Launch Checklist for Teachers

Welcome to Magpie Literacy!

This checklist will help you confidently launch Magpie in your classroom. It includes everything you need to get set up, introduce Magpie to your students, and ensure a smooth and successful start. Let’s unlock the great reader in every child - together!

1. Plan for Implementation

Create a weekly schedule: 45-60 min/week for all students in Magpie

• Aim for 3–4 sessions/week, 15–20 minutes each for every student for a total of 45-60 minutes learning in Magpie per week 
• Schedule at least 60 minutes for Magpie use, if possible, to include buffer time for logins and device transitions

Align on an implementation model for Magpie use:

• Whole class independent practice (requires 1:1 devices)
• Small groups / centers / rotations 
• How many devices and headsets are available at one time? 
• How many students will log into Magpie at one time? 
• How many groups of students will learn in Magpie each day?
• Pull out support

Ensure sufficient working iPads/Chromebooks and headsets  

Define routines for devices, headphones, and Magpie log in/out

• Teach students routines for Magpie learning time, e.g., 
• getting their device and headset and Clever/ClassLink log in badge
• logging into Clever/ClassLink and launching Magpie
• logging out of Magpie and Clever/ClassLink at the end of each session 

if shared devices, students must log out of Clever/ClassLink at the end of their session so the next student can log into their Clever/ClassLink account

AND students must close each open browser window/tab and close out of the browser (Safari, Chrome) (e.g., double click the home button and swipe up the Safari window) storing their device and headset and Clever/ClassLink log in badge

2. Access Magpie Accounts

Log into your Clever/ClassLink account and open your Magpie account

Review your class roster via Clever/ClassLink

• Verify all students appear under your class
• Note: At the beginning of the year, each teacher can only be assigned one class of students. Magpie is working to enable teachers to have multiple classes of students visible in rosters and dashboards during Fall 2025 - stay tuned!

Confirm that students see Magpie in their Clever/ClassLink accounts

View 3 Magpie Dashboards available in the left navigation menu once your students begin using Magpie (data refreshes nightly):

• • (1) ROARⓇ Assessment Scores - the first thing your students do in Magpie is complete the ROARⓇ start of year assessments, which we recommend teachers have students complete over 2-3 days. Teachers can view ROARⓇ Assessment scores on the ROARⓇ Assessment Overview page and detail pages
  • (2) Usage - Weekly Magpie Usage in minutes per week and lessons completed per week – Monitor your Usage dashboard each week to ensure students are learning in Magpie for at least 45-60 min/each week and completing 2-3 lessons per week
  • (3) Completion - Units and lessons completed in the Magpie K-2 Scope and Sequence

3. Prepare Students for Launch with Magpie and ROARⓇ

Plan to introduce Magpie to students

• Customize a Magpie deck to share with your students, if helpful 
  • We’re starting something new today—it's called Magpie! Magpie is a fun new reading game we’ll use on our iPads/Chromebooks. It helps us get even better at reading and gives you a lot of extra practice to build your reading brains!
  • Do you know what a magpie is? A magpie is a bird. And not just any bird. Magpies are super smart. 
    • Magpies listen closely and copy the sounds they hear. They can even learn to sound like other birds, animals, and sometimes people! That makes them really good at picking up new sounds, just like you’re learning the sounds and words to become a stronger reader.
    • Like a magpie, you’ll practice listening carefully, learning new sounds, and using what you learn to read and spell words. 
  • You’ll work on Magpie on an iPad/Chromebook with headphones. Make sure your headphones stay plugged in the whole time and that you can hear the directions very clearly.

Introduce the ROARⓇ assessment games

• • The first days we log into Magpie you will play games called ROARⓇ. These games show us both what you know already about letters and sounds and reading and where we can help you more. 
    • You will each have your own iPad/Chromebook and headphones. It is important that you can hear the directions very clearly in your headphones and that you keep your headphones plugged in until we are done.
    • Your job is to try your best, even if something feels tricky. Some games will feel easy, and some will feel like a challenge. That’s how your brain gets stronger!
    • Each game will take ~10-15 minutes to play and it will ask you to answer different questions. Keep going until I tell you to stop.
    • Listen very carefully to the directions and look at the screen the whole time.
  • Students complete 1 ROAR assessment each day over 2 (Kindergarten) or 3 (Grades 1/2) days. (If Grade 1/2 teachers have the time and think students can maintain focus, you can have students complete 2 assessments on Day 2 to finish ROAR.)

Teach Magpie log-in and log-out process through Clever/ClassLink

• • Teach students how to log into Clever/ClassLink. Show them how to find the Magpie               icon and open it to launch Magpie
  • Model how to allow mic/camera access if prompted
  • After finishing their learning in Magpie, teach students to log out of Magpie and Clever/ClassLink:
    • Log out of Magpie and Clever/ClassLink at the end of each session by clicking the open door icon in Magpie and clicking “Logout”
    • