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Frequently asked questions

Still have questions? We have answers. Check out the following FAQ.

A teacher discusses educational content in front of a whiteboard while students in the classroom raise their hands eagerly.

Program questions

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 Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects, and Math, as well as the California English Language Development Standards. Together, the units deliver three-dimensional instruction across the following disciplines: Life Science, Earth and Space Science, Physical Science, and Engineering Design.

Since Amplify Science California is a blended curriculum, districts who adopt it are outfitted with a variety of print and digital resources as well as hands-on materials kits. To explore the specific components of the program, visit the What’s Included portion of our site.

As our customers will tell you, when you adopt Amplify Science California, you aren’t just buying a science curriculum, you’re joining a family. As such, along with materials, your adoption of Amplify Science California also includes care and support through a variety of staff and resources, including customer support specialists, pedagogical support specialists, implementation specialists, professional learning specialists, educational partnership managers, and more.

Amplify Science California does indeed features 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.

We support both. No one solution works for everyone; therefore, in partnership with the Lawrence Hall of Science, we developed suggested sequences for both the integrated model of instruction and the discipline-specific model. Because it’s our goal to provide districts the maximum amount of flexibility, we’re also happy to support districts interested in implementing a different sequence of instruction.

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 always applied what they’ve learned in a different context.

For example:
In the unit Light Waves, 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, so do students in the Amplify Science California program. Like scientists, students gather evidence from physical models, digital models, texts, videos, photographs, maps, and data sets. By doing do, we provide students more opportunities than any other program to practice using all of the practices called out in the California NGSS Framework.

NGSS 8 Science Practices

  1. Asking questions
  2. Developing and using models
  3. Planning and carrying out investigations
  4. Analyzing and interpreting data
  5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
  6. Constructing explanations
  7. Engaging in arguments from evidence
  8. 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.

Every lesson in Amplify Science California explicitly calls out which CCSS ELA and CCSS Math standards are addressed. That said, this is not a math program, nor an ELA program; therefore, it does not address all of the Common Core standards. But the program does address a significant number of the standards as they pertain to science.

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’ facility with each of the grade-level 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.

No. While we do provide suggested sequences for integrated and domain courses, there are other logical ways to sequence the units and we expect that teachers will present the units in a variety of different orders and in any combination. There are a few notable exceptions. For example, students completing the Metabolism Engineering Internship should have completed the Metabolism core unit beforehand, or a unit that provides students with the same information. Amplify Science California specifies prerequisites for each unit in the event that teachers are interested in using an Amplify Science California unit in combination with other materials.

The typical elementary classroom delivers science instruction only two times per week. Yet, most curricula provide 180 days of lessons. Rather than asking teachers to wade through unnecessary content, we designed a program that addresses 100 percent of the NGSS in just 66 days at grades K–2 and 88 days at grades 3–5. With plenty of wiggle room built right into the program, teachers can relax knowing that there’s ample time to get it all done.

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, et cetera. 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 timeframes:
Grades K-1 lessons are designed for 45 minutes of science instruction.
Grades 2-5 lessons are designed for 60 minutes of science instruction.
Grades 6-8 lessons are designed for 45 minutes of science instruction.

That said, it’s not a problem if you can’t allocate 45 mins 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.

Technical questions

To ensure that your hardware and network meet the minimum technical requirements for optimal performance and support of your digital curriculum products please see Amplify’s customer requirements page.

Welcome, Tennessee educators!

We’re so excited to be on this journey with you. So much is hard to predict right now—about learning, and about life. What’s not changing? Literacy as learning bedrock, and the need to teach it well. We’re here to help.

Getting started with CKLA Getting started with ELA
Illustration featuring a diverse array of influential figures and elements, including historical personalities, animals, and nature motifs, symbolizing creativity and inspiration.

Get to know Amplify ELA

Start by taking a look at the Amplify ELA Program Guide, where you’ll find:

  • Grade-level overviews for grades 6–8 (pages 11–31)
  • Amplify ELA pedagogy (page 10)
  • Sample lesson routine (page 38)
  • Amplify ELA foundations (pp 70-80)

Want to go deeper or look at Amplify ELA’s approach to writing, vocabulary, grammar, and differentiation? Check out the Table of Contents for all this and much more! 

Navigating the curriculum

Amplify ELA is a truly blended curriculum, designed specifically for grades 6–8. The program includes instructional guidance and student materials for a year of instruction, with lessons and activities that keep students engaged every day. Materials can be accessed either digitally or through print materials, depending on what your class needs.

Navigating in print

  1. Watch this video exploring the print resources available for students and teachers in Amplify ELA.
  2. Follow this link to open an ebook version of the print materials for your grade level and explore Unit A (the first unit).

Navigating digital

  1. Watch this video exploring the digital curriculum platform and the many resources available for teachers and students.
  2. Log in to the curriculum at learning.amplify.com using the demo account and password provided by your Sales rep.
  3. Once you have finished the tour, try out the scavenger hunt below!

Amplify ELA Scavenger Hunt

Download now

Inside a lesson

1. Overview & planning

Screenshot of an educational webpage for "Lesson 2: Your Movie Crew" on Amplify ELA, showing lesson navigation, overview, and a stylized illustration of a masked figure.

The Lesson Brief equips teachers with the tools they need to plan instruction. It begins with an Overview, which describes the big ideas students will grapple with and summarizes the lesson’s sequence of activities. Next, there is a Preparation section, which points out key moments and materials to prepare. The Preparation section also describes the location and content of the lesson’s Exit Ticket.

The Lesson Brief also includes: the Lesson Objective, which details the reading, writing, and/or speaking and listening objectives; Words to Use, which points out key vocabulary from the reading; Skills & Standards, which lists the focus and coverage standards; and Differentiation, which describes differentiated supports and provides additional suggestions for modifying activities.

2. Vocab App

The Vocab App helps students master vocabulary words through game-like activities based on morphology, analogy, synonyms/ antonyms, and deciphering meaning. These activities help students develop dictionary skills by focusing on parts of speech, etymology, and multiple meanings. There are also activities for ELL-appropriate words from the unit’s texts, asking students to match an English definition, Spanish translation, context sentence, audio pronunciation, and visual definition. These activities also align to vocabulary standards.

Vocab App (Teacher View)

3. Work Visually

Visualization activities are an essential part of Amplify ELA, as they open the door to more comprehensive understanding of complex texts. In these learning experiences, students break apart the text in visual ways or use visual cues to “see” key details as they construct meaning.

In this early lesson from grade 7, students unpack propaganda images and short videos from the Chinese Cultural Revolution to build their understanding of the setting before beginning the memoir Red Scarf Girl.

Other units include visualization activities such as using an app to “see” the evidence for and against scientific theories, making storyboards and planning visual adaptations of texts to “read like a movie director,” and comparing and contrasting illustrations with key textual moments.

4. Author Videos & Dramatic Readings

Students benefit from using listening comprehension skills as they build fluency with complex texts. In these close reading experiences, students listen to the text, perform the text out loud, or watch a dramatic reading of the text.

In this lesson, students listen and watch as author Ji-Li Jiang reads the opening prologue of her memoir, Red Scarf Girl. Her facial expressions, tone of voice, and emphasis help students develop early ideas about what matters to this narrator.

Additional author videos and dramatic readings are embedded in other units. In Unit 8D: Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, students watch WordPlay Shakespeare videos where actors perform each selected scene next to the text of that excerpt. In Unit 8B: Liberty & Equality, two members of the Marvel cinematic universe—Chadwick Boseman and Elizabeth Olsen—offer masterful performances of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave and A Confederate Girl’s Diary.

5. Reading/eReader

Reading standards establish high expectations for all students, even as they enter the middle grades at a variety of reading levels. In Amplify ELA lessons, students access universal supports embedded in the eReader (and built into the print versions of the text) to help them participate fully in grade-level activities.

Point-of-use vocab in print: The print Student Edition places key vocabulary words and their relevant definitions in the text margin to support students and keep them reading.

Reveal: By clicking on these pre-selected words, students access short contextual definitions for key and challenging vocabulary.

Highlight, Bookmark, and Notes: The digital highlighting, bookmarking, and annotation tools allow students to save and review any text notes from any lesson.

Text size and line spacing: Students can adjust text size and line spacing to find what works best for them

6. Writing

Two or three times a week, students complete their reading work by developing a piece of writing to refine their reading analysis. They write for 10–15 minutes, focusing on one claim in response to a prompt, and using evidence from the text in support of their claim.

In this lesson, students build on their discussion of the setting and their analysis of the passage to determine the author’s point of view at the start of her memoir.

Differentiated supports: Five levels of differentiated supports can be assigned in the moment or in advance to help every student work productively. Levels can be assigned ahead of time (by simply dragging and dropping students into groups) and students remain in their assigned levels until they’re changed by the teacher. For more information on differentiation in Amplify ELA, click here.

Automated Writing Evaluation: The Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) tool has been developed in conjunction with Amplify’s regular writing activities, which ask students to use textual evidence to develop one focused idea or claim about the text and communicate that idea clearly and effectively to an audience. AWE is a tool designed to help teachers understand, track, and support student skill progress with these key foundational skills, which are a strong indicator of a student’s analytic writing proficiency. AWE provides auto scores for Focus and Conventions, allowing teachers to prioritize their assessment of a student’s progress with Use of Evidence, a skill that is relatively new for many middle-grade students.

7. Share

Establishing a supportive writing community in the classroom helps students develop their voices as writers. Each writing activity is coupled with a sharing session, where clear routines and student-facing feedback protocols support students as they share and respond to each other’s writing. Here, students try out their writing with an audience of their peers to figure out how to express their ideas in a clear and convincing way. In addition, these sharing sessions allow students to learn from the range of perspectives in the classroom.

Clear and consistent Response Starters ensure that students provide feedback that targets key skills and focuses on where a student is using a skill effectively, fostering an effective and supportive feedback environment.

8. Solos

Solos are an important part of the ELA curriculum, and are designed to be completed as homework—but not every student has a computer at home. However, most students DO have access to a mobile device. The new Mobile Solos give every student access to this part of the curriculum, protecting valuable classroom time for lessons and group activities.

Navigating the first unit

Dig into Unit A

It’s time to continue your journey by exploring the first unit!

  1. Choose a 6th-, 7th-, or 8th-grade Unit A.
  2. Find the Print Materials for your grade level’s Unit A and review the unit overview. (password: middle678school)
  3. Log in to the curriculum and navigate to your chosen unit.
  • Scroll down to the unit guide. Open each section and read it.
  • Read the background and context document in the Materials section.
  • Go to Sub-unit 3 and read the Sub-unit Overview.
  • Choose two lessons to explore further.
  • Open the first lesson and read the Lesson Overview. Be sure to open and read each section in the Lesson Overview.
    • Open each activity tab and read the teacher Instructional Guide. Familiarize yourself with the entire lesson and note where students are building reading and writing skills
    • Repeat with the second lesson.

Diving Deeper

Check out Amplify ELA’s professional learning website, featuring self-guided training modules and videos to help you with planning and pacing, navigation, and learning key curriculum features. 

You can log in using your Amplify credentials or the demo account and password provided by your sales rep.  

Additional support

As you continue to explore the curriculum, you may also want to take a look at the Amplify ELA Resources Website, which is full of additional information on the program. If you have any questions, please contact us through the Amplify Help section.

And you’ll find even more information by watching this session from our Literacy Symposium, in which Sarah Kitzmiller from the Niswonger Foundation and Teddy Redding from Amplify discuss some of the challenges of the 2020–21 school year. 

Amplify’s Literacy Symposium session: Focusing on the Fundamentals to Start the Year Right

You may choose to view other sessions from the Literacy Symposium as well, all accessible from the schedule menu in the top left corner. 

This webinar also offers valuable insight, with Baltimore City middle school ELA teacher Lucas Drerup describing his experiences with Amplify ELA and discussing how he brings middle school ELA to life, even in a remote teaching setting. 

How to bring middle school ELA to life: A teacher’s perspective

Support

What’s included in our grades K–2 language arts curriculum

Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts® (CKLA) is a comprehensive early literacy curriculum, grounded in the Science of Reading. The K–2 curriculum sequences deep content knowledge-building with research-based foundational skills. With Amplify CKLA, you’ll have the instruction and guidance of proven, evidence-based practices to help all of your students become strong readers, writers, and thinkers.

Choose Level

K–23–5PreK

Year at a glance

The Amplify CKLA curriculum is modeled after proven research in early literacy that supports a two-strand approach to literacy instruction in the early years. With this approach, students in Grades K–2 complete one full lesson per day that builds foundational reading skills in the Skills Strand, as well as one full lesson that builds background knowledge in the Knowledge Strand. The deep content knowledge is sequenced together with research-based foundational skills in Grades K–2 so that students develop the early literacy skills necessary to help them become confident readers, as well as build the context to understand what they’re reading. 

In Grades 3–5, lessons combine skills and knowledge with increasingly complex texts, close reading, and a greater emphasis on writing. Students start to use their skills to go on their own independent reading adventures, further opening up their worlds.

Units & domains at a glance

The number of days to complete each Skills Unit and Knowledge Domain varies based on instructional purpose.

Knowledge Domain 1

Nursery Rhymes and Fables

Well-known fables introduce students to new vocabulary, build phonological awareness, and prompt discussion of character, virtues, and behavior.

Number of Lessons: 12

Knowledge Domain 2

The Five Senses

Students explore how they learn about the world using their five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.

Number of Lessons: 8

Knowledge Domain 3

Stories

Students develop an awareness of language and recurring themes in children’s literature, including classic stories, trickster tales, and fiction from other cultures.

Number of Lessons: 10

Knowledge Domain 4

Plants

Read-aloud texts introduce students to basic knowledge of ecology, parts of plants, how plants grow, and the interdependence of all living things.

Number of Lessons: 11

Knowledge Domain 5

Farms

Students identify several farm animals and crops and contrast how plants make their food with how animals get their food.

Number of Lessons: 9

Knowledge Domain 6

Native Americans

Students explore cultures of three Native American groups, as well as how conditions in different geographical regions influence their ways of life.

Number of Lessons: 8

Knowledge Domain 7

Kings and Queens

Students listen to read-aloud texts, both fiction and nonfiction, about kings, queens, and royal families, which build students’ understanding of royal customs.

Number of Lessons: 8

Knowledge Domain 8

Seasons and Weather

This is an introduction to weather and the seasons, where students learn that regions of Earth experience different characteristic weather patterns throughout the year.

Number of Lessons: 8

Knowledge Domain 9

Columbus and the Pilgrims

A look at the first contact between Europe and the Americas and some of its results.

Number of Lessons: 9

Knowledge Domain 10

Colonial Towns and Townspeople

Students are introduced to the early history of the United States as they explore what life was like for people in colonial times.

Number of Lessons: 10

Knowledge Domain 11

Taking Care of the Earth

Students are introduced to the importance of environmental awareness and conservation as they become familiar with the earth’s natural resources.

Number of Lessons: 10

Knowledge Domain 12

Presidents and American Symbols

Students learn about the legacies of five famous presidents, several national symbols, the branches of government, the role of the president, and elections.

Number of Lessons: 9

Skills Unit 1

Students build phonological awareness through environmental noises, words within sentences, and sounds within words. They learn basic strokes used to form letters.

Skills Unit 2

Students learn how to blend syllables together to form multisyllabic words. They orally produce two- and three-sound words by blending sounds.

Skills Unit 3

Students learn eight new sounds and practice blending them into words. They learn how to write letters that represent the new sounds.

Skills Unit 4

With oral language games, chaining exercises, and shared reading, students practice blending eight new sounds into words and writing the sound-letter correspondences.

Skills Unit 5

Eight new sounds are introduced, including a spelling alternative for /k/. Students continue to practice previously learned sound-letter correspondences.

Skills Unit 6

Students are introduced to consonant clusters, letter names, and rhyming words. Students begin to read text independently using decodable Student Readers.

Skills Unit 7

Students learn about various digraphs. Students practice blending and segmenting the sounds through phonemic awareness and phonics activities, chaining exercises, and reading.

Skills Unit 8

This unit introduces students to double-letter spellings for consonant sounds, as well as seven new high-frequency Tricky Words.

Skills Unit 9

Students practice writing uppercase letters and learn 17 new Tricky Words. Students answer comprehension questions about stories in the Student Reader.

Skills Unit 10

Students learn the basic code spelling for the five long vowel sounds. Students are administered a cumulative end-of-year assessment.

Knowledge Domain 1

Fables and Stories

Students are introduced to fables and stories, increase vocabulary and reading comprehension skills, and become familiar with the key elements of a story.

Number of Lessons: 10

Knowledge Domain 2

The Human Body

Students are introduced to the systems of the human body, care of the body, germs and disease, vaccines, and keys to good health.

Number of Lessons: 10

Knowledge Domain 3

Different Lands, Similar Stories

Students encounter cultures from around the world as they explore the ways in which folktales from different lands treat similar themes or characters.

Number of Lessons: 9

Knowledge Domain 4

Early World Civilizations

Students explore Mesopotamia and Egypt and learn about the importance of rivers, farming, writing, laws, art, and beliefs.

Number of Lessons: 16

Knowledge Domain 5

Early American Civilizations

Students compare and contrast key features of the early civilizations of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca, and explore the development of cities.

Number of Lessons: 11

Knowledge Domain 6

Astronomy

In this introduction to the solar system, students learn about Earth in relation to the moon, other planets, the sun, and the stars.

Number of Lessons: 9

Knowledge Domain 7

The History of the Earth

Students learn about the geographical features of Earth’s surface, the layers of the earth, rocks and minerals, volcanoes, geysers, fossils, and dinosaurs.

Number of Lessons: 8

Knowledge Domain 8

Animals and Habitats

Students focus on the interconnectedness of living things as they learn what a habitat is and explore specific types of habitats.

Number of Lessons: 9

Knowledge Domain 9

Fairy Tales

Students learn about the Brothers Grimm, identify common elements of fairy tales, make interpretations, and compare and contrast different tales.

Number of Lessons: 9

Knowledge Domain 10

A New Nation: American Independence

Students are introduced to important historical figures and events in the story of how the 13 colonies became an independent nation.

Number of Lessons: 12

Knowledge Domain 11

Frontier Explorers

Students are introduced to exploration of the American West, its key figures, and how colonists spread westward, including their interactions with native peoples.

Number of Lessons: 11

Skills Unit 1

Unit 1 provides a review of the sounds/spellings taught in the CKLA Kindergarten curriculum. Teachers administer the beginning-of-year assessment.

Skills Unit 2

Students read and write words with long vowel spellings and learn new Tricky Words. The unit also includes grammar lessons on nouns.

Skills Unit 3

Work continues on vowel sounds and their spellings. Grammar focus is on verbs and verb tense. Formal instruction in the writing process begins.

Skills Unit 4

Students work with /r/-controlled vowel sounds. Students practice segmenting two-syllable words. Adjectives are introduced as students practice descriptive writing.

Skills Unit 5

Students work with spelling alternatives for sounds. Students also learn to identify sentence types. They plan, draft, and edit opinion letters.

Skills Unit 6

Students continue to work with several spelling alternatives for sounds. Students review nouns and pronouns. They plan, draft, and edit personal narratives.

Skills Unit 7

Students focus on spelling alternatives for sounds. Students plan, draft, and edit an informative/explanatory text. Students are administered an end-of-year assessment.

Knowledge Domain 1

Fairy Tales and Tall Tales

Students consider characteristic elements of fairy tales and tall tales and consider problems faced by the characters and lessons each story conveys.

Number of Lessons: 8

Knowledge Domain 2

Early Asian Civilizations

Students are introduced to Asia, specifically India and China. In addition, students are introduced to related folktales and poetry.

Number of Lessons: 14

Knowledge Domain 3

Ancient Greek Civilization

Students explore the civilization of ancient Greece, which lives on in many ways—in our language, government, art, architecture, the Olympics, and more.

Number of Lessons: 12

Knowledge Domain 4

Greek Myths

Building on the Ancient Greek Civilization domain, students explore common characteristics and story elements of several well-known Greek myths and mythical characters.

Number of Lessons: 10

Knowledge Domain 5

The War of 1812

Students are introduced to major figures and events in the War of 1812, sometimes called America’s “second war for independence.”

Number of Lessons: 8

Knowledge Domain 6

Cycles in Nature

Students are introduced to natural cycles that make life on Earth possible, such as seasonal cycles, life cycles, and the water cycle.

Number of Lessons: 9

Knowledge Domain 7

Westward Expansion

Students are introduced to an important period in the history of the United States—the time of westward expansion during the 1800s.

Number of Lessons: 9

Knowledge Domain 8

Insects

Students learn about the helpful and harmful characteristics of insects, insect life cycles, and social insects such as bees and ants.

Number of Lessons: 8

Knowledge Domain 9

The U.S. Civil War

Students learn about the controversy between the North and the South over slavery and about key historical figures during that time.

Number of Lessons: 11

Knowledge Domain 10

Human Body: Building Blocks and Nutrition

Students learn about the human body, including body systems, good nutrition, keys to good health, and the advances in microbiology made by Anton van Leeuwenhoek.

Number of Lessons: 9

Knowledge Domain 11

Immigration

Students explore the idea of e pluribus unum and the importance of immigration in the history of the United States.

Number of Lessons: 10

Women in early 20th-century clothing march with signs for voting rights and justice in front of a yellow bus labeled "Cleveland Ave.," making history that can inspire lessons in a K–2 language arts curriculum.

Knowledge Domain 12

Fighting for a Cause

Students explore the connection between ideas and actions, and see how people can do extraordinary things to change the dominant ideas and actions of an entire nation.

Number of Lessons: 9

Un contorno simplificado de un gato saltando para atrapar una mariposa, sobre un fondo verde con varias ilustraciones relacionadas con gatos y palabras como "saltar" y "leche".

Skills Unit 1

Sound-spellings with an emphasis on consonant sounds, one- and two-syllable words, and Tricky Words are reviewed. The beginning-of-year assessment is administered.

Ilustración de un animal verde sobre un fondo verde con varios objetos delineados como una cama, un conejo, una nube y sonidos fonéticos.

Skills Unit 2

The unit focus is on various sound-spellings and words with one- and two-syllables. Students begin the writing process, writing narratives and opinions.

Fondo verde con el contorno blanco de un birrete de graduación en el centro, rodeado de varios garabatos educativos y relacionados con logros, como un trofeo, una cinta y una portería de fútbol.

Skills Unit 3

Practice with spelling alternatives continues. Grammar focuses on capitalization, quotation marks, ending punctuation, and common and proper nouns. Students write personal narratives.

Ilustración de un paisaje urbano con varios símbolos que incluyen un tren subterráneo, una panadería, la Estatua de la Libertad y carteles que dicen "ahora contratando" y "ciudad/ee" sobre un fondo verde.

Skills Unit 4

Students practice a range of spelling alternatives. Students practice persuasive writing as part of a friendly letter. Students learn more about nouns and verbs.

Skills Unit 5

Students practice chunking sounds as they read multisyllabic words. Grammar work includes adjectives, subjects, and predicates. Writing includes rewriting a story ending.

Skills Unit 6

Students review advanced phonics and grammar skills. Students are introduced to expository/report writing. Students take an end-of-year assessment.

Program components

The program includes instructional guidance and student materials for a year of instruction, with lessons and activities that keep students engaged every day.

Component

FORMAT

Knowledge Strand Teacher Guide

Knowledge Strand Teacher Guides contain Amplify CKLA’s cross-curricular read-alouds and application activities, all of which are standards-based to build mastery of content knowledge and literacy skills. There is one Teacher Guide per Knowledge Domain.

Print or digital

Knowledge classroom materials

Amplify CKLA includes oversized Flip Books and smaller Image Cards that bring each topic to life through vivid visuals.

Print or digital

Skills Strand Teacher Guide

Amplify CKLA Skills Strand Teacher Guides include comprehensive research-based instruction in phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, print concepts, the alphabetic principle, grammar, writing mechanics, comprehension, spelling, and other critical foundational literacy skills.

Print or digital

Hands-on Skills ancillaries

Dynamic classroom materials include student Chaining Folders, Small and Large Letter Cards, Spelling Cards, Sound Cards, Big Books, Vowel and Consonant Code Flip Books, Code Charts, and more.

Print or digital

Assessment and Remediation Guide

The unit-by-unit Assessment and Remediation Guide provides thousands of pages of activities for reteaching, differentiation, and additional practice.

Print or digital

Digital experience

The Amplify CKLA digital experience delivers ready-made, customizable, slides-based lesson presentations to enhance instruction and save time. Everything needed to plan and present high-quality, engaging early literacy instruction is in one convenient place.

Digital

Component

FORMAT

Knowledge Strand Activity Books

Knowledge Strand Activity Books provide students with the opportunity to deepen world and word knowledge by responding to text in a diversity of ways.

Print

Skills Strand Student Reader

Unique decodable Student Readers provide direct practice with just-learned sound-spelling patterns, using compelling stories and characters to integrate phonics and comprehension.

Print

Skills Strand Activity book

Skills Strand Activity Books support the program’s connected approach to reading and writing, providing ample opportunities to respond to text while building core skills.

Print

Digital experience

The Amplify CKLA digital experience delivers ready-made, customizable, slides-based lesson presentations to enhance instruction and save time. Everything needed to plan and present high-quality, engaging early literacy instruction is in one convenient place.

Digital

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The next chapter in the Science of Reading

Introducing Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition, a K–5 core literacy program within Amplify’s literacy suite. For more than a decade, Amplify CKLA has transformed classrooms nationwide with its intentional knowledge building and systematic skills instruction. Available for the 2025–2026 school year, the 3rd Edition builds on this successful foundation to better support all students in becoming confident readers, writers, and thinkers. Together, let’s write the next chapter in the Science of Reading.

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Amplify CKLA serves

150,000+

Classrooms

4,000,000+

Students

50

U.S. States and D.C.

Our approach

Improve outcomes with a program built on a decade of research, and that meets the strongest ESSA Tier I criteria.

Diagram illustrating the Simple View of Reading model, depicting language comprehension and word recognition pathways converging into skilled reading, with processes becoming increasingly strategic and automatic—a foundational concept in literacy curriculum for elementary education.

Grounded in the Science of Reading

As the original Science of Reading program, Amplify CKLA puts research into action with explicit, systematic foundational skills instruction and a proven knowledge-building sequence. In collaboration with education experts and practitioners, we provide powerful resources that deliver real results.

Success stories

Background knowledge drives results

Amplify CKLA follows the Core Knowledge Sequence, a content-specific, cumulative, and coherent approach to knowledge building. This approach improves reading scores and closes achievement gaps by establishing a robust knowledge base that strengthens comprehension.

In Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition, we’ve enriched our Knowledge Sequence with a wider range of perspectives and high-quality texts in new and enhanced units.

See units and connections
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Build foundational skills for long-term success.

Students progress from simple to complex skill development starting with phonological and phonemic awareness. Instruction in Grades K–2 explicitly teaches the 150 spellings for the 44 sounds of English, following an intentional progression to ensure student success.

In our 3rd Edition, we’ve added dedicated Grades 3–5 foundational skills instruction that can either support core lessons or function as an intervention, based on student needs.

Skills by year

Daily writing deepens learning.

Grounded in the Science of Writing—the research on how kids learn to write—instruction is explicit, daily, and woven into the curriculum’s rich content. It covers both transcription (handwriting and spelling) and composition (organizing ideas into narratives) with high-impact activities like sentence-level combining and expanding, and pre-writing exercises. Writing and reading instruction are integrated so students simultaneously strengthen their communication skills, comprehension, and confidence.

See the Simple View of Writing
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High-quality, diverse texts

Amplify CKLA students are immersed in a variety of texts—complex read-alouds, decodable chapter books, trade books, and content-rich readers—that reflect varied experiences and connect to learning goals.

Readers are 100% decodable for Grades K–2, empowering students to directly apply what they’ve learned. Novel Study units for Grades 3–5 offer a mix of contemporary and classic literature, and Culminating Research Units in every grade include a set of authentic texts and trade books.

See Research Unit trade books

Reach all learners with differentiated support.

Scaffolds and challenges, developed in collaboration with education experts, make content available to every student—including multilingual and English learners. With strategies embedded right in the curriculum, teachers can deliver in-the-moment, individualized instruction to meet all student needs.

For a dedicated English language development program aligned to Amplify CKLA, explore Language Studio.

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What’s included

The comprehensive resources in Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition support effective literacy instruction in every classroom.

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Various educational materials, including textbooks, workbooks, a picture book, documents, and a laptop displaying a slide titled

Easy-to-use teacher materials

Amplify CKLA teachers are empowered to deliver effective instruction with the following print and digital resources:

  • Teacher Guides (K–5)
  • Assessment Guides (K–5)
  • Authentic texts and trade books (K–5)
  • Knowledge Image Cards (K–2)
  • Knowledge Flip Books (K–2, digital)
  • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens (K–5, digital)
  • Remediation and intervention resources (K–5)
  • On-demand professional development (K–5, digital)

Immersive Amplify CKLA student resources

Amplify CKLA students stay engaged with the following print and digital resources:

  • Decodable readers (K–2)
  • Student Readers and novels (3–5)
  • Student Activity Books (K–5)
  • Poet’s Journal and Writer’s Journal (3–5)
  • eReaders (K–5, digital)
  • Sound Library featuring articulation videos and songs (K–2, digital)
  • Assignable Practice Games (K–5)
An open laptop displaying a poem and a person, alongside two educational booklets and a green butterfly, depicts the essence of a rich core knowledge language arts curriculum. The background includes simple graphic elements enhancing the scene.
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Rich literary experiences

All of the high-quality, diverse texts in Amplify CKLA connect to the curriculum, fostering your students’ curiosity and helping them learn to read with confidence.

  • Trade Book Collections (K–5) inspire student research in each grade’s Culminating Research Unit.
  • Classic and contemporary literature (3–5) delight students in Novel Study Units.
  • Increasingly complex Student Readers (K–5) develop students’ literacy across grades.

Hands-on phonics materials

Multisensory phonics and foundational skills resources engage students with fun, varied approaches that promote mastery and build independence.

  • Chaining Folders and Small Letter Cards (K)
  • Read-Aloud Big Books (K–1)
  • Large Letter Cards (K–2)
  • Sound Cards (K–2)
  • Image Cards (K–3)
  • Blending Picture Cards (K)
  • Consonant and Vowel Code Posters and Spelling Cards (1–2)
  • Sound Library (K–2, digital)
Image includes various vowel sounds and combinations on flashcards and worksheets, along with a playful illustrated mammal, all part of a comprehensive literacy curriculum for elementary students.

All-in-one digital platform

Our comprehensive platform simplifies your day-to-day tasks and makes it easier to plan and deliver lessons.

  • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens
  • Auto-scored digital assessments
  • Standards-based reporting
  • Assignable Practice Games
  • Sound Library
  • eReaders

Professional Development

Move beyond traditional program training with Amplify’s digital PD Library, designed to fully support your shift to the Science of Reading and Amplify CKLA. Deepen your understanding with:

  • Program and planning resources
  • Model lesson videos from real classrooms
  • Guidance on using Amplify’s literacy suite to provide multi-tiered support
Two women are seated at a table with papers and a laptop. One woman is working on the literacy curriculum for elementary grades, while the other is smiling.

Ready to continue your learning journey?

We also offer live, tailored professional learning sessions by expert partners to expand your Science of Reading expertise, strengthen implementation, and improve student outcomes.

Explore Amplify PD
“Teachers love the ease of implementing the program, and students have fun while learning. Growth is evident in our data, and we have the support of Amplify experts who are available to answer questions and provide top-notch professional development.”

Bridget Vaughan, District K–8 Coordinator of ELA and Literacy

Quincy Public Schools, Massachusetts

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A true Science of Reading early literacy suite for Grades K–5

Amplify has combined the critical elements of a Science of Reading system: assessment, core curriculum, personalized learning, and intervention. Based on 20 years of experience with the Science of Reading, this complete system saves you time and aligns your literacy practices.

  • Assess with mCLASS®: A universal and dyslexia screener, powered by DIBELS 8th Edition
  • Instruct with Amplify CKLA: Core curriculum to build foundational skills and knowledge
  • Practice with Boost Reading™: Personalized learning program to extend and reinforce core
  • Intervene with mCLASS Intervention: Staff-led Tier 2 and 3 intervention for intensive support
“There were other programs that claimed to be [based on the] Science of Reading, but no other vendor provided the suite of products together. We did not want to be picking from here, picking from there. [Amplify’s literacy suite] met our needs, because it aligned and provided us the best suite of products, hands down.”

Nicole Peterson, Principal, Midway Middle School

Sampson County Schools, North Carolina

Language Studio: Multilingual and English language learner support

Language Studio is Amplify CKLA’s dedicated K–5 program for multilingual and English language learners. Through daily 30-minute lessons, it strengthens reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills while reinforcing core instruction. This tailored support empowers students to confidently access grade-level content as they develop academic English.

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Explore more programs in Amplify’s literacy and biliteracy suite.

All of the programs in our literacy suite and our biliteracy suite are designed to support and complement each other. Learn more about our related programs:

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Illustration of a colorful, stylized map showing various buildings, roads, trees, and icons with people engaged in different reading activities or roles related to the science of reading.

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Personalized learning grounded in the Science of Reading

Surveying the landscape

Recent data shows that far fewer young students are on target for reading proficiency than in previous years. In fall 2020, kindergarteners were 6 percent less likely to be on track in reading than they were in the 2019–20 school year.

How do we reverse these trends? A personalized learning program steeped in research-based literacy practices can be your first step. In this blog, we introduce personalized learning programs for early literacy, discuss why they should be aligned with the Science of Reading, and outline the key features that all effective personalized learning programs should have to support ALL students.

What is personalized learning?

“Personalized learning in literacy education is an approach in which teaching and other learning experiences build on each student’s strengths, address each student’s needs, spur student motivation and agency, and help all students meet grade-level standards and, ultimately, achieve college and career readiness.” 

— Student Achievement Partners

Achieve the Core outlines a set of key components every personalized program should include to accelerate literacy:

— Achieve the Core, 2020

How can I bring the Science of Reading into personalized learning?

Not all personalized learning programs should be treated equally. Programs should provide explicit, systematic foundational skills, continue to build background knowledge, and support core Science of Reading instruction. Focusing on the things we do while we’re reading that allow us to make sense of text — also known as comprehension processes — is a key component of supporting beginning readers.

How will I know if a personalized learning program is based on research about how children learn to read?

We’ve provided a checklist of key features to look for when selecting a personalized learning program grounded in the Science of Reading.

1) Look for a program that complements your Science of Reading instructional practices.

The content of a personalized program should support your core Science of Reading instruction.

Look for research-based instruction aligned to Scarborough’s Reading Rope, a focus on comprehension processes and language structures in addition to foundational skills, and personalization that adapts based on student needs.

2) Look for a program that employs a whole-child approach.

A whole-child approach focuses on students’ individual strengths and needs.

Look for targeting of skill practice at the just-right level in ALL areas, a focus on students’ individual strengths as well as their needs, and more opportunities for success, all of which build student confidence.

3) Look for a program that uses an adaptive scope and sequence.

In an adaptive model, students progress along a unique pathway through a learning map that adapts based on their performance.

Look for full adaptivity — where students progress along a pathway that adapts on multiple dimensions, not just one. The program should offer data to place students into personalized pathways and continue to analyze student performance data to determine the skills they practice and when.

4) Look for a program that acts as a digital tutor to save teachers time.

A program that aims to save you time provides students with differentiated instruction and pathways when they’re really struggling.

Look for a program that provides scaffolding and differentiated pathways to students when they’re struggling, and offers precursor and ancillary skill development and advancement opportunities before revisiting challenging content. Programs should alert teachers with targeted resources to support students and keep them moving.

5) Look for a program that motivates students intrinsically.

Programs that focus on intrinsic motivation leverage a growth mindset theory to ensure that students have fun while they learn.

Look for a program that rewards persistence as much as performance and ensures students have fun while they learn.

Personalized learning supplemental tool: Amplify Reading

Amplify Reading is a personalized learning program powered by the Science of Reading. The program blends compelling storytelling with research-based instructional practices to offer:

  • Personalized instruction across 13 different critical skill areas that adapt to each student’s needs while building on their strengths.
  • Explicit practice in comprehension processes, phonics, and vocabulary.
  • Extra support and scaffolds for struggling readers and English learners.
  • An immersive game-play design that motivates students and makes learning to read fun.

To learn how this program can accelerate reading growth in your district, request a personalized walkthrough below.

Request a walkthrough

Amplify Reading – Amplify Reading

Proven to boost critical reading skills and captivate students Based on the science of reading, Amplify Reading…readingsuccess.amplify.com

Work cited

Liben, Meredith, et al. “What Principles Must Underlie Successful Personalized Learning?” Peers and Pedagogy, 27 Oct. 2020

The 5 patterns we found in schools with improved reading

After a decade of tracking students’ pathways in early reading, we’ve been able to identify the schools getting outsized results—so we called them to ask what they’re doing! And so far, we’ve identified five consistent patterns.

1. Start early.

Schools that deliver the strongest results work hard to get kids on track — and often ahead — in kindergarten. Why? Those who get through the decoding stage by age eight begin building vocabulary and background knowledge through reading itself. These schools reason that it’s easier to get students ahead from the start than to try to catch them up later.

2. Surround kids with books.

Reading at the right level improves decoding, vocabulary, knowledge, and stamina. In a recent study, 11 students who read an extra seven minutes per day in class had substantially higher reading rates than other students. Those minutes add up to 160,020 additional words read each school year, and reading volume is important in building knowledge—even more so than cognitive ability.

3. Measure.

All schools collect data; the best ones think of it as measurement. For instance, they measure whether an intervention is having the expected impact. If not, they introduce new, temporary measures for attendance, perhaps, or fidelity of implementation. They are constantly tinkering and learning. They describe themselves as never satisfied.

4. Create a support team.

One of the most effective practices we found is ensuring that students get extra support when they need it. Classroom teachers can have a hard time reaching everyone, even with the best intentions. A cross-classroom team can base its decisions on careful data analysis and do whatever it takes to ensure extra resources are found and allocated where they’re needed most.

5. Beat summer.

Summer is brutal. Students often lose as much as half of their hard-won gains from the school year over the summer weeks, and the loss is especially steep for students from lower-income households. But even a few minutes a week of reminder exercises can reverse these losses, just as using a muscle prevents atrophy.

Reading at a college-entry level is a virtuoso performance. Even reading on level by third grade requires a constellation of successes — from mastering the sound-spelling patterns of English, to the painstaking accumulation of vocabulary and knowledge necessary to make sense of sentences. The simple verb to read hardly feels adequate to describe what students are doing when they make sense of the text. Ensuring the effortless enjoyment of reading for all is one of the great social undertakings of our time. We’re so happy to be working toward this noble goal with you.

Learning mathematics through problem solving: Part 3

A young girl solving a K-12 mathematics problem by pouring liquid into a container, surrounded by various lab equipment like a scale and measuring tape.

Tackling real-world questions as a path to math success

In previous posts, we’ve established that problem-based learning sets students up for long-term success. We’ve shown that problem-based lessons introduce students to interesting and often real-world problems or tasks, and described the key role teachers play in putting problem-based learning into action. 

In this post, we’ll look more closely at how teachers can support students engaging in problem-based learning, even when the students do much of their work together in groups. 

You can read the first post in this series here and the second post here. 

Teachers transfer learning responsibility to students

In a problem-based lesson, students are introduced to a handful of interesting and often real-world problems or tasks that can be worked out by referencing background knowledge, previously learned content, and newly provided information. 

With problem-based learning, teachers transfer the responsibility of the actual learning to students. Teachers set up the activities and lessons, then students are given the right information and scaffolds to make sense of math concepts and opportunities to practice and apply their learning. 

These problems are designed to get students thinking—and talking together—about solutions. This way, students begin to grapple with math content and grasp math language development.  

During class, the teacher’s role is to observe students, ask questions, select and share student work, and help students synthesize their learning at the end of the lesson. That’s where teachers help students apply new insights and conceptions to their bigger-picture understanding of the math at hand.

When students do need to be taught a process directly, teachers can shift from conceptual to procedural instruction. (For example, after making sense of adding signed rational numbers, students practice to gain fluency.) In these moments, the problem-based structure is focused more directly on producing answers and debugging procedures than on new sense-making.

Problem-based math teaching aligns with NCTM practices

The highest quality problem-based lessons embody all eight of the NCTM Teaching Practices. These are: 

  1. Establish mathematics goals to focus student learning.
  2. Implement tasks that promote reasoning and problem solving.
  1. Use and connect mathematical representations.
  2. Facilitate meaningful mathematical discourse.
  3. Pose purposeful questions.
  4. Build procedural fluency from conceptual understanding.
  5. Support productive struggle in learning mathematics.
  6. Elicit and use evidence of student thinking.

​​How Amplify Math can help teachers

We started with a world-class problem-based curriculum (Illustrative Mathematics’® IM K–12 Math™) and made changes to help educators implement engaging problem-based core curriculum for students. Amplify Math helps shift to planning and teaching problem-based lessons, tracking student progress, and differentiating instruction based on real-time data. We’ve made the math problems more exciting and relevant for all students, thus making it easier for all students to become active participants in their learning.

Dyslexia toolkit for teachers

What do students at risk for dyslexia struggle with?

  • Delay in learning tasks such as tying shoes, telling time
  • Difficulty expressing self
  • Inattentiveness, distractibility
  • Inability to follow directions
  • Left-right confusion
  • Difficulty learning alphabet, times tables, words of songs
  • Difficulty learning rhymes
  • Poor playground skills
  • Difficulty learning to read
  • Mixing order of letters or numbers when writing
  • Reversing letters or numbers

Supporting students with dyslexia: What can you do?

According to the International Dyslexia Association official publication of Perspectives on Language and Literacy, Vol. 44, 2018, here are six steps to help your struggling students:

1. Screen for dyslexia

  • Become involved in implementing or improving universal screening programs for dyslexia by reminding administrators about specific laws.
  • If you suspect your student has dyslexia, request that common reading and writing skills associated with dyslexia are assessed (e.g., basic reading skills [phonics and sight word identification], spelling, reading rate).

2. Dyslexia training for teachers and reading specialists

  • Advocate for the appointment of a specific person in charge of dyslexia training.
  • Request specific teacher training that includes structured literacy programs (e.g., explicit, systematic reading instruction, phonics instruction, etc.). Request dyslexia awareness training for all K–12 teachers.

3. Eligibility for accommodations and services for students with dyslexia

  • Become involved in the Response to Intervention, Multi-tiered system of support, or a similar system at your school. Ensure that the accommodations and services that are provided are appropriate for students with dyslexia.
  • Collaborate with colleagues to evaluate the effectiveness of accommodations and services being provided to students with dyslexia.

4. Classroom instruction for students with dyslexia

  • Become familiar with differentiated instruction strategies (e.g., use of centers during instruction).
  • Learn and help colleagues learn about specific reading programs designed to help students with dyslexia (e.g., structured literacy programs).

5. Dyslexia handbook

  • Request that your state or district develop a dyslexia handbook to guide teachers and offer other states’ handbooks as a reference.

6. Dyslexia awareness

  • Consult with fellow educational professionals in your school(s) to hold events and encourage discussions about dyslexia during October (National Dyslexia Month).

DIBELS® 8th Edition is validated for the following measures:

DIBELS 8th Edition Subtest Alignment with Dyslexia Screening Areas

Rapid Naming AbilityPhonological AwarenessAlphabetic PrincipleWord Reading
Letter Naming Fluency
Phonemic Segmentation Fluency
Nonsense Word Fluency
Word Reading Fluency
Oral Reading Fluency

How mCLASS can help you identify and support at-risk students

mCLASS® with DIBELS® 8th Edition’s free dyslexia screening measures provide additional screening for risk of dyslexia in students in grades K–3 through subtests that help identify early warning signs of reading difficulty. Measures include:

  • Vocabulary
  • Encoding
  • Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN)
  • Word Reading Fluency (WRF)
  • Letter Naming Fluency (LNF)
  • Phonemic Segmentation Fluency (PSF)

What does problem-based math learning unlock for students? Part 2

Webinar series recap, part 2 of 3

Our webinar series explores how problem-based learning engages all students in grade-level math every day, and how instructors can bring problem-based learning into their classrooms.

We reviewed part 1 of the series in this blog post. Now, in part 2, we dig deeper into this key aspect of problem-based learning: transferring responsibility for learning to the students.

So…now what? “If you watched Kristin Gray’s webinar,” says educator Kathleen Sheehy, “You may be thinking, ‘I learned so much about the power of problem-based learning. Where do I get started?’”

In this webinar, Sheehy joins fellow educator Ben Simon to explore how teachers can truly make that key shift toward student-centered instruction. “It is a journey. So we are going to talk about the small shifts that teachers and others can make that add up to something big,” Sheehy says.

The role of the teacher in student-centered learning

Most adults were not taught to do math this way as kids—and many teachers were not taught to teach math this way. When teachers have a lot of content to get across in limited time, it can feel risky to shift to a style that requires a bit of letting go.

“Student-centered instruction helps us embrace the idea that people can come at math ideas from different directions,” says Sheehy. “It’s collaborative and social. It focuses on problem-solving with an emphasis on multiple strategies and flexible thinking.”

Problem-based math learning may not be the sage-on-a-stage model, where the teacher stands up front and acts as the only math expert in the room—but it doesn’t mean the teacher relinquishes control, either. You can have both student-focused instruction and solid classroom management.

“It’s not a free-for-all. It’s very structured,” says Sheehy. “The teacher also plays a role in providing instruction and then guiding their students to the key takeaways they want for them.”

Building stakeholder investment

To be most effective, problem-based learning needs to be not only focused on the student but supported by the community as well. This means you aren’t the only one who needs to adjust to the new approach.

What actions can you take to build stakeholder investment? How can you get the principal, other teachers, parents, and kids (who are also accustomed to another style of learning) involved and excited?

Be able to articulate a really compelling reason why student-centered instruction is right for your students. The following are just a few research-backed examples:

  • It helps students develop deeper and longer-lasting mathematical understanding.
  • It helps students grow as problem-solvers, engaging them in productive struggle and collaboration and learning core life skills.
  • It helps students develop a growth mindset, which reduces math anxiety, boosts math confidence, and helps them relinquish the idea that someone either is or is not a math person.

When the teacher is the supporter of knowledge, not the gatekeeper, students lead the learning process and feel more confidence with and connection to math, says Sheehy.

How and where do you communicate these ideas? Sheehy and Dixon have found that providing a short hands-on math experience with problem-based learning examples can be very effective. This enables stakeholders to experience the difference themselves, especially when conducted in a low-stakes scenario like a parent math night or PD training.

Sheehy also suggests asking them what they think the impact of student-centered learning would have been for them when they were students. “We’ve heard people say things like, ‘I would have been way less anxious about math if I’d learned it this way,’” she says.

