt cannon. Because I used to go to these baseball games and they would have a t-shirt cannon. And I thought, I wanna operate a t-shirt cannon! So like, if I could be standing on stage aiming t-shirts at people who are jumping up and down requesting a t-shirt? I don’t know. Doesn’t that sound fun?
Dan Meyer (01:01):
Sounds awesome. High point of my college education was catching a t-shirt. No, it was—it was a burrito. It was a burrito cannon. But I think it was just a t-shirt cannon, but it was a burrito cannon. And I caught a burrito at a game and it was probably the most memorable moment of all of college education for me.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (01:16):
Was the burrito still warm?
Dan Meyer (01:18):
Oh yeah. I think it got—like, I think it might’ve been warm at one point and then it got warmed back up through the muzzle velocity of the cannon. So it was a pretty great system they had going on there. <Laugh> Yeah. <Laugh> Anyway, I’m off topic, but, we’re thrilled to—I’m thrilled to chat with you and we’re thrilled to be listened to by you folks out there in MTL land. In the lounge itself. We got a fun show today.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (01:40):
So if you listen to Episode One—which if you haven’t, hope you go back and listen to it—if you listen to Season Four, Episode One, you’re gonna hear—we asked Huon, KT, who is this delight of a joyful teacher. We asked her to talk to us about what’s her math bio. And we want to ask all of our guests—like, I wanna go back and ask every single guest we’ve ever had to tell us their math bio.
Dan Meyer (02:06):
Yep.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (02:06):
Because, while seemingly simple in nature, our students enter our math classroom already having had this relationship with math and these notions about their role in math or what they think about math. And it impacts our school year with them if we’re a teacher. And it impacts our relationship with math as we move through our education and beyond. Right? And I I’m so excited about this question, ’cause I think it also ties into this theme for Season Four, which is joyful math, and diving into “When has math felt joyful? When has it not? Does it feel like—how do we think about how our math bio, our relationship with math, has evolved into a joyful or less joyful place?”
Dan Meyer (02:54):
I get it. And what’s really key here, I think, is that teaching more than other professions is a generational profession. You know what I’m saying? Like, no one is like, “Well, you know, I sold insurance to you and now you’re selling insurance to, you know, my grandkids; that’s amazing!” But people are always posting photos when, like, you teach someone who then becomes a teacher later. Teaching is a generational sort of thing. So the kinds of joyful experiences that we offer or don’t offer students now affect the experiences that students who haven’t even been born yet will have, you know, some 20, 30 years later. That, to me, is a trip. And well-worth exploring, you know, how we got here, mathematically speaking.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (03:39):
I remember a friend had sent me this image of an assignment that her son got that was asking for their Mathography. They wanted to know about their history of mathematics. And this was their first assignment. And this teacher, I would like to imagine, read them all and used it to inform conversations about students’ relationship with math. And, you know, some of the questions they asked were thinking about whether you consider yourself, quote, unquote, “good at math.” Like “what kind of experiences have you had? What do you like or dislike about math? What is, you know—what do you expect to learn in math this year?” Just asking students to actually pause and examine and reflect on their relationship and then also looking forward to, like, what kind of a classroom community do we wanna create? And I loved that assignment. And yeah, so today’s episode Dan, guess what?
Dan Meyer (04:32):
What’s going on? What’s happening?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (04:33):
I figured we should ask each other about our math bio.
Dan Meyer (04:39):
I think the people out there would love to know this about us. ‘Cause you know, we’re both awesome. But also what’s really cool here is that like, I don’t know this about you. Like not, not a lot. You know, the folks at Amplify, they kind of assembled me and Bethany together in the same way that record labels assembled pop boy bands, girl bands, that kind of thing, back in the day. You know, grabbing some stars from screen or film and just like throwing ’em together and saying, “All right, now you’re here to perform together.” And so it’s just a really good moment for us to, like, settle back and just know who we’ve been working with for the last three seasons and change here. I love it.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (05:15):
Well, I don’t know. I don’t actually agree with that, Dan. Because don’t you remember? We knew each other beforehand. And while I would like to think of us as…oh, I’ll say One Direction—well, no, One Direction is now defunct. Who’s another band that got formed by one of those shows and is still together and still—
Dan Meyer (05:33):
BTS! K-Pop, you know! Let’s go!
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (05:35):
K-pop. BTS.
Dan Meyer (05:38):
Let’s go, Bethany <laugh>.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (05:39):
So can we incorporate some K-pop into the NCTM Math Teacher Lounge live episode? Don’t answer now. Don’t answer now. OK. So not only are we gonna share our math bios, but we want to encourage you listeners to share your math bio with somebody in your life. It could be a child in your life, maybe talking to your kiddo about what was it like. What was math like for you? It could be a student that you have. It could be a partner, a friend, a parent. I mean, the sky’s the limit. Share your math bio. And most of all, share with us. We wanna hear about your math bio and you can share it with us at Twitter, at MTLShow, or in our Facebook group, Math Teacher Lounge.
Dan Meyer (06:26):
Stop on by, please. All right. I’m gonna just share like, just a couple of quick, signposts. Not the full bio. Gotta leave them wondering about something here. But here’s a few quick highlights and lowlights of my math bio and how, maybe, it made me the teacher that I was and the educator I am. Is that cool?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (06:44):
Wait, I didn’t even, I didn’t ask you yet.
Dan Meyer (06:46):
Ask me what?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (06:47):
Hey, Dan!
Dan Meyer (06:49):
Is there like a magical word? Like, what’s your math bio? <Laugh> Oh, go for it. No, no, that’s right. They won’t know what I’m talking about. Why is he talking about his math bio? Bethany—
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (06:57):
That whole lead-in that we just gave? They might not know.
Dan Meyer (07:00):
Yeah. We just talked about math bios for the last 20 minutes. But yeah, they might not know what we’re—
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (07:04):
<laugh> So Dan, why don’t you go first? ‘Cause I know you were gonna ask me to go first, but why don’t you go first? Dan? What’s your math bio?
Dan Meyer (07:12):
Oh, wow. Well, thank you for the formal invitation to share my math bio, Bethany Lockhart Johnson. So, I’ll just share—I just wanna share a couple items here, not the full history. Gotta leave ’em—leave a little mystery in there, you know what I’m saying? But here’s a few highlights and lowlights, and I think what it means for me as an educator. So, I was homeschooled for eight years. That was big—did a lot of math learning on my own. Couple of lowlights from that, a lot of highlights, in terms of just like being able to, like, learn at my own rate and just jump on ahead and pursue different wacky things. But I tried to switch into public school in fourth grade and I lasted, um, four hours. I didn’t even go to class. I enrolled and then it was like, boom, I was out of there. Because we went to the school; we met the teacher, saw the room, very nice person and place. But I got the homework assignment and the homework assignment was gibberish. I had no idea what to do and such was this feeling of just, like, despair and hopelessness, I was like, I cannot be a part of this. I remember the assignment. It was about identifying scalene, isosceles, and equilateral triangles. I’ll tell you this: I am quite good at that now. But at the time, like, I didn’t know what those words meant. And you know, at that moment we had Encyclopedia Britannica, could not Google this or even Ask Jeeves or AltaVista this so well back then. It just—it was an entry moment of failure and realizing that so much of math is like a, kind of a social kind of construct. And if you’re not part of that social circle, what can you do? So that was a bummer. Another bummer was eighth-grade math, learned it all by way of videotape. You know, put in the tape and watch—not gonna say the person’s name and not this person’s fault—but it was just like watching someone work on a whiteboard. Kind of a precursor to Khan Academy, kind of a drag. Went to high school—
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (09:02):
Wait, wait, wait, wait. We were—I’m not ready to jump to high school. Wait. Can you pause for just a second?
Dan Meyer (09:06):
Yeah. Rock on.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (09:07):
I just need you to go back to the triangle thing. So in that moment, what did that mean for you that you had had all these experiences with math and then you encounter math in a completely different sphere, a public school, and it did not have a connection or meaning to you because prior to that, it sounds like it was pretty positive. Right? Explore these things you’re curious about; there’s not, like, a level you need to stick with…
Dan Meyer (09:33):
Yep, yep. Yeah. I think that’s right. Maybe it was a little bit of a classic, like, “Oh, I didn’t have a growth mindset; my mindset was like, ‘Oh, I’m good at math because I am, you know, born that way,’” and all of a sudden, that identity was, you know, thrown into question. And, you know, my foundation was all of a sudden quite shaky. And yeah, that’s—you know, I think I taught a lesson recently where I was like, “Hey, this whole thing with a less-than or equal-to sign and a greater-than or equal-to sign, like what those signs are: it’s just, it’s language. And if it’s confusing to you, it’s not because you’re bad at math; it’s ’cause language is oftentimes confusing ’cause people have to agree on it.” So I dunno, that sort of thing is kind of filtered in, filtered back in periodically, some sympathy for like how a lot of math is like just socially agreed upon ways of working with, you know, numbers, shapes, patterns, that kind of thing.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (10:20):
OK.
Dan Meyer (10:21):
Anyway.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (10:21):
- And in this home school—I have a lot of questions about that, but I’ll stick to one—were you in a community of people that you talked about these math ideas with? Were you homeschooled solo? You have a sibling, so I think you were together, right?
Dan Meyer (10:39):
Yeah. Yeah. I’ve got a twin sister. So we were, you know, like, right on with each other the whole way through there. And yeah, so we had—but it wasn’t, it wasn’t like a—it was a lot of individual work, with my flavor of homeschooling.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (10:54):
- Got it. And the tapes—wait, before you go to high school, the tapes, the VHS tapes, which I’m just loving this image—
Dan Meyer (11:02):
Yeah.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (11:02):
Was that a positive experience? Was that because that was an area of math that whoever was homeschooling you wasn’t that comfortable with? Why was it that route for the tapes, and what was that? Was that joyful for you?
Dan Meyer (11:15):
Yeah, definitely not joyful. Yeah, it was like, if you had questions, you couldn’t really ask them of the VHS tape. It didn’t work out so well in that way. And it was a lot of operational-type math. It was, you know—there was no give and take; it was all kind of take. From the video teacher. And yeah, I was doing that because my homeschool teacher, my mom, who is very smart in lots of areas, did not have the math knowledge or confidence, especially to help with math at eighth grade. And that was a big reason why, flash-forward to the next year, went to high school.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (11:48):
Nice segue. OK.
Dan Meyer (11:50):
<laugh> You caught up to high school…I encountered just like four years of just crazy-good, just bonkers-good math teachers who just really changed a lot for me. Especially, Mr. Bishop and Mr. Cavender, very cool folks who did a lot. And especially, I think Mr. Bishop and Cavender both modeled for me what curiosity from a knowledgeable adult looks like. Like someone who, you know, now I can say to myself, “Oh, they were kind of like putting on an act of being very curious about answers they were hearing for the 2000th time from a student,” let’s say, but what a powerful experience that was for me to feel like, “Oh, wow, my thoughts are interesting to someone besides myself.” I got like, maybe it’s two real highlights that I’ll just point to, from my math bio that made me the math teacher and person that I am. Let’s see here. Maybe three, if you you’ll indulge me. One is just like the idea that you could do math wherever you have your brain, a pencil and a paper. And so I remember like in high school, I was in church with my family and kind of a little bit bored of whatever’s going on. And I just had the Bolton and I like drew a pentagon, a regular one, then a hexagon, a regular one, and kept on drawing, like adding sides to the shape. And it was like, it was becoming a circle. And, you know, I was able to take the area of each of those shapes and say, you know, “What happens as you send the number of sides to infinity?” And watch as the formula for area of a circle, Pi R squared, popped out. And it was kind of a literal religious experience, in that moment, just like, “Wow, like my brain’s so cool and math is so cool and paper and pencil’s so cool.” And so there’s that. Just that kind of experience was pretty awesome. And then I would just say like, I’ve had some really fantastic experiences with math in the world itself. Stuff like—let’s see, this is gonna invite more questions from Bethany, probably, maybe I should avoid—I got, I have a Guinness—I have a Guinness world record that’s almost 20 years old. This Guinness world record is—it’s old enough to drive basically at this point. And almost old enough to drink. But like it was—it was a record for chaining the longest paper clip chain together in 24 hours. And the only way I was able to break that record was through mathematics. Where, like, I would be finishing a box of clips. And I would say to my buddy who was there, “I just finished a box of clips.” And that person would type in the number of clips that I had just done. And then a mathematical formula that I had created would tell me how many—how long the chain was at that point. It was being rolled around a spool. And like, it’s just like, wow. So math just made this possible. You know, math revealed that the record I was trying to beat was beatable, because I did the math on it. It was, like, thousands of feet long in 24 hours. And other folks might be like, “Oh, like, that’s that’s huge!” But me, I was like, “All right, let’s divide this out. You know, divide by 24 hours in a day, divide by 60 minutes an hour, 60 seconds in a minute. Oh, that’s like one clip every four seconds. That’s really slow.” You know, think about that <counts aloud>, “Clip, two, three, four. Clip two, three…” It was just slow. So math helped me, you know, wreck that record. Which to my knowledge still still stands. Don’t get any ideas, Math Teacher Lounge Folks! Is this news to you, Bethany? You haven’t blinked in the last, like, five minutes. I’m curious if this is new.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (15:20):
It is news to me. And I have so many questions. Because OK, if four seconds was slow, so then what was your like—so then I’m assuming a hundred clips per box? Like, what was the rate, you know, per box? How long did it take you to complete a box? What did this friend like? Did this friend stick with you for the whole 24 hours? Did you really do it for 24 hours? Or once you beat the record, did you rest? How did you account for biological function? Like, needs? Like a restroom?
Dan Meyer (15:51):
<Interrupting> Like what?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (15:51):
Eating.
Dan Meyer (15:51):
Like what, Bethany? OK.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (15:52):
Um, Sleep.
Dan Meyer (15:55):
So yeah, maybe we dive into some of the specifics in a different time.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (15:59):
Just tell me one of ’em. Tell me one.
Dan Meyer (15:59):
I’ll just say. So as to discourage other Math Teacher Lounge listeners from taking this on—back off of the record, folks!—this was back in college, so I was a little more limber back then. But I did one—I think it was 1.8 seconds per clip. For an entire 24 hours. Just like, so just like think about it, would you? If you’re gonna step to me on this one, just think about that, OK? And then, and then, you know, make an informed decision.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (16:28):
Wait. Wait, wait, I just wanna tell you one thing. I’m picturing somebody with a straw, and like, giving you water as you keep clipping. I’m picturing, like, music, I…
Dan Meyer (16:37):
That’s not far. That’s not far. That’s not far from—yeah.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (16:40):
So many questions! OK. Go on. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Go on. This is your bio.
Dan Meyer (16:44):
We gotta, I gotta wrap this up. I wanna hear your bio. But, like, I would just say like this move to this sense that math is actually a thing that’s useful for more than just a grade; it’s useful for more than just, you know, the societal, you know, adulation that comes from being a math nerd. That kind of thing. And so that, I think that affected a lot of math teaching for me. And, if I gotta, like, summarize math teaching itself in a journey, it went from like, “Hey kids, aren’t I awesome?” to, “Hey kids, isn’t math awesome?” to “Hey kids, aren’t you awesome?” And like that journey was facilitated by lots and lots of people, you know, a lot of personal growth, but at this point, at one point I was like, “Hey, math can help you get records and whatnot. It’s really useful.” And now I’m like, “Wow, your brain’s just doing just really interesting things. I can help you understand how interesting those things are, and maybe make them more interesting, or interesting in a different way, with some help here.” Let’s put a pin in that. That’s the math bio.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (17:50):
- So I have no doubt that if you ask someone in your life, listeners, for their math bio, that you will discover things about them that you never knew. Literally the questions that I have…I have so many question. And Dan is very good at, you know, bringing me back. Bring me back, like, come on, come on. But I just wanna say, overall, your journey seems pretty joyful. It seems pretty joyful. It seems pretty full of confidence. I don’t wanna say “ego” in a negative way, but I wanna say you were buoyed by these experiences that allowed you to feel like math was a place for you to thrive.
Dan Meyer (18:36):
Right.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (18:36):
Where you could try out things. You could try it out and just, “I could do that!” Right? Like…your relationship just felt very, like…you felt like you had autonomy, agency, perhaps much like you, you operate in this world. Dan, is that, is that right <laugh>?
Dan Meyer (18:54):
Yeah, I think it’s fair to say. And without telling too much of her story, my twin sister with whom I share most things, including genetics, you know—she had a very different experience in math early on. She’s brilliant. She’s a doctor. And not, you know, the book kind of doctor that I am, but like a real, you know, medical doctor. She’s brilliant. But we were—we encountered different messages about who math was made for, early on in, you know, in our entire math learning. And she—we both digested the messages that we were sent, and took, you know, different, different paths because of them, for sure.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (19:31):
Funny how that works. I thank you, Dan. I do. For in all sincerity, I appreciate you sharing that. And I think that it’s exciting to hear how it influenced your teaching. It feels like you want to cultivate those experiences for your students. And I’ve been in the room when you’ve presented; I was in a room where you taught a class live. It felt like you were making space for the students to have these aha moments. And it feels like in your work at Desmos, and now Amplify, you’re trying to create these products that allow folks to recreate these amazing math moments. Right? And that it’s for everyone and that it’s accessible and it can be very positive. I feel like I have this new perspective on kind of the energy you bring to your teaching. So thank you for sharing that.
Dan Meyer (20:24):
Yeah. Been a pleasure. Thanks for your questions here, Bethany. And it’s been—it’s been fun to reflect on it. And I do—I do feel very lucky in lots of ways. Privileged. Lucky. I know, like—I think the world has been set up for my success in lots of ways, as who I am. But I do just…yeah, I feel—I want more people to experience what it’s like when you walk into a math classroom and it’s like, “Hey, this place is for you. You have interesting thoughts about this. Let’s get ’em out.” So that’s awesome. I would love to hear about you and how you…I mean, we have taught different kinds of kids. You know, I taught kids who I think were somewhat set in, they’re a little bit more solid at secondary in who they are as a math learner. Like “I know who math is and who I am with math.” And I’m really excited to hear what your math bio allowed you to do with students who were perhaps open to the idea that they are very mathematical or at least not yet closed off to those possibilities. So, yeah. What are some of the high, the, you know, the high and low water marks of the making of Bethany Lockhart Johnson, math teacher? <Laugh>
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (21:24):
Thanks for asking, Dan. <Laugh> I’ve shared aspects of my math bio because I think it really informs the way that I talk to people about math and think about math. And I like to share it because I want folks to consider their own journey with math, as we like engage with problem-solving and sense-making and thinking about the students in our classroom. My dad is a math and computer science major. So he had a computer very early on. I wish he had invested in Apple early on when he had like one of the first Apple computers ever. And, sorry, dad, but it’s true. I do wish you had done that.
Dan Meyer (22:10):
I’m sure he does too.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (22:11):
Oh, he does. So math and computers and conversations about counting, you know, it felt like it was kind of just normal. Like it was around me. And I went to Montessori, which is a private school that—oh, they have some public Montessori—but it’s very self-directed. And so we would have these kind of charts, these goals for the day that you explored. And so we would explore math in very, I don’t know, very organic ways, with these natural materials. And I feel like I excelled at math, but it wasn’t something that I was conscious of. It was just like, “Oh, well, yeah. Math, it’s, you know, something we do.” And then when I went to—when I left Montessori in fourth grade, I remember that year being a lot of like repetition. I was like, well, we did this. We covered this. And except for the mission project that we hadn’t done, that was all new. And that’s it. For another time I’ll share about that. But <laugh> then, they actually, I was moved with a group of students to the fifth grade math class, ’cause we had already done the work that we were doing. And so, it wasn’t that it felt like it came easily, but it did make sense. What we were doing made sense. And then it all kind of changed. There was a lot of change in my family. There was, like, missed school time. And we moved and I went to a new middle school and I was in this environment with students who—it was like an accelerated program. And so I was in this environment with students who were pretty competitive with each other. And I remember going—and I was not from of a competitive environment; like Montessori is not competitive. It’s not about that.
Dan Meyer (24:02):
Right. Right.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (24:02):
It’s—it was very strange to me that I would be competing against anyone, even competing against myself. And I, you know, knew how to set goals. But it was a different level of energy. And I felt like, because I wasn’t competitive in that nature, I felt like that kind—I felt on the outside of a lot of the energy. Besides the regular, like, middle-school feeling outside of things. And I remember the first friend that I made. Hi, Susan! She had said to me, this was like maybe our second week of school, she’s like, “Oh, at lunchtime, come with me to math club.” And I was like, “OK.” And I remember walking into that room and I had no idea what was going on. And so that was one of the first times where I was just like, “Whoa, I have absolutely no concept of what they’re talking about or what.” These are my peers. I felt very—it was very—it was strange. It was strange. I was like, “This doesn’t feel like a space for me at all.” When I think ordinarily I was kind of excited about the idea of going to math club at lunch, you know? And over middle school, I kind of just got progressively more and more behind. It started with missing some work and then missing more and then checking out. And, you know, the problem was that I really made it about myself. That, like, it wasn’t something that I was then good at or could do. When really it was that well, pre-algebra, I was having a really hard time in like the rest of my life. And so I wasn’t real present in that class. And so when I got to algebra, it didn’t make a whole lot of sense. And then if I missed Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, well, Thursday is gonna be hard, you know? And, it just got progressively harder and harder. So I had this great idea that between eighth grade and ninth grade, I was going to take this accelerated geometry class. ‘Cause that was the ninth grade class, it was geometry. And I would take it. It was like geometry in three weeks or something. So then when I entered high school, I would’ve gotten this like jumpstart. But I wish I had said, “Oh, I’ll take this, and then in ninth grade I’ll take geometry.” So like I’ve already kind of gotten a preview of the material. But instead I went to the 10th grade math, which was like intermediate algebra, trigonometry. I had absolutely no clue what was going on. And I had a very, very difficult time and I wasn’t ready for that class. But it was exacerbated by the fact that this teacher felt very free to let the freshmen in that class know that they shouldn’t be in that class. That this class was for 10th graders.
Dan Meyer (26:49):
Oh wow. Oh, wow.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (26:51):
And we had a rather contentious relationship. And I will never forget that we were in the hallway, and he says to me, “You don’t belong here.” And I’ve talked to—I’ve talked to a girlfriend of mine about her experiences with this teacher and she has the fondest memories.
Dan Meyer (27:13):
Wow.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (27:14):
She—in fact, almost everyone I’ve spoken with, you know, if we are talking about past teachers or, “Oh, what was that class like?” I mean, they just have these wonderful memories! And for me, my sense of like belonging was already so on a tight rope anyway, that to have this adult, this teacher, tell me, “You do not belong here,” just crushed me. And in hindsight, I think he was saying like, “This class is too hard for you.” I mean, maybe. <Laugh> But all I heard was “You don’t belong here.” And I extrapolated it to connect to math and to anything having to do with math in general. And it just got worse and worse through high school in the world of math. My next math class was even—I had to repeat that class, and still didn’t understand what was going on, and felt more out of place, and, you know, it’s one of those things that I just kind of had started to accept that, I guess, math isn’t for me. I guess I’m just not a math person. Or whatever these stories are that I started to create and build and find evidence for around me that was informing that this wasn’t for me. And I had always done well in school. I was in, you know, accelerated classes. I felt like I was capable of problem solving. And yet in math, I just felt like I had all of this evidence saying that I didn’t belong there. And so when I went to college, I took whatever two math classes were—you know, I was in performing arts and then I did ethnic studies as well. And I remember you had to take two math classes that were GEs. There were these classes that if you don’t wanna deal with math, you go take those classes. And I was like, “Oh yeah, I’ll take that. I’ll take that.” The gulf widened, you know? <Laugh> And I didn’t feel like anxiety when I had to do things like balance my checkbook or navigate math in everyday spaces. It was just, it would never occur to me that I would like seek out opportunities to engage with math or think about it or talk about it.
