A closer look at grades 3–5

Amplify Science California is based on the latest research on teaching and learning and helps teachers deliver age-appropriate, high-quality, literacy-rich instruction that enables students to take on the roles of scientists and engineers to solve real-world phenomena every day.

In the 3–5 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.

Four children engaged in an amplify science experiment in a classroom, examining materials closely with expressions of curiosity and focus.

Captura de pantalla de una aplicación educativa que muestra datos de uso de lectura de los estudiantes para la clase 2A. Se enumeran los nombres de cinco estudiantes con sus inicios de sesión diarios y tiempo de uso durante varios días y actividades.

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, their understanding gradually builds and deepens, ultimately leading to their ability to develop and refine increasingly complex explanations of the unit’s phenomenon.

It’s this proven program structure and lesson design that enables Amplify Science California to teach less, but achieve more. Rather than asking teachers to wade through unnecessary content, we designed our K–2 program to address 100% of the California NGSS in just 66 days.

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 California to teach less, but achieve more. Rather than asking teachers to wade through unnecessary content, we designed our 3–5 program to address 100% of the California NGSS in just 88 days.

Scope and sequence

Every year of our grades 3–5 sequence consists of 4 units and 88 lessons. Said another way, each unit contains 20 lessons plus two dedicated assessment days (a Pre-Unit Assessment and End-of-Unit Assessment).

Lessons for grades 3–5 are written to last a minimum of 60 minutes, though teachers can expand or contract the timing to meet their needs.

Unit types

Each unit delivers three-dimensional learning experiences and engages students in gathering evidence from a rich collection of sources, while also emphasizing a particular science and engineering practice.

In grades 3–5:

One unit emphasizes the practice of investigation.
One unit emphasizes the practice of modeling.
One unit emphasizes the practice of engineering design.
One unit emphasizes the practice of argumentation.

Investigation units

Investigation units focus on the process of strategically developing investigations and gathering data to answer questions. Students are first asked to consider questions about what happens in the natural world and why, and are then involved in designing and conducting investigations that produce data to help answer those questions.

Modeling units

Modeling units provide extra support to students engaging in the practice of modeling. Students use physical models, investigate with computer models, and create their own diagrams to help them visualize what might be happening on the nanoscale.

Engineering Design units

Engineering design units provide opportunities for students to solve complex problems by applying science principles to the design of functional solutions, and iteratively testing those solutions to determine how well they meet preset criteria.

Argumentation units

Argumentation units provide students with regular opportunities to explore and discuss available evidence, time and support to consider how evidence may be leveraged in support of claims, and independence that increases as they mount written arguments in support of their claims.

Units at a glance

Una ilustración de un tren de alta velocidad moderno y aerodinámico que viaja por una vía elevada con un paisaje verde de fondo.

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.