DCI ESS2.D: Weather and Climate
Before you begin reviewing these lessons, make sure to locate the following Student Books from your Unit Kit: What is the Weather Like Today? and Tornado! Predicting Severe Weather

Select the Sunlight and Weather unit, click Chapter 1, and locate the lessons below:

Lesson 1.1

• Activities 2 and 3, Step-by-step tab
• Student book, What is the Weather Like Today? (note: located in your Unit Kit)

Lesson 1.2

• Activities 1 and 3, Step-by-step tab

Lesson 1.3

• Activities 1 and 2, Step-by-step tab

Lesson 1.4

• Lesson Brief, Digital Resources, “Playground Weather Calendars and Playground Weather Graphs (Completed)”
• Activity 1, Step-by-step tab (especially steps 5, 9, and 10) and Teacher Support tab (“Assessment, Assessment Opportunity: Assessing Students’ Understanding of Types of Weather”)

Lesson 5.1

• Activity 1, Step-by-step tab (especially steps 6–7) and Teacher Support, Assessment tab (“Assessment Opportunity: Assessing Students’ Understanding of Weather and Why We Measure It”)
• Student book, Tornado! Predicting Severe Weather (note: located in your Unit Kit), pages 6–9

DCI PS4.A: Wave Properties
Before you begin reviewing these lessons, make sure to locate the following materials from your Unit Kit: Light and Sound Student Investigation Notebook; Student Book: What Vibrates?

Select the Light and Sound unit, click Chapter 4, and locate the lessons below:

Lesson 4.1

• Lesson Brief, Digital Resources, “Assessment Guide”
• Activity 3, Step-by-step tab (especially steps 1–12)
• Light and Sound Student Investigation Notebook, page 24 (note: located in your Unit Kit)

Lesson 4.2

• Activity 2, Step-by-step tab and On-the-Fly Assessment (hummingbird icon)
• Activity 3, Step-by-step tab and On-the-Fly Assessment (hummingbird icon)
• Activity 4, Instructional Guide
• Student book, What Vibrates? (note: located in your Unit Kit)
• Light and Sound Student Investigation Notebook, page 25 (note: located in your Unit Kit)

Lesson 4.3

• Lesson Brief, Digital Resources, “I Hear a Sound. What Vibrates? Mini-Book copymaster”
• Activity 1, Step-by-step tab (especially steps 5–11, 13), and Teacher Support tab (“Instructional Suggestion, Going Further: Sound Can Cause Vibrations”)
• Activity 3, Step-by-step tab
• Activity 4, Step-by-step tab and On-the-Fly Assessment (hummingbird icon)

DCI LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Before you begin reviewing these lessons, make sure to locate the following materials from your Unit Kit: Plant and Animal Relationships Student Investigation Notebook; Student book A Plant is a System.

Select the Plant and Animal Relationships unit, click Chapter 1, and locate the lessons below:

Lesson 1.6

• Activities 2–4, Step-by-step tab
• Plant and Animal Relationships Student Investigation Notebook (note: located in your Unit Kit), pages 15–19

Lesson 1.7

• Activity 2, Step-by-step tab, Possible Responses tab, and Critical Juncture Assessment (hummingbird icon)
• Activity 3, Step-by-step tab

Lesson 2.2

• Activity 2, Step-by-step tab (especially steps 4–12) and Possible Responses tab
• Student book, A Plant is a System (note: located in your Unit Kit)

DCI ESS2.D: Weather and Climates
Before you begin reviewing these lessons, make sure to locate the following materials from your Unit Kit: Weather and Climate Student Investigation Notebook; Student Books Dangerous Weather Ahead and Sky Notebook.

Select the Weather and Climate unit, click Chapter 4, and locate the lessons below:

Lesson 1.4

• Activity 2, Step-by-step tab 
• Student book, Sky Notebook (note: located in your Unit Kit)

Lesson 2.3

• Activity 3, Step-by-step tab and Possible Responses tab
• Weather and Climate Student Investigation Notebook, page 28 (note: located in your Unit Kit)

Lesson 3.2

• Lesson Brief, Digital Resources, “Anchorage, Queenstown, and Saint Petersburg Graphs copymaster”
• Activities 2 and 3, Step-by-step tab

Lesson 3.3,

• Activity 2, Step-by-step tab, Possible Responses tab, and On-the-Fly Assessment (hummingbird icon)

Lesson 3.6

• Activity 1, Step-by-step tab (especially steps 3–5) and On-the-Fly Assessment (hummingbird icon)

Lesson 3.7

• Lesson Brief,  Digital Resources, “End-of-Unit Writing: Arguing About Future Island Weather Version A copymaster” and “Assessment Guide”
• Activity 3, Step-by-step tab (especially steps 3–7)

Lesson 4.2

• Activity 2, Step-by-step tab, Possible Responses tab, and On-the-Fly Assessment (hummingbird icon)
• Student book, Dangerous Weather Ahead (note: located in your Unit Kit)

DCI PS4.A: Wave Properties
Before you begin reviewing these lessons, make sure to locate the following materials from your Unit Kit: Student books Warning: Tsunami! and Patterns in Communication.

Select the Waves, Energy, and Information unit, click Chapters 1 and 3, and locate the lessons below:

Chapter 1

Lesson 1.4

• Activity 1, Step-by-step tab (especially steps 1, and 4)
• Student book, Warning: Tsunami! (note: located in your Unit Kit)
• Activity 2, Step-by-step tab, On-the-Fly Assessment (hummingbird icon), and Teacher Support tab (“Instructional Suggestion, Providing More Experience: Waves in Water”)

Chapter 3

Lesson 3.1

• Activity 2, Step-by-step tab (especially steps 4–8) and On-the-Fly Assessment (hummingbird icon)
• Activity 3, Step-by-step tab and Waves, Energy, and Information Simulation

Lesson 3.2

• Activity 3, Step-by-step tab, On-the-Fly Assessment (hummingbird icon), and Waves, Energy, and Information Simulation 

Lesson 3.3

• Activity 4, Step-by-step tab and On-the-Fly Assessment (hummingbird icon)
• Student book, Patterns in Communication (note: located in your Unit Kit), pages 6–7

DCI LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Before you begin reviewing these lessons, make sure to take out the following materials from your Unit Kit: Student books Restoration Case Studies and Walk in the Woods; Organism Print Name Cards: Set 1.

Select the Ecosystem Restoration unit, click Chapters 1, 2, and 3, and locate the lessons below:

Lesson 1.6

• Activity 2, Step-by-step tab, Possible Responses tab, and Ecosystem Modeling Tool (Box 2 on student apps page, “1.6 Healthy Ecosystem Model”)
• Activity 3, Step-by-step tab (especially steps 2 and 3), Possible Responses tab, and Critical Juncture Assessment (hummingbird icon)

Lesson 1.7

• Activity 2, Step-by-step tab
• Activity 3, Step-by-step tab (especially steps 3–7) and On-the-Fly Assessment (hummingbird icon)
• Printable Resources, Print Materials (8.5” x 11”), Organism Name Cards: Set 1, pages 12–17 (note: located in your Unit Kit)

Lesson 1.8

• Activity 3, Step-by-step tab (especially steps 6–8) and Possible Responses tab

Lesson 2.3

• Activity 3, Step-by-step tab (especially steps 1–4), Possible Responses tab, and Ecosystem Modeling Tool (Box 3 on student apps page, “2.3 Plant Needs Model”)

Lesson 2.5

• Activity 3, Step-by-step tab
• Student book, Restoration Case Studies (note: located in your Unit Kit)

