Amplify (Digital Teaching and Learning in the K-6 Classroom)

“Using technology doesn’t mean that we throw out those strategies that we’ve found to be successful with students,” write Katie Muhtaris and Kristin Ziemke. “It’s not the tools—it’s what we do with them that counts.

Katie and Kristin start with our most important educational goals—literacy, independence, and critical thinking—and helps you connect them to the technology available in your classroom or school. You’ll help students dig into texts, research their questions, and create powerful learning communities by using digital tools effectively, responsibly, and in combination with trusted artifacts and print resources.

Amplify does exactly what the title implies. "When introducing technological tools, we often apply the same practices and strategies we use in our daily teaching, but amplify their power with technology,” write Katie and Kristin. “We model what we want students to do with the technology, guide them to try it out with us, provide time for practice, then share as a class.” They help amplify your literacy curriculum with lessons and guidance for:

• explicitly teaching kids how to be effective digital readers and thinkers
• giving students practice with closely reading images, infographics, and video
• emphasizing student ownership and creativity

Whether you are in a 1:1 school, want to squeeze everything you can out of the one device in your classroom, or your school is encouraging you to use more digital tools, read Amplify. You’ll discover how to gradually release responsibility to empower students as you—and your students—make the most of any technology.