Amplify

Resources for teachers: Bring the world to students with knowledge!

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The Science of Reading shows that literacy develops best on a foundation of knowledge. In other words, the more you know, the easier and faster you learn!

The Amplify CKLA literacy curriculum intentionally builds students’ background and academic knowledge—along with comprehension strategies—that fuel their capacity to understand texts, answer questions, and grapple with ideas.

Explore resources for teachers from educators across the country who are bringing Amplify CKLA Knowledge Domains to life in their classrooms!

Children sit on a classroom rug, guided by the literacy curriculum, as a pirate character stands on a beach. Two cacti in a desert add to the scene, and two children interact at a table with resources for teachers.

Kindergarten

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In kindergarten, students develop phonemic awareness with storybook characters like Zack and Ann Chang; draw a chart to identify different smells; learn about the Lenape, Wampanoag, and Lakota Sioux; and pay homage to classic nursery rhymes by jumping a candlestick.

An illustration featuring a green, one-eyed character with a hat in front of a farm scene with fields, a barn, a bird, and a pig. A red book lies open on the ground, suggesting an engaging literacy curriculum that brings stories to life.
A group of children dressed in colorful numbered shirts pose on stage with a banner reading

Domain 1: Nursery Rhymes and Fables

To celebrate the end of the Nursery Rhymes and Fables unit, students participated in a Nursery Rhyme Olympics.

Credit: Kelly O’Connor, Huber Street Elementary School, NJ

BONUS VIDEO: Watch this video to see Nursery Rhyme Olympics in action!

Children enthusiastically engage in a play activity at a pretend farmer's market, surrounded by play food items and a decorative sign. This creative setup could amplify CKLA resources for teachers, enhancing their literacy curriculum with vibrant, hands-on learning experiences.

Domain 2: The Five Senses

As a special activity for the Five Senses unit, students explored their sense of taste with a pop-up farmers market.

Credit: Debbie Braaten, Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, OH

BONUS VIDEO: Hear how Jamie Vannoy, a teacher in Wirt County, WV, plans a braille activity for this unit!

Children gather around a Lego structure on a plate, with heart shapes over their faces, embodying the joy found in resources for teachers. An open book icon is visible on the side, symbolizing endless possibilities in literacy curriculum.

Domain 3: Stories

Kindergarteners worked in groups to construct houses using yellow pipe cleaners, Popsicle sticks, and Lego bricks before the “Big Bad Wolf”—a blow dryer—tried to blow it down! Each house was tested for its strength and durability under the force of the blow dryer, providing a fun and interactive way for students to explore concepts like engineering, problem-solving, and the importance of material properties.

Credit: Pamela Rechter, Crown Point Community School Corporation, IN

In a classroom brimming with creativity, a group of children proudly holds potted plants, their faces playfully adorned with heart icons. This vibrant scene highlights the resources for teachers inspired by Amplify CKLA, enriching the core knowledge language arts curriculum.

Domain 4: Plants

To apply their learning, students at Superior Elementary planted grass seeds at the beginning of the Plants unit, then cared for and observed the grass daily to ensure it flourished.

Credit: Emma Fynbu, Superior Elementary School, NE

A group of children listens to two adults discussing resources for teachers in front of a large green agricultural machine parked on a paved area under a sunny sky.

Domain 5: Farms

To celebrate the Farms unit, students visited a local farm to study the equipment and farm animals!

Credit: Kirsten Tingley, Cumberland Valley School District, PA

This diorama, a tribute to Core Knowledge Language Arts, features teepees, small human and animal figures beside a blue river. Green vegetation flourishes around a central area with red objects in a bowl, offering rich resources for teachers seeking dynamic literacy curriculum visual aids.

Domain 6: Native Americans

To showcase their knowledge, students created a gallery walk that displays information about the Lakota Sioux, Wampanoag, and Lenape tribes.

Credit: Dalphne Harrison, Aldine ISD, TX

Children in costumes sit at a decorated table with food trays, wearing red paper crowns and pink capes, bringing a touch of imagination that complements any literacy curriculum perfectly.