Lesson 3.2

• Activity 2, Step-by-step tab
• Student book, Walk in the Woods (note: located in your Unit Kit), pages 6–10

Lesson 3.3

• Activity 4, Step-by-step tab and Ecosystem Restoration Simulation

Lesson 3.4

•  Activity 2, Step-by-step tab, Possible Responses tab, On-the-Fly Assessment (hummingbird icon), and Ecosystem Restoration Simulation

Lesson 3.5

• Activity 2, Step-by-step tab and Teacher Support tab (“Instructional Suggestion, Going Further: Balance and Interdependence of Ecosystems: Impacts of Invasive Species”)
• Student book, Restoration Case Studies (note: located in your Unit Kit), pages 11, 31, and 47

Lesson 3.6

• Activity 2, Step-by-step tab (especially steps 4–5), Possible Responses tab, and Critical Juncture Assessment (hummingbird icon)

Lesson 3.7

• Activity 1, Step-by-step tab, Possible Responses tab, and Ecosystem Modeling Tool (Box 5 on student apps page, “3.7 No Decomposers Model”)

Standard: MS-PS1-4: Develop a model that predicts and describes changes in particle motion, temperature, and state of a pure substance when thermal energy is added or removed.
Recommended placement: Thermal Energy unit, Lesson 4.4, addition to Activity 3
Materials: “Liquid Oxygen”
By reading the article “Liquid Oxygen,” which describes how the relationship between attraction and kinetic energy determines when a substance changes phase, students extend their understanding of the possible effects of adding or removing thermal energy to include changes in state (phase). Oxygen is one of the most common elements in the world, but most people are only familiar with oxygen in the gas phase. Because oxygen molecules are only weakly attracted to one another, condensing oxygen is difficult. This article introduces students to molecular attraction and discusses its role in phase change, including how it can be used to turn oxygen from a gas to a liquid.
Instructions:
Download PDFs of the “Liquid Oxygen” and distribute it to students. Before they begin reading, remind students of the Active Reading Guidelines. 

Standard: MS-PS4-2: Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.
Recommended placement: Weather Patterns unit, Lesson 4.4, addition to Activity 3
Materials: “Harvesting Sunlight”, “Why No One in Space Can Hear You Scream” and “Making Waves at Swim Practice”
After investigating weather patterns, which includes a focus of the effects of energy from sunlight, students extend their learning about light by reading three articles about light and other waves.
“Harvesting Sunlight:” Students read this article to learn about the types of light from the sun that plants use for photosynthesis. The article describes how the sun emits all types of light, but plants can only use certain types of visible light for photosynthesis, mostly red and blue light. Plants also absorb other types of light, and these types of light affect plants in different ways. Students use this information to gather evidence that there are different types of light that can affect a material in different ways.
“Why No One in Space Can Hear You Scream:” Students read this article to learn about how waves are transmitted. Explosions that would be deafening on Earth are silent in space. This is because sound is produced by sound waves and, unlike light waves, sound waves need matter to travel through. Reading about this phenomenon helps students understand the similarities and differences between mechanical and electromagnetic waves.
“Making Waves at Swim Practice:” A practice for the school swim team provides an everyday context for discussing light waves and sound waves in this engaging article. First, the article explores sound waves traveling through different materials–the air, the water of the pool, and even a metal poolside bench. Students discover that sound waves travel at different speeds in different materials. The later part of the article discusses light waves, which also travel at different speeds in different materials. As light waves move from one material to another, they change speed and bend. This bending of light waves is called refraction, and it explains why objects that are partly in the water and partly out of the water (such as the legs of a person sitting on the side of a pool) appear ripply and bent.
Instructions:
Plan one class period for each article. Download PDFs of the  “Harvesting Sunlight,” “Why No One in Space Can Hear You Scream,” and “Making Waves at Swim Practice” articles. For each article, before students begin reading, preview the article and discuss what students already know and what they wonder about the topic, then remind students of the Active Reading Guidelines. 

Standard: MS-PS2-3: Ask questions about data to determine the factors that affect the strength of electric and magnetic forces. MS-PS2-5: Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact.
Recommended placement: Harnessing Human Energy unit, Lesson 3.4, after Activity 1
Materials: “Earth’s Geomagnetism” and “Painting with Static Electricity”
After concluding their investigations of energy transfers and conversions, students read two articles that introduce the topic of forces that act at a distance.
“Earth’s Geomagnetism:” What makes a compass needle point north, no matter what? This article introduces students to Earth’s geomagnetic field and the field lines scientists use to show its direction.
“Painting with Static Electricity:” This article gives students the opportunity to learn about electrostatic fields and forces in the context of spray painting without making a mess. Electrostatic painting systems use electrostatics to draw spray paint toward the object being painted, and nowhere else. Painters charge the object they are painting with a negative charge and the paint with a positive charge. The opposite charges are attracted to one another, causing the paint to move toward the object. This surprising use of electrostatics saves time and paint and keeps things tidy!
Instructions
Plan one class period for each article. Download PDFs of the “Earth’s Geomagnetism” and “Painting with Electricity” articles. For each article, before students begin reading, preview the article and discuss what students already know and what they wonder about the topic, then remind students of the Active Reading Guidelines. 

Needs of Plants and Animals

• Needs of Plants and Animals: Milkweed and Monarchs Investigation Notebook
• Science Walk
• Handbook of Plants
• Investigating Monarchs
• A Plant in the Desert
• Above and Below
• What Does a Scientist Look Like?

Pushes and Pulls

• Pushes and Pulls: Designing a Pinball Machine Investigation Notebook
• Talking About Forces
• A Busy Day in Pushville
• Room 4 Solves a Problem
• Forces in Ball Games
• Building with Forces

Sunlight and Weather

• Sunlight and Weather: Solving Playground Problems Investigation Notebook
• Handbook of Models
• Cool People in Hot Places
• Tornado! Predicting Severe Weather
• What Is the Weather Like Today?
• Getting Warm in the Sunlight

Animal and Plant Defenses

• Animal and Plant Defenses: Spikes, Shells, and Camouflage Investigation Notebook
• Whose Lunch Is This?
• Tortoise Parts
• Parents and Offspring
• Frog Models
• Spikes, Spines, and Shells: A Handbook of Defenses

Light and Sound

• Light and Sound: Puppet-Theater Engineers Investigation Notebook
• Let’s Test!
• Engineering with Light and Sound
• Can You See in the Dark?
• What Vibrates?
• What Made This Shadow?

Spinning Earth

• Spinning Earth: Investigating Patterns in the Sky Investigation Notebook
• A Walk Through the Seasons
• After Sunset
• Nighttime Investigation
• What Spins?
• Patterns of Earth and Space
• Space Explorers

Plant and Animal Relationships

• Plant and Animal Relationships: Investigating Systems in a Bengali Forest Investigation Notebook
• My Nature Notebook
• A Plant Is a System
• Habitat Scientist
• Investigating Seeds
• Handbook of Habitats

Properties of Materials

• Properties of Materials: Designing Glue Investigation Notebook
• Jelly Bean Engineer
• What If Rain Boots Were Made of Paper?
• Handbook of Interesting Ingredients
• Jess Makes Hair Gel
• Can You Change It Back?
• Ideas and Inventors

Changing Landforms

• Changing Landforms: The Disappearing Cliff Investigation Notebook
• Landform Postcards
• Handbook of Land and Water
• Gary’s Sand Journal
• What’s Stronger? How Water Causes Erosion
• Making Models of Streams

Balancing Forces

• Balancing Forces: Investigating Floating Trains Investigation Notebook
• Forces All Around
• What My Sister Taught Me About Magnets
• Hoverboard
• Explaining a Bridge
• Handbook of Forces

Environments and Survival

• Environments and Survival: Snails, Robots, and Biomimicry Investigation Notebook
• Scorpion Scientist
• How the Sparrow Learned Its Song
• Handbook of Traits
• Blue Whales and Buttercups
• The Code
• Who Thinks About Structure?

