Text design and accessibility

Each Amplify Science unit includes custom-written informational texts. In K–5, there are five student books (four informational books and one reference book) per unit; in grades 6–8, there are multiple student articles per unit. These informational texts are designed to support students’ understanding of science ideas, practices, and crosscutting concepts, as well as to showcase the work of diverse scientists. An important goal of the Amplify Science program is to provide appropriately complex science texts for students that support, link to, and expand their firsthand science learning. To accomplish this goal, it is critical that the texts are accessible to as many students as possible. All Student Books, articles, and other student materials are reviewed for accessibility and readability using the three-dimensional model of text complexity (qualitative, quantitative, and reader-and-task considerations) set out by the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (CCSS-ELA).

The qualitative dimension of text complexity focuses on the purpose, structure, language conventions, and knowledge demands of a text. Books and articles were written, reviewed, and edited by members of the Lawrence Hall of Science team of professional educators and science writers during the development of each unit. They are tailored to address concepts students are learning in the unit, and use the same language and vocabulary throughout so students encounter consistent terminology across modalities of learning (reading, writing, doing investigations, discussing).

The texts also include carefully created or selected visual representations such as diagrams, photographs, and illustrations that support and/or provide additional information. The placement of each book or article within the instructional sequence is carefully designed and classroom-tested so that the text is supportive of student content learning in a variety of ways, and provides just-in-time information, reinforcing key ideas or introducing new ones within the unit.

On the quantitative dimension, each book and article was designed and reviewed using internally developed criteria for each grade. Each book or article was analyzed against a list of commonly used words, as well as criteria for calculating the difficulty of decodable words. The number of unique hard words in each text was controlled, with the percentage of hard words varying based on the grade level. At the same time, a small set of core science vocabulary words related to the science ideas students are learning was repeatedly used across a set of books or articles because repeated encounters with words in context is one way that students learn and internalize them. In addition to our internal approach to readability, each book or article in grades 1–8 was analyzed by MetaMetrics and assigned a Lexile Measure. This allowed us to ensure that books and articles fall within recommended Lexile Measures found in the updated Text Complexity Band in Supplemental Information for Appendix A of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy: New Research on Text Complexity.

Reader and task considerations are related to whether a particular text is appropriate for particular students and particular tasks. The placement of books within the Amplify Science program of instruction was carefully considered as part of unit design. Books were strategically placed within the sequence of instruction to ensure they are appropriately tied to what students are learning and that students are adequately prepared to read them with appropriate support. Sometimes this means that students read a text before conducting a firsthand investigation because it serves the purpose of activating and enhancing students’ background knowledge about a topic and sparking an interest in a scientific idea. At other times, students read a book after they have had a chance to investigate and develop ideas about the phenomenon firsthand because reading will help them generate more evidence to support claims. We cannot know all the individual learning needs of every reader the program reaches; however, the design and placement of the books was also informed by survey data from field trial teachers. These teachers were asked to evaluate field trial versions of the books and accompanying lessons based on several criteria, and to comment on how well the instruction and respective text worked for different readers.

Reading in K–1

Instructional approach

The approach to reading in kindergarten and grade 1 units accounts for the unique characteristics and developmental needs of beginning readers through a combination of text design and instruction that supports students in reading more independently as the unit progresses. In K–1, different books are read in one of three Reading Modes: Read-Aloud, Shared Reading, and Partner Reading. Readability levels for each book are based on the mode of reading used to introduce the book. For example, a Read-Aloud book has a higher readability level than a book that is designed for Partner Reading because in the Read-Aloud, the teacher takes full responsibility for recognizing and decoding the words, whereas in Partner Reading, students have more responsibility for reading the text with less teacher support. After each book is read for the first time, students have further opportunities to interact with the words and images as they figure out the answers to investigation questions in the unit. This builds students’ familiarity with academic language as well as their facility with strategies for reading to learn from informational books. While the program does not take on responsibility for providing all the literacy instruction required for students’ reading development (e.g., skill-based or fluency-oriented literacy instruction), it is designed to support vocabulary, language, and reading comprehension development.

Modes of reading

In the Read-Aloud mode, the teacher reads the book while students listen. This mode is most frequently used to introduce the first book in each kindergarten and grade 1 unit. During a Read-Aloud, the teacher models fluent and expressive reading, demonstrates strategic reading, thinks aloud about the content of the book, introduces new vocabulary, and facilitates students’ comprehension as the class gathers information to figure out a science idea. The teacher may think aloud to model a focal comprehension strategy, and/or pause to discuss key content.