Domain 7: Kings and Queens

To mark the end of the Kings and Queens unit, this class hosted a royal tea party in the cafeteria, featuring cloaks and handmade crowns.

Credit: Chrystal Wise, Malvern School District, AR

A man in a blue shirt stands in front of a large screen displaying a weather forecast titled

Domain 8: Seasons and Weather

Teach your students more about seasons and weather: Invite your local meteorologist to visit, like this classroom did!

Credit: Chrystal Wise, Malvern School District, AR

A child's drawing showcases a person on a ship with the word

Domain 9: Columbus and the Pilgrims

Students create illustrations of Columbus’s journey to present their knowledge for this unit!

Credit: Mandy Collins, Fayette County Public Schools, TN

Table with metal tools, cooking pots, and an abstract drawing labeled

Domain 10: Colonial Towns and Townspeople

As you wrap up this unit, take inspiration from this school: Make shop signs and tables to create your own colonial town!

Credit: Andrea Gatten, Propel Schools, PA

Classroom display featuring colorful animal paintings on a bulletin board, with small animal models on a shelf below, provides excellent resources for teachers to enhance lessons in core knowledge language arts.

Domain 11: Taking Care of the Earth

We love this culminating activity! Students create awareness for a cause by creating persuasive signs, videos, and a class petition. This multimedia display shows them embracing the values of environmental stewardship.

Credit: Heather Keating, Gulliver Prep, FL

The classroom voting setup features a decorated ballot box on a table, surrounded by educational posters and a calendar, providing an engaging environment. It's an excellent example of how resources for teachers can create interactive learning spaces beyond the traditional literacy curriculum.

Domain 12: Presidents and American Symbols

To close the Presidents and American Symbols Domain, hold a sample election in your classroom! Create a voting booth, ballot box, ballot cards, election music, campaign posters, stickers, balloons, and confetti! Before announcing the winner, discuss the importance of voting, the voting process, what a campaign looks like, and what to look for in a great leader.

Credit: Andrea Gatten, Propel Schools, PA

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Grade 1

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In Grade 1, students sing about a fabulous fox, learn to tell the difference between fairy tale heroes and villains, write an opinion statement about the worst part of going to the moon, and learn ancient Egyptian techniques for mummifying an apple.

A person dressed as a pirate examines a large skull near a globe, reminiscent of resources for teachers planning an engaging activity. The background shows mountains and a body of water.
A group of eight people in costume stands in a hallway decorated with a large cartoon spider, showcasing their creativity. This lively environment was inspired by the engaging themes often found within Amplify CKLA's literacy curriculum, providing resources for teachers to enhance learning through fun.

Domain 1: Fables and Stories

To celebrate the Fables and Stories domain, students participated in a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” race while teachers dressed as fable characters.

Credit: Brittany Sachs, Monon Trail Elementary School, IN

BONUS VIDEO: Hear how Brittany planned a Fable Olympics for her Grade 1 students!

Domain 2: The Human Body

To showcase their knowledge of the topic, students participated in a “hospital day.” The classroom was transformed to look like different operating rooms. Stations included blending and segmenting CVC words with Band-Aids, a Tricky Words eye exam, sentence writing, an X-ray light table, food sorting according to the food pyramid, and an operation game!

Credit: Erin Chester, Thompson Crossing Elementary School, IN

BONUS VIDEO: Erin explains how she planned the activity, and shows us snippets of the culminating activity in action.

Four children holding large paper flowers stand in front of a screen displaying a blue floral image, offering vibrant inspiration for resources for teachers. A musical instrument icon is in the bottom right corner.

Domain 3: Different Lands, Similar Stories

Take inspiration from this classroom and have your students create a Thumbelina floral craft to round out the unit’s celebration of folktales.

Credit: Elizabeth Sillies, Three Rivers Local School District, OH

A group of children dressed in ancient Egyptian costumes with paper collars and hats, posing in a classroom with a pyramid image on the screen behind them, showcases their project inspired by the core knowledge language arts curriculum. This activity offers exciting resources for teachers to enhance literacy learning.