Making a plan to start the shift

“We’re not expecting to create a masterpiece overnight. It takes time to develop the teacher and student skills and to establish everything that needs to be in place,” Sheehy says, “You can’t get better at all the things all at once.”

Where to start? “Size up the shift,” she says, and make a plan.

“Using very clear look-fors can enable educators to decide where to focus,” says Sheehy. “‘What would I look for if I walked into a classroom that is beginning to engage in student-centered instruction?’”

Here are a few key elements to look for:

  1. Management of materials, routines, and classroom setup in a way that facilitates collaboration.
  2. Establishment of a classroom community (using norms charts, etc.) around the core idea that everybody belongs there and is a mathematician.
  3. A teachable structure that models the thinking process and creates predictability, allowing students to focus.

Sheehy and Dixon have found that a focus on these three areas helps teachers name what they are trying to improve in a systematic way.

“Once I tackle this first area and feel successful with that, I know what I’m going to tackle next, and after that,” says Sheehy. “These look-fors can help you make informed decisions that, little step by little step, can help you eventually get to where you want to be.”

How Amplify Math supports problem-based learning

Amplify Math is designed to support problem-based learning, so you’re making that shift every time you teach. The program specifically supports teachers in the planning and delivery of problem-based lessons, and enables them to monitor student progress and differentiate instruction based on real-time data.

Lessons start with warm-ups that tap into prior knowledge, then move into problems that require collaboration to solve. Teachers monitor, engage, and ultimately synthesize student work into the main idea. There are also ample opportunities for practice and reflection. 

Learn more about Amplify Desmos Math.

Register to watch the recording.

Subscribe to Math Teacher Lounge.

Science of Reading dos and don’ts

For classrooms and districts making the shift, understanding what a true Science of Reading curriculum looks like can be challenging. How do you know which instructional practices to adopt, which to avoid, and which ones are the real deal?

We’ve outlined five practices to start implementing today.

1. Use decodable readers.

Early readers need regular practice with grade-level text . Learning to read is not innate and must be taught through explicit, systemic instruction. Early readers need regular practice with grade-level text, especially text that’s connected to each day’s phonics instruction to helps students apply what they’ve learned.

Move away from level readers and curricula that have:

  • A focus on predictable text or below-grade-level text.
  • Decodable readers that don’t follow a clear phonics scope and sequence aligned to instruction.

2. Provide all students with dedicated phonics instruction.

Learning to read is not an innate skill. It must be taught through explicit, systematic instruction. An effective approach to phonics instruction provides enough time for teaching, application, and practice.

Shift from mini-lessons and curricula that have: 

  • Phonics instruction given only on an as-needed basis. When phonics is on an as-needed basis, students don’t get what they need to prevent reading difficulty.
  • Students alternating between limited phonics, guided reading, writing, and vocabulary practice in a mini-lesson.

3. Help students with phonics-based scaffolds.

Learning to decode builds neural pathways that are critical to automatic reading. Students need practice sounding out words, not doing guesswork.

Transition away from three-cueing or word guessing and curricula that have:

  • Prompts that encourage students to guess through three-cueing (e.g., “What word would make sense,” “what’s in this picture”).
  • Predictable books that enable pattern memorization.

4. Teach content.

Language comprehension is as important as decoding. The more background knowledge students receive, the more prior knowledge and vocabulary they can bring to texts.

Limit use of isolated comprehension strategies and curricula that have:

  • Limited time spent on each topic, or isolated topics introduced without connection to each other.
  • Comprehension skill practice without a strong content foundation (e.g., asking students to “find the main idea” or “determine the author’s purpose” in disconnected texts).

5. Follow a clear instructional path.

Clear instructional paths offer explicit guidance and cohesive structure, the most beneficial—yet overlooked—elements of teaching reading effectively. A definitive instructional path (rather than a patchwork) enables components to build upon each other. This gets students the support they need right away, so they don’t have to wait for intervention.

Withdraw from “choose your own adventure” models and curricula that have:

  • A model that provides multiple instructional pathways, which often lead to inconsistencies.
  • So many pieces to their programs that it’s unclear how to implement each effectively.

Meet Amplifying Your District Award Winner Brittney Bills

Brittney’s passion for reading development shines through her commitment to early literacy. Under a four-year plan she devised, Brittney’s district adopted a new curriculum and system of professional development that embraced the Science of Reading and celebrated its impact on their students.

What does the Science of Reading mean to you?

I believe the Science of Reading is about hope. Knowing 95% of students are cognitively able to read at grade level with the right explicit instruction was empowering for me and the teachers I support. Every child should know the joy and success of reading.

What tools/curriculum do you use to implement the Science of Reading? How did Amplify help?

We are an Amplify district and super proud to be an Amplify district. Last year, we started with Amplify CKLA Skills adoption because that’s where we had the biggest gap in terms of our instructional resources and supporting our students. Then we added on Knowledge for K–2 this year, integrated it for grades 3–5, and started using Amplify Reading.

We started using mCLASS® with DIBELS® 8th Edition with all of our K–3 students. After last year, fourth- and fifth-grade teachers caught wind of these awesome things that the lower elementary teachers had access to that they didn’t, so we expanded mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition to K–5 this year. We love the high-quality resources and programs that Amplify has to offer and we have seen some tremendous results early on and had some wonderful success. They’re supporting us in our vision, which is wonderful.

What advice do you have for teachers starting with the Science of Reading?

Just get started. Don’t feel overwhelmed by what you don’t know. We have seen tremendous success and tremendous results, but there’s still a lot of work left for us to do. I would say decide the thing that you want to focus on, pick something that you want to understand better, that you want to learn more about, and commit yourself. In the education world, we are almost paralyzed by the sheer amount of things that need to be done. There’s this sense of immediacy and urgency, that you have to balance with your reality.

Make sure that teachers feel supported because teachers go through a grieving process once they learn more. They feel guilt and sadness about some of the students they have taught in the past. Stay committed to growing and developing because science is going to change and you have to evolve and move with the science.

Watch the Science of Reading Star Awards!

New professional development series for science educators

New year’s resolutions generally don’t work—unless, experts say, they’re specific, measurable, and backed by science (like … getting more sleep so you feel more rested). So if you’ve resolved (or at least planned) to do more science professional development this year, we got you.

Our new, free, on-demand professional development webinars are ready to be added to your calendar. Designed for the era of NGSS, they offer research-based ways for you to engage your students deeply in science this year. (But we hope you’ll find a way to get more sleep, too!)

Phenomena-based science learning for next-level engagement

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are designed to deliver this key shift: Students go from learning about to figuring out. Instead of delivering information, teachers invite students to explore the power of phenomena-based learning in science. By focusing first on real-life scenarios and thoughtful questions over abstract correct answers, this approach cultivates students’ voices and curiosity. It gets them to the right answers—but in a way that helps them think, read, write, and argue like real scientists and engineers.

The NGSS also delivers three-dimensional science instruction. This means that each standard includes the following three dimensions:

  1. Science and Engineering Practices: the actual behaviors that scientists and engineers engage in as they investigate and create.
  2. Cross-cutting Concepts: concepts that appear across and link various domains of science. They include: Patterns, similarity, and diversity; cause and effect; scale, proportion, and quantity; systems and system models; energy and matter; structure and function; and stability and change.
  3. Disciplinary Core Ideas: The fundamental scientific ideas that make up the core content of the NGSS.

A look at our webinars

Featuring curriculum experts from UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science, our webinars will  show you what these approaches look like in real classrooms.

COURSE 1

Establishing a Culture of Figuring Out in Your Next Generation Science Classroom

Explore ways to cultivate curiosity and value student voices while utilizing the structures and content from phenomena-based, literacy-rich science curricula designed for the Next Generation Science Standards.

Watch on demand now!

COURSE 2

Lead with Phenomena and the Three Dimensions Will Follow

Reframe your K–8 science instruction by focusing on phenomena. Learn about the shift in science teaching and classroom practices toward one where students are figuring out, not learning about.

Watch on demand now!

COURSE 3

Leveraging Science to Accelerate Learning

Learn about an approach to teaching and learning science that not only meets state science standards, but can also be used to support accelerated student learning across all subject areas.

Watch on demand now!

Also:

Tune into Science Connections:The Podcast.
Learn more about the NGSS.
Explore more Amplify webinars.
Have a phenomenal 2023 in science!

National Reading Month: Making reading in elementary schools fun

Happy National Reading Month!

Of course, every month is reading month—and every day is reading day!

But March makes National Reading Month official, and we’d like to help you celebrate.

  • “Brain Builders” is an animated video series you can share with your students to help them understand what the brain does in order to read—placing reading science in the hands (and brains!) of students.

Your kids will join Minh on his journey as his babysitter, Tamara, helps him cultivate a love for reading—while also learning a bit of cognitive science. The series includes 13 episodes that you won’t want to miss!

  • ”Reading Buddies” makes learning to read fun (with the help of a talking dog, of course). Created by a pair of performers during the COVID-19 quarantine, the show became a smash hit when The Reading League came on to help it grow.

The series is based on the Science of Reading—but that’s not why students like it! They get to follow and practice along with Dusty the Dog as his person, Dott, teaches him to read. All the while, the kids are learning the underlying components of skillful word reading such as phonological awareness, letter names/sounds, and blending sounds.

And for a little good old-fashioned coloring, we’ve also created this literary reference sheet for your students to bring alive with their own imaginations.

We hope you enjoy celebrating your kids’ brains and creativity!

More to read and learn

From Amplify’s Science of Reading: The Podcast:

Find out how “Reading Buddies” came to be (and managed to outpace “Sesame Street”)!

Meet Margaret Goldberg, co-founder of The Right to Read Project, to get her take on Brain Builders and the importance of the comprehension strand of the Science of Reading.

Request a free sample of CKLA.

The power of phenomena in the science classroom

In conversation, something “phenomenal” is something exceptional, extraordinary.
But in science, an event does not have to be “phenomenal” for it to be a phenomenon.
In fact, a phenomenon in science can be as ordinary and predictable as gravity.
To qualify as a scientific phenomenon, an event simply has to be observable.
That is, a scientific phenomenon is an observable event that occurs in the universe. It’s something we can use our science knowledge to explain or predict. Examples of science phenomena include the erosion of dunes or soil, or the formation of bubbles or ice.
And you know what else is observable? The positive impact of phenomena-based learning on the science classroom. That’s why phenomena-based learning is baked into the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Let’s take a look at why the power of science phenomena to deliver engagement and learning is, dare we say, extraordinary!

The power of phenomena-based learning in science

Many of us learned science a different way, by starting with a general or abstract principle then applying it in the real world.

But when you start with phenomena in science, you start with the observable real-world event. You ask questions: Why is brown water coming out of the pipes built for drinking water? Where did all the monarch butterflies go? You help students see why science is relevant, right from the outset of the inquiry.

Even everyday phenomena—like sunburns, or vision loss—can generate real learning opportunities. Explaining phenomena and designing solutions helps students learn in context, leading to deeper and more transferable knowledge.

The challenge of predicting or explaining the phenomenon becomes the motivation for learning. And it has the added benefit of being how real scientists proceed with their work!

The power of phenomena science lies in its capacity to bring real life into the classroom. A phenomena-based science curriculum engages students by starting with the real and relatable rather than the abstract. It also trains students to be inquisitive, expansive, critical thinkers.

When you shift to a phenomena-based approach, you help students shift from learning about to figuring out.

How the NGSS support phenomena-based learning

The NGSS help students make sense of phenomena in the natural world and in human-designed machines and products.

Learning to explain phenomena and solve problems is the main way that students engage in the three dimensions of the NGSS—they use Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) to develop and apply Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) and Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs).

Phenomena-centered classrooms also help teachers monitor student progress. As students work toward explaining phenomena, three-dimensional formative assessment is easily embedded throughout instruction.

How to bring phenomena into the science classroom

The power of phenomena-based learning lies in real-world relevance. Also, phenomena don’t generate learning all by themselves—student questions about phenomena guide teaching and learning.

That’s why it’s helpful to make sure students can connect to the phenomenon at hand. The following are a few steps you can take to integrate this approach into your classroom:

  • Ask students what they’re curious about. Why do leaves change color? What is lightning? Why do ice cubes stick to my finger?
  • Connect iterations of a given phenomenon to students’ lives. When discussing how sunlight warms the earth, a teacher might use examples of the sun heating sand, or asphalt depending on where students live.
  • Use one broad anchor phenomenon for the focus of a unit, and investigate related phenomena that relate to students’ interests and experiences. For example, exploring what we see in the sky will lead to different investigations depending on whether students live in an urban area or far from city lights.

Note that an engaging phenomenon does not have to be flashy or unexpected. Even if students think they already know why it rains, they may discover that they actually can’t explain it. Pushing students to inquire more will help them go beyond repeating things they’ve read, and go from learning facts to asking questions that reveal more about the world around them.

How Amplify Science can help

Amplify Science employs phenomena-based learning throughout the curriculum, which is itself phenomena-based and designed around the NGSS.

In one example, 6th graders take on the role of medical students in a hospital, working to diagnose a patient and analyze the metabolism of world-class athletes. In another, 8th graders work to explain Australia’s high skin cancer rates by investigating how light works and interacts with the world it shines on.

And what’s more, Amplify Science for grades 6–8 received an all-green rating from EdReports!

Learn more.

How comprehension fits into effective literacy instruction

Many of us grew up doing a classroom activity called “reading comprehension,” in which we would read a short text about, let’s say, sea turtles, then answer multiple-choice questions designed to demonstrate how much of that reading we comprehended. The next time, the reading might’ve been about the history of jazz.

Nothing against sea turtles or Dizzy Gillespie, but our approach to reading comprehension has evolved—and that’s thanks to the Science of Reading.

Let’s take a look at what we know now about how comprehension works and how to make it part of the best possible literacy instruction.

The role of comprehension in literacy instruction

Comprehension is one of the five foundational skills in reading and one of the two key components of the Simple View of Reading.

This framework lays out the two fundamental skills required for reading with comprehension:

  1. Decoding—the ability to recognize written words
  2. Language comprehension—understanding what words mean

In other words, reading proficiency is a product of word recognition and language comprehension.

The Reading Rope layers complexity onto this view, providing a visual metaphor of reading as a complex skill combining decoding skills, language comprehension, background knowledge, vocabulary, and more.

In this context, comprehension refers to the ability to understand and make meaning from written text. It involves not only accurately decoding and recognizing words, but also grasping the deeper meaning, intent, and implications of the text.

Product vs. process: The missing link in comprehension

Historically, comprehension instruction focused on the products of comprehension, rather than on the process. Students could demonstrate that they understood what they just read about sea turtles, but how did students understand it? What were their brains actually doing at the time? Answering those questions can help us better support students.

To do that, let’s look at the students who are not the best comprehenders—even though they have solid word recognition, vocabulary, and background knowledge. What’s missing?

After you read a piece of text, you’ll probably not recall its precise wording, but generally, you’ll remember the general idea. Doing so requires building a structure in your mind that researchers now call a “mental model.” The process of building a mental model is a sort of micro-comprehension.

Weak comprehenders build weak models. So when asked to analyze a character or make a prediction, their answers are not as strong as those of more advanced comprehenders.

We now know that students need four critical skills to improve their mental modeling/micro-comprehension—and thus their overall comprehension.

  1. Interpreting the usage of anaphoras (like she, him, them).
  2. Understanding the use of markers to signal ways that the text fits together — connectives (like so, though, whenever), structure cues, and directions.
  3. Supplying gap-filling inferences. (Writers often make assumptions about what can be left unstated, and weaker readers who fail to make these gap-filling inferences wind up with gaps in their mental models.)
  4. Monitoring comprehension as they read. (When something doesn’t make sense, strong readers stop, re-read, and try to figure it out, while weaker readers just keep going, failing to notice that they don’t understand.)

How background knowledge helps language comprehension

The Science of Reading demonstrates the importance of systematic and explicit phonics instruction.

But students do not have to learn phonics or decoding before knowledge comes into the equation.

“The background knowledge that children bring to a text is also a contributor to language comprehension,” says Sonia Cabell, associate professor at Florida State University’s School of Teacher Education, on Science of Reading: The Podcast. Background knowledge serves as the scaffolding upon which readers build connections between new information and what they already know. Students with average reading ability and some background knowledge of a topic will generally comprehend a text on that topic as well as stronger readers who lack that knowledge.

What we know about knowledge and comprehension should inform instruction. “I think most, if not every, theory of reading comprehension implicates knowledge,” says Cabell. “But that hasn’t necessarily been translated into all of our instructional approaches.”

So, a central question is: How can we help build background knowledge—and thus comprehension?

Broadly, we can work to use literacy curricula that intentionally and systematically builds knowledge as they go.

We can also be “intentional throughout our day in building children’s knowledge,” says Cabell, offering the example of choosing books to read aloud. She suggests we ask not just “‘Do they have the background knowledge to understand something,’ but rather ‘Can what I’m reading aloud to them build background knowledge?’”

Cabell also suggests being a little ambitious in your read-alouds: “Read aloud books a couple of grade levels above where [students are] reading right now, so that they’ll be able to engage with rich academic language.”

Comprehension instruction in the classroom

So, what does this type of comprehension instruction look like? Let’s explore a few science-informed examples:

  1. Systematically build the knowledge that will become background knowledge. Use a curriculum grounded in topics that build on one another. “When related concepts and vocabulary show up in texts, students are more likely to retain information and acquire new knowledge,” even into the next grades, education and literacy experts Barbara Davidson and David Liben say. “Knowledge sticks best when it has associated knowledge to attach to.”
  2. Present instruction that engages deeply with content. Research shows that students—and teachers, too—actually find this content-priority approach more rewarding than, in Davidson and Liben’s words “jumping around from topic to topic in order to practice some comprehension strategy or skill.”
  3. Support students in acquiring vocabulary related to content.  Presenting key words and concepts prior to reading equips students to comprehend the text more deeply. Spending more time on each topic helps students learn more topic-related words and more general academic vocabulary they’ll encounter in other texts.
  4. Use comprehension strategies in service of the content. While building knowledge systematically, teachers can use proven strategies—such as “chunking” and creating graphic organizers—to develop students’ skills for understanding other texts.
  5. Use discussions and writing to help students learn content. Invite students to share their interpretations, supporting them in articulating their thoughts and connecting with peers’ perspectives.
  6. Help students forge connections. Help students draw connections among lessons and units—and to their own experiences—as they grow their knowledge together.

Comprehension goes beyond reading the words on a page. It involves actively engaging with the text, connecting ideas, drawing inferences, and relating the content to one’s own knowledge and experiences. By making sure students have the skills and knowledge they need to comprehend a text, we can help them comprehend the world.

More to explore

How teachers can address math anxiety

How teachers can address math anxiety

No one is born knowing the quadratic formula, or how to measure a triangle—math needs to be taught.

Likewise, no one is born a “math person”—or not a math person. And no one is born with math anxiety.

“Children don’t come with math anxiety,” says Dr. Rosemarie Truglio, senior vice president of curriculum and content for Sesame Workshop and a guest on Math Teacher Lounge. “Math anxiety is learned.” That’s actually good news because it means math anxiety can be unlearned, too. We can teach students (and even teachers) how to overcome it. In this post, we’ll cover some helpful learning strategies, teacher tips, and supports for caregivers.

Anxiety in—and beyond—the math classroom

First, let’s review what math anxiety is and is not.

Math anxiety is more than just finding math challenging, or feeling like you’re not a math person. Dr. Gerardo Ramirez, associate professor of educational psychology at Ball State University, defines it as “a fear or apprehension in situations that might involve math or situations that you perceive as involving math. Anything from tests to homework to paying a tip at a restaurant.” Here’s what else we know:

  • Causes: Math anxiety is not correlated with high or low skill or performance. For students who’ve been pressured to excel, math anxiety comes with the fear of not meeting expectations. For students who historically haven’t done well in math, the anxiety comes with the assumption they’ll do poorly every time. Other triggers include a mismatch between learning and teaching styles that can lead to struggle, or false cultural messages like “girls aren’t good at math.”
  • Consequences: People who suffer from math anxiety may deliberately avoid math, the consequences of which are obvious and far-reaching: not learning math at all, thus limiting academic success, career options, and even social experiences and connections. (This webinar mentions real-life—and relatable—examples of adults affected by math anxiety.)
  • Prevalence: Math anxiety affects at least 20 percent of students, and parents and teachers can suffer from math anxiety, too. In fact, some research suggests that when teachers have math anxiety, it’s more likely that some of their students will as well. Luckily, those teachers and parents can also play a key role in helping students (and maybe even themselves) get more comfortable with math.

Addressing math anxiety in the classroom

Math anxiety can arise from the contexts and cultures in which students encounter math, so it makes sense that we can also create conditions that can help reduce it—and even prevent it from taking hold. Here are some key strategies for helping even the most math-anxious students thrive:

  • Invite explicit conversation about math anxiety. In this webinar, Math Teacher Lounge podcast co-host Bethany Lockhart Jones recommends having open and direct conversations with all students about how doing math makes them feel. “The more you know about your students’ ‘math stories,’ the more you can help them,” she says.
  • Build a positive, supportive, and collaborative math community where different learning styles and incorrect answers—often fuel for math anxiety—are considered part of the learning process. Embracing and working from wrong answers encourages students to focus on the “how” of math. Students feel more comfortable asking questions, taking risks, and making mistakes (as well as learning from them).

How do you build a supportive environment in your math classroom?

  • Cultivate a growth mindset. Create a culture where mistakes are not just acceptable, but inevitable—even welcomed. Encourage perseverance and persistence. Emphasize that being challenged by a math concept doesn’t mean a student is inherently bad at math or just can’t do it.  It means only that they can’t do it yet.
  • Encourage collaboration. Promote a culture of cooperation and teamwork by incorporating group activities, peer support, and class discussions into your lessons.
  • Play. Game-ifying problems and introducing friendly competition builds camaraderie and helps students find shared joy in math—a win-win!
  • Give students plenty of time. Alleviating the pressure of time constraints allows students to think more deeply, take brain breaks, make fewer rushed errors, and develop a sense of control and confidence. Here are some ways to build time into your math lessons:
    • Allow students ample time to think when you ask them questions.
    • Allow students to work on assignments in class with support and take them home to finish if they need more time.
    • Consider giving tests and quizzes in two parts and allowing students to complete them over multiple days.
  • Create a culture of revisions. Allowing students to revise homework assignments and tests/quizzes for partial credit will remind them that learning math is a process, not a mandate to get everything right the first time. This will help them deepen their understanding by learning from and correcting their errors—and remind them that mistakes are part of growth.
  • Use intentional language. The phrase “This is easy” might sound encouraging, but anxious students may hear it as “You should be able to do this.” Instead, use supportive, objective language such as “This problem is similar to when we…” or “Try using this strategy.”

Addressing math anxiety at home

Caregivers may be accustomed to reading to students at home, but sitting together and doing math? Probably less so. Some caregivers may even inadvertently perpetuate math anxiety—or the ideas that feed it—by repeating some of the associated stereotypes and misconceptions. (“Sorry, kiddo, grandpa’s not a math person.”)

Teachers can address this by sending materials home to support caregivers in engaging kids in math. Math games, for example, offer a fun, accessible opportunity for home practice—and they can even be played at bedtime, along with story time.

In general, teachers can also encourage caregivers to:

  • Use and point out their use of math in the real world wherever possible.
  • Help with math homework as much as possible.
  • Use intentional, positive phrasing about math—including about their own use of it.

Teachers have the ability to reduce math anxiety and help students unlearn the stereotypes associated with it by building a positive math ecosystem. They can build a positive community in their math classroom, set caregivers up for success in supporting students at home, and even shine a light on their own relationship to math.

To learn more, tune in to Season 5 of Math Teacher Lounge, dive into our math webinars, and read the rest of our math blog.

From full operation to lasting change with the Science of Reading: Phase 3

Welcome to the third and final installment in our series about the change management required to make the shift to the Science of Reading in your schools.

In Phase 1 of this series, we answered the question: Why is the Science of Reading important? We also described its potential to deliver literacy transformation—both in your classrooms and districts, and nationwide.

Change at that level requires hard work at your level, starting with what those in the field often call “exploration.” In Phase 1, we discussed what teachers should know about the Science of Reading. You established the rationale for changing to a Science or Reading curriculum and built buy-in from stakeholders.

In Phase 2 of this series, we guided you in evaluating Science of Reading programs, helping you answer the question: Which program will best help your school or district transition to the evidence-based practices that will drive results for students? We also walked through the selection, adoption, and initial implementation of Science of Reading resources.

And now you’re ready for change management Phase 3: full operation, innovation, and sustainability. What does this phase look like? How will the Science of Reading be used effectively? Where and how will you see student growth? Read on for all this and more.

Phase 3, part 1: Full operation

At this stage, Science of Reading literacy practices are fully integrated throughout your system.

Remember, the three key drivers of educational change are process, practice, and people. So let’s break the full operation phase down into these categories:

Process

Conduct routine data analysis to monitor student progress and determine areas of needed improvement.

Practice

Expand the focus on evidence-based literacy practice to other grade-level instructional areas to support the integration of these practices into the larger system (when appropriate). That might include personalized learning, intervention, support for bilingual students, and others.

People

Plan and implement onboarding processes for new teachers and administrators. Emphasize deeper understanding of resources and instructional practices through continuous improvement, coaching, and mentoring.

Questions to answer at this stage:

  • How has the integration of evidence-based practices and resources impacted literacy development of students?
  • What specific progress-monitoring processes are in place to track the effectiveness of literacy practices?
  • Are interventions effective for students not reading on grade level?
  • Have we reduced the number of students who are at risk?
  • How are staff onboarded and prepared to step into the system?
  • What ongoing professional learning will occur?

Phase 3, part 2: Innovation and sustainability

All these phases, all this work—here’s where it starts to pay off.

With Science of Reading practices fully in play, you’ll see them start to work in the form of student growth.

This stage will allow for refinement of instructional practice and a much deeper understanding of how Science of Reading research affects student achievement.

This is also a moment to continue building knowledge by focusing on middle school. Your middle schoolers need to draw on the foundational skills built in earlier grades—or get the intervention that will help them catch up—and build an academic knowledge base that will prepare them for success in high school and beyond. Continuing to bring research-based literacy practices to middle school instruction will help them get there.

And now, your final set of the 3 Ps:

Process 

  1. Leave room for innovation aligned with the ever-growing body of Science of Reading research.
  2. Consider creating processes that will allow for the expansion of pedagogy based on the Science of Reading into middle schools.

Practice

  1. Ensure that current research and data are informing instructional decisions and continuing to deepen the knowledge base you’ve built so far.
  2. Implement systems such as collaborative conversations about data, peer-to-peer instructional rounds, and the study of problems of practice to support deeper implementation.
  3. Develop professional learning systems and put them into practice.

People

  1. Emphasize a culture of collaboration and shared ownership, as well as a community of practice.
  2. Focus conversations on student growth and outcomes to better allocate resources.

Question to answer at this stage: 

  • What strategies and systems can we develop to encourage innovation while remaining true to the implementation of chosen resources?

Now you have the tools, the plan, and the motivation to help drive life-changing results and improve literacy outcomes for all students by bringing the Science of Reading into your classrooms. We’re happy to be part of that change. And we’d love to hear how it goes!

More ways to explore:

Introducing the 2024 Science of Reading Star Awards

There’s more than one way to name a star. You can honor someone you admire by symbolically attaching their name to a star in the night sky…or you can nominate a teacher you admire or a district lighting the way for students for Amplify’s third annual Science of Reading Star Awards!

As we like to say, it takes a constellation of people to help children learn to read—from district leadership to student families, and from inside the classroom to out there the real world. It also takes science—specifically, the science of teaching reading. And it takes leaders who can successfully lead their district in the shift to a curriculum grounded in the Science of Reading, educators who thoughtfully connect students and their families to the impact of the Science of Reading, and teachers who artfully use evidence-based reading instruction to light the way for their students.

We want to celebrate all of these Science of Reading stars!

That’s why we created the Science of Reading Star Awards. Read on for more information about them, including how to nominate someone (or an entire school or district) for the awards. (And if you’re already ready to nominate a star, go right ahead!)

Honoring stellar educators, leaders, schools, and districts in the Science of Reading

We launched this awards program in 2021—a year when schools, educators, and students were still working to bounce back from pandemic challenges and into a new normal. Even then, educators drove change, leading their school communities on a journey to the Science of Reading.

Our awards program honors educators who advocate for and champion the Science of Reading in their classrooms, schools, and districts. They generate buy-in. They inspire their peers and students. They successfully bring research-based materials, phonics instruction, and foundational literacy skills into their approaches—and have remarkable gains to show for it.

These award-worthy educators can include/have included:

  • Teachers who’ve connected with their students and served as role models for their colleagues by applying the Science of Reading.
  • Principals or district leaders who’ve supervised a successful shift to the Science of Reading in many classrooms across several grades.
  • Schools or districts that are driving changes and seeing incredible results using the Science of Reading.

Meet (and learn from) some of our previous winners!

Javonna L. Mack, Lead Content Teacher, Caddo Parish Schools, LA

Award: Changemaker

How did it feel to be selected as a Star Award finalist?

I was and am still over-the-moon excited about being selected as an Amplify Changemaker Star Award finalist. I was very humbled by becoming the winner. It is an amazing feeling of accomplishment when you receive awards. It has become a hallmark of the hard work I have done in my district to support our push in the Science of Reading.

Do you have any advice for educators submitting to the Science of Reading Star Awards for the first time?

Make sure to tell your story. Be clear and concise. Remember to be reflective of all the ways that you have supported your district. I advise that you speak with your peers and gain feedback as to the ways that you have impacted the work they do. Detail your support. Be unique and track and celebrate your achievements.

Shennoy Barnett, Kindergarten Teacher, Johnston County Public Schools, NC

Award: Data Dynamo

How did it feel to be selected as a Star Award finalist?

It was an amazing feeling even to be considered as a semi-finalist, and an even greater one to be selected as a winner, given that it was my first year using the tool.

Do you have any advice for educators submitting to the Science of Reading Star Awards for the first time?

Your hard work and dedication with your students through [the] Science of Reading will tell your story. Even if you are not selected as a finalist, you are still a winner as you are using an amazing tool and touching the lives of your students.

Anila Nayak, Instructional Coach, Intervention Teacher, Los Angeles Unified School District, CA

Award: Science of Reading Superstar Teacher

How did it feel to be selected as a Star Award finalist?

I felt exhilarated at first and later responsible for sharing my learning about how best to teach children to read. It certainly made me more energized to work harder and continue to improve my practice. The award validated my efforts and steered my obsession to become an efficient and knowledgeable reading teacher.

Do you have any advice for educators submitting to the Science of Reading Star Awards for the first time?

Write your compelling narrative about the impact you make each day in the lives of young readers who need you most. You have the tools to reach students who may be struggling but just have not been reached yet. Tell about how you evolved into an expert despite challenges and how learning about the best ways to teach is an absolutely rich experience. After all, you are impacting so many students through your work. Show your pride, because you are doing important work. The Awards journey opens you up to a community of experts and makes you feel a part of new horizons; you get to listen to many experts and read about the new knowledge that is impacting our understanding of how literacy grows.

You can meet all of our 2023 winners here. Their stories and perspectives may help you discover how you can drive change in your classroom, school, and district with the Science of Reading!

Nominate a Science of Reading star!

Inspired? Now think of the educators in your world—especially those devoted to literacy. Do you know someone who has transformed their classroom and empowered their students with the Science of Reading? (And yes, this person might be you!) How about a school or district that has established strong evidence-based practices and seen incredible results? We also have new categories this year to honor both the traditional and less traditional Science of Reading champions!

Submit your nomination for the 2024 Science of Reading Star Awards by Feb. 15!

All award winners will receive:

The grand prize winner in the District and School categories will receive a regional event hosted by Amplify. The grand prize winner in the Individual category will be given full conference registration and associated travel costs to NCTE in Boston, in Nov. 2024.

Learn more:

Plan de estudios de lengua y literatura en inglés para la escuela intermedia

Con Amplify ELA, los estudiantes aprenden a abordar cualquier texto complejo y a hacer observaciones, a lidiar con ideas interesantes y a encontrar relevancia para ellos mismos.

Calificado como totalmente ecológico en EdReports, Amplify ELA obtuvo puntuaciones perfectas en todos los portales. For English version, please click here.

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Collage featuring two scenes: upper right shows a girl in a middle school English language arts curriculum setting, lower left corner displaying children in a classroom, and graphic floral elements with butterflies throughout.

Adaptable y fácil de enseñar

Con seis niveles de diferenciación y evaluaciones integradas, los maestros pueden asegurarse de que los estudiantes adquieran destrezas clave sin interrumpir la instrucción. Debido a que el programa realiza este trabajo en segundo plano, los maestros tienen más tiempo para hacer lo que más les gusta.

Además, solo Amplify ofrece 100-Day Pathway, una guía integrada para abarcar el contenido requerido para cada nivel de grado en solo 100 días, a la vez que permite a los maestros agregar lecciones y actividades complementarias.

Calificación verde en EdReports

Calificado como verde en EdReports, Amplify ELA obtuvo puntuaciones perfectas en todos los criterios.
Los textos enriquecidos del plan de estudios Amplify ELA desarrollan conocimientos y forjan conexiones entre niveles de grado, a la vez que brindan apoyo integral tanto a estudiantes como a educadores.

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Nuestro enfoque

A través de su atractivo programa digital, poderosas herramientas de diferenciación y evaluación y guías de instrucción paso a paso, nuestro plan de estudios responde directamente a los desafíos y oportunidades que enfrentan los estudiantes y maestros de escuela intermedia.

Ver la investigación detrás del programa

Capacitamos a los estudiantes para que se conviertan en pensadores críticos.

Con el texto siempre como elemento principal, se anima a los estudiantes a generar por sí mismos ideas y opiniones sobre el significado. En lugar de centrarse en respuestas correctas o incorrectas, desarrollan ideas y opiniones sobre textos relevantes de la vida real.

Ofrecemos seis niveles de apoyo diferenciado.

Múltiples puntos de entrada y seis niveles de apoyo diferenciado integrado permiten que cada estudiante, independientemente de su fluidez o nivel de habilidad, interactúe con los mismos textos complejos y el mismo plan de estudios.

Evaluamos mientras usted enseña.

Las evaluaciones e informes integrados brindan información sobre el progreso de cada estudiante sin tener que interrumpir la instrucción diaria. Al recopilar datos en cada momento del aprendizaje, los maestros pueden responder a las necesidades de los estudiantes más rápido que nunca.

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Más allá de “hacerlo divertido”: Cuatro principios para un verdadero entusiasmo en la enseñanza de ELA en la escuela intermedia

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Qué se incluye

Amplify ELA es un plan de estudios básico riguroso que empodera a los maestros y despierta el interés de a los estudiantes de escuela intermedia.

Edición del estudiante

Disponibles en formato digital e impreso, los materiales para estudiantes sirven de guía a los alumnos de escuela intermedia a través de textos complejos y la escritura al:

  • Motivar a los estudiantes con textos narrativos e informativos de alta calidad.
  • Proporcionar videos, apoyos de audio y experiencias digitales que capten su atención.
  • Mantener todos sus escritos en un solo lugar con un Diario de escritura personal.

Edición del maestro

Disponible en formato digital e impreso, la Edición del maestro contiene toda la información que los maestros necesitan para facilitar la instrucción en el salón de clase, incluidos:

  • Planes de lecciones detallados.
  • Consejos para maestros en video integrados en la lección.
  • Alineación de estándares y boletos de salida.
  • Estrategias de diferenciación en tiempo real.
  • Informes exhaustivos.

Misiones interactivas

Las misiones son inmersiones divertidas de una semana de duración en un tema específico de múltiples capas. Permiten a los estudiantes practicar destrezas analíticas de lectura, escritura, expresión oral y comprensión auditiva, a la vez que construyen una estrecha comunidad en el salón de clase.

Una biblioteca digital para lectura independiente

La amplia Biblioteca Amplify incluye más de 700 títulos digitales de ficción, no ficción, clásicos y contemporáneos.

Amplify ELA hace más fácil la vida de los maestros

Nuestro programa garantiza que se cubran los estándares, se enseñen las destrezas y se prepare a los estudiantes con andamiaje y estímulos adecuados.

  • Diferenciación integrada para apoyar a todos los lectores.
  • Sistema de evaluación informativo y optimizado.
  • Informes exhaustivos que rastrean el progreso.
  • Potentes herramientas de comentarios.
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Making the most of a science education conference

A typical science education conference such as NSTA may offer hundreds of booths, sessions, and new people to meet—and, most of the time, a typical science educator can’t do it all! So how can you maximize these opportunities to learn even more about teaching science … without maxing out? Middle-school educator and Science Connections podcast host Eric Cross is here to offer his tips. Here’s what he shared with us: 

Proven tips for capitalizing on science education conferences

  • Fuel up: Good food and good coffee are essential for me. Before you arrive, do some pre-trip research into local coffee shops and restaurants near the conference center. Avoid the long lines and overpriced food at the conference venue; instead, support local businesses to keep your energy levels up. Also important: comfy shoes, a reusable water bottle, and extra snacks.
  • Make a plan: Once registered, head to the conference website to build your agenda. Phone apps are handy, but I often find the desktop version works better for planning.
  • Narrow it down: NSTA, as just one example, offers more than 1,132 sessions! So it’s crucial to zero in on your options. Use a session schedule filter to focus on the sessions most relevant to your interests and needs.
  • Go where you’re fed: If you’re torn between sessions, go to one to collect resources, then move onto the other. Usually presenters list their session resources on the schedule or in the beginning of their session. Don’t hesitate to leave a session if it’s not meeting your needs, either—you’re there on behalf of your students. Presenters get it.
  • Divide and conquer: If you’re attending with a team, collaborate on a shared document for session notes and resource links. This way, everyone in your department and administration can benefit from the resources gathered at the conference.
  • Visit the expo hall: I recommend visiting right when it opens. You’ll find the booths fully stocked and the energy levels high.
  • Embrace downtime: Remember, conference venues are huge, and you’ll be on your feet quite a bit. Make sure to schedule 30–45 minutes of downtime. Use this break for a bit of mindless relaxation or to catch up on emails and reflect on earlier sessions. This brief pause can be a game changer for your overall conference experience.
  • Revisit next-day plans: Schedules can shift at the last minute. After dinner, I like to give the lineup a fresh look for any speaker or time changes. Being prepared allows me to have a game plan, but flexibility is also key.
  • Network: I especially find value in connecting with educators who teach content or student populations similar to my own and learning about their best practices in science instruction. Sometimes, these new connections can be just as enriching as the sessions themselves.

Note: Amplify will be at NSTA (March 20–23) at Booth #713. Stop by to experience real Amplify Science lessons; gain access to exciting, free resources and activities; and pick up fun swag. You’ll also hear from product experts and real educators about how they use Amplify Science to benefit all students.

Can’t wait? Check out our Amplify Science success stories to see how our K–8 curriculum is helping students everywhere read, think, and talk like scientists.

More to explore

Beyond prompts: How to teach writing for middle school student success

Writing is hard. Natalie Wexler, who co-wrote The Writing Revolution: A Guide to Advancing Thinking Through Writing in All Subjects and Grades, has described it as “the hardest thing we ask students to do.”

And writing is also hard to teach—perhaps especially to middle schoolers.

Writing education experts such as Steve Graham, Ph.D., say that, as important as writing is, it often gets less attention due to competing educational demands, like the need to teach subjects connected to high-stakes testing, the pressure to teach to a given test, and the siloing of writing as an independent skill untethered to content.

But writing is essential—not just as a means of expressing knowledge, but also as a means of building it. That’s why, when it comes to middle-school writing instruction, we need to go beyond just writing prompts. So how can teachers provide the strongest possible writing instruction for middle-school students? Keep reading.

Student writing: Why it matters

Learning to write makes you a better writer, but it also makes you a better reader—and a better learner.

In a meta-analysis of more than 100 studies, Steve Graham and Michael Hebert, Ph.D., found that writing about text improves comprehension and learning even more than reading alone, reading and rereading, or reading and discussing.

“Combining reading and writing is part of the Science of Reading,” writes literacy educator Tim Shanahan, Ph.D. “If you want better reading scores, the Science of Reading says do not neglect writing, nor dispatch it to someplace else in the curriculum. When you feel especially pressured to improve reading achievement, that is the time to embrace more tightly the combination of reading and writing.”

Shanahan also notes that readers who write and writers who read are best equipped to observe what authors do to convey meaning and what readers need in order to understand writing.

Current ELA standards recognize the interplay between reading and writing by articulating these goals: using writing to improve learning from text and using the reading of multiple texts to improve the writing of syntheses or reports.

Writing activities for middle school

Even with challenges and constraints, educators can find ways to engage students and transform their writing. When planning writing activities with your middle-school students, it’s important to keep them captivated, incorporate writing instruction throughout your lessons, and differentiate to meet the needs of all of your students. Here are some principles that will help:

  • Detach writing from getting it “right.” Seymour Papert theorized that students become better thinkers when they’re not attached to one outcome—not afraid to be “wrong.” Of course, sometimes there is a correct answer, but it’s the process of seeking it that counts. Offer writing assignments that encourage—and reward—risk-taking and creativity.
  • Integrate writing everywhere. Help students build both knowledge and writing skills by including writing exercises across subjects, including science.
  • Scaffold with sentence frames and modified prompts. Middle-school students often know what they want to say, but not how to say it, especially if they are multilingual learners. Sentence frames and modified prompts—such as “Tom convinces his friends to whitewash the fence by saying…”—can help with that. They reduce linguistic barriers, enabling students to produce writing and speech more complex than what they could have done on their own—and giving you a sense of their level of understanding.

Writing can be a powerful tool to help students deepen their comprehension of written text, expand their knowledge, and develop as communicators. Learn more about the best strategies and activities to use in your classroom. These will put you on the best path for helping your students thrive as writers, readers, communicators, and lifelong learners.

More to explore

Connecting science and literacy: The power of language

We’ve talked about how scientists need literacy skills in order to be scientists. They can’t do their jobs without reading, writing, listening, and communicating.

Our recent webinar Science Connections: Science and Literacy explored this intersection from a broader level: the power of language in the science classroom.

How can science teachers remove language barriers to make sure all students are able to access prior knowledge—and acquire more? And how can teachers leverage language to create optimal learning conditions for their science students? Why should they?

Let’s find out what webinar co-hosts Eric Cross and Susan Gomez Zwiep, Ph.D., had to say!

Language and science sense-making

Contrary to stereotype, scientists aren’t just loners in labs. Susan Gomez Zwiep, former middle school science teacher and senior science educator at BSCS Science Learning, credits a colleague with this pearl: “If I’m just doing science myself, and not talking to anybody, that’s not science. That’s just me in my head.”

So science teachers need to give students every possible opportunity to get out of their heads. And if language is a barrier—whether students are learning English, or challenged by science vocab—teachers can help remove it.

This principle is especially important in the context of phenomena-based learning, says Gomez Zwiep. “Rather than telling students ideas, and then proving those ideas correct by showing them a phenomenon, we show them the phenomena and engage them in science sense-making to develop that understanding,” she says. “Language is central to science sense-making and communicating that sense-making.”

Students also bring their prior knowledge to scientific sense-making. And, as Gomez Zwiep points out, prior knowledge is often embedded in the language a student uses at home, or just their own non-scientific vernacular. “I have to use that when I first engage with the phenomenon,” she says. “Otherwise, I’m limiting the resources that kids bring to the learning environment.”

Language in a “safe” science classroom

“If I had to learn science in my second language, I would be struggling with not only everyday vocabulary, but also content-specific vocabulary,” says Eric Cross, host of Amplify’s Science Connections podcast. “You would never actually know what I knew or what I was bringing to the table.”

The goal is to create an environment where students feel comfortable exploring, using whatever language is accessible to them, and then guiding them to conclusions—and precise scientific language. “A classroom requires trust. It requires relationship building,” says Gomez Zwiep. “If a student is worried about saying something a particular way, that’s where all their cognitive energy is going instead of actually talking about the science.”

The key? Put scientific ideas first, and the language will come. “We used to wait until kids had English in order to learn science. And now we’re starting to see that language emerges from learning experiences,” says Gomez Zwiep. “So it’s a product of learning, not a prerequisite.”

Literacy in your science classroom

You can integrate science and literacy right away, starting with free science and literacy lesson samples from Amplify Science.

Explore more:

Amplify Science

Science blogs

Science Connections podcast episodes

Change management with the Science of Reading: Data is your compass

We know how children learn to read, and we know how to teach children to read—all thanks to the Science of Reading. That’s why it’s so important to use literacy programs grounded in data. But we also know that the process of shifting to data-supported literacy instruction is a whole science unto itself!

Fortunately, we know not only how to use data to drive instruction, but also how to use it to manage and drive successful educational change. In this post, we’ll explore the role data can play in implementing a new curriculum, which data to study at each phase of integration, and which assessments you can use to capture the data you need.

The power of data-based instruction and change management

“The Science of Reading represents a big shift in what folks are doing,” says Sara Thornton, a reading interventionist with Denver Public Schools in Colorado.

It’s a shift at the teacher level, it’s a shift at the school level, and it’s a shift at the district level. It takes a whole system.

—Sara Thornton

That’s why data is crucial.

To successfully navigate this seismic a shift, you need to anchor yourself in all kinds of data: literacy data, professional practice data, implementation data, and student performance data.

This data allows you to personalize instruction, track development, and evaluate your teaching strategies at the classroom level—and your implementation at the school or district level. It also guides decision-making, ensuring that your new curriculum is not just well-intended, but well-executed and effective.

Using data to drive instruction, implementation, and more

Here we’ll give you a glimpse at the types of data that can guide you through each stage of change.

Stage 1: Exploration. This is where stakeholders gather information, make the case for change, and begin to build buy-in.

To guide your efforts, you’ll need to collect the following types of data:

  • Baseline literacy data that shows where students are starting from, specifically in these foundational skills: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
  • Professional practice data to help you gauge educators’ current methods and understanding around the Science of Reading. This data can come from knowledge surveys, classroom observation forms, and more.
  • Resource analysis data to help you understand the instructional tools you’ll need, in the context of relevant budget constraints.

Stage 2: Adoption. At this stage, you and your teams will evaluate, purchase, and pilot programs aligned with Science of Reading standards. We recommend tracking the following essential data measures alongside rubric-based resource evaluations:

  • Literacy skill acquisition data such as unit tests, universal screening assessments, and formative daily/weekly assessments that will help you gauge the effectiveness of your piloted program.
  • Stakeholder feedback that reflects the school community’s response to the program such as surveys; interviews; and conversations with teachers, family members, and district-level educators.
  • Usage data, which is readily available in curricular resources with digital components, e.g. How are teachers and students using the program? How often do they log on, access given resources, etc.?