Dan Meyer (29:35):
That is—yeah, that’s just so wild, how, I don’t know, like it’s often, from the student’s perspective, it is them in a vacuum with math, and the two of them interact and decide if, you know, if they’re right for each other. But from the grown-up perspective, it’s just, you know, it’s a little bit clearer that your story with math was not just you in math, but you with, you know, various external things happening. With family, various teachers playing their different roles—sometimes, you know, really tragic and horrible roles—and then like the compounding mathematical debt that it feels like you were kind of building up, as challenges in one year didn’t get resolved and moved into the next year and so on. And all that makes me wonder—it makes me, like really, really scared, first of all, because I would bet that your teacher might not even remember that moment, that for you is part of just a pivotal moment in your math story, and how many kids have I played—have I been a part of their story in that way and wouldn’t even recall? You know what I’m saying? So that’s a scary part. And then also I’m just wondering, like, how can we, how can we help kids who are in those moments recognize that, “Oh, this kid is like absent a bunch,” and give them more resources to be successful rather than say, “Well, you just gotta try harder now.” Those are things I’m wondering, hearing your story. Thank you for sharing that. I’d love to know more about how you then became a teacher and what all that did for you as you helped students.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (31:06):
Well, but to answer what you were saying, it wasn’t that I wasn’t—I was always absent physically, but at least like mentally at that point, because it had become so difficult. It didn’t make sense to me. So I was just really checked out in math class, you know? So in hindsight, you know, as a teacher, for sure I can look back, and especially hearing these stories and these experiences my friend had with this teacher and just like chalks up as one of like her most favorite teachers ever! And you know, he clearly did a great job for so many students. But for me, and I think for some people, they would’ve taken those challenges and, you know, it would have fortified them in a different way or something. But for me, I took it upon myself to mean certain things about myself and about my ability and what I was capable of. And so I think, I think in some ways, you know, yeah, it’s all, it’s all interconnected. You know, when your students walk in the door, they’re not this—the things that are impacting them in their life are coming into the room with them. And I don’t think we can take that for granted and think, “Well, if they just focus hard enough…”
Dan Meyer (32:21):
Yeah.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (32:23):
So let’s go back to my love of Oprah. You know, Oprah talks about living your best life. And something I really appreciate about Oprah is that she encourages you to examine, like, sticking points, right? Like she doesn’t just say, “Well, this…just pretend nothing ever happened, and everything’s fine!” You know, she really talks about making time for reflection. And I kind of got mad that anytime I thought about math, or math schooling came up. Or, you know, whatever, any time that came up that I just felt UGH about it. And I felt like a failure. And I’m like, “You know what, what if I took a math class? And I’m an adult at this point. I’ve graduated. I have—I’ve left college. I have my degrees. But I said, “What if I took a math class?” So I went down to, the city college and I found out that you have to take this exam, like a placement exam. And I went and took the placement exam. And I remember it’s one of the responsive tests where if you get it right, the next question’s a little harder. And so I’m taking it, panicking, because it’s getting more like…I just, you know. And I remember it placed me in like, whatever, Algebra Something, this class that was far more advanced than I thought I should be in. And I was like, there’s been a mistake! You know, and I went to the counselor and said, you know, “I got these results, but I couldn’t answer a lot of the questions on the test.” She’s like, “No, no, no, that’s how it works.” So I go take this class and the class was hard. And I decided that I was just gonna keep showing up. And every day before class, I kid you not, they had a little math…it was like a math center where you could go in and they had a bunch of tables and you’d sit at the table and you could sit and do your work or whatever. If you had a question, you walked up and put your name on a clipboard and then somebody would come and help you. So I did that, every single—like before every single class I would go in. I’d sit there. I’d do the work. I’d go. And I’d get help. Like somebody would walk over and you know, some kid for whom they’re like this…you know, they’re math—it might be you, Dan! It could be you! It could have been you! You know, would walk over and be like—
Dan Meyer (34:38):
Yeah, I was in Help like that. Naw, it’s awesome. Love, love those people. Yeah.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (34:42):
And you know, I did it. And I did so well in the class. I did exceedingly well in the class. And I said—
Dan Meyer (34:50):
Take that! Take that, everything! Every other math experience!
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (34:53):
I said, what?
Dan Meyer (34:55):
Yeah!
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (34:55):
Wait a second.
Dan Meyer (34:56):
Yeah.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (34:57):
And it was that I was present. I was not afraid to look at what didn’t make sense. And if something didn’t make sense, it didn’t mean there was something wrong with me. Whaaaaat?
Dan Meyer (35:10):
Yeah. Yeah.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (35:10):
So I was just in such a different space. And then I took another math class and that class was even harder. And I did the same thing where I went to the little lab and, you know, and it just buoyed me. And it made me realize that, like, this story, that my experience with it was very powerful and that was a real lived experience, but that it didn’t have to define my relationship with math. But then! I decided I wanted to go back to school to become a classroom teacher. And I totally—this was a couple years after that math class experience. So now, you know, I’m healing my relationship with math through basic positive experiences, da, da, da, you know, doing other work. But fast-forward, for a whole number of reasons, decided to become a classroom teacher. And I freaked out. All of my—like, I’m studying for the GRE and the CSET and all the things you have to the hoops you have to jump through to apply to the masters program and the credential program. And I freaked out. I was so close to quitting, Dan. Because I was convinced that the reason I couldn’t be a classroom teacher is because I wasn’t capable in math. Like I was—it was all that resurfaced. And even though I now had evidence to say something different, to the contrary, it was still so visceral. And I was so scared. But I passed that Math CSET.
Dan Meyer (36:47):
Get it.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (36:47):
I did well enough on the GRE—
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (36:50):
Yes!
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (36:50):
You know, I finished my credential. I worked really, really hard. I had to work so hard in my student placement, when I was student teaching for a fifth-grade class, ’cause I felt like, “Oh my God!” I mean, now I could do the mathematics, but I couldn’t TEACH it to someone, you know? But I had amazing professors at UCI, and my math professors really like just—and my mentor teacher! shout out to Jennifer! shout out to Phil!—these amazing mentor teachers who just loved teaching and who loved—like you said, you have these teachers in your life who you got to see the way that they listened to students. They taught me about that love of listening to students. And then I fell in love with, you know, CGI, cognitively guided instruction, and started learning all about all of these educators who just wanna learn from students’ thinking. And it was just so powerful. And I realize as a kindergarten teacher that I have this really special role in helping to create space for a positive school experience. Like we get to talk about—I talk about my students as mathematicians; they’re writers; they’re thinkers; they’re problem-solvers. And I also want to make space for parents. Some of them, this is their first kid in kindergarten, and they brought all of their experiences, a lot of it negative, that they had had with mathematics. So I felt like it was such an exciting opportunity to help show parents how they could have conversations about math with their students. That also, I hope helped heal their own anxiety with mathematics.
Dan Meyer (38:41):
Right, right.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (38:42):
Like, I’ve not even scratched the surface of math learning. But I just have such a changed perspective and relationship with math. And I just fell in love with the sense-making. And I fell in love with the journey of it. I still experience math anxiety about a wide variety of things, but I do love it. And I feel like there’s a space for me in relationship with math. And that really excites me.
Dan Meyer (39:09):
Yeah. Wow. Listen to that folks. We, we don’t deserve her! Bethany Lockhart Johnson! She got some math game and could have gone off there and, you know, become an accountant or something. And she chose to hang with kids and their parents. That’s so wild that you’re like rehabbing parents and their self-conception about mathematics at the same time. I think that is so cool.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (39:32):
Well, thanks Dan Meyer. I gotta tell you, I don’t know when or if I’ve ever shared that much of my math story. So there is a certain amount of vulnerability there. But thanks for listening. And I’m glad that, you know—I think there’s space for us to talk about these things that we care deeply about, but that can be really complicated.
Dan Meyer (39:56):
Yes. Yes. And I love how you you’ve really sharpened the point on what I feel like I know in my brain, but not my body all the time: That individual teachers are huge. Like, individual teachers, and individual moments of teaching, are just not something to play with. You know, like that kid that’s in fifth grade having a tough time, like there could be a month or a day-long period where all of a sudden, like, you’re just like, “Oh yeah, I’m back in the mix; like, me and math are still buddies.” And there’s also like moments that you had, where like one casual word from a teacher can just really put a huge wedge between you and a discipline that needs and wants you and your intellect in it.That’s a really powerful testimonial. Not just for math, but for teaching, your teaching bio.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (40:43):
I agree with you. And I also, I also…you know, I think we can’t put this—we are human. Teachers are human. And so I’m sure there’s things I’ve said to students. Twenty-second story: a student stapled his finger in my class. <Laugh> And I remember holding his hand and saying, “Why did you do that?” And I wasn’t yelling at him, but it was like, I am sure the panic in my face…like, that’s what he’s gonna remember about kindergarten. Right? <Laugh>.
Dan Meyer (41:19):
Yeah.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (41:20):
That. He will remember that. He won’t remember the really cool city project we did. He’s gonna remember his teacher holding his hand, in his face: “Why did you do that?”
Dan Meyer (41:30):
Yeah. Yeah.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (41:30):
You know, so we’re human. And yes, it was awful that that teacher said that to me. There were a thousand other ways that he could have said whatever it was he was thinking. And that did deeply wound me. But despite his influence—because teachers do have a lot of power and I think they need to examine that power, ongoing—it still doesn’t have to define us. So I don’t wanna put this pressure, like—
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (41:55):
Sure.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (41:56):
“So never ever say anything negative!” You know, we’re human.
Dan Meyer (42:00):
I feel like that kid is currently on some office-supply podcast talking about “your office-supply bio” and saying, “Let me tell you how I first got really freaked out by staples. Here’s the deal: I only use paper clips. And here’s why.”
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (42:15):
“Here’s why.” But then—callback!—he’s going to stumble upon THIS podcast and think, “And because I’m so adept with paper clips, I can beat that record!”
Dan Meyer (42:30):
Though—aaay! whoa! Settle down!
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (42:31):
BOOM.
Dan Meyer (42:31):
Don’t get any ideas, kid. No way. Uh-uh. I don’t like that at all. That’s not what—that’s not what I want to have happen here. No, thank you.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (42:41):
Well, I’m spent, Dan. I need a nap.
Dan Meyer (42:45):
Yeah. I need a box of Kleenex. I need a nap. I need a—yeah, for sure, a baba. Uh-huh. Definitely. Hey, so look, I’m not expecting you folks out there in the lounge to kind of give us the same depth or breadth. You know, we are here, of course, for your entertainment. Feast on our stories and dramas. But I would love to know at some point, like, what are a few, a few moments that really came to define you mathematically? Came to influence you as a teacher? I think we would do really well for each other to understand that about all of our processes. So yeah, I would just toss in a plug in for Twitter, @MTLShow, or Facebook, Math Teacher Lounge; it would be fantastic to hear from you.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (43:24):
Thanks so much for listening.
Dan Meyer (43:25):
Thanks, folks. Bye now.
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Meet the guests
Dan Meyer
Dan Meyer taught high school math to students who didn’t like high school math. He has advocated for better math instruction on CNN, Good Morning America, Everyday With Rachel Ray, and TED.com. He earned his doctorate from Stanford University in math education and is currently the Dean of Research at Desmos, where he explores the future of math, technology, and learning. Dan has worked with teachers internationally and in all 50 United States and was named one of Tech & Learning’s 30 Leaders of the Future.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson
Bethany Lockhart Johnson is an elementary school educator and author. Prior to serving as a multiple-subject teacher, she taught theater and dance and now loves incorporating movement and creative play into her classroom. Bethany is committed to helping students find joy in discovering their identities as mathematicians. In addition to her role as a full-time classroom teacher, Bethany is a Student Achievement Partners California Core Advocate and is active in national and local mathematics organizations. Bethany is a member of the Illustrative Mathematics Elementary Curriculum Steering Committee and serves as a consultant, creating materials to support families during distance learning.
About Math Teacher Lounge: The podcast
Math Teacher Lounge is a biweekly podcast created specifically for K–12 math educators. In each episode co-hosts Bethany Lockhart Johnson (@lockhartedu) and Dan Meyer (@ddmeyer) chat with guests, taking a deep dive into the math and educational topics you care about.
Join the Math Teacher Lounge Facebook group to continue the conversation, view exclusive content, interact with fellow educators, participate in giveaways, and more!
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S5-05. Math technology & hacks for math anxiety: research-based tips for caregivers
We’ve been very lucky to have so many prolific and brilliant researchers on this season of Math Teacher Lounge, and our next guest is no exception.
Listen as we sit down with Dr. Marjorie Schaeffer to discuss what causes math anxiety, math hacks, and how the right math technology can make an incredible impact in children and caregivers coping with math anxiety.
Listen today and don’t forget to grab your MTL study guide to track your learning and make the most of this episode!
Marjorie Schaeffer (00:00):
I think the most important thing we know from literature right now is that high math-anxious parents, when they interact with their children, their children learn less math over the course of the school year.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:12):
Welcome back to Math Teacher Lounge. I’m Bethany Lockhart Johnson.
Dan Meyer (00:15):
And I’m Dan Meyer.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:16):
We’re onto Episode 5, Dan, of our series on math anxiety. And I wanna say it feels so lovely to imagine all of these people out there doing work to help combat math anxiety. I dunno, it just makes me feel excited about the possibilities. This work is out there; it’s happening! Kids and teachers and caregivers are being impacted by these conversations. Not just — I mean, I don’t just mean the conversations we’re having on Math Teacher Lounge, but I mean, that these researchers are doing. Like, yes, we can change this!
Dan Meyer (00:53):
This is great. Yeah. We have people who are extremely smart, who have dedicated their professional lives to studying math anxiety and resolving it. And each of them that we’ve chatted with — they share lots of ideas in common, but I’ve loved how they each have their own different flavor or take or area of emphasis on a problem that hits everybody everywhere. It’s in your home, with kids and caregivers. It’s in schools. It’s in our places of teacher preparation and professional learning. Every place is a place where we can focus on resolving issues of math anxiety. It’s exciting.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (01:26):
Yeah, I feel like … if there could be a course in — we all know that our teacher prep programs, in MOST teacher prep programs, there’s not nearly enough math methods or time to cover <laugh> — it’s like ready, set, go! And depending on who your mentor teacher is or what your math methods course … I mean, it can totally shape the way that you are prepared or really not prepared for going out there to teach math! And so I love that we’re having these conversations.
Dan Meyer (01:55):
What I love about today’s conversation is, one, it’s got a little bit of a technology flavor, so there’s that. But I also love, it’s got one of my favorite features about change, which is that it focuses on change to action, change to routine, rather than change to belief. Rather than saying like, “OK, everybody! Everybody stop thinking bad beliefs about math and transmitting them to your kids!” Instead, it says, “What we’ll do is just, hey, we’ll set that aside for a second and we’re gonna do a certain thing every day and watch as those actions make your beliefs change.” That to me is extremely cool. And I think it has a higher likelihood of success than just, like, me telling parents, “Hey, stop thinking these thoughts!”
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (02:37):
“Ready, set, stop being anxious!”
Dan Meyer (02:39):
Exactly. Exactly. So it’s an exciting conversation we’re gonna have here.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (02:43):
Right. So it’s not a, you know, “wave the wand and all of a sudden, you’re not anxious about math anymore.” But these incremental changes, these incremental conversations, this validation, can really, really impact change. I’m with you on it, Dan. I hear what you’re saying.
Dan Meyer (03:01):
To help us talk through all of these ideas and more, we’re joined by Dr. Marjorie Schaeffer, Assistant Professor of Psychology at St. Mary’s College in Indiana.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (03:10):
Enjoy. <Jaunty music> So, yes, Dan, we are so excited to welcome Marjorie Schaeffer. She’s Assistant Professor of Psychology at St. Mary’s College. Dr. Schaeffer, we’re so excited you’re here. Hello!
Marjorie Schaeffer (03:28):
Thank you so much for inviting me.
Dan Meyer (03:29):
Yeah. We are super-lucky to have had so many prolific and brilliant researchers about math anxiety on our show. You’ll be no exception. And every time, we love to find out about how you came to study math anxiety, which winds up being a really interesting glimpse into your backstory bio. So tell us, what is the route by which you came toward studying math anxiety?
Marjorie Schaeffer (03:51):
Oh, I love that question. I’m really interested in how the attitudes and beliefs of parents and teachers influence children, especially around math. And I actually became interested in this idea in college, when no Child Left Behind was actually first starting to be implemented in schools with high-stakes standardized testing. So much so that I actually did my thesis on this thinking about, “Do children understand the importance of high-stakes testing? Do they have anxiety around that idea?” And so that was really my first foray into the anxiety literature. And that was kind of the entry point into math anxiety for me.
Dan Meyer (04:28):
So you started by studying a very high-stakes assessment, like our students connecting with this. And the assessment is once per year. And classroom instruction is every day. So how did you move from the assessments to the everyday instruction?
Marjorie Schaeffer (04:44):
That’s a great question. So, after college, I actually taught kindergarten. And so from that, I saw the day-to-day impact of instruction and the day-to-day impact of children’s individual attitudes and beliefs. And so I really became interested in thinking about, “How do we understand why some children are really successful from the instruction happening in classrooms and why other children need a little bit more support?” And so math anxiety was one way for me to really think about the individual differences I saw in my kindergarten classroom.
Dan Meyer (05:18):
It feels like you headed … you went farther upstream, is what it feels like. Where assessment … there’s like some kind of anxiety around assessment, let’s say. And then you ventured farther up the stream to classroom instruction and then still farther into kids’ homes. It seems like your research invokes a lot of curiosity about the sources of a kind of amorphous, flowing phenomenon called math anxiety. And I’d love to hear a bit about what you know about how caregivers transfer, transmit — whatever the word is — math anxiety to their kids.
Marjorie Schaeffer (05:55):
For parents … we think that the attitudes and beliefs of parents matter. And we see that for lots of areas, not just math anxiety. But I think math anxiety, we see that really clearly. And so, we can think about it both in terms of what kind of input parents provide. So, how do families talk about math with their children? What kind of support do they provide around homework? And those are ones that I think are a little obvious. But we can also think about the offhanded comments that parents say to children when they’re talking about math generally. Right? So, we see lots of memes going around, talking about how hard math homework is. And so, I think when parents say offhanded comments like, “I’m not a math person,” or “We’re just bad at math,” that communicates values to children. I think the most important thing we know from literature right now is that high math-anxious parents, when they interact with their children, their children learn less math over the course of the school year. And this specific mechanism by which that happens is still an area for a lot of research. And so some people think it’s about input. So maybe if I’m math anxious, I’m avoiding math. And so, when I have an option to read a picture book that has math content, I focus on the colors instead. And so, my child is actually getting less math than other children. We can also think it’s about these messages that are provided. So, when I talk about math, I send the message to my child, it’s not for them, and therefore the child wants to engage in it less. And some of my work looks at things like expectations and values. So, thinking about, “Do math-anxious families actually value math less than other families unintentionally?” And so, we have some support for this idea that they expect less of their children. And so maybe when they struggle, they respond in different ways than a family who’s lower in math anxiety.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (07:53):
This is so fascinating to me. I also was a kindergarten teacher. And I remember a mom who just … she had such like palpable math anxiety. And during one of our conversations, she was talking about these homework sessions with her daughter. And I may have mentioned this on the podcast before. But she was talking about how every night they would sit together and they would do all this math. They’d do, like, extra math together. And it always ended in tears. And despite her math anxiety, she didn’t want her daughter to experience the math anxiety that she did. So she was trying to pile it on, so her daughter was more proficient and comfortable. And instead, it was perpetuating this anxiety about it. And so, it’s a phenomenon then, right? Even if a parent is saying, like you said, maybe completely unwilling, this mother was actually trying to do the opposite. She was trying to help, you know, imbue the love and comfort with math. Right?
Marjorie Schaeffer (09:01):
Absolutely. This is why I think in my research, it’s really important that we find low-stakes, low-stress ways for high math-anxious families to do math. They absolutely can support their children in doing math. But they need a little support. We want it to be a fun, low-stakes environment, right? So maybe that’s the connection back to high-stakes testing, that I want children to have fun math experiences.
Dan Meyer (09:28):
Yeah. This is challenging, because it feels like the more caregivers know about math anxiety, and its pernicious effects on students, and how easily transmitted it is, one could become quite anxious about math anxiety. And, you know, no one makes great decisions when they’re anxious. So if I’m recalling our various episodes we’ve done, we’ve heard from people say, “Well, you need to validate students’ math anxiety. This is not something to just ignore or brush past. But also, not validate it in a way that says, you know, ‘This is OK and generational and inevitable.’” Which presents parents with a very thin path to follow, it seems like. So I love what you’re saying about how we gotta just de-stress the whole process.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (10:11):
You’re avoiding the whole, “I wasn’t a math person either” kind of thing. <laugh>
Dan Meyer (10:15):
Right, right, right. Yeah. So I’d love to know more. We’re excited about the technology that you have studied and helped develop, presumably, called Bedtime Math, anapp for caregivers. And I’d love to know more about what that is and what it offers parents who know enough about math to know that they don’t want to transmit math anxiety to their children, but also want to support. So what does that offer them?
Marjorie Schaeffer (10:39):
So Bedtime Math is an app. It’s freely available on iTunes or the Apple Store or Google Play. And what it’s designed to do is to provide a nightly topical passage. So one of my favorites is the one about Groundhogs Day. And so it talks a little bit about the history of Groundhogs Day, and then it asks math-related follow-up questions. So starting at a preschool level, going through late fifth grade. And it’s really meant for parents to pick the one that meets their children where they are. And so the preschool-level question asks children to pretend to be a groundhog and walk to the left and walk to the right. So a skill that families might not think about as being math, but we actually think that IS part of understanding math. Understanding left and right directionality. And then the next question can ask questions like, “If it took the groundhog three seconds to climb out of the hole, and then two more seconds to see its shadow, how much time did it take all together?” So a simple addition problem, but it’s phrased in a fun way. And so the hope is that for high math-anxious families, these interactions are fun and playful. They don’t look like fights over homework. They’re just conversations that families can have around topics that are naturally interesting to children. And our hope is that when families have lots of these positive low-stakes interactions, they actually can see that we can talk about math in unstressful ways. In lots of ways, right? We can also do this at the grocery store. We can also do this while we’re cooking in the kitchen. It doesn’t just have to be fights over homework.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (12:14):
And I actually have the Bedtime Math — one of the Bedtime Math books. And I was so excited to find out that there’s an app. And I think one of the things that I loved about the book is that these are invitations, right? They’re exactly that. Low pressure <laugh>, and they’re invitations to have a conversation. And if we were just to tell parents, “Oh, just count!” or, “Hey, just count wherever you go!” You know? No. It’s, in a way, I think, like you said, it’s retraining the parents on what math could look like. Like, “Oh, I didn’t even think we could just kind of have this conversation and we’re actually doing math together.”
Marjorie Schaeffer (12:55):
Yes, absolutely. I absolutely agree. We want it to be fun and playful and not stressful. And we want it to also be things that are meaningful to children’s lives. So these are topics children are interested in. It’s not that we are using flashcards or making children practice math facts over and over again. These are things children should wanna do that can naturally fit into a child’s routine. So almost all families read books before bed, and what we hope is that math can also be a part of the nighttime routine.
Dan Meyer (13:27):
There’s something really subtle here going on that I just wanna name and ask a question about. First of all, it’s cool that you started with studying high-stakes stuff and now you are developing low-stakes stuff. And I’m really curious what makes a thing low-stakes? Like, a few things I’m hearing from you is that there’s, like … I have a small child that I read literature to on a nightly basis. And I feel very anxiety-free doing that. And it’s almost as though, because each of the — tasks is the wrong word for this, but experiences — involve some reading, it puts me, the parent, in a mode that is comfortable and familiar to me. I’m curious: Are there other, as you design, what, one per day for a year? All these different experiences. What are some of the principles that you lean on that help make a thing low-stakes for kids and for parents?
Marjorie Schaeffer (14:17):
Yeah, that’s a great question. So one thing we wanted to be really intentional about is that our app doesn’t look like a lot of traditional apps. There isn’t noises that go off. You don’t enter an answer. And so one of the things that we thought made it low-stakes is that while there is a right or wrong answer — there is a correct answer — we aren’t giving children upsetting feedback. Instead, what we wanna encourage families to do is, if you struggle to remember how many seconds it took the groundhog to come out of the hole, you can work through that with a parent. So it doesn’t feel like you’re getting negative feedback; you’re being told you’re bad at math; you did it wrong. Instead, you’re just getting natural support moving forward. And so that’s one thing we wanted to be really intentional about, was that it wasn’t going to be a negative experience for children. And we are trying to build on all of the positive interactions families are having around nightly book reading. So many ways this can look very similar. You get to read another story that’s topical and hopefully interesting. And then do these little questions together. And so for a lot of families, their children don’t actually really look at the question. It almost feels like the parent is just asking them on their own. Like, they just came up with it. They just wanted to know what would happen to the groundhog. If there were three more groundhogs? How many groundhogs would we have all together? Not like it’s gonna be like homework or other parts.
Dan Meyer (15:38):
So my understanding is that there isn’t a blank into which people type a number in, press “submit” for evaluation, receive the red X, the green check. That’s a key part of the design here.
Marjorie Schaeffer (15:50):
Yes, absolutely. And for research purposes, we would’ve loved to know what families were saying. But we think it’s really important that it’s fun, interactive, that families are working together to get to the right answer, that it’s not a test for children.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (16:03):
In your research, when you were — maybe you could walk us through the study a little bit. But I’m also curious if you heard from parents that it was carrying over beyond the bedtime routine. Because I would imagine, if I am building these skills and reading these questions and learning that I could talk to my kid like this about math in a fun way, that’s gonna happen then, like you said, when I’m in the grocery store. Or when I’m waiting in line for at the bank. Or whatever, you know? People go into banks now still, right?
Marjorie Schaeffer (16:35):
Yeah, absolutely. So in our study, we recruited almost 600 families and we randomly assigned them. So they had an equal chance of getting both our math app and what we call our control app. And that’s really just a math app without the math. We think of it as a reading control app. And that’s because we wanna make sure that families are having a similar experience, that it’s not just that having high-quality, fun interactions with your child is actually impacting children’s math achievement. And so what we then did is followed those children over the course of early elementary school. And so we worked with them in schools in the fall and spring of first, second, and third grade, really to look at their math learning. And so what we find is that children of high math-anxious adults, when they have the reading app, so what we think of as what’s happening in the real world, we see that really classic gap between children of high math-anxious adults and children of low math-anxious adults. So if you have a high math-anxious parent, you’re learning about three months less math over the course of first grade. But for children who receive this math app, we see this gap as closed. Those children look no different than a low math-anxious parent. And so that’s leading us to think that we’ve helped families talk about math in fundamentally different ways. We did a little bit of just talking to families to see a little bit about what might be going on. And a lot of families do report exactly what you’re describing, where they say this did help them talk about math in different ways they were doing it other times.
Dan Meyer (18:10):
That’s a really extraordinary study design. I don’t know … I love that you folks gave the control group not nothing. Like it’s possible that just parents and kids bonding over a thing regularly would be enough to provoke some kind of academic gain. But you gave the control group a thing that had them interacting socially, bonding, and still this large common gap between high-anxious and low-anxious parents, their kids shrunk together. Is that what I’m gathering here?