Domain 4: Early World Civilizations

Looking for a culminating activity for this domain? Plan an ancient Egypt day filled with crafts and activities, including pyramid-making, writing in hieroglyphics, trying Egyptian food, and mask-making.

Credit: Camy Stirling, Brevard Academy, NC

BONUS VIDEO: Watch this short video about how to make pyramid-making easy in your classroom!

A group of children, immersed in the core knowledge language arts program, don handmade headdresses in the classroom.

Domain 5: Early American Civilizations

Students can apply their learning about early American civilizations by creating their very own Moctezuma headdresses.

Credit: Emmett J. Hoops, Moriah Central School, NY

A child uses an Oreo cookie to mimic a solar eclipse, surrounded by educational materials and a telescope illustration. This engaging activity aligns with the core knowledge language arts literacy curriculum, offering valuable resources for teachers.

Domain 6: Astronomy

A surefire way to ignite your students’ excitement about astronomy is to create a moon phase Oreo chart!

Credit: Shelby Varchmin, Fred Wild Elementary School, FL

BONUS IDEA: Have your class send postcards to space through the Club for the Future program.

Children engaged in a classroom activity, working with craft materials at tables, seamlessly integrating elements of the Amplify CKLA curriculum to enhance their core knowledge language arts skills.

Domain 7: The History of the Earth

Students channeled their inner geologists during this unit and dug for rocks.

Credit: Ronda Scott, Dixon Public Schools, IL

A colorful diorama of a rainforest scene features various animal and plant displays, informative text, and a jaguar illustration—ideal resources for teachers using Amplify CKLA to enhance their core knowledge language arts curriculum.

Domain 8: Animals and Habitats

Students can express their creativity by drawing animals, plants, and environments on rocks, then sorting by habitats or comparing by Venn diagram.

Credit: Christine Thomas, The School District of Palm Beach County, FL

Children sit and lie on a classroom rug during an engaging Core Knowledge Language Arts activity. A child stands, gesturing with hands, while the teacher at the desk looks on, ready to provide valuable resources for teachers to enhance learning.

Domain 9: Fairy Tales

To wrap up the Fairy Tales unit, sharpen your students’ drama skills by having them act out their favorite stories.

Credit: Elizabeth Sillies, Three Rivers Local School District, OH

A child's drawing features the U.S. flag, a

Domain 10: A New Nation: American Independence

Posters beautifully summarize the learning from a unit. Pair students up to create and present to their classmates!

Credit: Tracy Hatch Gagnon, Holy Name Parish School, MA

A person wearing a straw hat takes a selfie in a classroom filled with smiling children, whose faces are covered with orange hearts. A bison graphic is in the corner, hinting at resources for teachers to enhance their literacy curriculum.

Domain 11: Frontier Explorers

Students can celebrate this unit by hosting a Pioneer Day and making Daniel Boone hats!

Credit: Shelby Varchmin, Fred Wild Elementary School, FL

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Grade 2

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In Grade 2, students thrill to the crimes of the Cat Bandit, assemble books about ancient Chinese culture, write their own Greek myths, and learn the story of the people who escaped to freedom from slavery by “follow[ing] the Drinking Gourd.”

Cartoon wizard with a white beard and star-patterned hat holding a small dragon, standing in front of a house in a desert setting. A large feather quill, perfect for drafting a literacy curriculum, is in the foreground.
A collage of colorful, geometric paper art pieces displayed on a wall. A variety of shapes and patterns are used, with small craft toys and a frog sticker in the foreground.

Domain 1: Fairy Tales and Tall Tales

To celebrate the end of the Fairy Tales and Stories Unit, encourage students to showcase their favorite stories by crafting paper collages and clay figures.

Credit: Jessica Berg, Arlington Public Schools, VA

A colorful paper plate dragon graces a yellow background, with red lanterns hanging above—perfect as a craft idea for educators utilizing resources for teachers in Core Knowledge Language Arts lessons.

