Science of Reading Toolkit

Amplify Science is organized around units where students are introduced to compelling phenomena and real-world problems, develop and strengthen claims by collecting evidence and testing assumptions, and apply their learning in new contexts.

Program overview

Two ideas drove the development of Amplify CKLA: In order for students to actually understand what they’re learning, they need deep background knowledge and vocabulary to pull from, and decoding and encoding must be automatic and fluent.

Foundational skills instruction that makes a difference

The Core Knowledge Foundation is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization built around the Science of Reading and is designed “to advance excellence and equity in education for all children.”

• Explicit.
  Learning isn’t left to chance. All 44 sounds and their 150 spellings in the English language are taught, practiced, and mastered, with ample opportunity to encounter each sound-spelling in diverse settings.
• Sequential.
  By moving in a sequence from easier to more complex in phonics and foundational reading skills, students master concepts before moving forward and gradually become more independent
• Rewarding.
  Learning to read should be fun. Decodabe chapter-books that feature dynamic plots and characters make kids want to read more. Engaging stories include children who discover fossils and a grandmother who flies hang gliders.

Materials

Having a strong foundation of both foundational skills and background knowledge sets students up for a lifetime of reading and academic success. This philosophy drives the mission and the work of the Core Knowledge Foundation (CKF).

Teacher Materials

The Core Knowledge Foundation is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization built around the Science of Reading and is designed “to advance excellence and equity in education for all children.”

• Teacher Guides
• Projectable lesson components
• Quests for the Core for Grades 3–5 (immersive, problem-based learning)

Amplify label

secondary text

Student materials

Having a strong foundation of both foundational skills and background knowledge sets students up for a lifetime of reading and academic success. 

• Student Readers
• Activity Books
• Formative Assessments
• Poet’s Journal and Writer’s Journal (write-in Readers for Grades 4–5)

Background knowledge drives results for Arkansas students

Having a strong foundation of both foundational skills and background knowledge sets students up for a lifetime of reading and academic success. 

• Content-specific.
  Clearly-outlined content objectives are specific and support the development of knowledge in history, science, literature, culture, and the arts.
• Cumulative.
  Topics and vocabulary connect within and across grades, allowing students to extend knowledge and revisit topics in increasing depth in later grades.
• Coherent.
  When curriculum is fragmentary and disconnected, students face repetitions as well as gaps that can hinder learning. An intentional design ensures the curriculum fits together as a whole.

The Core Knowledge Foundation & Amplify CKLA

Two ideas drove the development of Amplify CKLA: In order for students to actually understand what they’re learning, they need deep background knowledge and vocabulary to pull from, and decoding and encoding must be automatic and fluent. 

Navigation link primary

What is the Core Knowledge Foundation?

Amplify CKLA is now in its second edition and maintains a foundation in the Science of Reading, while featuring new content and significant enhancements. Key updates from the 1st Edition to the 2nd Edition include:

• The development of the digital experience, a brand-new K–5 digital learning experience.
• Integrated grades 3–5 that better reflect students’ learning trajectories.

Navigation link secondary

What are the distinguishing features of Amplify CKLA?

Additionally, Amplify provides professionally printed guides, readers, consumables, letter cards, flip books, posters, and hands-on phonics materials like Chaining Folders, making it easier for teachers to use the Amplify CKLA curriculum with their students.

• The foundational skills instruction in Amplify CKLA is explicit.
• The connection between oral and written language is supported.

Call to action link

Amplify CKLA, 2nd Edition

The Core Knowledge Foundation is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization built around the Science of Reading and is designed “to advance excellence and equity in education for all children.”

Social Media link

Grounded in research and proven effective

To do this, the CKF developed the Core Knowledge Sequence, which outlines the knowledge and skills that all children in the U.S. should learn, and is content-specific, cumulative, and coherent. Based on this mission and philosophy, Amplify partnered with the CKF to develop our CKLA curriculum. Amplify CKLA, now in its second edition, has continued to grow and improve to better meet the needs of the elementary classroom.

A powerful partnership

Two ideas drove the development of Amplify CKLA: In order for students to actually understand what they’re learning, they need deep background knowledge and vocabulary to pull from, and decoding and encoding must be automatic and fluent. To help students achieve this:

• The foundational skills instruction in Amplify CKLA is explicit.
• The connection between oral and written language is supported.
• Vocabulary is learned in context and through multiple exposures.