Stage 3: Initial implementation. Here, the newly adopted resources are in place and teachers begin to shift their practices. The right data in this phase will help you monitor the fidelity of implementation and track student growth. The following types of data are key:

  • Instructional practice and delivery data such as lesson plan analyses, observation, usage logs, and more to show how classrooms are applying the new curriculum and practices.
  • Student performance outcomes to measure student mastery. Data types include formative and summative unit assessments and progress monitoring.

Stages 4–5: Full operation, innovation, and sustainability. Here’s where you see the Science of Reading come to fruition, and where you build systems to maintain student growth. The data collected in earlier stages remains essential for guiding you through these final phases. It will serve as a touchstone as you gather and analyze additional data to help you make regular adjustments and modifications to your programs. We recommend continuing to monitor student progress, deepen your growing knowledge base—and celebrate how far your whole community has come.

More to explore

For more information, check out our comprehensive guides to literacy change management and the data that will guide you!

Nurturing young children’s curiosity and wonder in the math classroom

Based on my experience in math education, I find that many pedagogical structures or moves sound great in theory, but are often easier said than done. Because of the complexity, asking students to construct mathematical arguments has been one of those things for me. Fortunately, over the years, I have had the joy and privilege to work with Jody and Chepina, whose thinking around math argumentation is grounded in theory and paired with practical and actionable advice and structures. I am so excited for others to share in their deep thinking and look forward to seeing the impact their work will have in classrooms.

—Kristin Gray, Executive Director, Math suite, Amplify

Mathematical argumentation as an opportunity for curiosity

Students bring curiosity and wonder to the classroom every day. When we’re attending to their ideas, we can find more opportunities for mathematical argumentation in our math lessons. Let’s look at how these opportunities arise in a first-grade classroom.

The lesson and card sort activity

The purpose of the lesson was for students to identify equivalent addition expressions by sorting cards, each with a different expression. Students quickly noticed that there is more than one way to get the same value. They could even begin to see the commutative property in action when shown cards with addends in opposite order: 4 + 3 = 3 + 4.

While sorting addition expressions, rather than organizing the cards in piles by their value, one student named Jenna organized the cards in columns. This student-led creative modification to the card sort structure allowed for different noticings and wonderings to emerge. She started by creating a row across the top with cards showing one addend of 0. At first, she wasn’t consistent with the top card being 0 + x or x + 0, but over time changed them so that they were all 0 + x. Then she filled in the last column with expressions equal to 10. As she added cards, she started to change the order so that the first addend on the cards increased going down the column and the second addend decreased.

Math lesson and card sort activity.

As Jenna added each card to her organizational structure, the teacher asked where that card would go and how she knew. When asked about the 2 + 6 card, for example, Jenna said, “Because this is counting to 8, and this”—she pointed to a gap—“has to be 7, because [the 6 is] 2 less than 8. It fits here because these are all twos” (in the row). Jenna was coordinating several characteristics of rows and columns within the structure of the chart.

As Jenna continued to fill in the chart, she noticed yet another pattern. Pointing to the step pattern, Jenna noticed that, “There is a stair step. The pattern keeps going. There’s one more way to make the total as it gets bigger.”

Rows of flashcards with math lessons.

We could state this conjecture more precisely as: “For any whole number n, there are n + 1 ways to add two whole numbers to get a sum of n.” Jenna was making sense of big math ideas and noticing structure embedded in arithmetic.

Reflecting on the experience

As we step back and reflect on what we experienced with Jenna, we wonder what could happen next. How might Jenna justify her thinking? She noticed the stair-step pattern and multiple ways to arrive at the total. What might she say if we asked her, “Why is that happening?” Or if we gave her a tool such as linking cubes and asked if she could use the cubes to show why that works? Are there other questions that could have nudged her to extend her thinking, such as, “Will that always work?” or “What numbers does it work for?” Is there a tool or representation that would help her continue her reasoning?

We can also think about what might happen if we shared Jenna’s idea with the other students. How might they respond to Jenna’s noticing? Would her ideas lead others to see and use structure in similar ways? How would they make sense of her ideas? Perhaps this is an opportunity to engage students in each other’s ideas.

Opportunities for curiosity

The opportunity for Jenna and her classmates to make sense and explore their natural curiosity emerges from a classroom environment that’s playful and filled with wonder—where children are given time to explore and interact with materials and each other. We noticed that as Jenna progressed through the cards, she refined and added on to her thinking. This is evident in the first row of cards. She grouped cards with 0 as an addend, then began to sequence them, and later considered the positioning of the addends to 0 + x. As we might infer from the interaction of the teacher, there isn’t one right way to think about the task, nor one way for the teacher to encourage students to think about it. We hear the teacher ask Jenna to share her reasoning: It’s not a question posed to evaluate Jenna’s thinking, but rather to gain insight into her thinking—something the teacher is genuinely curious about.

In addition to the classroom environment, the card sort also presented an open-ended opportunity. Students made sense of the sort in many different ways, some finding related pairs and starting to identify (not yet naming) the commutative property, others grouping problems with a common addend in piles. All students had access to the task and time to make sense of it.

We share the story of Jenna as one of many instances where young children have shared their brilliance with us. Their wonder and curiosity inspired us to explore their ideas along with K–2 teachers. We saw students notice, wonder, conjecture, justify, and extend ideas that led to a deep understanding of key mathematical concepts while integrating mathematical argumentation.

We share ideas like the brilliance from Jenna in our new book, Nurturing Math Curiosity with Learners in Grades K–2, where we also make connections among instructional routines, center, and card sorts. Our book also discusses supporting students in curious exploration, building on what they already bring to the classroom as a way to bring opportunities for mathematical argumentation into our lessons.

Rumsey, C., & Guarino, J. (2024). Nurturing Math Curiosity with Learners in Grades K–2. Solution Tree. Bloomington, IN. ISBN: 9781960574367

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Top professional development picks for the summer

First priority for your summer? A bit of a break, and maybe a beach read. But summer is also the perfect time to prepare for the year ahead, and to invest in your professional growth.

During summer PD, you can take your time exploring the research-backed strategies essential to effective literacy instruction. There are lots of opportunities out there to dive deeper into everything from foundational skills and evidence-based practices to instruction based on the Science of Reading. Investing this time in your professional growth will help you not only align your methods with the most current research, but also equip you with tools to meet the individual needs of your students and create supportive learning environments in the fall.

Summer school for you: Teacher professional development

That said, we know you’d probably rather spend your summer building sandcastles than digging around for the right PD. That’s why we asked Amplify Ambassadors—educators like you—to share their top teaching resources and professional development picks for the summer. Keep reading to hear their excellent recommendations!

Danielle Hawkins, former principal of Newfane Central School District in New York, shares the value of professional development opportunities offered by Amplify for educators.

“To support the teachers I coach and deepen my knowledge of the Science of Reading, I joined the beta test of Amplify’s Science of Reading: The Learning Lab courses to monopolize on the flexibility that summer provides.”
—Miracle Foster, Literacy Coach, Armada Area Schools, Michigan

“If you haven’t listened to the Sold a Story or Knowledge Matters podcasts, they are great places to start! I purchased The Knowledge Gap and The Writing Revolution books before the school year was even over! I have Shifting the Balance in my cart as well.”
—Stephanie Schuettpelz, Teacher, Marion School District, Wisconsin

If you have a chance to participate in curriculum development, it’s a wonderful way to dig deeper and get to know different features of each unit better.

—Kim Eich, Grade 6 Teacher, Anoka Hennepin ISD #11, Minnesota

“Any online PD from The Reading League or Cox Campus is good. There are a TON of great podcasts out there, including Amplify’s Science of Reading podcast, and also Shanahan on Literacy, Melissa and Lori Love Literacy, and All for Literacy. Some great books are the Shifting the Balance books, The Knowledge Gap, Speech to Print, or Structured Literacy Interventions with Spear-Swerling.”
—Lori Gray, Program Coordinator, Office of Student Learning, Yelm Community Schools, Washington

“A book study.”
—Carla Cruse, Teacher, Rock Falls Middle School, Illinois

Back to school for teachers: Webinars to get you ready

Join our Amplify experts as they walk you through all of your program essentials and share their guidance on everything from getting started in the new school year to leveling up your implementation. These series are for everyone—whether this is your first or fourth year with Amplify, you’ll walk away having learned something new. There will be a webinar for each of the following Amplify programs:

  • Amplify Science
  • mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura
  • Amplify CKLA and Caminos
  • Amplify ELA
  • Boost Reading and Boost Lectura
Register here

Meet Amplify Desmos Math

Meet Amplify Desmos Math, a new, curiosity-driven K–12 math program that builds students’ lifelong math proficiency. Lessons in Amplify Desmos Math are standards-aligned, easy to use, and fully customizable by educators. And every Amplify Desmos Math lesson includes suggestions for differentiation that support, strengthen, and stretch student understanding.

“Engagement is a real challenge in math classrooms,” said Jason Zimba, Amplify Chief Academic Officer of STEM. “Knowing this, we created a program with interesting problems that students are eager to solve, one that keeps them engaged and learning. Amplify Desmos Math achieves rigor and delight, motivating all students to explore new horizons and develop new understanding.”

We believe that math class is a place where teachers can elicit, celebrate, and build on their students’ interesting ideas. Those ideas fuel meaningful classroom conversations and drive the learning process. Read on to learn more.

Meet Amplify Desmos Math. This is math that motivates.

A structured approach to problem-based learning

The program combines the best problem-based lessons with tightly aligned personalized practice, assessments, and intervention, creating an integrated experience for teachers and students. Data informs instruction. Comprehensive student profiles provide full data on students’ assets and skills, empowering teachers to provide just-in-time scaffolds and targeted intervention when needed.

Amplify Desmos Math is a powerful suite of math resources that includes:

  • Core instruction: Amplify Desmos Math lessons provide a structured approach to problem-based learning, where each lesson builds on students’ curiosity using a Proficiency Progression™ to develop lasting grade-level understanding for all students.
  • Screening and progress monitoring: mCLASS® assessments and daily formative checks measure what students know and how they think. The asset-based assessment system provides teachers with targeted, actionable insights, linked to core instruction and intervention resources.
  • Integrated personalized learning: Personalized Learning activities help students access grade-level math through engaging, independent digital practice. The program’s signature Responsive Feedback™ adjusts to students’ work, providing item-level adaptivity to further support their learning.
  • Embedded intervention: Integrated resources like Mini-Lessons and math fluency games provide targeted intervention on specific concepts or skills connected to the daily lesson. Extensions are also available to stretch students’ understanding.

Amplify Desmos Math expands on the Desmos Math 6–8 curriculum, which is featured in a recent efficacy study led by WestEd that demonstrates increased math achievement across more than 900 schools in nine states.

Delightful digital activities and tools

To complement robust printed materials, Amplify Desmos Math leverages a digital platform that enables educators and students to connect with one another as they work through lessons, engage in personalized learning, and check for understanding. The interactive platform and facilitation tools foster mathematical discussions and allow educators to see student thinking in real time.

“Right now, teachers have to jump between platforms to access meaningful data, understand it, and use it,” said Alexandra Walsh, Amplify Chief Product Officer. “By combining instruction, assessment, and differentiation on the same digital platform, we’ve made student data more accessible, so educators can spend less time toggling and more time responding to student needs.”

Amplify Desmos Math is available:

  • Kindergarten–Algebra 1
    • As a beta release for the 2024-2025 school year, for pilot implementations and early adoptions
    • As a commercial release for the 2025-2026 school year
  • Geometry, Algebra 2, Integrated 1, Accelerated Grades 6 and 7
    • As a beta release for the 2025-2026 school year
    • As a commercial release for the 2026-2027 school year
  • Integrated 2 and 3
    • As a commercial release for the 2026-2027 school year

Try a free lesson.

Hundreds of free math lessons and activities from Amplify Desmos Math are available on Desmos Classroom, a free teaching and learning platform that places student engagement at the center of instruction. Desmos Classroom features free lessons, lesson-building tools, sharing features, and more. Built by math educators, the platform makes leaning into good pedagogy easier for teachers—which makes the lesson a more interactive experience for students.

You can teach these free lessons, but also customize them, or even build your own from scratch. Visit teacher.desmos.com to create a free account.

Learn more!

Dyscalculia: What educators should know

Two children seated at a table engage with colorful number cubes and a pencil beside a worksheet—a delightful way to explore math. This playful setup subtly acts as an informal dyscalculia screener, helping spot characteristics of dyscalculia in young learners.

Some kids love math. Some kids like math. Some kids struggle with math, or struggle with math anxiety. And some kids have dyscalculia, a specific learning disorder that affects one’s ability to understand numbers and learn math facts.

As awareness has continued to grow, educators today are curious to know: What are the characteristics of dyscalculia? How can I help a child with dyscalculia? What should I know about dyscalculia screeners? We’re here to provide some answers.

Dyscalculia: What it is and is not

According to the Child Mind Institute, dyscalculia (sometimes called “developmental dyscalculia”) is a term used to describe specific learning disabilities that affect a child’s ability to understand, learn, and perform math and number-based operations.

Honora Wall, Ed.D., founder of the Dyscalculia Training and Research Institute, calls it “a type of neurodivergence: A difference in brain development or function.”

That’s an important distinction: Dyscalculia is a neurological condition that affects numerical cognition and processing. It has nothing to do with being “bad at math” or not “trying hard enough.”
Between 5 and 7% of elementary school-aged children may have dyscalculia, which is believed to affect girls and boys equally.

It is important to note that not all difficulties in math are caused by dyscalculia. Dyslexia, ADHD, and other conditions can also pose challenges for math students.

Nor is dyscalculia simply “math dyslexia.” Dyscalculia and dyslexia are entirely separate learning disorders that affect different areas of cognition and involve distinct difficulties.

How dyscalculia might present itself

Dyscalculia manifests in various ways in the math classroom. Here are some examples of how it can appear:

  • When engaging in activities like games involving dice, students may need to count the individual dots to recognize a number rolled, rather than intuitively recognizing it.
  • Students might have difficulty connecting the numerical symbol “5” (for example) to the word “five.” Making this connection is essential for associating numbers with their meanings.
  • Students may be delayed in learning to count, or lose track or rely on visual aids (like their fingers) when they count.

Such students may also have a hard time:

  • Solving math problems.
  • Recognizing or creating patterns.
  • Learning basic math functions.
  • Estimating how long a task will take.
  • Processing visual-spatial ideas such as charts and graphs, or even telling left from right.
  • Remembering phone numbers or zip codes.
  • Playing games that involve counting or keeping score.
  • Telling time.

The connection between mathematics anxiety and dyscalculia

Math anxiety is an emotional response to math that presents as apprehension or fear. Some call it mathematics phobia. It may include physical symptoms such as sweating, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and other physical symptoms of anxiety. It’s similar to other types of anxiety, but it’s exclusive to math.

But, most important in this context, it’s not itself a neurological or cognitive condition.

So dyscalculia and math anxiety are not the same, but they may go hand in hand—perhaps with one exacerbating the other. Students with dyscalculia might develop math anxiety due to repeated challenges and frustrations in learning math.

Understanding this connection—and working to alleviate math anxiety—is crucial for educators aiming to create a supportive learning environment.

Tips for assisting students with dyscalculia

Here are some practical strategies educators can use to support students with dyscalculia:

  • Teach positive self-talk and persistence: Encourage students to develop a “growth mindset,” reinforcing that effort and persistence (as well as making mistakes) are essential to overcoming challenges.
  • Provide organizational aids: Use graph paper to help students line up numbers correctly, which aids in precision during calculations.
  • Use manipulatives: Tools like counters and blocks can make math feel more tangible, helping students grasp abstract concepts.
  • Focus on singular tasks: Present one math problem at a time to prevent students from feeling overwhelmed and allow for focused attention.
  • Allow more time: Give students the opportunity to work at their own pace, acknowledging that they may need more time to process numerical information.
  • Grant calculator access: Allowing calculators can reduce stress and help students solve problems more efficiently.
  • Make math fun and engaging: Incorporate interactive platforms such as Desmos Classroom to create an enjoyable and interactive learning experience.

More to explore

mCLASS® with DIBELS® 8th Edition for Colorado

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mCLASS Lectura Review for Colorado

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Welcome, Salem-Keizer School District, to the next chapter in the Science of Reading, with Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition!

Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts® (CKLA) is approved by the Oregon Department of Education. 

Truly built on the Science of Reading, Amplify CKLA helps Oregon teachers implement the Oregon English Language Arts and Literacy Standards by translating the science of reading into manageable, engaging, and effective classroom practices. For more than a decade, Amplify CKLA has transformed classrooms nationwide with its intentional knowledge building and systematic skills instruction.

Scroll down to learn how CKLA is uniquely designed to help all your students make learning leaps in literacy.

Download CKLA Program Guide
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Our approach

Improve outcomes with a program that’s built on a decade of research and meets the strongest ESSA Tier I criteria.

Diagram illustrating the Simple View of Reading model, depicting language comprehension and word recognition pathways converging into skilled reading, with processes becoming increasingly strategic and automatic—a foundational concept in literacy curriculum for elementary education.

Grounded in the Science of Reading

As the original Science of Reading program, Amplify CKLA puts research into action with explicit, systematic foundational skills instruction and a proven knowledge-building sequence. In collaboration with education experts and practitioners, we provide powerful resources that deliver real results.

Success stories

Background knowledge drives results

Amplify CKLA follows the Core Knowledge Sequence, a content-specific, cumulative, and coherent approach to knowledge building. This approach improves reading scores and closes achievement gaps by establishing a robust knowledge base that strengthens comprehension.

In Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition, we’ve enriched our Knowledge Sequence with a wider range of perspectives and high-quality texts in new and enhanced units.

See units and connections
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Build foundational skills for long-term success.

Students progress from simple to complex skill development starting with phonological and phonemic awareness. Instruction in Grades K–2 explicitly teaches the 150 spellings for the 44 sounds of English, following an intentional progression to ensure student success.

In our 3rd Edition, we’ve added dedicated Grade 3 foundational skills instruction that can either support core lessons or function as an intervention, based on student needs.

Skills by year

Daily writing deepens learning.

Grounded in the Science of Writing—the research on how kids learn to write—instruction is explicit, daily, and woven into the curriculum’s rich content. It covers both transcription (handwriting and spelling) and composition (organizing ideas into narratives) with high-impact activities like sentence-level combining and expanding, and pre-writing exercises. Writing and reading instruction are integrated so students simultaneously strengthen their communication skills, comprehension, and confidence.

See the Simple View of Writing
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High-quality, diverse texts

Amplify CKLA students are immersed in a variety of texts—complex read-alouds, decodable chapter books, trade books, and content-rich readers—that reflect varied experiences and connect to learning goals.

Readers are 100% decodable for Grades K–2, empowering students to directly apply what they’ve learned. Novel Study units for Grades 3–5 offer a mix of contemporary and classic literature, and Culminating Research Units in every grade include a set of authentic texts and trade books.

See Research Unit trade books

Reach all learners with differentiated support.

Scaffolds and challenges, developed in collaboration with education experts, make content accessible to every student—including multilingual and English learners. With strategies embedded right in the curriculum, teachers can deliver in-the-moment, individualized instruction to meet diverse student needs.

For a dedicated English language development program aligned to Amplify CKLA, explore Language Studio.

View embedded support
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What’s included with Amplify CKLA

The comprehensive resources in Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition support effective literacy instruction in every classroom.

Download CKLA Components Guide
Download CKLA Writing Brochure
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Easy-to-use teacher materials

Amplify CKLA teachers are empowered to deliver effective instruction with the following print and digital resources:

  • Teacher Guides (K–5)
  • Assessment Guides (K–5)
  • Authentic texts and trade books (K–5)
  • Knowledge Image Cards (K–2)
  • Knowledge Flip Books (K–2, digital)
  • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens (K–5, digital)
  • Remediation and intervention resources (K–5)
  • On-demand professional development (K–5, digital)

Immersive Amplify CKLA student resources

Amplify CKLA students stay engaged with the following print and digital resources:

  • Decodable readers (K–2)
  • Student Readers and novels (3–5)
  • Student Activity Books (K–5)
  • Poet’s Journal (3–5)
  • eReaders (K–5, digital)
  • Sound Library featuring articulation videos and songs (K–2, digital)
  • Skill-building practice games (K–5)
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Rich literary experiences

All the high-quality, diverse texts in Amplify CKLA connect to the curriculum, fostering your students’ curiosity and helping them learn to read with confidence.

  • Trade Book Collections (K–5) inspire student research in each grade’s Culminating Research Unit.
  • Classic and contemporary literature (3–5) delight students in Novel Study Units.
  • Increasingly complex Student Readers (K–5) develop students’ literacy across grades.

Hands-on phonics materials

Multisensory phonics and foundational skills resources engage students with fun, varied approaches that promote mastery and build independence.

  • Chaining Folders and Small Letter Cards (K)
  • Read-Aloud Big Books (K–1)
  • Large Letter Cards (K–2)
  • Sound Cards (K–2)
  • Image Cards (K–3)
  • Blending Picture Cards (K)
  • Consonant and Vowel Code Posters and Spelling Cards (1–2)
  • Sound Library (K–2, digital)
Image includes various vowel sounds and combinations on flashcards and worksheets, along with a playful illustrated mammal, all part of a comprehensive literacy curriculum for elementary students.
A laptop displays a student screen showing a quiz question about word usage, part of a literacy curriculum for elementary students. Behind it, a computer monitor shows an assessment report interface. Abstract decorative elements are in the background.

All-in-one digital platform

Our comprehensive platform simplifies your day-to-day tasks and makes it easier to plan and deliver lessons.

  • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens
  • Auto-scored digital assessments
  • Standards-based reporting
  • Assignable skill-building games
  • Sound Library
  • eReaders

Professional development

Move beyond traditional program training with Amplify’s digital PD Library, designed to fully support your shift to the Science of Reading and Amplify CKLA. Deepen your understanding with:

  • Program and planning resources
  • Model lesson videos from real classrooms
  • Guidance on using Amplify’s literacy suite to provide multi-tiered support
Two women are seated at a table with papers and a laptop. One woman is working on the literacy curriculum for elementary grades, while the other is smiling.
“Teachers love the ease of implementing the program, and students have fun while learning. Growth is evident in our data, and we have the support of Amplify experts who are available to answer questions and provide top-notch professional development.”

Bridget Vaughan, District K–8 Coordinator of ELA and Literacy

Quincy Public Schools, Massachusetts

Language Studio: Multilingual and English language learner support

Language Studio is Amplify CKLA’s dedicated K–5 program for multilingual and English language learners. Through daily 30-minute lessons, it strengthens reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills while reinforcing core instruction. This tailored support empowers students to confidently access grade-level content as they develop academic English.

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Curriculum Maps

Amplify CKLA serves

150,000+

Classrooms

4,000,000+

Students

50

U.S. States and D.C.

Amplify Caminos program overview

¡El futuro es bilingüe! | The future is bilingual!

Amplify Caminos is a research-based core curriculum essential for Spanish literacy and grounded in the Science of Reading.

View our Caminos Program Guide to find our approach to foundational skills by year, skills practice with student readers and writing, and how Caminos supports teachers meeting the needs of all students with embedded differentiation.

Download Caminos Program Guide

Amplify Caminos offers a robust and authentic elementary Spanish language arts program for grades K–5 that promotes
biliteracy and helps teachers inspire students as they become confident readers, writers, and thinkers in Spanish.

Amplify Caminos offers a robust and authentic elementary Spanish language arts program for grades K–5 that promotes
biliteracy and helps teachers inspire students as they become confident readers, writers, and thinkers in Spanish.

View the video below to learn more about Amplify Caminos. 

Ilustración de un niño alegre participando en el programa de lectura de CKLA, jugando fútbol junto a un libro abierto, con una tortuga, un loro y un exuberante paisaje tropical rodeándolos. La palabra "

Using the program’s two strands, Caminos Conocimiento and Caminos Lectoescritura, teachers develop student
comprehension in Spanish through a program rich in background knowledge and foundational skills activities. The texts students encounter include authentic Spanish literature that honor Spanish language development and build diverse content knowledge in social studies, science, literature, and the arts.

Amplify Caminos is designed to support a variety of bilingual and dual language instructional models to meet your student’s biliteracy needs. Combined with its English language partner, Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA), Amplify Caminos provides a comprehensive biliteracy solution.

Illustration of the amplify caminos language comprehension model, featuring step-by-step progression from simple word recognition to skilled reading, with educational graphics and text excerpts.

Amplify Caminos delivers rich, authentic experiences.

With a robust digital experience and expanding library of online materials, Amplify Caminos provides everything needed to support, challenge, and engage your students. From digital Teacher Guides to lesson projectables, we provide all the tools needed to successfully deliver every lesson.

How Amplify Caminos works with Amplify CKLA

Through direct instruction, both Amplify Caminos and Amplify CKLA develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in their respective languages. Together, the programs empower educators to effectively foster biliteracy with:

  • Intentional knowledge building that connects topics throughout the program.
  • Increased metalinguistic awareness from students exploring the similarities and differences in each language while strengthening their knowledge across both.
  • Equitable instruction using high-quality Spanish and English decodable readers that provide students with opportunities to apply skills learned, and foster each students’ growing competency in reading.
“There were other programs that claimed to be [based on the] Science of Reading, but no other vendor provided the suite of products together. We did not want to be picking from here, picking from there. [Amplify’s literacy suite] met our needs, because it aligned and provided us the best suite of products, hands down.”

Nicole Peterson, Principal, Midway Middle School

Sampson County Schools, North Carolina

Demo Access

Explore the CKLA Teacher Digital Resources

First, watch the quick navigation video to the right. Then, follow the directions below.

  • Go to: learning.amplify.com or click the Access CKLA Teacher Digital button below
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter this username: t1.salem_keizer_3e_cam@demo.tryamplify.net
  • Enter this password: Amplify1-salem_keizer_3e_cam
  • Click the CKLA button
  • Select your desired grade level from the Program drop down
Access CKLA Teacher Digital

Follow the directions below to access the Student Resource Site:

  • Go to: learning.amplify.com or click the Access CKLA Student Digital button below
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter this username: s1.salem_keizer_3e_cam@demo.tryamplify.net
  • Enter this password: Amplify1-salem_keizer_3e_cam
  • From the main page, click the backpack in the top right corner.
  • Click on the grade level to select your desired grade.
Access CKLA Student Digital

Welcome, New Mexico educators!

Teaching is always challenging, often exhausting, and sometimes exhilarating. At Amplify, we want New Mexico teachers to experience more exhilaration—more great classroom moments, more great days when you’re reminded why you became a teacher. We create high-quality programs that make it easier for you to teach inspiring, impactful lessons that celebrate and develop the brilliance of your students.

Thank you for taking the time to review Amplify’s high quality programs, and thank you for what you do every day!

With great respect,

Your New Mexico Amplify team

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Amplify Science

Amplify is proud to announce that Amplify Science K–8 has been fully adopted by New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) and we’re excited to share it with you! Amplify Science empowers New Mexico students to think, read, and write like real scientists and engineers. Amplify Science K–8 received all-green ratings in EdReports’ review of national science curricula. Read the review on EdReports.

Explore Amplify Science

Amplify Desmos Math

Amplify Desmos Math is a new, curiosity-driven program for grades K–12 that builds lifelong math proficiency. Through a structured approach to problem-based learning, Amplify Desmos Math helps teachers create a collaborative math community with students at its center.

Explore Amplify Desmos Math
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A laptop displays a math subtraction activity with a frog, while two Amplify Desmos Math teacher edition books are shown in the background.

mCLASS Math

Expect more from your assessments with mCLASS® Math, a brand-new benchmarking and progress-monitoring assessment system.

Explore mCLASS Math

Amplify Tutoring

Amplify Tutoring is an ESSER and Title funded, high-impact tutoring program that complements the efforts of K–6 students, educators and families in building reading proficiency and confidence.

Explore ways to bring Amplify Tutoring to your students today!

Explore Amplify Tutoring
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Amplify CKLA PreK–5

Using a fundamentally different approach to language arts, Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts® (CKLA) is a PreK–5 program that sequences deep content knowledge with research-based foundational skills. Amplify CKLA met expectations and received all-green ratings from EdReports. Read the review on EdReports.

Explore Amplify CKLA

Amplify ELA 6–8

Amplify ELA is the only program truly designed to support middle school students at this critical developmental moment. We ensure that skills are taught, standards are covered, and the test is prepped–all while bringing texts to life and differentiating instruction. Read the review on EdReports.

Explore Amplify ELA
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High-Quality professional development

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

Learn more

Contact us

Support is always available. Our team is dedicated to supporting teachers and districts across New Mexico and can be reached at any time by email or phone.

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Katie Gentry-Funk

Senior Account Executive
Districts over 2,100 students
(505) 301-7382
kgentry-funk@amplify.com

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Dana Blumberg

Account Executive
Districts under 2,100 students &
Archdiocese of Santa Fe schools
(847) 528-1822
dblumberg@amplify.com

Amplify Customer Experience Hiring

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Hello, Colorado leaders!

In partnership with CDE, we’re excited to offer a number of opportunities for Colorado educators in the Early Literacy Assessment Tool (ELAT) Project this school year.

This site will keep you informed on available professional development opportunities and provide access to resources and videos in support of a seamless implementation throughout the school year.

Need help?

Please contact Kim Ballantyne with additional questions.

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News and updates

Sign up Now for 25-26 Professional Development

Returning ELAT participants for the 25-26 school year sign up here

New to ELAT participants for the 25-26 school year sign up here

Professional learning journey

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Prepare

Begin

Practice

Advance
Program-agnostic sessions will set up educators for success in areas such as the Science of Reading and/or problem-based approaches to math. Program-aligned packages will support those who are new to Amplify’s programs. Program-aligned packages will support those who have experience using Amplify’s programs. Offerings will support advanced implementation, build capacity for instructional leaders, certify in-house trainers to deliver Launch sessions, and more.

Significant, lasting change is more likely when you take a systemic approach. Partner with us to do just that by developing a professional development plan that will drive your program implementation, enrich your instructional practices, and increase student impact. Begin and Practice packages are available for assessment programs, while tiered sessions are available for intervention programs.

With a range of unique packages for each phase of implementation, professional learning sessions are strategically bundled for multiple touch points throughout the year. High-quality sessions set you up for success with Amplify programs—whether you’re years into using them or just starting.

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Launch sessions

Recommended timing: Beginning-of-year

Propel your teachers into the new school year with sessions that introduce them to their Amplify program and support them in a strong implementation.

  1. mCLASS DIBELS® 8th Edition and/or mCLASS Lectura administration and instruction essentials
  2. mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and/or mCLASS Lectura administration and scoring training
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Strengthen sessions

Recommended timing: Mid-year, end-of-year

Boost implementation with sessions that target specific instructional practices.

  1. Progress monitoring to drive student outcomes for teachers
  2. Measuring student growth across benchmarks for teachers
  3. Data walk-through for leaders
  4. Creating a data-driven classroom for teachers
  5. Building a data-driven culture for leaders
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Coach sessions

Recommended timing: Mid-year, end-of-year

Guide teachers and leaders with targeted learning tailored to their specific needs.

Additional Coach opportunities with an Amplify trainer (Use this survey to sign up.)

Important information

In partnership with CDE, we’re excited to offer a number of opportunities for Colorado educators in the ELAT (Early Literacy Assessment Tool) Project this school year.

  • For schools new to the ELAT Project (2024–25): Sign up for professional development.
  • For schools returning to the ELAT Project (2024–25): Sign up for professional development.

Need help? Please direct any questions about ELAT Professional Development to Kim Ballantyne, PD Strategist. If you have questions related to CDE, please contact Megan Rogers.

Participation notebooks for mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura can be found here.

Complete this survey for your training. Your trainer will provide you with a six-digit code to complete the survey.

View the mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura Benchmark Scoring here.

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Additional resources

Check out Amplify for the most up-to-date information and resources provided by Amplify, such as:

Meet the Team

Kim Ballantyne

Professional Development Strategist

Kballantyne@amplify.com 

CDE ELAT support

elat@cde.state.co.us 

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Questions?

Need an answer fast? Our chat agents are standing by to assist you! Simply log in at learning.amplify.com and click the orange chat button in the bottom right corner. Here, you can chat live with our support team or search the help collection for step-by-step guidance.

Welcome, Washington County!

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Hello, Alaska teachers and leaders!

The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) has selected Amplify’s mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition as the statewide literacy screener to help with the early identification of students with required additional reading support.  mCLASS is a foundational literacy assessment based on the Science of Reading.

As the approved screening tool for the AK Reads Act, mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition should be administered three times each school year. Together, Amplify and DEED will strategically and confidently support teachers and families to help students improve their reading skills with mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition.

Log in to access your mCLASS program and hundreds of resources at learning.amplify.com.

Want advice and answers from the Amplify team?

Search here
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Introduction to mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition

mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition is an English universal screener and progress monitoring reading assessment tool. It measures foundational literacy skills, creates instant groups, and includes targeted teacher-led instructional plans.

Get started with mCLASS

The power to know every student

Precise one-minute measures based on predictive data allow mCLASS to provide individualized instruction.

Deep insights

Intuitive reporting for teachers and administrators supports data-driven decisions to achieve student growth.

Immediate support for at-risk students

Universal and dyslexia screening in one validated assessment tool identifies your at-risk students at the earliest levels.

Rigorous, teacher-led intervention

Receive the analytical tools and resources needed to deliver targeted, staff-led intervention to students.

Don’t miss out!

What’s new:

  • Download the 2025-26 EOY checklist, and be prepared to administer the end-of-year benchmark assessments.
  • New mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition professional development sessions are now available! Register below for available sessions.
  • Click here to learn more about the Alaska mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition Calibration Module. Anyone administering mCLASS assessments must complete the Alaska mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition Calibration Module with a passing score.
  • Each participating district will receive mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition Assessment kits. One kit, per grade, K-3 will be shipped. Materials can also be downloaded for free. If you would like to purchase additional kits, please email Kristen Rockstrah or Alicia O’Neil.

Technical onboarding

Visit our Technical Onboarding hub for information and resources to help guide you through setting up digital access to your Amplify products.

Enrolling with multiple Amplify programs?

For additional support in enrolling when using multiple Amplify programs, contact support.

Professional learning

There are many exciting learning opportunities available for Alaska teachers and leaders. Access session recordings, training resources, and more.

For more information, please reach out to your Amplify PD representative:

Erin Replogle
Professional Development Strategist, Literacy
ereplogle@amplify.com

About mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition initial training

Districts have been registering for district-specific initial training. If you’re unable to make your district’s scheduled session, you can register for another district’s training.  Seats are limited in these sessions, so please sign up early if you are interested in attending.

In addition, anyone administering mCLASS assessments must complete the Alaska mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition Calibration Module with a passing score.

Initial training

Initial mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition training

New to mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition? This session will prepare educators to administer the mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition measures and help them use this data to enhance their classroom instruction.

April 1st & April 8th: 1 pm – 4 pm
April 6th: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
April 11th: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
April 15th: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm

Assessing with fidelity for teachers—1 hour

Already trained in mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition but want to brush up on your administration practices? Join us for this 1-hour session to review assessment administration information and practice assessing students on PSF or NWF.

New sessions coming soon!

Strengthening

Creating a data-driven classroom for teachers—3 hours

This three-hour training session is geared toward teachers who have completed at least one mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition benchmark administration and are ready to begin analyzing student data to make instructional decisions.

New sessions coming soon!

Progress monitoring to drive student outcomes for teachers—1 hour

This one-hour training session is geared toward teachers who have completed at least one mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition benchmark administration and are ready to implement mCLASS progress monitoring and MTSS best practices to track student progress and accelerate growth.

New sessions coming soon!

Data conversations

Understanding and communicating mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition results with stakeholders—1 hour

This session is designed to extend educators’ understanding of norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessments, how they apply to their student’s mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition results, and how to facilitate and support parent communication.

New sessions coming soon!

Instructional leaders

mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition data walkthrough for leaders—1 hour

Cultivate a school-wide culture of data-driven practices. Use mCLASS reports to drill into key school-level data and leave with a systems-level action plan to drive stronger student and teacher outcomes.

New sessions coming soon!

mCLASS DIBELS 8 Reporting Basics for Leaders – 1 hour

Examine your school-level mCLASS benchmark assessment data to identify key levers for improving student outcomes

New sessions coming soon!

Professional development opportunities are added frequently.

*Please note that sessions require a minimum number of participants. Sessions that do not have sufficient registration may be canceled. Please encourage your colleagues and administrators to promote sessions you believe would be helpful to fellow educators.

Coming soon!

Explore the complete Professional Development Library and the Amplify Webinar Library.

View the mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition Benchmark Scoring:

Learn about additional Assessment Measures (RAN, Spelling, Vocabulary, Oral Language).

Access help articles, videos, and tutorials to support your mCLASS onboarding and implementation.

Benchmark and reporting

Table showing which Alaska mCLASS reading measures are assessed at each grade level, from kindergarten to grade 5, with checkmarks indicating assessed skills per grade.

Beginning-of-year (BOY): August 18, 2025—September 26, 2025
Middle-of-year (MOY): December 1, 2025–January 26, 2026
End-of-year (EOY): April 30, 2026–May 15, 2026

If you need to change your benchmark window, please contact support.

We at Amplify and the team at the University of Oregon are here to provide continued guidance and support around collecting and using mCLASS data.

mCLASS can be administered in many ways, including remotely. This site will give guidance on the options to best support your students in any learning environment.

A student wearing headphones looks at a laptop screen and uses the touchpad while seated at a desk in a classroom.

mCLASS gives you detailed insight into your students’ reading development across foundational literacy skills, empowering educators with instructional recommendations specific to each student’s unique needs.

Access the mCLASS Reporting Guide to find a wealth of valuable reporting information that mCLASS provides for everyone, from classroom teachers and literacy specialists to principals and district leaders, as well as parents and guardians at home.

mCLASS Reporting Guide

In addition to the Reporting Guide, please view the following help and tutorial resources.

A measure should be invalidated, or deleted, when an interruption or mistake occurs that undermines the validity of the score. Examples include the following:

  • The wrong student was assessed.
  • There were interruptions, such as from intercom announcements or fire drills.
  • There were scoring errors that cannot easily be corrected.
Screenshot of an mCLASS dashboard showing class reading summary data, with student performance categorized by color-coded benchmark levels.

Explore more programs.

A flowchart showing five steps: mCLASS Assessment, Amplify CKLA, Boost Reading, mCLASS Intervention, and Science of Reading professional development.

We are the gold standard in early literacy. Our proven early literacy suite of assessment, instruction, and intervention is more powerful than ever. Unlock the power of our full literacy suite with programs designed to enable every student to build robust foundational skills and grow at all reading levels. Learn more about our related programs.

Get started with mCLASS
A woman and a young girl sit together at a table while the woman points at an iPad screen. They appear to be engaging in a learning activity.

mCLASS Intervention

Follow a research-based, targeted skills progression and use mCLASS benchmark and progress monitoring data to create groups and daily lesson plans for 10-day cycles.

Learn more

Two boys sitting at desks in a classroom talk to each other, with a paper cutout of a light bulb placed between them on the desk.

Amplify CKLA

Built on the Science of Reading, Amplify CKLA features an explicit, systematic approach that leverages multisensory instruction and provides instruction for students from all walks of life.

Learn more

Students learning Boost Reading lesson

Boost Reading

Delivers adaptive instruction, practice, and intervention support through highly engaging games and activities, freeing educators up to work with small groups.

Learn more

Students in a classroom focus on reading and writing tasks. An orange badge with the text "Built on the Science of Reading" is displayed.

Science of Reading

Discover how the Science of Reading is for everyone! All students—from multilingual/English learners to middle schoolers to your most confident young readers—benefit from the research-based, proven literacy instruction indicated by the Science of Reading.

Learn more

Need more help?

Log in at learning.amplify.com, and click the gray chat button in the bottom right corner to chat live with our support team.

Our Help Center contains searchable articles and resources to answer many of your questions.

Contact us at (877)-810-4919 for dedicated account support.

If you need additional support, please contact our support team.

NYC Solves Regents Prep A1

Hello NYC high school math educators!

Welcome to Amplify Desmos Math NYC Solves Regents Prep A1. This sequence of lessons is specifically designed for students who passed Algebra 1 in eighth grade but did not pass the NYS Regents exam in June. The instructional resources are accessed through the Amplify Desmos Math platform, affording students a highly engaging experience to prepare them for the January administration of the Regents by reinforcing conceptual understanding.

On this site, you’ll find a variety of resources to guide you in learning more about the course and how to get started.

Ready to jump in? This quick start guide will help you take the first steps to get started. Remember to use your NYCDOE email for access. 

Laptop displaying a math website called Desmos Math 6–A1, featuring an interactive exercise involving a sketch of a car and graphs.
amplify math middle schoolers in classroom

About Amplify Desmos Math

Amplify Desmos Math 6–A1 is based on the highly rated IM K–12™ curricula from Illustrative Mathematics, with extensive enhancements that include teacher supports, interactivity, assessments, and reporting.

The program is aligned with the expectations outlined in the New York City Department of Education Definition of Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education and the New York State Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework.

Download the CR-SE alignment.

Your NYC Solves Regents Prep A1 course uses key lessons and activities from Amplify Desmos Math to prepare students for the A1 Regents.

NYC webinar series

Figuring out how to implement a problem-based learning approach to mathematics can be fun—and challenging. Rest assured that you will not be alone on this journey. Amplify will be by your side every step of the way. Our back-to-school math webinar series for K–8 administrators and teachers:

  • Introduces the new NYC Solves initiative.
  • Establishes the foundation for all educators to effectively understand and implement the NYCPS Shifts in Mathematics in their classrooms.
  • Provides an overview of Amplify Desmos Math, the pre-approved NYCPS curriculum chosen to ensure every school can successfully implement these math shifts and is supported with high-level, tailored professional development and coaching throughout the process.

Please see the specific webinars and the recordings below to learn more!

On-demand webinar 1
[Aug. 29 and Sept. 3, 2024]

Would you like to learn more about the NYCPS Shifts in Mathematics and enhance your understanding of each of the five shifts?

Explore how the NYCPS math shifts are transforming mathematics education from a procedural approach to a more engaging, discoverable, and connected learning experience.

Listen to the Understanding the NYCPS Shifts in Mathematics session recording.

On-demand webinar 2
[Sept. 10 and Sept. 12, 2024]

Let’s unpack the why, what, and how to unlock every student’s mathematical mind and build math proficiency for life! In this webinar, we discuss the power of teaching our children to be skilled mathematicians through a structured approach to problem solving

Listen to the Unlocking Mathematical Minds: A Structured Approach to Problem-Based Learning session recording.

On-demand webinar 3
[Sept. 17 and Sept. 19, 2024]

For some educators, transitioning to problem-based learning might seem daunting. There is often concern that its open-ended nature could derail students from achieving mathematical goals. However, by finding the right balance between open-ended opportunities and structured classroom activities, students can be encouraged to share their thinking while meeting key learning targets. Uncover simple shifts that educators can implement to foster open-ended student thinking while maintaining focus on mathematical instructional goals.

Listen to the Making the Shift to Problem-Based Learning session recording.

Live webinar 4
[Oct. 1 and Oct. 3, 2024]

Learn More and Experience Amplify Desmos Math LIVE, an NYCPS Approved Math Curricula.

This is the final session of the series. Amplify Desmos Math New York K–A1 is math that motivates! During this session, you’ll experience a Grade 6 lesson that captures the essence of NYC Solves.

Choose from two convenient times and register below:

Program features to know

Screenshot of an educational module titled "Balloon Float" on Desmos Classroom. It focuses on proportional relationships with tables and lists goals related to quantities, patterns, and numerical relationships.

Desmos Classroom digital lessons

Digital lessons should be powerful in their ability to surface student thinking and spark interesting and productive discussions. We’ve joined forces with Desmos Classroom to bring this vision to life with a complete library of interactive, collaborative lessons.

A screenshot of an educational software showing a turtle race. Users write equations for four turtles to determine their speed. Lane 4 is empty, waiting for an equation to be written. Graph and table included.

Engaging student experience

Relevant content and interactive math tools create an intuitive and engaging student experience. Plus, working together in real-time allows students to see that communicating their ideas and learning from each other are important parts of math class.

Laptop screen displaying an illustrative mathematics pattern on a grid in a graphics editing software interface, with annotations and tool icons visible.

Visibility into student thinking

Imagine having more visibility into your students’ mathematical thinking. Now imagine students have access to this same information. With our collaborative lesson interface and teacher dashboard, students stay engaged. What’s more, they have visibility into the thinking of their peers—exposing them to a wider variety of approaches to solving the same problem.

A screenshot displays a Pizza Maker educational tool. Four pizzas are shown, and a question about oven temperature for multiple pizzas is posed. Various student responses are visible below.

Ready-to-teach lessons

The two tracks for scope and sequence include ready-to-teach lessons to prepare students for the A1 Regents. Lessons come complete with slides, step-by-step teaching notes, suggested student and teacher responses, tips for incorporating instructional routines, support for developing mathematical language, and links to useful resources. Teachers can also control what slides students see, giving teachers the ability to control the pace of the lesson to suit the needs of the class.

Planning for instruction

To start using the program quickly in your classroom, check out the following onboarding videos, guide, and planning resources. They cover what you need to know to get going fast.

Amplify Desmos Math Regents Prep Course Session I

NYC Solves Regents Prep A1 is customized specifically to meet the needs of students in ninth grade preparing for the Algebra 1 Regents exam. Within each document below, you’ll find the scope and sequence with course structure and lessons.

Screenshot of an educational website's dashboard, displaying colorful banners for math 6, math 7, math 8, and algebra 1 courses under the featured collections section.

Logging in to access the program

Login instructions:

Questions? Check out this Tech FAQ for more information.

Additional support:

A desktop screen displaying various educational graphs and charts, including trajectory and bar graphs, with icons and text details related to Desmos math lessons.

Lesson Sampler

Amplify Desmos Math delivers the instructional power of student-centered learning in a lesson format that’s teacher-friendly and manageable.

With easy-to-follow instructional support, implementing a problem-based program is effective and enjoyable for both you and your students. Paired with the Desmos Classroom digital experience, math class becomes fun and dynamic, with plenty of opportunities for students to talk through their reasoning, work with their peers, and gain new understanding.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Algebra 1, Teacher Edition" depicting students interacting with mathematical graphs and geometric shapes in a futuristic setting.

Algebra 1 [A1] Teacher Edition Sampler

LEARN MORE 

A math worksheet titled "Working Backwards" featuring a warm-up exercise involving a number machine, with a table to complete for different values of x and an illustration of machine operations.

Algebra 1 [A1] Student Edition Sampler

LEARN MORE 

Additional features

Universal design

Every student is brilliant, and every student has brilliant mathematical ideas worth sharing and cultivating. Incorporating principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) into lessons brings students’ brilliance to the forefront. UDL is a research-based framework designed to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

A feedback form with two questions, "How well did you understand the math in this lesson?" and "How did you feel about learning math in this lesson?" with corresponding emoji options for responses, perfectly complements the New York Math curriculum.

Diversity and representation

Helping students develop strong, healthy, and flexible math identities is a cornerstone of our program. Throughout the curriculum, students are taught that they themselves are mathematicians, that today’s math has been shaped by a diverse range of mathematicians who deserve to be celebrated, and that learning is never finished.

Illustration of a laptop displaying various colorful icons and graphics representing diverse professions and historical figures on its screen, emphasizing illustrative mathematics and desmos math concepts through its displayed content.

Assessments

Less exciting, but essential for learning: assessments. Amplify Desmos Math features a robust variety of formative and summative assessments, including readiness checks, exit tickets, quizzes, end-of-unit tests, and benchmarks aligned with New York State Next Generation Mathematics Learning Standards.

Illustration of a laptop displaying various colorful icons and graphics representing diverse professions and historical figures on its screen, emphasizing illustrative mathematics and desmos math concepts through its displayed content.

Reporting

Not only do our reports reveal progress toward standard mastery, they also include details on how students performed against the standard in the past and how many encounters are yet to come. This feature alone helps teachers prioritize instruction and intervene with additional resources when necessary.

A computer screen displays a New York math skills tracking interface, highlighting standard 6.EE.C.9, with progress indicators and a class average score of 74% shown in a yellow pie chart.

Looking for help?

Throughout your implementation, you can reach our support team by live chat, phone, or email Monday through Friday,
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET.

  • Chat: Click the orange icon while logged in to get immediate help.
  • Phone: Call our dedicated support line for NYCPS (888) 960-0380.
  • Email: Send an email to help@amplify.com. In the message body, please include your name and question. Provide as much detail as possible, so we can help you find a solution.
A laptop screen displays an educational curriculum interface with a list of core units and colorful illustrated unit tiles for sixth grade ELA.

Welcome to Amplify Desmos Math California!

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

Scroll to learn more about the program and explore sample materials.

About the program

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

Please scroll to learn more about the K–8 program and explore sample materials. (TK and high school materials are in development and will be available soon.)

A powerful math suite

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

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

Assessment

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

Core instruction

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

An educational game screen with a worm on a log and numbered blocks. Adjacent is a worksheet titled "Finding the Missing Pair" with instructions and incomplete equations.
A digital educational screen showing a math problem about converting meters to centimeters. It involves a diving toy sinking 5 meters into a pool. Text prompts users to input the conversion.

Personalized learning

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

Intervention

Integrated resources like Mini-Lessons, Fluency Practice, and Math Adventures provide targeted intervention on a specific concept or skill connected to the daily lesson. Extensions are also available to stretch students’ understanding.

Two pages of a math workbook displaying exercises on determining coordinates after rotation. The pages include diagrams, tables, and practice problems.
Network diagram with interconnected nodes labeled: Measure and Compare Objects, Represent Data, Dollars and Cents, Problem Solving with Measure, Skip Counting to 100, Number Strategies, Squares in an Array, Seeing Fraction in Shapes.

Big Ideas

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

Focus, coherence, and rigor

Each lesson highlights why the content being covered is important, how students will engage with the mathematics, and what students will do with the learning. Our lesson opener helps teachers understand the most important concepts of the lesson, and includes the Drivers of Investigation (DI), Content Connections (CC), and Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMP) that drive learning in each lesson.

An educational slide on addition story problems, detailing goals for solving problems, language goals, and strategies using equal expressions, tens and ones, and number sense.
A screen titled "Match the Score" with a 2D target graph showing various scores. Instructions request four ordered pairs to total 400. Four pairs are listed: (4, 2), (7, 4), (7, 6), (10, 6). A "Try again" button is shown.

Built-in authentic tasks

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

Each unit begins with an “Explore” lesson, which allows students to engage with authentic exploration in low-floor, high-ceiling tasks. These tasks are designed in such a way that all students can access the basic mathematical concepts, but they also offer possibilities for advanced exploration and problem-solving for those ready for more complex work, promoting an inclusive and differentiated learning environment.

Our innovative course-level investigations are designed to facilitate multipart exploration. Students grapple with Big Ideas, diving deep into key concepts that encourage comprehensive understanding. Data science is infused into the approach, equipping students with a strong foundation in interpreting and applying data-driven solutions. The Environmental Principles and Concepts (EP&Cs) are also a focus of our investigations, enabling students to understand and appreciate the coherence and interrelationship of Earth’s environmental systems.

A focus on multilingual and English learners

Children sitting at desks in a classroom with a large illustrated caterpillar on the wall. Beside them are printed educational materials labeled “Amplify Desmos Math” and “Ying’s Aquarium Story.”.

In building Amplify Desmos Math California, we partnered with the English Learner Success Forum (ELSF) to provide guidance on our multilingual/English learner support for teachers. ELSF is a national nonprofit organization that advocates for high-quality instructional materials that are inclusive of multilingual learners. ELSF’s guiding documents reflect research-based instructional strategies that are critical to curriculum design and were created by researchers, linguists, and practitioners from across the country. ELSF reviewed our materials and provided directional guidance and feedback to ensure that the program fully supports multilingual/English learners.

A component of our K–5 curriculum is the engaging unit stories that interweave mathematics with real-life situations and relatable narratives. These unit stories are specifically crafted to inspire curiosity and foster a deep connection between the learner and the math concepts being explored. This unique approach not only makes learning fun and interesting, but also allows our young learners to see themselves in the math.

To help students grow their domain-specific and academic vocabulary, Amplify Desmos Math California provides embedded vocabulary routines, such as prompting teachers to use a Frayer Model. These routines allow students to make connections to new language and offer repeated opportunities to develop and refine language.

Amplify Desmos Math California recognizes the diverse language needs of our students and is designed to be inclusive. Each lesson in the program features a parallel language activity, designed to be available to all students, in the form of teacher guidance and student activities. The activities in the Math Language Development Resource has leveled ELD (Emerging, Expanding, Bridging) differentiation to support all levels of Multilingual and English Learners. This approach ensures that all students, regardless of their language skills, can participate fully, grasp the material, and excel in their mathematical journey.

Uploaded digital glossary for languages other than Spanish. Up to nine languages of translations will be provided for.

Amplify Desmos Math California will include support resources for Spanish-speaking students across TK–Algebra 1/Integrated I beginning in the 20262027 school year.

A computer displays an educational activity about measuring platform heights. A notebook page is layered behind it, with a colorful hamster-themed illustration.

K–5 sample materials

Click the links in the drop-down sections below to explore sample materials from each grade. 

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

You can also watch a product expert walk through a lesson and the available program components.

Screenshot of a kindergarten curriculum outline featuring units like Math in Our World, Numbers 1-10, Positions and Shapes, Understanding Addition, Making 10, and Shapes All Around Us. This comprehensive program utilizes New York Math standards to build foundational skills.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Kindergarten Amplify Desmos Math California.

Cover of Amplify Desmos Math Grade K Teacher Edition featuring three children playing with math-related objects and a group of rabbits sitting nearby, aligning with the engaging curriculum seen in New York math classrooms.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Counting and Comparing Objects.

Digital educational activity showing a blue backpack illustration with dots, a task to match dots on cards, and printed sheet featuring a similar dot-matching exercise.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition Kindergarten," featuring an illustration of three children playing with math-related toys. A group of small white animals, possibly hamsters, play nearby. The scene brilliantly captures the joy of New York math exploration for young learners.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade K Centers Resources" featuring a large, stylized red and pink "C" on a light pink background with simple geometric designs. This distinctive cover complements New York math curriculums with its engaging visual elements.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Grade K." The title is displayed with a geometric "I" illustration in the center. Subtitle reads "Intervention and Extension Resources" on a pink and white background, ideal for New York math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

Illustration of a bear choosing a path with more mushrooms. Activity book page titled "A Furry Feast" with groups of objects to compare quantities.

In this lesson, students apply their understanding of how to compare groups of images as they determine which group has more or fewer and then compare their strategies by guiding a bear through a path that has more mushrooms than the other.

A clear plastic box contains various math manipulatives, including counting cubes, geometric shapes, rulers, and dice, displayed outside the box.
Hands-on manipulative kit

An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

Grade 1 math curriculum overview displaying six units with instructional and assessment days: counting, addition, subtraction, numbers to 10, comparing numbers, measuring length, and geometry—aligned with the New York Math standards.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 1 Amplify Desmos Math California.

Children interact with math activities on a large tablet while observing fish illustrations. The text reads "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 1 Teacher Edition, aligned with New York Math standards.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Story Problems in Maui.

A digital educational activity showing a math problem about leaves on a kalo plant with a related worksheet on plant growth.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Illustration of three children engaged in math activities from the "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition 1" textbook. One child holds a number card, while the others manipulate counters and images, experiencing an exciting approach inspired by New York math techniques.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

Interactive math activity for kids featuring a frog and number line for subtraction problems, asking to find differences to locate bugs.

In this lesson, students find differences when subtracting 1 and 2 from the same number by helping a frog reach a lily pad where it can eat a bug.

A clear plastic box contains various math manipulatives, including counting cubes, geometric shapes, rulers, and dice, displayed outside the box.
Hands-on manipulative kit

An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

A curriculum overview for Grade 2 in New York Math displaying 8 units, including topics like comparisons, addition, subtraction, and geometric shapes, with details on the number of instructional and assessment days. This plan integrates resources from Amplify Desmos Math to enrich learning experiences.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 2 Amplify Desmos Math California.

Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 2 Teacher Edition, showcasing children measuring with rulers and a poster displaying a mathematical equation, set against whimsical scenery with a colorful dragon. Perfect for New York math classrooms.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Adding and Subtracting.

Two digital worksheets about Theo's aquarium with tasks to estimate animal quantities using draggable graphs and illustrations of fish, frogs, and shrimps.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Student Edition 2" showing three children performing a New York math activity with blocks and measurements.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of an educational book titled "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 2 Centers Resources" featuring a green "C" on a light green background, perfect for enhancing New York math education.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 2: Intervention and Extension Resources" featuring a green numeral 1 on a light green background, aligning with the New York math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

Educational activity on a screen showing a worm and blocks with numbers. Another page shows an activity titled "Finding the Missing Pair," with numbered options and a video prompt.

Students continue to develop fluency by finding the number that makes 10 by helping a millipede reach its favorite food – a clump of leaves!

A clear plastic box contains various math manipulatives, including counting cubes, geometric shapes, rulers, and dice, displayed outside the box.
Hands-on manipulative kit

An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

An educational curriculum outline for Grade 3 with seven units covering various mathematics topics, including multiplication, shapes, fractions, and measurement. Suggested instructional days are provided. The New York Math approach ensures a thorough understanding of each concept.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 3 Amplify Desmos Math California.

Cover of a "Grade 3 Amplify Desmos Math Teacher Edition" book, featuring a cutaway building with diverse students and a teacher working on New York math problems and organizing materials.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Concepts of Area Measurement.

Math activity screenshot showing a problem to calculate the area of an unpainted wall space with given side lengths in a room diagram.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Student Edition 3" showcasing illustrated children engaged in various mathematical activities inside a glass house structure, reflecting the dynamic energy of New York math.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of the Amplify Desmos Math Grade 3 Centers Resources book, featuring a 3D letter "C" in blue and white on a minimalistic background, perfect for aligning with New York math standards.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of an "Amplify Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 3 book featuring intervention and extension resources, with a blue geometric "I" on a light blue background, aligning with New York Math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

Activity sheets showing a bar graph and a table for counting animal stickers: 7 rabbits, 5 raccoons, and 2 foxes. Includes instructions for arranging data points on a graph.

Students compare data represented on bar graphs with different scales by using animal stickers to create scaled bar graphs.

A clear plastic box contains various math manipulatives, including counting cubes, geometric shapes, rulers, and dice, displayed outside the box.
Hands-on manipulative kit

An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

A course outline for Algebra 1 with 8 units, each detailing the number of instructional and optional days. The total suggested instructional days are 144 and 28 optional days, aligning with New York Math standards.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 4 Amplify Desmos Math California.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Teacher Edition Grade 4" showing children learning New York Math outdoors, using large mathematical tools and numbers, with one child in a wheelchair.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Size and Location of Fractions.

Screenshot of a digital math activity showing a fraction number line task with a log-cutting visual and an instruction page titled "Locating Fractions.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Student Edition, Grade 4," showcasing students collaborating on math problems involving shapes and numbers against a vibrant backdrop that blends cityscapes and natural scenery, capturing the essence of New York math learning.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 4 Centers Resources book, featuring a large, stylized blue letter "C" on a light blue background. This essential resource for New York math educators ensures engaging and effective instruction.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Grade 4: Intervention and Extension Resources," featuring a geometric illustration and a blue and orange color scheme inspired by New York math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

An educational activity displays a drag-and-drop task to determine platform heights using tube lengths, showing a room scene and instructions on a digital interface.

Students choose tube lengths to connect to platform heights for hamster homes, identifying possible heights using what they know about multiples.

A clear plastic box contains various math manipulatives, including counting cubes, geometric shapes, rulers, and dice, displayed outside the box.
Hands-on manipulative kit

An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

A Grade 5 curriculum scope and sequence chart with units covering volume, fractions, multiplication, shapes, place value, and measurement. Each unit lists instructional and assessment days to amplify Desmos Math activities.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 5 Amplify Desmos Math California.

Illustration of three students engaging with various math activities outdoors and around large blocks. Text at the top reads "Amplify Desmos Math, Grade 5, Teacher Edition" - a perfect resource for New York math educators.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Fractions as Quotients.

Activity worksheet and digital screen showing a panda on a cliff, with instructions about placing a missing bamboo shoot to help it reach the leaf.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition, Grade 5" featuring students engaged in various mathematical activities outside, such as block building, measuring, and gardening—a perfect resource aligning with New York math standards.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover image of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 5 Centers Resources" featuring a large purple letter C on a light purple background, showcasing the innovative approach of Amplify Desmos Math that's making waves in New York math education.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 5: Intervention and Extension Resources," featuring a large, stylized number five in purple against a light purple background with minimal geometric patterns, ideal for New York math curriculum support.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

Screen showing a student activity about decomposing a figure into prisms, with a drag-and-drop exercise and an adjacent worksheet labeled "Seeing Prisms.

Students decompose a figure into rectangular prisms and determine the volume of the figure by adding the volumes of the individual prisms.

A clear plastic box contains various math manipulatives, including counting cubes, geometric shapes, rulers, and dice, displayed outside the box.
Hands-on manipulative kit

An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

6–A1 sample materials

Click the links in the drop-down sections below to explore sample materials from each grade. 

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

You can also watch a product expert walk through a lesson and the available program components.

Laptop showing a math activity with geometric shapes. Two textbooks titled "Amplify Desmos Math" are displayed above.
An educational document titled "Scope and Sequence" for Grade 6 math, designed in collaboration with Amplify Desmos Math, outlining six units with instructional and optional days for topics such as fractions, integers, and expressions.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 6 Amplify Desmos Math California.

Cover of the Grade 6 Amplify Desmos Math Teacher Edition, showcasing students engaging in various mathematical activities around a balance scale with variables, inspired by New York math educational standards.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from three sub-units on this site: Unit 1, Sub-Unit 1: Area; Unit 3, Sub-Unit 1: Units and Measurement; and Unit 6, Sub-Unit 1: Solving Equations.

A digital activity showing two model trains on a track with a question about speed. A printed page on the right is titled "Model Trains" with warm-up instructions.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of “Amplify Desmos Math, Student Edition, Grade 6” featuring an illustration of children engaging in various New York math-related activities outdoors.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover image of "Amplify Desmos Math" for Grade 6, featuring a 3D pink letter "I" and the text "Intervention and Extension Resources." This New York math edition supports students with comprehensive resources.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

A digital illustration of math balancing scales featuring boxes and a fox, alongside a worksheet displaying similar content and activities for learning math concepts.

Students use equations and tape diagrams to represent seesaw situations and to determine unknown animal weights, helping them make connections between diagrams that represent equations of the form `x+p=q` or `px=q`.

A clear plastic storage box filled with educational math manipulatives, including colorful blocks, shapes, measuring tools, and counting cubes displayed outside the box.
Hands-on manipulative kit

An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

A Grade 7 math curriculum outline, featuring units on scale drawings, proportional relationships, measuring circles, rational numbers, operations, equations, angles, area, and probability with sequencing and days allocated. Perfectly aligned with Amplify Desmos Math for New York Math standards.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 7 Amplify Desmos Math California.

Cover image of "Amplify Desmos Math Teacher Edition Grade 7" featuring an illustration of students engaging in math-related activities with geometric shapes and construction elements against a New York cityscape background.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from three sub-units on this site: Unit 1, Sub-Unit 1: Scaled Copies; Unit 4, Sub-Unit 1: Percentages as Proportional Relationships; and Unit 6, Sub-Unit 1: Equations and Tape Diagrams.

Activity page showing a grid for shape creation with an area of 8 square centimeters. Includes shape options and instructions on rotation. A booklet page displays area challenges and warm-up tasks.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Student Edition, Grade 7" showing students engaged in math activities against a cityscape reminiscent of New York, with purple geometric structures and a crane in the background.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Grade 7 – Intervention and Extension Resources" featuring a stylized 3D "I" on a light purple background, ideal for both New York math and national curricula.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

Screenshot of an educational website showing a math activity featuring a sheep named Shira. There is a graph and a worksheet on inequalities displayed.

Students solve inequalities with positive and negative coefficients to solve a variety of challenges featuring a fictional sheep who eats grass according to an inequality.

A clear plastic storage box filled with educational math manipulatives, including colorful blocks, shapes, measuring tools, and counting cubes displayed outside the box.
Hands-on manipulative kit

An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

Grade 8 math curriculum chart featuring 9 units, such as Rigid Transformations and Congruence, with Suggested Instructional days. Each unit outlines instructional days, assessment days, and optional days—complemented by insights from Amplify Desmos Math to enhance your New York math learning experience.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 7 Amplify Desmos Math California.

Illustration of children engaging in learning activities outdoors near a large slide. The title "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 8 Teacher Edition" is shown at the top, highlighting its relevance to New York math curriculum standards.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from three sub-units on this site: Unit 1, Sub-Unit 1: Rigid Transformations; Unit 3, Sub-Unit 2: Linear Relationships; and Unit 6, Sub-Unit 2: Analyzing Numerical Data.

Image of a digital math activity titled "Line Capture #2" featuring a grid, equations, and instructions. A paper worksheet with graphs and a "Line Zapper" title is displayed alongside.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Student Edition for Grade 8, featuring students engaging in various mathematical activities in a stylized outdoor New York setting.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 8: Intervention and Extension Resources" featuring a stylized "I" on a gray background, tailored for New York math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

An educational worksheet on robots, featuring a graph with red, purple, and blue robot icons, and instructions for a warm-up activity.

Students connect points on a scatter plot with individuals in a population and rows of data in a table. The analysis of scatter plots continues with data about the eye distances and heights of robots.

A clear plastic storage box filled with educational math manipulatives, including colorful blocks, shapes, measuring tools, and counting cubes displayed outside the box.
Hands-on manipulative kit

An optional add-on to your Amplify Desmos Math California program, the manipulative kit provides hands-on learning tools designed to simplify and illustrate complex mathematical concepts.

A course outline for Algebra 1 with 8 units, each detailing the number of instructional and optional days. The total suggested instructional days are 144 and 28 optional days, aligning with New York Math standards.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Algebra 1 Amplify Desmos Math California.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Algebra 1, Teacher Edition" featuring diverse characters engaged in mathematical activities, with a graph and a bridge in the background, illustrating the vibrant energy of New York math.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from two complete sub-units on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Units 1–2: One-Variable Equations and Multi-Variable Equations.

A digital educational interface shows a graph with data points and textual instructions comparing year and breeding pairs. Adjacent is a page discussing penguin populations with charts and illustrations.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math California has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math" Student Edition A1, featuring an illustration of diverse characters engaging in New York math activities against a backdrop of graphs and mathematical concepts.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

A digital math activity screen showing block arrangements and a worksheet page titled "Shelley the Snail" with related graphics.

Students represent the solutions of a situation using a table, a graph, and multiple forms of an equation to identify multiple combinations of blocks that can help Shelley the Snail cross a gap.

Contact us

For questions, samples, or more information, please contact your local Amplify Account Executive:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Request additional samples.

Ready to learn more? Connect with an Amplify Desmos Math California expert to request additional program samples.

Amplify Desmos Math high school (AGA, Integrated 1–3)

Welcome to Amplify Desmos Math! Below, you’ll find links to sample lessons, scope and sequence, and more information about our AGA and Integrated high school math programs.

Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and Integrated 1 are available for Beta implementations and pilots in 2025–26. Integrated 2–3 will be available for the 2026–27 school year.

Jump to preview lessons
A collage of educational software screens, featuring Desmos Math with vibrant graphs and animations, amplifies mathematical comparisons alongside engaging plant growth simulations. Perfect for educators in New York math classrooms seeking dynamic learning tools.

About the program

Our structured approach to problem-based learning builds on students’ curiosity to develop lasting grade-level understandings for all students.  The program thoughtfully combines conceptual understanding, fluency, and application, motivating students with interesting problems they are eager to solve. Teachers can spend more time where it’s most impactful: creating a collaborative classroom of learners.

Screenshot of an educational activity page using Amplify Desmos Math to present a function machine and a table for calculating outputs of ( h(x) = f(x + 2) ) with given inputs for ( x ), offering an engaging approach to New York math standards.
The geometry activity screen features a circle with intersecting lines and a shaded area. Instructions prompt users to explore Sam's construction and determine if a square was formed, all enhanced by the innovative tools of Amplify Desmos Math.

Structured approach to problem-based learning

  • Easy-to-follow instructional guidance
  • Robust assessments and reports
image of Amplify Desmos Math

Math that motivates

  • Powerful teacher-facilitation supports and tools
  • Students talking and building from each other’s ideas 
  • Every lesson has compatible print and digital materials for a collaborative classroom
Screenshot of a design challenge interface from Amplify Desmos Math, featuring overlapping purple circles. The left shows 3 circles, and the right displays 5. Task: match the two designs as if solving a New York math puzzle.

Student thinking is made evident

  • Curiosity-driven lessons that motivate students with interesting problems they are eager to solve
  • Explicit guidance for teachers on what to look for and how to respond
  • Technology that provides Responsive Feedback and is designed to reveal mathematical thinking
A chart titled "Scope and Sequence" for Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2, with colorful units and topics, overlaid by an illustration of lab equipment with a gauge and liquid.

Scope and sequence

Click the link below to view the program scope and sequence.

AGA Scope and Sequence
Integrated Scope and Sequence

Preview lessons

Check out the links below to explore our interactive digital lessons. Download a navigation guide for tips on navigating the print and digital program components.

A laptop showcases a mathematical graph using Desmos Math, amplifying the learning experience. Behind it lie two papers with printed graphs and text, reflecting a bustling New York math classroom environment.
A graph with a red and a purple parabola on a grid, created in Amplify Desmos Math; three points are marked on the purple curve. Red and purple buttons with plus signs appear below, perfect for New York math classrooms.
Algebra 1

Lesson-level scope and sequence

Preview lessons

A geometric pattern of seven overlapping purple circles forms a flower-like shape on a light blue background with a rounded square behind it.
Geometry

Lesson-level scope and sequence

Preview lessons

Four square graphs with different blue line patterns: a curve downward, a V shape, a wavy line, and an upward curve, all on a light blue background.
Algebra 2

Lesson-level scope and sequence

Preview lessons

A geometric graphic featuring four blue-edged triangles forming a pinwheel shape on layered green square backgrounds with a small multicolored circle at the center.
Integrated 1
A blue shield with the text "INT" above the number "2" on a light blue background, inspired by new york math and amplify desmos math themes.
Integrated 2

Lesson-level table of contents

A blue shield-shaped sign with "INT" in white letters above the number "3" on a light blue square background, reminiscent of visuals found in Amplify Desmos Math resources.
Integrated 3

Lesson-level table of contents

Looking for help?

Support is always within reach. Our team is dedicated to supporting you throughout your review and can be reached at any time by emailing or calling us directly.

  • Live chat: Click the orange icon while logged in to get immediate help.
  • Phone: Call our toll-free number: (800) 823-1969.
  • Email: Send an email to help@amplify.com. In the message body, please include your name and question. Provide as much detail as possible, so we can more quickly help you find a solution.

Ready to learn more?

State review site for Georgia literacy

To view this protected page, enter the password below:



Explore Amplify CKLA K–5 Phonics

Thank you for reviewing the top-rated Amplify CKLA for grades K-3 phonics instruction. Built on the Science of Reading, Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) is a highly-effective, foundational phonics program that will give NYC teachers unmatched support in delivering systematic, explicit, and research-based phonics instruction.

Amplify CKLA is systematic – built on a scope and sequence of sound-spelling patterns to ensure all students have access to the same instruction – and Amplify CKLA is explicit – delivering instruction with learning goals that are clear to teachers and students. Beginning with phonological awareness and progressing through phonemic awareness and phonics instruction, Amplify CKLA comprehensively covers foundational skills.

As you explore the Amplify CKLA Grades K-3 phonics materials, you will see high-quality instructional support needed for every child to master the 44 sounds and 150 sound-spellings of the English language by the end of third grade.

Illustration of a suspension bridge connecting a cityscape with both modern high-rises and traditional buildings in the foreground.
Laptop screen displaying a login page for "amplify" with multiple sign-in options including google, clever, a qr code, and district sso.

Access your demo account

To explore the Amplify CKLA Skills digital experience and Boost Reading K-3, visit learning.amplify.com and select Log in with Amplify; using the credentials provided here:

  • Username: t.nyc-ckla-skills@tryamplify.net 
  • Password: AmplifyNumber1

Click here for demo login and Amplify CKLA navigation support.

Principles of Amplify CKLA phonics instruction

Amplify CKLA phonics instruction ensures students learn to read words automatically and achieve complete coverage of the Reading Standards for Foundational Skills in the Common Core State Standards.

Explicit instruction in the spelling patterns of the English language transitions students from spending excess mental energy on decoding (learning to read) to fluent automaticity so they can focus on comprehension and analysis (reading to learn).

Amplify CKLA designs reading experiences to maximize practice in newly taught sound spellings, which is achieved in three ways:

  1. Organization of Instruction: CKLA teaches the most frequent sound spellings first in order to maximize the words students can read and move them into engaging, well-written, decodable texts halfway through Kindergarten. 
  2. Systematic Coverage: Students who master both the Basic and Advanced Code taught in CKLA Skills will have all the decoding skills necessary to succeed. Lessons teach print and phonological awareness, sound-letter patterns (or sound spellings), decoding and encoding, writing mechanics, and writing structure and processes for 60 minutes each day.
  3. Decodable Readers: CKLA Decodable Readers are uniquely designed to provide intensive practice with the CKLA code while engaging students with authentic, compelling, and varied stories.  
Review the Amplify CKLA K-3 Foundational Skills Progression
Educational timeline chart showing foundational skills development by year from kindergarten to grade 3, categorized into print concepts, phonological awareness, and phonics and word recognition.
Cover of "amplify core knowledge language arts" teacher guide for grade 3 featuring a simple, stylized illustration of a ribbon badge.

Grade 3 phonics support

In grades K-2, Amplify CKLA Skills offers explicit and systematic foundational skills and language instruction. Explicitly teaching foundational skills from the early grades is essential to helping students master the code and learn to read words automatically and effortlessly. 

In grade 3, CKLA recognizes that instructional needs will vary widely, particularly for students with gaps in code knowledge and fluency. Through a more integrated language arts approach, students have daily opportunities for ​explicit, teacher-led phonics instruction as they transition to developing and applying literacy skills and deepening background knowledge. 

By the end of grade 2, Amplify CKLA has covered all basic and advanced code, while grade 3 provides differentiated instruction and assessment resources to best support all students in becoming fluent, automatic readers:

  • Unit 1 instruction reviews the phonics instruction from the previous year
  • The Assessment and Remediation Guide provides hundreds of activities and assessments to determine the ideal instructional path for each student
  • Fluency Packet supplements instruction with additional text selections and opportunities for students to practice reading with fluency and expression (prosody)
  • Spelling Cards support decoding and encoding lessons 
  • Individual Code Chart gives students practice recording the consonant and vowel sound-spelling correspondences they’ve learned

If selected, Amplify would welcome the opportunity to partner with the New York City DOE on updating our program with a standalone skills program for grade 3.

The Amplify CKLA digital experience

Amplify CKLA offers an easy to use and interactive teaching and learning experience for grades K-3 that supports teachers with ready-made and student friendly lesson presentation slides.

Everything needed to teach the lesson is included within the slides that teachers project and students access. Students engage directly with the slides via embedded Activity Pages. Students can respond in multiple ways, including drawing, writing, typing, audio recording, or uploading pictures. They can even engage with the sound library, with fun songs and videos that develop phonological awareness and the eReader library of decodable texts.

The digital experience makes instruction easier, more immersive, and flexible for both students and teachers!

Illustration of diverse children jumping rope in a park with a bridge in the background, displayed on a digital tablet.
Eight illustrated book covers depicting diverse themes and characters, including family moments, job hunting, sports, and personal adventures.

Instruction for students from all walks of life

Our goal is to make education, and thereby the world, more accessible to all students, regardless of background.

As part of our commitment to creating richer and more wide-ranging curricula, Amplify CKLA K-2 Skills Readers have been designed to increase student engagement and students’ sense of connection with the decodable stories and their characters. Stories with human characters introduce students to individuals with a broad range of identity factors, including socio-economic status, age, ability, race, ethnicity, country or origin, religion and more.  Other decodable stories have fantastical creatures to bring more excitement and whimsy to the tale. These readers reflect New York City classrooms, giving students windows and mirrors while they practice and apply their skills with 100% decodable texts.

Learn more about the decodable readers here. 

View the Amplify CKLA K-3 alignment to NYC Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework..

The power of Amplify CKLA + Boost Reading

Boost Reading is a student-driven skill practice program that pairs with Amplify CKLA, to provide differentiated, digital instruction in both foundational skills and comprehension strategies. Because Boost Reading is built on the same approach to reading as Amplify CKLA and shares an aligned scope and sequence, students are able to extend their learning from the core program, at their own pace. 

In Boost Reading, students enter a captivating narrative where each storyline requires them to apply foundational skills to navigate a series of games. Each game focuses on a specific skill learned in CKLA, allowing students to practice that skill to mastery. Progression from game to game is based on individual student learning needs—a personalized path where they gain expertise by unlocking new quests at just the right time. This path ensures that each student gets the amount of practice they need to master foundational skills.

Embedded benchmark and progress-monitoring assessments give educators actionable data insights on how their students are progressing through their literacy journey. Easy-to-use reports provide proficiency, growth and risk data individually and in aggregate to further drive classroom instruction.

In a recent study, students who used Boost Reading outperformed non-Boost students on all DIBELS 8th Edition measures.

Explore the Boost Reading teacher and student experience:

  • Visit learning.amplify.com and select Log in using the same Amplify credentials provided in the demo access section above:
    • Username:t.nyc-ckla-skills@tryamplify.net 
    • Password:AmplifyNumber1
  • Select the Reading icon; this will open the program without data as your class has not yet played Boost Reading. Select Explore Demo in the pop up.
  • In the navigation bar, choose the grade band and experience (Educator or Student) you wish to demo.
  • The Educator experience will show you the Teacher Dashboard with sample student data and a recommended guided tour.
  • The Student experience will bring you to a start screen; simply select PLAY to begin.
A tablet screen displaying a children's educational game, focusing on spelling the word "farm," with cartoon-style graphics and a female character.
Illustration of an astronaut in space, a traditional east asian building, a mexican sombrero-clad figure with a donkey, and various animals, against a backdrop of the earth and sun.

New York City Review Materials

The Amplify CKLA Grades K-2 Program Guide provides you with more details on how CKLA Skills works, how it is structured, and the need for explicit instruction in phonics in order to build strong readers in classrooms.

Additional Review Materials:

Amplify CKLA Skills K-2 One-Pager 

Amplify CKLA Skills – Grade K Scope and Sequence

Amplify CKLA Skills – Grade K Curriculum Map (pages 1-10) 

Amplify CKLA Skills – Grade 1 Scope and Sequence

Amplify CKLA Skills – Grade 1 Curriculum Map (pages 1-7)  

Amplify CKLA Skills – Grade 2 Scope and Sequence

Amplify CKLA Skills – Grade 2 Curriculum Map (pages 1-6)   

Amplify CKLA – Grade 3 Unit 1 Teacher Guide

Amplify CKLA decodable readers

Amplify CKLA alignment to New York State Next Generation ELA Learning Standards

CKLA Skills – Grade K; Unit 1 – Assessment and Remediation Guide (differentiation example) 

Boost Reading alignment to New York State Next Generation ELA Learning Standards

Silhouette of a city skyline with various building outlines against a black background.

Welcome, Tigard-Tualatin School District, to the next chapter in the Science of Reading, with Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition!

Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts® (CKLA) is approved by the Oregon Department of Education. 

Truly built on the Science of Reading, Amplify CKLA helps Oregon teachers implement the Oregon English Language Arts and Literacy Standards by translating the science of reading into manageable, engaging, and effective classroom practices. For more than a decade, Amplify CKLA has transformed classrooms nationwide with its intentional knowledge building and systematic skills instruction.

Scroll down to learn how CKLA is uniquely designed to help all your students make learning leaps in literacy.

Download CKLA Program Guide
An astronaut floats in space near the Moon, with a speech bubble displaying

Our approach

Improve outcomes with a program that’s built on a decade of research and meets the strongest ESSA Tier I criteria.

Diagram illustrating the Simple View of Reading model, depicting language comprehension and word recognition pathways converging into skilled reading, with processes becoming increasingly strategic and automatic—a foundational concept in literacy curriculum for elementary education.

Grounded in the Science of Reading

As the original Science of Reading program, Amplify CKLA puts research into action with explicit, systematic foundational skills instruction and a proven knowledge-building sequence. In collaboration with education experts and practitioners, we provide powerful resources that deliver real results.

Success stories

Background knowledge drives results

Amplify CKLA follows the Core Knowledge Sequence, a content-specific, cumulative, and coherent approach to knowledge building. This approach improves reading scores and closes achievement gaps by establishing a robust knowledge base that strengthens comprehension.

In Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition, we’ve enriched our Knowledge Sequence with a wider range of perspectives and high-quality texts in new and enhanced units.

See units and connections
An illustrated person in a yellow shirt looks at a colorful map of Puerto Rico. Above them are two educational posters about world geography and animals, integrating elements from the k–5 literacy curriculum to enhance learning experiences.
An infographic showing the steps to pronounce

Build foundational skills for long-term success.

Students progress from simple to complex skill development starting with phonological and phonemic awareness. Instruction in Grades K–2 explicitly teaches the 150 spellings for the 44 sounds of English, following an intentional progression to ensure student success.

In our 3rd Edition, we’ve added dedicated Grade 3 foundational skills instruction that can either support core lessons or function as an intervention, based on student needs.

Skills by year

Daily writing deepens learning.

Grounded in the Science of Writing—the research on how kids learn to write—instruction is explicit, daily, and woven into the curriculum’s rich content. It covers both transcription (handwriting and spelling) and composition (organizing ideas into narratives) with high-impact activities like sentence-level combining and expanding, and pre-writing exercises. Writing and reading instruction are integrated so students simultaneously strengthen their communication skills, comprehension, and confidence.

See the Simple View of Writing
A child in a green shirt smiles while writing in a notebook at a classroom desk, engaged in their k–5 literacy curriculum, with another student visible in the background.
An open laptop displaying a children's story titled

High-quality, diverse texts

Amplify CKLA students are immersed in a variety of texts—complex read-alouds, decodable chapter books, trade books, and content-rich readers—that reflect varied experiences and connect to learning goals.

Readers are 100% decodable for Grades K–2, empowering students to directly apply what they’ve learned. Novel Study units for Grades 3–5 offer a mix of contemporary and classic literature, and Culminating Research Units in every grade include a set of authentic texts and trade books.

See Research Unit trade books

Reach all learners with differentiated support.

Scaffolds and challenges, developed in collaboration with education experts, make content accessible to every student—including multilingual and English learners. With strategies embedded right in the curriculum, teachers can deliver in-the-moment, individualized instruction to meet diverse student needs.

For a dedicated English language development program aligned to Amplify CKLA, explore Language Studio.

View embedded support
Children sit on the floor in a classroom, some raising their hands, smiling and engaged. The lively atmosphere reflects the effectiveness of the k–5 literacy curriculum being implemented.

What’s included with Amplify CKLA

The comprehensive resources in Amplify CKLA 3rd Edition support effective literacy instruction in every classroom.

Download CKLA Components Guide
Download CKLA Writing Brochure
Image of a laptop displaying an assessment report, surrounded by books about astronomy, an illustration of the moon, and a
Various educational materials, including textbooks, workbooks, a picture book, documents, and a laptop displaying a slide titled

Easy-to-use teacher materials

Amplify CKLA teachers are empowered to deliver effective instruction with the following print and digital resources:

  • Teacher Guides (K–5)
  • Assessment Guides (K–5)
  • Authentic texts and trade books (K–5)
  • Knowledge Image Cards (K–2)
  • Knowledge Flip Books (K–2, digital)
  • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens (K–5, digital)
  • Remediation and intervention resources (K–5)
  • On-demand professional development (K–5, digital)

Immersive Amplify CKLA student resources

Amplify CKLA students stay engaged with the following print and digital resources:

  • Decodable readers (K–2)
  • Student Readers and novels (3–5)
  • Student Activity Books (K–5)
  • Poet’s Journal (3–5)
  • eReaders (K–5, digital)
  • Sound Library featuring articulation videos and songs (K–2, digital)
  • Skill-building practice games (K–5)
An open laptop displaying a poem and a person, alongside two educational booklets and a green butterfly, depicts the essence of a rich core knowledge language arts curriculum. The background includes simple graphic elements enhancing the scene.
A collection of six book covers including

Rich literary experiences

All the high-quality, diverse texts in Amplify CKLA connect to the curriculum, fostering your students’ curiosity and helping them learn to read with confidence.

  • Trade Book Collections (K–5) inspire student research in each grade’s Culminating Research Unit.
  • Classic and contemporary literature (3–5) delight students in Novel Study Units.
  • Increasingly complex Student Readers (K–5) develop students’ literacy across grades.

Hands-on phonics materials

Multisensory phonics and foundational skills resources engage students with fun, varied approaches that promote mastery and build independence.

  • Chaining Folders and Small Letter Cards (K)
  • Read-Aloud Big Books (K–1)
  • Large Letter Cards (K–2)
  • Sound Cards (K–2)
  • Image Cards (K–3)
  • Blending Picture Cards (K)
  • Consonant and Vowel Code Posters and Spelling Cards (1–2)
  • Sound Library (K–2, digital)
Image includes various vowel sounds and combinations on flashcards and worksheets, along with a playful illustrated mammal, all part of a comprehensive literacy curriculum for elementary students.
A laptop displays a student screen showing a quiz question about word usage, part of a literacy curriculum for elementary students. Behind it, a computer monitor shows an assessment report interface. Abstract decorative elements are in the background.

All-in-one digital platform

Our comprehensive platform simplifies your day-to-day tasks and makes it easier to plan and deliver lessons.

  • Ready-made and customizable Presentation Screens
  • Auto-scored digital assessments
  • Standards-based reporting
  • Assignable skill-building games
  • Sound Library
  • eReaders

Professional development

Move beyond traditional program training with Amplify’s digital PD Library, designed to fully support your shift to the Science of Reading and Amplify CKLA. Deepen your understanding with:

  • Program and planning resources
  • Model lesson videos from real classrooms
  • Guidance on using Amplify’s literacy suite to provide multi-tiered support
Two women are seated at a table with papers and a laptop. One woman is working on the literacy curriculum for elementary grades, while the other is smiling.
“Teachers love the ease of implementing the program, and students have fun while learning. Growth is evident in our data, and we have the support of Amplify experts who are available to answer questions and provide top-notch professional development.”

Bridget Vaughan, District K–8 Coordinator of ELA and Literacy

Quincy Public Schools, Massachusetts

Language Studio: Multilingual and English language learner support

Language Studio is Amplify CKLA’s dedicated K–5 program for multilingual and English language learners. Through daily 30-minute lessons, it strengthens reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills while reinforcing core instruction. This tailored support empowers students to confidently access grade-level content as they develop academic English.

A young girl immerses herself in the science of reading at a classroom desk, surrounded by peers and diverse educational materials.

Curriculum Maps

Amplify CKLA serves

150,000+

Classrooms

4,000,000+

Students

50

U.S. States and D.C.

Amplify Caminos program overview

¡El futuro es bilingüe! | The future is bilingual!

Amplify Caminos is a research-based core curriculum essential for Spanish literacy and grounded in the Science of Reading.

View our Caminos Program Guide to find our approach to foundational skills by year, skills practice with student readers and writing, and how Caminos supports teachers meeting the needs of all students with embedded differentiation.

Download Caminos Program Guide

Amplify Caminos offers a robust and authentic elementary Spanish language arts program for grades K–5 that promotes
biliteracy and helps teachers inspire students as they become confident readers, writers, and thinkers in Spanish.

Using the program’s two strands, Caminos Conocimiento and Caminos Lectoescritura, teachers develop student
comprehension in Spanish through a program rich in background knowledge and foundational skills activities. The texts students encounter include authentic Spanish literature that honor Spanish language development and build diverse content knowledge in social studies, science, literature, and the arts.

Amplify Caminos is designed to support a variety of bilingual and dual language instructional models to meet your student’s biliteracy needs. Combined with its English language partner, Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA), Amplify Caminos provides a comprehensive biliteracy solution.

Ilustración de un niño alegre participando en el programa de lectura de CKLA, jugando fútbol junto a un libro abierto, con una tortuga, un loro y un exuberante paisaje tropical rodeándolos. La palabra "
Illustration of the amplify caminos language comprehension model, featuring step-by-step progression from simple word recognition to skilled reading, with educational graphics and text excerpts.

Amplify Caminos delivers rich, authentic experiences.

With a robust digital experience and expanding library of online materials, Amplify Caminos provides everything needed to support, challenge, and engage your students. From digital Teacher Guides to lesson projectables, we provide all the tools needed to successfully deliver every lesson.

How Amplify Caminos works with Amplify CKLA

Through direct instruction, both Amplify Caminos and Amplify CKLA develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in their respective languages. Together, the programs empower educators to effectively foster biliteracy with:

  • Intentional knowledge building that connects topics throughout the program.
  • Increased metalinguistic awareness from students exploring the similarities and differences in each language while strengthening their knowledge across both.
  • Equitable instruction using high-quality Spanish and English decodable readers that provide students with opportunities to apply skills learned, and foster each students’ growing competency in reading.
“There were other programs that claimed to be [based on the] Science of Reading, but no other vendor provided the suite of products together. We did not want to be picking from here, picking from there. [Amplify’s literacy suite] met our needs, because it aligned and provided us the best suite of products, hands down.”

Nicole Peterson, Principal, Midway Middle School

Sampson County Schools, North Carolina

Demo Access

Explore the CKLA Teacher Digital Resources

First, watch the quick navigation video to the right. Then, follow the directions below.

  • Go to: learning.amplify.com or click the Access CKLA Teacher Digital button below
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter this username: t1.ttsd_ckla_caminos@demo.tryamplify.net
  • Enter this password: Amplify1-ttsd_ckla_caminos
  • Click the CKLA button
  • Select your desired grade level from the Program drop down
Access CKLA Teacher Digital

Follow the directions below to access the Student Resource Site:

  • Go to: learning.amplify.com or click the Access CKLA Student Digital button below
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter this username: s1.ttsd_ckla_caminos@demo.tryamplify.net
  • Enter this password: Amplify1-ttsd_ckla_caminos
  • From the main page, click the backpack in the top right corner.
  • Click on the grade level to select your desired grade.
Access CKLA Student Digital

Welcome, Ohio educators!

Thank you for taking the time to review Amplify’s CKLA resources for K–5.

Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts® (CKLA) is an effective core literacy resource for students in grades K–5 and is aligned to Ohio’s Rule for Phonics. CKLA was developed in partnership with the Core Knowledge Foundation and was specifically designed to help teachers implement proven evidence-based instructional practices.

Click here for correlations to the Ohio Learning Standards for English Language Arts.

Click here to view Amplify CKLA’s Alignment to Ohio’s “Shifting to the Science of Reading” Framework.

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Recognized Quality

Amplify CKLA is one of only a few high-quality, knowledge-building literacy curricula recognized by the Knowledge Matters campaign. Our shared message: Background knowledge is essential to literacy and learning.

A diagram showing "Knowledge x Skills = Amplify CKLA," with Knowledge as language comprehension, Skills as word recognition, and Amplify CKLA as skilled reading. Knowledge Matters badge included.

Independently and rigorously reviewed

Amplify CKLA not only received an all-green rating from the rigorous evaluators at EdReports, but it was also recently recognized by the Knowledge Matters Campaign as a literacy program that excels in building knowledge.

Read our EdReports review Read our Knowledge Matters review

Intentional knowledge-building

The Science of Reading reveals knowledge as an essential pillar of reading comprehension and lifelong literacy. Hear from author Natalie Wexler and CKLA customers on edWebinar about the importance of knowledge-building in reading instruction.

Hear from Natalie Wexler edWebinar Links

Designed for Ohio

We know there are several different paths you can take when implementing a Science of Reading program in your district:

  • Prekindergarten
  • K-2 Core No Foundational Skills
  • K-2 Supplemental Foundational Skills
  • K-2 Core Comprehensive English Language Arts
  • 3-5 English Language Arts

To learn how Amplify CKLA supports each one of these paths, click here.

Una escena histórica muestra gente afuera de una gran mansión de estilo colonial con dos chimeneas. En primer plano se ve un carruaje tirado por caballos y a la izquierda se ve una casa más pequeña.
A man in a suit reads a book to a group of young children seated on a colorful rug in a classroom with a large clock displayed on a screen.

PreKindergarten

Amplify CKLA PreK easily fits into any class routine, with 45 minutes of interac…

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K-2 Core No Foundational Skills

The most extensive and robust knowledge-building sequence that builds within and…

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K-2 Supplemental Foundational Skills

Amplify CKLA Skills is a comprehensive foundational skills program offering expl…

A collection of educational workbooks, activity books, and other printed learning materials arranged neatly on a white surface.

K-2 Core Comprehensive English Language Arts

In grades K–2, students complete one lesson that builds foundational reading ski…

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3-5 English Language Arts

In Amplify CKLA grades 3–5, lessons begin to combine skills and knowledge with i…

Program Overview

Amplify CKLA is a core ELA program for grades K–5 that delivers:

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

Amplify CKLA for Grades K–2

After watching the K–2 video below, scroll down to learn even more, download resources, and access a demo.

Amplify CKLA for Grades 3–5

After watching the 3–5 video below, scroll down to learn even more, download resources, and access a demo.

How it works

Amplify CKLA teaches both foundational skills and background knowledge in K–2 and combines them in 3–5, as required by the science of reading.

  • In grades K–2, students complete one full lesson that builds foundational reading skills, as well as one full lesson that builds background knowledge.
  • In grades 3–5, student complete one integrated lesson that combines skills and knowledge with increasingly complex texts, close reading, and a greater writing emphasis.
Download CKLA Program Guide
A flowchart showing word recognition and language comprehension strands intertwining to form skilled reading, with progression labeled as increasingly automatic and strategic.

Rich topics

Amplify CKLA builds knowledge coherently across subjects and grades.

Students make connections from year-to-year by exploring grade-appropriate subject-area knowledge and vocabulary in history, science, literature, and the arts while learning to read, write, and think creatively and for themselves.

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Units by grade

Take a closer look at the topics students explore.

New! Knowledge Research Units

Explore our newly added Knowledge Research units.

Skills by grade

Take a closer look at the skills students develop.

Diverse text

Amplify CKLA puts a variety of texts in the hands of students every day to build and strengthen background knowledge and vocabulary, listening and reading comprehension, and decoding and fluency skills.

More than that, we ensure the texts students read represent the world around them. With a diverse range of authors, topics, and characters, all students have ample access to both windows and mirrors. Our texts include:

  • authentic books.
  • authentic text passages.
  • student readers.
  • novel guides (grades 3–5).

Grade K Text List

Grade 1 Text List

Grade 2 Text List

Grade 3 Text List

Cartoon people of varied ages and backgrounds enjoy a city park; some play music, others relax or interact, with buildings and trees in the background.

Grade 4 Text List

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Grade 5 Text List

Aligned to LETRS and Orton Gillingham

Amplify CKLA aligns with the instructional principles recommended by Orton Gillingham and LETRS.

  • Structured–Concepts are taught through consistent routines
  • Sequential–Concepts are taught in a logical, well-planned sequence
  • Systematic–Phonemes are taught from simplest to most complex
  • Explicit–Decoding and encoding concepts are taught directly and explicitly
  • Multi-sensory–Instruction is delivered through visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile pathways
  • Cumulative–Concepts are applied in decodable, connected texts with constant review and reinforcement
Diagram showing parallel strands labeled with reading skills and knowledge merging together into a single twisted line labeled "Integration.

CKLA Skills sequence for K–2

Diagram showing parallel strands labeled with reading skills and knowledge merging together into a single twisted line labeled "Integration.

CKLA Skills sequence for 3–5

Universal access

We believe we have a responsibility to provide literacy instruction that gives every student the same opportunity to succeed and excel.

We know that early reading affects achievement throughout school and beyond—well into college and career. Yet most literacy programs continue to fall short of supporting early literacy success. That’s why we’re so proud that CKLA is helping close the reading gap between students within diverse communities.

A boy with glasses smiles while reading a book, with illustrated objects like a telescope, gourd, and cartoon insect in the background.
Un grupo de jóvenes estudiantes se sientan muy juntos y miran atentamente hacia arriba. Algunos de los niños visten atuendos coloridos, incluida una niña con un hijab azul. Parecen estar en un salón de clases.

Grades K–2: Supporting all learners

Un grupo de niños sentados alrededor de un escritorio, sonriendo y riendo mientras miran una computadora portátil. Un adulto está cerca y también sonríe.

Grades 3–5: Supporting all learners

Complete curriculum

A strong literacy program is not just about a reading program or an assessment tool: it brings together curriculum, instruction, regular practice, intervention, and assessments.

Amplify has brought these components together in our early literacy suite of curriculum, ensure that you have what you need for multi-tiered support.

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CKLA and mCLASS

CKLA connects to our comprehensive diagnostic universal screener called mCLASS.

Dos niñas están sentadas en una mesa, mirando juntas la pantalla de una computadora portátil en un salón de clases. Al fondo se ven estanterías con libros y materiales de clase.

CKLA and Boost Reading

CKLA connects to our adaptive reading practice program called Boost Reading.

Un grupo de niños sentados alrededor de un escritorio, sonriendo y riendo mientras miran una computadora portátil. Un adulto está cerca y también sonríe.

CKLA and Language Studio

CKLA aligns with Language Studio–our ELD companion program for grades K–5.

CKLA and Writing Studio

CKLA aligns with Writing Studio–our writing companion program for grades K–5.

Science of Reading Resources

Watching students learn to read: magic. Knowing how they get there: science.

As you consider your next core ELA program, it’s critically important to understand what the Science of Reading really means and what it tells us about how to teach more effectively. Unlike other programs, Amplify CKLA was built upon these insights and practices, making it easier for teachers to implement this proven approach.

Explore Science of Reading Handbook
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Access demo

Ready to explore on your own? Follow the instructions below to access your demo account.

Explore the CKLA Teacher Digital Site

First, watch the quick navigation video to the right. Then follow the directions below:

  • Click the CKLA Teacher Digital Site button
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter this username: t1.cklareviewohio@demo.tryamplify.net
  • Enter this password: Amplify1-cklareviewohio
  • Select the desired grade level
Access CKLA Teacher Digital Site

Explore the CKLA Student Digital Site

To access the student digital site follow the directions below:

  • Click the CKLA Student Digital Site button
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter this username: s1.cklareviewohio@demo.tryamplify.net
  • Enter this password: Amplify1-cklareviewohio
  • From the Home page, scroll down to the robot and “Click to go to the Hub“
  • From the Hub, click the Grade button to select the grade.
Access CKLA Student Digital Site

mCLASS® with DIBELS® 8th Edition is Washington approved!

mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Rapid Automatic Naming (RAN) helps teachers identify COVID-related learning loss and literacy needs firsthand through a quick five-minute assessment that can be done virtually or in person. What’s more, it helps teachers take immediate instructional action that’s right for each and every student.

Now that mCLASS has been approved by the Washington Department of Education and the Dyslexia Advisory Council, every district can confidently address student needs and meet the state’s dyslexia legislation.

A teacher helps a young student with a tablet; below, a girl listens attentively. Icons of a book and a puzzle piece appear on colored backgrounds.

What is mCLASS?

mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition and mCLASS RAN is an integrated, gold standard literacy system for grades K–6.

The mCLASS comprehensive system includes efficient one-minute measures, a built-in Enhanced Early Learning Measures screener, teacher-led and student-driven instruction, intervention, and robust reports for teachers and administrators.

With mCLASS, you can say goodbye to cobbling together tools and second guessing the results of other screeners.

A girl sits at a desk reading and writing, with educational words in the background; text highlights mCLASS as a gold standard in early literacy.

University of Oregon

Together with the University of Oregon (U of O), we have made the DIBELS® (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) assessment that you know and love more powerful and user-friendly than ever before.

As the only licensed provider of the digital DIBELS 8th Edition assessment, we make it faster and easier to understand where every student is in their early literacy journey. As an all-in-one universal and dyslexia screener, DIBELS 8th edition gives teachers actionable data with targeted instructional recommendations to ensure all students’ reading needs are met. To learn more about DIBELS 8th edition as a screener for reading difficulties, download the University of Oregon’s “Dyslexia Screening and DIBELS 8th Edition” whitepaper.

Why mCLASS?

It’s a single solution that meets all of the state’s requirements for Early Screening of Dyslexia.

  • It’s a universal early literacy and dyslexia screener with Enhanced Early Learning Measures and a diagnostic tool in one.
  • It allows for real-time assessment and instant scoring as well as offline assessment capabilities.
  • It includes explicit literacy instruction and intervention strategies based on student performance.
  • It’s flexible and can be implemented in a variety of scenarios, including in-person, remote, and hybrid learning environments.
  • It includes a variety of parent notification resources and at-home reading strategies.
  • It’s continually enhanced with new features and regular updates that are made available to our entire user community.
Take a closer look at mCLASS
Tablet displaying a student performance table. Columns for assessment times; rows for performance levels. Percentages and student counts are provided in each assessment area and level.

Instant data and action

Quick and actionable reports provide detailed insight into students’ reading development across foundational literacy skills for classroom teachers and literacy specialists, principals and district leaders, and parents and guardians at home.

What’s more, mCLASS® DIBELS® 8th Edition and mCLASS RAN gives you instant results and clear next instructional steps for each and every student.

Learn more about mCLASS reporting features

Enhanced Early Learning Measures

Early intervention is critical. That’s why we help you meet state dyslexia legislation with one single powerful tool—no additional assessment system required.

Our additional measures in vocabulary, spelling, and rapid automatic naming (RAN) address the full range of skills associated with dyslexia risk and help identify students at varying levels of risk for reading difficulties, including dyslexia.

Download our Dyslexia Toolkit
A young man with a beard, wearing a yellow hoodie, is working on a laptop at a desk beside a bookshelf with a fishbowl and soccer ball.

Assess anywhere

mCLASS has created a collection of resources to help you plan for a variety of assessment scenarios.

Whether your school is engaged in in-person, hybrid, or remote instruction, we know how important it is for teachers and administrators to have a full (and firsthand!) picture of every student’s literacy development.

Download our Remote and Hybrid Learning Guide

Personalized practice

Boost Reading (formerly Amplify Reading) is the practice and remediation companion to mCLASS. At its heart, there are three main areas that make Boost Reading a unique and essential supplemental learning program.

  • The program meets all students where they are with powerful individualized instruction and practice.
  • Age-appropriate narratives create a learning experience that leaps off the screen.
  • Research shows Boost Reading improves student performance–particularly among English Learners–reducing the overall percentage of students at risk of reading difficulty.
See how these programs work together
Young girl with curly hair sits indoors, looking at a tablet device with a focused expression.

Funding

Schools may utilize LAP Funds, Early Literacy Grants, or federal CARES Act funds to purchase assessments to meet Washington’s screening legislation.

Visit our CARES Act resource hub Download our CARES Act flyer

Resources

adult and child reading on tablet

mCLASS Program Guide

Take a deeper dive into mCLASS with our comprehensive Program Guide.

A girl with pigtails sits on a blue couch, writing in a red notebook with a pencil. Three books are stacked beside her, and a framed picture hangs on the wall.

mCLASS Remote Learning Guide

Learn more about how to flexibly implement mCLASS in remote and hybrid learning…

A young boy in a red shirt sits at a table, reading a picture book and pointing at the text with his finger.

Dyslexia Fact vs. Fiction eBook

Explore this Dyslexia Fact vs. Fiction eBook

Una mujer ayuda a una niña a leer un libro de trabajo en una mesa en un salón de clases con carteles educativos en la pared.

mCLASS Reporting Guide

Take a closer look at our teacher and administrator level reports.

Teacher in an orange sweater gestures while speaking to attentive students seated at desks in a classroom with educational posters on the walls.

mCLASS FAQ

Explore our FAQ document to gain more insight into how the program can fit your…

A colorful illustrated map shows various buildings and characters marked with pins, including a school, houses, and cartoon animals. The location is labeled "Wharding Warren.

Boost Reading Program Guide

Learn more about the personalized practice and reinforcement companion to mCLASS…

Get in touch

Ready to discuss how mCLASS can support your specific needs? Please contact your Amplify Account Executive:

Alicia O’Neil

Senior Account Executive

(425) 890-6103

aoneil@amplify.com

Erin Elfving-Strayhan

Senior Account Executive

(971) 291-9854

estrayan@amplify.com

Kristen Rockstroh

Account Executive

(480) 639-8367

krockstroh@amplify.com

Welcome, Arizona educators!

The Arizona Department of Education just released its first-ever list of approved universal literacy screeners. According to the state, these screeners “shall be used by schools in the 2020-2021 school year to meet the requirements of both the Move On When Reading (MOWR) legislation and the dyslexia screening legislation.”
 
We’re excited to announce that mCLASS® with DIBELS® 8th Edition and mCLASS RAN is on that list.

A teacher shows a tablet to a young student at a table; below, a girl listens in class. Two squares feature icons of a book and a puzzle piece on colored backgrounds.

Why mCLASS?

mCLASS® with DIBELS® 8th Edition and mCLASS RAN is a single solution that meets all of the requirements of the law.

  • It’s a universal early literacy screener, dyslexia screener, and diagnostic tool in one.
  • It includes immediate and actionable literacy instruction and intervention strategies based on student performance.
  • It’s flexible and can be implemented in a variety of scenarios, including in-person, remote, and hybrid learning environments.
  • It allows for non-paper assessment and scoring as well as offline assessment capabilities.
  • It includes a variety of parent notification resources and at-home reading strategies.

 
Take our self-guided tour to learn more. >

A timeline with milestones from 2000 to 2018 shows Amplify’s focus on literacy, with a large play button in the center and the text: "We have been laser-focused on literacy for two decades.

Funding

Schools may utilize Move On When Reading (MOWR), Early Literacy Grants, or federal CARES Act funds to purchase assessments to meet both MOWR legislation and the dyslexia screening legislation (A.R.S §15-701 and A.R.S. §15-4704).
 
Visit our CARES Act resource hub or download this CARES Act flyer to learn more.

Young girl with curly hair sits indoors, looking at a tablet device with a focused expression.

More than a test

mCLASS is an integrated, gold standard literacy system that closes the knowing-doing gap. By combining assessment, reporting, and instruction in one, it eliminates the need for cobbled together tools.

  • Data gathered through efficient one-minute measures is made available to teachers instantly.
  • Easy-to-read reports make teachers aware of potential reading difficulties as well as observed patterns.
  • Ready-to-teach literacy instruction and intervention strategies help teachers target specific skill deficits immediately.

 
Watch this video and see how mCLASS empowers and supports teachers. >

Remote learning

mCLASS has created a collection of resources to help you plan for a variety of scenarios for the 2020–2021 school year.
 
Whether your school is engaged in in-person, hybrid, or remote instruction, we know how important it is for teachers and administrators to have a full picture of every student’s literacy development.
 
Download our Remote and Hybrid Learning Guide to learn more.

A person sitting at a desk using a laptop, with a bookshelf containing books, a fish tank, and a soccer ball nearby.

Personalized practice

Amplify Reading is the practice and remediation companion to mCLASS.
 
At its heart, there are three main areas that make Amplify Reading a unique and essential supplemental learning program for the 2020-2021 school year.

  • The program meets all students where they are with powerful individualized instruction and practice.
  • Age-appropriate narratives create a learning experience that leaps off the screen.
  • Research shows Amplify Reading improves student performance–particularly among English Learners–reducing the overall percentage of students at risk of reading difficulty.

 
Watch this video to learn more about Amplify Reading. >

Resources

adult and child reading on tablet

mCLASS Program Guide

Take a deeper dive into mCLASS with our comprehensive Program Guide.

A girl with pigtails sits on a blue couch, writing in a red notebook with a pencil. Three books are stacked beside her, and a framed picture hangs on the wall.

mCLASS Remote Learning Guide

Learn more about how to flexibly implement mCLASS in remote and hybrid learning…

A young boy in a red shirt sits at a table, reading a picture book and pointing at the text with his finger.

mCLASS Dyslexia Toolkit

Explore how mCLASS helps you identify and support at-risk students.

Una mujer ayuda a una niña a leer un libro de trabajo en una mesa en un salón de clases con carteles educativos en la pared.

mCLASS Reporting Guide

Take a closer look at our teacher and administrator level reports.

Teacher in an orange sweater gestures while speaking to attentive students seated at desks in a classroom with educational posters on the walls.

mCLASS FAQ

Explore our FAQ document to gain more insight into how the program can fit your…

A colorful illustrated map shows various buildings and characters marked with pins, including a school, houses, and cartoon animals. The location is labeled "Wharding Warren.

Amplify Reading Program Guide

Learn more about the personalized practice and reinforcement companion to mCLASS…

Get in touch

Ready to discuss how mCLASS can support your specific needs? A brief 30-minute call is all we need to determine if mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition is the right fit for you.
 
Simply fill out the form below and we’ll be in touch.

Man with a trimmed beard and shaved head, wearing a dark suit, blue shirt, and orange tie, posing against a plain white background.

Tommy Gearhart

Senior Account Executive

A woman with shoulder-length brown hair smiles in front of a brick wall.

Laina Armbruster

Account Executive

A smiling man in a jacket is shown in a black-and-white portrait with a blurred outdoor background.

Laina Armbruster

Field Manager

Request a meeting

Amplify Desmos Math for San Diego

Hello San Diego math educators,

Welcome to Amplify Desmos Math! We’re confident you’ll find this to be a powerful and effective program for getting all your students talking and thinking about math concepts together.

On this site, you’ll find a variety of resources to guide you in learning more about what Amplify Desmos Math has to offer. 

A laptop displays a math activity showing a dinosaur-shaped car on a grid and a tunnel with a height restriction sign and a tree.

Figuring out Problem-Based Learning

Figuring out how to implement a problem-based learning approach to mathematics can be fun and challenging. Rest assured that you will not be alone on this journey. Amplify will be by your side every step of the way.

In the short videos below, Fawn Nguyen (Amplify Math Specialist, Former Math Coach and Teacher) and John Hoogestraat (Desmos Product Specialist, Former Math Coach and Teacher) share their thoughts about the power of Amplify Desmos Math.

Promotional graphic with the text “Figure it out with Fawn and John” and photos of a smiling man and woman in circular frames.

Amplify Desmos Math: Supporting Math Practices

Amplify Desmos Math: Teacher Time-Saving Tools

Amplify Desmos Math: Capturing Student Thinking

Amplify Desmos Math: What a Classroom Looks and Sounds Like

About Amplify Desmos Math

Amplify Desmos Math, based on the highly-rated Illustrative Mathematics curriculum IM K–12 Math™, is designed around the idea that a core math curriculum needs to serve 100 percent of students in accessing grade-level math every day.

By joining forces with Desmos Classroom, Amplify is changing the conversation around math instruction—for both students and teachers.

  • Engaging, discourse-rich math lessons that are easier to teach.
  • Flexible, collaborative problem-solving experiences both online and off.
  • Real-time insights that make student thinking more transparent.
amplify math middle schoolers in classroom

Program highlights

People in a museum observe a large stone slab with mathematical graphs; dinosaur skeletons are displayed in the background.

Taking the IM content further

A laptop screen displays an educational activity about dog walking, featuring an illustration of a person walking six dogs and text instructions beside the image.

Planning for instruction

To start using Amplify Desmos Math quickly in your classroom, check out the following onboarding videos, guide, and planning resources. They cover what you need to know to get started fast.

Onboarding videos and guides

Standards Correlation

Screenshot of an educational website's dashboard, displaying colorful banners for math 6, math 7, math 8, and algebra 1 courses under the featured collections section.

Lesson Sampler

Amplify Desmos Math delivers the instructional power of student-centered learning packaged in a lesson format that is teacher-friendly and manageable.

With easy-to-follow instructional support, implementing a problem-based program becomes more effective and enjoyable for both you and your students. Paired with the Desmos Classroom digital experience, math class becomes fun and dynamic, with plenty of opportunities for students to talk through their reasoning, work with their peers, and gain new understandings.

A desktop screen displaying various educational graphs and charts, including trajectory and bar graphs, with icons and text details related to Desmos math lessons.
Two people discuss cat-themed artwork in a studio; one points at a geometric cat drawing, the other holds a cat while standing near a realistic cat portrait.

Grade 6 Lesson Sampler

A person with glasses stands at a drafting table, reviewing architectural drawings with red geometric shapes, in an office with a desk, chair, and filing cabinet.

Grade 7 Lesson Sampler

Illustration of penguins gathered around an easel displaying a colorful abstract painting, set against an icy landscape with icebergs and water in the background.

Grade 8 Lesson Sampler

Additional features

Universal design

Every student is brilliant, and every student has brilliant mathematical ideas worth sharing and cultivating. Incorporating principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) into lessons brings their brilliance to the forefront. UDL is a research-based framework designed to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

A feedback form with two questions, "How well did you understand the math in this lesson?" and "How did you feel about learning math in this lesson?" with corresponding emoji options for responses, perfectly complements the New York Math curriculum.

Diversity and representation

Helping students develop strong, healthy, and flexible math identities is a cornerstone of our program. Throughout the curriculum, students will be taught that they themselves are mathematicians, that today’s math was largely shaped by a diverse range of mathematicians who deserve to be learned about, and that learning is never finished.

Illustration of a laptop displaying various colorful icons and graphics representing diverse professions and historical figures on its screen, emphasizing illustrative mathematics and desmos math concepts through its displayed content.

Assessments

Less exciting, but essential for learning—assessments. Amplify Desmos Math will feature a robust variety of formative and summative assessments, including: readiness checks, exit tickets, quizzes, end-of-unit tests, benchmarks, and CAASPP practice.

Illustration of a laptop displaying various colorful icons and graphics representing diverse professions and historical figures on its screen, emphasizing illustrative mathematics and desmos math concepts through its displayed content.

Reporting

Not only will our reports show progress toward standards mastery, they will include detail on how students performed against the standard in the past and how many more encounters are yet to come. This feature alone helps teachers prioritize instruction and intervene with additional resources when necessary.

A computer screen displays a New York math skills tracking interface, highlighting standard 6.EE.C.9, with progress indicators and a class average score of 74% shown in a yellow pie chart.

Featuring Desmos Math 6–A1

Desmos Math 6–8 is based on the highly rated IM K–12™ curricula from Illustrative Mathematics. It has also earned a perfect all-green rating by EdReports.

Read the review on EdReports.

Unlike other IM-based lessons, ours require less prep and are easier to teach. Plus, our more visually rich activities and engaging on-ramps to learning make our lessons accessible to all students.

Digital educational slide adhering to the core curriculum, showcasing a fishbowl on a table, clock on the wall at 8:00, and window with curtains, next to a math problem about

Desmos Classroom digital lessons

Digital lessons should be powerful in their ability to surface student thinking and spark interesting and productive discussions. We’ve joined forces with Desmos Classroom to bring this vision to life with a complete library of interactive, collaborative lessons.

Screenshot of an educational module titled "Balloon Float" on Desmos Classroom. It focuses on proportional relationships with tables and lists goals related to quantities, patterns, and numerical relationships.

Engaging student experience

Relevant content and interactive math tools create an intuitive and engaging student experience. Plus, working together in real-time allows students to see that communicating their ideas and learning from each other are important parts of math class.

A screenshot of an educational software showing a turtle race. Users write equations for four turtles to determine their speed. Lane 4 is empty, waiting for an equation to be written. Graph and table included.


Visibility into student thinking

Imagine having more visibility into your students’ mathematical thinking. Now imagine students have access to this same information. With our collaborative lesson interface and teacher dashboard, students can’t hide. What’s more, they have visibility into the thinking of their peers—exposing them to a wider variety of approaches to solving the same problem.

Laptop screen displaying an illustrative mathematics pattern on a grid in a graphics editing software interface, with annotations and tool icons visible.

Ready-to-teach lessons

Each grade-level includes 150 ready-to-teach lessons complete with slides, step-by-step teaching notes, suggested student and teacher responses, tips for incorporating instructional routines, support for developing mathematical language, and links to useful resources. Teachers can also control what slides students see, giving teachers the ability to control the pace of the lesson to suite the needs of the class.

A screenshot displays a Pizza Maker educational tool. Four pizzas are shown, and a question about oven temperature for multiple pizzas is posed. Various student responses are visible below.


Looking for help?

Our chat agents are standing by to assist you!
Simply log in at learning.amplify.com and click the orange button in the bottom right corner to chat live with our support team.

Important to Note
Our support hours are Monday through Friday, 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT.

Don’t have a login yet?
Email us: help@amplify.com
Call us: +1 (800) 823-1969

A laptop screen displays a curriculum dashboard with a list of core units and colorful thumbnails for a sixth-grade ELA program.

Virtual presentations

Amplify CKLA for Grades K–2

Amplify CKLA for Grades 3–5

About CKLA

Amplify CKLA is a core ELA program for grades K–5 that delivers:

  • A combination of explicit foundational skills with meaningful knowledge building.
  • Embedded support and differentiation that get all students reading grade-level texts together.
  • Opportunities for students to see the strengths and experiences that all people share while celebrating each others’ unique identities and experiences.
  • Authentic Spanish language arts instruction with Amplify Caminos.

 

Una chica con una camisa azul se sienta en una mesa con un libro abierto. Las características del fondo incluyen un oso, una pagoda, plantas, gemas y un pájaro, todo en un estilo ilustrado.

Program effectiveness

How it Works

Amplify CKLA teaches both foundational skills and background knowledge in grades K–2 and combines them in 3–5.

  • In grades K–2, students complete one full lesson that builds foundational reading skills and one full lesson that builds background knowledge.
  • In grades 3–5, students complete one integrated lesson combining skills and knowledge with increasingly complex texts, close reading, and a greater emphasis on writing
Illustration of ancient civilizations featuring pyramids, a pharaoh’s head, farmers plowing with oxen, animals, and traditional structures under a sunny sky.

CKLA Program Guide

Illustration showing a person painting by a window, bees and a grasshopper among sunflowers, a pyramid, and two children floating on a globe with books and planets.

Caminos Program Guide

Cover of a booklet titled "Assessment sampler Grades K–5" with colorful illustrations of animals, a woman, and nature at the bottom.

Assessment

What students Explore

Amplify CKLA builds knowledge coherently across subjects and grades.

Students make connections from year to year by exploring grade-appropriate subject-area knowledge and vocabulary in history, science, literature, and the arts while learning to read, write, and think creatively and for themselves.

Download the at-a-glance resources below to learn more.

What students Explore
Illustrative circles depicting educational stages from prek to grade 5, each showing children engaged in age-appropriate activities or learning themes.

Units by grade
Ilustración de una galleta con leche, un primer plano de la boca de una persona, un texto que dice "¡Digámoslo juntos!" en un bocadillo y dos círculos azules uno al lado del otro sobre un fondo verde.

Skills by grade

What students read

Amplify CKLA puts a variety of texts in the hands of students every day to build and strengthen background knowledge and vocabulary, listening and reading comprehension, and decoding and fluency skills.

A comprehensive approach to literacy instruction requires students to have a wide range of text experiences, including reading, listening, discussing, and writing. Check out our text complexity guide to learn more by clicking here. Most questions, tasks, and assignments in CKLA materials are text-dependent. See how we use questioning and analysis skills to help students understand text in CKLA here.

More than that, we ensure the texts students read represent the world around them. With a diverse range of authors, topics, and characters, all students have ample access to both windows and mirrors. Our texts include the following:

  • Authentic books.
  • Authentic text passages.
  • Student Readers.
  • Novel Guides (grades 3–5).

Download the lists below to explore specific grade-level texts.

What students read
A boy sits at a table drawing while smiling at a large blue elephant floating outside the window in a bright, colorful room.

Grade K Text List
A boy sits on brownstone steps as a pink ice cream truck labeled "Yummy" emits colorful, wavy streams on a residential street with three row houses.

Grade 1 Text List
A rocket launches from a pad, releasing smoke, while a peregrine falcon perches on a branch in the foreground, watching the scene.

Grade 2 Text List
Three people are at a playground, with two children singing while sitting and standing on playground equipment, and an adult directing or encouraging them. Musical notes are illustrated around them.

Grade 3 Text List
Cartoon people of varied ages and backgrounds enjoy a city park; some play music, others relax or interact, with buildings and trees in the background.

Grade 4 Text List
A girl writes at her desk, imagining herself graduating in cap and gown, with a thought bubble showing her smiling and holding a diploma.

Grade 5 Text List

Supports LETRS

Amplify CKLA aligns with the instructional principles recommended by LETRS.

  • Structured: Concepts are taught through consistent routines.
  • Sequential: Concepts are taught in a logical, well-planned sequence.
  • Systematic: Phonemes are taught from simplest to most complex.
  • Explicit: Decoding and encoding concepts are taught directly and explicitly.
  • Multi-sensory: Instruction is delivered through visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile pathways.
  • Cumulative: Concepts are applied in decodable, connected texts with constant review and reinforcement.

CKLA Skills sequence for K–2

CKLA Skills sequence for 3–5

Amplify CKLA and LTRS Crosswalk

A comprehensive and cohesive solution

A strong literacy program is more than a reading program or an assessment tool: it combines curriculum, instruction, regular practice, intervention, and assessments.

Amplify has brought these components together in our early literacy curriculum suite to ensure you have what you need for multi-tiered support.

 

Un adulto y un niño se sientan en una mesa y usan juntos una tableta. El adulto viste un top floral amarillo y el niño, vestido con un traje azul marino y blanco, señala la pantalla.

CKLA and mCLASS®

CKLA aligns with our mCLASS®, Amplify’s comprehensive diagnostic universal screener.
Two young girls, one with braided hair and the other with blonde hair, smiling and looking at a laptop screen in a classroom.

CKLA and Boost Reading

Boost Reading provides literacy acceleration and remediation for your students.

Trial Access

Ready to explore on your own? Follow the instructions below to access your demo account.

Explore CKLA's digital site

First, watch the quick teacher navigation video to the right. Then, follow the instructions below to access your demo account.

Go to my.amplify.com

Select Log in with Amplify

Teacher login: t1.springfield.ckla.k-5@demo.tryamplify.net

Student login: s1.springfield.ckla.k-5@demo.tryamplify.net

Password for both: Amplify1-springfield.ckla.k-5

Select the CKLA icon and your desired grade level

 

Additional Resources

Check out the information below to learn more about Amplify CKLA and see how Amplify CKLA is impacting classrooms all over the country.

Scope and sequences:

Grade K Skills and Knowledge

Grade 1 Skills and Knowledge

Grade 2 Skills and Knowledge

Grade 3 Integrated

Grade 4 Integrated

Grade 5 Integrated

 

Writing resources:

CKLA Writing Continuum for Grades K–2

CKLA Writing Continuum for Grades 3–5

Grade 3 Grammar and Morphology Scope & Sequence

Grade 4 Grammar and Morphology Scope & Sequence

Grade 5 Grammar and Morphology Scope & Sequence

 

Other helpful resources:

Research and Case Studies

CKLA Professional Development

 

Contact us

Interested in speaking directly with your representative?

Kristin McDonald

Senior Account Executive

(515) 240-0244

kmcdonald@amplify.com

Welcome to Amplify CKLA!

To view this protected page, enter the password below:



Introducing Amplify CKLA

Amplify CKLA for Grades K–2

After watching the K–2 video below, scroll down to learn even more, download resources, and access a demo.

Amplify CKLA for Grades 3–5

After watching the 3–5 video below, scroll down to learn even more, download resources, and access a demo.

What it is

Amplify CKLA is a core ELA program for grades K–5 that delivers:

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

 

Three children's book covers displayed: "The Green Fern Zoo" with illustrated animals, "The Job Hunt" featuring a woman and child, and "Fables" showing a fox reading to forest animals.

All-green on EdReports
Una chica con una camisa azul se sienta en una mesa con un libro abierto. Las características del fondo incluyen un oso, una pagoda, plantas, gemas y un pájaro, todo en un estilo ilustrado.

Program effectiveness
A circular badge reads "Read the Report, edreports, Review Year 2020" with a blue background and geometric logo.

Also all-green: CKLA Skills

How it works

Amplify CKLA teaches both foundational skills and background knowledge in K–2 and combines them in 3–5, as required by the science of reading.

  • In grades K–2, students complete one full lesson that builds foundational reading skills, as well as one full lesson that builds background knowledge.
  • In grades 3–5, student complete one integrated lesson that combines skills and knowledge with increasingly complex texts, close reading, and a greater writing emphasis.

See pages 30-65 of the CKLA Program Guide below to learn more.

How it works
Illustration of ancient civilizations featuring pyramids, a Sphinx statue, a step pyramid, farmers with oxen, and people in traditional clothing.

CKLA Program Guide
Illustration featuring diverse characters and elements such as frida kahlo with flowers, children on planets, maya pyramid, a bee, and a cricket on nature-themed background.

Caminos Program Guide

What students explore

Amplify CKLA builds knowledge coherently across subjects and grades.

Students make connections from year-to-year by exploring grade-appropriate subject-area knowledge and vocabulary in history, science, literature, and the arts while learning to read, write, and think creatively and for themselves.

Download the at-a-glance resources below to learn more.

What students explore
Illustrative circles depicting educational stages from prek to grade 5, each showing children engaged in age-appropriate activities or learning themes.

Units by grade
Ilustración de una galleta con leche, un primer plano de la boca de una persona, un texto que dice "¡Digámoslo juntos!" en un bocadillo y dos círculos azules uno al lado del otro sobre un fondo verde.

Skills by grade

What students read

Amplify CKLA puts a variety of texts in the hands of students every day to build and strengthen background knowledge and vocabulary, listening and reading comprehension, and decoding and fluency skills.

More than that, we ensure the texts students read represent the world around them. With a diverse range of authors, topics, and characters, all students have ample access to both windows and mirrors. Our texts include:

  • Authentic books.
  • Authentic text passages.
  • Student Readers.
  • Novel Guides (grades 3–5).

Download the lists below to explore specific grade-level texts.

What students read
A boy sits at a table drawing while smiling at a large blue elephant floating outside the window in a bright, colorful room.

Grade K Text List
A boy sits on brownstone steps as a pink ice cream truck labeled "Yummy" emits colorful, wavy streams on a residential street with three row houses.

Grade 1 Text List
A rocket launches from a pad, releasing smoke, while a peregrine falcon perches on a branch in the foreground, watching the scene.

Grade 2 Text List
Three people are at a playground, with two children singing while sitting and standing on playground equipment, and an adult directing or encouraging them. Musical notes are illustrated around them.

Grade 3 Text List
Cartoon people of varied ages and backgrounds enjoy a city park; some play music, others relax or interact, with buildings and trees in the background.

Grade 4 Text List
A girl writes at her desk, imagining herself graduating in cap and gown, with a thought bubble showing her smiling and holding a diploma.

Grade 5 Text List

Access and equity

We believe we have a responsibility to provide literacy instruction that gives every student the same opportunity to succeed and excel.

We know that early reading affects achievement throughout school and beyond—well into college and career. Yet most literacy programs continue to fall short of supporting early literacy success. That’s why we’re so proud that CKLA is helping close the reading gap between students within diverse communities.

Explore how we make learning equitable for all learners with the resources below.

Un grupo de jóvenes estudiantes se sientan muy juntos y miran atentamente hacia arriba. Algunos de los niños visten atuendos coloridos, incluida una niña con un hijab azul. Parecen estar en un salón de clases.

The four pillars of equity

Two boys sit at desks with open books, talking to each other. A paper cutout of a lightbulb stands upright between them.

Equity and diversity overview
Un grupo de jóvenes estudiantes se sientan muy juntos y miran atentamente hacia arriba. Algunos de los niños visten atuendos coloridos, incluida una niña con un hijab azul. Parecen estar en un salón de clases.

Grades K–2: Supporting all learners
A diverse group of young students and a teacher laughing together around a laptop in a colorful classroom, engaged with an online language arts curriculum.

Grades 3–5: Supporting all learners

Built on the Science of Reading

Watching students learn to read: magic. Knowing how they get there: science.

As you consider your next core ELA program, it’s critically important to understand what the Science of Reading really means and what it tells us about how to teach more effectively. Unlike other programs, Amplify CKLA was built upon these insights and practices, making it easier for teachers to implement this proven approach.

Download the resources below to dive deeper into the Science of Reading.

Built on the Science of Reading
Cover image of the book Science of Reading: A Primer, Part One by Amplify, showing a person flying a kite with multicolored ribbons in a green landscape with trees and clouds.

Science of Reading Primer: Part 1
Cover of Science of Reading: The Primer Part Two by Amplify, featuring an illustration of a person standing atop a large stair pyramid holding a staff with a glowing symbol, with trees and clouds in the background.

Science of Reading Primer: Part 2
Three children read books together on the floor with a small table and a stack of books in the background.

Science of Reading: Look Fors
Orange outline of headphones with a sound wave symbol in the center, set against a black background.

Science of Reading podcast

Gain insights from researchers and practitioners in early reading.

Supports Orton-Gillingham and LETRS

Amplify CKLA aligns with the instructional principles recommended by Orton-Gillingham and LETRS.

  • Structured–Concepts are taught through consistent routines
  • Sequential–Concepts are taught in a logical, well-planned sequence
  • Systematic–Phonemes are taught from simplest to most complex
  • Explicit–Decoding and encoding concepts are taught directly and explicitly
  • Multi-sensory–Instruction is delivered through visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile pathways
  • Cumulative–Concepts are applied in decodable, connected texts with constant review and reinforcement
Diagram showing parallel strands labeled with reading skills and knowledge merging together into a single twisted line labeled "Integration.

CKLA Skills sequence for K–2
Diagram showing parallel strands labeled with reading skills and knowledge merging together into a single twisted line labeled "Integration.

CKLA Skills sequence for 3–5

A comprehensive and cohesive solution

A strong literacy program is not just about a reading program or an assessment tool: it brings together curriculum, instruction, regular practice, intervention, and assessments.

Amplify has brought these components together in our early literacy suite of curriculum, ensure that you have what you need for multi-tiered support.

 

Un adulto y un niño se sientan en una mesa y usan juntos una tableta. El adulto viste un top floral amarillo y el niño, vestido con un traje azul marino y blanco, señala la pantalla.

CKLA and mCLASS

CKLA connects to our comprehensive diagnostic universal screener called mCLASS.
Two young girls, one with braided hair and the other with blonde hair, smiling and looking at a laptop screen in a classroom.

CKLA and Amplify Reading

CKLA connects to our adaptive reading practice program called Amplify Reading.
A diverse group of young students and a teacher laughing together around a laptop in a colorful classroom, engaged with an online language arts curriculum.

CKLA and Language Studio

CKLA aligns with Language Studio–our ELD companion program for grades K–2.
Un niño con la cabeza rapada está sentado en un escritorio, escribiendo en un cuaderno con un bolígrafo blanco.

CKLA and Writing Studio

CKLA aligns with Writing Studio–our writing companion program for grades K–5.

Access demo

Ready to explore on your own? Follow the instructions below to access your demo account.

Explore the CKLA Teacher Resource Site

First, watch the quick navigation video to the right. Then, click the “Access CKLA Teacher Resource Site” button to log in.

  • Click the CKLA Teacher Resource Site button
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter this username: t1.yakima_school_district@demo.tryamplify.net
  • Enter this password: Amplify1-yakima_school_district
  • Select the desired grade level
Access CKLA Teacher Resource Site

Please note, these demo accounts expire on: February 23, 2023

Welcome, Prescott ELA review committees!

Dear Prescott educator,

We’re extremely excited to be part of your English language arts adoption process.

Amplify CKLA and Amplify ELA aren’t your traditional core ELA programs. They’re different to make a difference – and the results are simply undeniable. Watch theoverview presentations belowto learn more.

I look forward to visiting with you soon and sharing more about the unique research-based approaches built right into these high-quality solutions.

With great respect for what you do,

Tommy Gearhart
Arizona Account Executive

A miniature yellow van with luggage on top is parked next to a small stop sign, with a blurred, colorful vehicle in the background. Text reads: "Your literacy journey stops here!.

About our programs

Amplify CKLA for Grades 3–5

Watch the video to the right to learn how Amplify CKLA brings Science of Reading best practices to life and addresses the specific needs of students in grades 3–5.

Ready for more? Visit our review site to download resources and access a demo.

Visit Grade 5 Review Site

Amplify ELA for Grades 6–8

Watch the video to the right to learn how Amplify ELA takes the Science of Reading to the next level, engages and empowers learners, and addresses the specific and very unique needs of students in grades 6–8.

Ready for more? Visit our review site to download resources and access a demo.

Visit 6–8 Review Site

Contact us

Looking to speak directly with your Arizona representative? Your dedicated Account Executive, Tommy Gearhart, is standing by and ready to help.

Tommy Gearhart

Senior Account Executive

(505) 206-7661

tgearhart@amplify.com

Alestra Menéndez

Literacy Curriculum Specialist

(925) 698-8083

amenendez@amplify.com

Overview Videos

Amplify CKLA and Caminos for K–2

After watching the K–2 video below, scroll down to learn even more, download resources, and access a demo.

Amplify CKLA and Caminos for 3–5

After watching the 3–5 video below, scroll down to learn even more, download resources, and access a demo.

What it is

Amplify CKLA is a core ELA program for grades K–5 that delivers:

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

 

Three children's book covers displayed: "The Green Fern Zoo" with illustrated animals, "The Job Hunt" featuring a woman and child, and "Fables" showing a fox reading to forest animals.

All-green on EdReports
Una chica con una camisa azul se sienta en una mesa con un libro abierto. Las características del fondo incluyen un oso, una pagoda, plantas, gemas y un pájaro, todo en un estilo ilustrado.

Program effectiveness
Circular badge with "READ THE REPORT" at the top, "REVIEW YEAR 2021" at the bottom, and the EdReports logo in the center.

Also all-green: CKLA Skills

How it works

Amplify CKLA teaches both foundational skills and background knowledge in K–2 and combines them in 3–5, as required by the science of reading.

  • In grades K–2, students complete one full lesson that builds foundational reading skills, as well as one full lesson that builds background knowledge.
  • In grades 3–5, student complete one integrated lesson that combines skills and knowledge with increasingly complex texts, close reading, and a greater writing emphasis.
How it works
Illustration of ancient civilizations featuring pyramids, a Sphinx statue, a step pyramid, farmers with oxen, and people in traditional clothing.

CKLA Program Guide
Illustration featuring diverse characters and elements such as frida kahlo with flowers, children on planets, maya pyramid, a bee, and a cricket on nature-themed background.

Caminos Program Guide
Una ilustración que representa a un gran lobo con sombrero de copa liderando un desfile de animales y personas con instrumentos musicales a través de un paisaje montañoso.

Grade K Teacher Planner
Illustration of a space scene with an astronaut in the foreground, a rocket launching, people with a telescope, and a distant planet with rings.

Grade 1 Teacher Planner
Ilustración que muestra la antigua Grecia con un anfiteatro, estatuas, soldados con armadura, un barco y un templo en una colina rodeada de vegetación.

Grade 2 Teacher Planner
An illustration from Amplify CKLA's The Viking Age (with Core Quest)

Grade 3 Teacher Planner
Un pequeño bote de remos con tres personas navega por mares agitados mientras dos grandes barcos luchan al fondo, con humo y fuego visibles.

Grade 4 Teacher Planner
Dos jinetes medievales a caballo, uno de ellos con la espada en alto, avanzan por un terreno rocoso. El fondo presenta un paisaje brumoso bajo un tono violeta.

Grade 5 Teacher Planner

What students explore

Amplify CKLA builds knowledge coherently across subjects and grades.

Students make connections from year-to-year by exploring grade-appropriate subject-area knowledge and vocabulary in history, science, literature, and the arts while learning to read, write, and think creatively and for themselves.

Download the at-a-glance resources below to learn more.

What students explore
Illustrative circles depicting educational stages from prek to grade 5, each showing children engaged in age-appropriate activities or learning themes.

Units by grade
Ilustración de una galleta con leche, un primer plano de la boca de una persona, un texto que dice "¡Digámoslo juntos!" en un bocadillo y dos círculos azules uno al lado del otro sobre un fondo verde.

Skills by grade

What students read

Amplify CKLA puts a variety of texts in the hands of students every day to build and strengthen background knowledge and vocabulary, listening and reading comprehension, and decoding and fluency skills.

More than that, we ensure the texts students read represent the world around them. With a diverse range of authors, topics, and characters, all students have ample access to both windows and mirrors. Our texts include:

  • Authentic books.
  • Authentic text passages.
  • Student Readers.
  • Novel Guides (grades 3–5).

Download the lists below to explore specific grade-level texts.

What students read
A boy sits at a table drawing while smiling at a large blue elephant floating outside the window in a bright, colorful room.

Grade K Text List
A boy sits on brownstone steps as a pink ice cream truck labeled "Yummy" emits colorful, wavy streams on a residential street with three row houses.

Grade 1 Text List
A rocket launches from a pad, releasing smoke, while a peregrine falcon perches on a branch in the foreground, watching the scene.

Grade 2 Text List
Three people are at a playground, with two children singing while sitting and standing on playground equipment, and an adult directing or encouraging them. Musical notes are illustrated around them.

Grade 3 Text List
Cartoon people of varied ages and backgrounds enjoy a city park; some play music, others relax or interact, with buildings and trees in the background.

Grade 4 Text List
A girl writes at her desk, imagining herself graduating in cap and gown, with a thought bubble showing her smiling and holding a diploma.

Grade 5 Text List

Access and equity

We believe we have a responsibility to provide literacy instruction that gives every student the same opportunity to succeed and excel.

We know that early reading affects achievement throughout school and beyond—well into college and career. Yet most literacy programs continue to fall short of supporting early literacy success. That’s why we’re so proud that CKLA is helping close the reading gap between students within diverse communities.

Explore how we make learning equitable for all learners with the resources below.

Un grupo de jóvenes estudiantes se sientan muy juntos y miran atentamente hacia arriba. Algunos de los niños visten atuendos coloridos, incluida una niña con un hijab azul. Parecen estar en un salón de clases.

The four pillars of equity

Two boys sit at desks with open books, talking to each other. A paper cutout of a lightbulb stands upright between them.

Equity and diversity overview
Una mujer adulta está ayudando a un niño con sus tareas escolares en un escritorio en un salón de clases.

Grades K–2: Supporting all learners
Four students work together at a desk in a classroom, with one writing in a notebook. A projector screen and whiteboards with notes are visible in the background.

Grades 3–5: Supporting all learners

Built on the Science of Reading

Watching students learn to read: magic. Knowing how they get there: science.

As you consider your next core ELA program, it’s critically important to understand what the Science of Reading really means and what it tells us about how to teach more effectively. Unlike other programs, Amplify CKLA was built upon these insights and practices, making it easier for teachers to implement this proven approach.

Download the resources below to dive deeper into the Science of Reading.

Built on the Science of Reading
Cover image of the book Science of Reading: A Primer, Part One by Amplify, showing a person flying a kite with multicolored ribbons in a green landscape with trees and clouds.

Science of Reading Primer: Part 1
Cover of Science of Reading: The Primer Part Two by Amplify, featuring an illustration of a person standing atop a large stair pyramid holding a staff with a glowing symbol, with trees and clouds in the background.

Science of Reading Primer: Part 2
Three children read books together on the floor with a small table and a stack of books in the background.

Science of Reading: Look Fors
Orange outline of headphones with a sound wave symbol in the center, set against a black background.

Science of Reading podcast

Gain insights from researchers and practitioners in early reading.

Supports Orton-Gillingham and LETRS

Amplify CKLA aligns with the instructional principles recommended by Orton-Gillingham and LETRS.

  • Structured–Concepts are taught through consistent routines
  • Sequential–Concepts are taught in a logical, well-planned sequence
  • Systematic–Phonemes are taught from simplest to most complex
  • Explicit–Decoding and encoding concepts are taught directly and explicitly
  • Multi-sensory–Instruction is delivered through visual, auditory, and kinesthetic-tactile pathways
  • Cumulative–Concepts are applied in decodable, connected texts with constant review and reinforcement
Diagram showing parallel strands labeled with reading skills and knowledge merging together into a single twisted line labeled "Integration.

CKLA Skills sequence for K–2
Diagram showing parallel strands labeled with reading skills and knowledge merging together into a single twisted line labeled "Integration.

CKLA Skills sequence for 3–5

A comprehensive and cohesive solution

A strong literacy program is not just about a reading program or an assessment tool: it brings together curriculum, instruction, regular practice, intervention, and assessments.

Amplify has brought these components together in our early literacy suite of curriculum, ensure that you have what you need for multi-tiered support.

 

CKLA_Caminos

CKLA and Caminos

Amplify Caminos delivers equitable ELA instruction in Spanish.
male student smiling with books at desk

CKLA and Caminos Lectoescritura

Amplify Caminos authentically builds foundational skills for Spanish-speakers.
A diverse group of young students and a teacher laughing together around a laptop in a colorful classroom, engaged with an online language arts curriculum.

CKLA and Language Studio

CKLA aligns with Language Studio–our ELD companion program for grades K–2.
Un niño con la cabeza rapada está sentado en un escritorio, escribiendo en un cuaderno con un bolígrafo blanco.

CKLA and Writing Studio

CKLA aligns with Writing Studio–our writing companion program for grades K–5.
Un adulto y un niño se sientan en una mesa y usan juntos una tableta. El adulto viste un top floral amarillo y el niño, vestido con un traje azul marino y blanco, señala la pantalla.

CKLA and mCLASS

CKLA connects to our comprehensive diagnostic universal screener called mCLASS.
Two young girls, one with braided hair and the other with blonde hair, smiling and looking at a laptop screen in a classroom.

CKLA and Amplify Reading

CKLA connects to our adaptive reading practice program called Amplify Reading.

Access demo

Ready to explore on your own? Follow the instructions below to access your demo account.

Explore the CKLA Teacher Resource Site

First, watch the quick navigation video to the right. Then, click the “Access CKLA Teacher Resource Site” button to log in.

  • Click the CKLA Teacher Resource Site button
  • Select Log in with Amplify.
  • Enter this username to explore as a teacher: t1.kentcaminos2021@demo.tryamplify.net
  • Enter this username to explore as a student: s1.kentcaminos2021@demo.tryamplify.net
  • Enter this password: Amplify1-kentcaminos2021
  • Select the desired grade level
Access CKLA Teacher Resource Site

Contact us

Have questions? Your dedicated Account Executive, Patrick Momsen, is standing by and ready to help.

Patrick Momsen Senior

Account Executive

Districts over 4,500 students

(541) 207-2148

pmomsen@amplify.com

Boost Reading for Colorado

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Amplify Reading for international partners

We’re thrilled you’re considering giving Amplify Reading a try! This site contains all the resources you’ll need to learn more about the program and to get started using it to support remote learning or classroom instruction. We’re confident you’re going to love how Amplify Reading provides targeted support for every student.

Colorful illustrated animals surround a futuristic portal with silhouettes, while books, dice, and a card deck are arranged in the foreground.

Getting started

What you need to know about Amplify Reading

Amplify Reading is a student-driven, digital literacy program that provides students with differentiated and adaptive practice in all key areas of literacy instruction. Teachers have access to rich data insights into student usage and progress they can use to inform remote instruction.

How does it work with other programs?

Amplify Reading is a great complement to any core or assessment program, especially Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) and mCLASS.

When and how to use Amplify Reading

We recommend students use the program independently for 30-45 minutes a week. This implementation model has led to student growth, especially for dual language learners.

Students will need access to one of the following devices: Windows Devices with Windows 7+, Chromebooks with Chrome OS, and Mac devices with OS 10.11+ or iOS 11+.

How do I get started with Amplify Reading?

Good news! You and your students now have access to Amplify Reading. To get started, you’ll need to sign in with your Amplify credentials at mclass.amplify.com. Next, you’ll want to distribute Amplify Reading credentials to your students.

Where do I find my credentials?

You should have received an email from noreply@amplify.com with your new account information. If you do not see it in your inbox, please check your spam folder.

How to download and distribute student credentials:

How to support login at home:

You can direct parents to the following videos for an overview of the program and how to get started.

After students start playing, you can check in on their progress via your teacher dashboard. 

Amplify Reading Dashboard Tour

Printable extension activities

Consider sending the following activities home with your students as part of their weekly Amplify Reading routine. Each printable activity has instructions in both English and Spanish.
Packet 1
Activity Packet: Grade K | Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Grade 4 | Grade 5
Answer Key: Grade 3 | Grade 4 | Grade 5

A young boy in a red shirt focuses on writing in a notebook with a pen at a desk, with a bright background.

Access support

A science education website features animal and plant defense topics with turtle illustrations; a chat support window for teachers appears on the right side.

Intercom chat

Our Intercom feature gives you the ability to chat with customer support, technical support, and pedagogical support teams in real time directly from the digital platform. This ensures that issues that arise in the classroom can be addressed as quickly as possible. Support teams can be reached from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. EDT, Monday through Friday.

Email

Our customer support, technical support, and pedagogical support teams can be reached by email at help@amplify.com from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. EDT, Monday through Friday.

Open-plan office with multiple people working at desks with computers, plants by windows, and bright overhead lighting.

Learn more

Review the resources below to dive deeper into what makes Amplify Reading unique

Join our Facebook group Science of Reading: The Community to discuss the latest in reading research and instructional practices.

Laptop displaying a screen with various colorful educational app icons arranged in a grid on a green chalkboard background.

Georgia educators, achieve life-changing results with the Science of Reading—we’ll show you how.

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Review Materials

Teacher Reference Guides

It’s important that your committee sees the full breadth and depth of our instruction. For that reason, we provided a copy of each of our unit-specific Teacher Reference Guides. Before you panic, rest assured that teachers do not use these robust reference guides for day-to-day teaching. For that, we have a hands-free TG!

Amplify Science lesson slides

  • Teacher Reference Guide: Unlike a typical TG that requires a series of supplemental books to support it, our encyclopedic reference guide is chock-full of everything a teacher needs to fully implement our program and the NGSS.
  • Ready-to-Teach Digital Lessons: For daily instruction, teachers need their hands free. That’s why we created ready-to-teach lesson slides for every single lesson What’s more, they are editable and include suggested teacher talk and point-of-use differentiation and other instructional tips. Read this help article to learn more.

Hands-on kits

Every unit of our program includes a dedicated hands-on materials kit. Due to the amount of materials involved, we provided your committee two sample kits per grade level. Our unit-specific kits make material management easy for teachers—they grab the tub they need and then put it all back with ease. Plus, items needed for multiple units are duplicated and found in each tub.

Amplify Science hands-on kits

Our unit-specific kits:

  • Include more materials — We give you enough non-consumable materials to support 200 student uses.
  • Are more manageable — Unlike other programs that require large groups of students to share limited sets of materials, our kits include enough to support small groups of 4–5 students.
  • Include supportive videos — Each hands-on activity provides clear instructions for the teacher, with more complex activities supported by video demonstrations and illustrations.

Overview

Developed by UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science, our program features:

  • A phenomena-based approach where students construct a more complex understanding of each unit’s anchor phenomenon.
  • A blend of cohesive storylines, hands-on investigations, rich discussions, literacy-rich activities, and digital tools.
  • Cohesive units, chapters, lessons, and activities designed to deliver true 3-dimensional learning.
  • An instructional design that supports all learners in accessing all standards.

 

Hands-on investigations

Literacy integration

Simulations and modeling tools

Classroom discussions

EdReports All-Green

Amplify Science for grades K–8 has been rated all-green by EdReports.

Read the review on EdReports.

Program structure

Our cyclical lesson design ensures students receive multiple exposures to concepts through a variety of modalities.

As they progress through the lessons within a unit, students build and deepen their understanding, increasing their ability to develop and refine complex explanations of the unit’s phenomenon. It’s this proven program structure and lesson design that enables Amplify Science to address 100% of the NGSS in fewer days than other programs.

Navigating an Engineering Internship (Part 2)

This Part 2 video demonstrates how to use the Futura Workspace to manage the immersive experience of the Engineering Internship units. This includes guidance on how to create student groups, how to review student work, and how to send students targeted feedback on their designs.

Unit sequence

Our lessons follow a structure that is grounded in regular routines while still being flexible enough to allow for a variety of learning experiences.

In fact, our multi-modal instruction offers more opportunities for students to construct meaning, and practice and apply concepts than any other program. What’s more, our modular design means our units can be flexibly arranged to support your instructional goals.

Unit 1

Microbiome

Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Launch

Student role: Microbiological researchers

Phenomenon: The presence of 100 trillion microorganisms living on and in the human body may keep the body healthy.  

Unit 2

Metabolism

Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Medical researchers

Phenomenon: Elisa, a young patient, feels tired all the time.  

See how this unit works

Unit 3

Metabolism Engineering Internship

Domains: Life Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Food engineers

Phenomenon: Designing health bars with different molecular compositions can effectively meet the metabolic needs of patients or rescue workers.  

Unit 4

Traits and Reproduction

Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Biomedical students

Phenomenon: Darwin’s bark spider offspring have different silk flexibility traits, even though they have the same parents.  

See how this unit works

Unit 5

Thermal Energy

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Thermal scientists

Phenomenon: One of two proposed heating systems for Riverdale School will best heat the school.  

See how this unit works   

Unit 6

Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Climatologists

Phenomenon: During El Niño years, the air temperature in Christchurch, New Zealand is cooler than usual.  

Unit 7

Weather Patterns

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Forensic meteorologists

Phenomenon: In recent years, rainstorms in Galetown have been unusually severe.  

See how this unit works

Unit 8

Earth’s Changing Climate

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Life Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Climatologists

Phenomenon: The ice on Earth’s surface is melting.  

See how this unit works

Unit 9

Earth’s Changing Climate Engineering Internship

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Civil engineers

Phenomenon: Designing rooftops with different modifications can reduce a city’s impact on climate change.  

Unit 1

Geology on Mars

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Launch

Student role: Planetary geologists

Phenomenon: Analyzing data about landforms on Mars can provide evidence that Mars may have once been habitable.  

Unit 2

Plate Motion

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Geologists

Phenomenon: Mesosaurus fossils have been found on continents separated by thousands of kilometers of ocean, even though the Mesosaurus species once lived all together.  

See how this unit works

Unit 3

Plate Motion Engineering Internship

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Mechanical engineering interns

Phenomenon: Patterns in earthquake data can be used to design an effective tsunami warning system.    

Unit 4

Rock Transformations

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Geologists

Phenomenon: Rock samples from the Great Plains and from the Rocky Mountains — regions hundreds of miles apart — look very different, but have surprisingly similar mineral compositions.   

See how this unit works

Unit 5

Phase Change

Domains: Physical Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Chemists

Phenomenon: A methane lake on Titan no longer appears in images taken by a space probe two years apart.  

See how this unit works

Unit 6

Phase Change Engineering Internship

Domains: Engineering Design, Physical Science

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Chemical engineering interns

Phenomenon: Designing portable baby incubators with different combinations of phase change materials can keep babies at a healthy temperature.  

Unit 7

Chemical Reactions

Domains: Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Forensic chemists

Phenomenon: A mysterious brown substance has been detected in the tap water of Westfield.  

See how this unit works

Unit 8

Populations and Resources

Domains: Life Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Biologists

Phenomenon: The size of the moon jelly population in Glacier Sea has increased.  

See how this unit works  

Unit 9

Matter and Energy in Ecosystems

Domains: Life Science, Earth and Space Science, Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Ecologists

Phenomenon: The biodome ecosystem has collapsed.  

See how this unit works 

Unit 1

Harnessing Human Energy

Domains: Physical Science, Earth and Space Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Launch

Student role: Energy scientists

Phenomenon: Rescue workers can use their own human kinetic energy to power the electrical devices they use during rescue missions.   

Unit 2

Force and Motion

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Physicists

Phenomenon: The asteroid sample-collecting pod failed to dock at the space station as planned.  

See how this unit works

Unit 3

Force and Motion Engineering Internship

Domains: Engineering Design, Physical Science

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Mechanical engineering interns

Phenomenon: Designing emergency supply delivery pods with different structures can maintain the integrity of the supply pods and their contents.  

Unit 4

Magnetic Fields

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Physicists

Phenomenon: During a test launch, a spacecraft traveled much faster than expected.  

Unit 5

Light Waves

Domains: Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Spectroscopists

Phenomenon: The rate of skin cancer is higher in Australia than in other parts of the world.  

See how this unit works

Unit 6

Earth, Moon, and Sun

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Astronomers

Phenomenon: An astrophotographer can only take pictures of specific features on the Moon at certain times.  

Unit 7

Natural Selection

Domains: Life Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Biologists

Phenomenon: The newt population in Oregon State Park has become more poisonous over time.  

See how this unit works

Unit 8

Metabolism Engineering Internship

Domains: Life Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Food engineers

Phenomenon: Designing health bars with different molecular compositions can effectively meet the metabolic needs of patients or rescue workers.  

Unit 9

Evolutionary History

Domains: Life Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Paleontologists

Phenomenon: A mystery fossil at the Natural History Museum has similarities with both wolves and whales.    

See how this unit works

Access program

Watch the video to the right plus the ones below showing you how to navigate our digital platform. When you’re ready, follow the instructions below to log into our live demo account.

  • Click the orange button below to access the platform.
  • To explore as a teacher, enter this username (t1.washoemssci@demo.tryamplify.net) and this password ( Amplify1-washoemssci).
  • To explore as a student, enter this username (s1.washoemssci@demo.tryamplify.net) and this password ( Amplify1-washoemssci).
  • Choose your grade level from the drop-down menu.

 

Access the digital platform now

Navigating an Engineering Internship (Part 1)

This Part 1 video demonstrates how Engineering Internship units invite students to design solutions for real-world problems as interns for a fictional company called Futura. In the process, they apply and deepen their learning from Core units.

Navigating an Engineering Internship (Part 2)

This Part 2 video demonstrates how to use the Futura Workspace to manage the immersive experience of the Engineering Internship units. This includes guidance on how to create student groups, how to review student work, and how to send students targeted feedback on their designs.

Navigating our reporting tools

Teachers of Amplify Science grades 6–8 have access to a feature called Reporting. When unit assessments are administered digitally, the Reporting tool enables teachers to analyze student performance on the unit assessments.

Differentiation post-assessment

Every core unit of Amplify Science 6–8 features a formal formative assessment opportunity at the mid-way point, or Critical Juncture, of the unit, which provides an important opportunity for differentiation.

Resources

Two middle school girls use a Student Investigation Notebook to take on the role of scientists and engineers

Course structure for 6–8

Take a closer look at how the program is organized.

Unit phenomena for 6–8

Take a closer look at the middle school unit phenomena featured in each grade level.
A young person wearing gloves looks through a microscope at a table with laboratory supplies, including bottles, slides, and a tray, against a plain blue background.

Investigations for 6–8

Explore the types of investigations that take place in middle school classrooms.
Amplify Science California supports 3-D learning with more materials than any other program.

Kit-provided components for 6–8

See what components come in our materials kits!

Teacher-provided components for 6–8

See a list of typical classroom items provided by teachers.
A laptop screen displaying a map with three ecosystem options, each illustrated by different animal icons and accompanied by relevant data lists.

Sims for 4–8

Take a closer look at the digital Simulations included at each grade level.

Active reading in 6–8

Learn how we support students in learning how to interact with scientific texts.
Estudiantes sentados en escritorios, concentrados en escribir en cuadernos y trabajar en computadoras portátiles en un salón de clases.

Approaches to assessment in 6–8

Learn about our middle school embedded assessments.

Overview

With Amplify Science, students don’t just passively learn about science concepts. Instead, they take on the role of scientists and engineers to actively investigate and figure out real-world phenomena. They do this through a blend of cohesive and compelling storylines, hands-on investigations, collaborative discussions, literacy-rich activities, and interactive digital tools.

Watch the videos below to learn how our program empowers students to think, read, write, and argue like real scientists and engineers every day.

Overview

What Educators Say

The NGSS classroom

EdReports

Amplify Science for grades K–8 has been rated all-green by EdReports..

Read the review on Edreports.

Program structure

Our cyclical lesson design ensures students receive multiple exposures to concepts through a variety of modalities. As they progress through the lessons within a unit, students build and deepen their understanding, increasing their ability to develop and refine complex explanations of the unit’s phenomenon.

It’s this proven program structure and lesson design that enables Amplify Science to teach less, but achieve more. We designed our program to address 100% of the NGSS in just 66 days for grades K–2 and 88 days for grades 3–5.

Unit sequence

Our lessons follow a structure that is grounded in regular routines while still being flexible enough to allow for a variety of learning experiences.

In fact, our multi-modal instruction offers more opportunities for students to construct meaning, and practice and apply concepts than any other program. What’s more, our modular design means our units can be flexibly arranged to support your instructional goals.

Unit sequence
Mariposa en vuelo sobre plantas en macetas sobre una mesa, con una oruga en un tallo frondoso cerca, una regadera roja a la izquierda y un paisaje brillante al fondo.

Needs of Plants and Animals

Domains: Life Science, Earth and Space Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Investigation

Student role: Scientists

Phenomenon: There are no monarch caterpillars in the Mariposa Grove community garden since vegetables were planted. 
Una mano tirando de una cuerda atada a una bola blanca, que interactúa con un tablero de madera con varias clavijas y bandas elásticas.

Pushes and Pulls

Domains: Physical Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Engineering design

Student role: Pinball engineers

Phenomenon: Pinball machines allow people to control the direction and strength of forces on a ball. 
An illustration from the Sunlight and Weather unit

Sunlight and Weather

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Life Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Modeling

Student role: Weather scientists

Phenomenon: Students at Carver Elementary School are too cold during morning recess, while students at Woodland Elementary School are too hot during afternoon recess. 
Una ilustración de una tortuga marina nadando bajo el agua, acompañada por una tortuga más pequeña, una tortuga más grande y un tiburón distante. Al fondo se ven algas.

Animal and Plant Defenses

Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Modeling

Student role: Marine scientists

Phenomenon: Spruce the Sea Turtle lives in an aquarium and will soon be released back into the ocean, where she will survive despite ocean predators. 
An illustration from the Light and Sound unit

Light and Sound

Domains: Physical Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Engineering design

Student role: Light and sound engineers

Phenomenon: A puppet show company uses light and sound to depict realistic scenes in puppet shows. 
Ilustración que muestra un paisaje urbano dividido en noche a la izquierda con una luna y estrellas, y día a la derecha con un sol, nubes y un avión.

Spinning Earth

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Investigation

Student role: Sky scientists

Phenomenon: The sky looks different to Sai and his grandma when they talk on the phone. 
Un elefante se encuentra debajo de un árbol y usa su trompa para arrancar un trozo de fruta.

Plant and Animal Relationships

Domains: Life Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Investigation

Student role: Plant scientists

Phenomenon: No new chalta trees are growing in the fictional Bengal Tiger Reserve in India. 
A hand holds a red bean on a table, while a wooden stick spreads white glue and scattered beans. Also on the table are a white cup and a yellow pen.

Properties of Materials

Domains: Physical Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Engineering design

Student role: Glue engineers

Phenomenon: Different glue recipes result in glues that have different properties. 
An illustration from the Changing Landforms unit

Changing Landforms

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Modeling

Student role: Geologists

Phenomenon: The cliff that Oceanside Recreation Center is situated on appears to be receding over time. 
An illustration from the Balancing Forces unit

Balancing Forces

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Modeling

Student role: Engineers

Phenomenon: The town of Faraday is getting a new train that floats above its tracks. 
An illustration from the Inheritance and Traits unit

Inheritance and Traits

strong>Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Investigation

Student role: Wildlife biologists

Phenomenon: An adopted wolf in Graystone National Park (Wolf 44) has some traits that appear similar to one wolf pack in the park and other traits that appear to be similar to a different wolf pack. 
An illustration from the Environments and Survival unit

Environments and Survival

Domains: Life Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Engineering design

Student role: Biomimicry engineers

Phenomenon: Over the last 10 years, a population of grove snails has changed: The number of grove snails with yellow shells has decreased, while the number of snails with banded shells has increased. 
Un orangután con un pelaje naranja cuelga de una enredadera en una densa y verde jungla con árboles y plantas, mientras el sol brilla de fondo.

Weather and Climate

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Argumentation

Student role: Meteorologists

Phenomenon: Three different islands, each a contender for becoming an Orangutan reserve, experience different weather patterns. 
An illustration from the Energy Conversions unit

Energy Conversions

Domains: Physical Science, Earth and Space Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Engineering design

Student role: System engineers

Phenomenon: The fictional town of Ergstown experiences frequent blackouts. 
An illustration from the Vision and Light unit

Vision and Light

Domain: Physical Science, Life Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Investigation

Student role: Conservation biologists

Phenomenon: The population of Tokay geckos in a rain forest in the Philippines has decreased since the installation of new highway lights. 
Ilustración de una costa rocosa con acantilados angulares en tonos rojizos a la izquierda y una masa de agua azul debajo.

Earth's Features

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Argumentation

Student role: Geologists

Phenomenon: A mysterious fossil is discovered in a canyon within the fictional Desert Rocks National Park. 
An illustration from the Waves, Energy, and Information unit

Waves, Energy, and Information

Domains: Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Modeling

Student role: Marine scientists

Phenomenon: Mother dolphins in the fictional Blue Bay National Park seem to be communicating with their calves when they are separated at a distance underwater. 
An illustration from the Patterns of Earth and Sky unit

Patterns of Earth and Sky

Domains: Physical Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Investigation

Student role: Astronomers

Phenomenon: An ancient artifact depicts what we see in the sky at different times — the sun during the daytime and different stars during the nighttime — but it is missing a piece. 
An illustration from the Modeling Matter unit

Modeling Matter

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Modeling

Student role: Food scientists

Phenomenon: Chromatography is a process for separating mixtures. Some solids dissolve in a salad dressing while others do not. Oil and vinegar appear to separate when mixed in a salad dressing. 
An illustration from the Earth System unit

The Earth System

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Physical Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Engineering Design

Student role: Water resource engineers

Phenomenon: East Ferris, a city on one side of the fictional Ferris Island, is experiencing a water shortage, while West Ferris is not. 
An illustration from the Ecosystem Restoration unit

Ecosystem Restoration

Domains:Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Argumentation

Student role: Ecologists

Phenomenon: The jaguars, sloths, and cecropia trees in a reforested section of a Costa Rican rain forest are not growing and thriving. 

Access program

Watch the video to the right showing you how to navigate our digital platform. When you’re ready, follow the instructions below to log into your live demo account.

  • Click the orange button below to access the platform.
  • Explore as a teacher with this username (t1.cartwrightsd@demo.tryamplify.net) and this password (Amplify1-cartwrightsd).
  • Explore as a student with this username (s1.cartwrightsd@demo.tryamplify.net) and this password (Amplify1-cartwrightsd).
  • Choose your grade level from the drop-down menu.

 

Access the digital platform now

Resources

Minimalist illustration of three pencils outlined in white on an orange background, with the lines of the pencils forming part of a continuous single line drawing.

Arizona State Standards Alignment

See how well Amplify Science aligns to your state standards.
A computer screen displays an educational platform featuring teacher notes, interactive content, quick links to activities, and easy navigation tools.

New! Digital experience

Our Amplify Science digital experience is getting even better for the upcoming school year. Click to learn more!
Un adulto y un niño se sientan en un sofá beige con cuadernos abiertos. El adulto usa una computadora portátil, mientras el niño escribe en un libro. La luz del sol entra por las ventanas detrás de ellos.

Remote and Hybrid Learning Guide

Learn more about new product enhancements and resources to help you deliver engaging science instruction in any instructional scenario—remote, hybrid, or in-person.
Una mujer lee un libro titulado "Postales de accidentes geográficos" a un grupo de niños atentos sentados en el suelo de un salón de clases.

Course structure for K–5

Take a closer look at how the program is organized.
Illustration of a pixelated green mountain cliff deconstructing into a digital grid, with red dots floating over a tranquil sea and flying white birds.

Unit phenomena for K–5

Take a closer look at the elementary unit phenomena featured in each grade level.
Two children engaged in an animated conversation while sitting at a school desk with laptops and books.

What’s so phenomenal about phenomena?

Learn actionable strategies that will help you implement 3-D teaching and learning.
A young boy and girl sitting in a classroom, reading a book together with focused expressions.

Literacy-rich instruction in K–5

Scientists do not just get messy. They read and write with purpose too. Explore how we do that in our program.
A young boy and girl sitting in a classroom, reading a book together with focused expressions.

Student Books in K–5

Read a summary of each of our award-winning K–5 student books.
A laptop screen displaying a map with three ecosystem options, each illustrated by different animal icons and accompanied by relevant data lists.

Sims for 4–8

Take a closer look at the digital Simulations included at each grade level.
Two children in safety goggles conducting a science experiment with liquids in a classroom.

Investigations for K–5

Explore the types of investigations that take place in elementary classrooms.
Amplify Science California supports 3-D learning with more materials than any other program.

Materials Kits for K–5

See what components come in our materials kits!
Un maestro se encuentra al frente de un salón de clases, explicando una lección que se muestra en una pantalla. Los estudiantes se sientan en sus escritorios y algunos levantan la mano.

Approaches to assessment in K–5

Learn about our elementary embedded assessments.

Overview

With Amplify Science, students don’t just passively learn about science concepts.

No matter where your students are learning, they take on the role of scientists and engineers to actively investigate and make sense of real-world phenomena. They do this through a blend of cohesive and compelling storylines, hands-on investigations, collaborative discussions, literacy-rich activities, and interactive digital tools.

Watch the videos below to learn how the program empowers students to think, read, write, and argue like real scientists and engineers every day.

Grades 6–8

EdReports All-Green

Amplify Science for grades K–8 has been rated all-green by EdReports.

Read the review on EdReports.

Program structure

Our cyclical lesson design ensures students receive multiple exposures to concepts through a variety of modalities.

As they progress through the lessons within a unit, students build and deepen their understanding, increasing their ability to develop and refine complex explanations of the unit’s phenomenon. It’s this proven program structure and lesson design that enables Amplify Science to address 100% of the NGSS in fewer days than other programs.

Unit sequence

Our lessons follow a structure that is grounded in regular routines while still being flexible enough to allow for a variety of learning experiences.

In fact, our multi-modal instruction offers more opportunities for students to construct meaning, and practice and apply concepts than any other program. What’s more, our modular design means our units can be flexibly arranged to support your instructional goals.

Unit 1

Geology on Mars

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Launch

Student role: Planetary geologists

Phenomenon: Analyzing data about landforms on Mars can provide evidence that Mars may have once been habitable.  

Unit 2

Plate Motion

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Geologists

Phenomenon: Mesosaurus fossils have been found on continents separated by thousands of kilometers of ocean, even though the Mesosaurus species once lived all together.  

Unit 3

Plate Motion Engineering Internship

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Mechanical engineering interns

Phenomenon: Patterns in earthquake data can be used to design an effective tsunami warning system.    

Unit 4

Rock Transformations

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Geologists

Phenomenon: Rock samples from the Great Plains and from the Rocky Mountains — regions hundreds of miles apart — look very different, but have surprisingly similar mineral compositions.   

Unit 5

Earth, Moon, and Sun

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Astronomers

Phenomenon: An astrophotographer can only take pictures of specific features on the Moon at certain times.  

Unit 6

Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Climatologists

Phenomenon: During El Niño years, the air temperature in Christchurch, New Zealand is cooler than usual.  

Unit 7

Weather Patterns

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Forensic meteorologists

Phenomenon: In recent years, rainstorms in Galetown have been unusually severe.  

Unit 8

Earth’s Changing Climate

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Life Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Climatologists

Phenomenon: The ice on Earth’s surface is melting.  

Unit 9

Earth’s Changing Climate Engineering Internship

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Civil engineers

Phenomenon: Designing rooftops with different modifications can reduce a city’s impact on climate change.  

Metabolism Engineering Internship

Domains: Life Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Food engineers

Phenomenon: Designing health bars with different molecular compositions can effectively meet the metabolic needs of patients or rescue workers.  

Rock Transformations

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Geologists

Phenomenon: Rock samples from the Great Plains and from the Rocky Mountains — regions hundreds of miles apart — look very different, but have surprisingly similar mineral compositions.   

Evolutionary History

Domains: Life Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Paleontologists

Phenomenon: A mystery fossil at the Natural History Museum has similarities with both wolves and whales.    

Unit 1

Microbiome

Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Launch

Student role: Microbiological researchers

Phenomenon: The presence of 100 trillion microorganisms living on and in the human body may keep the body healthy.  

Unit 2

Metabolism

Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Medical researchers

Phenomenon: Elisa, a young patient, feels tired all the time.  

Unit 3

Metabolism Engineering Internship

Domains: Life Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Food engineers

Phenomenon: Designing health bars with different molecular compositions can effectively meet the metabolic needs of patients or rescue workers.  

Unit 4

Traits and Reproduction

Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Biomedical students

Phenomenon: Darwin’s bark spider offspring have different silk flexibility traits, even though they have the same parents.  

Unit 5

Populations and Resources

Domains: Life Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Biologists

Phenomenon: The size of the moon jelly population in Glacier Sea has increased.    

Unit 6

Matter and Energy in Ecosystems

Domains: Life Science, Earth and Space Science, Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Ecologists

Phenomenon: The biodome ecosystem has collapsed.   

Unit 7

Natural Selection

Domains: Life Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Biologists

Phenomenon: The newt population in Oregon State Park has become more poisonous over time.  

Unit 8

Natural Selection Engineering Internship

Domains: Engineering Design, Life Science

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Clinical engineers

Phenomenon: Designing malaria treatment plans that use different combinations of drugs can reduce drug resistance development while helping malaria patients.  

Unit 9

Evolutionary History

Domains: Life Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Paleontologists

Phenomenon: A mystery fossil at the Natural History Museum has similarities with both wolves and whales.     

Unit 1

Harnessing Human Energy

Domains: Physical Science, Earth and Space Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Launch

Student role: Energy scientists

Phenomenon: Rescue workers can use their own human kinetic energy to power the electrical devices they use during rescue missions.   

Unit 2

Force and Motion

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Physicists

Phenomenon: The asteroid sample-collecting pod failed to dock at the space station as planned.  

Unit 3

Force and Motion Engineering Internship

Domains: Engineering Design, Physical Science

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Mechanical engineering interns

Phenomenon: Designing emergency supply delivery pods with different structures can maintain the integrity of the supply pods and their contents.  

Unit 4

Magnetic Fields

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Physicists

Phenomenon: During a test launch, a spacecraft traveled much faster than expected.  

Unit 5

Thermal Energy

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Thermal scientists

Phenomenon: One of two proposed heating systems for Riverdale School will best heat the school.   

Unit 6

Phase Change

Domains: Physical Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Chemists

Phenomenon: A methane lake on Titan no longer appears in images taken by a space probe two years apart.  

Unit 7

Phase Change Engineering Internship

Domains: Engineering Design, Physical Science

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Chemical engineering interns

Phenomenon: Designing portable baby incubators with different combinations of phase change materials can keep babies at a healthy temperature.  

Unit 8

Chemical Reactions

Domains: Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Forensic chemists

Phenomenon: A mysterious brown substance has been detected in the tap water of Westfield.  

Unit 9

Light Waves

Domains: Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Spectroscopists

Phenomenon: The rate of skin cancer is higher in Australia than in other parts of the world.  

Access program

Watch the video to the right plus the ones below showing you how to navigate our digital platform. When you’re ready, follow the instructions below to log into our live demo account.

  • Click the orange button below to access the platform.
  • To explore as a teacher, enter this username (t1.cartwrightsd@demo.tryamplify.net) and this password (Amplify1-cartwrightsd).
  • To explore as a student, enter this username (s1.cartwrightsd@demo.tryamplify.net) and this password (Amplify1-cartwrightsd).
  • Choose your grade level from the drop-down menu.

 

Access the digital platform now

Navigating an Engineering Internship (Part 1)

This Part 1 video demonstrates how Engineering Internship units invite students to design solutions for real-world problems as interns for a fictional company called Futura. In the process, they apply and deepen their learning from Core units.

Navigating an Engineering Internship (Part 2)

This Part 2 video demonstrates how to use the Futura Workspace to manage the immersive experience of the Engineering Internship units. This includes guidance on how to create student groups, how to review student work, and how to send students targeted feedback on their designs.

Navigating a Launch Unit

Launch units are the first units taught in each year of the program. The goal of a Launch unit is to introduce students to norms, routines, and practices that will be built on throughout the year.

Navigating a Core Unit

Core units introduce a real-world problem and support students as they figure out the anchoring phenomenon and gain an understanding of the unit’s DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs.

Navigating our reporting tools

Teachers of Amplify Science grades 6–8 have access to a feature called Reporting. When unit assessments are administered digitally, the Reporting tool enables teachers to analyze student performance on the unit assessments.

Differentiation post-assessment

Every core unit of Amplify Science 6–8 features a formal formative assessment opportunity at the mid-way point, or Critical Juncture, of the unit, which provides an important opportunity for differentiation.

Navigating an Engineering Internship

Engineering Internship units invite students to design solutions for real-world problems as interns for a fictional company called Futura. In the process, they apply and deepen their learning from Core units.

Navigating Classwork and Reporting

Classwork is our new online grading tool that gives you quick and easy access to unreviewed work, student portfolios of work, and automatically generated differentiation groups.

Resources

Two middle school girls use a Student Investigation Notebook to take on the role of scientists and engineers

Course structure for 6–8

Take a closer look at how the program is organized.

Unit phenomena for 6–8

Take a closer look at the middle school unit phenomena featured in each grade level.
Un adulto y un niño se sientan en un sofá beige con cuadernos abiertos. El adulto usa una computadora portátil, mientras el niño escribe en un libro. La luz del sol entra por las ventanas detrás de ellos.

Remote and Hybrid Learning Guide

Learn more about new product enhancements and resources to help you and your staff manage back to school 2020.
A laptop screen displays a simulation about Earth's energy system, with surrounding images showing diagrams and energy flow models.

Classroom Slides for 6–8

Classrooms Slides for middle school are coming soon! These customizable PowerPoints for every lesson make teaching science even easier.
A laptop screen displaying a map with three ecosystem options, each illustrated by different animal icons and accompanied by relevant data lists.

Sims for 4–8

Take a closer look at the digital Simulations included at each grade level.

Active reading in 6–8

Learn how we support students in learning how to interact with scientific texts.
A young person wearing gloves looks through a microscope at a table with laboratory supplies, including bottles, slides, and a tray, against a plain blue background.

Investigations for 6–8

Explore the types of investigations that take place in middle school classrooms.
Estudiantes sentados en escritorios, concentrados en escribir en cuadernos y trabajar en computadoras portátiles en un salón de clases.

Approaches to assessment in 6–8

Learn about our middle school embedded assessments.

Welcome to Transitional Kindergarten

BACK TO MAIN TK–5 PAGE

Amplify Science California jump-starts a lifelong love of science with developmentally and pedagogically appropriate instruction featuring:

  • Real-world problems and scientific phenomena.
  • An experiential approach with lots of hands-on.
  • Explicit support for building oral language and early literacy skills.
A collage of four images: children doing a science experiment, a tree in a park, stacked building blocks and toys, and a child splashing water near a storm drain.

What students learn

Our program is comprised of three units: one life science, one physical science, one Earth science.

As students take on the role of a scientist or engineer to figure out real-world phenomenon, each unit:

  • Sparks curiosity and engagement.
  • Encourages students to wonder, think, and talk.
  • Builds a solid foundation for future success with science.

Look below for a summary of each unit.

A person helps a child with a ponytail. Another child examines a yellow flower using a magnifying glass. Caption reads Story of the Noisy Tree and describes children's curiosity and exploration.
Unit 1
Illustration of a vibrant park with a winding path, lush trees, and animals like squirrels and birds in a large tree.

Unit: Wondering About Noises in Trees

Student role: Life scientists

Phenomenon: Strange noises appear to be coming from the trees outside.

Unit 2
Colorful 3d illustration of various imaginative structures built with blocks, rings, and other toy components on a grassy area with a blue sky and clouds background.

Unit: Wondering About Buildings

Student role: Building engineers

Phenomenon: One class made a play city. Some of the buildings stayed up, while others fell down.

Unit 3
A child in yellow shirt and orange boots skipping over a puddle on a sidewalk next to a grassy area and a stream.

Unit: Wondering About Puddles

Student role: Weather scientists

Phenomenon: Puddles exist in some places but not in other places along a girl’s walk to school

Program structure

To meet the unique needs of little learners, our program follows a unique structure.

Each unit:

  • Begins with an Introductory Activity that
    introduces the phenomenon.
  • Includes a series of three Explorations that are comprised of a Kickoff Discussion, four activities, and a Shared Drawing and Discussion.
  • Ends with a Culminating Activity that consolidates students’ understanding.

Each activity is designed to span 15 minutes. Depending on how the program is implemented, an entire unit generally takes 4–6 weeks.

Diagram of tk curriculum structure, including life science, physical science, and earth science units, with detailed breakdowns of unit and exploration structures.

How teachers teach

Tom Teacher feels confident delivering 3-D instruction with our resources by his side. Watch this video to learn more. >

When you’re ready, scroll down to take a closer look at sample resources.

Cover of a transitional kindergarten teacher guide for a life science module titled "wondering about noises in trees," featuring an illustrated scene with trees and animals.

Printed Teacher’s Guide

Our unit-specific Teacher’s Guides are chock full of helpful resources, including scientific background knowledge, planning information and resources, detailed lesson plans, tips for delivering instruction, differentiation strategies, additional classroom resources, and copymasters.

Teacher’s Guide

Girl listening to a tree trunk, book cover titled the noisy tree by ashley chose, with an orange background.

Big Books

Big Books contain vivid photographs and are used to introduce topics, facilitate group discussions, and support students’ firsthand investigations. Each Big Book is an integral part of instruction and is used multiple times for multiple purposes across a unit.

Big Book

Stack of white papers with a primary visible one labeled science question 1: why are so many noises coming from the tree? in black text.

Science Questions

Each unit includes three printed Science Question cards, one for each Exploration of the unit. The cards can be posted on classroom walls and support the class as they are introduced to and revisit the focus of their investigations over the course of an Exploration and, ultimately, the unit.

Two magazine cover mockups with the word scientist on the left and a tree photo on the right, both against a white background.

Vocabulary and Picture Cards

Each unit includes six or seven printed Vocabulary Cards and a set of colorful Picture Cards that can be posted on classroom word walls and concept walls. Cards are used for a variety of purposes, including gathering evidence, building background knowledge, and introducing the focal phenomenon.

Resources

A large tree with red fruit stands beside a curved path in a grassy field. Various animals, including a raccoon, owl, squirrel, and bird, are in and around the tree.

Preview a TG and Big Book

Preview an Amplify Science TK Teacher’s Guide and a Big Book.

Two children in a lab setting engage in a science experiment with test tubes and a tablet. One child wears safety goggles, while an adult’s hand assists.

Program guide for TK

Learn more about this level of the program by exploring our detailed program gui…

A group of young children sit around a table in a classroom, engaging in an activity with colorful geometric blocks and paper.

FAQs for TK

Get a big picture overview of this unit with an at-a-glance view of each chapter…

A collection of Amplify Science educational materials, including a teacher's guide, a book titled "The Noisy Tree," science question cards, vocabulary cards, and tree-related images.

Program components for TK

Take a closer look at the unit-specific resources that support learning.

Two women sitting at a table working on a laptop and documents, surrounded by colorful posters on the walls.

Standards Alignment for TK

See how our program fully prepares students for meeting NGSS standards in kinder…

Welcome to Grade 8

BACK TO MAIN 6–8 PAGE

Amplify Science California is so effective you can cover 100% of the NGSS in fewer lessons than other programs.
 
Plus, you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing we give you enough materials to support 200 students. In fact, our material kits:

  • Support small groups of 4-5 students.
  • Make organization and finding materials easy.
  • Last longer with only one of the nine kits requiring refills.
Collage of four images: a spaceship in space, hands using a glue gun on crafts, a solar panel connected to bulbs, and an illustration of a person surfing with neon effects.

What students learn

Lauren Learner loves science. Watch this video to find out what she learns in eigth grade. >

When you’re ready:

  • Find a summary of each unit below including each unit’s student role and anchor phenomenon.
  • Click on the orange “See how the unit works” link to download a helpful Unit Guide. These guides make great companions to busy reviewers looking for a big-picture understanding of how each unit works.
An illustration from the Harnessing Human Energy unit

Unit 1

Harnessing Human Energy

Student role: Energy scientists

Phenomenon: Rescue workers can use their own human kinetic energy to power electrical devices used during rescue missions.

An illustration from the Force and Motion unit

Unit 2

Force and Motion

Student role: Physicists

Phenomenon: The asteroid sample-collecting pod collided with the docking station and failed to dock as planned.

See how this unit works

An illustration from the Force and Motion: Engineering Internship unit

Unit 3

Force and Motion Engineering Internship

Student role: Mechanical engineering interns

Phenomenon: Designing emergency supply delivery pods with different structures can better protect pods and their contents.

An illustration from the Magnetic Fields unit

Unit 4

Magnetic Fields

Student role: Physicists

Phenomenon: During its third magnetic spacecraft launcher test, a model spacecraft far exceeded its target speed.

An illustration from the Light Waves unit

Unit 5

Light Waves

Student role: Spectroscopists

Phenomenon: The rate of skin cancer in Australia is higher than other parts of the world despite getting the same or less sunlight.

See how this unit works

An illustration from the Earth, Moon, and Sun unit

Unit 6

Earth, Moon, and Sun

Student role: Astronomers

Phenomenon: Pictures of specific features on the Moon can only be taken by an astrophotographer at certain times.

See how this unit works

Cartoon image of a yellow dinosaur among green dinosaurs, all with meat and vegetables on their backs, standing in a grassy landscape.

Unit 7

Natural Selection

Student role: Biologists

Phenomenon: The rough-skinned newt population in Oregon State Park has become more poisonous over time.

See how this unit works

An illustration from the Natural Selection: Engineering Internship unit

Unit 8

Natural Selection Engineering Internship

Student role: Clinical engineers

Phenomenon: Designing malaria treatment plans that use different combinations of drugs can reduce drug resistance development.

An illustration from the Evolutionary History unit

Unit 9

Evolutionary History

Student role: Paleontologists

Phenomenon: A mystery fossil at the Natural History Museum has similarities with both wolves and whales.

See how this unit works

How teachers teach

Tom Teacher feels confident delivering 3-D instruction with our resources by his side. Watch this video to learn more. >

When you’re ready:

  • Scroll down and take a closer look at your classroom resources.
  • Click on the orange links below each component to see grade-specific samples.
Most adopted curriculum for the NGSS California

Classroom Slides

These customizable PowerPoints are available for every lesson of the program and make delivering instruction a snap with visual prompts, colorful activity instructions, investigation set-up videos and animations, and suggested teacher talk in the notes section of each slide.

Video introduction to Classroom Slides

Sample Classroom Slides

An educational website open on a laptop displaying a lesson about “ force and motion: docking failure in space” alongside a teacher’s guide notebook.

Teacher’s Reference Guide

Available digitally and in print, our unit-specific reference guides are chock full of helpful resources, including scientific background knowledge, planning information and resources, color-coded 3-D Statements, detailed lesson plans, tips for delivering instruction, and differentiation strategies.

Login to platform below to access

Amplify Science California supports 3-D learning with more materials than any other program.

Materials Kits

Our kits include enough non-consumable materials to support 200 student uses. In other words, you have enough materials to support all five periods and small groups of 4-5 students each. Plus, our unit-specific kits mean you just grab the tub you need and then put it all back with ease.

List of investigations by unit

List of materials by unit

A digital simulation from Amplify Science

Simulations and Practice Tools

Our digital Simulations and Practice Tools are powerful resources for exploration, data collection, and student collaboration. They allow students the ability to explore scientific concepts that might otherwise be invisible or impossible to see with the naked eye.

Video overview of digital tools

List of digital tools by unit

Device calendars by unit

Open book displaying a bilingual spread about space docking failures, with illustrations of a spacecraft near the moon on a black background.

Consumable Notebooks

Available for every unit, our Student Investigation Notebooks contain instructions for activities and space for students to record data and observations, reflect on ideas from texts and investigations, and construct explanations and arguments.

Sample Student Investigation Notebook

Sample Student Investigation Notebook (Spanish)

Illustration on a textbook cover showing various science themes, including an astronaut, wildlife, and cells, titled

Student Edition Hardcover

This durable Student Edition is grade-level specific and contains all of the articles that students refer to throughout the year. Districts may choose to pair these traditional student texts with our digital student experience or new 2-volume consumable notebook set.

Line drawing of a person using a laptop, with headphones and a line illustration of a rocket launching above their head, symbolizing creativity or inspiration in Boost Reading.


Coming Soon

Unlike other publishers, we don’t make you wait until your next adoption to get the latest and greatest from Amplify. We’re always launching new and exciting features. What’s more, we’ll push them out to you even after you adopt us!

See what’s coming for 2020-2021

Navigating the program

Watch the video to the right plus the ones below showing you how to navigate our digital platform. Then following the instructions below. >

  • Click the orange button below to access the platform.
  • Choose the resources you’d like to review.
  • Pick your grade level from the drop-down menu.
  • Scroll down to find additional grade-level resources.
Access the digital platform now

Navigating a Launch Unit

Launch units are the first units taught in each year of the program. The goal of a Launch unit is to introduce students to norms, routines, and practices that will be built on throughout the year.

Navigating an Engineering Internship

Engineering Internship units invite students to design solutions for real-world problems as interns for a fictional company called Futura. In the process, they apply and deepen their learning from Core units.

Navigating a Core Unit

Core units introduce a real-world problem and support students as they figure out the anchoring phenomenon and gain an understanding of the unit’s DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs.

Navigating Classwork and Reporting

Classwork is our new online grading tool that gives you quick and easy access to unreviewed work, student portfolios of work, and automatically generated differentiation groups.

Welcome to Grade 1

BACK TO MAIN TK–5 PAGE

Amplify Science California is so effective you can cover 100% of the NGSS in half the time of other programs.

You can breathe a sigh of relief knowing all you need is:

  • 66 days per year
  • 2 lessons per week
  • 45 minutes per lesson
A collage shows children demonstrating Earth's rotation with a globe, an Earth-sun diagram, a hand holding a spiked ball, and a light experiment with a lamp, paper, and a screen.

What students learn

Lauren Learner loves science. Watch this video to find out what she learns in firstgrade. >

When you’re ready:

  • Find a summary of each unit below including each unit’s student role and anchor phenomenon.
  • Click on the orange “See how the unit works” link to download a helpful Unit Guide. These guides make great companions to busy reviewers looking for a big-picture understanding of how each unit works.
Illustration of sea turtles swimming among seaweed in the ocean, with a large shark in the background.