Domain 2: Early Asian Civilizations

Second-grade teachers worked together to create an amazing dragon at the end of their Early Asian Civilizations Unit. Each student created a scale for their grade-level dragon!

Credit: Emma Bridgeforth, Windsor Elementary School, WI

A child enthusiastically builds a model using craft materials at a table. Two signs in the background reference the Parthenon and a tower for Athena, echoing themes from the Amplify CKLA literacy curriculum, which inspires a love for history and language arts.

Domain 3: The Ancient Greek Civilization

This class had a great time becoming world travelers and celebrating all the knowledge gained throughout the Ancient Greek Civilization domain. The students started their day getting their passport stamped. After entering ancient Greece, they engaged in many centers. They built the Parthenon and Athena’s throne, wrote facts about Sparta, created locks for Pandora’s box, built a harp for Apollo, and played vocabulary games. In addition to centers, the students learned that they all qualified for the Olympics, and were led by teachers on a victory walk as the entire school cheered for them!

Credit: Terri Hart, Jefferson Parish Public School District, LA

A classroom of children and two adults dressed in ancient Greek costumes pose in front of a screen displaying a Greek temple, using resources for teachers to bring the Amplify CKLA literacy curriculum to life.

Domain 4: Greek Myths

Students wrote and shared their very own Greek myths, made props, and dressed in togas to celebrate this unit!

Credit: Chelsey Steinmetz, Cornell Elementary School, WI

A group of children holding tin foil boats, their faces covered with emojis, stand in a classroom adorned with flags, including the Union Jack and USA flags. It's a vibrant scene where Amplify CKLA resources for teachers support core knowledge language arts in action.

Domain 5: The War of 1812

Bring a battle to life by having students create boats out of foil and other common household materials to participate in a boat race!

Credit: Jerica Falevai, Pacific Heritage Academy, UT

Two children in a classroom hold paper greenhouses with seeds inside. A cartoon dinosaur graphic is on the bottom right. Faces are covered with orange heart shapes.

Domain 6: Cycles in Nature

To bring the Cycles in Nature unit to life, students learned how to make their own greenhouses and watched lima beans germinate and sprout.

Credit: Amber Taylor, Corbin Primary School, KY

An older man in overalls and a straw hat speaks to children with faces obscured by hearts, reflecting themes from a literacy curriculum. A small house icon is in the corner, symbolizing resources for teachers.

Domain 7: Westward Expansion

To commemorate the end of this domain, this class had two grandparents come to the classroom to make bread, make trail mix, and pan for gold.

Credit: Jennifer Murphy, John E. Bryan Elementary School, AL

BONUS VIDEO: Hear how this educator planned this engaging activity for her students!

A handmade moth model crafted from a paper egg carton, featuring brown wings and black antennae, is showcased on a black background. Below the model, a note about moths and butterflies connects to themes from the Amplify CKLA literacy curriculum.

Domain 8: Insects

These students celebrated all the knowledge they gained by researching and writing about an insect, then using household items to build a model of their chosen insect!

Credit: Tamara Gore, Harrison Hill Elementary School, IN

Three posters showcase hand-drawn figures of historical icons: Abraham Lincoln, Clara Barton, and Harriet Tubman. Surrounding each drawing are insightful notes that align with the Amplify CKLA literacy curriculum, enriching students' understanding of these figures through core knowledge language arts.

Domain 9: The U.S. Civil War

Have your students showcase their knowledge of the U.S. Civil War by creating posters of important historical figures of the time!

Credit: Heather Griffin, Rochester School District, NH

Four cardboard sheets display colorful clay models labeled to represent human digestive system parts, including intestines, stomach, and liver.

Domain 10: The Human Body

We love this culminating activity! Students made digestive-system models out of air-dry clay and traced themselves on large paper to make a life-size model of the body systems!

Credit: Olga Cabrera, Aldine ISD, TX

Classroom wall display labeled

Domain 11: Immigration

Students participated in an Ellis Island simulation in their classrooms at the end of the Immigration Unit, and even created their own passports!

