Elementary learning

The Minnesota Reading to Ensure Academic Development (READ) Act

The curriculum model used by Anoka-Hennepin schools is called Understanding by Design (UbD). This is a model for writing curriculum and developing unit lesson plans. Although many curricular models exist, this particular one offers a great focus on identifying the major understandings for a course, determining acceptable evidence for assessment, and providing unique guidelines for planning learning experiences and instruction. 

This curriculum model has been adopted by Anoka-Hennepin for grades K-12 in all content areas. The curriculum documents in Stage 1 (Identify Desired Results) provides the specific learning for the unit. What should students know, understand and be able to do? What is worthy of understanding? What enduring understandings are desired? These understandings can be thought of as the "Big Ideas" for the course or unit. Essential questions are constructed to hook and hold student interest for the unit. 

Structured literacy provides the framework for phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary development, and comprehension. Learning opportunities are provided in whole group instruction using the Making Meaning resource. The mentor text in the Making Meaning resource is used for modeled and shared reading to engage students in explicit instruction in comprehension strategies.

In grades K-5 the knowledge building curriculum is Amplify CKLA. This resource encourages students to analyze texts critically and engage in meaningful dialogue to deepen their understanding.Students develop their language comprehension through building their background knowledge, vocabulary knowledge, language structures, verbal reasoning, and literacy knowledge. 

Literacy instruction is focused on the Science of Reading. It emphasizes that skilled reading requires both decoding and language comprehension. Students practice the transfer of new skills into reading and writing tasks.

Families READ Act Resource page

Science of Reading toolkit for families

Download the full 2025-26 Local Literacy Plan

The curriculum model used by Anoka-Hennepin schools is called Understanding by Design (UbD). This is a model for writing curriculum and developing unit lesson plans. Although many curricular models exist, this particular one offers a great focus on identifying the major understandings for a course, determining acceptable evidence for assessment, and providing unique guidelines for planning learning experiences and instruction. 

This curriculum model has been adopted by Anoka-Hennepin for grades K-12 in all content areas. The curriculum documents in Stage 1 (Identify Desired Results) provides the specific learning for the unit. What should students know, understand and be able to do? What is worthy of understanding? What enduring understandings are desired? These understandings can be thought of as the "Big Ideas" for the course or unit. Essential questions are constructed to hook and hold student interest for the unit. 

Structured literacy provides the framework for phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary development, and comprehension. Learning opportunities are provided in whole group instruction using the Making Meaning resource. The mentor text in the Making Meaning resource is used for modeled and shared reading to engage students in explicit instruction in comprehension strategies.

In grades K-5 the knowledge building curriculum is Amplify CKLA. This resource encourages students to analyze texts critically and engage in meaningful dialogue to deepen their understanding.Students develop their language comprehension through building their background knowledge, vocabulary knowledge, language structures, verbal reasoning, and literacy knowledge. 

Literacy instruction is focused on the Science of Reading. It emphasizes that skilled reading requires both decoding and language comprehension. Students practice the transfer of new skills into reading and writing tasks.