Inheritance and Traits

• Inheritance and Traits: Variation in Wolves Investigation Notebook
• Earthworms Underground
• Mystery Mouths
• Environment News
• Cockroach Robots
• Biomimicry Handbook

Weather and Climate

• Weather and Climate: Establishing an Orangutan Reserve Investigation Notebook
• Seeing the World Through Numbers
• Sky Notebook
• What’s Going On with the Weather?
• Dangerous Weather Ahead
• World Weather Handbook

Energy Conversions

• Energy Conversions: Blackout in Ergstown Investigation Notebook
• Energy Past and Present
• Sunlight and Showers
• Blackout!
• It’s All Energy
• Who Thinks About Systems
• Systems

Earth’s Features

• Earth’s Features: Mystery in Desert Rocks Canyon Investigation Notebook
• Clues from the Past
• Through the Eyes of a Geologist
• Arguing to Solve a Mystery
• Rocky Wonders
• Fossil Hunter’s Handbook
• Through the Eyes of a Geologist

Vision and Light

• Vision and Light: Investigating Animal Eyes Investigation Notebook
• Investigating Animal Senses
• I See What You Mean
• Crow Scientist
• Seeing Like a Shrimp and Smelling Like a Snake
• Handbook of Animal Eyes

Waves, Energy, and Information

• Waves, Energy, and Information: Investigating How Dolphins Communicate Investigation Notebook
• Sound on the Move
• The Scientist Who Cracked the Dolphin Code
• Seeing Sound
• Warning: Tsunami!
• Patterns in Communication

Patterns of Earth and Sky

• Patterns of Earth and Sky: Analyzing Stars on Ancient Artifacts Investigation Notebook
• How Big Is Big? How Far Is Far?
• Which Way Is Up?
• Dog Days of Summer
• Star Scientist
• Handbook of Stars and Constellations

Ecosystem Restoration

• Ecosystem Restoration: Matter and Energy in a Rain Forest Investigation Notebook
• Matter Makes It All Up
• Walk in the Woods
• Energy Makes It All Go
• Restoration Case Studies
• Why Do Scientists Argue?

The Earth System

• The Earth System: Investigating Water Shortages Investigation Notebook
• Chemical Reactions Everywhere
• Water Shortages, Water Solutions
• Drinking Cleopatra’s Tears
• Engineering Clean Water
• How the Earth System Explains Dinosaur Extinction
• Water Encyclopedia

Modeling Matter

• Modeling Matter: The Chemistry of Food Investigation Notebook
• Made of Matter
• Break It Down: How Scientists Separate Mixtures
• Science You Can’t See
• Solving Dissolving
• Food Scientist’s Handbook
• Who Thinks About Scale?

• Microbiome Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Metabolism: Making the Diagnosis Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Metabolism Engineering Internship: Health Bars for Disaster Relief Engineering Notebook with Article Compilation
• Traits and Reproduction: The Genetics of Spider Silk Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Thermal Energy: Using Water to Heat a School Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate: Cold Years in New Zealand Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Weather Patterns: Severe Storms in Galetown Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Earth’s Changing Climate: Vanishing Ice Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Earth’s Changing Climate Engineering Internship: Rooftops for Sustainable Cities Engineering Notebook with Article Compilation

• Geology on Mars Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Plate Motion: Mystery of the Mesosaurus Fossils Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Plate Motion Engineering Internship: Tsunami Warning Systems Engineering Notebook with Article Compilation
• Rock Transformations: Geologic Puzzle of the Rockies and Great Plains Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Phase Change: Titan’s Disappearing Lakes Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Phase Change Engineering Internship: Portable Baby Incubators Engineering Notebook with Article Compilation
• Chemical Reactions: Mysterious Substance in Westfield’s Water Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Populations and Resources: Too Many Moon Jellies Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Matter and Energy in Ecosystems: Biodome Collapse Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation

• Harnessing Human Energy Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Force and Motion: Docking Failure in Space Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Force and Motion Engineering Internship: Pods for Emergency Supplies Engineering Notebook with Article Compilation
• Magnetic Fields: Launching a Spacecraft Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Light Waves: Skin Cancer in Australia Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Earth, Moon, and Sun: An Astrophotographer’s Challenge Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Natural Selection: Poisonous Newts Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Natural Selection Engineering Internship: Fighting Drug-Resistant Malaria Engineering Notebook with Article Compilation
• Evolutionary History: Advising a Paleontology Museum Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation

• Geology on Mars Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Plate Motion: Mystery of the Mesosaurus Fossils Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Plate Motion Engineering Internship: Tsunami Warning Systems Engineering Notebook with Article Compilation
• Rock Transformations: Geologic Puzzle of the Rockies and Great Plains Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Earth, Moon, and Sun: An Astrophotographer’s Challenge Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate: Cold Years in New Zealand Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Weather Patterns: Severe Storms in Galetown Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Earth’s Changing Climate: Vanishing Ice Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Earth’s Changing Climate Engineering Internship: Rooftops for Sustainable Cities Engineering Notebook with Article Compilation

• Microbiome Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Metabolism: Making the Diagnosis Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Metabolism Engineering Internship: Health Bars for Disaster Relief Engineering Notebook with Article Compilation
• Traits and Reproduction: The Genetics of Spider Silk Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Populations and Resources: Too Many Moon Jellies Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Matter and Energy in Ecosystems: Biodome Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Natural Selection: Poisonous Newts Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Natural Selection Engineering Internship: Fighting Drug-Resistant Malaria Engineering Notebook with Article Compilation
• Evolutionary History: Advising a Paleontology Museum Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation

• Harnessing Human Energy Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Force and Motion: Docking Failure in Space Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Force and Motion Engineering Internship: Pods for Emergency Supplies Engineering Notebook with Article Compilation
• Magnetic Fields: Launching a Spacecraft Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Thermal Energy: Using Water to Heat a School Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Phase Change: Titan’s Disappearing Lakes Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Phase Change Engineering Internship: Portable Baby Incubators Engineering Notebook with Article Compilation
• Chemical Reactions: Mysterious Substance in Westfield’s Water Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Light Waves: Skin Cancer in Australia Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation

Amplify Science California is a flexible, blended K–8 science curriculum that addresses 100 percent of the Next Generation Science Standards for California and a significant number of the California English Language Development Standards and Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects, and Math. Together, the units deliver three-dimensional instruction across the following disciplines: Life Science, Earth and Space Science, Physical Science, and Engineering Design.

Amplify Science California does indeed feature some powerful and engaging digital components, which are gradually introduced beginning at grade 2. However, as a fully blended and flexible program, Amplify Science California can be (and has been) implemented in a wide variety of scenarios.

All lessons were designed with device sharing in mind, and never assume that every student has a separate device. While 1:1 scenarios are great, they aren’t required. When devices are necessary for students to fully experience a concept, teachers can opt to share devices across pairs or small groups, or simply display the Sim or Modeling Tool to the whole class and allow students to “drive” using your device.

Rather than introducing a concept on Monday, testing for mastery on Friday, and knowing students will forget everything by the next Tuesday, we set out to help students build meaningful and lasting knowledge that they can retain and transfer over the course of the entire unit. We accomplish this by giving students multiple opportunities (a.k.a. “at-bats”) to encounter, explore, and experience a concept. Said another way, Amplify Science California is actually made up of a series of multi-modal “mini-lessons.” This intentional, cyclical, and iterative design mirrors the 5Es, allows teachers the flexibility to speed up or skip ahead once students have demonstrated mastery, and empowers students to learn concepts more deeply than any other program.