Marjorie Schaeffer (18:41):
Yeah, absolutely. So we’re basically seeing we can no longer, when we look at children’s data, say that parents’ math anxiety explains individual differences. So these children look really similar. They’re learning more than children who has a high math-anxious parent and just got our reading control app.
Dan Meyer (19:01):
just diving into the study a little bit more here, what is the time commitment? Or, did you guide parents to say, “All right, we’re gonna do this do this delightful story about a badger for an hour”? Or did people do it for five minutes? And what was the time commitment, roughly, for people?
Marjorie Schaeffer (19:17):
So we tell families to do it however they see fit. Because it is an app, we are able to get some sense of how long, and we are talking about three to six minutes for many families. For a lot of families, they’re reading a paragraph, the paragraph and a half, and then answering one or two questions. They’re not going through every possible question. They’re just doing a little bit, really meeting their kids where they are.
Dan Meyer (19:39):
Roughly how many times per week was that?
Marjorie Schaeffer (19:41):
So we asked families to do it as much as it fit. But we’re seeing about two and a half on average in the first year. And so families are fitting it in a couple of nights a week. It’s not every night.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (19:52):
So what it sounds like you’re saying is what really was powerful about this app is that it was the space and time and prompts between the caregiver and the child, that chance to really sit down and have some of these meaningful and positive math interactions. How did it shift those relationships?
Marjorie Schaeffer (20:12):
So one of the things I think that makes the app effective is the changing of expectations. After a year, families are really using the app a lot less. And I think that’s OK, that they have found other ways to incorporate math into their lives. And we find that we don’t see an impact on their math anxiety, that they aren’t becoming less math anxious from this experience. Which I think makes sense, because they have had a lifetime of math anxiety. But we do see a change in parents’ expectations and value of math. So they expect their children will be better at math, and they also report that math is more important in their children’s lives. And so I think that’s an important part of it, which is, we can change these values for families, even if we aren’t able to change the math anxiety of the adults in children’s lives.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (21:01):
I want to for a second before — because I’m loving this idea of the app, and I’m excited to find out more ways to cultivate these conversations in my home and also share this with other folks. Because even folks who don’t even maybe realize they have math anxiety … like you said, so often it’s unconscious. So often we’re putting these little snippets into our everyday conversation, like, “Oh yeah, I’m not a math person.” And we don’t even realize how much is impacting our kiddos and ourselves, right? So I am really curious: What do you think … in your research, what were some other takeaways that you feel like are really strategies that we can think about for combating math anxiety in general?
Marjorie Schaeffer (21:47):
So I’m particularly interested in thinking about how math-anxious adults can help tone down their anxiety so that they can have high-quality interactions with their children, that they interact with. And so one of the big takeaways for my research, I think, is that math-anxious families can help their children with math. They just need support. And so I think there are lots of ways for that support to look like. One, I think it can be an app, but I also think reading a little bit about math can be really helpful. So it’s not new. So the first time you aren’t thinking about some of these ideas is as your child has their homework open in front of you. And so you can process your own feelings separately before you have to do it with a child. I also think reminding parents that math is everywhere and that math is actually lots of things that we all love to do. Math isn’t just calculus. Not that calculus isn’t wonderful. But that math is measuring, math is counting ducks at the park. Math is talking about how many times did I go down this slide. And talking about math in this way, I think reminds families that they are great at that. That even if maybe they’ve had bad math experiences before, they can do math. Especially the way their preschool or early childhood, early elementary school student needs them to. And I think that can then set the foundation for being really successful later.
Dan Meyer (23:13):
So is your research then, your subsequent studies, your line of inquiry, is moving more towards how to support parents, then? Is that what I’m hearing?
Marjorie Schaeffer (23:22):
Yeah. So I’m really interested in both understanding how the math anxiety of parents and teachers influences children. And so math anxiety is really common and we know that it’s particularly common in early elementary school teachers. And so it’s very likely that children are interacting with a highly math-anxious adult. And so I’m really interested in thinking about how we can support those individuals in doing it. And so both, I think, things like Bedtime Math, which provide fun, unscripted ways to do that, but I’m also interested in the teacher equivalent. So, thinking about whether having things like a math coach can help teachers have more positive experiences with math. So if you see someone else play math games with your students, can that help you do it as well?
Dan Meyer (24:09):
It makes me wonder a lot about an app for teachers or an app for parents, one that’s not designed to be co-consumed with kids and their parents. But what that would look like … yeah, that’s really interesting.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (24:21):
If we have a parent who, let’s say they have a third grader, fourth grader, fifth grader, or a middle schooler, right? Outside of early education. And they say, “OK, but what do I do? I’m with my kiddo; I don’t remember this math.” And they’re realizing that their anxiety may be influencing their kiddos’ disposition of mathematics, Or maybe they’re just in the midst of the battle <laugh>. What would you say to those folks, especially if it’s math that maybe they’re not comfortable with?
Marjorie Schaeffer (24:56):
One, I think we should like tone down the stress, right? Remind ourselves that it’s homework and homework feels really high-stakes, but these other outcomes are really high-stakes too, right? And so I’m really interested in the idea that can we help parents feel more comfortable about math by watching their own children teach it to them. So what’s a concept that the fourth grader actually feels really good about? And can they remind their parent how to do it? Can, together, they problem-solve the math homework? And so it’s not just on the parent to give the child the right answer. We know that’s a recipe for communicating some negative things about math. But instead, help the parent-child pair figure it out together. So what are some resources we can do? Can we look it up on the internet together? Can we write an email to the teacher together? Can we think about what are other problems that maybe we know how to do, and therefore we can use that same model here? So I want parents to feel like they are not solely responsible for it. That they can help figure it out with their child together. And so it’s a fun interaction.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (26:02):
I love that. I love that.
Dan Meyer (26:03):
Yeah. Yeah. That’s wonderful. Yeah. A conviction that I have, and I think it’s true, is that any math that we’re learning at middle school, the attraction can be dialed down to a degree that a very small child, or a parent who has a very small child’s understanding of math, can appreciate. So instead of calculation, estimation. Instead of proof, just make a claim about something. And it makes me wonder about a companion to the work that’s happening in schools that parents feel inadequate to support, that students might not want to teach their parents. But which they could both, on a daily basis, say, “Here’s a way we can engage in this at a level that is comfortable to both of us.” Just dreaming out loud here. No question asked. No response needed. I just love your work. And made me wonder about that. Can you let me know your thoughts about technology? It is very rare that we have someone on the call who is an academic and very well-versed in research, but who also is published not just in in papers and textbooks, but also in digital media. It’s consumed by lots of people. So I am trusting that you have opinions about how math looks in technology. And I wonder if you’d offer some thoughts about how it goes, right? How it goes wrong from your own eyes.
Marjorie Schaeffer (27:14):
OK. That’s a great question. I think that we need more research. I first wanna say that I think that technology has really exploded in the last few years. How children have access to technology and screen times has really changed. And what we need is high-quality research happening. That said, I think that all of the things we know from child-development research still apply to technology. And so we know that children learn best when they are engaging in interactions with their parents. And so when families can use technology together, or at least can talk about what’s happening, it can be really effective. I also think technology, especially math apps, are best at teaching concrete skills with very clear answers. So I think practicing math facts is a great use of technology. So I love that Sushi math app where you solve multiplication problems and then get to quickly pull the sushi off the cart, right? But for higher-level questions, where we’re thinking about word problems or where what we’re helping to teach students is complex thinking, apps have a harder time doing that. Because students can often figure out the answer without engaging in the thinking that we are hoping that they’ll learn. And so I think technology absolutely has a piece. I think technology is helpful for parents. I think the logistics of helping parents live their lives is a good reason to use technology. But I think we need to be conscious of what it’s replacing. And so I think a world in which we think fourth graders can learn math only from apps is not realistic. But absolutely apps can be a great supplement to what’s already happening in the classroom.
Dan Meyer (28:56):
Yeah, that’s super-helpful. We have done a lot of work in digital curriculum here at Amplify, and often face the question on a daily basis, “Should this math be digital or on paper? Should we have the students stand up and talk or type something?” And those decisions are way too crucial and way more sensitive than a lot of the app-based education gives credit to. So appreciate your perspective there.
Marjorie Schaeffer (29:22):
OK. And I don’t think there’s one answer, or one answer for all classrooms. I think it’s like always a balancing act. I do think that one of the reasons our work is successful is because the parent-child interaction. And we want parents to learn from these experiences. And I think the same thing is true for for teachers.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (29:41):
Dr. Schaeffer, thank you so much for being with us today and for sharing about your research, and again, for inviting us to reconsider ways that we can develop a more positive relationship with math. And that parent or caregiver or teacher relationship with a child, we’re seeing just how incredibly impactful that is. And I really appreciate your work and your voice on this. Thank you so much for your time.
Dan Meyer (30:07):
Thank you.
Marjorie Schaeffer (30:08):
Thank you for having me.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (30:12):
Thank you again, Dr. Schaeffer, and thank you all for listening to our conversation. You can check out the show notes for more on Dr. Schaeffer’s work and to see a link to the app that we shared about Bedtime Math.
Dan Meyer (30:25):
Please keep in touch with us on Facebook at Math Teacher Lounge Community, and on Twitter at MTLShow.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (30:32):
We would love to hear … you’ve been listening to this series; we’re dipping our toe into all these aspects of math anxiety. Is there something that you’re still wondering about? Something you wanna share about your own story with math anxiety?
Dan Meyer (30:43):
And if you haven’t already, if this is your first exposure to the Math Teacher Lounge podcast, please subscribe to Math Teacher Lounge, wherever you get your fine podcast products. And if you like what you’re hearing, please rate us! Leave us a review. You’ll help more listeners find the show.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (31:01):
And let a friend know. But you know, it’s, it’s nice and cozy here in the Lounge, right? There’s no pressure. We’re hanging out. It’s all about learning. We’re learning together. We’re glad you’re here and we want others in your community to join us in the Lounge as well. You can find more information on all of Amplify’s shows at our podcast hub. Go to amplifycom.wpengine.com/hub. Next time on Math Teacher Lounge, we’re gonna be chatting about where we are today that we weren’t a few months ago in this topic.
Dan Meyer (31:31):
We’ll be chatting about this last series about math anxiety, and trading our favorite insights and observations from the run of the season.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (31:41):
I just love this series, Dan. And thanks, all, for listening. We really appreciate having you in the Lounge.
Stay connected!
Join our community and get new episodes every other Tuesday!
We’ll also share new and exciting free resources for your classroom every month.
Meet the guest
Marjorie Schaeffer is an assistant professor of psychological sciences at Saint Mary’s College. She received her Ph.D in developmental psychology from the University of Chicago. Marjorie is interested in the role parents and teachers play in the development of children’s math attitudes and performance. She is specifically interested in the impact of expectations and anxiety and on children’s academic performance. Her work has been published in outlets including Science, Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, and Developmental Science.
About Math Teacher Lounge
Math Teacher Lounge is a biweekly podcast created specifically for K–12 math educators. In each episode co-hosts Bethany Lockhart Johnson (@lockhartedu) and Dan Meyer (@ddmeyer) chat with guests, taking a deep dive into the math and educational topics you care about.
Join the Math Teacher Lounge Facebook group to continue the conversation, view exclusive content, interact with fellow educators, participate in giveaways, and more!
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¡El programa de Amplify Science da la bienvenida a las familias!
Nos complace darle la bienvenida a usted y a su estudiante al programa de Ciencias en el nuevo año escolar y brindar a su estudiante excelentes oportunidades educativas a través de nuestro programa. A continuación incluimos una serie de recursos y guías útiles para ayudar a que su estudiante aproveche al máximo nuestra plataforma a lo largo del año. For English version, please click here.
¿Qué es Amplify Science?
Amplify Science es un currículo escolar estimulante para los grados K–8 que fue diseñado por expertos del Lawrence Hall of Science de UC Berkeley. A medida que usted explore el programa, notará que es diferente de cualquier otro currículo de ciencias que haya visto. Esto se debe a que en los últimos años, la enseñanza de las ciencias ha ido alejándose de las lecciones centradas en datos, tales como aquellas que requieren memorización, y actualmente favorece una modalidad enfocada en el aprendizaje en profundidad con actividades de investigación y resolución de problemas de la vida real. Este cambio en la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de ciencias está reflejado en los nuevos estándares nacionales de ciencias (Estándares de Ciencias para la Próxima Generación) y, como se lo imagina, en Amplify Science.
Para comenzar
Si bien las lecciones de Amplify Science fueron diseñadas para su uso en el salón de clases con un grupo de alumnos, hay algunas actividades que los estudiantes pueden hacer en casa con su apoyo. Antes de dar inicio a dichas actividades, recomendamos que lea el artículo Proteja a los niños en internet de la Comisión Federal de Comercio sobre seguridad digital.
Resumen de los recursos
Amplify Science integra las mejores técnicas de enseñanza y aprendizaje de ciencias. Los estudiantes tendrán numerosas oportunidades de usar materiales para el aprendizaje práctico, participar en lecturas, redactar argumentos científicos respaldados por evidencia y explorar aplicaciones digitales.
Mire el siguiente video para ver una presentación breve del enfoque y la estructura del programa Amplify Science.
Una alianza poderosa
Amplify Science es el resultado del trabajo colaborativo de expertos en la enseñanza de ciencias de Amplify y del Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS) de UC Berkeley. El equipo de expertos en ciencias, matemáticas, ingeniería y lectoescritura de LHS desarrolló el contenido del programa, mientras que el equipo de diseñadores e ingenieros de Amplify creó las herramientas y componentes que dan vida a las lecciones.
Haciendo clic aquí verá más información sobre el Lawrence Hall of Science.
Explore los recursos del nivel escolar correspondiente
Sepa dónde encontrar ayuda
¡Nuestro compromiso es brindarle ayuda!
¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre Amplify Science?
Ingrese a nuestra biblioteca de ayuda para encontrar artículos con las respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el programa. Si necesita ayuda adicional con el currículo, comuníquese con el maestro o la maestra de su estudiante.
Oregon Enhanced ELA State Review for K–5
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.
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.
- Administrators receive launch email
- Share the information with teachers
- Log In
- Go to RapidID portal at cps.edu/portal
- Enter your CPS username and password
- Click on the orange Amplify Icon
- Ensure your have received all materials and components
- Your teachers have access to a series of “Unboxing your materials kit” videos. These videos are an example of what you can expect when your Amplify Science kits arrive.
- K-5 materials list
- 6-8 materials list
- Attend a Professional Learning opportunity and/or access the Getting Started Resources below
- Support teachers in implementing their first unit by connecting them to the program hub resources
- Reach out to our support team at help@amplify.com with any questions
Admin tools
Administrators please see the following tools to help you support your staff in implementing Amplify Science:
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:
- What’s online?
- Planning strategies
- How to log in and navigate
- Guided tour
- Spanish-language supports in grades K–5
- How to use classroom slides
- K-5 Fillable PDF’s
- QR code login for students
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:
- K-5 Unit Guide Resources
- Phenomena in grades K–5
- Student Books in grades K–5
- Simulations in grades 4–8
- Scope and Sequence
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:
- What’s online?
- Planning strategies
- How to log in and navigate
- Guided tour
- Spanish-language supports in grades 6–8
- Introduction to Classwork
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:
- 6-8 Unit Guide Resources
- Phenomena in grades 6–8
- Simulations in grades 4–8
- Spanish-language supports in grades 6–8
- Scope and sequence
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
Welcome back to Amplify Science!
On this page, you’ll find helpful resources, for returning educators, to support you and your students to ensure you have a successful year with Amplify. Let’s dig in.
Professional learning resources
Amplify Science K-5
When you’re ready to log in to learning.amplify.com and get started, begin by watching the navigation video for grades K–5 to familiarize you with the digital organization of materials. Visit the PD Library to learn how to find everything you need to teach with this video about navigating Amplify Science. Note: login required!
Amplify Science 6-8
When you are ready to log in to learning.amplify.com and get started, begin by watching the navigation video for grades 6–8 to familiarize yourself with the digital organization of materials. Visit the PD Library to learn how to find everything you need to teach with this video about navigating Amplify Science. Note: login required!
Program Hub
Access self-study professional resources on our Amplify Science program hub (log-in required). Here you will find resources and videos on:
- Remote learning resources
- Training videos
- Hands-on Investigation Videos
Professional Development Library
The Professional Development Library is a space for educators to learn more about Amplify Science through short, engaging video collections. The PD Library can be located on the Program & Apps menu when logged into the program. Watch the training videos based on your grade band to learn more about pacing, planning, and teaching Science!
Level up learning webinars
Level up your Amplify Science experience with our We Are Scientists webinars! We showcased expert classroom teaching strategies and offered educator tips and tricks on how to get creative with learning with your students.
- Educator panel
- Amplify Science: Live from the Classroom for Kindergarten webinar
- Amplify Science: Live from the Classroom for Grade 1 webinar
- Amplify Science: Live from the Classroom for Grade 2 webinar
- Amplify Science: Live from the Classroom for Grade 3 webinar
- Amplify Science: Live from the Classroom for Grade 4 webinar
- Amplify Science: Live from the Classroom for Grade 5 webinar
Admin tools
- Look-for Tool
- Administrator Reports
- Have a question? Here is where you can look to find the answer..
- Need refills? Amplify Science Refill components
Elementary school resources (grades K–5)
For a refresher on navigating and locating resources in the digital Teacher’s Guide, access the page for new users for mini on-boarding videos.
What’s new for 2024-25?
Amplify Science is launching exciting new and updated features for the upcoming school year. Click here to check out improvements designed to save you time, extend your reach, and support your efforts to deliver the rigorous and riveting learning experiences your students deserve.
Have a question? Here is where you can look to find the answer..
Planning guides
Planning guides for grades K–5 walk you through strategies for planning for a unit, including which resources to locate in either the print or digital Teacher’s Guide to most effectively 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:
- Read aloud functionality K-5
- Phenomena in grades K–5
- Student Books in grades K–5
- Simulations in grades 4–8
- Scope and Sequence
Middle school resources (grades 6–8)
For a refresher on navigating and locating resources in the digital Teacher’s Guide, access the page for new users for mini on-boarding videos.
What’s new for 2024-25?
Amplify Science is launching exciting new and updated features for the upcoming school year. Click here to check out improvements designed to save you time, extend your reach, and support your efforts to deliver the rigorous and riveting learning experiences your students deserve.
Have a question? Here is where you can look to find the answer…
Planning guide
Our planning guide walks you through strategies for planning for a unit, including which resources to locate in either the print or digital Teacher’s Guide to most effectively plan. Click here to download.
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:
- Shared login for advance planning
- Assign in Google classroom
- Classwork Comment Bank
- Phenomena in grades 6–8
- Simulations in grades 4–8
- Spanish-language supports in grades 6–8
- Scope and sequence
Ready to dig a little deeper?
Revisiting coherence flowcharts
Take another look (or look for the first time) at the coherence flowcharts for your unit (found in the printable resources section of the unit guide).
Sample Coherence Flowchart: First Grade: Plant and Animal Defenses
Sample Coherence Flowchart: Fourth Grade: Energy Conversions
Sample Coherence Flowchart: Seventh Grade: Plate Motion
Enhance your discourse routines
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
S4 – 01. Joyful math teaching with Kanchan Kant
This season on the Math Teacher Lounge podcast, we follow the theme “joyful math” and uncover its meaning.
In this episode, Kanchan Kant joins Bethany Lockhart Johnson and Dan Meyer to discuss the key, early investment she makes at the start of the school year to ensure her math teaching will be joyful for herself and for her students for the rest of the year.
Explore more from Math Teacher Lounge by visiting our main page.
Dan Meyer (00:00):
Okay, we are recording. Hey folks. Welcome back to Math Teacher Lounge. (laugh)
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:06):
Hardly off to a rocking start.
Dan Meyer (00:06):
Yeah. Yeah. <laugh> Did you like my energy there? Hey folks. Welcome back to Math Teacher Lounge. It’s a new season with your host Dan Meyer. And…
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:15):
I’m Bethany, Lockhart Johnson. How’s your summer Dan?
Dan Meyer (00:22):
Summer for me feels really hectic as we prepare, here at Amplify, for the new school year, and everyone’s starting these new math programs. So I’ve been feeling quite amped up, like usual in the summer. But also, my kids started big kid school. So I’ve been seeing the educational system from the role of a parent and all the anxieties and I worry, will I be my kids’ teacher’s most annoying parent <laugh> … So what kind of math curriculum you using? Oh, have you heard of core counting? Can I lead a math center? What’s this worksheet about? I’m really worried my kids are just overall gonna hate my vibe when I come around their classes. Uh, <laugh> so lots going on with me.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (01:06):
It’s already happening for me and I have a toddler.
Dan Meyer (01:10):
<laugh> There we go. Anyway, that’s what I’m up to. That’s how I’m feeling. I’m curious how you’re doing. We haven’t chatted in a while. We’re excited about the podcast, but it’s been a bit, you know? Bethany got a break from me and my antics over the summer. So, how are we finding you here, as we ramp up to the new season?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (01:24):
Uhhhh. Well, let me just tell you, I have a toddler. That’s kind of all I need to say. Except that’s not all I will say. Of course, I’ll say more. I am exploring, I’m dipping my toe into the extracurricular toddler activities; the music classes of the toddler world, the creative movement of the toddler world. And yeah, I have lots of opinions and lots of things to say about the teachers. And I’m like, Ugh, I can’t wait to be room mom. And just like…<laugh>
Dan Meyer (01:55):
Just let it rip, you know?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (01:57):
I have opinions on everything and just hope I don’t get kicked out of the class.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (02:05):
It’s been an eventfully recharging summer and we are ready for this new season. And in fact, we’re so ready that we decided that we were gonna mix up this season. Just a, just a tiny bit. Shall I explain Dan?
Dan Meyer (02:21):
Yeah. Let’s do it.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (02:22):
So we have loved all the different topics that we have explored in the Math Teacher Lounge world, but we kind of feel like we need to do some more deep dives. So for this season and the foreseeable seasons …
Dan Meyer (02:38):
We’ll see how it goes.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (02:38):
Let’s stick with this season. For this season. We’re going to be exploring a singular theme.
Dan Meyer (02:46):
We’re not bouncing around. Yep. We’re not bouncing around from a guest to guest going on whatever shiny thing in the river bed catches our eye. We’re gonna take one theme and see where it goes. What we working with here this season?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (02:57):
This season, we are going to be exploring the idea of joyful math, joyful math. And Dan, the question I have for you is, is the term joyful math one that you use on the regular?
Dan Meyer (03:10):
No, it definitely is not. I think that joy and math are very rarely, you know, connected in the popular mind. Number one, and number two, you know, I’m kind of an ornery fellow, so that’s not my natural kind of description of math. But we decided that it feels like an important one at the moment, because a lot of math teaching–a lot of teaching in general, math teaching in particular–math teaching is often not a joyful discipline for students, where, you know, I’ve done some research where you look at what people type into Google. And I looked at like, what they…why am I bad at X? And I looked at that for where X is math, where it’s science, where it’s reading, where it’s history. And it was just wild to see how many more hits there are out there on the Internet for “why am I bad at math?” People don’t really associate math with joy, but also we’re looking at joyful math in terms of joyful math teaching. Math teaching, teaching in general, is a tough field at the moment with a lot of teachers leaving teaching. And those who remain are having a lot of soul searching and thinking about, why am I here and how do I sustain this work? And in an environment that seems hostile to my interests or my talents, or work-life balance. And so that’ll be the theme that we’re gonna kind of uncover over the course of our season, talking to various interesting guests, including one today about, yeah, joyful math teaching and joyful math.
Dan Meyer (04:43):
And to help us think about what joyful math teaching looks like, we figured we’d first look at what UN-joyful math teaching looks like. It happens to be the case that we’ve been in a pandemic as you might be aware, and teaching has been challenging. And the NEA, our National Education Association, surveyed its member teachers and asked them the following question … Gave a list of issues that school employees have experienced and asked, for each one indicate how serious of a problem this is for you. This is a survey where more than half of members said they are more likely to leave or retire sooner than planned because of the pandemic. And this is almost double the numbers from July, 2020. It’s really hard to keep track of teacher departures and unfilled vacancies across states. So I don’t wanna like blow this up out of proportion, but it does indicate some real challenges in teaching. So Bethany, I was curious, what do you think like at the top of the list, like what kinds of factors, issues facing educators would you imagine there are?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (05:48):
So if I’m to understand you correctly, these are reasons someone is not actively experiencing joy in the profession of teaching. Like why would they leave?
Dan Meyer (05:58):
Exactly.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (05:59):
Well, the number one thing that came to mind for me, well, okay. Wait, wait, one other caveat I need to ask about, you said specifically pandemic-related or just in general, because if it’s pandemic-related, then I think, well, there’s health issues, right? That people are concerned about, but in general, the thing that came to mind was a lack of support from administration districts, lack of funding, and overcrowding in classrooms. Like, you know, I saw somebody had 40 students in their classroom. So those are the two things that I can imagine like top on someone’s list that would make them experience less than a joyful day.
Dan Meyer (06:44):
Yeah. There’s a bunch of you’re kind of identifying here. So number seven on the list is lack of respect from parents and the public, which is like 76% of teachers call that out as serious for them. Others that you kind of circled around in terms of resources go like, not enough planning or unstructured time in the job kind of ties into resources. Yeah. But there’s others that are on the list that I’m curious, you wanna take on the swing at it, given what I’ve said here,
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (07:15):
I feel like too much being asked of them, like being asked to wear too many hats, like they’re being asked to not only teach their class, but also cover all the vacancies and supervise recess and, you know, make a delicious, nutritious lunch. That’s what came to mind. Am am I close?
