Textbooks and Curriculum

K-5 Core Curriculum

For elementary students in grades K–5, Amplify Desmos Math is designed to develop deep mathematical understanding through problem-based learning, meaningful discussions, and active student engagement. The curriculum encourages students to explore mathematical ideas, make sense of problems, share their reasoning, and learn from multiple solution strategies. Lessons are built around rich mathematical tasks that help students develop conceptual understanding alongside procedural fluency, fostering curiosity, perseverance, and confidence as mathematicians. The program integrates print and digital resources, including interactive Desmos activities, to provide engaging learning experiences that support collaboration, sense-making, and real-time formative assessment. By emphasizing discourse, critical thinking, and equitable access to mathematics, Amplify Desmos Math helps all students see themselves as capable problem solvers while building a strong foundation for future mathematical learning.

 

Additionally, the curriculum aligns with the vision of the California Mathematics Framework by promoting student-centered instruction, providing multiple entry points for learners, and supporting teachers with resources that help them facilitate meaningful mathematical conversations and deepen conceptual understanding. Through carefully designed learning experiences, students develop both the skills and the confidence needed to apply mathematics in authentic contexts and to become independent, strategic thinkers.

 

Parent/Guardian Resources:  Amplify Caregiver Hub

 

6 - 12 Core Curriculum

The Palos Verdes Peninsula USD Board of Education adopted Cengage California Math & YOU for Intermediate School and Concepts & Connections for California for Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 beginning the 2026-27 school year.  

For intermediate and high school students, California Math & YOU and Concepts & Connections for California are designed to bring the California Mathematics Framework to life through a student centered approach that emphasizes conceptual understanding, problem solving, and real-world application.  At the middle school level, California Math & YOU focuses on the "Big Ideas" of mathematics, helping students make connections within and across grade levels through hands-on investigations, authentic data, and open-ended tasks that promote discourse and critical thinking.  At the high school level, Concepts & Connections for California extends these same principles by emphasizing deep conceptual understanding alongside procedural fluency, encouraging students to explore, justify, and apply mathematical ideas in meaningful contexts. Together, these programs are built on the framework's priorities of rigor, equity, and relevance, supporting diverse learners through differentiated instruction, Universal Design for Learning strategies, multilingual resources, and targeted intervention supports. By connecting mathematics to meaningful real-world contexts, careers, and environmental issues, the programs help students develop confidence, perseverance, and the ability to use mathematics as a tool for understanding and solving problems in their lives and future pursuits.