Yes. Rather than separating performance expectations into physical science units, earth and space science units, and life science units, Amplify Science California units are organized around anchoring phenomena designed to give students opportunities to dive deeply into certain Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) while also drawing from or applying to others. In organizing the Amplify Science California middle school units, we’ve carefully sequenced these ideas within each grade level to support the development of deep and coherent understanding.

Many real-world phenomena cross the domain boundaries of life, physical, or earth and space science (as well as engineering). Each Amplify Science California unit begins with an intriguing real-world phenomenon that poses a problem that needs to be understood and/or solved. By the end of the unit, students will have analyzed the anchor phenomenon across multiple scientific domains, possibly designed and tested an engineering solution, and applied what they’ve learned in a different context.

For example:
In the Light Waves unit, students investigate the anchoring phenomenon of why Australia has a much higher skin cancer rate than countries at similar latitudes like Brazil. The focus of this unit is on Disciplinary Core Ideas related to wave properties (PS4.A) and electromagnetic radiation (PS4.B). Students explore these physical science ideas deeply within the unit, and also draw on ideas from earth science (e.g., latitudinal variation of the sun’s energy) and life science (e.g., the effect of energy on the DNA in the nucleus of a cell) in order to explain the central phenomenon.

Absolutely. Hands-on learning is at the heart of Amplify Science California. Integrated into every unit are opportunities for students to take on the role of scientists and engineers as they gather evidence, think critically, solve problems, and develop and defend their claims.

In addition, our unique combination of focus and flex activities means teachers have more options, opportunities, and materials to make learning active. Each hands-on activity provides clear instructions for the teacher, with more complex activities supported by video demonstrations and illustrations.

What’s important to remember is that more hands-on doesn’t necessarily mean better, at least according to the California NGSS. That’s because only two of the eight Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) are directly related to hands-on learning.

Just as scientists gather evidence from many types of sources, students in the Amplify Science California program gather evidence not just by making physical models, but also by making and interpreting digital models; reading texts; watching videos; and analyzing photographs, maps, and data sets. By doing do, students are provided with more opportunities than any other program to use all of the practices called out in the California NGSS Framework:

• Asking questions
• Developing and using models
• Planning and carrying out investigations
• Analyzing and interpreting data
• Using mathematics and computational thinking
• Constructing explanations
• Engaging in arguments from evidence
• Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

While all of our units engage students in gathering evidence from a rich collection of sources, the reliance on different types of evidence (and evidence sources) varies according to unit. For instance, some units lend themselves to meaningful hands-on experiences, while in other units the phenomena students are investigating are too slow, too dangerous, or too big to be observed directly. In those units, students rely more heavily on other evidence sources such a physical models or simulations.

Unit types in grades K–5

In each K–5 grade, there is one unit that emphasizes investigation, one that emphasizes modeling, and one that emphasizes design. In addition, in grades 3–5, there is also one unit that emphasizes argumentation.

Unit types in grades 6–8

Each 6–8 grade features three types of units: Launch, Core, and Engineering Internships. Each year has one Launch unit, six Core units, and two Engineering Internships.

For teachers who want to supplement the lessons with even more hands-on activities, optional “flextension” activities are included in many units.

Yes indeed. Amplify Science California integrates all four STEM disciplines—science, technology, engineering, and math, in addition to English Language Arts—throughout the curriculum. In addition, each grade level features specific units that emphasize engineering design.

Yes, the program includes multiple opportunities for summative assessments.

End-of-unit assessments: At grades K–1 these look like targeted conversations, at grades 2–5 we incorporate written responses, and at grades 6–8 we assess through a combination of auto-scored multiple-choice questions and rubric-scored written responses. These summative assessments for each unit are designed to provide valid, reliable, and fair measures of students’ progress and attainment of three-dimensional learning.

Benchmark assessments: Delivered four times per year in grades 3–5 and three times per year in grades 6–8, benchmark assessments report on students’ facilities with each of the grade appropriate DCIs, SEPs, CCCs, and performance expectations of the California NGSS.

Science Seminars and final written arguments (formative and summative components): In grades 6–8, culminating performance tasks for each core unit invite students to figure out a new real-world problem. They collect and analyze evidence, examine a number of claims, and then engage in a full-class discussion where they must state which claims are best supported by the evidence, all while making clear their reasoning that connects the evidence to the claims. After the seminar, students then individually write their final scientific argument, drawing on the DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs they have used over the course of the unit to develop a sophisticated and convincing argument that addresses the problem they’ve been investigating. Rubrics, scoring guides, and examples of student responses at each scoring level are provided to teachers to support the assessment of students’ understanding of concepts and specific practices.

Amplify Science California provides more than enough instructional content to fill 180 days of instruction. However, unlike other programs that expect you to complete 180 discrete lessons, Amplify Science California includes built-in wiggle room.

For example, the typical elementary classroom delivers science instruction only two times per week. Rather than asking teachers to wade through unnecessary content, we designed our program to address 100 percent of the California NGSS in just 66 days at grades K–2 and 88 days at grades 3–5. When it comes to middle school, we address 100 percent of the California NGSS in 146 lessons.

Some classes might last longer than one session due to a number of reasons (e.g., enthusiastic student conversations, challenging topics requiring deeper dives, more time needed to accommodate diverse learners, etc.). Also, teachers might want to supplement Amplify Science California with some of their own favorite lessons. Lastly, we’ve accounted for the inevitable assembly days, class trips, testing schedules, etc. For teachers that want to go deeper or expand upon a unit topic, we also offer a number of additional lessons that are not core to each unit.

Amplify Science California lessons are designed to be completed in the following time frames:
Lessons in grades K–1 are designed for 45 minutes of science instruction.
Lessons in grades 2–5 are designed for 60 minutes of science instruction.

That said, it’s not a problem if you can’t allocate 45 minutes of science instruction every day at K–1, or 60 minutes per day at 2–5. Since there are a total of 66 lessons to address 100 percent of California NGSS at grades K–2, and 88 lessons to address 100 percent of California NGSS at grades 3–5, you can easily teach the lessons in smaller blocks and cover all of the content over the course of the school year.

Each lesson of every Amplify Science California unit includes point-of-use differentiation strategies and embedded teacher and student supports for diverse learners, including English learners, students who need more support, and students who are ready for more challenge. These strategies and methods ensure that all students have access to the same content as their peers.

Two notable categories of suggested modifications are:

• English-learner-specific strategies such as English/Spanish glossaries, native language supports, and provision of cognates and other content-specific language scaffolds are provided in each unit.
• Relatively small alterations and additional scaffolds that provide students with greater access to the content.
  These types of scaffolds benefit all learners and include suggestions such as providing graphic organizers, practice with multiple-meaning words, etc.

With Amplify Science California, the use of technology is always purposeful.

For example:

• The curriculum has a strong emphasis on literacy, with students reading and analyzing informational texts, and writing scientific explanations and arguments.
• Digital elements are gradually introduced to students in grades 2–3, with the greatest use of digital elements taking place in grades 4–5, as the phenomena at these grades become more challenging to observe directly.
• The curriculum’s readers and interactive notebook pages are available in both print and digital across all K–5 units.

This curriculum addresses a significant number of the standards as they pertain to science. Throughout each unit, students read science texts, engage in science talk and argumentation, and write evidence-based science explanations. The curriculum supports vocabulary, language, and reading comprehension development. Students also use measurement tools with precision, record and analyze data, make sense of scientific phenomena, and develop solutions to problems experienced in the real world.