Dan Meyer (07:33):
Yeah. Number four on the list, unfilled job openings leading to more work for remaining staff. People covering, you know, not just the kind of external to teaching work like you’re describing, but also just taking on like losing your prep period, to take on a class that has been unfilled for all kinds of reasons. Yeah.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (07:54):
Yeah. I’ve only gotten the fourth. Give me one clue, one clue about …
Dan Meyer (07:59):
So, I mean like, so number one is general stress from the coronavirus pandemic, you know, which I feel like …
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (08:06):
I mentioned that.
Dan Meyer (08:07):
I’ll give you that one. Yep, yep, sure. And then number two, close behind, is feeling burned out, which I think ties into what you’re describing as well. I’m giving Bethany credit on that one. The third one is very different from the ones you’ve been describing. I think I cannot in good faith give you even partial credit for this one. I’ll just say it. Student…
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (08:28):
Wait! Dan, this is not how you give clues.
Dan Meyer (08:31):
Here’s a clue. It’s student absences due to COVID19. It’s really hard to deal student absences. That’s your clue.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (08:40):
That wasn’t a clue that you told me.
Dan Meyer (08:43):
Yeah, let’s see. I think that’s largely it. There’s also pay is too low, is on the list; student behavioral issues, on the list. And I think that about covers it. So all of that, that basket of items has led to more than half of teachers in this survey, saying that they’re more likely to leave or retire from education sooner than planned. And I don’t know. I think we all know teachers who have bailed.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (09:08):
I’ve never played a board game with you, Dan, but if we ever play a board game, we’re gonna work on your clue giving, ’cause I want to keep guessing. And you just told me.
Dan Meyer (09:22):
Yeah. Yeah.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (09:22):
In all seriousness, the <laugh>. In all seriousness, I think yes, the stress of the pandemic and students being absent, what some folks are calling unfinished learning, all of those pieces do play into it. But a lot of those things that you’re mentioning on the list are things that are not unique to the pandemic, right? Like those are things that I feel like there is some modicum of control that we could have over shifting the way the culture of the teaching profession is going so that we could create a more joyful experience for educators, administrators, and students.
Dan Meyer (10:03):
Yeah. Good call out. That’s exactly right. We could tax the people who are not in the classrooms more and increase the pay to classroom teachers. You know, there we go.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (10:11):
Oh. Bingo. Why didn’t we ask you sooner Dan, for your wisdom.
Dan Meyer (10:15):
Yeah. I’m … solved by Dan. Yeah, good point though. So I read that and yeah, I think that there’s been some … people have critiqued the NEA for being very alarmist about teacher departures as the year has ramped up. It has not been quite the flood of departing teachers as was predicted and thank heavens for that, but we should still be very bummed if teachers are unhappy and wanting to leave and feel like they can’t leave. That is definitely not good. So we were really excited to bring to the table, someone who is just a very joyful teacher and one in a very intentional way. Someone who has a lot of discipline in how she approaches the job and the students in it and tries to create a joyful environment for herself, Kanchan Kant. Kanchan is a math and computer science teacher at Newton North High School in Newton, Massachusetts. She’s been sharing her love for math with her students for the past four years, while also being instrumental in setting the culture and ethos of the math department at her school in her role as the assistant department head. We welcome you on the show Kanchan to help us understand joy and math teaching. Thanks for being here.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (11:29):
Welcome!
Kanchan Kant (11:30):
Thank you for having me. I really appreciate it.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (11:33):
One of my friends, her son was asked as his first math homework assignment to write out his math bio. And I loved that idea because we got to hear a little bit about your bio from like a broader perspective. But if we were to ask about your math bio, I will speak for myself to say like, automatically certain images flash into my mind, right? To think about my relationship, my evolving relationship with math. But I’m so curious if I was to ask you, what’s your math bio? How did you become the person, mathematically speaking, that you are today? Would you mind sharing a bit about that?
Kanchan Kant (12:10):
Of course I would love to. So I was born and raised in India and I belong to a family which considers mathematics to be extremely important to succeed in life. My father used to have me add and subtract license plates since I was four years old, when we were out and about. I loved math in school, it just made like complete sense to me. It was logical and you know, it was my favorite subject. I loved it all through high school. I had a confidence speed breaker in undergrad. When in my second semester I almost failed the engineering math course that I took. That was the first time math felt like too much and not like my best friend, which it was supposed to be. So it was a while before I could summon the courage to take on another math course in college.
Kanchan Kant (12:56):
But once I did that, it was like old times. I realized I had to persevere through the challenging bits. And once I did that, it started to make sense again. And through my journey, as an educator speaking to people from various backgrounds and like coming to the United States, I realized that math is challenging for everyone at one time or another. For some people that is elementary school. And for some others, it is college or even later. Either way does not mean that you are not a math person. When I was in college, I felt I was not a math person. Whereas my sister, my very own sister said the same thing about math in middle school. Both of us use math every day. And we are definitely, definitely math people. So for me to be a math person is to persevere, to approach problem-solving in a logical manner, and to find the joy in the process ,as well as the answer.
Dan Meyer (13:47):
That’s wonderful. Yeah. A lot of people, have a moment where they feel like almost betrayed by what they thought was a close friend of theirs, with math, where it’s like, wait, I thought we were tight. You know, I thought we were cool. You and me. And there’s that moment. And I wonder if that’s been a useful moment for you to, you know, bring back now and then as a teacher with students who might feel that even, you know, in high school or in a secondary school as a kid.
Kanchan Kant (14:15):
Absolutely. Like when I talk to students and tell them, yes, I had difficulty in math too. It has not always been easy for men and there are still things I struggle with sometimes, then it’s like more modeling for them that you have to persevere, you should persevere. And once you do that, it makes sense and you can feel successful. So, almost every year I end up sharing the story with my students.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (14:38):
There’s so much value in that, right? That you are sharing that vulnerability with students. And to say your relationship with mathematics has not been, you know, smooth sailing the whole way through. There were times when you had to work harder than others.
Dan Meyer (14:55):
Yeah. Really fun to hear about you and your father as well. I tried to ask my five-year-old to do some skip counting the other day, like, okay, cool, you’re hot stuff. You can count, you know, up by ones, but what about by twos? And the moment really fell flat. And I watched myself becoming the kind of parent who is whose enthusiasm for math is one day resented by his children. I feel a lot of, yeah, I felt your anxiety Kanchan, with math itself. And now I feel anxiety as like someone who loves math and loves to teach math and may one day alienate the people closest to him. <laugh>
Kanchan Kant (15:31):
I don’t like that future. I have a three-month-old. I do not like this future of mine. If I have to go through what you’re going through. Uh, oh, <laugh>
Dan Meyer (15:38):
You got this. So Kanchan, you’re going back to the classroom coming up here at the time of this recording. It’s a few weeks out. And we’re thinking about like the kind of ways that math teachers sustain a disposition that is joyful. How are you feeling right now, as far as going back to class after this summer? Are you feeling excited, anxious, some combo, tell us about it.
Kanchan Kant (16:01):
I would say combo, but more excited than anxious. I was on maternity leave, as I mentioned, before the school year ended, and I missed the students dearly. Like, my students are what gives me hope in the darkest times. They are thoughtful. They’re empathetic. They’re so eager to learn. And very soon into my teaching career, I realized that if I take the time to get to know my students and make them feel safe and seen in my class, teaching them math would be so much easier and so much more fun. So I’m a little worried about this being like fourth year into the pandemic, but let’s see. Last year I felt the students were finding it difficult to interact with and work with their classmates because they had not been doing it for so long. So I’m hoping this year would go a little better and I’m really looking forward to working with them and building community and see how it goes.
Dan Meyer (16:53):
So if I’m understanding you correctly, you are feeling very well recharged here. You had basically an extended summer with this maternity leave, basically just like a lot of rest and relaxation over the last, like several months. Um, if I get you here. So anyway, I’m glad for that for you. And, yeah. I also hear you on the difficulties of teaching post pandemic or mid pandemic. Anyway, thanks for sharing that.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (17:19):
What I love is I hear you being so intentional, like thinking about those relationships and thinking about that community that you want to build, you know? How do you hope that you’re gonna cultivate joy in your teaching this year? I mean like, are there certain routines or disciplines that you specifically call forth or that you think other teachers should think about?
Kanchan Kant (17:41):
So at the start of every school year, I dedicate like about three to four weeks to set up the classroom culture, both social and academic. I call my classroom a learning community. We start with community circles, we do icebreaker activities, group building and all those kinds of things. But most importantly, we do a lot of collective problem solving. So I try to present students with problems, which can be solved using multiple strategies and have multiple entry points, basically they are low floor, high ceiling problems. These could be stretch problems that they have seen before, like concepts that they already know or logical puzzles, or just wrapping their heads around different problems. Then I have students share their strategies. The more strategies they have on the board, the more successful I think the problem was. Every year, inevitably, students come up with strategies that I’ve never ever seen before for the same problems that I do.
Kanchan Kant (18:35):
And so I have students come up to the board, they would share their strategies. If they’re not ready for that, they would walk me through their strategies. And I would write their name on the board with different colored markers and everything. Basically to give them choice and agency. It also shows them that the process of doing the problem is so much more important than just getting the right answer and that it is okay to make mistakes in our learning community. I use a lot of vertical whiteboards, some concepts and problems align so well with the vertical surfaces, especially when students can explore together, learn from each other. So I do a lot of that. As for routines, I would say consistency is the key. I consistently reinforce that I want to hear multiple strategies, that it is okay to make mistakes. I am willing to learn from you as much as you’re willing to learn from me. So all like that consistency in culture more than the routines, is I feel important to bring that joy.
Dan Meyer (19:29):
That’s super interesting. Thanks for that. So I’ve heard, I hear two common objections or two common concerns to using rich tasks or doing problem solving. And I think I heard like answers to those two common reservations within what you described there, but I wonder if we can kind of bring it to the surface. And so one of the reservations is around the time that those problems take and another is that teachers often feel like, well, I might be surprised, you know, I might not know what to do with what a student does. And I thought I was hearing like some very interesting answers to both of those kinds of reservations from you, but would you just surface those up if you have some.
Kanchan Kant (20:09):
So in terms of time, I feel if I spend the time at the beginning of the year, setting up that community and doing those problems, it makes learning the math and learning the concepts much more faster throughout the rest of the year. And even when I am trying, like, even throughout the year, if we are doing a warm up problem, as I call it, which has multiple strategies, that’s gonna clarify so many more concepts when we talk about those five, 10 strategies of doing the same problem, then going through multiple problems to clarify those concepts. So for me, it actually saves time instead of taking more time.
Dan Meyer (20:43):
Hmm. That’s super interesting. It’s an investment I’m hearing from you that, yeah, you might not be hitting the curriculum quite as hard early on, but that all of a sudden you’re in the spring and it’s like, oh wow, we’ve been moving so much faster through territory that has been more challenging. What would you say to you know, comfort concerned educators or to address the concern that I don’t know what I’ll do with these five, 10 different strategies. You say, I always see strategies that I’ve never anticipated. Like, it’s a good thing, you know, like you’re happy about that. I think that’s a very intimidating thing for lots of educators. What would you say to that?
Kanchan Kant (21:19):
I think like, for me, it’s a good kind of discomfort. That means like a student is teaching me something, which is actually doing two things. One modeling for them that I’m willing to learn and that I don’t know everything. And two, also telling them that they’re mathematicians. They know what they’re doing. They’re not just receivers of math, they’re actually creating it. So for me, that is very, very important.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (21:43):
I love that so much. When you think about your students and you’re about to start this new school year, how do you hope your students will experience math in your classroom?
Kanchan Kant (21:53):
So I hope my students can see the beauty and joy of math. They can see that math is a way to see the world and not as something we have to do to get through school. So my hope for my classroom is that we can learn to problem-solve and persevere through problems and learn from each other and not just get through the curriculum. Because like, I think math is a wonderful way to learn these skills, which are so important when you get out of high school. Most importantly, I just wanna make sure that my students see themselves as mathematicians. And like one of the things that like I have to share with you that, because one of my highlights for the year has to be the Desmos art project. I do it every year for the past three years, I think since I’ve started teaching sophomores. And I do it as a unit assessment for functions and my students design something that is meaningful to them, using all the different kinds of functions and colors and shading and everything that you can think of in Desmos.
Kanchan Kant (22:49):
Thank you so much for that though. It is such a cool way for me to see them do that. Like I have seen such amazing creations. One of my students once made a scaled working model of a solar system wherein the planets were rotating at relative speed. The Saturn had rings and they were like asteroids and everything. And then it was beautifully done. Then there was another one who did a very, very detailed whale scenery, her reasoning. I wanna be a Marine biologist and I wanna study whales. So this is what is meaningful to me. So like that one project is just a culmination of everything that I want students to see in math and in my classroom. And like I do more of those kinds of things, but that is one thing that it’s one of the highlights of my year.
Dan Meyer (23:32):
That’s awesome. I love hearing that. Yeah. Shout out to the team at Desmos Studio for building and continuing to develop a tool list that so good for art and animation, even, in addition to some mathematics with a more computational kind. Yeah, that’s really exciting. What’s interesting to me is that you teach high school, and I think that like students at that age have a very well-defined sense of what math is and who they are as mathematicians. And then along you come, you know, and like offer this really interesting disruption, you know, in their sophomore year of high school that like, oh, this can be totally different, this relationship who I am. And that’s just really exciting. I imagine it’s a very surprising year. I would imagine that first month, I would imagine is a very surprising month for a lot of your sophomores.
Kanchan Kant (24:20):
Yeah, it is. I mean, that’s why I take that time to build that community because then that sets the tone and the relationship that we’re gonna have for the rest of the year. Students get to know how to work with each other. They get to know each other, that whole piece is like super important because of that.
Dan Meyer (24:35):
Yeah. That’s awesome. So here’s the thing, like we’re exploring these ideas about joyful math teaching and what it will take to cultivate restore, reclaim joy in math, teaching this next year. And you’ve offered us these really interesting ideas some, some very, you know, philosophical and some technical about how you spend time in ways that lead to joy in the spring for you and your students. Love that. We don’t want to as hosts, as researchers, investigators of this joyful math teaching idea, we don’t wanna say it’s all up to teachers to change their mindset, to do different technical practices, and that will lead to joy. We also wanna be really attentive to the environment that surrounds you, the people who are around to support you, the policy makers, the social structures that influence your joy in very significant ways. So what we would love to know from you is, how are you supported by the greater educational community in keeping your joy in your work? I’m thinking, especially about administrators, you know, front office, staff, parents, even, can you name a few ways for those sorts of people who listen to this podcast, how they can cultivate a math teacher’s joy this coming year?
Kanchan Kant (25:54):
I would say trust. I think more than anything, educators want administrators, parents, the greater educational community, to trust them to be professionals and experts in what they do. That does not mean that we don’t want to learn, that we don’t want feedback, that we don’t wanna get better. It just means that we keep the wellbeing of our students as our top priority. And we would like to be trusted to do just that. Also just keeping in mind that whether we like it or not, we are still adjusting to the new normal while recovering from the worst of the pandemic times. A lot of us are recovering from trauma, a lot of our students are recovering from trauma, and we need time and space for our social and emotional wellbeing.
Dan Meyer (26:35):
Yeah. I’m really curious, Kanchan, you’ve done a lot of work in your area with your grading team and in thinking about equitable and biased resistant instruction. I’m curious how you see those efforts lining up with creating joyful math learning conditions for all students, not just students from a dominant culture of math doing, let’s say.
Kanchan Kant (26:55):
For me, creating an equitable environment in a classroom is most important because once you have that, that’s when you have the relationships, that’s when you have the culture, that’s when all students actually thrive. So to that end, our school and our department has been doing a lot of work around grading practices. We actually assess how we grade students, where the bias is, what we can do to make them more bias resistant. Should we move to mastery based grading? Like that’s something I’ve been experimenting with for the past two years. Through the pandemic, I started doing mastery based grading so that my students can get more opportunities to show that they have learned the content. And so like just little things which help bridge the opportunity gap. I would say another project that our school undertakes is called the calculus project wherein we have students in Black, Latinx, and low income families sign up for that and are recommended for that. And then we do summer classes and yearlong support to preview the material for next year, not as a remedial class, but to actually set students up for success in AP classes for the coming year. So we have the community buildup. We have the courses we have like math support. It’s a very beautiful thing actually. And I’ve been working with that program for four years now. So yeah, so those are my ways of creating more equity in our school.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (28:19):
That’s so beautiful and I deeply, deeply wish you had been my high school math teacher. And I have to say that the theme that I kind of keep hearing is this intentionality. How you are so intentional about your work, not just with what your students are learning, but how they’re learning it, how they are engaging with this subject and how they are building their own relationship. You talked a little bit about your relationship over the years with mathematics, but how are your students building that relationship? And so I’m just very appreciative of you sharing that with us and with our listeners. And we are so excited to have learned a little bit about, like, I feel like I got a little mini peek into your classroom.
Kanchan Kant (29:03):
Thank you.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (29:04):
And can I say that if you are listening to this prior to October at NCTM Los Angeles, you will get to hear Kanchan Kant speak at Shadow Con. Can I give that away, Dan? Is that, is that …
Dan Meyer (29:23):
You can drop that. Yeah, It’s pretty top secret.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (29:26):
Can I drop it?
Dan Meyer (29:27):
Yeah. Do it. Yeah.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (29:28):
Dan and I will be in the audience cheering you on. It’s been a joy to learn with and from you, and we are so excited to just, you know, kind of keep marinating on some of these ideas about how we can continue to be intentional about creating joyful math spaces for our students. Thank you so much for joining us today.
Kanchan Kant (29:49):
Thank you so much. It was a real pleasure.
Dan Meyer (29:57):
So Bethany, I loved hearing Kanchan talk about both her, just her joyful personality, but how she cultivates joy through craft and technique through, you know, through the various ways she interacts with students in intentional ways, that those make the job more joyful for her. And I thought it was really interesting to hear her talk about how autonomy is the thing that she needs most in her job environment to feel like she can be joyful in her work. In that context, I saw … something on Twitter popped up for me in my, you know, my many Twitter wanderings. This is a segment we might call, Dan finds something on Twitter and shares it with Bethany. Which we’ll tighten that up a little bit, but I’m sending this over to you right now, and I’d love to know as you check this out, what you’re seeing and what you’re thinking and we’ll chat about how it relates to our interview here in a moment.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (30:47):
All right. I’m ready, send it over. It’s opening. So this appears to be a document by the way, outlining, maybe it’s a district, maybe it’s administration, they’re outlining expectation type and expectation guidelines. Hmm. Okay. And these are lesson plan expectations. Expectation type. Timeliness. Plans are due no later than 6 p.m.. Friday prior to the week of instruction. Comprehensive, all activities for the week for all subjects taught should be included and complete by due date and time. Plans should have at minimum, the following, see template for detail. Okay. So then it goes through the things that the plans need to have, the topic title, target, the objective, the activities, the sequence, the display agendas to be displayed backward design. Okay. So basically <laugh>, we were just talking about, overwhelm. And when I see this document, listeners, have you ever received something from your administrator or anyone, let’s take it more broadly, that is requesting something of you that would take so much time to complete and be so out of touch with your lived reality that it really genuinely sucks the joy out of the experience.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (32:25):
So the first thing that I see that this document, and again, the goal of whichever district’s plan this is, is that these expectations will lead–now, mind you, I am a fan of like, you know, looking ahead, I’m not a like, oh, hey, what am I gonna teach in five minutes? No, but the idea that then it lays out all of the things in such detail that you’re gonna be teaching feels like one of those pacing guides where, oh, move on to the next page, whether or not your students have any sort of sense making whatsoever. So my first thought is, oh, sad. I have to stay here. I’ll be there past 6 p.m. But I’m gonna be there trying to make the plans for the next week based on what I think my students have learned. Hmm it’s sounds like a little bit of a bummer. Dan, what did you think when you saw this and did I do a fair description of what it is?
Dan Meyer (33:25):
No, it’s, it’s a tough one to describe, ’cause it’s basically a wall of text and commands from an administrator who like, I just have to imagine has just like acres and acres of teachers trying to beat down their door to teach at this school, if this is how you’re gonna treat your teachers. I mean just, yeah. The idea of having a week… I’m with you, you don’t wanna just like, just jump in by the seat of your pants, but the idea of having a full week of lessons for every section you teach, every prep you teach, planned and submitted with every minute, basically morseled out to different goals. It says down here, you gotta like, for all of these, download a CSV of grades and whatnot and attach those. It’s the sort of thing, like you said, there are some edicts that you get from administration where you just have to laugh or just like, you have definitely missed like what I am willing to do here. It’s so far beyond. Yeah. I can’t imagine it. And it just felt like, yeah, it was a great way to get teachers like Kanchan to feel like a real lack of autonomy. Like it’s this would not work. I don’t think.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (34:33):
And it’s not even like willing to do. Like, let’s say you’re even willing to produce it. Let’s say that me, the rule follower is like, okay. I’m gonna attempt to meet these demands. One, most teachers were just, you know, they probably would put baloney down there anyway. Not saying that I would, but I’m saying like, it’s clearly just a hoop that they’re having to jump through and two…
Dan Meyer (35:04):
Yeah. Compliance, right?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (35:05):
Yeah. Compliance, compliance. There you go. And two, yeah, it feels like it’s about control and not trusting the teacher. And I love that. Kanchan said that trust is what she needs. Right? You’re hiring me. Yes. I still have lots to learn, but you’re trusting me and you’re creating an environment where I can continue to learn from and with my students. And if I was being asked to submit this tome every Friday before six, that is predicting, what does it say, anticipating the steps necessary for student mastery? You know, I kind of feel like maybe it’s like that one or two teachers where maybe they feel like, oh, I don’t trust that teacher or that teacher isn’t doing a good job, whatever. We better do this for all of the teachers, but then it’s not gonna change the practices of that one teacher and all the other teachers are gonna be resentful.
Dan Meyer (36:00):
Like if there was like feedback that came back to you on, you know, on lesson plans or there was some like something that was very constructive or productive, like maybe that would be different, but it really just feels like these are gonna go into a digital drawer somewhere and not be looked at, at all.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (36:15):
Yes. The digital drawer. Like I’m gonna send you this report and then nothing is going to happen with it. Except that four hours of my time. Well, you wouldn’t do it, but <laugh>…
Dan Meyer (36:29):
You’ve worn me down. You’ve worn me down. I’m now putty in your hands and more compliant for the next thing. And I also just wanna shout out the administrator today, who I emailed asking about like a teacher participating in a project and this administrator said, I have a standing policy not to email teachers over summer break, which you know, as administrators out there doing just the good work, you know, trusting teachers, watching out for them, trying to be a force multiplier for teachers, making the road wider, the way easier for teachers. So shout out to y’all doing the out there. Really appreciate that.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (37:04):
Okay. Wait, wait. About that email thing, quick question. Did you ever check your email over the summer?
Dan Meyer (37:11):
Uh, yeah. That’s one way in which I was the, you know, I just love email, you know? Oh. Someone wanted to reach out. Oh, oh, Banana Republic wants to tell me about new clothes that are on offer. <laugh> I mean like, it’s just, I love those personal emails. So yeah, I did check my email over the summer.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (37:26):
Somebody emailed me recently and they emailed me at like two in the morning. And because I currently have a toddler, I received the email at four in the morning because you know, the best thing to help myself fall back asleep is to hop on my phone, right? Like I’m already up trying to get my toddler back to sleep. I might as well start scrolling. Anyway, so the person had this little thing at the bottom of their email and it said, I have, something to the effect of, I have really like wonky work hours. I may be sending this outside of the like more standard nine to five. But please don’t feel pressure in any way to respond outside of your time. Would you appreciate that, seeing that or does it make you feel like you should respond? ‘Cause I almost responded at four in the morning, and maybe that says something about …
Dan Meyer (38:15):
They’re telling you not to respond.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (38:16):
I know it was helpful.
Dan Meyer (38:18):
It says don’t, but you’re like, what if they’re saying that because they really expect me to respond and this is one of many ways that you and I are different. I’m always happy to see that.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (38:29):
Do you respond? I’ve texted you in the evening because you know I have some wonky hours. Do you respond to things, like where’s your boundary there? Or when you were in the classroom, where was your boundary there? Did parents have your phone number?
Dan Meyer (38:43):
No. I gave kids my cell phone number for a couple years and it was a wobbly experiment. But parents will email, you know, back and forth with you. And I think the best thing to like … I love just like adding some friction, some latency into the kind of the chain, you know, like I hate going like back and forth, like da, da, da, da, and then like respond and then da, da da respond. And it just like goes back and forth. So just like just sitting back for an hour or two hours, you know, not responding, just let someone cool down, calm down. Email just gets you more email. That’s like if you send an email, you are just making it more likely to get more email. It’s a, you know, it’s a problem.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (39:20):
Are you one of the zero people?
Dan Meyer (39:23):
My inbox is at zero. Most days before work.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (39:26):
You’re joking!
Dan Meyer (39:28):
I end work every day with inbox, at zero.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (39:31):
You’re joking!
Dan Meyer (39:32):
That’s just, you know.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (39:33):
Who are you?
Dan Meyer (39:34):
You know, you should take my life coaching, Bethany. I’ll give you a discount since we’re math teacher, lunch pals. But, um yeah. I can help.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (39:44):
Thank you for qualifying where our pal-dom lives. I wouldn’t even tell you how many are in my inbox. Point is, if you are actively starting the school year, we celebrate you and we are here and over the next few months, we’re gonna be diving into joyful math and that definition’s gonna keep evolving. But I wanna say something that is making me feel a little joyful, Dan. You ready?
