2026 Elevated Teaching Summit

The Amplify Math program is designed to build conceptual understanding through problem-based and hands-on learning complimented by student discourse/conjecture. We have piloted the curriculum and have had time to synthesize its impact on our students, ourselves, and as a grade level. In our presentation, we recognize that some teachers may struggle with how to effectively integrate math manipulatives in ways that truly support the program’s instructional design rather than simply adding “extra materials.”

Our session will provide practical strategies for using manipulatives intentionally within Amplify Math lessons to strengthen conceptual understanding, support struggling learners, and increase student engagement. Participants will explore how physical tools such as base-ten blocks, fraction models, number lines, counters, and area models can be used to bridge concrete, representational, and abstract thinking within Amplify’s problem-based framework.

The session will include classroom examples, model lesson segments, and opportunities for teachers to practice selecting and using manipulatives aligned to specific Amplify activities.
Participants will leave with ready-to-implement strategies for helping students make sense of mathematics through hands-on learning while maintaining fidelity to the Amplify program.