Teacher Support notes including sample teacher talk, student responses, pedagogical support, and possible student responses are provided within your student-facing slides. Simply click “Teach” and reference your private Teacher Guide tab. Students will only see the lesson slides that you are presenting.

You, the teacher, must “Start class” to launch the presentation tab. (Remember, without the presentation tab, students would be able to see your teacher notes.)

Clicking “Starting class” also brings students to the correct slide, which is particularly important for young students who are learning to navigate.

Teachers can either press the “End class” button in the bottom right corner of the slide navigation, or they can simply close the presentation tab.

Clicking “End class” also enables students to navigate through the lesson on their own. That means they’ll be able to return to slides and books to review content, to the Sims and Modeling Tools to replay them, or to notebook pages to update their work.

You can click on the “Student preview” option in the bottom right corner (within the menu that opens when you click the three dots) to open a new browser tab where you can preview the student view using your teacher account.

Any work you complete in this student preview (or elsewhere in the teacher experience) will be automatically saved to your account.

• Grade K: Three-Dimensional Learning in the Amplify Science K-5 Curriculum (2022) 
• Grade 1: Three-Dimensional Learning in the Amplify Science K-5 Curriculum 11/07/2023
• Grade 2: Three-Dimensional Learning in the Amplify Science K-5 Curriculum (2022)
• Grade 3: Three-Dimensional Learning in the Amplify Science K-5 Curriculum 11/07/2023
• Grade 4: Three-Dimensional Learning in the Amplify Science K-5 Curriculum 11/07/2023
• Grade 5: Three-Dimensional Learning in the Amplify Science K-5 Curriculum 11/07/2023

• Grade K: Exploring Literacy Connections in the Amplify Science K-5 Curriculum (2022)
• Grade 1: Exploring Literacy Connections in the Amplify Science K-5 Curriculum 11/07/2023
• Grade 2: Exploring Literacy Connections in the Amplify Science K-5 Curriculum (2022)
• Grade 3: Exploring Literacy Connections in the Amplify Science K-5 Curriculum 11/07/2023
• Grade 4: Exploring Literacy Connections in the Amplify Science K-5 Curriculum 11/07/2023
• Grade 5: Exploring Literacy Connections in the Amplify Science K-5 Curriculum 11/07/2023

• Grade 6: Guided Planning for Teachers new to Amplify Science 11/07/2023
• Grade 7: Guided Planning for Teachers new to Amplify Science 11/07/2023
• Grade 8: Guided Planning for Teachers new to Amplify Science 11/07/2023
• Amplify: Writing in Science 2/20/2024
• Amplify: Supporting all learners with complex texts 2/21/2024
• Amplify: Engaging English Learners in 3-D Learning 2/22/2024

• Remote & Hybrid Learning Support
• The Basics
• What Matters Most? Making Principled Decisions During Distance Learning
• Phenomena & Evidence in the Era of NGSS 
• Making Science a Priority
• Supporting Your Students’ Caregivers and Families

Winter 2021 materials:

• K-2 Introduction to Amplify Science Webinar, Agenda and Presentation
• Unit 3: Supporting Diverse Learner Needs Webinar, Agenda, K Presentation, and Participant workspace
• Unit 3: Focusing on the Assessment System Webinar, Agenda and K Presentation
• Supporting ELLs in the Amplify Science Classroom Agenda, Presentation, and Webinar
• Analyzing Student Assessment Data Agenda and K Presentation

Fall 2020 materials:

• Accessing Complex Texts Webinar, Agenda, K Presentation, and Participant Notebook
• Unit 2: Understanding the Storyline & Coherence Webinar, Agenda, Presentation, Planning Doc, and Note catcher (Election Day PL)
• Unit 2: Guided Unit Internalization with @Home Resources Presentation and Planning Doc (Election Day PL)
• Teaching with Technology Webinar with Agenda and K Presentation
  • Amplify@Home Planning Tool – Teaching with Technology
• The Amplify Science Approach: Practicing Multiple-Modalities & 3-Dimensional Learning Webinar with Agenda and Grade K Presentation
  • Practicing Multiple-Modalities & 3-Dimensional Learning Participant Notebook
• Academic Discourse & Questioning Strategies in the Amplify Science Classroom Agenda and Grade K Presentation
  • Academic Discourse & Questioning Strategies Participant Materials

Summer 2020 materials:

• Remote and Hybrid Learning Agenda with K Presentation
  • Amplify@Home Planning Tool and Amplify@Home Note Catcher
• Grades K-1 Utilizing Program Assessments Effectively Webinar
• Reaching All Learners for Grades K-1 Webinar
• Kindergarten New Teacher Orientation Webinar with Participant Notebook
• Kindergarten Returning Teacher Remote Learning: Guided Planning Workshop Webinar

Fall 2019 materials:

• Pushes and Pulls Presentation (Year 1 schools) Participant Notebook
• Pushes and Pulls Presentation (Year 2 schools) with Participant Notebook

Summer 2019 materials:

• Needs of Plants and Animals Presentation (Year 1 schools)
• Needs of Plants and Animals Presentation (Year 2 schools)

Winter 2021 materials:

• K-2 Introduction to Amplify Science Webinar, Agenda and Presentation
• Unit 3: Supporting Diverse Learner Needs Webinar, Agenda, 1st Grade Presentation, and Participant workspace
• Supporting ELLs in the Amplify Science Classroom Agenda, Presentation, and Webinar
• Unit 3: Focusing on the Assessment System Webinar, Agenda and 1st Grade Presentation
• Analyzing Student Assessment Data Agenda and 1st Grade Presentation

Fall 2020 materials:

• Accessing Complex Texts Webinar, Agenda, 1st Grade Presentation, and Participant Notebook
• Unit 2: Understanding the Storyline & Coherence Agenda, Presentation, Planning Doc, and Note catcher (Election Day PL)
• Unit 2: Guided Unit Internalization with @Home Resources Presentation and Planning Doc (Election Day PL)

• Teaching with Technology Webinar with Agenda and Grade 1 Presentation
  • Amplify@Home Planning Tool – Teaching with Technology
• The Amplify Science Approach: Practicing Multiple-Modalities & 3-Dimensional Learning Agenda and Grade 1 Presentation
  • Practicing Multiple-Modalities & 3-Dimensional Learning Participant Notebook
• Academic Discourse & Questioning Strategies in the Amplify Science Classroom Webinar, Agenda and Grade 1 Presentation
  • Academic Discourse & Questioning Strategies Participant Materials

Summer 2020 materials:

• Remote and Hybrid Learning Agenda with Grade 1 Presentation
  • Amplify@Home Planning Tool and Amplify@Home Note Catcher
• Grades K-1 Utilizing Program Assessments Effectively Webinar
• Reaching All Learners for Grades K-1 recorded webinar

• Grade 1 New Teacher Orientation Webinar with Participant Notebook
• Grade 1 Returning Teacher Remote Learning: Guided Planning Workshop Webinar

Fall 2019 materials:

• Light and Sound Presentation (Year 1 schools) with Participant Notebook
• Light and Sound Presentation (Year 2 schools) with Participant Notebook

Summer 2019 materials:

• Animal and Plant Defenses Presentation (Year 1 schools)
• Animal and Plant Defenses Presentation (Year 2 schools)

Winter 2021 materials:

• K-2 Introduction to Amplify Science Webinar, Agenda and Presentation

• Unit 3: Supporting Diverse Learner Needs Webinar, Agenda, 2nd Grade Presentation, and Participant workspace
• Unit 3: Focusing on the Assessment System Webinar, Agenda and 2nd Grade Presentation
• Supporting ELLs in the Amplify Science Classroom Agenda and Presentation
• Analyzing Student Assessment Data Agenda and 2nd Grade Presentation