Dan Meyer (40:15):
Tell me.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (40:16):
You and I, in person, at NCTM, the National Council for Teachers and Mathematics. It’s coming up and we are going to be recording Math Teacher Lounge, live. Live, in person! And I hear there’s gonna be like a t-shirt cannon and there’s gonna be, you know, like musicians marching through the aisles or something.
Dan Meyer (40:46):
A marching band?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (40:46):
A marching band!
Dan Meyer (40:46):
Trained animals. Yeah.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (40:48):
But the point is, I’m so excited, Dan. And you know, when I see you, I might just, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you, Dan. I’d love to give you a big old embrace.
Dan Meyer (41:04):
You might just, you might just cry. Yeah. Yeah. It’ll be great. Yeah. It’s gonna be awesome for you folks to see me and Bethany have a real awkward first hug since the pandemic. And, uh, but it’s gonna be a blast to hang with us in person. We’ll have some special guests, probably, some interesting segments. You folks should stop on by at NCTM, if you’re gonna be there. Highly recommended.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (41:29):
Now, we will be broadcasting that episode. You’re gonna get to hear … we’re gonna record it live. It’s gonna happen. In the meantime, you can find us at MTLshow on Twitter, or you can find us in our Facebook group, Math Teacher Lounge. We can’t wait to hear from you. And we’d love to hear what makes math joyful for you? Where can we add a little bit more joy to you this, this season? So thrilled to be back. Thanks for listening.
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Meet the guest
As a math and computer science teacher at Newton North High School, Newton, MA, Kanchan has been sharing her love for math with her students for the past four years. Kanchan is instrumental in setting the culture and ethos of the mathematics department at her school in her role as the Assistant Department Head. Kanchan also leads the Math Department Grading Team and has been instrumental in making grading policies which are more equitable and bias resistant. In her new role as a Transformative Leaders of Massachusetts Fellow in collaboration with Springpoint and Barr Foundation, Kanchan looks forward to making equity and joy of learning the foundation of many more classrooms.
About Math Teacher Lounge: The podcast
Math Teacher Lounge is a biweekly podcast created specifically for K–12 math educators. In each episode co-hosts Bethany Lockhart Johnson (@lockhartedu) and Dan Meyer (@ddmeyer) chat with guests, taking a deep dive into the math and educational topics you care about.
Join the Math Teacher Lounge Facebook group to continue the conversation, view exclusive content, interact with fellow educators, participate in giveaways, and more!
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By Amplify Staff | June 16, 2026
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Professional development for assessment and intervention programs
Amplify professional development (PD) provides learning experiences that intentionally develop the knowledge and skills you need for effective and self-sustaining implementation.
Learn how to administer and score your assessment and develop a deeper understanding of reporting and instruction by investing in professional development.
Amplify professional development has been vetted by Rivet Education’s team through a rigorous three-step process and is listed in the Professional Learning Partner Guide.
About Amplify PD
Change is more likely to stick and get results if you take a systemic approach. As our partner, you’ll develop a learning plan that will drive your program implementation, enrich your instructional practices, and increase student impact.
Amplify’s professional development is designed to ensure successful, sustained implementation of our programs. Through strategically bundled packages, our PD sessions provide continuous support that adapts to your educators’ evolving needs.
Our packages include:
- Launch sessions: Propel your teachers into the new school year by introducing them to their Amplify program, laying a strong foundation for effective implementation.
- Strengthen sessions: Boost implementation with mid-year sessions that target specific instructional practices, providing the support needed to enhance program efficacy.
- Coach sessions: Provide tailored guidance and support for educators and leaders to address specific needs, refining and advancing their instructional practices.
About mCLASS Texas® assessment PD packages:
- Begin packages: Ideal for the first year of implementation, these packages help educators transition to evidence-based practices. Each package includes Launch and Strengthen sessions to set the foundation and support the initial phases of program adoption.
- Format options: On-site, Hybrid, Virtual
- Components: One Launch session introduces and supports a strong implementation and one Strengthen session deepens understanding of the program.
- Practice packages: Designed for the second year of implementation and beyond, these packages deepen educators’ knowledge and refine their practice. They focus on continuous improvement, using data to drive instructional decisions and enhance student outcomes.
- Format options: On-site, Hybrid, Virtual
- Components: Two Strengthen sessions expand practice and drive outcomes. We recommend enhancement Coach sessions for ongoing support and addressing customized needs.
About mCLASS Intervention PD sessions:
- Each intervention program offers Launch and Coach sessions for up to 30 participants per program for year one and beyond.
- Our interactive sessions are available on-site or virtually, empowering teachers and leaders anywhere with the tools and skills they need to inspire all students to think deeply, creatively, and for themselves.
About Amplify assessment and intervention programs
Amplify’s high-quality programs make it easier for educators to teach inspiring, impactful lessons that celebrate and develop the brilliance of their students. Empowering teachers with tools to provide robust scaffolding and differentiated instruction, assessment, and intervention programs take the hassle and guesswork out of assessments with real-time, actionable plans personalized for every learner.
Learn how to get the most out of your assessment and intervention program(s) through Amplify’s PD.
Assessment
- mCLASS Texas
- mCLASS Lectura Texas
- mCLASS Texas + Lectura
Intervention
- mCLASS Intervention
We provide PD sessions for all Amplify programs. Contact your account executive to discuss the extended catalog of PD session options or request a quote.
mCLASS Texas Assessments
We’ve created professional development offerings that will help you meet your unique needs this school year. Explore the Begin and Practice packages available for mCLASS Texas Edition and mCLASS Lectura Texas by selecting the session titles to learn more.
Please note that mCLASS Texas and mCLASS Texas + Lectura biliteracy sessions are currently unavailable for the Hybrid 4 and Virtual 4 packages.
Begin packages
Assessment programs
| On-site package (9 hours) |
Hybrid 9 package (9 hours) |
Hybrid 4 package (4 hours) |
Virtual 9 package (9 hours) |
Virtual 4 package (4 hours) |
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| One Launch and Strengthen session per package | |||||
| Launch sessions | |||||
| On-site 6 hr. |
On-site 6 hr. |
On-site 3 hr. |
Virtual 6 hr. (2 half-days) |
Virtual 3 hr. |
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| Administration and instruction essentials for teachers | |
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| Administration and scoring training for teachers |
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| Administration and reporting training for leaders | |
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| Strengthen sessions | |||||
| On-site 3 hr. |
Virtual 3 hr. |
Virtual 1 hr. |
Virtual 3 hr. |
Virtual 1 hr. |
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| Creating a data-driven classroom for teachers | |
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| Building a data-driven culture for leaders | |
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| Assessing with fidelity for teachers |
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| Reporting and instruction basics for teachers | |
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| Goal setting and growth outcomes for teachers | |
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| Progress monitoring for teachers | |
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| Reporting basics for leaders |
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*Assessment Strengthen sessions should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed for participants to work with their own data.
| Coach session | |||
| Suggested enhancements |
On-site | On-site or virtual | |
| 6 hr. | 3 hr. | ||
Begin: Administration and instruction essentials for teachers
On-site or virtual, 6 hours
Dive into the essentials of your mCLASS Texas assessment program. Learn how to administer and score the assessment and leave ready to leverage mCLASS Texas reports and lessons to accelerate data-driven student outcomes.
Session options: mCLASS Texas, mCLASS Lectura Texas, and/or mCLASS Texas + Lectura biliteracy
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura Texas session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Begin: Administration and scoring training for teachers
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Learn how to administer and score your mCLASS Texas assessment(s) and leave ready to collect data using standardized guidelines.
Session options: mCLASS Texas, mCLASS Lectura Texas, and/or mCLASS Texas + Lectura biliteracy
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura Texas session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Begin: Administration and reporting training for leaders
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Prepare to implement your assessment program(s) at your school site(s). Determine systems-level actions that will ensure assessment fidelity and leave ready to leverage key admin reports to support data-informed decisions.
Session options: mCLASS Texas, mCLASS Lectura Texas, and/or mCLASS Texas + Lectura biliteracy
Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura Texas session is facilitated in English only.
Begin: Creating a data-driven classroom for teachers
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Dive deep into mCLASS Texas reports and instructional recommendations to drive stronger student outcomes in your classroom. You will leave ready to leverage mCLASS Texas progress monitoring and grouping tools to support a robust MTSS program.
Session options: mCLASS Texas, mCLASS Lectura Texas, and/or mCLASS Texas + Lectura biliteracy
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura Texas session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Begin: Building a data-driven culture for leaders
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Cultivate a schoolwide culture of data-driven practices. Use mCLASS Texas reports to drill into key school-level data and leave with a systems-level action plan to drive stronger student and teacher outcomes.
Session options: mCLASS Texas, mCLASS Lectura Texas, and/or mCLASS Texas + Lectura biliteracy
Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura Texas session is facilitated in English only.
Begin: Strengthen Focus: Assessing with fidelity for teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Fortify your assessment administration with trainer-led practice targeted to your unique needs.
Session options: mCLASS Texas, mCLASS Lectura Texas, and/or mCLASS Texas + Lectura biliteracy
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura Texas session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Begin: Strengthen Focus: Reporting and instruction basics for teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Learn how to use mCLASS Texas classroom reporting, instructional tools, and resources to accelerate data-driven student outcomes.
Session options: mCLASS Texas, mCLASS Lectura Texas, and/or mCLASS Texas + Lectura biliteracy
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura Texas session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Begin: Strengthen Focus: Goal setting and growth outcomes for teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Learn how to use mCLASS Texas Zones of Growth (Zonas de crecimiento for mCLASS Lectura) reports to set meaningful, ambitious, and attainable student goals that drive student progress and growth.
Session options: mCLASS Texas, mCLASS Lectura Texas, and/or mCLASS Texas + Lectura biliteracy
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura Texas session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Begin: Strengthen Focus: Progress monitoring for teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Implement mCLASS progress monitoring and MTSS best practices to track student progress and accelerate growth.
Session options: mCLASS Texas, mCLASS Lectura Texas, and/or mCLASS Texas + Lectura biliteracy
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura Texas session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Begin: Strengthen Focus: Reporting basics for leaders
Virtual, 1 hour
Examine your school-level mCLASS benchmark assessment data to identify key levers for improving student outcomes.
Session options: mCLASS Texas, mCLASS Lectura Texas, and/or mCLASS Texas + Lectura biliteracy
Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura Texas session is facilitated in English only.
Practice packages
| On-site package (6 hours) |
Virtual 6 package (6 hours) |
Virtual 4 package (4 hours) |
Virtual 2 package (2 hours) |
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| Two Strengthen sessions per package | ||||
| Strengthen session titles* | ||||
| On-site 3 hr. |
Virtual 3 hr. |
Virtual 3 hr. and 1 hr. |
Virtual 1 hr. |
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| Creating a data-driven classroom for teachers | |
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| Building a data-driven culture for leaders |
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| Assessing with fidelity for teachers | |
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| Reporting and instruction basics for teachers | |
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| Progress monitoring for teachers |
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| Goal setting and growth outcomes for teachers |
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| Reporting basics for leaders | |
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*Assessment Strengthen sessions should be scheduled after the most recent benchmark window has closed for participants to work with their own data.
| Coach session | |||
| Suggested enhancements |
On-site | On-site or virtual | |
| 6 hr. | 3 hr. | ||
Practice: Creating a data-driven classroom for teachers
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Dive deep into mCLASS Texas reports and instructional recommendations to drive stronger student outcomes in your classroom. You will leave ready to leverage mCLASS Texas progress monitoring and grouping tools to support a robust MTSS program.
Session options: mCLASS Texas, mCLASS Lectura Texas, and/or mCLASS Texas + Lectura biliteracy
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura Texas session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Practice: Building a data-driven culture for leaders
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Cultivate a schoolwide culture of data-driven practices. Use mCLASS Texas reports to drill into key school-level data and leave with a systems-level action plan to drive stronger student and teacher outcomes.
Session options: mCLASS Texas, mCLASS Lectura Texas, and/or mCLASS Texas + Lectura biliteracy
Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura Texas session is facilitated in English only.
Practice: Strengthen Focus: Assessing with fidelity for teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Fortify your mCLASS Texas Edition assessment administration with trainer-led practice targeted to your unique needs.
Session options: mCLASS Texas, mCLASS Lectura Texas, and/or mCLASS Texas + Lectura biliteracy
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura Texas session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
New session
Practice: Strengthen Focus: Reporting and instruction basics for teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Learn how to use mCLASS Texas classroom reporting, instructional tools, and resources to accelerate data-driven student outcomes.
Session options: mCLASS Texas, mCLASS Lectura Texas, and/or mCLASS Texas + Lectura biliteracy
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura Texas session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Practice: Strengthen Focus: Progress monitoring for teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Implement mCLASS Texas progress monitoring and MTSS best practices to track student progress and accelerate growth.
Session options: mCLASS Texas, mCLASS Lectura Texas, and/or mCLASS Texas + Lectura biliteracy
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura Texas session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
New session for mCLASS Lectura Texas and mCLASS Texas + Lectura biliteracy
Practice: Goal setting and growth outcomes for teachers
Virtual, 1 hour
Learn how to use mCLASS Texas Zones of Growth (Zonas de crecimiento for mCLASS Lectura Texas) reports to set meaningful, ambitious, and attainable student goals that drive student progress and growth.
Session options: mCLASS Texas, mCLASS Lectura Texas, and/or mCLASS Texas + Lectura biliteracy
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura Texas session is facilitated in English or Spanish.
Practice: Reporting basics for leaders
Virtual, 1 hour
Examine your school-level mCLASS Texas benchmark assessment data to identify key levers for improving student outcomes.
Session options: mCLASS Texas, mCLASS Lectura Texas, and/or mCLASS Texas + Lectura biliteracy
Audience: Leaders (maximum 30 participants)
Language: The mCLASS Lectura Texas session is facilitated in English.
Amplify intervention PD sessions
Intervention programs
Each intervention program offers Launch and Coach sessions for up to 30 participants per program for year one and beyond.
mCLASS Texas Intervention
mCLASS Intervention is a staff-led Tier 2 and Tier 3 reading intervention program that does the heavy lifting of data analysis and lesson sequencing, freeing up teachers to teach the reading skills each student needs. View the table and select the session title to learn more about each mCLASS Intervention PD session.
| On-site or virtual sessions 3 hr. |
Self-paced course | |
| Launch sessions | ||
| Program overview for interventionists | |
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| Program overview for intervention coordinators | |
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| Program overview course for interventionists | |
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Coach sessions
| On-site sessions 6 hr. |
On-site or virtual sessions 3 hr. |
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| Coach session |
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| Coach session |
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Launch
Propel your teachers into the new school year with sessions that introduce them to their Amplify program(s) and support a strong implementation.
Program overview for interventionists
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Prepare to deliver mCLASS Intervention lessons and learn how to administer the diagnostic and progress monitoring measures.
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (maximum 30 participants)
Program overview for intervention coordinators
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Intervention coordinators will learn the essentials of coordinating mCLASS Intervention and leave ready to implement the program at their school site.
Audience: Intervention coordinators (maximum 30 participants)
Program overview for interventionists
Online course, self-paced
Prepare to deliver mCLASS Intervention lessons and learn how to administer the diagnostic and progress monitoring measures through this on-demand course. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately 3 hours to complete. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)
Coach
Support teachers and leaders with learning experiences tailored to meet their specific needs.
Coach session
On-site, 6 hours
Coach sessions focus on building internal school and district capacity and leadership excellence to accelerate data-driven student outcomes for teachers using mCLASS Intervention. Coaching is customized to meet a school or district’s needs and can include observations, modeling, real-time coaching, and/or co-planning.
Audience: Individual teachers, grade-level teams, PLCs, and/or instructional leaders (maximum 30 participants)
Coach session
On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Coach sessions focus on building internal school and district capacity and leadership excellence to accelerate data-driven student outcomes for teachers using mCLASS Intervention. Coaching is customized to meet a school or district’s needs and can include observations, modeling, real-time coaching, and/or co-planning.
Audience: Individual teachers, grade-level teams, PLCs, and/or instructional leaders (maximum 30 participants)
Enhancement options
Enhancement options are available for assessment programs such as:
- mCLASS Texas
- mCLASS Lectura Texas
Enhancements can be purchased for all teachers/leaders or a subset of educators.
Enhancement offerings for assessment programs
Add the following session to any assessment or intervention package.
| On-site 6 hr. |
Virtual 6 hr. |
On-site or virtual 3 hr. |
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| Coach session for individual teachers, grade-level teams, PLCs, and/or instructional leaders |
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Coach session
On-site or virtual, 6 hours; On-site or virtual, 3 hours
Coach sessions focus on building internal school and district capacity and leadership excellence to accelerate data-driven student outcomes for teachers using mCLASS Texas. Coaching is customized to meet a school or district’s needs and can include observations, modeling, real-time coaching, and/or co-planning.
Audience: Individual teachers, grade-level teams, PLCs, and/or instructional leaders (maximum 30 participants)
Online courses
Launch online courses are available for the following assessment programs:
- mCLASS Texas
- mCLASS Lectura Texas
Please view the table below for more information.
Online courses for assessment programs
| Self-paced Online course |
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| Administration and instruction essentials for teachers |
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Administration and instruction essentials for teachers
Online course, self-paced
Dive into the essentials of your mCLASS Texas assessment program through this on-demand course. Learn how to administer and score the assessment and leave ready to leverage mCLASS Texas reports and lessons to accelerate data-driven student outcomes. This subscription includes an individual seat to the course, which takes approximately 8 hours to complete. Participants will be able to access and revisit the course as needed for up to one year.
Course options: mCLASS Texas, mCLASS Lectura Texas, and/or mCLASS Math
Audience: Teachers, instructional staff (individual seat)
Additional assessment and intervention programs
Additional sessions and online courses are available for other mCLASS programs (mCLASS Express, mCLASS Math, and mCLASS Intervention Universal).
To learn more about enhancing your Amplify experience by purchasing other mCLASS Texas programs and/or accompanying PD sessions, contact your account executive.
Contact us
We’re here to provide answers and guidance as you explore your PD options. Fill out the form to connect with us and discover how Amplify PD can enhance your educational journey.
mCLASS Intervention professional development
mCLASS® Intervention (formerly known as Burst: Reading) is a staff-led reading intervention that does the heavy lifting of data analysis and lesson sequencing, freeing up teachers to teach the reading skills each student needs.
We’ve created a wide suite of professional development offerings that will help you meet your unique needs this school year. Find out more below!
Plan your professional development
We’re excited to partner with you on your Amplify journey. Flexible professional development pathways have been designed to meet your needs.
Recommended Professional Development Plan
Our team has curated a recommended professional learning path from initial launch to continuous support. Use the Professional Development Planning Guide below to discuss the plan that best meets your school or district needs with your Account Executive.
Do you also use Amplify CKLA, mCLASS, and/or Boost Reading?
View the planning guide below to explore learning plans for teachers and leaders who are either new to or currently using multiple early literacy products.
mCLASS intervention overview
What’s the difference between mCLASS Intervention and mCLASS Intervention Universal?
An mCLASS Intervention school screens with mCLASS with DIBELS® 8th Edition.* An mCLASS Intervention Universal school screens with any other screener on the market. Some of the most common are iReady, iStation, MAP, AIMSweb, and paper/pencil DIBELS.
What else is different?
Here are a few other areas in which the programs differ:
| Area | mCLASS Intervention | mCLASS Intervention Universal |
|---|---|---|
| Onboarding process | Does not require Amplify’s Implementation team to explain staff and student enrollment because staff and students are already enrolled in our system. | Requires Amplify’s implementation team to explain staff and student enrollment since the tech coordinator hasn’t yet enrolled any students in mCLASS. |
| Professional development | Facilitator does not spend time practicing DIBELS measures with staff because they’re already familiar with these measures. | Facilitator spends time practicing DIBELS measures with staff because they usually haven’t administered them before. |
| Assessments | These schools administer DIBELS to all students because they have paid to use mCLASS as a screener. | These schools administer DIBELS only to intervention students because they haven’t paid to use mCLASS as a screener. |
*Utah and Colorado schools screen with mCLASS: Acadience Reading (formerly called mCLASS:DIBELS Next).
Getting optimal results with mCLASS Intervention
There are two critical roles at a school that need to work together in order for mCLASS Intervention to deliver optimal results. At some schools, an individual may hold both roles.
- Intervention Coordinator
Oversees the mCLASS Intervention program, groups students, determines group assignments and adjusts schedules, and works closely with your school’s Interventionists. - Interventionist
Teaches mCLASS Intervention lessons to small groups of students based on the assignments and schedules provided by your school’s Intervention Coordinator and progress monitors students every two weeks.
mCLASS Intervention sessions overview
| Audience | Title | Duration | Modality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch packages | |||
| New mCLASS + mCLASS Intervention customers | mCLASS + mCLASS Intervention initial training bundle | 4 half days, non-consecutive | Remote |
| New mCLASS + mCLASS Intervention customers | mCLASS + mCLASS Intervention initial training bundle | 2 days of onsite training, consecutive | Onsite |
| Launch | |||
| New mCLASS Intervention customers (mCLASS has been trained in the past) | mCLASS Intervention initial training | 1 day onsite or 2 half days remote | Onsite/Remote |
| Interventionists online course | Self-paced | Online | |
| Coach | |||
| All mCLASS Intervention customers | Coaching session | 1 day | Onsite |
| All mCLASS Intervention customers | Coaching session | Half day | Onsite/Remote |
| Coaching session | 60 mins | Remote | |
Launch packages
mCLASS initial training + mCLASS Intervention initial training
2 days (12 hours); consecutive
Prepare to launch mCLASS Intervention with fidelity! This bundle is intended for schools or districts who are implementing mCLASS Intervention for the first time and want the highest levels of support.
The first day will prepare all educators to administer the mCLASS assessment.
The second day will prepare all educators (including Intervention Coordinators) to implement mCLASS Intervention, including instruction on how to prepare for lessons, practice lesson delivery, administer the diagnostic and progress monitoring measures, and configure grouping and scheduling for maximum effectiveness.
Audience: Intervention Coordinators and Interventionists, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite
mCLASS initial training + mCLASS Intervention initial training
2 days (12 hours) or 4 half days (12 hours); non-consecutive
Prepare to launch mCLASS Intervention with fidelity! This bundle is intended for schools or districts who are implementing mCLASS Intervention for the first time and want the highest levels of support.
The first part will prepare all educators to administer the mCLASS assessment.
The second part will prepare all educators (including Intervention Coordinators) to implement mCLASS Intervention: how to prepare for lessons, practice lesson delivery, administer the diagnostic and progress monitoring measures, and configure grouping and scheduling for maximum effectiveness.
Audience: Intervention Coordinators and Interventionists, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Launch
mCLASS Intervention initial training
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days (6 hours)
This session is intended for those schools or districts that have been trained in mCLASS in the past.
This training will prepare all educators (including Intervention Coordinators) to implement mCLASS Intervention: how to prepare for lessons, practice lesson delivery, administer the diagnostic and progress monitoring measures, and configure grouping and scheduling for maximum effectiveness.
Audience: Intervention Coordinators and Interventionists, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Interventionists online course
Self-paced
This PD is an individual seat to our self-paced, on-demand online course that contains approximately 3 hours of training. Participants will learn how to prepare for lessons and administer the diagnostic and progress monitoring measures. Participants will access and revisit the course anytime for up to one year as a refresher.
Audience: Interventionists
Modality: Online course
Coach
Coaching session
1 day (6 hours)
Strengthen your implementation of mCLASS Intervention with a Coaching session for your teachers and/or leaders! A certified mCLASS Intervention facilitator can visit 1–2 school sites per day. Participants may choose from a variety of topics that include, but are not limited to: observing lessons and providing feedback, analyzing mCLASS Intervention data and planning instruction, refining groups and schedules, or co-planning and modeling lessons.
Audience: Intervention Coordinators and/or Interventionists, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite
Coaching session
Half day (3 hours)
Strengthen your implementation of mCLASS Intervention with a Coaching session for your teachers and/or leaders! A certified Intervention facilitator will visit one school site. Participants may choose from a variety of topics that include, but are not limited to: observing lessons and providing feedback; analyzing mCLASS Intervention data, reviewing student progress, and planning next steps; refining groups and schedules; or co-planning and modeling lessons.
Audience: Intervention Coordinators and/or Interventionists, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite
Coaching session
60 min.
Strengthen your implementation of mCLASS Intervention with a quick Coaching session to improve implementation or student outcomes. During this remote hourly session, a certified mCLASS Intervention facilitator will help school leaders and/or Intervention Coordinators review usage, student progress data, and work to define an opportunity and develop a solution.
Audience: Intervention Coordinators and/or Interventionists, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Remote
mCLASS Intervention Universal sessions overview
| Title | Duration | Modality |
|---|---|---|
| Launch packages | ||
| Hybrid PD package | Half day, then 1 day | Hybrid (remote, then onsite) |
| Remote PD package | Half day, then 2 half days | Remote |
| Launch sessions | ||
| Training for Interventionists | 1 day or 2 half days | Onsite/Remote |
| Training for Intervention Coordinators | Half day | Remote |
| Coach | ||
| Coaching session | 1 day | Onsite |
| Coaching session | Half day | Onsite |
| Coaching session | Hourly | Remote |
Launch packages
Hybrid PD Package
Half day, then 1 day (9 hours)
Prepare to launch mCLASS Intervention Universal with fidelity! This package is intended for schools or districts implementing mCLASS Intervention Universal for the first time and want the highest levels of support.
Session 1 will prepare Intervention Coordinators to develop the school’s mCLASS Intervention Universal implementation plan, learn how to strategically group students, and schedule intervention supports.
Session 2 will prepare Interventionists to do an in-depth exploration of lesson activities and engage in real-time practice with diagnostic and progress monitoring measures.