Credit: Sandra Garcia, Austin Independent School District, TX

A collage titled

Domain 12: Fighting for a Cause

To wrap up this unit and showcase their knowledge, students created VIP books about important historical figures!

Credit: Meghan Scheffler, Community Unit School District 300, IL

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Grade 3

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In Grade 3, students write a newspaper story about the invention of the telephone, go on a digital quest with Viking explorers, reflect on the stars with astronomy lab notes, and learn the secret to writing an excellent narrative ending.

Illustration of a person in ancient Roman attire with a large bird flying over a mountainous landscape, perfect for enhancing any literacy curriculum or activity plan. This image serves as an engaging resource for teachers to illustrate historical contexts vividly.
A decorated classroom corner with a table displaying cups, colorful pitchers, and a plant. Cabinets in the background feature children’s artwork. An illustrated character is in the foreground.

Domain 1: Classic Tales: The Wind in the Willows

To immerse themselves in the Classic Tales domain, students hosted a party inspired by classic literary celebrations.

Credit: Laurie Valente, Secaucus Public School District, NJ

Classroom with desks arranged in groups, each with a pith helmet. Windows show a view outside. Decor includes colorful papers and a frog cartoon sits in the bottom corner.

Domain 2: Animal Classification

A great way to shift perspective and get students to apply their knowledge? Transform your classroom into a vibrant “rainforest café” that showcases students’ published writing. Each student can create an informational piece about a specific vertebrate, learning how to introduce a topic, group related information, and support it with facts and details. They turn their writing, complete with text features, into restaurant-style menus! Dressed as rainforest and safari guides, students can present their work to other students and staff, answering questions about their animal and its classification.

Credit: Nicole Desmond, Riverside School District 96, IL

Child in classroom shows a spinal cord model. Another child works at a desk in the background. A skeletal hand illustration is in the top right corner.

Domain 3: Human Body

Get crafty in this unit by having students make body parts out of household supplies: a pipe cleaner becomes the spinal cord, noodles represent the vertebrae, and gummy Life Savers turn into cartilage. You can also make X-rays by tracing hands and wrists on construction paper. Students can color around the bones with a dark crayon, then use vegetable oil and a Q-tip to “paint” the bones. When held up to a light, the project resembles an X-ray!

Credit: Crystal Chwatek, Muhlenberg Elementary Center, PA

Students wearing laurel crowns work together on a classroom project involving a chair. There's an illustration of a historical figure on a horse nearby.

Domain 4: The Ancient Roman Civilization

Have your students put their knowledge of ancient Roman civilization to the test: Challenge them to use a few common materials to build their own aqueducts and learn how water was once conveyed.

Credit: Stephanie Schuettpelz, Marion Elementary School, WI

A hanging crystal decoration with eight multicolored beads arranged vertically and a larger clear crystal at the bottom brings an artistic flair to any space. Paired with a graphic of a French horn in the bottom right corner, it’s like a creative twist in resources for teachers seeking inspiration.

Domain 5: Light and Sound

To celebrate the Light and Sound unit, your students can make colorful suncatchers and witness the science of light and color in action.

Credit: Stephanie Schuettpelz, Marion Elementary School, WI

BONUS VIDEO: Watch how another teacher plans a black light party for this unit!

A variety of decorated paper bookmarks with runic designs are displayed on a surface. A small, illustrated figure holding a torch is positioned to the right.

Domain 6: The Viking Age

CKLA students love Vikings! In this classroom, students made paper swords before participating in a special ceremony.

Credit: Kerri Lintl, Merrimac Community School, WI

Cookies are arranged in a circle on paper to represent moon phases, with some frosting removed to show waxing and waning. An image of a space shuttle is in the top right corner.

Domain 7: Astronomy

As a culminating activity for the Astronomy unit, an Oreo moon phase exercise really motivates students to apply their knowledge.

Credit: Stephanie Schuettpelz, Marion Elementary School, WI

A display of mini models of historical dwellings, including an igloo and a teepee, on an orange cloth with

Domain 8: Native Americans

Flex your students’ creativity at the end of the Native Americans unit by having them gather natural materials and creating Native American shelters!