Fall 2020 materials:

• Accessing Complex Texts Agenda, 2nd Grade Presentation, and Participant Notebook
• Unit 2: Understanding the Storyline & Coherence Agenda, Presentation, Planning Doc, and Note catcher (Election Day PL)
• Unit 2: Guided Unit Internalization with @Home Resources Presentation and Planning Doc (Election Day PL)

• Teaching with Technology Webinar with Agenda and Grade 2 Presentation
  • Amplify@Home Planning Tool – Teaching with Technology
• The Amplify Science Approach: Practicing Multiple-Modalities & 3-Dimensional Learning Webinar with Agenda and Grade 2 Presentation
  • Practicing Multiple-Modalities & 3-Dimensional Learning Participant Notebook
• Academic Discourse & Questioning Strategies in the Amplify Science Classroom Webinar with Agenda and Grade 2 Presentation
  • Academic Discourse & Questioning Strategies Participant Materials

Summer 2020 materials:

• Remote and Hybrid Learning Agenda with Grade 2 Presentation
  • Amplify@Home Planning Tool and Amplify@Home Note Catcher

• K-5 New Teacher Orientation with Participant Notebook
• Grades 2-3 Utilizing Program Assessments Effectively Webinar
• Reaching All Learners for Grades 2-3 Webinar
• Grade 2 Returning Teacher Remote Learning: Guided Planning Workshop Webinar

Fall 2019 materials:

• Properties of Materials Presentation (Year 1 schools) with Participant Notebook
• Properties of Materials Presentation (Year 2 schools) with Participant Notebook

Summer 2019 materials:

• Plant and Animal Relationships Presentation (Year 1 schools)
• Plant and Animal Relationships Presentation (Year 2 schools)

Spring 2021 materials:

• Unit 4: Focusing on Evidence of Learning for New Teachers Webinar

Winter 2021 materials:

• Grades 3-5 Introduction to Amplify Science Agenda and Presentation
• Unit 3: Supporting Diverse Learner Needs Webinar, Agenda, 3rd Grade Presentation, and Participant workspace
• Unit 3: Focusing on the Assessment System Webinar, Agenda and 3rd Grade Presentation
• Supporting ELLs in the Amplify Science Classroom Agenda and  Presentation
• Analyzing Student Assessment Data Agenda and 3rd Grade Presentation

Fall 2020 materials:

• Progress Builds and Embedded Assessments Webinar
• Accessing Complex Texts Agenda, 3rd Grade Presentation, and Participant Notebook
• Unit 2: Understanding the Storyline & Coherence Agenda, Presentation, Planning Doc, and Note catcher (Election Day PL)
• Unit 2: Guided Unit Internalization with @Home Resources Presentation and Planning Doc (Election Day PL)

• Teaching with Technology Webinar with Agenda and Grade 3 Presentation
  • Amplify@Home Planning Tool – Teaching with Technology
• The Amplify Science Approach: Practicing Multiple-Modalities & 3-Dimensional Learning Agenda and Grade 3 Presentation
  • Practicing Multiple-Modalities & 3-Dimensional Learning Participant Notebook
• Academic Discourse & Questioning Strategies in the Amplify Science Classroom Webinar, Agenda and Grade 3 Presentation
  • Academic Discourse & Questioning Strategies Participant Materials

Summer 2020 materials:

• Remote and Hybrid Learning Agenda with Grade 3 Presentation
  • Amplify@Home Planning Tool and Amplify@Home Note Catcher

• Grade 3 New Teacher Orientation Webinar with Participant Notebook
• Grades 2-3 Utilizing Program Assessments Effectively Webinar
• Reaching All Learners for Grades 2-3 Webinar
• Grade 3 Returning Teacher Remote Learning: Guided Planning Workshop Webinar

Fall 2019 materials:

• Inheritance and Traits Presentation (Year 1 schools) with Participant Notebook
• Inheritance and Traits Presentation (Year 2 schools) with Participant Notebook

Summer 2019 materials:

• Balancing Forces Presentation (Year 1 schools)
• Balancing Forces Presentation (Year 2 schools)

Winter 2021 materials:

• Grades 3-5 Introduction to Amplify Science Agenda and Presentation
• Unit 3: Supporting Diverse Learner Needs Agenda, 4th Grade Presentation, and Participant workspace
• Supporting ELLs in the Amplify Science Classroom Agenda, Presentation, and Webinar
• Unit 3: Focusing on the Assessment System Webinar, Agenda and 4th Grade Presentation
• Analyzing Student Assessment Data Agenda and 4th Grade Presentation

Fall 2020 materials:

• Accessing Complex Texts Webinar, Agenda, 4th Grade Presentation, and Participant Notebook
• Unit 2: Understanding the Storyline & Coherence Agenda, Presentation, Planning Doc, and Note catcher (Election Day PL)
• Unit 2: Guided Unit Internalization with @Home Resources Webinar, Presentation and Planning Doc (Election Day PL)

• Teaching with Technology Webinar, Agenda and Grade 4 Presentation
  • Amplify@Home Planning Tool – Teaching with Technology
• The Amplify Science Approach: Practicing Multiple-Modalities & 3-Dimensional Learning Webinar with Agenda and Grade 4 Presentation
  • Practicing Multiple-Modalities & 3-Dimensional Learning Participant Notebook
• Academic Discourse & Questioning Strategies in the Amplify Science Classroom Agenda and Grade 4 Presentation
  • Academic Discourse & Questioning Strategies Participant Materials

Summer 2020 materials:

• Remote and Hybrid Learning Agenda with Grade 4 Presentation
  • Amplify@Home Planning Tool and Amplify@Home Note Catcher

• Grade 4 New Teacher Orientation Webinar with Participant Notebook
• Grades 4-5 Utilizing Program Assessments Effectively Webinar
• Reaching All Learners for Grades 4-5 Webinar
• Grade 4 Returning Teacher Remote Learning: Guided Planning Workshop Webinar

Fall 2019 materials:

• Vision and Light Presentation (Year 1 schools) with Participant Notebook
• Vision and Light Presentation (Year 2 schools) with Participant Notebook

Summer 2019 materials:

• Energy Conversions P(Year 1 schools)
• Energy Conversions Energy Conversions (Year 2 schools)

Winter 2021 materials:

• Grades 3-5 Introduction to Amplify Science Agenda and Presentation
• Unit 3: Supporting Diverse Learner Needs Webinar, Agenda, 5th Grade Presentation, and Participant workspace
• Unit 3: Focusing on the Assessment System Webinar, Agenda and 5th Grade Presentation
• Analyzing Student Assessment Data Webinar, Agenda, 5th Grade Presentation, and Webinar
• Supporting ELLs in the Amplify Science Classroom Agenda and Presentation

Fall 2020 materials:

• Progress Builds and Embedded Assessments Webinar
• Accessing Complex Texts Agenda, 5th Grade Presentation, and Participant Notebook
• Unit 2: Understanding the Storyline & Coherence Agenda, Presentation, Planning Doc, and Note catcher (Election Day PL)
• Unit 2: Guided Unit Internalization with @Home Resources Webinar, Presentation and Planning Doc (Election Day PL)