Both sessions should be scheduled at least two weeks apart so the Intervention Coordinator has time to group students, draft schedules, and select the team of interventionists.
Audience:
Session 1: Intervention Coordinators, maximum 30 participants
Session 2: Interventionists, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Hybrid
Remote PD Package
3 half days (9 hours)
Prepare to launch mCLASS Intervention Universal with fidelity! This package is intended for schools or districts implementing mCLASS Intervention Universal for the first time.
Session 1 will prepare Intervention Coordinators to develop the school’s mCLASS Intervention Universal implementation plan, learn how to strategically group students, and schedule intervention supports.
Both sessions should be scheduled at least two weeks apart so the Intervention Coordinator has time to group students, draft schedules, and select the team of interventionists.
Audience:
Session 1: Intervention Coordinators, maximum 30 participants
Session 2: Interventionists, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Remote
Launch
Training for Interventionists
1 day onsite (6 hours) or 2 half days remote (6 hours)
This one-day training will ensure that Interventionists are prepared to teach mCLASS Intervention Universal with fidelity and accurately progress monitor students with the mCLASS platform throughout the year. Participants will do an in-depth exploration of lesson activities and engage in real-time practice with diagnostic and progress monitoring measures.
This session is ideal for new Interventionists at a school or district that has been previously implementing mCLASS Intervention Universal. We encourage the Coordinator to attend this session as well.
Audience: Interventionists (Intervention Coordinators welcome), maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Training for Intervention Coordinators
Half day (3 hours)
This half-day training will ensure that Intervention Coordinators are prepared to launch mCLASS Intervention Universal at their school site(s) with fidelity and best practice. Participants will consider grouping and scheduling configurations to make the most of the program, and create launch plans.
This session is paired with the Training for Interventionists full-day session.
Audience: Intervention Coordinators, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Remote
Coach
Coaching session
1 day onsite (6 hours)
Strengthen your implementation of mCLASS Intervention Universal with a Coaching session for your teachers and/or leaders! A certified mCLASS Intervention Universal facilitator can visit 1–2 school sites per day. Participants may choose from a variety of topics that include, but are not limited to: observing lessons and providing feedback, analyzing mCLASS Intervention Universal data and planning instruction, refining groups and schedules, or co-planning and modeling lessons, maximum 30 participants.
Audience: Intervention Coordinators and/or Interventionists, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite
Coaching session
Half day onsite (3 hours)
Strengthen your implementation of mCLASS Intervention with a Coaching session for your teachers and/or leaders! A certified Intervention facilitator will visit one school site. Participants may choose from a variety of topics that include, but are not limited to: observing lessons and providing feedback; analyzing mCLASS Intervention data, reviewing student progress, and planning next steps; refining groups and schedules; or co-planning and modeling lessons.
Audience: Intervention Coordinators and/or Interventionists, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Onsite/Remote
Coaching session
60 min.
Strengthen your implementation of mCLASS Intervention with a quick Coaching session to improve implementation or student outcomes. During this remote hourly session, a certified mCLASS Intervention facilitator will help school leaders and/or Intervention Coordinators review usage, student progress data, and work to define an opportunity and develop a solution.
Audience: Intervention Coordinators and/or Interventionists, maximum 30 participants
Modality: Remote
Pricing
We offer the following pricing for training sessions and packages:
| Session type | Pricing |
|---|---|
| mCLASS + mCLASS Intervention initial training bundle, 2 days onsite, consecutive | $4,800 |
| mCLASS + mCLASS Intervention initial training bundle, 2 days onsite, non-consecutive | $6,400 |
| mCLASS + mCLASS Intervention initial training bundle, 4 half days remote | $3,000 |
| mCLASS Intervention initial training, onsite | $3,200 |
| mCLASS Intervention initial training, remote, 2 half-days | $1,500 |
| Interventionists self-paced online course | $49 per individual seat |
| Intervention Coordinators self-paced online course | $49 per individual seat |
| mCLASS Intervention Universal hybrid PD package | $3,950 |
| mCLASS Intervention Universal remote PD package | $2,250 |
| mCLASS Intervention Universal training for Interventionists, onsite | $3,200 |
| mCLASS Intervention Universal training for Interventionists, remote | $1,500 |
| 1-day coaching session, onsite | $3,200 |
| Half-day coaching session, onsite | $2,500 |
| Remote coaching, hourly | $350 |
Please note that the prices are general ranges and may be subject to change.
Contact
Amplify welcomes the opportunity to partner with schools and districts to design professional development plans and answer your questions.
If you would like to order any of our professional development services, please contact your local Amplify sales representative or call (800) 823-1969.
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
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
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
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
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.
Overview
With Amplify Science, 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.
Watch the videos below to learn how our program empowers students to think, read, write, and argue like real scientists and engineers every day.
What Educators Say
The NGSS classroom
EdReports
Amplify Science for grades K–8 has been rated all-green by EdReports..
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 teach less, but achieve more. We designed our program to address 100% of the NGSS in just 66 days for grades K–2 and 88 days for grades 3–5.
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.
Needs of Plants and Animals
Domains: Life Science, Earth and Space Science, Engineering Design
Unit type: Investigation
Student role: Scientists
Phenomenon: There are no monarch caterpillars in the Mariposa Grove community garden since vegetables were planted.
Unit type: Investigation
Student role: Scientists
Phenomenon: There are no monarch caterpillars in the Mariposa Grove community garden since vegetables were planted.
Pushes and Pulls
Domains: Physical Science, Engineering Design
Unit type: Engineering design
Student role: Pinball engineers
Phenomenon: Pinball machines allow people to control the direction and strength of forces on a ball.
Unit type: Engineering design
Student role: Pinball engineers
Phenomenon: Pinball machines allow people to control the direction and strength of forces on a ball.
Sunlight and Weather
Domains: Earth and Space Science, Life Science, Engineering Design
Unit type: Modeling
Student role: Weather scientists
Phenomenon: Students at Carver Elementary School are too cold during morning recess, while students at Woodland Elementary School are too hot during afternoon recess.
Unit type: Modeling
Student role: Weather scientists
Phenomenon: Students at Carver Elementary School are too cold during morning recess, while students at Woodland Elementary School are too hot during afternoon recess.
Animal and Plant Defenses
Domain: Life Science
Unit type: Modeling
Student role: Marine scientists
Phenomenon: Spruce the Sea Turtle lives in an aquarium and will soon be released back into the ocean, where she will survive despite ocean predators.
Unit type: Modeling
Student role: Marine scientists
Phenomenon: Spruce the Sea Turtle lives in an aquarium and will soon be released back into the ocean, where she will survive despite ocean predators.
Light and Sound
Domains: Physical Science, Engineering Design
Unit type: Engineering design
Student role: Light and sound engineers
Phenomenon: A puppet show company uses light and sound to depict realistic scenes in puppet shows.
Unit type: Engineering design
Student role: Light and sound engineers
Phenomenon: A puppet show company uses light and sound to depict realistic scenes in puppet shows.
Spinning Earth
Domain: Earth and Space Science
Unit type: Investigation
Student role: Sky scientists
Phenomenon: The sky looks different to Sai and his grandma when they talk on the phone.
Unit type: Investigation
Student role: Sky scientists
Phenomenon: The sky looks different to Sai and his grandma when they talk on the phone.
Plant and Animal Relationships
Domains: Life Science, Engineering Design
Unit type: Investigation
Student role: Plant scientists
Phenomenon: No new chalta trees are growing in the fictional Bengal Tiger Reserve in India.
Unit type: Investigation
Student role: Plant scientists
Phenomenon: No new chalta trees are growing in the fictional Bengal Tiger Reserve in India.
Properties of Materials
Domains: Physical Science, Engineering Design
Unit type: Engineering design
Student role: Glue engineers
Phenomenon: Different glue recipes result in glues that have different properties.
Unit type: Engineering design
Student role: Glue engineers
Phenomenon: Different glue recipes result in glues that have different properties.
Changing Landforms
Domain: Earth and Space Science
Unit type: Modeling
Student role: Geologists
Phenomenon: The cliff that Oceanside Recreation Center is situated on appears to be receding over time.
Unit type: Modeling
Student role: Geologists
Phenomenon: The cliff that Oceanside Recreation Center is situated on appears to be receding over time.
Balancing Forces
Domain: Physical Science
Unit type: Modeling
Student role: Engineers
Phenomenon: The town of Faraday is getting a new train that floats above its tracks.
Unit type: Modeling
Student role: Engineers
Phenomenon: The town of Faraday is getting a new train that floats above its tracks.
Inheritance and Traits
strong>Domain: Life Science
Unit type: Investigation
Student role: Wildlife biologists
Phenomenon: An adopted wolf in Graystone National Park (Wolf 44) has some traits that appear similar to one wolf pack in the park and other traits that appear to be similar to a different wolf pack.
Unit type: Investigation
Student role: Wildlife biologists
Phenomenon: An adopted wolf in Graystone National Park (Wolf 44) has some traits that appear similar to one wolf pack in the park and other traits that appear to be similar to a different wolf pack.
Environments and Survival
Domains: Life Science, Engineering Design
Unit type: Engineering design
Student role: Biomimicry engineers
Phenomenon: Over the last 10 years, a population of grove snails has changed: The number of grove snails with yellow shells has decreased, while the number of snails with banded shells has increased.
Unit type: Engineering design
Student role: Biomimicry engineers
Phenomenon: Over the last 10 years, a population of grove snails has changed: The number of grove snails with yellow shells has decreased, while the number of snails with banded shells has increased.
Weather and Climate
Domains: Earth and Space Science, Engineering Design
Unit type: Argumentation
Student role: Meteorologists
Phenomenon: Three different islands, each a contender for becoming an Orangutan reserve, experience different weather patterns.
Unit type: Argumentation
Student role: Meteorologists
Phenomenon: Three different islands, each a contender for becoming an Orangutan reserve, experience different weather patterns.
Energy Conversions
Domains: Physical Science, Earth and Space Science, Engineering Design
Unit type: Engineering design
Student role: System engineers
Phenomenon: The fictional town of Ergstown experiences frequent blackouts.
Unit type: Engineering design
Student role: System engineers
Phenomenon: The fictional town of Ergstown experiences frequent blackouts.
Vision and Light
Domain: Physical Science, Life Science, Engineering Design
Unit type: Investigation
Student role: Conservation biologists
Phenomenon: The population of Tokay geckos in a rain forest in the Philippines has decreased since the installation of new highway lights.
Unit type: Investigation
Student role: Conservation biologists
Phenomenon: The population of Tokay geckos in a rain forest in the Philippines has decreased since the installation of new highway lights.
Earth's Features
Domain: Earth and Space Science
Unit type: Argumentation
Student role: Geologists
Phenomenon: A mysterious fossil is discovered in a canyon within the fictional Desert Rocks National Park.
Unit type: Argumentation
Student role: Geologists
Phenomenon: A mysterious fossil is discovered in a canyon within the fictional Desert Rocks National Park.
Waves, Energy, and Information
Domains: Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Science, Engineering Design
Unit type: Modeling
Student role: Marine scientists
Phenomenon: Mother dolphins in the fictional Blue Bay National Park seem to be communicating with their calves when they are separated at a distance underwater.
Unit type: Modeling
Student role: Marine scientists
Phenomenon: Mother dolphins in the fictional Blue Bay National Park seem to be communicating with their calves when they are separated at a distance underwater.
Patterns of Earth and Sky
Domains: Physical Science, Earth and Space Science
Unit type: Investigation
Student role: Astronomers
Phenomenon: An ancient artifact depicts what we see in the sky at different times — the sun during the daytime and different stars during the nighttime — but it is missing a piece.
Unit type: Investigation
Student role: Astronomers
Phenomenon: An ancient artifact depicts what we see in the sky at different times — the sun during the daytime and different stars during the nighttime — but it is missing a piece.
Modeling Matter
Domain: Physical Science
Unit type: Modeling
Student role: Food scientists
Phenomenon: Chromatography is a process for separating mixtures. Some solids dissolve in a salad dressing while others do not. Oil and vinegar appear to separate when mixed in a salad dressing.
Unit type: Modeling
Student role: Food scientists
Phenomenon: Chromatography is a process for separating mixtures. Some solids dissolve in a salad dressing while others do not. Oil and vinegar appear to separate when mixed in a salad dressing.
The Earth System
Domains: Earth and Space Science, Physical Science, Engineering Design
Unit type: Engineering Design
Student role: Water resource engineers
Phenomenon: East Ferris, a city on one side of the fictional Ferris Island, is experiencing a water shortage, while West Ferris is not.
Unit type: Engineering Design
Student role: Water resource engineers
Phenomenon: East Ferris, a city on one side of the fictional Ferris Island, is experiencing a water shortage, while West Ferris is not.
Ecosystem Restoration
Domains:Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Science, Engineering Design
Unit type: Argumentation
Student role: Ecologists
Phenomenon: The jaguars, sloths, and cecropia trees in a reforested section of a Costa Rican rain forest are not growing and thriving.
Unit type: Argumentation
Student role: Ecologists
Phenomenon: The jaguars, sloths, and cecropia trees in a reforested section of a Costa Rican rain forest are not growing and thriving.
Access program
Watch the video to the right showing you how to navigate our digital platform. When you’re ready, follow the instructions below to log into your live demo account.
- Click the orange button below to access the platform.
- Explore as a teacher with this username (t1.cartwrightsd@demo.tryamplify.net) and this password (Amplify1-cartwrightsd).
- Explore as a student with this username (s1.cartwrightsd@demo.tryamplify.net) and this password (Amplify1-cartwrightsd).
- Choose your grade level from the drop-down menu.
Resources
S5.E6. Why skepticism is essential to the Science of Reading, with Dr. Claude Goldenberg
S2-01: How teachers are really feeling this school year
In this special solo episode, Eric Cross starts the season by sharing his personal journey as an educator, and how the difficulties of the last few years have shaped his mindset going into the upcoming school year. Eric also addresses teacher burnout and what inspires him to continue working as a classroom educator. Explore more from Science Connections by visiting our main page.
Eric Cross (00:02):
Welcome to Science Connection, Season Two. As we begin the next season, I thought it would be a good time to share my story. As the host, I get to ask people questions about their journey, but I’ve actually never shared much about my own. So I’ve taken some of my most frequently asked questions to guests and asked them to myself. I hope you enjoy.
Eric Cross (00:23):
So the origin story question, I think really gets to the heart of why a person does what they do, because so much of who we are, especially as adults and teachers, is a result of experiences that we had in our lives when we were kids or in school with other teachers. And my life’s no different. I was born to a 19-year-old single mom. And when you’re a young boy growing up, especially with a young single mom, you often look to older men in different positions as kinda like a surrogate or like a mentor. And you may not even tell them that they are that to you. You kind of keep it close to the chest. And that’s what I did growing up. One of the ones that really stood out to me is, in seventh grade, I went to a middle school here in San Diego that was called Keiller Middle School. And we were a magnet program that specialized in science. And they had this program that brought professors from the local universities and they did this high-level enrichment. They would even take us to the college campus and we would work in these labs as seventh graders. It was amazing. And one of the people there, his name was Dr. Tress, and he was a professor. And Dr. Tress took a liking to me. I reminded him of his son. We were doing this great embryology experiment. We would take purple sea urchins. And we would inject them with potassium chloride, which would cause them to spawn. And we would fertilize these eggs, and then we would run different experiments using them. And these were things that I had never done before. I had always loved science. I’d always loved tinkering and building things. But this was my introduction, really, to high-level biology and to higher levels of education. I didn’t—I didn’t have many figures like that in my life growing up. I mean, I’m a first-generation, you know, high school, college graduate. Many of these are first generations for me. So, this was a new experience. And so Dr. Tress really unlocked a core memory and was one of my first mentors, as far as academics are concerned. And during my seventh-grade year, I entered the science fair and won first place, which was a huge deal. They took us out to Balboa Park. We got to miss school for a week. We got to go to all the museums for free. It was the best. And I think at that point in time, it really solidified something in me that would lay dormant until later on in my adult life. High school, I was really fortunate: the high school I went to was Morse High School, not too far from Keiller, and they had an aeronautics program. So I was able to enroll in that aeronautics program. And I learned how to fly before I learned how to drive. And I had this great instructor named Mr. Klon, who was this like 6′ 4″, 250-pound hippie guy. And he—we would get in the plane and we would have these like philosophical conversations. And through that, especially looking back now as a teacher, I realized that he was making connections with me and investing into who I was as a person. And it was something that I so needed at the time. Because at home I didn’t have that. You know, my safe place, a lot of time, was school. It was my only structure. It was where I knew I would get encouragement. It was where I knew things were reliable and consistent. For a lot of people, and a lot of kids, their home life isn’t like that. School was that for me. So Mr. Klon, I mean, he was this authentic, you know, consistent person in my life and made a huge difference at this time.
Eric Cross (03:23):
After I graduated high school, I left home just to get away from a difficult environment. And I was homeless for a little while and that was a huge moment in my life. And around that time, an aunt found out and she said, “You’re gonna come stay with us.” And this was like this three-year process of me living with them in this, like, functional family that ate dinner together. And they went to the zoo. They had family passes. And they took family photos at Christmastime. This was all weird stuff. Like, I didn’t know—I didn’t know who did these things. It was—I felt like a puppy that like lived in a home that was like…it was a home that was just always kind of like violent or like just really toxic. And then it gets put into a healthy home and doesn’t know how to act. That’s how it felt. And this was around like 19, 20 years old. During that time I started putting myself through school. So I went to community college and I was broke as a joke. And so I couldn’t afford the textbooks while I was going. So I would just go to the bookstore, the Barnes and Noble bookstore in Mira Mesa here in San Diego. And I would stay there all night using the textbooks or using the books there for doing my work. And then I would just put the books back on the shelves. Because let’s just face it. Textbooks are expensive, brother wasn’t trying to pay for all that. So I really had to earn that time. So I was working full-time. I was going to school. And, eventually I got a job in working in finance with a really great friend who mentored me during my younger twenties. And I didn’t wanna be broke and finance made sense.
Eric Cross (04:44):
And so I did that for a little while, until I got to a point in my career where I was watching an episode of The Office, the UK version, the Ricky Gervais version, and a character said, “I’d rather be at the bottom of a ladder I want to climb than halfway up one I don’t.” And I realized, working in finance, that I was halfway up a ladder I never wanted to climb. So I wanted to move into something that, if I was gonna spend eight hours a day or 10 hours a day doing something, I wanted it to be something that actually filled me up inside. And this is how I got into teaching. So I had always been working with young people, specifically 12- to 18-year-olds, like a non-profit or volunteering, mentoring, after-school programs. And I’ve always managed to rationalize my job in the finance world as meaningful because it let me do the real work that fulfilled me. So the real work was working with the kids. But my day job, my, like, Clark Kent-type job, was just, you know, doing the finance thing of like helping people that have a lot of money make more money. Which at the end of my life, I look back and I said, “That’s not what I want my legacy to be.”
Eric Cross (05:43):
And when the finance crash happened in 2008, that’s when I think I started looking back on it and said, “If I’m gonna spend all my time doing something and spending 40 or 60 or 80 hours of my day of my week doing things, I want it to matter. And that’s when I decided to pivot and leave that field and go and get my master’s in education and get my teaching credential, teaching science specifically. Now, one of the questions we get asked a lot and I’ve been asked is, is “How has teaching changed as a result of the pandemic?” And I feel like this could be several podcasts in and of itself, and it’s also regional, because everybody’s experienced it differently, And we’re still experiencing it! That’s the crazy thing! It’s like, it’s not over, we’re still in it. And some places have innovated and pivoted and some places just did what they needed to and they are trying to go back to business as usual. But if anything has happened, the pandemic revealed how much more, how much schools are more than places of just content learning. For many students it’s where they have their only community, their structure, their emotional wellness. They get regular meals, access to tech, and adults that care about them that are outside of their family. The schools are so much more than that. I mean, my school, they were a place, like a hub, that was giving out food every single day during the pandemic to families that would kind of drive by. So for a lot of schools, they became places like that. It also…the pandemic revealed the intensity of the educator workload. I mean, being able to manage your family, having the capacity, to be a content expert, you need to be a counselor, a trauma-care specialist, a coach, an encourager, a tech expert.
Eric Cross (07:23):
I mean, the term mental health is now more common and starting to become prioritized. Now we’re focusing so much more on the whole child. And we know from research that how a child feels about themselves and their safety and their security impacts their ability to learn. So the more comfortable and safe a student feels in the classroom with teachers and with friends, the better they’re gonna be able to learn. And ultimately the higher they’re gonna be able to achieve. You can’t, you can’t have one without the other. In addition, I think less teachers, see themselves teaching into retirement. I think that’s a big thing. I read these articles about teacher shortages and I think the reality is it’s actually teacher exodus. It’s teachers leaving. And that’s been really difficult. I’ve had many friends who’ve left for the private sector. And I get it, especially if you’re one that has—if you’re the first in your family to graduate from college, with a STEM degree, to them taking a teaching position can mean walking away from a salary in the private sector that pays two or three times more.
Eric Cross (08:23):
And in many places around the country, in order to be a teacher and maintain a median standard of living, you need either dual income, multiple jobs, or a multi-generational household. For a lot of people it just doesn’t make sense. And even right now, today, as I’m recording this, I’m reading articles and getting text messages…and I received a text message three days ago from a teacher that said, “My goal this year is to just not resign.” And that’s where a lot of teachers are feeling right now: isolated, challenged, and under-appreciated. And Plato said, “What’s honored in a country is cultivated there.” And I’ve been looking at how teachers are honored and one of the ways is just, like, practical. Like, look, I gotta pay my bills. You know, love the Starbucks gift card. Love the CPK, the gift card. The cards, all those other things…but brother got a car payment. And at the end of the day, if we care about our kids, we need to take care of the people that take care of them. And there’s very practical ways for that to happen. And everybody in different sectors around the country is dealing with that in different ways. I think the pandemic also revealed, now the public can see how our kids don’t receive the same quality of education. And once you’re aware of that, you can’t put the genie back in the bottle. So once you see on Zoom or once you see in a meeting, or once you see on the news, that students in different areas, whether it’s the rural South or a suburb in Seattle, are not getting equitable educations, well, ultimately that impacts all of us. Now. It’s not all doom and gloom. Good things have come from, as a result of, the pandemic. Many schools have made progress towards narrowing the technology gap, ’cause they had to! ‘Cause you can’t do Zoom and you can’t do Google Meet and all that stuff with a packet! You gotta get those Chromebooks. And Chromebooks and the internet and access to tech is not a new thing. It’s been out for a long time. The technology gap is not a new thing. It’s been written about extensively, but all of a sudden districts and schools started figuring out how to close that gap. And that’s awesome. We didn’t want a pandemic to be the catalyst for that to happen. But at the end of the day, we started closing it. A lot of schools did an amazing job and districts did an amazing job with deploying the hardware, sending out buses with wifi, putting lessons and videos on USB sticks and dropping them off to parents who live in sparsely populated areas. I mean, there were so many stories that I’ve heard about schools and teachers just doing amazing things, going above and beyond what they needed to on behalf of kids.
Eric Cross (10:51):
I think in addition to that, there’s also been students and families are now having more options to personalize their learning. So we have this in-person model, we have this Zoom or kind of online model, and this hybrid model, and it hasn’t all been perfect, you know, at all. But some families have come out and said, you know what actually doing this hybrid model is better for my son or better for my daughter or better for my student, because they’re able to get the socialization, but also able to focus better at home than they are in a classroom of 36. And that’s legitimate. You know, we talk about personalized learning, but it’s not exactly personalized when everybody has to wake up at the same time, same schedule, go to the same, the same classroom of, you know, up to 40 kids, and do the same lesson. I mean, we have to be honest about our limitations with personalizing learning for students. And when we can provide more options and we give teachers the infrastructure to be able to use different platforms, then we’re able to personalize learning a lot more.
Eric Cross (11:51):
There’s also been an emphasis on the whole-child wellness. I think the spotlight on mental well-being heavily impacts their academic success, but counseling teams, social workers, school psychologists—I think more than ever we’ve realized the value that they bring to the schools. And unfortunately many of them have caseloads of 200 students or more. And they’re seeing students most often that are in crisis. And especially after the pandemic, we’re realizing how valuable they are and how much we need to, one, honor them and give them the support that they need, and also recruit more. Because as we start recognizing how our brains are impacted by the things that we’re dealing with, we’re also gonna see how that’s gonna impact our students’ performance. And we need the specialists in those positions to be able to support our kids. I think, last, I think more innovation and lesson design and how we assess students. And so we’ve been talking about in education just kind of critiquing: how do we assess what a student knows? How do we make what a student actually does at school relevant to real life? I mean, so many times I have students who’ve graduated that are like, “I feel like the things I learned in school, like, they’re not always transferable to real life. It helped me on a test, but like, I don’t know how to do my taxes.” Or “I memorized these facts, but I don’t really apply it in my job.” Or “The facts that I learned I could have actually learned on the fly in my job. I wish I would’ve actually focused on the skills or had an earlier opportunity to get some experience because when I’m trying to apply for a job, <laugh> they ask for experience and I’m 22 years old.”
