Amplify Science Resources for NYC (6-8)

This page has been archived. For the latest information, please visit the NYC Resource Site.

Welcome!

As the 2021-2022 school year kicks into full gear, you’re likely thinking about making your classroom responsive to student needs due to the covid-19 pandemic.

Got additional questions? Use Zoom to attend office hours with Adaliz Gonzalez, the DOE’s Middle School Science Lead on Thursdays from 3-4pm.

Meeting ID: 852 2280 0969

Passcode: 528986

A powerful partnership

Amplify Science was developed by the science education experts at UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science and the digital learning team at Amplify.

NYC Newsletters

Educator Spotlight Submission

Calling all NYC DOE educators! Do you know an educator who has gone above and beyond? Would you like to highlight your teaching experience for others? Submit nominations here to see them featured as a spotlight in a future edition of our monthly newsletter and on our Instagram pages!

Introduction

This page includes planning, implementation, and professional learning resources for NYC schools using Amplify Science. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the categories in the navigation bar on the left side of the page, so that you’ll be able to easily find what you need.

Most New York City educators come here looking for specific information, but if you’re new to Amplify Science, we recommend you read through the program guide to learn a little about the program. 

New to Amplify? – Start HERE!

Teachers and Administrators 

Step 1: Review the Amplify Science Overview Video.

Step 2: Review the NYC Scope and sequence for 21-22 school year.

Step 3: Review the Unpacking the Kit Videos listed below to understand what’s in your unit 1 kit.

Step 4: Access your unique Log-in information to log-in to the Amplify Science Curriculum outlined below under Login support

Step 5: Log into the platform and access our Program Hub.  Select Using this site for self study for a complete suite of training videos and resources for an initial orientation video series.

Step 6: Log into the curriculum and begin studying the Unit Map and Teacher’s Guide resources and begin planning your first lesson. Print out the NYC Program Guide for essential program information.

Step 7: Administrator’s ONLY – Review the new administrator orientation presentation for an overview of the program. Review other materials under Admin Resources. 

NOTE: Should you need any additional guidance on how to get started with prep (or anything else!), please feel free to get in touch with our pedagogical support team. They are available Monday-Friday from 7AM-7PM EST. You can reach them via the chat icon in the lower right- hand corner of your screen when logged in, through email (help@amplify.com), or via phone (800-823-1969).

Getting started resources

Login Support

Materials

Unpacking your first Amplify Science classroom kit

21-22 Login Update

The temporary login credentials for fall ’21 have been deactivated. 

Please make sure you check out the Getting started resources > Login Support below for instructions around teacher and student logins. If there are any issues, please confirm with your STARS programmer that your classes are assigned correctly and then contact our Amplify Help Desk at help@amplify.com or at 1-800-823-1969 for further assistance.

Implementation resources

21-22 NYC Scope and Sequence and Pacing Guide

Use our NYC Field Trip List to plan an engaging field trip for your students!

NYC Companion Lesson Guides 

The format of the NYC Companion Lessons is similar to other Amplify Science lessons. Some companion lessons are designed to require more than a single class period to teach, so each lesson includes pacing suggestions. Science Background sections support teachers with the science content introduced in the lessons. For students’ written work, possible student responses are included at the end of each lesson guide.

The Lesson Guides are available in the last section of each unit’s print Teacher’s Guide and can be downloaded from the tables in the downloads section below.

NYC Companion Lesson Copymasters
Each NYC Companion Lesson has an accompanying Copymaster (for creating student sheets) that can be copied and distributed to students or used as a visual reference. The NYC Companion Lessons require students to have physical copies of the student sheets. The copymasters are available to download as printable PDF files from the tables in the downloads section below.

Grade 6 Lesson guides and Copymasters

  • Companion lesson: Insert after Lesson 2.2
  • Time frame: 60 minutes (can spread across multiple class periods)
  • NYSP–12SLS: PE: MS-PS3-6, DCI: PS3.B
  • Links (click to download):
  • Companion lesson: Insert after Lesson 3.3
  • Time frame: Two 45-minute class periods
  • NYSP–12SLS: PE: MS-PS2-3, MS-PS2-5, DCI: PS2.B
  • Links (click to download):
  • Companion lesson: Insert after Lesson 3.3 and after Investigating Non-Touching Forces
  • Time frame: 60 minutes (first and second reads can be spread across two class periods)
  • NYSP–12SLS: PE: MS-PS2-5, MS-PS2-3, DCI: PS2.B
  • Links (click to download):
  • Companion lesson: Insert after Lesson 2.5
  • Time frame: 105 minutes (can be spread across multiple class periods)
  • NYSP–12SLS: PE: MS-PS1-6, DCI: PS1.B
  • Links (click to download):
  • Companion lesson: Insert after Lesson 3.4
  • Time frame: 60 minutes (first and second reads can be spread across two class periods)
  • NYSP–12SLS: PE: MS-LS2-5, DCI: LS2.C, LS4.D
  • Links (click to download):
  • Companion lesson: Insert after Lesson 1.3
  • Time frame: 60 minutes (first and second reads can be spread across two class periods)
  • NYSP–12SLS: PE: MS-ESS2-4, DCI: ESS2.C
  • Links (click to download):
  • Companion lesson: Insert after Lesson 3.3*
  • Time frame: 90 minutes (can be spread across multiple class periods)
  • NYSP–12SLS: PE: MS-PS1-7, MS-ESS2-6, DCI: PS1.A, ESS2.C
  • Links (click to download):

*Note: The homework assignment for Ocean, Atmosphere, and Climate Lesson 3.3 (reading the article “Deep Ocean Currents: Driven by Density”) should be assigned after the Investigating Deep Ocean Currents companion lesson rather than after Lesson 3.3.