• Teaching with Technology Agenda and Grade 5 Presentation
  • Amplify@Home Planning Tool – Teaching with Technology
• The Amplify Science Approach: Practicing Multiple-Modalities & 3-Dimensional Learning Webinar with Agenda and Grade 5 Presentation
  • Practicing Multiple-Modalities & 3-Dimensional Learning Participant Notebook
• Academic Discourse & Questioning Strategies in the Amplify Science Classroom Webinar, Agenda and Grade 5 Presentation
  • Academic Discourse & Questioning Strategies Participant Materials

Summer 2020 materials:

• Remote and Hybrid Learning Agenda with Grade 5 Presentation
  • Amplify@Home Planning Tool and Amplify@Home Note Catcher

• Grade 5 New Teacher Orientation Webinar with Participant Notebook
• Grades 4-5 Utilizing Program Assessments Effectively Webinar
• Reaching All Learners for Grades 4-5 Webinar
• Grade 5 Returning Teacher Remote Learning: Guided Planning Workshop Webinar

Fall 2019 materials;

• Modeling Matter Presentation (Year 1 schools) with Participant Notebook
• Modeling Matter Presentation (Year 2 schools) with Participant Notebook

Summer 2019 materials:

• Patterns of Earth and Sky Presentation (Year 1 schools)
• Patterns of Earth and Sky Presentation (Year 2 schools)

Winter 2022 materials:

• Guided Planning: Unit Internalization Agenda, Participant notebook, and Presentation

Spring 2021materials:

• Planning For Next Year Agenda, Participant notebook, and Grade 6 Presentation

Winter 2021materials:

• Guided Planning: Matter and Energy in Ecosystems Agenda, Participant notebook, and Grade 6 Presentation
• Engaging English Learners in 3-D Learning Agenda, Participant notebook, and Grade 6 Presentation
• Accessing Complex Text in Amplify Science Agenda, Participant notebook, and Grade 6 Presentation
• Applying Reading and Writing Strategies in Amplify Science Agenda, Participant notebook, and Grade 6 Presentation

Fall 2020 materials:

• Grade 6: Academic Discourse and Questioning Strategies Webinar
• Accessing Complex Texts: Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate Webinar
• Grade 6: Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate Guided Unit Internalization Presentation and Planning document
• Grades 6-8: Supporting Students with Special Needs in Remote Learning Presentation with Participant Notebook
• Grade 6: Supporting Multilingual Learners Webinar
• Grade 6: Thermal Energy Guided Unit Internalization Presentation and Participant Notebook with @Home Resources (Election Day PL)
• Grades 6-8 Navigating Program Essentials: Agenda, Presentation, Participant Notebook
• Grade 6: Progress Builds & Embedded Assessments Webinar
• Grade 6: Amplify Science Remote & Hybrid Resources Webinar

Summer 2020 materials:

• Returning Teachers: Guided Planning Workshop Remote and Hybrid Learning Agenda,Presentation, and Webinar
  • Amplify@Home Planning Tool and Amplify@Home Note Catcher
• 6-8 New Teacher Institute Agenda: Day One  and Day Two with Participant Notebook

Fall 2019 materials:

• Population and Resources Presentation with Participant Notebook

Summer 2019 materials:

• Harnessing Human Energy and Thermal Energy Presentation

Winter 2022 materials:

• Guided Planning: Unit Internalization Agenda, Participant notebook, and Presentation

Spring 2021 materials:

• Planning For Next Year Agenda, Participant notebook, and Grade 7 Presentation

Winter 2021 materials:

• Engaging English Learners in 3-D Learning Agenda, Participant notebook, and Grade 7 Presentation
• Accessing Complex Text in Amplify Science Agenda, Participant notebook, and Grade 7 Presentation
• Applying Reading and Writing Strategies in Amplify Science Agenda, Participant notebook, and Grade 7 Presentation

Fall 2020 materials:

• Grade 7: Academic Discourse and Questioning Strategies Webinar
• Accessing Complex Texts: Phase Change Webinar
• Grade 7: Phase Change Guided Unit Internalization Presentation and Planning document
• Grades 6-8: Supporting Students with Special Needs in Remote Learning Presentation with Participant Notebook

• Grade 7: Supporting Multilingual Learners Webinar
• Grade 7: Metabolism Guided Unit Internalization Presentation and Participant Notebook with @Home Resources (Election Day PL)
• Grades 6-8 Navigating Program Essentials Agenda, Presentation, Participant Notebook

• Grade 7: Progress Builds & Embedded Assessments Webinar
• Grade 7: Amplify Science Remote & Hybrid Resources Webinar

Summer 2020 materials:

• Returning Teachers: Guided Planning Workshop Remote and Hybrid Learning Agenda,Presentation, and Webinar
  • Amplify@Home Planning Tool and Amplify@Home Note Catcher
• 6-8 New Teacher Institute Agenda, Day One and Day Two with Participant Notebook

Fall 2019 materials:

• Phase Change Presentation with Participant Notebook

Summer 2019 materials: 

• Microbiome and Metabolism Presentation

Winter 2022 materials:

• Guided Planning: Unit Internalization Agenda, Participant notebook, and Presentation

Spring 2021 materials:

• Planning For Next Year Agenda, Participant notebook, and Grade 8 Presentation

Winter 2021 materials:

• Guided Planning: Traits and Reproduction Agenda, Participant notebook, and Grade 8 Presentation
• Engaging English Learners in 3-D Learning Agenda, Participant notebook, and Grade 8 Presentation
• Accessing Complex Text in Amplify Science Agenda, Participant notebook, and Grade 8 Presentation
• Applying Reading and Writing Strategies in Amplify Science Agenda, Participant notebook, and Grade 8 Presentation

Fall 2020 materials:

• Grade 8: Academic Discourse and Questioning Strategies Webinar
• Accessing Complex Texts: Earth, Moon, and Sun Webinar
• Grades 6-8: Unpacking the Engineering Internship Presentation and Participant Notebook
• Grades 6-8: Supporting Students with Special Needs in Remote Learning Presentation with Participant Notebook

• Grade 8: Supporting Multilingual Learners Webinar
• Grade 8: Force and Motion Guided Unit Internalization Presentation and Participant Notebook with @Home Resources (Election Day PL)
• Grades 6-8 Navigating Program Essentials Agenda, Presentation, Participant Notebook

• Grade 8: Progress Builds & Embedded Assessments Webinar
• Grade 8: Amplify Science Remote & Hybrid Resources Webinar

Summer 2020 materials:

• Returning Teachers: Guided Planning Workshop Remote and Hybrid Learning Agenda, Presentation, and Webinar
  • Amplify@Home Planning Tool and Amplify@Home Note Catcher
• 6-8 New Teacher Institute Agenda: Day One and Day Two with Participant Notebook

Fall 2019 materials:

• Force and Motion Presentation with Participant Notebook

Summer 2019 materials:

• Geology on Mars and Earth, Moon, and Sun Presentation

• Introduction to Amplify Science for Administrators K-5 Webinar
• 2021 Fall Administrators’ Orientation: Introduction to K-5 Amplify Science Participant notebook and presentation
• 2021 Spring Utilizing the Amplify Science Assessment System Webinar
• 2020 Summer New Administrator Orientation Agenda,  Presentation,  Webinar, and Participant Notebook
• 2020 Summer Returning Administrator Orientation Agenda,  Presentation, and Webinar 

Needs of Plants and Animals

• Needs of Plants and Animals: Milkweed and Monarchs Investigation Notebook
• Science Walk
• Handbook of Plants
• Investigating Monarchs
• A Plant in the Desert
• Above and Below

Pushes and Pulls

• Pushes and Pulls: Designing a Pinball Machine Investigation Notebook
• Talking About Forces
• A Busy Day in Pushville
• Room 4 Solves a Problem
• Forces in Ball Games
• Building With Forces

Sunlight and Weather

• Sunlight and Weather: Solving Playground Problems Investigation Notebook
• Handbook of Models
• Cool People in Hot Places
• Tornado! Predicting Severe Weather
• What Is the Weather Like Today?
• Getting Warm in the Sunlight

Animal and Plant Defenses

• Animal and Plant Defenses: Spikes, Shells, and Camouflage Investigation Notebook
• Whose Lunch Is This?
• Tortoise Parts
• Parents and Offspring
• Frog Models
• Spikes, Spines, and Shells

Light and Sound

• Light and Sound: Puppet-Theater Engineers Investigation Notebook
• Let’s Test!
• Engineering with Light and Sound
• Can You See in the Dark?
• What Vibrates?
• What Made This Shadow?