Credit: Alisa Byrd Fesmire, Roane County Schools, TN

BONUS VIDEO: Hear how a teacher in Wisconsin plans a basket-weaving activity for her students during this unit!

Child's drawing of a world map complements core knowledge language arts lessons, featuring a red line marking a ship's route across the Atlantic Ocean. Includes labeled continents and a drawn ship with cross sails in the top right corner—perfect resources for teachers using Amplify CKLA.

Domain 9: Early Explorations of North America

To help your students visualize North American exploration, they can draw maps of the studied expeditions and use yarn to show the various routes!

Credit: Maria Woytko-Morris, Manitou Springs School District, CO

Children gathered around a table with various toys and activities, including a bucket and a blue bin, in a classroom setting enriched by the Amplify CKLA program. The room buzzed with excitement as they explored core knowledge language arts concepts through play.

Domain 10: Colonial America

Take inspiration from this classroom and set up a colonial town where students can barter goods and work as apprentices at the general store, blacksmith, tailor shop, and cobbler shop.

Credit: Heidi Graci, Sporting Hill Elementary School, PA

A student presents in front of a screen displaying an image of a snow leopard, as part of the Amplify CKLA literacy curriculum. A globe and a plant sit on the table beside him, enhancing his engaging lesson in core knowledge language arts.

Domain 11: Ecology

For this unit, these students practiced their speaking and listening skills by presenting about an endangered animal to the rest of the class.

Credit: Stephanie Schuettpelz, Marion Elementary School, WI

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Grade 4

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In Grade 4, students take part in a dramatic invention competition judged by Thomas Edison, George Washington Carver, and Hedy Lamarr; use writing to investigate the function of a mysterious contraption; become poets; and bring their reading skills to bear on the classic novel Treasure Island.

Illustration of a woman holding architectural blueprints, standing in front of a medieval village landscape with scattered huts, fields, and a river. Two closed books titled
Children sitting on the floor working on crafts with paper and markers, with a drawing of a football on a nearby paper.

Domain 1: Personal Narratives

To celebrate the Personal Narratives domain, students created posters using information about their names.

Credit: Daphne Long, Steele Elementary School, AL

BONUS VIDEO: Hear how an educator in New York plans an engaging culminating activity for the Personal Narratives unit!

A classroom wall displays student essays paired with foil shield projects, featuring various designs and colors.

Domain 2: Empires in the Middle Ages

Flex your students’ creativity: Have them create their very own shields and write a paragraph describing them!

Credit: Elisabeth Freligh, Spring Hill Elementary School, AK

BONUS VIDEO: See how students in Minnesota participated in a stained glass art project to celebrate the Middle Ages.

Children sitting on a sofa reading books, surrounded by poetry journal pages and writing-themed graphics.

Domain 3: Poetry

Empower students to apply their knowledge of this writing discipline with poetry journals.

Credit: Elizabeth Sillies, Three Rivers Local School District, OH

A classroom with students working on projects. One student uses a laptop, and a woman in a pink jacket observes. An illustrated character holding a lightbulb is in the corner.

Domain 4: Eureka! Student Inventor

Encourage students to showcase their innovation at an Invention Showcase! Here, they pitched their ideas using the slides they created and the models they made.

Credit: Daniella Cucunato, Merchantville School District, NJ

Science activity setup with geodes, two magnifying glasses, and safety goggles on a purple surface. A diagram of seismic waves is in the top right corner.

Domain 5: Geology

Geology offers great opportunities to facilitate hands-on learning! Students can examine rocks and fossils, or bust geodes to supplement their lessons.

Credit: Spring Choate, Overton County Schools, TN

Child reaching for a colorful wall art project featuring a house made of paper with various notes and illustrations, including a bicycle sticker and orange heart symbol.

Domain 6: Contemporary Fiction

Students can take their favorite stories off the page in this unit! For example, lead students in a craft activity creating their own house inspired by The House on Mango Street.

Credit: Lara Andree, Aldine ISD, TX

Four children stand in a classroom with heart emojis over their faces.