Grade 7 Lesson Guides and Copymasters

  • Companion lesson: Insert after Lesson 3.2
  • Time frame: 60 minutes (first and second reads can be spread across two class periods)
  • NYSP–12SLS: PE: MS-LS1-3, DCI: PS3.D, LS1.A
  • Links (click to download):
  • Companion lesson: Insert after Lesson 3.3 or later
  • Time frame: Three 45-minute class periods, each several days apart
  • NYSP–12SLS: PE: MS-LS1-8, DCI: LS1.D
  • Links (click to download):
  • Companion lesson: Insert after Lesson 3.5
  • Time frame: 60 minutes (first and second reads can be spread across two class periods)
  • NYSP–12SLS: PE: MS-LS1-6, MS-LS1-7, DCI: LS1.C, PS3.D
  • Links (click to download):
  • Companion lesson: Insert after Lesson 2.2
  • Time frame: 60 minutes (first and second reads can be spread across two class periods)
  • NYSP–12SLS: PE: MS-PS1-4, DCI: PS3.A
  • Links (click to download):
  • Companion lesson: Insert after Lesson 1.3
  • Time frame: 60 minutes
  • NYSP–12SLS: PE: MS-PS1-7, DCI: PS1.A
  • Links (click to download):
  • Companion lesson: Insert after Lesson 2.3, 2.4, or 2.5
  • Time frame: Two 45-minute class periods
  • NYSP–PE: MS-PS1-8, MS-PS1-2 DCI: PS1.A, PS1.B
  • Links (click to download):

Grade 8 Lesson Guides and Copymaster

  • Companion lesson: Insert after Lesson 2.2
  • Time frame: 90 minutes (can be spread across multiple class periods)
  • NYSP–12SLS: PE: MS-PS3-2, MS-PS3-5
  • Links (click to download):

NYC Companion Kits

Materials needed to teach Amplify Science lessons are provided in a kit for each unit. While some materials used in the NYC Companion Lessons are also found in a unit’s kit, materials specific to the companion lessons are provided in NYC Companion Kits. The contents of each kit and any additional materials needed to teach the companion lessons are listed in the PDFs provided below. Please select your grade to view or download the list.

NYC Student Editions (print)
The NYC Student Editions are durable student references that compile all reading material required for a grade level, including the articles students read for NYC Companion Lessons. Students reading in the Student Edition should annotate the text directly with sticky notes to achieve the full benefits of Active Reading. The Active Reading approach was designed as an interactive process in which students highlight and annotate digital or hard copies of articles directly. Printable versions of the articles are available in the downloads section below.

It is recommended that NYC teachers insert this additional lesson between Lessons 3.1 and 3.2 in order to have students complete a reading assignment in class along with an additional Sim activity.

  • Lesson: Earth, Moon and Sun: Modeling Seasons
  • Lesson Placement: Insert between Lessons 3.1 and 3.2*
  • Links (click to download):

*If teaching this Modeling Seasons lesson, do not assign reading “The Endless Summer of the Arctic Tern” article for homework in Lesson 3.1. However, students should still model a lunar eclipse with the Modeling Tool for homework, as they will be revisiting and revising this model in Lesson 3.3.

NYC Investigation Notebooks (for teacher download)

* includes NYC Companion Lesson Copymaster(s)

* includes NYC Companion Lesson Copymaster(s)

  • Geology on Mars
  • Earth, Moon, and Sun
  • Force and Motion
  • Engineering Internship: Force and Motion
  • Magnetic Fields*
  • Light Waves
  • Traits and Reproduction
  • Natural Selection
  • Evolutionary History

* includes NYC Companion Lesson Copymaster(s)

Admin resources

Remote and hybrid learning resources

In response to the shifts towards remote learning, Amplify has created resources for using our programs remotely. Please visit our Program Hub accessible via your Teacher Platform for all of our hybrid and remote learning supports which includes guidance for teachers and parents/guardians.

Additionally, please see below where you’ll find the recordings from our recently held webinars on our remote learning resources and some best practices for implementing Amplify Science in a distance learning setting.

Resource guides

Professional learning opportunities

Interested in attending training? Check out and sign up for this year’s PL offerings here!

Election Day 21-22 PL

Grade 6 Guided Planning Presentation and Webinar

Grade 7 Guided Planning Presentation and Webinar

Grade 8 Guided Planning Presentation and Webinar

Grades 6-8 Unpacking Phenomena Presentation and Webinar

All 2020-2021 PL session materials can be found below under Professional learning resources.

Amplify Science Back-to-School Recorded Webinars – Amplify held a series of national office hours throughout the summer and fall to share information about our new resources to support remote and hybrid learning– including recommendations about what to prioritize from your curriculum and essential refresher topics, such as how to navigate your program and find the best planning resources. Feel free to watch all recorded sessions at your convenience.

Archived Professional Learning Resources

Winter 2022

Spring 2021

Winter 2021

Fall 2020

Summer 2020

Summer 2019- Harnessing Human Energy and Thermal Energy

Fall 2019- Population and Resources with Participant Notebook

Winter 2022

Spring 2021

Winter 2021

Fall 2020

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

Summer 2020

Summer 2019 – Microbiome and Metabolism

Fall 2019 – Phase Change with Participant Notebook

Winter 2022

Spring 2021

Winter 2021

Fall 2020

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

Summer 2020

Summer 2019 –  Geology on Mars and Earth, Moon, Sun

Fall 2019 – Force and Motion with Participant Notebook

Caregiver resources

Caregiver Hub

Questions

For general questions about the Amplify program (navigation, pedagogy, login), please reach out:

Email – scihelp@amplify.com
Phone – call toll-free at (800) 823-1969, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m.–7 p.m.  ET

Amplify Chat – click the Amplify Chat icon within the individual teacher account