Eric Cross (13:28):
And so all these things kind of come up. And so I think there’s been some great conversations around “how do we rethink what education looks like?” And there’s different pockets around the country that have been doing that, I think, really well. And I think it’s important for us as teachers to stay connected to those people who are kind of pushing the boundaries and thinking outside the box, because when we get siloed, it’s really easy to get calcified and cynical. I get it. And it impacts me too. But when we’re around those people who have those fresh ideas, who are really pushing the limits, it inspires us. And that’s something I think during the pandemic that I’m grateful that I was intentional about, is staying connected with other teachers. There’s a big question; Why do you continue your work in the classroom and what keeps you motivated? And I was thinking really hard about this question, because depending on <laugh>, depending on my day, I feel like my answer’s gonna be a little bit different. So I’ve had to step back from this 30-foot, thousand-foot perspective and answer the question. And my answer is this: I think because I still feel like I can be effective to influence positive change in my classroom with my students and within the larger education system as a whole. I think if I lost either of those two, then I’d rethink my profession. Look, I’m an innovator. I like asking “why” questions and things like that. And I’m not always the most popular person when you do that. But education is like just a huge ship. It doesn’t pivot on a dime. And asking why questions and pushing for change on behalf of kids isn’t easy, fun, or glamorous, but it’s it’s necessary. And I feel like over the last few years, I’ve been able to see these kind of glimmers of a trajectory change, at least where I am locally. And that’s something that has given me a lot of hope. I’m very fortunate to be connected to educators and people in leadership that are really about making a difference beyond just kind of the cliched platitudes. They actually wanna make systemic change, in a way that’s positive. And that’s been really helpful for me. So as long as I feel like I’m useful in the classroom for students, and as long as I feel like I’m bringing, I think change, on behalf of teachers and students and administrators and our community in a way that moves the ball down the field, that’s what keeps me motivated. And what I like to ask teachers when I close in the podcast is. “What teacher or teachers have inspired you?”
Eric Cross (15:54):
And for me, I think it would start off with the teachers who cared about me when they didn’t have to, in elementary school all the way through college. And there are numerous teachers. My science-teacher community of practice. For the last two years, I’ve been fortunate to spend every month, once a month, meeting with just a core group of science teachers that really care about some of the things that we are impacted by in the classroom. And when the pandemic was going on, we still met regularly. And because we’re not all teaching in the same place, we kind of were able to bring different perspectives to the table. I think the current classroom teachers and former classroom teachers that I have in my community really inspire me. The ones who are dedicated to opening doors for students. The graduate students that I teach at the University of San Diego, they keep me fresh. I love leaving teaching my 12- and 13-year-olds, and then driving down the street to the university and teaching 20somethings who are all about to be in the classroom. They come with new ideas, they’re asking questions, and I get to actually share things that I just did three hours ago. I think that’s one thing that continues to inspire me. And it’s one of the reasons why I love teaching at the University of San Diego. Their energy and enthusiasm is super-refreshing. And then all the teachers that are willing to take risks and fail forward, to try things different, to ask hard questions, to push the envelope. Teaching’s hard. It’s easy to point out the problems in education as a whole. But after we do that, it’s important to figure out the practical ways we can make the changes that we wanna see.
Eric Cross (17:23):
Now, that’s to say that if you have the capacity for it and the resources and the support. Some of us, we don’t. Some of us, we are on an island, and that’s a really, really difficult place to be, especially when you have family and kids to take care of. And you have to make decisions on what’s best for you and for your own students. We do this work on behalf of kids. And it’s one of the most honorable services a person can provide to our community. But one area for growth that I think we have kind of as a society, is teachers spend their lives, daily, on behalf of the future of our country. For other people’s children. They fall asleep at night worrying about other people’s kids. They spend their own money to create opportunities and experiences that students might not otherwise have. And it’s important that we collectively, and I know I’m preaching the choir when I say this, but this is one of my messages, is that we honor them in turn. We create programs that allow them to be able to afford housing. We create opportunities for them to be able to generate wealth. We create ways for them to be able to find rest, to get connection. And then internally we create systems where they can just work on themselves, fill themselves, get trained, and be whole, so they can bring their best self to the kids in front of them. That’s one of my personal platforms. It’s something that I think is vital. We gotta take care of the people that take care of our kids. So there’s a saying that says, “It’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” And it takes one person to blow out a candle, but one candle can light thousands of other candles, without diminishing its own light. And that’s what we have to be. So my encouragement, teachers, as you’re going into this new school year, and you’re thinking about what’s going on, you’re thinking about all the challenges—and they’re there, and they’re real, and trust me, it’s not like some Pollyanna, like, “Hey, just be positive!” mindset and everything’s gonna be great—no, no, no, no, no. It’s not that. But my encouragement…if I can tell you one thing that’s helped me more than anything else, it’s being connected to other people who are candle-lighters. Because there are a lot of places that are gonna blow out the candle. It could be the staff lounge. It could be Twitter, it could be Reddit. It could be Instagram. It could be TikTok. It could be, you know, anybody. Someone next door to you. There’s a lot of folks that are gonna be willing to point out and say, “Look, this is what’s wrong.” But find the helpers. Find the people that are candle-lighters. And stay connected with them. Find that community. I can tell you for me, that’s been the thing that’s been able to help me sojourn through all of this—I couldn’t do this by myself—is being able to share my story with other teachers and knowing that I’m doing this work alongside of other folks who are doing this work, and I can share my story with them and listen to their stories, is something that’s been able to fill my cup. And so I hope I can do the same for you and for other people listening to other people I come in contact with.
Eric Cross (20:08):
Teachers, I wish you a great school year. Hang in there. Be those candle-lighters and bring your best self on behalf of the students. Thanks so much for listening. Now, we wanna hear more about you. If you have any stories you wanna share about the classroom, please email stem@amplify.com. That’s STEM at amplifycom.wpengine.com. And make sure to click subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. And join our Facebook group, Science Connections: The Community. Until next time.
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Meet the guest
Eric Cross is a 7th grade science/technology teacher, grade level lead, and digital learning innovator for Albert Einstein Academies, International Baccalaureate schools. He is also an adjunct professor of learning and technology at the University of San Diego and a Google certified innovator. Eric earned a bachelor’s degree from Azusa Pacific University and a Master of Education from the University of San Diego. He had 17 years of experience working with at-risk youth and underserved populations before becoming a middle school teacher. By building relationships with students, colleagues, and the community, he has become an empowered leader in and out of the classroom. Through meaningful learning experiences centered around student agency, STEM has become accessible to students through highly engaging lesson design, thoughtful integration of digital tools, and culturally relevant pedagogy.
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. Listen here!
¡El programa de Amplify Science da la bienvenida a las familias!
Nos complace darle la bienvenida a usted y a su estudiante al programa de Ciencias en el nuevo año escolar y brindar a su estudiante excelentes oportunidades educativas a través de nuestro programa. A continuación incluimos una serie de recursos y guías útiles para ayudar a que su estudiante aproveche al máximo nuestra plataforma a lo largo del año. For English version, please click here.
¿Qué es Amplify Science?
Amplify Science es un currículo escolar estimulante para los grados K–8 que fue diseñado por expertos del Lawrence Hall of Science de UC Berkeley. A medida que usted explore el programa, notará que es diferente de cualquier otro currículo de ciencias que haya visto. Esto se debe a que en los últimos años, la enseñanza de las ciencias ha ido alejándose de las lecciones centradas en datos, tales como aquellas que requieren memorización, y actualmente favorece una modalidad enfocada en el aprendizaje en profundidad con actividades de investigación y resolución de problemas de la vida real. Este cambio en la enseñanza y el aprendizaje de ciencias está reflejado en los nuevos estándares nacionales de ciencias (Estándares de Ciencias para la Próxima Generación) y, como se lo imagina, en Amplify Science.
Para comenzar
Si bien las lecciones de Amplify Science fueron diseñadas para su uso en el salón de clases con un grupo de alumnos, hay algunas actividades que los estudiantes pueden hacer en casa con su apoyo. Antes de dar inicio a dichas actividades, recomendamos que lea el artículo Proteja a los niños en internet de la Comisión Federal de Comercio sobre seguridad digital.
Resumen de los recursos
Amplify Science integra las mejores técnicas de enseñanza y aprendizaje de ciencias. Los estudiantes tendrán numerosas oportunidades de usar materiales para el aprendizaje práctico, participar en lecturas, redactar argumentos científicos respaldados por evidencia y explorar aplicaciones digitales.
Mire el siguiente video para ver una presentación breve del enfoque y la estructura del programa Amplify Science.
Una alianza poderosa
Amplify Science es el resultado del trabajo colaborativo de expertos en la enseñanza de ciencias de Amplify y del Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS) de UC Berkeley. El equipo de expertos en ciencias, matemáticas, ingeniería y lectoescritura de LHS desarrolló el contenido del programa, mientras que el equipo de diseñadores e ingenieros de Amplify creó las herramientas y componentes que dan vida a las lecciones.
Haciendo clic aquí verá más información sobre el Lawrence Hall of Science.
Explore los recursos del nivel escolar correspondiente
Sepa dónde encontrar ayuda
¡Nuestro compromiso es brindarle ayuda!
¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre Amplify Science?
Ingrese a nuestra biblioteca de ayuda para encontrar artículos con las respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el programa. Si necesita ayuda adicional con el currículo, comuníquese con el maestro o la maestra de su estudiante.
Amplify ELA – Atlanta Review3
S5-03. Cultivating a joy of learning with Sesame Workshop
Listen as we chat with Dr. Rosemarie Truglio, senior vice president of curriculum and content for Sesame Workshop! Continuing our theme of math anxiety this season, we sat down with Dr. Truglio to chat about Sesame Street and her thoughts on how to spread a growth mindset to young children and put them on course to academic achievement and long-term success.
Listen today and don’t forget to grab your MTL study guide to track your learning and make the most of this episode!
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (00:00):
Children don’t come with this math anxiety. Math anxiety is learned.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:07):
Welcome back to Math Teacher Lounge. I’m Bethany Lockhart Johnson.
Dan Meyer (00:11):
And I’m Dan Meyer.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:12):
Hello, Dan Meyer.
Dan Meyer (00:14):
Great to see you, Bethany. We are on episode three. Can you believe it?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (00:18):
So, I feel like we’ve just started scratching the surface about math anxiety. We’ve talked to two amazing researchers. We’ve talked about what math anxiety is, how it’s often screened for some of the causes, some of the consequences … I mean, we’ve had some good conversations. Dan, what do you think?
Dan Meyer (00:38):
Definitely, I think that the consequences have only grown more dire in my head. I’m not sure how you feel about the consequences. But, you know, it is enough for me that we ask students to take mathematics for much of their childhoods, to worry about their anxiety, taking that. But to hear about from these researchers about all the different things that correlate with math achievement and math anxiety—talking about future careers, certainly, but even some other, more serious lifelong concerns? That gives me a lot of motivation to continue this study of math anxiety here with you on the show.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (01:14):
It is really widespread. It has a big impact, not only on students, but on parents, on educators. You know, it’s—
Dan Meyer (01:23):
Multi-generational.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (01:25):
Yes. And you know, so often when folks think of math anxiety, what I hear them say is, “Oh, yeah, in high school is when math really ramps up. That’s when anxiety starts.” But we know that it starts in our youngest learners. And our research has already backed that up. We know it. I’ve seen it in my classroom. You may have seen it with some students you work with. And let me tell you, it starts young.
Dan Meyer (01:52):
It does start early. Right now, I have a son that’s just started kindergarten, and he seems relatively math-positive, but we’ve known from our interviews on this show and other kinds of experiences that oftentimes, that feeling —that math is for me, and I am for math, and we are all friends — can turn on a single moment. It seems like one teacher says a thing that changes a student’s perception of themselves as a mathematician or of math itself. So I keep waiting with bated breath, hoping not to find that one moment that changes our current open posture towards mathematics. So now it’s time to really dive into some strategies for combating math anxiety.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (02:34):
To help us out, we’ve called on a pretty exciting guest. I am so excited, Dan Meyer! We are being joined by Dr. Rosemarie Truglio. She is Senior Vice President of Curriculum and Content at Sesame Workshop. Sesame Workshop! As in, “Tell me how to get to Sesame Street.” Dan, I have to tell you, I spent many, many hours of my childhood watching Sesame Street. I have to ask, do you have happy Sesame Street memories? Is this part of your formation, Dan Meyer?
Dan Meyer (03:08):
At this point? In my advancing years, and the brain cells that I have left, Sesame Street is really kind of just a vibe in my head. But that vibe is such a pleasant one. One in which like nothing bad could happen. One in which learning is common and normalized and fun. And you just kind of feel at home, constantly.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (03:33):
I don’t know about the “just the vibe” part, because for me, it is visceral. I’m there. I am actually … I mean, I might still be there.
Dan Meyer (03:42):
You could reenact some of the skits?
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (03:44):
. You didn’t watch Sesame Street with your kiddos when they were younger?
Dan Meyer (03:49):
We watched a lot of Elmo. A lot of Elmo. Yeah.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (03:52):
Next-generation Sesame Street. Well, I think it’s so perfect that we’re gonna be talking about what Sesame Workshop does to help combat math anxiety and create a positive connection and relationship with mathematics. So I’m really excited to hear what Dr. Truglio and her team have been working on. And here’s our conversation with Dr. Truglio.
Dan Meyer (04:15):
Welcome to the show, Dr. Truglio. It is an honor.
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (04:18):
Great to be here. Thank you for inviting me.
Dan Meyer (04:20):
You are Senior Vice President of Curriculum and Content at Sesame Workshop, which definitely sounds like the coolest job in the world to both four-year-old me and also Now me. Would you just help us help us with some backstory of how you ended up here, and what you do at Sesame Workshop?
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (04:38):
Sure. It is a pretty cool job. And I am very fortunate that I’ve been in this position for the past 26 years. So, I am a developmental psychologist, and my job is to help Sesame Workshop identify curriculum needs, so that we could address them in the content that we create on the show and across our various platforms. So, Sesame Street is currently in its 53rd season. And we just, wrapped production for the 54th season, which we’ll debut next fall. And Sesame Street began with an experiment: Can television actually teach children school readiness skills, to have them better prepared for school? Especially those children who did not have access to formal education during the preschool years? And it is what we call a whole-child curriculum, because we’re dealing with all of the school readiness needs. So that that includes the academic needs, their social-emotional needs, and their health needs, as well as what we call these cognitive processing skills—how children learn content. Right? So it’s not just content skills, but how you approach learning and how you actually learn content. So as a grad student, I was fortunate to work at the Center for Research on the Influences of Television on Children. Very special center. It was at the University of Kansas. And my advisors, developmental psychologists, they studied the effects of television on children, both the positive effects and the negative effects. And so part of their research was to actually look at the longterm educational effects of Sesame Street. So I was working with Sesame Street content as a grad student, and then came to New York City. My first job was Assistant Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University. And when this position became available, Director of Research at the time, it was called, I took that job. And so my job was to oversee both the curriculum and the implementation of the curriculum, as well as the research. Because what we know, our co-founder, Joan Ganz Cooney has always said, for Sesame Street to be a successful educational program, production has to work closely with early childhood educators. They are the ones who know the curriculum and, and develop the curriculum goals, as well as the developmental psychologists who actually study how children are paying attention to the content. But more importantly, what are they comprehending from the content? And we all have to work together. Because even though we are the experts, the real experts are the children themselves. So nothing is deemed final until we actually show the children and see what they are learning from the content that we are producing.
Dan Meyer (07:54):
Are you referring to like, test audiences of kids then?
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (07:57):
Yeah, I guess you could call it test audiences. I mean, I don’t. I don’t like to call it that because I see them as co-collaborators. I don’t see them as a test audience. Because, as I said, they’re the experts. It’s a collaboration. I mean, they’re the experts. And so I wanna know—
Dan Meyer (08:12):
As collaborators. I got it now. Yeah.
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (08:14):
They help us. So that’s exactly what we tell the children too. So it’s called formative research. You know, we, we do what we call, um, storybook testing, an animated version of a storybook to have some little movement and see are they finding the story engaging, but more importantly, are they picking up on the intended educational lesson that we’re trying to teach in the story. So they are co-collaborators. they’re the ones who are helping us get the story just right for them.
Dan Meyer (08:46):
That’s really exciting, and makes me think about what classes might be like if students were regarded in that kind of lens as well. I just wanna say that my four-year-old self is on this interview as well, and is re-contextualizing all the stuff I saw as a kid. And it just felt like, at the time, you folks turned the camera on and went down to the street and we just had this real natural time. And it’s great to hear about all the intense preparation and co-construction at work and work that went into that time. Yeah,
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (09:12):
It’s about a year preparation from start to finish. From the start of identifying, “What is the educational need? Is it an academic need? Is it a social-emotional need? Is it a health need? Is it a cognitive-processing need?” And then once we have the need identified, we have what we call a curriculum seminar. We bring in the experts who are studying this topic with preschoolers, because we wanna get it, we wanna get it right.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (09:41):
Which, by the way, little behind the scenes: How often do you get to go to set?
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (09:46):
So we’re in a production probably about six weeks out of the year. Covid really messed things up. ‘Cause we have to be really—we have very strict Covid protocols, but there is someone on my team—and sometimes we have to, you know, rotate for availability—but there’s always an educator on set.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (10:06):
Awesome.
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (10:07):
Because even though you stick to the script, questions arise; they wanna make changes; sometimes they have to cut; things are running too long and they have to cut and we gotta figure out where to cut. So there’s always an educator on set.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (10:19):
But sometimes you go and have lunch, like—.
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (10:21):
Oh, I go, yes. Sometimes I go—
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (10:23):
And just hang out with Big Bird, right?
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (10:24):
Sometimes I go hang out with Big Bird. No, those are my friends!
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (10:27):
They are!
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (10:28):
No, no, I go hang out with them. They’re my friends. Yes.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (10:32):
When I think about Sesame Street and I think about … like, I can’t help but smile. Because I think I have such fond memories of the characters. I mean, we invited them, my mom invited them, into our home, right? And, you know, now I have a two-year-old and there’s no doubt that I’m gonna introduce him to Sesame Street. And I see how it really does feel like the folks who are doing this work, you and your team, you have a deep respect for children. So it makes sense that you call your test collaborators “collaborators,” right? They’re a part of it. And you know, I love that. And Sesame Street makes me smile. However, I’m like, we’re talking about math anxiety. And it’s so interesting, because as Dan and I were talking about our memories of Sesame Street … you know, it’s like Sesame Street feels like there’s not much anxiety. I mean, there are problems, and there’s problem solving, and it’s not like everything is perfect. But we figure it out. And it’s OK to make mistakes and it’s OK to try again. And a lot of times, we don’t see that in the math classroom—or at least, how folks talk about math. So, how do you all think about anxiety, about how to prevent it? Like, when you’re doing your work, you know that math anxiety is a real thing. But then that’s not translated in these experiences and the relationships with math that you’re building with your viewers.
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (12:07):
Yeah, that’s a really good question, because it’s really easy, because our core audience are two- to four-year-olds and they love math. And what’s not to love, right? Because they are figuring the world out as they’re exploring the world. So you said something really interesting, that when you turn on the TV—when you turned on the TV when you were a child, and now you’re a mom of a two-year-old, we wanna make sure that the show represents content that is relevant and meaningful to our target audience. And that comes through with the characters. So all of our characters have very specific personalities, as all children do. And our characters represent all children, in terms of not only personality, but interest and learning styles, ’cause we wanna see—we wanna make sure that children see themselves in these characters. And we have a character who actually loves math. And he’s The Count.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (13:12):
I’m like, “I know! I know who it is!” I will save you my impression. Although I have done it for my child. But I’ll save our listeners .
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (13:20):
And you know, he’s an adult character. Some of our characters are preschoolers, like Elmo and Abby—they’re preschoolers—and Zoe. But The Count is an adult. He lives in the castle and he just loves numbers. But what’s really important is while we have The Count to explain—not explain to, but to portray to children, cause we don’t explain anything; we show children that math is more than number, right? Math is a pretty wide concept. Which is what I love about math. And the other thing about math is math language. The language of math. ‘Cause when we’re teaching children vocabulary words, we’re also teaching children the concept. Be it a math concept or a science concept or a social-emotional concept. So children don’t come with this math anxiety. Math anxiety is learned and it’s unfortunate. It’s picked up by their observations of the adults in their lives, who sometimes say out loud, “I don’t like math,” or “Math is hard,” or even worse, “I’m not good at math.” Or may even label it as math anxiety. That word won’t mean anything to a young child. But it then provides a, whaddya call it, like a negative valence for something that they never felt negative about. Because as they’re growing and interacting with the world, math is all around them. And there’s that sense of awe and wonder and joy, especially as they’re learning and they’re figuring it out. So I think we have to reframe math. Instead of saying “math anxiety,” we have to talk about the joy of math and all the wonderful joys that come with the exploration of these math concepts. Number is great. We know kids love numbers. We know that they love to count and use a big word here: enumerate . Because so many parents don’t make this distinction. They’ll say, “Oh, my child is counting!” Well, there’s rote counting, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, which is important. But then it’s like there’s an item for each number. So it’s one Cheerio, two Cheerios. And then as you point to each number, you are then figuring out what the set is, of the number of objects that you have. And then you get at what I love to call the meaningfulness of math. Right? Number has meaning. And as I said, it’s all part of your everyday activities. It’s part of—it’s in your kitchen; you’re following recipes; you’re measuring; you’re weighing. It’s at bath time, right? You could have the sorting of nested cups and you could, you know, and once again, the math language: big, bigger, biggest. These are relational concepts. You could then count what sinks and what floats, if you’re doing science. And then you could put them in two different buckets, and count. These are the items that sunk and these are the items that float. So math and bath time could be a lot of fun. And then there’s math and music. Music is so rich with math, as you talk about rhythm and tempo and dynamics and pitch and duration. That’s all math.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (16:57):
The way that you talk about it, it is so rich, right? It is so multi-layered. And you know, I’ve shared on the podcast before: I’ve actually had parents in parent-teacher conferences say that, “Well, I wasn’t good at math either,” or “Math’s really not my thing.” And it’s really—it is, it’s rooted in that fear. And so I do see the way that you’re talking about it; I see that come through in Sesame Street. That, in a lot of ways, it’s reeducating parents, right? Because we hope that our caregivers are sitting next to their kiddo and enjoying it together and having conversations about it later. And there’s a way that parents then are also getting their own sense of what math can be, expanded. And I think there’s such a beauty in that. And I love the way that you talk about that, that you really are looking at, “Well, we wanna celebrate counting and the joyfulness of that. And let’s use math talk, you know, and let’s use these words and try out these ideas.” And it’s not because you’re trying to check some list. But you’re really exploring it and having fun together.
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (18:03):
And you’re embracing it. And you mentioned the word “mistake.” So often when it comes to math, if you make a mistake—you make a mistake in counting or, you know, we’re not doing a lot of math equations on Sesame Street, but that’s when people feel like they can’t do math. ‘Cause they made a mistake. And that’s something that we are trying to address on Sesame Street, that it’s OK to make mistakes and you learn through mistakes. But you have to have—and I’m gonna come up with this other phrase now—you have to have what we call a growth mindset. What that means is that I may not be able to do this yet. Like, it’s called “the power of yet.” So we know that learning any concept, it takes time and practice. And how do we have children embrace the process, right? So often we focus on right and wrong. Now, there is right and wrong with math, of course. You know, there’s a right answer and there’s a wrong answer. But how do we focus, not on the end product, but the process through which you are engaging in? So let’s talk about measurement. Let’s talk about measuring the length and the width or the height of something. You might make some mistakes along the way, but you’re processing it. My son used to make all of these little structures for all his little play animals. Well, you know, he would measure and think he got it right. And then when he put the animals in, of course, you know, either the animal was too wide or it was too tall. And he would have to redo it. But you’re not redoing it from scratch, you’re redoing it now from experience. “I realize that if I’m gonna put the giraffe in with the elephant, I’m gonna need something wide as well as high.” Right? For the length, tall. And that’s process. And then, for children, when they figure it out, that “oops” and “aha”—the “aha” was like, “I did it!” And it’s so empowering, you know, giving them agency—not swooping in and saying, “All right, I’ll fix it for you. You know, we got the wide elephant and the tall giraffe and I’ll you know…”. NO! Having them do it. And another fun activity is in what we call informal measurement. And that’s like getting something of an equal size. It could be paper clips or it could be same-size blocks, and then measuring how long something is. So if it’s measured by blocks versus paperclips, you’re gonna have a lot more paperclips than you are blocks. And that kind of comparison is so fascinating for children. And so that’s measurement. And now we have counting. Like, how many paperclips long is something versus how many blocks long is something.
Dan Meyer (21:02):
So checking my understanding here, you’ve talked about how caregivers and other adults can transmit math anxiety by naming it and claiming it for themselves. And you’ve talked about, some really exciting ways that adults can involve students and kids in different kinds of math. I’d love to go upstream with you a little bit and wonder out loud, where does this anxiety come from initially? It’s gotta be more than adult one to kid two talking about anxiety, and transmitting it from human to human. What is the original spring from which all this anxiety flows?
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (21:36):
Yeah. I do think it does—a lot of it does come from the adults in their lives. It’s unfortunate, because there is a lot of math talk about it, right? I can’t do math; I’m not good at math. Even when you’re at a restaurant and you get the bill and someone’s figuring out the tip, I can’t tell you how often it’s like, “Pass the bill, because I can’t do math.” Or if you actually then bring gender into it, you know, “Oh, girls aren’t good at math,” and that’s not true. There’s no evidence of that whatsoever, right? So in the younger grades, there’s no gender difference in terms of math ability. What’s also interesting about even socioeconomic status differences, you don’t see a lot of differences between low-income and middle-income children when it comes to math skills. Where you see differences is children’s ability to talk about their mathematical thinking. So if a child doing a math problem is asked, “How did you solve the problem?”, low-income children don’t often have the language to explain their thinking. So that’s something that we did on Sesame Street, where we focused a lot on what we call math talk. So, not just show number and show doing math, but actually narrate and giving the language. Because math literacy is one of the predictors of overall school achievement. So there’s that. They’re getting it from the adults in their lives. They’re getting it, unfortunately, sometimes from their teachers. But I think the anxiety comes from the fear of making mistakes. Because math, there is right and wrong, and always wanting to get the right answer. So that’s why this whole idea of reframing, and saying, “But really, it’s in the process.” So, you know, my son, math is not his strong suit. And I’ve been doing a lot of growth mindset with him as well. And there was a teacher that he had—I think in like 10th or 11th grade—who said, “In a test, I don’t wanna—I’m not even gonna look at the answer. I wanna see the process through which you GOT to this answer. And I’m going to grade the process. So the process could yield a right answer; it could yield a wrong answer. But you’re gonna get graded on the process. Because I wanna see how you are approaching the problem and how you’re thinking it through.” And I think that is a great example of, maybe, to try to reduce math anxiety. Because if you can get people excited about the process through which you’re learning—and that applies to all subjects, it’s not just math!
