We kicked off our Localizing Amplify Science Working Group with participants on our Bainbridge Island campus this week! Educators from all over Puget Sound were at IslandWood to begin a year-long collaboration to enhance the nationwide K–8 science curriculum, Amplify Science, with regional perspective.  

From L-R back row: Paige, Brad, Natalie (Lawrence Hall of Science), Sue, Barbara, Kim, Jeff, Celina, Tracey, Crystal, Stephanie , V, Liz, Anne Front row: Angela, Sofi, Rebecca ((Lawrence Hall of Science), Maggie, Bethany, Rachel

The planning team includes staff from IslandWood, Seattle Public Schools, and the Northwest Education Service District. We’re excited to have staff from UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science team (who partner with Amplify Science) join in supporting this working group. Planning team members include: 

• Liz David – Seattle Public Schools 
• Bethany Sjoberg – Seattle Public Schools 
• Jeff Ryan – NW Educational Service District 
• Brad Street – IslandWood 
• Celina Steiger – IslandWood 
• Rebecca Abbott – The Lawrence Hall of Science 
• Jonathan Curley – The Lawrence Hall of Science 
• Natalie Roman – The Lawrence Hall of Science 

L-R: Bethany, Krystal, Kim, Barbara, Stephanie, Rachel, Sue, Celina, V, Maggie, Sofi, Brad, Jeff.

The working group is developing appendices for Amplify Science units that apply a justice-oriented equity lens to support teachers and districts in making connections between their students’ lives and communities and the unit.

Each appendix will offer opportunities to incorporate students’ personal and cultural identities. 

• Connect the science to the schoolyard and local community
• Make the science more relevant with related local phenomena
• Incorporate regional data and climate change models as appropriate to the unit. 
• Make the science more relevant with related local phenomena and family connections.

In June, the planning team selected working group members from a generous pool of applications of talented educators. K-8th grade teachers and department leads experienced with the Amplify Science curriculum were prioritized along with educators that have life and work experience in incorporating racial equity and cultural diversity in their classroom.  

We are thrilled to announce the participants of this year-long working group!

They are: 

• Barbara Bromley – Edmonds School District
  

  Anne Cushman of the Lake Washington School District.

• Tracey Case – Edmonds School District 
• Margaret (Maggie) Chappel – Seattle Public Schools  
• Anne Cushman – Lake Washington School District 
• Liz David – Seattle Public Schools 
• Angela de Ita – Seattle Public Schools 
• Sofi Grellner – Seattle Public Schools 
• Rachel Hall – Seattle Public Schools  
• Stephanie Mateus – Steilacoom School District 
• Sue Myette – Issaquah School District 
• Crystal Petty – Bethel School District 
• Paige Stanger – Edmonds School District
• V.(Marcia) Ventura – Seattle Public Schools
• Kim Williams – Bethel School District 

For the next 10 months, this group of educators will attend virtual sessions focused on checking in, sharing implementation learnings, and collaborating on further ideas. We thank them all for participating in a valuable new curriculum that will teach students to think, read, write, and argue as scientists and engineers do! 

This week is just the beginning of contributing so much to the science learning of our region’s students for years to come! 

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