In the Shared Reading mode, the teacher and students interact with the book together. Shared Reading provides additional opportunities for students to observe the teacher as an expert reader, to actively join in the discussion about the book, and to practice using a focal comprehension strategy. The teacher explicitly guides students to understand that science informational texts are organized in ways that help readers find and understand information, recognize new vocabulary in print, and practice reading strategies. Engaging in Shared Reading provides instruction and practice that prepare students for reading more independently.

In Partner Reading mode, two students work together to read or gather information from a book. Partner Reading provides opportunities for each student in a pair to be the reader and the supporter while reading a text. The curriculum supports teachers in implementing successful Partner Reading by providing questions and Partner Reading routines that help students work together to understand the text. Partner Reading opportunities occur after students have had exposure to the content and vocabulary through previous reading lessons, as well as through hands-on investigations. The Partner Reading books use familiar language and science vocabulary that students have already encountered in the unit.

The units also include carefully scaffolded opportunities for students to be successful with independent reading. Each kindergarten and grade 1 unit includes at least one reading-and-writing task in which students are guided to write a mini-book related to the unit content. The text in these mini-books is simple and designed to support students’ use of language and vocabulary from the unit. Since students create the mini-books themselves, they are more likely to be able to read the text independently. Mini-books can become a book that students use to practice reading independently or to read to a partner.

Text design for accessibility

Kindergartners are generally at the very beginning stages of reading development. For this reason, units in kindergarten focus on two reading modes: Read-Aloud and Shared Reading. Every unit begins with a book designed for a Read-Aloud, and includes two books designed for Shared Reading, as well as one additional Read-Aloud book and a Reference Book. This provides opportunities for beginning readers to first hear new language and vocabulary when a book is read aloud, and then encounter similar language and vocabulary as the teacher guides their participation in Shared Reading. Students are introduced to Partner Reading through rereading and discussing familiar books in order to gather information from visual representations. Partner Reading is also a way for students to share their mini-books with each other.

Students in grade 1 are generally developing the skill of learning how to read words as well as developing strategies to understand and learn from books. For this reason, grade 1 units include two books especially designed for Partner Reading, as well as one book designed for Read-Aloud, one book designed for Shared Reading, and a Reference Book. The first book in each unit is a Read Aloud, followed by a book for Shared Reading and two books for Partner Reading. As in the kindergarten units, grade 1 students reread and discuss unit books with partners to gather information from visual representations. Students in grade 1 also share their mini-books with each other through partner reading.

Reading in grades 2–5

Instructional approach

The approach to reading in grades 2–5 builds on science and literacy foundations established in the early grades. Each unit supports students in learning to read for information more independently as the unit progresses. Students read for a variety of authentic purposes to support their investigations, such as to gather evidence and information, to learn about science ideas and crosscutting concepts, and/or to learn about the work of real scientists and engineers.

Student reading is supported through explicit teaching, teacher modeling, and scaffolding throughout each unit. In addition, each reading lesson includes detailed discussion questions and guidance for the teacher on engaging students in discussing the text before, during, and after reading. In each reading lesson, the teacher first models how to use a particular strategy for reading and gathering information (e.g.,making inferences, asking questions while reading or using text features to find information in a reference book). Students then read the book in pairs, using the target strategy to meet the purpose for reading. After reading, the class discusses the content of the book with the goal of connecting ideas they have learned directly to a concept or investigation question they are seeking to answer. Students frequently revisit a book to gather additional information to support their investigations, explanations, arguments, or writing. Throughout the program, students come to understand that reading is a valuable way of learning about and enhancing their experience of the world around them.

Modes of reading

Partner Reading is the recommended mode of reading in grades 2–5. Partner Reading provides opportunities for each student to be the reader and the supporter while students work together to read or gather information from a book. Partner Reading is scaffolded through routines, reading guides in the notebook, and discussion questions. Additional support in the Investigation Notebook includes Getting Ready to Read and Reading Reflection activities for each book. Getting Ready to Read is an anticipation guide that can optionally be used to help students independently reflect on, or as partners discuss, their prior knowledge before reading. Reading Reflections include comprehension and reflection activities that can be used for those who finish reading quickly or seek more challenge. Many lessons also include opportunities for students to write in response to their reading, or for the purpose of recording evidence and information for later reference.

Text design for accessibility

The five books in each unit are written to reflect reading expectations for the particular grade level in which they are used, and to provide appropriately complex science texts for students that support, link to, and expand their firsthand science learning. The science and literacy instruction surrounding the book scaffolds students’ access through careful attention to reader and task considerations of complexity. All students read the same core texts in each unit. Because reading is integrated with other multimodal experiences, most students are able to read the books as well as use them to find information. Many teachers using the program are pleasantly surprised that students are able to tackle books that they had thought might be too difficult at first glance. However, to support teachers in meeting the needs of all students, the program provides suggestions for scaffolding reading for students of varying needs. These modifications are provided in the Differentiation Brief that accompanies each lesson. For more information on the Differentiation Brief, see the “Access and Equity”section.