Domain 7: American Revolution

Build knowledge about the American Revolution creatively: Make it a musical!

Credit: Meg Jercha, North View Elementary, IN

Hand-drawn pirate treasure map with colorful islands labeled Treasure Island, Skull Island, Snake Swamp, and Palm Island. Includes a pirate ship, treasure chest, and a waving pirate flag.

Domain 8: Treasure Island

To celebrate the end of the Treasure Island domain collaboratively, students can build their very own map sections and put them together.

Credit: Daphne Long, Steele Elementary, AL

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Grade 5

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In Grade 5, students learn about villanelles and Mayan codices, read and perform Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” use their writing skills to teach a robot about human emotions, and solve a scientific mystery involving ancient fossils.

A woman in a pink dress stands near an ancient pyramid with a night forest and river in the background, symbolizing the timeless resources for teachers that bridge history and nature.
Five children standing in front of lockers, their faces covered with orange heart icons. A vintage car illustration is in the top right corner.

Domain 1: Personal Narratives

Have your students refine their personal narratives into graphic stories to celebrate the end of this unit.

Credit: Anna Barba, Arlington Traditional School, VA

BONUS VIDEO: Hear how a teacher plans name posters for her students to wrap up this domain!

A circular planter with young green sprouts and a stone design is set in front of drawings, depicting pyramids and water. A stylized pyramid image is on the right.

Domain 2: Early American Civilizations

To celebrate this unit, have your students create “gardens” with small stones representing the Inca roadways. They can also plant corn, the dominant harvest of the three civilizations, and make drawings/paintings of the Inca suspension bridges and construction-paper suns representing the gods.

Credit: Harry Brandt, P. E. Bowe Elementary School, Chicopee, MA

A man in a suit plays a keyboard in a cluttered room with a decorated whiteboard. An illustration of a sextant is overlaid on a corner of the image.

Domain 3: Poetry

Transform your classroom into a poetry café where students share their work with the rest of the class.

Credit: K.D. Meucci, Bethel Park School District, PA

Students posing with a large papier-mâché figure of a knight on a horse in a classroom decorated with colorful posters and educational materials.

Domain 4: Adventures of Don Quixote

These students are an inspiration! To celebrate this unit, they built a real-life Don Quixote to reside in their classroom.

Credit: Gillian Roshinko, Jefferson Elementary School, NY

A painted circle features a tree on a hill against a colorful sky. A sketch of a bat-like wing is in the top right corner.

Domain 5: The Renaissance

Fresco painting and the Renaissance go hand in hand, so have your students get creative and craft their very own frescoes to take home!

Credit: Teresa Karney, Reese Public Schools, MI

A handmade sign with the name

Domain 6: The Reformation

Immerse your students in the Reformation era by having them make stamps and write out some text as a great way to mimic the effect of the printing press!

Credit: Jessica Kingery, Jefferson City School District, MO

A group of children with orange heart shapes covering their faces, holding various papers with drawings or text, stands in front of a classroom board, showcasing their latest projects from the Amplify CKLA curriculum.

Domain 7: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Turn your classroom into a theater for this unit and have your students read the play using character cards and donkey headbands.

Credit: Daphne Long, Steele Elementary, AL

A hand-drawn totem pole featuring a bat, butterfly, and owl stands majestically on a yellow background—a whimsical nod to Amplify CKLA's approach. A small bird sticker perches in the corner, capturing the essence of storytelling and literacy curriculum themes.

Domain 8: Native Americans

A successful extension project for the ​​Native Americans unit is personal totem poles! Have your students determine their own personal totems, write paragraphs to explain totem poles and why they selected their own personal totems, and use a template to create their own totem pole.

Credit: Kristin Rea, Cicero School District 99, IL

Dinosaur bone fossil casts and small animal figurines lie on a surface next to an open notebook, providing engaging resources for teachers to enhance their core knowledge language arts curriculum.

Domain 9: Chemical Matter

A great way to bring knowledge to life in this unit? Make fossils out of clay molds!

Credit: Teresa Karney, Reese Public Schools, MI

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