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (24:36):
I’m like, that applies to life! Right?
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (24:38):
That applies to life!
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (24:39):
That’s so spot on. Wow. Yeah.
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (24:41):
But I think that there’s so much focus on right and wrong, and not really understanding the value of the process. So on Sesame, we’ve been doing a lot of “oops” and “ahas.” You know, we’re gonna make mistakes, but what’s important is what do you DO when you make a mistake? So there’s a great episode with The Count. A couple of years ago. The Count was counting. Something he does every day. A lot of time, every day, ’cause he’s obsessed with counting and numbers. And he was counting an array of items.
Gladys the Cow (25:17):
I need 10 sandwiches all together.
The Count (25:22):
Well, of course.
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (25:23):
And he made a mistake.
Elmo (25:25):
The Count?
The Count (25:25):
Hmm?
The Count (25:25):
Elmo thinks The Count made a little mistake.
The Count (25:31):
No mistake.
The Count (25:32):
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (25:33):
And first time ever, did he make a mistake. And he fell apart.
The Count (25:38):
I must make sure that that never happens again. So I shall never count again.
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (25:46):
And that’s an example of showing that, you know, you could get upset when you make a mistake, but what’s important is you gotta come back and you gotta come back to doing what you love. In his case, is counting and letting him know that it was an “oops.” But you learn that mistakes are OK. It’s OK to make a mistake and continue to do what you love.
The Count (26:13):
I must keep trying and you should, too.
Elmo (26:17):
Yeah!
The Count (26:17):
So come, let’s count the carrots together!
Elmo (26:18):
Oh, cool!
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (26:19):
And what a beautiful gift to show kiddos. Show that to kiddos, right? And to the adults. I wanna, you know, really acknowledge it, and say, “Hey look this, it’s OK.” And again, you’re giving them that language. That’s such a gift.
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (26:34):
Thank you.
Dan Meyer (26:34):
We spend a lot of time wondering why other subjects don’t seem to suffer from this negative perception. And I think you’ve unlocked a lot of that. You’ve mentioned that there are issues that cut across different subject areas, but I think from my own experience and research and interviews, it seems that in ELA and the social sciences, there’s this aspect where you need to come up with a claim and “how are you seeing this?” And there are multiple defensible claims. And I love how you imported that generous pedagogy over into math with this example of a teacher who says, “You know what? It’s about the process here.” Disassociating answer and process.
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (27:09):
And I think the other thing is like, when children are engaged in a project, for parents to point out: “You’re doing math!” Because they don’t realize that they’re doing math. Once again, math is so often equated solely with numbers and mathematical computations. So it was really interesting—the same is true for science. You know, when we’re talking to parents about the use of everyday—like, going to the supermarket or making dinner or bath time, there’s so much math and science in the everyday. And then when you point it out to them—”you’re doing math”—it’s like, “I’m doing math!” Like, you’re setting the table for a family of six: you’re doing math. That’s called one one-to-one correspondence. “I’m doing math: I’m setting the table.” Yeah, but you’re doing math. You can’t set the table because you have to know how many people are gonna be sitting at the table for dinner. You can’t follow a recipe without doing math. You can’t go shopping without doing math. There’s quantity; you gotta figure out how many peppers you gotta buy, or pounds. “I gotta get a bunch of potatoes and I gotta put ’em in the scale. And I have to get two pounds of potatoes.”
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (28:29):
So your book Ready for School: A Parent’s Guide to Playful Learning for Children Ages Two to Five. First, as a parent of a young toddler, I gotta say it’s such a tool; it’s such a resource. It’s very conversational. And I think about these ideas a lot, both in my work and, you know, just for fun. And yet, even if this wasn’t my chosen field, I still feel like it’s just so accessible. And I wanna flag something.
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (29:01):
Thank you.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (29:01):
Yeah, no. Thank YOU. . I wanna flag something that you said in the math chapter You were talking about the joy of math, and you said when it comes to our children, caregivers: “take pleasure in reading stories together, especially at bedtime, which in many households is a regular part of a child’s routine. But somehow the notion of introducing math concepts to our children seems daunting. In fact, some studies have shown that parents harbor a strong belief that while it’s important and pleasurable to support their child’s reading skills, it’s the responsibility of the schools to take care of teaching math.” And that quote, I highlighted it, I starred it! And I would love for you to say a little more about that, because you have given us already, like, a bounty of ideas that as caregivers we can do with our kiddos or the kiddos in our lives. And we’ve seen that even what they’re learning in school, it may not be the freeing, joyful math language that we hope our kiddos have access to.
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (30:05):
Yeah, I’m glad you brought that up. Because a lot of our focus is on how children learn through playful experiences, and how they learn through play in particular. And there are so many playing, either a game or even playing ideas—like we talked about building, you know, a house for animals or building a fort. It’s just so filled with math. And I wish I could narrate for every young parent how I would hope that they would talk as they are co-engaged in this activity. And I think … we asked about, with the anxiety, the adults have to find the joy in math first. They have to see the math. That’s the problem. That’s why I hope that my book provides that. I want you to know that you are doing math and I want you to know that your child is what we call a mathematician—or in the science chapter, is a STEMist. Your child is already doing science, technology, engineering, and math. STEM is so integrated. So to acknowledge them—because babies are doing math! Babies know, they can distinguish between a small quantity and something that is a of a larger quantity and want the larger. Right? So, it’s natural for them. And they are taking it all in. I mean, the joy of watching a child just early counting: you know, one, two. And trying to then figure out the meaningfulness of two. It’s not three objects. There are actually two. And for a parent to see the joy in that I think is step one. And then to see the richness and how expansive math is, and that power of, oops, “I made a mistake, don’t freak out,” and then [not] say, “See, I’m not good at math,” but say, “Let me try again. I know I could figure this out.” Right? It’s all of that supportive language and supportive experiences that builds this mindset, a positive mindset. So that you hope that when you get into the higher grades, they’re not walking in and saying, “I can’t, I can’t do math.”
Dan Meyer (32:26):
Yeah. Super helpful. I think you point at one of the grownups—great powers in the world of kids, which is to label. To name things. And you know, you’ve talked about how grownups should ideally downplay some of their negative experiences with mathematics for the sake of the kid, but also to play up the positive stuff that they’re doing as mathematics. Like that right there, that’s math. I would love to know … you have an extremely loud megaphone to communicate messages about math and the world and everything through Sesame Street. One of the biggest that there is—and I just wonder if you could step out and imagine you had a magic wand to wave over the world in which students grow up, play and learn—what would you do like to help students have better associations or less math anxiety? And, you know, learn more about math itself?
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (33:19):
If I had a magic wand, I would give everyone what we call a growth mindset that nothing is fixed and everything can be changed if you put the time and effort into the process, and enjoy the process. The joy of learning. I think, you know, it’s really sad. I don’t wanna be sad on your show. But when we were getting ready for the 50th anniversary, I was wondering, “What is gonna be the curriculum focus?” You know, we just came off of literacy and math literacy and social-emotional development. And we talked about the power of play. Playful learning. And building careers. Give children sophisticated play scenarios so that they could explore what they may wanna be when they grow up. Because there’s a concept: If I can see it, I can play it, I can be it. Right? So where are those portrayals? And it’s like, “What are we gonna do for the 50th?” And I had a convening of experts across all disciplines, and brought them into a room. And I said, you know, “What keeps you up at night? Like, what are you worried about?” Sort of like the State of the Union of Child Development. And this is where the sad part is. They talked about how that sense of joy, that sense of wonder, that sense of curiosity, that sense of flexible thinking and creative thinking, was disappearing in early childhood. Wow. If it’s disappearing in early childhood, we are in big, big trouble . ‘Cause I could see it disappearing later on, you know, as you advance in grade. But what do you mean, it’s disappearing in childhood? And then they talked about the fear of making mistakes. And that goes against—it’s the opposite of a growth mindset. And so we have to bring back that sense of joy, wonder, asking those why questions and embracing them. So it’s another problem parents have. They’re fine with the “why” questions until the “whys” become so difficult they don’t have the answers. And then they don’t want the “why” questions, because now they feel like they’re not smart enough to answer their child’s “why” questions. How do I flip that around to be much more positive and say, “You know, I don’t know! But let’s find out together. Let’s explore together; let’s experiment together.” That’s what I mean about the shift in the mindset, that growth mindset. We should not know all of the answers, but where’s the joy of, “Wow, I don’t know, let’s go find out together”? And that applies to math too. But you have to have that open mindset. You have to—you, as yourself, have to have that growth mindset.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (36:20):
I love that magic wand. I want that magic wand! And I think what—like Dan said about this megaphone, this opportunity to reach so many young people, so many caregivers—what a gift! And I’m so grateful that you took time to be in the lounge with us, and that you have shared these ideas. Because truly, I think, like you said, it’s really our youngest learners, right? How can we create and cultivate these opportunities for our youngest learners to find the joy in mathematics and just in learning, right?
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (36:54):
Yeah.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (36:55):
So thank you. Thank you so much, Dr. Truglio. We are deeply grateful for your insight and for all the work you do. And we continue to invite the world of Sesame Street into our homes.
Dr. Rosemarie Truglio (37:08):
Thank you. Thank you for allowing us to come into your home, and for you to re-learn with your child as you’re watching Sesame Street. Because it’s very much a parenting show, as it is for a child-directed show, because we are blessed to have these wonderful human cast members who are the stand-ins for parents. And so we are often giving you the language for how to talk about and how to problem-solve together. So thank you.
Dan Meyer (37:43):
Thanks so much for listening to our conversation with Dr. Rosemarie Truglio, Senior Vice President of Curriculum and Content at Sesame Workshop.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (37:51):
Dr. Truglio is also the author of Sesame Street Ready for School, A Parents Guide to Playful Learning for Children Ages Two to Five, and we’re gonna make sure we put a link to that in the show notes because it is really, really a rich resource. I’m diving in. I have so many ideas bookmarked that I wanna try out with my kiddo.
Dan Meyer (38:09):
Yeah, it’s really exciting to see—like, for a classroom educator, I just kinda assumed that a lot of math learning happens in the classroom context. That’s my lens. So yeah, I loved reading the book and seeing all the different opportunities for parents for just out there in the world, in front of your house, at the supermarket. All the different opportunities there are for mathematical thinking, and then to think about how to bring that into some of those routines and ideas into the classroom, into formal schooling.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (38:35):
Exactly. Exactly. Like Dr. Truglio said, the caregivers’s disposition about mathematics matters so deeply. Your teachers’ dispositions about mathematics, their beliefs, the way that you hear people talking about math, that impacts our learners. That impacts—like, as a student, that impacts what you think is possible for yourself. So I love this, re-educating ourselves about what math can look like out in the world, in everyday conversations. I don’t know. I really, really appreciated this conversation with Dr. Truglio.
Dan Meyer (39:12):
Same. Yeah. We’d love to hear what you folks think about the work. the book, her ideas. Definitely get in touch with us. Subscribe to Math Teacher Lounge, wherever you get podcasts. And keep in touch with us on Facebook at Math Teacher Lounge Community, and on Twitter at MTL show.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (39:27):
Also, if you haven’t already, please subscribe to Math Teacher Lounge wherever you get your podcast. And if you like what you’re hearing, please leave us a rating and a review. It’ll help more listeners find the show. And while you’re at it, let a friend know about this episode, because you enjoyed it; they might enjoy it. On our next episode, we’re gonna be chatting with Dr. Heidi Sabnani and taking a closer look at best practices for coaching teachers to reduce their own math anxiety.
Dr. Heidi Sabnani (39:56):
One of the teachers that I worked with had done her student teaching with a teacher who had math anxiety and who never taught math. And so she entered her teaching career never having taught math before or seeing it taught.
Dan Meyer (40:10):
Thanks again for listening, folks.
Bethany Lockhart Johnson (40:12):
Bye.
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Meet the guest
Rosemarie T. Truglio, Ph.D. is the Senior Vice President of Curriculum and Content at Sesame Workshop. Dr. Truglio is responsible for the development of the interdisciplinary curriculum on which Sesame Street is based and oversees content development across platforms (e.g., television, publishing, toys, home video, and theme park activities). She also oversees the curriculum development for all new show production, including Bea’s Block, Mecha Builders, Esme & Roy, Helpsters, and Ghostwriter. Dr. Truglio has written numerous articles in child and developmental psychology journals and presented her work at national and international conferences. Her current book is Ready for School! A Parent’s Guide to Playful Learning for Children Ages 2 to 5, published by Running Press (2019).
About Math Teacher Lounge
Math Teacher Lounge is a biweekly podcast created specifically for K–12 math educators. In each episode co-hosts Bethany Lockhart Johnson (@lockhartedu) and Dan Meyer (@ddmeyer) chat with guests, taking a deep dive into the math and educational topics you care about.
Join the Math Teacher Lounge Facebook group to continue the conversation, view exclusive content, interact with fellow educators, participate in giveaways, and more!
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Welcome, Amplify ELA families!
We’re excited to welcome you and your student to the Amplify ELA program for the new school year, and to provide you with exceptional learning opportunities through ELA. We’ve assembled the following resources and guides to help you support your student and enable them to have the most productive experience with our platform throughout the year.
Para la versión en español, haga clic aquí.
What is Amplify ELA?
Amplify ELA helps students in grades 6–8 read and understand complex texts that encourage them to grapple with interesting ideas and find relevance for themselves. Amplify ELA is a blended program that includes both digital and print materials, but can also be used as a print-only version. Students using Amplify ELA read text passages closely, interpret what they find, discuss their thinking with peers, and develop their ideas in writing. The lesson structure is easy to follow, but flexible enough to allow for a variety of learning experiences and varied enough to keep students engaged.
Features include:
- Functionality that allows individual students to work at their own level while also being challenged appropriately.
- Built-in tools that allow teachers to track and respond to student work.
- The digital Amplify Library, which contains more than 700 downloadable, full-length fiction and nonfiction books.
- The Vocab App, which uses game-like activities to help students master keywords from the program’s texts. (Students using print materials will see keywords highlighted.)
- Independent writing assignments called Solos, available on mobile devices.
- Interactive projects called Quests that accompany certain units to provide additional practice with analytical reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.
Getting started
How you can support the child in your care:
- If possible, read with your student daily; even 15 minutes of reading together each day can make a huge impact. You can read aloud sections of the text together—many middle grade students enjoy performing sections of dialogue by taking on the role of a character in a play, or adding some dramatic flair to a poem with which they are working. If your student struggles with reading aloud, you might try reading the text to them with expression, then having them read it back to you. For additional practice, there are an array of fluency activities in the program’s Flex Days. Ask your student to help you find these activities.
- 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 you’ve heard about?
- Listen to your student read their written responses or have them share with a friend over the phone or video chat.
- Browse the Amplify Library with your student to find books they’ll enjoy and be able to read fluently and independently.
- Review this Protecting Kids Online website by the Federal Trade Commission addressing digital safety.
Accessing texts in the Amplify Library
We encourage students to utilize the core texts from the Amplify Library while at home! Please follow these steps to download a text for offline reading:
1. Navigate to the Program & Apps menu at the top of your screen and scroll through to find the Amplify Library icon. When you select it, the Amplify Library will open in a new tab.
2. If prompted, follow the directions to set up a pin for the Amplify Library; otherwise, proceed to the next step.
3. In the upper right corner of your screen, search for the book you would like to download. Example: The Secret of the Yellow Death: A True Story of Medical Sleuthing.
4. Select the Download button.
5. If you lose connection while still in the Amplify Library, you can continue to access and read the downloaded book(s). If the page refreshes without internet access, or you try to login on another device without internet access, you will lose access to the downloaded book(s) until the internet connection is restored.
To retrieve your downloaded texts:
- In the Amplify Library app, open the My Library drop-down menu in the upper left corner.
- Select Downloaded.
- Choose the text you wish to read from all of your pre-downloaded texts.
Materials overview
Not every school will operate the same way, but students attending schools that have both the print and digital editions of the program will likely have the following print materials at home:
- Student Edition: This includes all of the readings and activities necessary for instruction throughout the year. Students can read the selections both digitally and in print, annotating in either format. The lessons in the print Student Edition reflect each digital lesson, but have been modified to work effectively in print.
- Writing Journals: This provides space for students to respond to Writing Prompts and complete other written assignments.
In the case that students are without access to devices or the internet, they can continue to complete key reading and writing assignments using the print Student Editions and student Writing Journals.
Teachers can also access, print, and mail student Novel Guides for up to 12 commonly taught novels. Six of these novels are available in the Amplify Library, and most should be available in a public library.
Unit overviews
Below are quick overviews of each unit your student will be working through in their grade throughout the year. Included along with each unit is a downloadable guide that provides a more in-depth look at what content is covered and how you can help your student advance their understanding of the topics.
- Unit 6A: Dahl & Narrative
- Students begin with narrative writing to quickly boost their writing production, learn the foundational skill of focus, and become comfortable with key classroom habits and routines they will use all year. Students then apply their new observational focus to some lively readings from Roald Dahl’s memoir Boy and learn how to work closely with textual evidence.
- Unit 6B: Mysteries & Investigations
- Students read like an investigator to embark on a multi-genre study of the mesmerizing world of scientific and investigative sleuthing. At the end of the unit, students write an essay explaining which trait is most useful to problem-solving investigators.
- Unit 6C: The Chocolate Collection
- The Aztecs used it as currency. Robert Falcon Scott took it to the Antarctic. The Nazis made it into a bomb designed to kill Churchill. The 3,700-year-long history of chocolate is full of twists and turns, making it a rich and rewarding research topic. In this unit, students explore primary source documents and conduct independent research to better understand the strange and wonderful range of roles that chocolate has played for centuries around the world.
- Unit 6D: The Greeks
- Greek myths help us understand not only ancient Greek culture but also the world around us and our role in it. Drawing on the routines and skills established in previous units, these lessons ask students to move from considering the state of a single person—themselves or a character—to contemplating broader questions concerning the role people play in the world and the communities they inhabit within it.
- Unit 6E: Summer of Mariposas
- The borderlands between the United States and Mexico are the place of legends, both true and fictional. Summer of the Mariposas, by Guadalupe Garcia McCall, plants a retelling of the Odyssey into this setting, launching five sisters on an adventure into a world of heroes and evildoers derived from Aztec myths and Latinx legends. On the journey, the sisters reconcile the dissolution of their parent’s marriage and find new strength in their identity and connection to Aztec lineage. Students consider how McCall uses the structure of the hero’s journey to celebrate women, heritage, and a broad definition of family. Students also have the opportunity to compare these characters’ fictional journey into Mexico to a description of one boy’s true journey into the United States.
- Unit 6F: The Titanic Collection
- In this research unit, students learn to tell the difference between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources; determine if a given source is reliable; and understand the ethical uses of information. Students then construct their own research questions and explore the internet for answers. They also take on the role of a passenger from the Titanic’s manifest to consider gender and class issues as they research and write narrative accounts from the point of view of their passenger.
- Unit 6G: Beginning Story Writing
- In this unit, students get to practice their creative writing skills and learn the elements of storytelling and character development, as well as the importance of vivid language. Students gain a sense of ownership over their writing as they experiment with the impact of their authorial choices on sentences, language, character traits, and plot twists.
- Grade 6: Grammar
- In this unit, students complete self-guided grammar instruction and practice that teachers assign to them throughout the year. Sub-units are organized by key grammar topics, so teachers can assign the content that best meets their student’s needs while making sure students work with the key grammar topics for their grades.
- Unit 7A: Red Scarf Girl & Narrative
- In this study of a highly engaging memoir of a young woman growing up in China during the Cultural Revolution, students quickly learn the history and politics of this tumultuous period by focusing on the story of someone living through the upheaval. As students follow her journey through a world turned upside down, they will track the changes in her feelings and motivations over time.
- Unit 7B: Character & Conflict
- By reading the play A Raisin in the Sun and the short story “Sucker,” students explore how people facing hardships can inflict unintentional harm on the people around them. The two narratives work together to provide opportunities for students to analyze characters’ responses to conflict and the author’s development of ideas over the course of a piece of fiction.
- Unit 7C: Brain Science
- Could you survive an iron rod through your skull? Phineas Gage did, and his gruesome-but-true story allows students to build background information and analyze other informational texts, including the contemporary The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat and the relevant Demystifying the Adolescent Brain.
- Unit 7D: Poetry & Poe
- Poe’s texts always offer so much to notice, decipher, talk about—and creep us out. Since things are not always what they seem, students must use close reading skills to question whether they should believe what Poe’s narrator is telling them … or not.
- Unit 7E: The Frida & Diego Collection
- Mexico’s most famous and provocative artists, Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, were an extraordinary couple who lived in extraordinary times. They were both soul mates and complete opposites. Their multifaceted lives and work offer students rich and fascinating subjects to study as they examine primary source documents and conduct independent research.
- Unit 7F: The Gold Rush Collection
- In this research unit, students choose from a large collection of primary and secondary sources to learn about the wide range of people who took part in the California Gold Rush. They also take on the role of someone who lived during the gold rush and write journal entries from their perspective.
- Unit 7G: Intermediate Story Writing
- In this unit, students get to practice their creative writing skills and learn the elements of storytelling and character development, as well as the importance of vivid language. Students gain a sense of ownership over their writing as they experiment with the impact of their authorial choices on sentences, language, character traits, and plot twists.
- Grade 7: Grammar
- In this unit, students complete self-guided grammar instruction and practice that teachers assign to them throughout the year. Sub-units are organized by key grammar topics, so teachers can assign the content that best meets their student’s needs while making sure students work with the key grammar topics for their grades.
- Unit 8A: Perspectives & Narrative
- This unit aims to teach students to read like writers. They practice paying attention to the craft of writing and to the moves a good writer makes to shape the way we see a scene or feel about a character—to stir us up, surprise us, or leave us wondering what will happen next. Students closely read examples of rich, layered narrative nonfiction, analyze the techniques each author uses to make their writing resonate, and practice applying these techniques to their own narrative writing.
- Unit 8B: Liberty & Equality
- In this unit, students look at the words of a range of creators—from poet Walt Whitman to abolitionist Frederick Douglass to President Abraham Lincoln—to see how their writing contributed to an extreme shift in social organization: a whole new concept of what it means for people to be considered “equal.” They also study multiple perspectives on the Civil War, including the memoir of a girl who was enslaved, a confederate girl’s diary, and a nonfiction account of the young boys who served as soldiers during the war.
- Unit 8C: Science & Science Fiction
- Students read Gris Grimly’s Frankenstein, a graphic novel that adds captivating illustrations to an abridgment of the 1818 edition of Mary Shelley’s book. Paired with Shelley’s text, Grimly’s haunting—and, at times, horrific—representations of Frankenstein’s creature push students to wrestle with some of the text’s central themes: the source of humanity and the root of evil. Students then write an essay in which, after arguing both sides of the question, they determine whether or not Frankenstein’s creature should ultimately be considered human.
- Unit 8D: Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet
- Romeo and Juliet combines romance with action, offering a wide range of themes and scenes for students to read about and act out. Your middle schoolers are at the right age to identify with the lovers’ strong feelings—and also old enough to think critically about the choices Romeo and Juliet make.
- Unit 8E: Holocaust: Memory & Meaning
- This unit uses a range of primary source articles, images, and videos, as well as literary nonfiction and graphic nonfiction, to study what made the atrocities of the Holocaust possible. Students investigate how propaganda was generated and employed to create a political environment that ultimately corrupted a society. The Olympics are seen through the lens of an international propaganda campaign, providing cover for Nazis to begin eliminating non-Aryans from their culture. The final sub-unit examines the outcomes of Nazi doctrine and the impact on Jewish victims and survivors.
- Unit 8F: The Space Race Collection
- In this unit, students to put their research and close-reading skills to the test to distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources, explore primary documents, and conduct independent research to better understand the space race that took place between two of the world’s superpowers. This dramatic story offers students a rich research topic to explore as they build information literacy skills, learn how to construct their own research questions, and explore the internet for answers.
- Grade 8: Grammar
- In this unit, students complete self-guided grammar instruction and practice that teachers assign to them throughout the year. Sub-units are organized by key grammar topics, so teachers can assign the content that best meets their student’s needs while making sure students work with the key grammar topics for their grades.
- Unit 8G: Advanced Story Writing
- In this unit, students get to practice their creative writing skills. They’ll learn the elements of storytelling and character development, and the power of vivid language to grab readers and pull them into a story.
Additional activities
Quests:
You may notice your student working with peers on the same interactive project over several days, trying to solve a mystery or explain a historical event. That’s what happens when a teacher assigns a Quest: an in-depth week-long exploration that requires collaboration and deepens engagement with texts and topics.
Vocab App:
The Vocab App helps students master vocabulary words through game-like activities that challenge them to think through morphology, analogy, and synonyms/antonyms, and to decipher meaning through context.
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