Unit 1

Animal and Plant Defenses

Student role: Marine scientists

Phenomenon: Spruce the Sea Turtle will soon be released back into the ocean, where she will survive despite predators.

See how this unit works

Two hands holding a paper with a drawing of a pyramid and a tree, illuminated by a flashlight, projecting another shadow of the image on the wall.

Unit 2

Light and Sound

Student role: Light and sound engineers

Phenomenon: A puppet show company uses light and sound to depict realistic scenes in puppet shows.

See how this unit works

Illustration showing an urban landscape divided into night on the left with a moon and stars, and day on the right with a sun, clouds, and an airplane.

Unit 3

Spinning Earth

Student role: Sky scientists

Phenomenon: The sky looks different to Sai and his grandma when they talk on the phone at night.

See how this unit works

How teachers teach

Tom Teacher feels confident delivering 3-D instruction with our resources by his side. Watch this video to learn more. >

When you’re ready:

  • Scroll down and take a closer look at your classroom resources.
  • Click on the orange links below each component to see grade-specific samples.
A laptop displays a PowerPoint presentation in presenter view, with slides about observing objects in plastic containers and related sensory instructions.
Classroom Slides

These customizable PowerPoints are available for every lesson of the program and make delivering instruction a snap with visual prompts, colorful activity instructions, investigation set-up videos and animations, and suggested teacher talk in the notes section of each slide.

A spiral-bound teacher’s guide and a laptop displaying an online curriculum titled “Matter and Energy in Ecosystems: Biodome Collapse” from Amplify Science.
Teacher’s Reference Guide

Available digitally and in print, our unit-specific reference guides are chock full of helpful resources, including scientific background knowledge, planning information and resources, color-coded 3-D Statements, detailed lesson plans, tips for delivering instruction, and differentiation strategies.

Login to platform below to access

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Materials Kits

Our kits include enough non-consumable materials to support a class of 36 students and enough consumable items to support 72 students. In other words, each kit can last two years! Plus, our unit-specific kits mean you just grab the tub you need and then put it all back with ease.

Two children stand in a jungle with plants, rocks, and frogs on the covers of two science books titled "Modelos de ranas" and "Frog Models.
Big Books and Student Books

Students are never asked to read alone. Rather, books are read to, with, and by students with ample scaffolding and support provided by the teacher. Big Books are read aloud or together with the class to introduce ideas. Student Books allow for small-group reading and reading in pairs.

Two science workbooks, one in Spanish and one in English, titled "Animal and Plant Defenses," featuring illustrated animals with spikes and shells on the covers.
Consumable Notebooks

Available for every unit, our Student Investigation Notebooks contain instructions for activities and space for students to record data and observations, reflect on ideas from texts and investigations, and construct explanations and arguments.

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Mystery Science

Our exclusive partnership with Mystery Science means you get our NGSS core curriculum plus two years of free access to Mystery Doug and his extensive library of captivating videos that deepen students’ understanding of each unit’s phenomenon.

Mystery Science lesson alignment

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Coming Soon

Unlike other publishers, we don’t make you wait until your next adoption to get the latest and greatest from Amplify. We’re always launching new and exciting features. What’s more, we’ll push them out to you even after you adopt us!

See what’s coming for 2020-2021

Navigating the program

Watch this video showing you how to navigate our digital platform. Then following the instructions below. >

  • Click the orange button below to access the platform.
  • Choose the resources you’d like to review.
  • Pick your grade level from the drop-down menu.
  • Scroll down to find additional grade-level resources.
Access the digital platform now
A woman sits at a desk in a classroom, working on a laptop with an open binder and papers in front of her.

[VIDEO] TG Walkthrough

Watch this video to get familiar with the organization of our printed TG.

A digital resource titled "Animal and Plant Defenses: Spikes, Shells, and Camouflage" is displayed on a tablet and a laptop, showing educational chapters and illustrations.

[Grade 1] Animal and Plant Defenses

Get a big picture overview of this unit with an at-a-glance view of each chapter…

A printed teacher’s guide and a laptop display both show the “Light and Sound: Puppet-Theater Engineers” curriculum from Amplify Science.

[Grade 1] Light and Sound

Get a big picture overview of this unit with an at-a-glance view of each chapter…

A spiral-bound teacher's guide and a laptop screen both display "Spinning Earth: Investigating Patterns in the Sky" educational materials with illustrated covers and chapter thumbnails.

[Grade 1] Spinning Earth

Get a big picture overview of this unit with an at-a-glance view of each chapter…

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[Grade 1] English components

Take a closer look at our grade 1 print components.

Two children stand in a jungle with plants, rocks, and frogs on the covers of two science books titled "Modelos de ranas" and "Frog Models.

[Grade 1] Spanish components

Learn more about what components are available in Spanish.

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[Grade 5] NGSS Alignment

See how our program addresses 100% of the NGSS Standards.

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[Grades K–2] Pilot support brochure

Amplify Math for PXU

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S3-01. Making math viral with Howie Hua

Promotional image for "math teacher lounge, season 3 episode 1," featuring a smiling man named Howie Hua, described as a Fresno State mathematics lecturer and math podcast host.

In this episode Howie Hua (you may know him from his viral TikTok videos) joins Bethany Lockhart Johnson and Dan Meyer to discuss making math accessible for students through multiple social media platforms, creating an engaging space for students to share their ideas.

Explore more from Math Teacher Lounge by visiting our main page. 

Download Transcript

Stay connected!

Join our community and get new episodes every other Tuesday!

We’ll also share new and exciting free resources for your classroom every month.

What Howie Hua says about math

“I think that the beauty in math is found in the process, not the final answer.”

– Howie Hua

Mathematics Lecturer, Fresno State

Meet the guest

Howie Hua is a math instructor at Fresno State University who teaches math to future elementary school teachers. He is passionate about finding ways to humanize the math classroom, listening to how students think about math, and building mathematical confidence in students. In 2019, Howie was named Outstanding Lecturer for the College of Science and Math at his university. Outside of school, Howie likes to play piano, go on walks, make math memes, and make math explainer videos.

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About Math Teacher Lounge: The podcast

Math Teacher Lounge is a biweekly podcast created specifically for K–12 math educators. In each episode co-hosts Bethany Lockhart Johnson (@lockhartedu) and Dan Meyer (@ddmeyer) chat with guests, taking a deep dive into the math and educational topics you care about.

Join the Math Teacher Lounge Facebook group to continue the conversation, view exclusive content, interact with fellow educators, participate in giveaways, and more!

You might also like:

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Free professional development cours…

Three on-demand professional learning courses for math teachers.  Earn your cert…

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Mathigon: the mathematical playgrou…

Math games and manipulatives for online and remote learning.

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Desmos Classroom Grades 3–12

Join Desmos Classroom to gain access to free classroom lessons, lesson-building…

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Committed to reading equity

We believe that all students have the right to read complex texts and engage in rich classroom discussions. They should also see themselves reflected and experience new worlds through reading.

This commitment guides our text selection, unique artwork, and dedication to reaching every student where they are.

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Text selection

Texts in the Amplify ELA curriculum cover a wide range of topics, themes, and genres, with differentiated supports that ensure that all students can work through each reading and lesson. Taken as a whole, the texts show students a diverse picture of the world, while fostering a lifelong love of reading.

Illustration of diverse people and landscapes, featuring native designs, botanical elements, and a silhouetted airplane against a script background.
A painted scene shows a blue sky with scattered white dots resembling stars and red clouds, against a backdrop of dark and light color gradients.

In the Liberty & Equality unit, students reflect on the harrowing journeys and avenues to freedom that enslaved African-Americans were forced to forge.

Character & Conflict

Students read A Raisin in the Sun, a play that focuses on the impact of poverty and racial tensions on family relationships and identity within an African-American family.

Summer of the Mariposas

In the Summer of the Mariposas unit, students dive into a retelling of the Odyssey through a contemporary Hispanic lens as they explore sibling and extended-family relationships.

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In the Perspectives and Narrative unit, students explore a coming of age moment for an adolescent daughter of immigrant parents.

Red Scarf Girl

In the Red Scarf Girl and Narrative unit, students learn about a key historic moment in Asian and world history, while making connections to relatable themes like authority figures imposing rules on children, and family and peer loyalties standing at odds.

Mysteries & Investigations

In the Mysteries & Investigations unit, many of the texts present an ethnically and culturally diverse group of characters, including many pre-teen or teen protagonists rebelling against authority, navigating their relationships with their peers and families, and figuring out their unique identities.

Created with diverse perspectives

With our new illustrations, time spent in our classrooms will feel relevant and relatable to every student. We’ve brought together an art team with unique perspectives and visual styles so that their diversity can shine along with the
complex texts in our curriculum, and illuminate their relationship with our literature. Everyone deserves to see themselves as the hero of a story. It is our hope that our students will find themselves within our program, and will be ever more curious in their learning, and engaged in their reading.

https://youtu.be/_FLV_Le7Zoc
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Paige Womack

Dive into the world of Mysteries &
Investigations with Dr. Womack,
the illustrator who may have once
become a scientist…

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Tre McClendon

Meet Tre, a seeker and traveller that became homies Fredrick Douglass through illustrating his narrative for our program…

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Jackie Pierson

There’s no one way to be a maker, and Jackie certainly has made a lot of things. Check out the weird and mysterious world of her miniatures…

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Elizabeth Dantzler

She’s been drawing characters and comics ever since middle school. Now see the drama of Edel’s work in the mythos of the Greeks…

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Caroline Hadilaksono

Travel through countries and narratives with Caroline, as she shares her delicate watercolors for illustrating the hero’s journey…

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Patrick Mahony

The haunting work that Patrick creates will leave you feeling a sense of melancholy and longing, but not without hope for the future…

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Edel Ferri

She’s been drawing characters and comics ever since middle school. Now see the drama of Edel’s work in the mythos of the Greeks…

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Eddie Pena

As a latino American, Eddie is an illustrator, a father, and a teacher. He is working in collaboration with Poetry in America to use his heritage as inspiration…

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Tory Novikova

Listen to a word from Tory, the Art Director at Amplify, on how the vision
was set for the project and how she brought the team together that would get to illustrate ELA…

Fanart

Here is a library of all the inspiring art that our beloved fans have submitted for our program. Do you or your students have a favorite literary character from our program? Send us your fanart to be shared with our community here!

Enter contest
A collage of various portrait illustrations and drawings, including stylized faces, historical figures, animals, and astronauts, in both color and black and white.

Meet the Illustrator Edel Ferri

We believe that all students have the right to read complex texts and engage in rich classroom discussions. They should also see themselves reflected and experience new worlds through reading.

This commitment guides our text selection, unique artwork, and dedication to reaching every student where they are.

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Young woman in a red blazer smiling at camera, holding a purple tumbler, seated at a desk with sketches on the wall behind her.

What is your name and pronoun?
Edel, she/her

What would we never be able to know about you, just by looking at you?
I have an extensive knowledge of reef aquariums. I also do a really good Jerry Seinfeld impression.

Where are you from?
I currently live in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Throughout my life I’ve found myself constantly drifting between New York and New Jersey. I would spend many summers in the city as a child, as well as swimming and building sandcastles on the Jersey shore.

What is illustration?
Hm! The term itself is pretty expansive and ever changing, so this is a tough one. On a personal level, illustration is what happens when art meets narrative. It can take many forms: comics, editorial, storyboarding.

How does that differ from “fine art”?
Oof. I could write an entire book on this. For the sake of brevity, I would say that my main take would be that the line between illustration years that the terms could be interchangeable at this point.

Were you making art as a kid?
I’ve been drawing as long as I could hold a pencil in my hand. In many ways it was an escape, thinking up characters in my head, creating worlds where anything was possible. I continue to do that to this day.

Was your environment—your family, friends, teachers—supportive of your interest in art?
Growing up, I was mostly told to stop by many adults and even some of my peers, but I’m glad I didn’t. I am very thankful to have had close friends and parents that understood that art is what made me feel whole, and encouraged me to continue.

Illustration of a stylized white hand casting a spider web, followed by an animated warrior character wielding a spear.

The illustrating of: The Space Race

What is this unit about?
This unit has absolutely revived that wonder and fascination in me. It’s about the technological competition that took place between two superpowers, the United States and the USSR, to get human beings into space. There’s something so inspiring about the space race, ethics; the fact that our different societies were constantly looking to the future with such hope. That all feels so distant now.

How did you relate to the subject matter?
When I was a kid I was extremely fascinated by astronomy, I remember in particular buying an
atlas-sized book on nebulae, thinking that they were the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

A hand holds a postcard reading "Greetings from Mars" with an image of a Mars rover on a rocky surface; simple sky elements are in the background.
Four illustrated panels show animals in space helmets floating progressively farther from a broken spaceship, ending with them drifting in open space against a starry background.
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Welcome, Texas educators!

mCLASS® Texas Edition has been selected as the Texas Education Agency (TEA)–approved alternative free Reading Diagnostic Tool for Kindergarten and as one of the free options for grades 1–2, as legislated by HB3.

mCLASS Texas Edition provides a full K–6 assessment solution, enabling you to leverage and connect valuable student data from the beginning of their literacy journey to later grades, reflecting a reliable and valid view of every student’s progression.

Introducing mCLASS Lectura!  This revolutionary Spanish assessment ensures complete parity between English and Spanish-speaking students.  

*For mCLASS Texas Edition customers who have already opted into the program, please visit our onboarding site to learn how to get started. 

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Flowchart showing five components of a reading program: assessment suite, core instruction, skill boosting, intervention, and professional development, arranged in sequential steps.

What is mCLASS Texas Edition?

mCLASS Texas Edition is an integrated, gold standard literacy system that offers teacher-administered assessment and holistic instruction for grades K–6. Teachers often complain about the need to cobble together a number of different tools. They don’t trust their screener so they use something else to monitor progress.

The mCLASS comprehensive system includes efficient one-minute measures, a built-in dyslexia screener, teacher-led and student-driven instruction, intervention, and robust reports for teachers and administrators. It’s all you’ll need to monitor and support every type of student learner in your classroom.

We’re excited to introduce mCLASS Lectura! mCLASS Lectura works with mCLASS’s DIBELS 8th Edition to deliver universal and dyslexia screening in both languages. This powerful tool is the only assessment to offer a dual language instructional report that shows how a student is reading in each language.

Built for Texas educators

TEA has established a bold vision for teaching and learning by:

  1. Enabling universal, multidimensional assessment.
  2. Supporting differentiated instruction based on diagnostics.
  3. Making the resulting data useful for teachers and parents.

mCLASS Texas Edition is built on decades of research at the Center on Teaching and Learning at the University of Oregon, a national center for early childhood assessment and instruction. The measures are already in use in hundreds of districts in Texas.

CLICK HERE to explore a walkthrough of mCLASS Texas Edition and mCLASS Lectura (or click the image to the right).

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mCLASS® Texas Edition and mCLASS Lectura Reporting

Quick and actionable reports provide detailed insight into students’ reading development across foundational literacy skills for classroom teachers and literacy specialists, principals and district leaders, and parents and guardians at home.

mCLASS Texas Edition gives you instant results and clear next steps for each student. 

When mCLASS Texas Edition is used in tandem with the brand new, mCLASS Lectura, educators will have access to a dual language instructional report that shows how a student is reading in each language.

Larn more about mCLASS reporting features

Personalized learning for every student

Boost Reading (formerly Amplify Reading) is a K–8 student-driven literacy program that provides both remediation and enrichment for all students, leveraging the power of compelling storytelling to engage students in personalized reading instruction and practice.

At its heart, there are 3 main areas that make Boost Reading a unique supplemental learning program:

  • The program meets all students where they are with powerful individualized instruction and practice
  • Age-appropriate narratives create a learning experience that leaps off the screen
  • Research shows Boost Reading improves student performance–particularly among English Learners–reducing the overall percentage of students at risk of reading difficulty.
View Boost Reading TEKS alignment
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Introducing mCLASS Lectura: Dual Language assessment and instruction for K-6!

Here’s what mCLASS Lectura delivers to help teachers know what instruction to prioritize:

  • An authentic dual language assessment that works in tandem with mCLASS Texas Edition to deliver universal and dyslexia screening in both languages.
  • The only assessment to offer a dual language instructional report that shows how a student is reading in each language.  This helps the teacher tailor instructional recommendations for each student based on the identified transferable skills from one language to another.
  • Complete parity between English and Spanish solutions at all levels, with full coverage of the key foundational skills required by Texas

Click here to learn more about mCLASS Lectura.

Dyslexia screening: Catch at-risk students early

Early intervention is critical. mCLASS Texas with DIBELS 8th Edition aligns to the state’s rigorous requirements around dyslexia screening as outlined in the Texas Dyslexia Handbook.

Check out mCLASS Texas measures for DIBELS and Lectura here.

Get universal and dyslexia screening in one single powerful tool—no additional assessment system required.

Emergency Rules Related to Dyslexia Screening are available that address the 2019-20 school year kindergarten end-of-year dyslexia screening and have implications for the 2020/2021 school year 1st grade BOY administration of Commissioner-approved or LEA designated reading instrument. This new screening requirement applies to 1st grade students who were not screened for dyslexia at EOY of their kindergarten year.

Download our dyslexia toolkit to learn more.

Download dyslexia toolkit
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mCLASS Texas Alignment with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

mCLASS Texas Edition includes multiple measures. In English, it includes DIBELS 8th Edition and screeners of vocabulary, spelling, and oral language. In Spanish, it includes IDEL, screeners of vocabulary, oral language, and spelling. 

Curious about required kindergarten beginning-of-year measures for ECDS Texas? Check out more details here!

View TEKS alignment

Complete K–6 solution

Amplify also provides additional top-rated literacy programs that connect with mCLASS Texas Edition to give educators a robust, comprehensive package that covers all of their instructional needs. 

  • mCLASS Intervention is a staff-led reading intervention for K–6 that performs data analysis and lesson sequencing with Tier 2 and Tier 3 small-group intervention to get struggling readers back on track.
  • Text Reading and Comprehension (TRC) for K–6 provides teachers with additional comprehension measures within the mCLASS platform, featuring a digital reading record and connected book sets.
  • mCLASS Math offers universal screening and progress monitoring with diagnostic interviews to provide a rich view of at-risk students and gauge the effectiveness of math instruction.
Learn more
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Frequently asked questions

Interested in learning more? Read this FAQ we’ve put together based on questions we’ve received about mCLASS Texas Edition.

Learn more

Remote and hybrid assessment and learning guide

mCLASS® Texas Edition has created a collection of resources to help users plan for a variety of scenarios for the 2020–2021 school year.

*The TEA has offered a a one-time waiver to school districts for the 2020-2021 school year. They continue to encourage LEAs to adopt a kindergarten screener, as districts will still need to meet dyslexia screening requirements for grades K and 1 for the 2020–21 school year.

Learn more
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Contact your Texas representative

Looking to speak directly with an mCLASS Texas Edition representative? Get in touch with the mCLASS Texas team to learn more about using the program:

Email: texas@amplify.com

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Raymundo Rodriguez, M.Ed.

Vice President, South Central

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Marty Pitts

Senior Account Executive

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Mindi Jones

District Manager, South Central

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Carla Small

Senior Account Executive

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Mary Brown

Senior Account Executive

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Katie Gentry-Funk

Senior Account Executive

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Hector Gomez

Account Executive

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Mark Ramos

Account Executive, Inside Sales

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Melanie Ferry

Senior Account Executive, Inside Sales

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Kelley Simpson

Account Executive, Inside Sales

Opt in today

Fill out the form to sign up for mCLASS/mCLASS Lectura! If you have any questions as you complete the form, you can reach our Texas team at texas@amplify.com.

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A closer look at grades 6–8

Amplify Science is based on the latest research on teaching and learning and helps teachers deliver rigorous and riveting lessons through hands-on investigations, literacy-rich activities, and interactive digital tools that empower students to think, read, write, and argue like real scientists.

In the 6–8 classroom, this looks like students:

  • Collecting evidence from a variety of sources.
  • Making sense of evidence in a variety of ways.
  • Formulating convincing scientific arguments.

Is your school implementing the domain model? Click here.

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A four-step process diagram: Spark intrigue, Explore evidence, Explain and elaborate, and Evaluate claims, connected by arrows, with an engagement statement below.

Program structure

Our cyclical lesson design ensures students receive multiple exposures to concepts through a variety of modalities. As they progress through the lessons within a unit, students build and deepen their understanding, increasing their ability to develop and refine complex explanations of the unit’s phenomenon.

It’s this proven program structure and lesson design that enables Amplify Science to teach less, but achieve more. Rather than asking teachers to wade through unnecessary content, we designed our 6–8 program to address 100% of the NGSS in fewer lessons than other programs.

Scope and sequence

Every year our grades 6–8 sequence consists of 9 units, with each unit containing 10–19 lessons. Lessons are written to last a minimum of 45-minutes, though teachers can expand or contract the timing to meet their needs.

A grid of educational icons, each representing a different science topic, such as earth and space science, life science, and physical science, with titles and lesson counts.

Unit types

Each unit delivers three-dimensional learning experiences and engages students in gathering evidence from a rich collection of sources, while also serving a unique purpose.

In grades 6–8, there are three types of units:

  • One unit is a launch unit.
  • Three units are core units.
  • Two units are engineering internships.
Launch units

Launch units are the first units taught in each year of Amplify Science. The goal of the Launch unit is to introduce students to norms, routines, and practices that will be built on throughout the year, including argumentation, active reading, and using the program’s technology. For example, rather than taking the time to explain the process of active reading in every unit in a given year, it is explained thoroughly in the Launch unit, thereby preparing students to read actively in all subsequent units.

Core units

Core units establish the context of the unit by introducing students to a real-world problem. As students move through lessons in a Core unit, they figure out the unit’s anchoring phenomenon, gain an understanding of the unit’s disciplinary core ideas and science and engineering practices, and make linkages across topics through the crosscutting concepts. Each Core unit culminates with a Science Seminar and final writing activity.

Engineering Internship units

Engineering Internship units invite students to design solutions for real-world problems as interns for a fictional company called Futura. Students figure out how to help those in need, from tsunami victims in Sri Lanka to premature babies, through the application of engineering practices. In the process, they apply and deepen their learning from Core units.

Units at a glance

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Microbiome

Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Launch

Student role: Microbiological researchers

Phenomenon: The presence of 100 trillion microorganisms living on and in the human body may keep the body healthy.  

An abstract illustration of a person receiving an oral examination, with colorful geometric shapes and an eye chart in the background.
Metabolism

Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Medical researchers

Phenomenon: Elisa, a young patient, feels tired all the time.  

Abstract orange background with geometric shapes, featuring icons of a vest, bar chart, leaf, beaker, fruit, medical stethoscope, and an envelope within a hexagonal frame.
Metabolism Engineering Internship

Domains: Life Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Food engineers

Phenomenon: Designing health bars with different molecular compositions can effectively meet the metabolic needs of patients or rescue workers.  

Six spiders with varying body colors (brown, yellow, blue, and red) and patterns are arranged on a dark, textured background, seemingly in a diagram or chart formation.
Traits and Reproduction

Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Biomedical students

Phenomenon: Darwin’s bark spider offspring have different silk flexibility traits, even though they have the same parents.  

Illustration of a person with closed eyes in a red winter coat and hat, surrounded by falling snow and orange circles on a dark background.
Thermal Energy

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Thermal scientists

Phenomenon: One of two proposed heating systems for Riverdale School will best heat the school. 

Abstract illustration of a sun with blue and orange rays over a colorful landscape featuring green hills and a vibrant sky.
Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Climatologists

Phenomenon: During El Niño years, the air temperature in Christchurch, New Zealand is cooler than usual.  

Illustration of clouds above a small town and farmland, with wind currents depicted swirling through the landscape under a blue sky.
Weather Patterns

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Forensic meteorologists

Phenomenon: In recent years, rainstorms in Galetown have been unusually severe.  

A polar bear stands on a small floating ice sheet in the ocean, surrounded by melting ice, with a red sun in the sky.
Earth’s Changing Climate

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Life Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Climatologists

Phenomenon: The ice on Earth’s surface is melting.  

A purple hexagonal graphic with icons including a building, wrench, screwdriver, sun, molecules, paint bucket, and tiles on a geometric patterned background.
Earth’s Changing Climate Engineering Internship

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Civil engineers

Phenomenon: Designing rooftops with different modifications can reduce a city’s impact on climate change.  

A robotic rover sits on a hill in a rocky, reddish landscape, with visible tracks in the dust leading to its current position under a hazy sky.
Geology on Mars

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Launch

Student role: Planetary geologists

Phenomenon: Analyzing data about landforms on Mars can provide evidence that Mars may have once been habitable. 

Two green prehistoric reptiles with long snouts are near the shore; one is on land while the other swims in blue water, with plants, rocks, and an island in the background.
Plate Motion

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Geologists

Phenomenon: Mesosaurus fossils have been found on continents separated by thousands of kilometers of ocean, even though the Mesosaurus species once lived all together.  

A purple geometric background featuring a hexagonal badge with a telescope, mountain, audio wave, and star symbols inside.
Plate Motion Engineering Internship

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Mechanical engineering interns

Phenomenon: Patterns in earthquake data can be used to design an effective tsunami warning system.  

Illustration showing an ocean, forest, and mountains with a smoking volcano, plus a cross-section of underground tectonic plates.
Rock Transformations

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Geologists

Phenomenon: Rock samples from the Great Plains and from the Rocky Mountains — regions hundreds of miles apart — look very different, but have surprisingly similar mineral compositions.  

Four stages of an orange popsicle melting on a stick, from fully frozen on the left to completely melted on the right, against a plain background.
Phase Change

Domains: Physical Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Chemists

Phenomenon: A methane lake on Titan no longer appears in images taken by a space probe two years apart

Green geometric background with an outlined hexagon containing icons: a parachute, ruler, letter "A," bandage, stacked blocks, and a folded corner paper.
Force and Motion Engineering Internship

Domains: Engineering Design, Physical Science

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Chemical engineering interns

Phenomenon: Designing portable baby incubators with different combinations of phase change materials can keep babies at a healthy temperature. Domains: Engineering Design, Physical Science

Abstract illustration showing red and blue circles on a split blue and light background, representing molecular movement across a membrane or barrier.
Chemical Reactions

Domains: Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Forensic chemists

Phenomenon: A mysterious brown substance has been detected in the tap water of Westfield.  

An underwater scene with a large whale surrounded by turtles, jellyfish, and various fish swimming in different directions.
Populations and Resources

Domains: Life Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Biologists

Phenomenon: The size of the moon jelly population in Glacier Sea has increased. 

Low-poly digital illustration of a fox hunting a rabbit in a forest with pine trees, mushrooms, mountains, and the sun in the background. Another rabbit sits near the trees.
Matter and Energy in Ecosystems

Domains: Life Science, Earth and Space Science, Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Ecologists

Phenomenon: The biodome ecosystem has collapsed.  

Two people climb over rocks filled with electronic devices; inset illustrations show a boot, a belt of batteries, and a radio.
Harnessing Human Energy

Domains: Physical Science, Earth and Space Science, Engineering Design

Unit type: Launch

Student role: Energy scientists

Phenomenon: Rescue workers can use their own human kinetic energy to power the electrical devices they use during rescue missions.  

A spacecraft approaches and docks with a modular space station featuring large blue solar panels, set against a black space background.
Force and Motion

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Physicists

Phenomenon: The asteroid sample-collecting pod failed to dock at the space station as planned.

Green graphic with hexagonal emblem showing an infant, a thermometer, layered materials, a medical symbol, and a flame icon.
Force and Motion Engineering Internship

Domains: Engineering Design, Physical Science

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Chemical engineering interns

Phenomenon: Designing emergency supply delivery pods with different structures can maintain the integrity of the supply pods and their contents.

Illustration of a roller coaster car with passengers raising their arms as they descend a steep track against a blue sky with clouds.
Magnetic Fields

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Physicists

Phenomenon: During a test launch, a spacecraft traveled much faster than expected.  

Illustration of the Earth with arrows representing radiation or energy entering the atmosphere from space, focused on the Asia-Pacific region.
Light Waves

Domains: Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Spectroscopists

Phenomenon: The rate of skin cancer is higher in Australia than in other parts of the world.

A city skyline at night with illuminated windows, a large full moon, stars in the sky, and a bridge visible on the left side.
Earth, Moon, and Sun

Domains: Earth and Space Science, Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Astronomers

Phenomenon: An astrophotographer can only take pictures of specific features on the Moon at certain times.  

Four polygonal dinosaurs walking in a row, three green and one yellow, each with a rock and purple spikes on their backs, set against a grassy background with a blue sky.
Natural Selection

Domains: Life Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Biologists

Phenomenon: The newt population in Oregon State Park has become more poisonous over time.  

Red geometric background featuring a hexagonal emblem with icons of a world map, mosquito, DNA strand, bar chart, and interconnected blocks.
Natural Selection Engineering Internship

Domains: Engineering Design, Life Science

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Clinical engineers

Phenomenon: Designing malaria treatment plans that use different combinations of drugs can reduce drug resistance development while helping malaria patients.  

Two tortoises with long necks are by a river; one is browsing leaves from a bush while the other is walking near the water's edge.
Evolutionary History

Domains: Life Science, Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Paleontologists

Phenomenon: A mystery fossil at the Natural History Museum has similarities with both wolves and whales.    

Resources

Pilot support brochure for 6–8 (Integrated)

Unit phenomena for 6–8

Take a closer look at the unit phenomena featured in each grade level.

Classroom Slides for 6–8

Your new hands-free TG is coming soon! These PowerPoints for every lesson make t…

What’s so phenomenal about phenomena?

Learn actionable strategies that will help you implement 3-D teaching and learni…

Active reading in 6–8

Scientists read and write with purpose too.

Investigations for 6–8

Explore the types of investigations that take place in middle school classrooms….

A laptop screen displaying a map with three ecosystem options, each illustrated by different animal icons and accompanied by relevant data lists.

Sims for 4–8

Approaches to assessment in 6–8

Learn about our middle school embedded assessments.

A closer look at grades 6–8 (domain)

Amplify Science is based on the latest research on teaching and learning and helps teachers deliver rigorous and riveting lessons through hands-on investigations, literacy-rich activities, and interactive digital tools that empower students to think, read, write, and argue like real scientists.

In the 6–8 classroom, this looks like students:

  • Collecting evidence from a variety of sources.
  • Making sense of evidence in a variety of ways.
  • Formulating convincing scientific arguments.

Is your school implementing the domain model? Click here.

Collage of four images showing children engaged in educational activities such as conducting experiments and crafting in a classroom setting.
A four-step process: Spark intrigue, Explore evidence, Explain and elaborate, and Evaluate claims, leading to ongoing engagement and building complexity.

Program structure

Our cyclical lesson design ensures students receive multiple exposures to concepts through a variety of modalities. As they progress through the lessons within a unit, students build and deepen their understanding, increasing their ability to develop and refine complex explanations of the unit’s phenomenon.

It’s this proven program structure and lesson design that enables Amplify Science to teach less, but achieve more. Rather than asking teachers to wade through unnecessary content, we designed our 6–8 program to address 100% of the NGSS in fewer lessons than other programs.

Scope and sequence

Every year our grades 6–8 sequence consists of 9 units, with each unit containing 10–19 lessons. Lessons are written to last a minimum of 45-minutes, though teachers can expand or contract the timing to meet their needs.

A grid of educational icons, each representing a different science topic, such as earth and space science, life science, and physical science, with titles and lesson counts.

Unit types

Each unit delivers three-dimensional learning experiences and engages students in gathering evidence from a rich collection of sources, while also serving a unique purpose.

In grades 6–8, there are three types of units:

  • One unit is a launch unit.
  • Three units are core units.
  • Two units are engineering internships.
Launch units

Launch units are the first units taught in each year of Amplify Science. The goal of the Launch unit is to introduce students to norms, routines, and practices that will be built on throughout the year, including argumentation, active reading, and using the program’s technology. For example, rather than taking the time to explain the process of active reading in every unit in a given year, it is explained thoroughly in the Launch unit, thereby preparing students to actively read in all subsequent units.

Core units

Core units establish the context of the unit by introducing students to a real-world problem. As students move through lessons in a Core unit, they figure out the unit’s anchoring phenomenon, gain an understanding of the unit’s disciplinary core ideas and science and engineering practices, and make linkages across topics through the crosscutting concepts. Each Core unit culminates with a Science Seminar and final writing activity.

Engineering Internship units

Engineering Internship units invite students to design solutions for real-world problems as interns for a fictional company called Futura. Students figure out how to help those in need, from tsunami victims in Sri Lanka to premature babies, through the application of engineering practices. In the process, they apply and deepen their learning from Core units.

Units at a glance

A rover sits on a rocky, reddish hill under a hazy sky, leaving visible tire tracks across the barren landscape.
Geology on Mars

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Launch

Student role: Planetary geologists

Phenomenon: Analyzing data about landforms on Mars can provide evidence that Mars may have once been habitable.    

Two prehistoric marine reptiles with long snouts are near a rocky shoreline, one on land and one in the water, with an island and clouds in the background.
Plate Motion

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Geologists

Phenomenon: Mesosaurus fossils have been found on continents separated by thousands of kilometers of ocean, even though the Mesosaurus species once lived all together.    

A geometric badge with a mountain, telescope, and audio wave icons on a purple background with polygonal shapes.
Plate Motion Engineering Internship

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Mechanical engineering interns

Phenomenon: Patterns in earthquake data can be used to design an effective tsunami warning system.    

Illustration of a volcano by the sea with smoke, trees, mountains, and a cross-section showing a fault line beneath the ground.
Rock Transformations

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Geologists

Phenomenon: Rock samples from the Great Plains and from the Rocky Mountains — regions hundreds of miles apart — look very different, but have surprisingly similar mineral compositions.    

Illustration of a city skyline at night with buildings, a bridge, and a large full moon in a starry sky.
Earth, Sun, and Moon

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Astronomers

Phenomenon: An astrophotographer can only take pictures of specific features on the Moon at certain times.    

Abstract digital painting of a landscape with green hills, a red-orange horizon, and a large yellow sun surrounded by blue and orange swirling shapes on the right.
Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Climatologists

Phenomenon: During El Niño years, the air temperature in Christchurch, New Zealand is cooler than usual.    

Illustration of a town with houses and fields under a sky with large clouds and swirling wind patterns, set against a backdrop of hills and mountains.
Weather Patterns

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Forensic meteorologists

Phenomenon: In recent years, rainstorms in Galetown have been unusually severe.    

A polar bear stands on a small ice floe surrounded by water and floating ice under a red sun in an Arctic landscape.
Earth’s Changing Climate

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Climatologists

Phenomenon: The ice on Earth’s surface is melting.    

Hexagonal badge with icons including a wrench, building, sun, screwdriver, paint can, and molecules on a purple geometric background.
Earth’s Changing Climate Engineering Internship

Domain: Earth and Space Science

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Civil engineers

Phenomenon: Designing rooftops with different modifications can reduce a city’s impact on climate change.    

Colorful abstract digital artwork featuring a yellow figure holding a device, with blue and red shapes and textured patterns in the background.
Microbiome

Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Launch

Student role: Microbiological researchers

Phenomenon: The presence of 100 trillion microorganisms living on and in the human body may keep the body healthy.    

An abstract illustration of a person having their mouth and throat examined with a tongue depressor, surrounded by colorful shapes, with an eye chart in the background.
Metabolism

Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Medical researchers

Phenomenon: Elisa, a young patient, feels tired all the time.    

Geometric orange background with a hexagon icon displaying symbols for statistics, farming, healthcare, safety vest, chemistry, and agriculture.
Metabolism Engineering Internship

Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Food engineers

Phenomenon: Designing health bars with different molecular compositions can effectively meet the metabolic needs of patients or rescue workers.    

Six spiders with different colors and stripe patterns are arranged in a grid pattern on a dark background, showing variations in leg and body color.
Traits and Reproduction

Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Biomedical students

Phenomenon: Darwin’s bark spider offspring have different silk flexibility traits, even though they have the same parents.    

An underwater scene shows a whale surrounded by jellyfish, sea turtles, and fish, with sunlight filtering through the water.
Populations and Resources

Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Biologists

Phenomenon: The size of the moon jelly population in Glacier Sea has increased.    

A low-poly landscape with trees, mushrooms, a rabbit sitting, and a fox bending down near another rabbit under a sunny sky with mountains in the background.
Matter and Energy in Ecosystems

Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Ecologists

Phenomenon: What caused the mysterious crash of a biodome ecosystem?    

Three green dinosaurs and one yellow dinosaur stand in a row on grass, each with purple spikes and a red spot on their backs. The sky is blue with light clouds.
Natural Selection

Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Biologists

Phenomenon: The newt population in Oregon State Park has become more poisonous over time.    

Red-toned graphic with hexagonal badge featuring a world map, a mosquito, a DNA strand, charts, cubes, and circular icons. Geometric background pattern.
Natural Selection Engineering Internship

Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Clinical engineers

Phenomenon: Designing malaria treatment plans that use different combinations of drugs can reduce drug resistance development while helping malaria patients.  

Two giant tortoises are near a river; one is by the water and the other is standing on land and stretching its neck toward a leafy tree.

Evolutionary History

Domain: Life Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Paleontologists

Phenomenon: A mystery fossil at the Natural History Museum has similarities with both wolves and whales.    

Two people climb over rocky terrain strewn with electronic waste, with illustrated insets showing a hiking boot, a solar-powered device, and a person adjusting a belt-like gadget.
Harnessing Human Energy

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Launch

Student role: Energy scientists

Phenomenon: Rescue workers can use their own human kinetic energy to power the electrical devices they use during rescue missions.    

A spacecraft approaches a modular space station with large solar panels, set against a backdrop of outer space.
Force and Motion

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Physicists

Phenomenon: The asteroid sample-collecting pod failed to dock at the space station as planned.    

Green geometric background with a hexagonal badge showing a parachute, a box, a ruler, a bandage, and stacked layers.
Force and Motion Engineering Internship

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Mechanical engineering interns

Phenomenon: Designing emergency supply delivery pods with different structures can maintain the integrity of the supply pods and their contents. 

Illustration of a roller coaster car full of people with raised arms, speeding down a loop against a blue sky with clouds.
Magnetic Fields

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Physicists

Phenomenon: During a test launch, a spacecraft traveled much faster than expected.    

Illustration of a person in a red coat and hat with arms crossed, eyes closed, surrounded by large orange and brown circles, possibly representing snow or lights.
Thermal Energy

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Thermal scientists

Phenomenon: One of two proposed heating systems for Riverdale School will best heat the school.    

An orange popsicle gradually melts, shown in four stages from solid to completely melted, with wooden sticks visible, against a purple background.
Phase Change

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Chemists

Phenomenon: A methane lake on Titan no longer appears in images taken by a space probe two years apart.    

A green background with a picture of a person and a sandwich.
Phase Change Engineering Internship

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Engineering internship

Student role: Chemical engineering interns

Phenomenon: Designing portable baby incubators with different combinations of phase change materials can keep babies at a healthy temperature.    

Digital illustration showing red and blue molecules on a blue background transitioning to a lighter background, representing molecular diffusion across a boundary.
Chemical Reactions

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Forensic chemists

Phenomenon: A mysterious brown substance has been detected in the tap water of Westfield.    

Illustration of Earth with yellow arrows and colored waves approaching from the left, representing incoming solar or cosmic radiation.
Light Waves

Domain: Physical Science

Unit type: Core

Student role: Spectroscopists

Phenomenon: The rate of skin cancer is higher in Australia than in other parts of the world.    

Resources

Pilot support brochure for grades 6–8 (Domain…

Unit phenomena for grade 6-8 (Domain)

Take a closer look at the unit phenomena featured in each grade level.

Classroom Slides for 6–8

Your new hands-free TG is coming soon! These PowerPoints for every lesson make t…

What’s so phenomenal about phenomena?

Learn actionable strategies that will help you implement 3-D teaching and learni…

Planning Guide for grades 6–8 (Domain)

Check out these tips for planning to teach.

Active reading in grades 6–8

Scientists read and write with purpose too.

Investigations for grades 6–8 (Domain)

Explore the types of investigations that take place in 6–8 classrooms.

A laptop screen displaying a map with three ecosystem options, each illustrated by different animal icons and accompanied by relevant data lists.

Sims for grades 4–8

Take a closer look at the digital simulations included at each grade level.

Approaches to assessment at 6–8

Learn about our embedded assessments.