Spinning Earth

• Spinning Earth: Investigating Patterns in the Sky Investigation Notebook
• A Walk Through the Seasons
• After Sunset
• Nighttime Investigation
• What Spins?
• Patterns of Earth and Space

Plant and Animal Relationships

• Plant and Animal Relationships: Investigating Systems in a Bengali Forest Investigation Notebook
• My Nature Notebook
• A Plant is a System
• Habitat Scientist
• Investigating Seeds
• Handbook of Habitats

Properties of Materials

• Properties of Materials: Designing Glue Investigation Notebook
• Jelly Bean Engineer
• What If Rain Boots Were Made of Paper?
• Handbook of Interesting Ingredients
• Jess Makes Hair Gel
• Can You Change It Back?

Changing Landforms

• Changing Landforms: The Disappearing Cliff Investigation Notebook
• Landform Postcards
• Handbook of Land and Water
• Gary’s Sand Journal
• What’s Stronger?
• Making Models of Streams

Balancing Forces

• Balancing Forces: Investigating Floating Trains Investigation Notebook
• Forces All Around
• What My Sister Taught Me About Magnets
• Hoverboard
• Explaining a Bridge
• Handbook of Forces

Environments and Survival

• Environments and Survival: Snails, Robots, and Biomimicry Investigation Notebook
• Earthworms Underground
• Mystery Mouths
• Environment News
• Cockroach Robots
• Biomimicry Handbook

Inheritance and Traits

• Inheritance and Traits: Variation in Wolves Investigation Notebook
• Scorpion Scientist
• How the Sparrow Learned Its Song
• Handbook of Traits
• Blue Whales and Buttercups
• The Code

Weather and Climate

• Weather and Climate: Establishing An Orangutan Reserve Investigation Notebook
• Seeing the World Through Numbers
• Sky Notebook
• What’s Going On with the Weather?
• Dangerous Weather Ahead
• World Weather Handbook

Energy Conversions

• Energy Conversions: Blackout in Ergstown Investigation Notebook
• Energy Past and Present
• Sunlight and Showers
• Blackout
• It’s All Energy
• Systems

Earth’s Features

• Earth’s Features: An Astrophotographer’s Challenge Investigation Notebook
• Clues From The Past
• Through the Eyes of a Geologist
• Arguing to Solve a Mystery
• Rocky Wonders
• Fossil Hunter’s Handbook

Vision and Light

• Vision and Light: Investigating Animal Eyes Investigation Notebook
• Investigating Animal Senses
• I See What You Mean
• Crow Scientist
• Seeing Like a Shrimp and Smelling Like a Snake
• Handbook of Animal Eyes

Waves, Energy, and Information

• Waves, Energy and Information: Investigating How Dolphins Communicate Investigation Notebook
• Sound on the Move
• The Scientist Who Cracked the Dolphin Code
• Seeing Sound
• Warning: Tsunami!
• Patterns in Communication

Patterns of Earth and Sky

• Patterns of Earth and Sky: Analyzing Stars on Ancient Artifacts Investigation Notebook
• How Big Is Big? How Far Is Far?
• Which Way Is Up?
• Dog Days of Summer
• Star Scientist
• Handbook of Stars and Constellations

Ecosystem Restoration

• Ecosystem Restoration: Matter and Energy in a Rain Forest Investigation Notebook
• Matter Makes It All Up
• Walk in the Woods
• Energy Makes It All Go
• Restoration Case Studies
• Why Do Scientists Argue?

The Earth System

• The Earth System: Investigating Water Shortages Investigation Notebook
• Chemical Reactions Everywhere
• Water Shortages, Water Solutions
• Drinking Cleopatra’s Tears
• Engineering Clean Water
• How the Earth System Explains Dinosaur Extinction
• Water Encyclopedia

Modeling Matter

• Modeling Matter: The Chemistry of Food Investigation Notebook
• Made of Matter
• Break It Down
• Science You Can’t See
• Solving Dissolving
• Food Scientist’s Handbook

• Microbiome Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Metabolism: Making the Diagnosis Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Metabolism Engineering Internship: Health Bars for Disaster Relief Engineering Notebook with Article Compilation
• Traits and Reproduction: The Genetics of Spider Silk Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Thermal Energy: Using Water to Heat a School Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate: Cold Years in New Zealand Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Weather Patterns: Severe Storms in Galetown Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Earth’s Changing Climate: Vanishing Ice Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Earth’s Changing Climate Engineering Internship: Rooftops for Sustainable Cities Engineering Notebook with Article Compilation

• Geology on Mars Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Plate Motion: Mystery of the Mesosaurus Fossils Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Plate Motion Engineering Internship: Tsunami Warning Systems Engineering Notebook with Article Compilation
• Rock Transformations: Geologic Puzzle of the Rockies and Great Plains Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Phase Change: Titan’s Disappearing Lakes Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Phase Change Engineering Internship: Portable Baby Incubators Engineering Notebook with Article Compilation
• Chemical Reactions: Mysterious Substance in Westfield’s Water Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Populations and Resources: Too Many Moon Jellies Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Matter and Energy in Ecosystems: Biodome Collapse Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation

• Harnessing Human Energy Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Force and Motion: Docking Failure in Space Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Force and Motion Engineering Internship: Pods for Emergency Supplies Engineering Notebook with Article Compilation
• Magnetic Fields: Launching a Spacecraft Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Light Waves: Skin Cancer in Australia Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Earth, Moon, and Sun: An Astrophotographer’s Challenge Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Natural Selection: Poisonous Newts Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation
• Natural Selection Engineering Internship: Fighting Drug-Resistant Malaria Engineering Notebook with Article Compilation
• Evolutionary History: Advising a Paleontology Museum Investigation Notebook with Article Compilation

Kindergarten

• Science Walk
• Talking About Forces
• What Is the Weather Like Today?
• Pushes and Pulls Investigation Notebook

Grade 1

• Tortoise Parts
• Can You See in the Dark?
• After Sunset
• Light and Sound Investigation Notebook

Grade 2

• Landform Postcards
• My Nature Notebook
• What If Rain Boots Were Made of Paper?
• Changing Landforms Investigation Notebook

Grade 3

• Sky Notebook
• Hoverboard
• Cockroach Robots
• Blue Whales and Buttercups
• Balancing Forces Investigation Notebook

Grade 4

• Arguing to Solve a Mystery
• Blackout!
• Investigating Animal Senses
• Warning: Tsunami!
• Energy Conversions Investigation Notebook

Grade 5

• Engineering Clean Water
• Matter Makes It All Up
• Made of Matter
• How Big is Big?
• Ecosystem Restoration Investigation Notebook

Grade 6

• Metabolism Investigation Notebook
• Metabolism Engineering Internship Investigation Notebook

Grade 7

• Plate Motion Investigation Notebook
• Plate Motion Engineering Internship Investigation Notebook

Grade 8

• Natural Selection Investigation Notebook