Reading in grades 6–8

Instructional approach

In middle school, students use a variety of strategies to make sense of increasingly complex science texts — an approach dubbed Active Reading. Active Reading is a student-centered process of thoughtful, reflective reading where students work to unpack meaning as they read. Students deepen their understanding of a text by leveraging their background knowledge and working to uncover places where they do not understand the text, and to ask and answer their own questions through careful rereading, discussion with peers, and making connections to what they are investigating. In this way, Active Reading situates students at the center of science reading instruction. In order to personalize and focus students’ engagement with the text, the Active Reading approach supports students in making annotations as they read. Student annotations can include questions about the content, ideas, or words that need clarification; comments about things in the text that are surprising, confusing, interesting, or that need further investigation; and connections to the outside world, and to other disciplines and ideas. Active reading includes guided peer discussions that prompt students to cite evidence from the text in discussions and subsequent activities, to reread the text for specific purposes, and to closely analyze the images and data in the text in order to build understanding. Each article becomes a resource to which students can return and refer as they continue to investigate ideas and try to solve the unit’s central problem. In inviting students to work together to understand a challenging text, Active Reading takes advantage of the social nature of the middle school learner.

Active Reading components

In Active Reading, students are encouraged to begin by annotating the text, taking notes, and recording questions as they read. After they read, students discuss their questions and notes with partners, and both students dig back into the text to help each other answer questions or gain more insight into an interesting point. The teacher later uses these student-generated ideas and questions to inform further class discussions of the text, helping the class grapple with important ideas in the text and come to a greater understanding.

Active reading is introduced in the launch unit and built upon and scaffolded in all subsequent units. The approach typically takes up one and a half periods of instruction for a feature article, and a portion of a session for reference materials (10–30 minutes, depending on the length of the article). A crucial step in Active Reading is teacher modeling. The teacher reads part of the text aloud and thinks aloud as they do so, drawing from the skills and knowledge they bring to the text as a science teacher. The Instructional Guide of each Active Reading lesson provides explicit support for teachers to include this type of metacognitive modeling in their classrooms. After articles are introduced through modeling, students read each article twice and create their own annotations.

The two reads of each article serve different but equally important purposes. Students’ first read is individual and allows students to become familiar with the content of the text and the way in which it is presented. This read prioritizes students’ engagement with the text and is meant as a strategic opportunity to become familiar with the article, surface questions, and make connections. The second read has a particular purpose, such as to examine a specific visual representation, answer a question, find evidence to support a claim, or draw conclusions across texts. The reread is thus more focused, and includes a close reading of a particularly complex section of the text and/or visual representation. After both the first and the second reading, students are given the chance to discuss the text with peers. Students always annotate during the first read, and may also annotate during the second read.

In addition to the teacher modeling that beings the Active Reading instruction, students’ own annotated texts also serve as excellent models of ways to think about and interact with text. Middle school students are particularly interested when their own work, or the work of their peers, is shown and discussed with the class. Examining past student work before students embark on reading a new article can motivate other students, presenting possible ways for them to engage with the text that they may not have considered on their own. Teachers are encouraged to review students’ annotations after the first reading and then choose some annotations to highlight in class on the day of the second reading. Amplify Science provides a custom feedback tool – the annotation tracker – for teachers to use to easily and quickly compile student annotations. Student annotations also provide a set of authentic formative assessment data that the teacher can respond to quickly in class, targeting misconceptions and offering support to all students. In addition, by pulling out students’ examples of thoughtful questions and thinking, strong reading strategies are modeled and peer work is highlighted in a positive way.

Students should be encouraged to think carefully about and annotate ALL texts or visual representations that they encounter in a unit, and should have as many opportunities as possible to reread and return to reference articles.

Text design for accessibility

As with the titles in the elementary grades, the middle school articles are written to reflect reading expectations for the students, and to provide appropriately complex science texts that support, link to, and expand their firsthand science learning. The science and literacy instruction surrounding the texts scaffolds students’ access through careful attention to reader and task considerations of complexity. All students read the same core texts and the level of scaffolding for students is adjusted to meet their needs. Suggestions for these modifications are provided in the Differentiation Brief that accompanies each lesson (for more information see the “Access and Equity” section). It is also worth noting that because of the multimodal instruction within each unit, many teachers using the program are pleasantly surprised that students are able to tackle books that they had thought might be too difficult at first glance. When students read while also having other multimodal experiences around a topic, more students are able to access science texts and see their utility in finding information. In addition, due to Amplify Science’s multimodal approach to vocabulary learning, the difficult science vocabulary found in the books is generally familiar to students by the time they are reading about the ideas.