Amplify teachers are a wealth of experience and information. We celebrate the success you bring to the classroom, and the insight you enjoy sharing with each other!
Our Amplify CKLA Facebook group is an active community of CKLA educators from across the country. Here at Amplify, we love reading about experiences in the classroom and suggestions members share with each other for implementing the CKLA curriculum. If you’re not a member, you can join the conversation today.
However, we know not everyone enjoys the Facebook experience. If you prefer not to join the conversation there, you can still benefit from member suggestions. We’ve gathered a collection of some highlights below—all organized by topic. We hope you find at least one of these tips to be a game-changer for putting CKLA to work for you and your students!
There’s lots more to learn.
The Up Your Amplify CKLA Game training collection equips you to learn at your own pace and on your own schedule. The collection includes a quick 5-10 minutes of training—starting with the basics and increasing in complexity each week to put you in control of your Amplify learning experience.
We also compiled a CKLA Quick Start page to provide a jump start if you’re new to the CKLA curriculum.
There you’ll find navigational videos, help for learning the program, recommendations by grade level, and more—all to guide you as you become familiar with the program.
- Pacing
CKLA Pacing Tips
I teach 2nd grade and this was my first year teaching CKLA, both Knowledge and Skills.
I found that writing times in the manual really helped me to stay on pace. Under the heading of each part of the lesson (where there’s a clock with the time allowed for that part), I would write something like 9:05 to 9:15. That way I could visually see that I needed to move on at 9:15, and it helped so much.Maggie F., Louisiana teacher
- Remote Classroom
CKLA Remote Classroom Tips
We use ClassKick for all of our virtual documents in 2nd grade. I use the spelling test from CKLA activity book as a PDF. Then, I record myself saying each spelling word and the sentence. I assign it on test day, and students take it. I do not allow them to type (they all have iPads). I make them write. Then, it can’t self-correct if they had typed it. I’m able to download the test and share with parents and save for my records.
Rachel H., Pennsylvania teacher
- In the Classroom
CKLA In the Classroom Tips
If you’re using the Read-alouds to teach main idea and key details, I suggest using the “I do, We do, You do” approach.
During the first Read-aloud, model exactly what they will eventually do. Read through the text, just like you would normally do but be purposeful in the details you choose to highlight, spending more “think-aloud” time on them. Use a large graphic organizer as an anchor chart kids can refer back to. Then the next day, move to “We do” and have the kids help you. Then on the third or fourth day, let them try it as you read, still remembering to think-aloud with them or have them share their thinking. We just need to remember that, in order for kids to think critically about text, they have to understand it. So, make sure you have scaffolds in place to make the text accessible to them, without watering down the content.
Lori Anne M., CKLA teacher
Our school had a 1-hour intervention block where kids in the entire grade level moved classes based on their needs. For example, we had eight 2nd grade teachers. So, we had one far above grade level, one above grade level, two on grade level, two below grade level and two really below grade level.
The four classes below grade level took about 10 kids, while the teacher with the kids far beyond grade level had all 27 kids in the entire 2nd grade. This meant teachers did not have to plan for small groups for many different levels. In the 1-hour rotation, we did 30 minutes with one small group, while the other half were on their Chromebooks working on the district programs, and then switched. It worked so well. Kids got exactly what they needed, high kids included. Teachers only had to plan for one level of small groups, and we saw tremendous growth with this and CKLA.
Lacy J., CKLA teacher
- New Test tab
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