Grade 6

Chapter 1: Numerical Expressions and Factors

Big IdeasDesmos Math 6–A1
Lesson 1: Powers and ExponentsUnit 6
Lesson 10: Powers
Lesson 11: Exponent Expressions (Print available)
Practice Day 2 (Print available)
Lesson 2: Order of OperationsUnit 6
Lesson 11: Exponent Expressions (Print available)
Lesson 3: Prime Factorization
Lesson 4: Greatest Common FactorUnit 5
Lesson 15: Common factors
Lesson 5: Least Common MultipleUnit 5
Lesson 14: Common Multiples
Practice Day 2 (Print available)

Chapter 2: Fractions and Decimals

Lesson 1: Multiplying FractionsUnit 4
Lesson 12: Puzzling Areas (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 13: Volume Challenges
Lesson 14: Planter Planner (Print available)
Lesson 2: Dividing FractionsUnit 4
Lesson 1: Cookie Cutter
Lesson 2: Making Connections (Print available)
Lesson 3: Flour Planner [Free lesson]
Lesson 4: Flower Planters
Practice Day (Print available)
Lesson 3: Dividing Mixed NumbersUnit 4
Lesson 5: Garden Bricks (Print available)
Lesson 7: Break It Down
Lesson 8: Potting Soil
Lesson 9: Division Challenges
Lesson 14: Planter Planner (Print available)
Practice Day
Lesson 4: Adding and Subtracting DecimalsUnit 5
Lesson 1: Dishing Out Decimals (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 2: Decimal Diagrams [Free lesson]
Lesson 3: Fruit by the Pound
Lesson 4: Missing Digits
Lesson 5: Decimal Multiplication
Lesson 12: Budget Vehicles (Print available)
Lesson 5: Multiplying DecimalsUnit 5
Lesson 1: Dishing Out Decimals (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 2: Decimal Diagrams 
Lesson 3: Fruit by the Pound
Lesson 4: Missing Digits
Lesson 5: Decimal Multiplication
Lesson 12: Budget Vehicles (Print available)
Practice Day 1 (Print available)
Practice Day 2 (Print available)
Lesson 6: Dividing Whole NumbersUnit 5
Lesson 8: Division Diagrams
Lesson 9: Long Division Launch
Lesson 10: Return of the Long Division (Print available)
Lesson 11: Movie Time [Free lesson] 
Lesson 12: Budget Vehicles (Print available)
Lesson 7: Dividing DecimalsUnit 5
Lesson 8: Division Diagrams
Lesson 9: Long Division Launch
Lesson 10: Return of the Long Division (Print available)
Lesson 11: Movie Time [Free lesson] 
Lesson 12:(Print available) Budget Vehicles 
Practice Day 1 (Print available)
Practice Day 2 (Print available)

Chapter 3: Ratios and Rates

Lesson 1: RatiosUnit 2
Lesson 1: Pizza Maker [Free lesson]
Lesson 2: Ratio Rounds (Print available)
Lesson 3: Rice Ratios (Print available)
Lesson 4: Fruit Lab [Free lesson]
Lesson 11: Community Life (Print available)
Practice Day 1 (Print available)
 
Unit 6
Lesson 7: Border Tiles
Lesson 8: Products and Sums [Free lesson]
Lesson 9: Products, Sums, and Differences (Print available)
Lesson 2: Using Tape DiagramsUnit 2
Lesson 12: Mixing Paint, Part 2
Lesson 13: City Planning
Lesson 14: Lunch Waste
Practice Day 2
Lesson 3: Using Ratio TablesUnit 2
Lesson 9: Disaster Preparation [Free lesson]
Lesson 4: Graphing Ratio RelationshipsUnit 2
Lesson 9: Disaster Preparation [Free lesson]
Lesson 10: Balloons
Lesson 5: Rates and Unit RatesUnit 3
Lesson 4: Model Trains
Lesson 5: Soft Serve [Free lesson]
Lesson 6: Converting MeasuresUnit 3
Lesson 1: Many Measurements (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 2: Counting Classrooms
Lesson 3: Pen Pals

Chapter 4: Percents

Lesson 1: Percent and FractionsUnit 3
Lesson 8: Lucky Duckies [Free lesson]
Lesson 2: Percent and DecimalsUnit 5
Lesson 2: Decimal Diagrams [Free lesson]
Lesson 13: Grocery Prices (Print available)
Lesson 3: Comparing and Ordering Fractions, Decimals, and Percents
Lesson 4: Solving Percent ProblemsUnit 3
Lesson 9: Bicycle Goals
Lesson 10: What’s Missing? (Print available)
Lesson 11: Cost Breakdown
Lesson 12: More Bicycle Goals
Unit 5
Lesson 13: Grocery Prices (Print available)

Chapter 5: Algebraic Expressions and Properties

Lesson 1: Algebraic Expressions
Lesson 2: Writing ExpressionsUnit 6
Lesson 6: Vari-apples
Lesson 8: Products and Sums [Free lesson]
Lesson 9: Products, Sums, and Differences (Print available)
Lesson 3: Properties of Addition and MultiplicationUnit 6
Lesson 6: Vari-apples
Lesson 7: Border Tiles
Lesson 8: Products and Sums [Free lesson]
Lesson 9: Products, Sums, and Differences (Print available)
Lesson 12: Squares and Cubes
Lesson 4: The Distributive PropertyUnit 6
Lesson 8: Products and Sums [Free lesson]
Lesson 9: Products, Sums, and Differences (Print available)
Lesson 5: Factoring ExpressionsUnit 6
Lesson 7: Border Tiles
Practice Day 2 (Print available)

Chapter 6: Equations

Lesson 1: Writing Equations in One VariableUnit 6
Lesson 1: Weight for It [Free lesson]
Lesson 3: Hanging Around
Lesson 13: Turtles All the Way
Lesson 2: Solving Equations Using Addition or SubtractionUnit 6
Lesson 2: Five Equations (Print available)
Lesson 3: Hanging Around
Lesson 4: Hanging It Up
Lesson 5: Swap and Solve (Print available)
Practice Day 1 (Print available)
Lesson 3: Solving Equations Using Multiplication or DivisionUnit 6
Lesson 2: Five Equations
Lesson 3: Hanging Around
Lesson 4: Hanging It Up
Lesson 5: Swap and Solve (Print available)
Practice Day 1
Lesson 4: Writing Equations in Two VariablesUnit 6
Lesson 5: Swap and Solve (Print available)

Chapter 7: Area, Surface Area, and Volume

Lesson 1: Areas of ParallelogramsUnit 1
Lesson 3: Exploring Parallelograms (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 4: Off the Grid
Lesson 6: Triangles and Parallelograms
Lesson 2: Areas of TrianglesUnit 1
Lesson 5: Exploring Triangles (Print available)
Lesson 6: Triangles and Parallelograms
Lesson 7: Off the Grid, Part 2
Practice Day 1 (Print available)
Lesson 3: Areas of Trapezoids and Kites
Lesson 4: Three-Dimensional FiguresUnit 1
Lesson 10: Plenty of Polyhedra
Lesson 5: Surface Area of prismsUnit 1
Lesson 9: Renata´s Stickers [Free lesson]
Lesson 11: Nothing But Nets (Print available)
Lesson 12: Face Value
Lesson 13: Take It To Go (Print available)
Practice Day 2 (Print available)
Lesson 6: Surface Area of PyramidsUnit 1
Lesson 12: Face Value
Lesson 13: Take It To Go (Print available)
Practice Day 2
Lesson 7: Volumes of Rectangular PrismsUnit 4
Lesson 13: Volume Challenges

Chapter 8: Integers, Number Lines, and the Coordinate Plane

Lesson 1: IntegersUnit 7
Lesson 1 Can You Dig In [Free lesson]
Lesson 4 Sub-Zero
Lesson 2: Comparing and Ordering IntegersUnit 7
Lesson 2 Digging Deeper
Lesson 3 Order in the Class (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 3: Rational NumbersUnit 7
Lesson 2 Digging Deeper
Lesson 3 Order in the Class (Print available) [Free lesson]
Practice Day 1 (Print available)
Lesson 4: Absolute ValueUnit 7
Lesson 5 Distance on the Number Line
Practice Day 1 (Print available)
Lesson 5: The Coordinate PlaneUnit 7
Lesson 9: Sand Dollar Search
Lesson 10: The A-maze-ing Coordinate Plane
Lesson 11: Polygon Maker
Lesson 12: Graph Telephone (Print available)
Lesson 6: Polygons in the Coordinate PlaneUnit 1 Lesson 8: Pile of Polygons Unit 7 Lesson 11: Polygon Maker
Lesson 7: Writing and Graphing InequalitiesUnit 7
Lesson 6: Tunnel Travel [Free lesson]
Lesson 7: Comparing Weights
Lesson 8: Solving InequalitiesUnit 7
Lesson 8: Shira’s Solutions

Chapter 9: Statistical Measures

Lesson 1: Introduction to StatisticsUnit 8
Lesson 1: Screen Time
Lesson 2: Dot Plots
Lesson 3: Minimum Wage (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 4: Lots More Dots
Lesson 2: MeanUnit 8
Lesson 7: Snack Time
Lesson 10: Hollywood Part 1 (Print available)
Lesson 11: Toy Cars [Free lesson]
Lesson 12: In the News
Lesson 3: Measures of CenterUnit 8
Lesson 7: Snack Time
Lesson 10: Hollywood Part 1 (Print available)
Lesson 11: Toy Cars [Free lesson]
Lesson 12: In the News
Lesson 13: Pumpkin Patch
Practice Day 1
Lesson 4: Measures of VariationUnit 8
Lesson 8: Pop It!
Lesson 11: Toy Cars [Free lesson]
Lesson 14: Car, Plane, Bus, or Train? (Print available)
Lesson 16: Hollywood Part 3 (Print available)
Lesson 5: Mean Absolute DeviationUnit 8
Lesson 9: Hoops
Lesson 10: Hollywood Part 1 (Print available)

Chapter 10: Data Displays

Lesson 1: Stem-and-Leaf Plots
Lesson 2: HistogramsUnit 8
Lesson 5: The Plot Thickens [Free lesson]
Lesson 6: DIY Histograms (Print available)
Lesson 3: Shapes of Distributions
Lesson 4: Choosing Appropriate MeasuresUnit 8
Lesson 2: Dot Plots
Lesson 3: Minimum Wage (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 4: Lots More Dots
Lesson 7: Snack Time
Lesson 10: Hollywood Part 1 (Print available)
Lesson 11: Toy Cars [Free lesson]
Lesson 12: In the News
Lesson 16: Hollywood Part 3 (Print available)
Practice Day 1 (Print available)
Lesson 5: Box-and-Whisker PlotsUnit 8
Lesson 14: Car, Plane, Bus, or Train? (Print available)
Lesson 15: Hollywood Part 2

Grade 7

Chapter 1: Adding and Subtracting Rational Numbers

Big IdeasDesmos Math 6–A1
Lesson 1: Rational NumbersUnit 5
Lesson 1: Floats and Anchors [Free lesson]
Lesson 3: Bumpers
Lesson 2: Adding Integers
Lesson 4: Subtracting Integers		Unit 5
Lesson 2: More Floats and Anchors
Lesson 4: Draw Your Own (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 5: Number Puzzles
Lesson 10: Integer Puzzles [Free lesson]
Lesson 11: Changing Temperatures
Lesson 13: Solar Panels and More (Print available)
Lesson 3: Adding Rational Numbers
Lesson 5: Subtracting Rational Numbers		Unit 5
Lesson 3: Bumpers
Lesson 4: Draw Your Own (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 5: Number Puzzles
Lesson 10: Integer Puzzles [Free lesson]
Lesson 11: Changing Temperatures
Lesson 13: Solar Panels and More (Print available)
Practice Day 1 (Print available)

Chapter 2: Multiplying and Dividing Rational Numbers

Lesson 1: Multiplying IntegersUnit 5
Lesson 6: Floating in Groups
Lesson 7: Back in Time
Lesson 8: Speeding Turtles
Lesson 10: Integer Puzzles [Free lesson]
Practice Day 2 (Print available)
Lesson 2: Dividing IntegersUnit 5
Lesson 8: Speeding Turtles
Lesson 3: Converting Between Fractions and DecimalsUnit 4
Lesson 13: Decimal Deep Dive (Print available)
Lesson 4: Multiplying Rational NumbersUnit 5
Lesson 7: Back in Time
Lesson 5: Dividing Rational NumbersUnit 5
Lesson 8: Speeding Turtles

Chapter 3: Expressions

Lesson 1: Algebraic ExpressionsUnit 6
Lesson 9: Always-Equal Machines
Lesson 10: Collect the Squares [Free lesson]
 
Unit 5
Lesson 9: Expressions (Print available)
Lesson 2: Adding and Subtracting Linear ExpressionsUnit 6
Lesson 2: Smudged Receipts
Lesson 10: Collect the Squares [Free lesson]
Lesson 11: Equation Roundtable (Print available)
Lesson 3: The Distributive PropertyUnit 6
Lesson 2: Smudged Receipts
Lesson 6: Balancing Equations
Lesson 8: Factoring and Expanding (Print available)
Lesson 9: Always-Equal Machines
Lesson 10: Collect the Squares [Free lesson]
Lesson 11: Equation Roundtable (Print available)
Lesson 4: Factoring ExpressionsUnit 6
Lesson 8: Factoring and Expanding (Print available)
Lesson 11: Equation Roundtable (Print available)

Chapter 4: Equations and Inequalities

Lesson 1: Solving Equations Using Addition or Subtraction
Lesson 2: Solving Equations Using Multiplication or Division		Unit 6
Lesson 14: Unbalanced Hangers
Lesson 15: Budgeting (Print available)
Lesson 16: Shira the Sheep [Free lesson]
Lesson 17: Write Them and Solve Them (Print available)
Lesson 3: Solving Two-Step EquationsUnit 6
Lesson 3: Equations
Lesson 4: Seeing Structure (Print available)
Lesson 6: Balancing Equations
Lesson 7: Keeping It True (Print available)
Lesson 12: Community Day (Print available)
 
Unit 5
Lesson 3: Bumpers
Lesson 4: Writing and Graphing InequalitiesUnit 6
Lesson 13: I Saw the Signs
Lesson 15: Budgeting
Lesson 16: Shira the Sheep [Free lesson]
Lesson 5: Solving Inequalities Using Addition or Subtraction
Lesson 6: Solving Inequalities Using Multiplication or Division		Unit 6
Lesson 14: Unbalanced Hangers
Lesson 15: Budgeting (Print available)
Lesson 16: Shira the Sheep [Free lesson]
Lesson 17: Write Them and Solve Them (Print available)
Lesson 7: Solving Two-Step InequalitiesUnit 6
Lesson 16: Shira the Sheep [Free lesson]
Lesson 17: Write Them and Solve Them (Print available)
Practice Day 2 (Print available)

Chapter 5: Ratios and Proportions

Lesson 1: Ratio and Ratio TablesUnit 2
Lesson 1: Paint [Free lesson]
Lesson 2: Balloon Float
Lesson 2: Rates and Unit RatesUnit 4
(Print available)Lesson 2: Peach Cobbler 
Lesson 3: Identifying Proportional RelationshipsUnit 2
Lesson 3: Sugary Drinks
Lesson 4: Robot Factory
Lesson 5: Snapshots
Lesson 6: Two and Two (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 7: All Kinds of Equations
Lesson 10: Three Turtles
Practice Day (Print available)
 
Unit 3
Lesson 1: Toothpicks
Lesson 3: Measuring Around [Free lesson]
Lesson 4: Writing and Solving Proportions 
Lesson 5: Graphs of Proportional RelationshipsUnit 2
Lesson 8: Dino Pops [Free lesson]
Lesson 9: Gallon Challenge
Lesson 10: Three Turtles
Lesson 11: Four Representations (Print available)

Chapter 6: Percents

Lesson 1: Fraction, Decimals, and PercentsUnit 4
Lesson 1: Mosaics [Free lesson]
 
Lesson 2: The Percent Proportion 
Lesson 3: The Percent Equation 
Lesson 4: Percents of Increase and DecreaseUnit 4
Lesson 4: More and Less
Lesson 5: All the Equations
Lesson 6: 100% (Print available)
Lesson 7: Percent machines [Free lesson]
Lesson 8: Tax and Tip
Lesson 9: Minimum Wage (Print available)
Lesson 10: Cost of College (Print available)
Lesson 11: Bookcase Builder
Lesson 12: Posing Percent Problems [Free lesson]
Lesson 5: Discounts and MarkupsUnit 4
Lesson 7: Percent machines [Free lesson]
Lesson 8: Tax and Tip
Lesson 9: Minimum Wage (Print available)
Lesson 10: Cost of College (Print available)
Lesson 11: Bookcase Builder
Lesson 12: Posing Percent Problems [Free lesson]  
Practice Day
Lesson 6: Simple Interest 

Chapter 7: Probability

Lesson 1: ProbabilityUnit 8
Lesson 1: How Likely? (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 2: Prob-bear-bilities [Free lesson]
Lesson 3: Mystery Bag
Lesson 2: Experimental and Theoretical ProbabilityUnit 8
Lesson 4: Spin Class
Lesson 5: Is It Fair?
Lesson 6: Fair Games
Lesson 7: Weather or Not
Lesson 8: Simulate It
Lesson 9: Car, Bike, or Train? (Print available)
Lesson 3: Compound Events
Lesson 4: Simulations		Unit 8
Lesson 8: Simulate It
Lesson 9: Car, Bike, or Train? (Print available)

Chapter 8: Statistics

Lesson 1: Samples and PopulationsUnit 8
Lesson 10: Crab Island [Free lesson]
Lesson 11: Headlines
Lesson 2: Using Random Samples to Describe populationsUnit 8 
Lesson 8: Simulate It
Lesson 9: Car, Bike, or Train? (Print available)
Lesson 10: Crab Island [Free lesson]
Lesson 11: Headlines
Lesson 12: Flower Power
Lesson 3: Comparing Populations
Lesson 4: Using Random Samples to Compare Populations		Unit 8
Lesson 9: Car, Bike, or Train? (Print available)
Lesson 10: Crab Island [Free lesson]
Lesson 13: Plots and Samples
Lesson 14: School Newspaper (Print available)
Lesson 15: Asthma Rates (Print available)

Chapter 9: Geometric Shapes and Angles

Lesson 1: Circle and CircumferenceUnit 3
Lesson 2: Is It a Circle?
Lesson 3: Measuring Around [Free lesson]
Lesson 4: Perimeter Challenges
Practice Day 1 (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 2: Areas of CirclesUnit 3
Lesson 5: Area Strategies
Lesson 6: Radius Squares (Print available)
Lesson 7: Why Pi?
Lesson 8: Area Challenges [Free lesson]
Lesson 9: Circle vs. Square
Practice Day 2 (Print available)
Lesson 3: Perimeters and Areas of Composite FiguresUnit 3
Lesson 4: Perimeter Challenges
Lesson 4: Constructing Polygons 
Lesson 5: Finding Unknown Angle MeasuresUnit 7
Lesson 1: Pinwheels
Lesson 2: Friendly Angles
Lesson 3: Angle Diagrams
Lesson 4: Missing Measures (Print available) [Free lesson]

Chapter 10: Surface Area and Volume

Lesson 1: Surface Area of Prisms
Lesson 2: Surface Area of Cylinders
Lesson 3: Surface Area of Pyramids		Unit 7
Lesson 10: Simple Prisms
Lesson 11: More Complicated Prisms
Lesson 12: Surface Area Strategies (Print available)
Lesson 13: Popcorn Possibilities
Lesson 4: Volumes of Prisms
Lesson 5: Volumes of Pyramids		Unit 7
Lesson 10: Simple Prisms
Lesson 11: More Complicated Prisms
Lesson 13: Popcorn Possibilities
Practice Day 2 (Print available)
Lesson 6: Cross Sections of Three-Dimensional FiguresUnit 7
Lesson 9: Slicing Solids

Grade 8

Chapter 1: Equations

Big ideasDesmos Math 6–A1
Lesson 1: Solving Simple EquationsUnit 3 Lesson 10: Solutions Unit 4 Lesson 2: Keep It Balanced Lesson 3: Balanced Moves Lesson 4: More Balanced Moves (Print available)
Lesson 2: Solving Multi-Step EquationsUnit 4
Lesson 5: Equation Roundtable (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 6: Strategic Solving (Print available)
Lesson 3: Solving Equations with Variables on Both SidesUnit 4
Lesson 3: Balanced Moves
Lesson 4: More Balanced Moves (Print available)
Lesson 5: Equation Roundtable (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 6: Strategic Solving (Print available)
Practice Day 1 (Print available)
Lesson 4: Rewriting Equations and Formulas

Chapter 2: Transformations

Lesson 1: TranslationsUnit 1
Lesson 1: Transformers [Free lesson]
Lesson 2: Spinning, Flipping, Sliding [Free lesson]
Lesson 4: Moving Day (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 5: Getting Coordinated
 
Unit 3
Lesson 6: Translations
Lesson 2: ReflectionsUnit 1
Lesson 1: Transformers [Free lesson]
Lesson 2: Spinning, Flipping, Sliding [Free lesson]
Lesson 4: Moving Day (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 5: Getting Coordinated
Lesson 3: RotationsUnit 1
Lesson 1: Transformers [Free lesson]
Lesson 2: Spinning, Flipping, Sliding [Free lesson]
Lesson 4: Moving Day (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 5: Getting Coordinated
Lesson 13: Tessellate [Free lesson]
Lesson 4: Congruent FiguresUnit 1
Lesson 7: Are They the Same?
Lesson 8: No Bending, No Stretching
Lesson 9: Are They Congruent?
Practice Day
Lesson 5: DilationsUnit 2
Lesson 1: Sketchy Dilations [Free lesson]
Lesson 2: Dilation Mini Golf [Free lesson]
Lesson 3: Match My Dilation
Lesson 4: Dilations on a Plane (Print available)
Lesson 6: Similar FiguresUnit 2
Lesson 5: Transformations Golf with Dilations
Lesson 6: Social Scavenger Hunt (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 7: Are Angles Enough?
Lesson 8: Shadows
Lesson 7: Perimeters and Areas of Similar Figures

Chapter 3: Angles and Triangles

Lesson 1: Parallel Lines and TransversalsUnit 1
Lesson 10: Transforming Angles
Lesson 2: Angles and TrianglesUnit 1
Lesson 11: Tearing It Up (Print available)
Lesson 12: Puzzling It Out [Free lesson]
Lesson 3: Angles of Polygons
Lesson 4: Using Similar TrianglesUnit 2
Lesson 1: Sketchy Dilations [Free lesson]
Lesson 2: Dilation Mini Golf [Free lesson]
Lesson 3: Match My Dilation
Lesson 4: Dilations on a Plane (Print available)
Lesson 7: Are Angles Enough?
Lesson 8: Shadows

Chapter 4: Graphing and Writing Linear Equations

Lesson 1: Graphing Linear EquationsUnit 3 Lesson 4 Stacking Cups Lesson 5 Flags [Free lesson] Lesson 11 Pennies and Quarters Unit 5 Lesson 8 Charge! (Print available)
Lesson 2: Slope of a LineUnit 2
Lesson 9 Water Slide
Lesson 10 Points on a Plane Practice Day
Unit 3 Lesson 2 Water Tank
Lesson 4 Stacking Cups
Lesson 5 Flags [Free lesson]
Lesson 6 Translations
Lesson 7 Water Cooler
Lesson 8 Landing Planes
Lesson 9 Coin Capture  
Unit 6   Lesson 6 Interpreting Slopes
Lesson 8 Animal Brains
Lesson 3: Graphing Proportional RelationshipsUnit 3
Lesson 1: Turtle Time Trials [Free lesson]
Lesson 2: Water Tank
Lesson 4: Stacking Cups
Lesson 4: Graphing Linear Equations in Slope-Intercept FormUnit 3
Lesson 2: Water Tank
Lesson 3: Posters
Lesson 4: Stacking Cups
Lesson 5: Flags [Free lesson]
Lesson 6: Translations
Lesson 5: Graphing Linear Equations in Standard Form
Lesson 6: Writing Equations in Slope-Intercept FormUnit 5
Lesson 8: Charge! (Print available)
Lesson 7: Writing Equations in Point-Slope Form

Chapter 5: Systems of Linear Equations

Lesson 1: Solving Systems of Linear Equations by GraphingUnit 4
Lesson 8: When Are They the Same?
Lesson 9: On or Off the Line?
Lesson 10: On Both Lines
Lesson 11: Make Them Balance [Free lesson]
Lesson 12: Line Zapper [Free lesson]
Practice Day 2 (Print available)
Lesson 2: Solving Systems of Linear Equations by Substitution
Lesson 3: Solving Systems of Linear Equations by Elimination 
Lesson 4: Solving Special Systems of Linear Equations 
Lesson 6: Scale Drawings

Chapter 6: Data Analysis and Displays

Lesson 1: Scatter PlotsUnit 6
Lesson 1: Click Battle
Lesson 2: Wing Span
Lesson 3: Robots [Free lesson]
Practice Day 1 (Print available)
Lesson 2: Lines of FitUnit 6
Lesson 4: Dapper Cats [Free lesson]
Lesson 5: Fit Fights
Lesson 7: Scatter Plot City
Lesson 3: Two-Way TablesUnit 6
Lesson 9: Tasty Fruit
Lesson 10: Finding Associations [Free lesson]
Lesson 11: Federal Budgets
Practice Day 3
Lesson 4: Choosing a Data Display

Chapter 7: Functions

Lesson 1: Relations and FunctionsUnit 5
Lesson 1: Turtle Crossing [Free lesson]
Lesson 2: Guess My Rule [Free lesson]
Lesson 2: Representations of FunctionsUnit 5
Lesson 3: Function or Not?
Lesson 5: The Tortoise and the Hare [Free lesson]
Lesson 3: Linear FunctionsUnit 5
Lesson 6: Graphing Stories
Lesson 7: Feel the Burn (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 8: Charge! (Print available)
Lesson 4: Comparing Linear and Nonlinear FunctionsUnit 5
Lesson 4: Window Frames
Lesson 5: Analyzing and Sketching GraphsUnit 5  
Lesson 6: Graphing Stories

Chapter 8: Exponents and Scientific Notation

Lesson 1: ExponentsUnit 7
Lesson 2: Combining Exponents
Lesson 3: Power Pairs [Free lesson]
Lesson 4: Rewriting Powers
Practice Day 1 (Print available)
Lesson 2: Products of Powers PropertyUnit 7
Lesson 2: Combining Exponents
Lesson 3: Power Pairs (Print available) [Free lesson]
Lesson 4: Rewriting Powers
Lesson 5: Zero and Negative Exponents
Lesson 6: Write a Rule (Print available)
Practice Day 1 (Print available)
Lesson 3: Comparing Populations
Lesson 4: Using Random Samples to Compare Populations
Lesson 5: Estimating QuantitiesLesson 7: Scales and Weights
Lesson 8: Point Zapper
Lesson 9: Use Your Powers
Lesson 6: Scientific Notation
Lesson 7: Operations in Scientific Notation		Unit 7
Lesson 10: Solar System [Free lesson]
Lesson 11: Balance the Scales [Free lesson]
Lesson 13: Star Power
Practice Day 2 (Print available)

Chapter 9: Real Numbers and the Pythagorean Theorem

Lesson 1: Finding Square RootsUnit 8
Lesson 2: From Squares to Roots
Lesson 3: Between Squares
Lesson 4: Root Down [Free lesson]
Lesson 2: The Pythagorean Theorem
Lesson 3: Finding Cube RootsUnit 8
Lesson 2: From Squares to Roots
Lesson 3: Between Squares
Lesson 4: Root Down [Free lesson]
Lesson 4: Rational Numbers 
Lesson 5: Irrational NumbersUnit 8
Lesson 14: Hit the Target
Lesson 6: The Converse of the Pythagorean TheoremUnit 8
Lesson 9: Make It Right

Chapter 10: Volume and Similar Solids

Lesson 1: Volumes of CylindersUnit 5
Lesson 10: Exploring Volume
Lesson 11: Cylinders [Free lesson]
Lesson 14: Missing Dimensions (Print available)
Lesson 2: Volumes of ConesUnit 5
Lesson 10: Exploring Volume
Lesson 13: Cones [Free lesson]
Lesson 14: Missing Dimensions (Print available)
Lesson 3: Volumes of SpheresUnit 5
Lesson 10: Exploring Volume
Lesson 15: Spheres
Lesson 4: Surface Area and Volumes of Similar SolidsUnit 5
Lesson 12: Scaling Cylinders

¡Bienvenidas, familias de estudiantes de Amplify Science para nivel intermedio!

Dos estudiantes están sentados en la mesa de una clase, colaborando en un cuaderno. Uno señala una página mientras el otro mira. Otros estudiantes están en segundo plano ocupados en sus propias actividades.

Carta de los Estándares de Ciencias para la Próxima Generación

Two documents side by side, one in English and one in Spanish, both titled with information about the NGSS for parents and guardians and containing paragraphs of text.

La carta siguiente, que también se incluye en el programa, describe los Estándares de Ciencias para la Próxima Generación y explica cómo se presentan en las unidades de Amplify Science de nivel intermedio.

Haga clic aquí para descargarla.

Video de navegación del alumno

Mire el video a continuación para obtener ayuda para los estudiantes que navegan en Amplify Science (en inglés).

Mapas de las unidades

A digital document titled "Unit Map" with the heading "What is causing Elisa, a young patient, to feel tired all the time?" followed by several paragraphs of blurred text.

Cada unidad de Amplify Science incluye un mapa para los maestros. Este documento contiene las preguntas científicas que los estudiantes encontrarán en la unidad y muestra cómo hallarán las respuestas.

Haga clic aquí para descargar el Mapa de la unidad sobre el metabolismo a modo de ejemplo (en inglés).

Si le interesa ver los mapas de las unidades del nivel escolar de su estudiante, contacte a su maestro o maestra.

Simulaciones

En los grados 6–8, el uso de aplicaciones digitales es tan solo uno de los métodos que los estudiantes emplean para interpretar los conceptos de la unidad. Este video muestra un ejemplo de una simulación:

Recursos para el evento de regreso a clases

A webpage for Amplify Science displays a grid of colorful nature-themed illustrations and text promoting a core curriculum for grades K-8.

Esta presentación ofrece una mirada al currículo de Amplify Science. Es probable que el maestro o la maestra haya presentado este recurso en el evento escolar de regreso a clases.

La tarea en familia

Four educational posters for Amplify Science show students engaging in hands-on science activities and a scientist in a lab coat with worksheets on the right.

Si les interesa ampliar la experiencia escolar de Amplify Science en casa, vean una de las siguientes tarjetas de Perfil del científico. Consideren usarlas para iniciar conversaciones sobre carreras de ciencias e ingeniería.

Haga clic aquí para descargar las tarjetas de Perfil del científico (en inglés).

El programa Amplify Science también incluye varias tareas en familia que podrá explorar con el estudiante fuera del horario de clases. El maestro o la maestra de su estudiante podría asignar tareas en familia a medida que la clase avanza en las unidades, pero si desea explorarlas por su cuenta, haga clic en los siguientes nombres de las unidades.

Sepa dónde encontrar ayuda

¡Nuestro compromiso es brindarle ayuda! ¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre Amplify Science?

Ingrese a nuestra biblioteca de ayuda para encontrar artículos con las respuestas a sus preguntas sobre el programa. Si necesita ayuda adicional con el currículo, comuníquese con el maestro o la maestra de su estudiante.

Welcome to Amplify Desmos Math Cherokee CSD!

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Welcome, Ellensburg, to Amplify Desmos Math!

Amplify Desmos Math K-5 thoughtfully combines conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application. Each lesson is designed to tell a story by posing problems that invite a variety of approaches before guiding students to synthesize their understanding of the learning goals.

Scroll to learn more about the program and explore sample materials.

About the program

We believe in math that motivates. Our structured approach to problem-based learning builds on students’ curiosity to develop lasting grade-level understandings for all students. 

The program motivates students with interesting problems they are eager to solve. Teachers can spend more time where it’s most impactful: creating a collaborative classroom of learners.

A powerful suite of math resources

Amplify Desmos Math combines the best of problem-based lessons, intervention, personalized practice, and assessments into a coherent and engaging experience for both students and teachers.  Feel free to explore our grade-level ancillary samplers to learn more about assessment and reporting, intervention, and differentiation:

Grade K Ancillary Sampler

Grade 1 Ancillary Sampler

Grade 2 Ancillary Sampler

Grade 3 Ancillary Sampler

Grade 4 Ancillary Sampler

Grade 5 Ancillary Sampler

A laptop displays a math problem with illustrated students and a virtual keyboard. Behind it, a chart shows percentages for a Math 2 Beginning-of-Year Screener assessment.

Assessment

mCLASS® Assessments, along with daily formative checks, measure not only what students know, but how they think. The asset-based assessment system provides teachers with targeted, actionable insights, linked to core and intervention resources. Visit our mClass Math site to learn more.

Two side-by-side math activities for children: on the left, a caterpillar-themed block challenge, and on the right, a worksheet for finding pairs that sum to 10. These exercises are fantastic ways to amplify children's engagement with math concepts.

Core instruction

Amplify Desmos Math lessons pair problems students are eager to solve with clear instructional moves for teachers. With low-floor, high-ceiling tasks every student can actively participate and be a part of the math community. Unit- and lesson-level core assessments give teachers data at their fingertips to guide and differentiate instruction.

A math lesson screen shows a toy sinking 5 meters into a pool. A textbox asks how many centimeters that is, with space for an answer and a "Try again" button. An avatar explains the question, using Desmos math tools to amplify understanding.

Differentiation

Personalized Learning activities help students access grade-level math through engaging, independent digital practice. Responsive Feedback adjusts to students’ work, providing item-level adaptivity to further support their learning and offer personalized differentiation. Visit our Boost Math site to learn more. 

Two pages from a New York math textbook on determining coordinates after a rotation. Includes sections on modeled review, guided practice, and teacher's notes, with diagrams and examples that amplify the learning experience.

Embedded intervention

Integrated resources like Mini-Lessons, Fluency Practice, and Math Adventures provide targeted intervention on a specific concept or skill connected to the daily lesson. Extensions are also available to stretch students’ understanding.

Multilingual Learners

To support multilingual/English learners, Amplify Desmos Math incorporates research-based Math Language Routines (MLRs) by providing language modality strategies like sentence frames where appropriate, both in the teacher language provided for each task and in the differentiation support section found throughout the program. For further information on math language development, please see pg. 82 of the Amplify Desmos Math Program Guide.

Una profesora con un polo rojo ayuda a una estudiante con cabello largo y rizado que está leyendo un libro en su escritorio en un salón de clases. En la pared detrás de ellos se exhiben carteles con temas educativos.

Review Resources

To support your review of Amplify Desmos Math here are links to important K-5 review resources:

Two women in an office setting are smiling while looking at a tablet. Various educational icons surround the image.

K-5 sample materials

Click the links in the drop-down sections below to explore sample materials from each grade.  To see sample student responses, please click on the Teacher Edition pages and scroll to “Sample Student Work” (first one is about 30 pages in) or click on Intervention and Extension resources.   

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

You can also watch a product expert walk through a lesson and the available program components.

Digital educational material showing an activity named "Hamster Homes" involving tube length and platform heights for a hamster cage. Includes a diagram with platforms measuring 9 inches.
Screenshot of a kindergarten curriculum outline featuring units like Math in Our World, Numbers 1-10, Positions and Shapes, Understanding Addition, Making 10, and Shapes All Around Us. This comprehensive program utilizes New York Math standards to build foundational skills.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Kindergarten Amplify Desmos Math.

Cover of Amplify Desmos Math Grade K Teacher Edition featuring three children playing with math-related objects and a group of rabbits sitting nearby, aligning with the engaging curriculum seen in New York math classrooms.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Counting and Comparing Objects.

Educational activity screen displaying a blue backpack with icons, dot groups on the left, and a grid background. Prompt reads, "Look inside the backpack. Then choose the group with the same number of dots." A great tool to amplify Desmos math learning in line with New York math standards.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition Kindergarten," featuring an illustration of three children playing with math-related toys. A group of small white animals, possibly hamsters, play nearby. The scene brilliantly captures the joy of New York math exploration for young learners.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade K Centers Resources" featuring a large, stylized red and pink "C" on a light pink background with simple geometric designs. This distinctive cover complements New York math curriculums with its engaging visual elements.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Grade K." The title is displayed with a geometric "I" illustration in the center. Subtitle reads "Intervention and Extension Resources" on a pink and white background, ideal for New York math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

A digital activity screen, crafted in the style of Amplify Desmos Math, shows two paths with different quantities of mushrooms. The user is prompted to choose the path with more mushrooms. A bear is on the left side of the screen.

In this lesson, students apply their understanding of how to compare groups of images as they determine which group has more or fewer and then compare their strategies by guiding a bear through a path that has more mushrooms than the other.

Grade 1 math curriculum overview displaying six units with instructional and assessment days: counting, addition, subtraction, numbers to 10, comparing numbers, measuring length, and geometry—aligned with the New York Math standards.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 1 Amplify Desmos Math.

Children interact with math activities on a large tablet while observing fish illustrations. The text reads "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 1 Teacher Edition, aligned with New York Math standards.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Story Problems in Maui.

A digital math exercise, amplified by Desmos Math, showcases a story problem about adding kalo plants with three illustrations and a filled-out number sentence 3 + 4 = 7. A "Check" button is present. This tool aligns perfectly with New York math standards.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Illustration of three children engaged in math activities from the "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition 1" textbook. One child holds a number card, while the others manipulate counters and images, experiencing an exciting approach inspired by New York math techniques.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Centers Resources" for Grade 1, featuring a yellow and white 3D letter "C" on a light background.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Grade 1: Intervention and Extension Resources" depicting a large, blocky number one and a yellow-themed design. Ideal for enhancing New York math curriculum.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

An educational game screen, inspired by New York math standards, shows a subtraction problem, "4 - 1," with a frog moving along numbered lily pads to reveal the answer "3.

In this lesson, students find differences when subtracting 1 and 2 from the same number by helping a frog reach a lily pad where it can eat a bug.

A curriculum overview for Grade 2 in New York Math displaying 8 units, including topics like comparisons, addition, subtraction, and geometric shapes, with details on the number of instructional and assessment days. This plan integrates resources from Amplify Desmos Math to enrich learning experiences.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 2 Amplify Desmos Math.

Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 2 Teacher Edition, showcasing children measuring with rulers and a poster displaying a mathematical equation, set against whimsical scenery with a colorful dragon. Perfect for New York math classrooms.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Adding and Subtracting.

Activity screen displaying a task to estimate the number of animals in an aquarium, featuring a bar chart for goldfish, frogs, and shrimp. Utilizing Desmos math tools, an illustration of an aquarium with various animals is also included to amplify learning.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Student Edition 2" showing three children performing a New York math activity with blocks and measurements.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of an educational book titled "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 2 Centers Resources" featuring a green "C" on a light green background, perfect for enhancing New York math education.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 2: Intervention and Extension Resources" featuring a green numeral 1 on a light green background, aligning with the New York math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

An educational activity where users must select the block with the correct number to make a total of 10 using the given block numbers. The UI, inspired by New York math standards, features a caterpillar and two tree stumps to amplify engagement with Desmos Math tools.

In this lesson, students find differences when subtracting 1 and 2 from the same number by helping a frog reach a lily pad where it can eat a bug.

An educational curriculum outline for Grade 3 with seven units covering various mathematics topics, including multiplication, shapes, fractions, and measurement. Suggested instructional days are provided. The New York Math approach ensures a thorough understanding of each concept.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 3 Amplify Desmos Math.

Cover of a "Grade 3 Amplify Desmos Math Teacher Edition" book, featuring a cutaway building with diverse students and a teacher working on New York math problems and organizing materials.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Concepts of Area Measurement.

Educational software displays a challenge to determine the area of an unpainted wall. The wall features a door and window with given dimensions, and a mouse pointer hovers near the question, amplifying the student's engagement.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Student Edition 3" showcasing illustrated children engaged in various mathematical activities inside a glass house structure, reflecting the dynamic energy of New York math.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of the Amplify Desmos Math Grade 3 Centers Resources book, featuring a 3D letter "C" in blue and white on a minimalistic background, perfect for aligning with New York math standards.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of an "Amplify Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 3 book featuring intervention and extension resources, with a blue geometric "I" on a light blue background, aligning with New York Math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

A page titled "Activity 2" features a table showing counts of rabbits, raccoons, and foxes, an image of animal stickers, and a bar graph representing the number of each animal, designed to amplify your New York math lesson with engaging visual data.

Students compare data represented on bar graphs with different scales by using animal stickers to create scaled bar graphs.

A course outline for Algebra 1 with 8 units, each detailing the number of instructional and optional days. The total suggested instructional days are 144 and 28 optional days, aligning with New York Math standards.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 4 Amplify Desmos Math.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Teacher Edition Grade 4" showing children learning New York Math outdoors, using large mathematical tools and numbers, with one child in a wheelchair.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Size and Location of Fractions.

Educational screen showing an interactive activity from Amplify Desmos Math where a user drags a point to cut a log into quarters. The progress is 2 out of 10.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Student Edition, Grade 4," showcasing students collaborating on math problems involving shapes and numbers against a vibrant backdrop that blends cityscapes and natural scenery, capturing the essence of New York math learning.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover of the "Amplify Desmos Math" Grade 4 Centers Resources book, featuring a large, stylized blue letter "C" on a light blue background. This essential resource for New York math educators ensures engaging and effective instruction.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math, Grade 4: Intervention and Extension Resources," featuring a geometric illustration and a blue and orange color scheme inspired by New York math standards.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

Interactive educational activity asking users to determine platform heights using a 3-inch tube. The interface, inspired by Desmos math tools, features a dragging function and feedback system with a checkbox and "Try another" option, amplifying the learning experience.

Students choose tube lengths to connect to platform heights for hamster homes, identifying possible heights using what they know about multiples.

A Grade 5 curriculum scope and sequence chart with units covering volume, fractions, multiplication, shapes, place value, and measurement. Each unit lists instructional and assessment days to amplify Desmos Math activities.
Program structure

Get to know the content and structure of Grade 5 Amplify Desmos Math.

Illustration of three students engaging with various math activities outdoors and around large blocks. Text at the top reads "Amplify Desmos Math, Grade 5, Teacher Edition" - a perfect resource for New York math educators.
Teacher Edition pages

Planning and instructional guidance is visual, organized, and easy-to-follow. To help you review the program, we have included samples from a complete sub-unit on this site: Unit 2, Sub-Unit 1: Fractions as Quotients.

A digital activity prompt showing a scenic landscape with bamboo shoots and a panda. Using Desmos math tools, the task is to estimate the length where the third bamboo shoot should be placed for the panda to reach a leaf. This exercise is designed to amplify your understanding of spatial reasoning.
Digital experience

Explore our digital experience! Every lesson in Amplify Desmos Math has student print materials and digital recommendations.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math: Student Edition, Grade 5" featuring students engaged in various mathematical activities outside, such as block building, measuring, and gardening—a perfect resource aligning with New York math standards.
Student Edition pages

Motivate students with mathematics that is both rigorous and delightful.

Cover image of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 5 Centers Resources" featuring a large purple letter C on a light purple background, showcasing the innovative approach of Amplify Desmos Math that's making waves in New York math education.
Centers Resources

Engaging, hands-on games for students to play collaboratively to strengthen their understanding of key skills and concepts.

Cover of "Amplify Desmos Math Grade 5: Intervention and Extension Resources," featuring a large, stylized number five in purple against a light purple background with minimal geometric patterns, ideal for New York math curriculum support.
Intervention and Extension Resources

Additional resources to reinforce and extend key concepts, including Mini-Lessons and Extensions.

An interactive screen showing an activity about decomposing a figure into prisms, with a touch of Desmos Math integration. The user is asked to drag points to demonstrate the decomposition. Two prism illustrations are displayed, offering a glimpse of New York Math's approach.

Students decompose a figure into rectangular prisms and determine the volume of the figure by adding the volumes of the individual prisms.

Contact Us

If you have any questions throughout your review process or need additional samples, please don’t hesitate to contact:

Alicia O’Neil

Account Executive

425-890-6103

aoneil@amplify.com

Request additional samples

Ready to learn more? Connect with an Amplify Desmos Math expert to request additional program samples.

Amplify Desmos Math for Hawai’i

Welcome, Hawai’i educators!

Amplify Desmos Math is a new, curiosity-driven program that supports teachers in building their students’ math proficiency for life. On this site, you’ll find a variety of resources to guide you in learning more about what Amplify Desmos Math has to offer.

Jump to preview lessons

About the program

We believe in math that motivates. Our structured approach to problem-based learning builds on students’ curiosity to develop lasting grade-level understandings for all students. 

The program thoughtfully combines conceptual understanding, fluency, and application, motivating students with interesting problems they are eager to solve. Teachers can spend more time where it’s most impactful: creating a collaborative classroom of learners.

Amplify Desmos Math is built on the highly-rated Desmos Math 6-8 program. Explore the all-green edReports review of Desmos Math 6-8.

Two girls sit at a table with open books, one making hand gestures while smiling, the other looking at her and giving a thumbs up. Behind them are shelves filled with books, capturing the lively atmosphere of a math classroom.
A laptop displays a math activity with a frog on a number line, while two printed math worksheets are shown in the background.

Structured approach to problem-based learning

  • Differentiation and personalized practice
  • Easy-to-follow instructional guidance
  • Robust assessments and reports
  • Spanish student materials
Screenshot of a digital class attendance and activity tracker with student names and checkboxes indicating their participation in various New York math tasks.

Math that motivates

  • Powerful teacher-facilitation supports and tools
  • Students talking and building from each other’s ideas 
  • Every lesson has fully compatible print and digital materials for a collaborative classroom
Illustration of an Amplify Desmos math learning tool on a student screen showing abacus representations for the sums 8+7, 7+4+5, 3+8+4

Student thinking is made evident

  • Curiosity-driven lessons that motivate students with interesting problems they are eager to solve
  • Explicit guidance for teachers on what to look for and how to respond
  • Technology that provides Responsive Feedback and is designed to reveal mathematical thinking
Chart displaying the Grade 6–Algebra 1 math scope and sequence, organized by units and grade levels, with a snail illustration in the bottom right corner.

Scope and sequence

Click the links below to view the program scope and sequence for your grand band.

Grades K–5 Grades 6–A1 Grades 9–12

Start your digital review

To review Amplify Desmos Math lessons, click the orange button below, then select “Log in with Amplify” and use the following login credentials:

Username: t1.hawaiimath@demo.tryamplify.net
Password: Amplify1-hawaiimath

Review now
A digital learning activity on a laptop displays a task about determining the height of a platform by measuring the length of a tube. The screen shows a 9-inch tube, a platform with a height set to 9 inches, and instructions for the activity.

Preview lessons

Explore how Amplify Desmos Math combines the best of problem-based lessons, intervention, personalized practice, and assessments into a coherent and engaging experience for both students and teachers. View real pieces of the program, here.

A math activity screen shows a cartoon snail, purple blocks, and a table comparing blocks and a math equation; a cursor hovers over the "Edit my response" button.

Meet your Hawai’i Team

Woman with long brown hair and light skin smiling, wearing gold earrings, in front of a light-colored brick wall.

Laina Armbruster

Senior Account Executive – Hawai’i
larmbruster@amplify.com
602-791-4135

A man with glasses, a shaved head, and a short beard, wearing a light gray shirt and black tie, smiles at the camera against a plain white background.

Francis Ogata

Senior STEM Specialist – Hawai’i
fogata@amplify.com

Amplify Desmos Math
for New York

Welcome to Amplify Desmos Math, a powerful new core program from Amplify and Desmos Classroom built for NYC teachers and students.

Amplify Desmos Math is built on four core tenets:

  • Math can motivate students.
  • A structured approach to problem-based learning can best tend to all aspects of rigor.
  • Student thinking is valuable and visible.
  • Students can catch up while keeping up with grade-level math.
A worksheet and two digital screens display a math activity involving tables and blocks, with one screen showing a challenge hidden behind a red curtain.

What if your students asked to do more math?

Amplify Desmos Math lessons are powerful in their ability to elicit student thinking and spark interesting, productive discussions.

The lessons pose problems that invite a variety of approaches with their dynamic and interactive learning experiences on devices, as well as experiences on paper that are flexible, creative, and engaging.

As students work online, they interact with visuals and simulations that show their thinking and decisions. When appropriate, students see other students’ responses and engage in collaborative math discussions.

A Responsive Feedback feature responds to student thinking by showing the mathematical meaning behind it. This is more powerful than simply evaluating thinking as right or wrong, because it motivates and engages students in the learning process.

A grid-based puzzle showing a green ball at (-8, -8) and a yellow star at (5, 6); user is prompted to enter coordinates to reach the star.

In this Grade 6 activity, students internalize the coordinate plane by plotting points to navigate the marble through the maze to collect the star.

A blank coordinate grid is shown next to a list of coordinate pairs to plot, ranging from (–2, –9) to (3, –3). Instructions are to plot and connect each pair in order.

This prepares students to accurately and efficiently plot points with positive and negative coordinates on grids with different scales and explain the relationship between ordered pairs that differ only by the signs of the coordinates.

A yellow submarine with floats and anchors must be adjusted to reach and collect a star positioned at -3 units in the water. A table and "Check My Work" button appear to the right.

In this Grade 7 activity, students explore positive and negative integer operations using the up and down movement of a submarine.

Screenshot of a math problem asking for the new temperature in Beijing after it drops 5°C from –2°C, with a text box and a "Submit" button for the answer.

Students are then prepared apply this understanding in a variety of word problem contexts.

A math activity interface showing four lanes with turtles, labeled 1 to 4, on a track. A prompt asks to write an equation for the turtle in lane 4 to control its movement.

In this Grade 8 activity, students create rate, distance, and time equations based on turtle races.

A blank graph with cost in dollars on the y-axis and blueberries in pounds on the x-axis, labeled for a problem about blueberry pricing.

This prepares students to understand that a graph representing a proportional relationship is a line through (0, 0) and (1, k). They also begin to see connections between a context and features of a corresponding graph, equation, and table.

Data at your fingertips on the road to mastery

Digital assessment report with tabs for Reports, WAT, and Admin Reports. Displays classes, units, assessments, and scoring details for high and low-performing items, including raw scores.

1

Pre-Unit Checks show the range of student mastery for the entire class and identify strengths and needs by standard.

Two overlapping cards detail a math unit overview and learning goals, focusing on equivalent ratios and proportional relationships in tables, equations, and graphs.

2

In each unit, lessons are designed and sequenced to help students fully master critical standards and build computational fluency. Each lesson is part of a carefully constructed instructional sequence that scaffolds students’ cognitive mathematical development.

A math problem prompt is displayed above, with a table comparing orange and pineapple juice recipes below. Another box describes "7.2 Practice Day 1" learning goals.

3

Daily practice problems and frequent practice days reinforce concepts and build fluency.

Screenshot of an assessment report and instructions for Assessment Form A, highlighting score distribution, student performance, and requirements like blank paper and a calculator.

4

End-of-Unit Assessments and reporting analysis pinpoint students requiring remediation with specific standards and concepts.

Facilitate a collaborative, connected classroom community.

The powerful teacher facilitation tools in Amplify Desmos Math give teachers insight into student thinking in real time. Teachers can select student work to display and discuss quickly and easily, leading to better questions that guide more productive discussions.

Amplify Desmos Math helps guide the learning process by connecting students to each other and to an understanding that they can use math to make sense of the world. Students learn and collaborate in every lesson. Whether using print, digital, or a mix of both, students stay connected to each other’s ideas and thinking, fueling classroom conversations and a shared understanding of math.

A screenshot of a classroom management app displaying progress for 13 students across multiple pizza-making activities, with checkmarks indicating completed tasks.
An illustrated Amplify Desmos Math textbook and a computer screen showing a digital math activity about making pizza ingredients.

Standards alignment

Amplify Desmos Math is customized specifically to meet the New York State Next Generation Math Learning Standards. Within each document below, you’ll find direct links to lessons and activities where each individual standard is addressed.

Grade 6 correlation
Grade 7 correlation
Grade 8 correlation

The program is also aligned with the expectations outlined in the New York City Department of Education Definition of Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education and the New York State Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework. Download the CR-SE alignment.

Digital review

Ready to explore the program? To log in, click the orange “Review now” button below, select “Log in with Amplify” and use the following login credentials:

Username: t.nycadmsample-01@tryamplify.net

Password: AmplifyNumber1

Review now

To review Algebra 1 content from Desmos Math 6–A1, which serves as the foundation for Amplify Desmos Math, click this link after logging in using the credentials above.

Two illustrated math textbooks labeled Amplify Desmos Math for grades 7 and 8, shown above a laptop displaying a digital balance scale activity.
Two women in an office setting look at a computer monitor together, both appearing focused and engaged. One is seated while the other stands beside her.

Support

Throughout your review, you can reach our support team by email or phone. We are available any time over:

Live chat: Click the orange icon while logged in to get immediate help.

Phone: Call our toll-free number: (888)-960-0380.

Email: Send an email to help@amplify.com. In the message body, please include your name and question. Provide as much detail as possible, so we can help you find a solution.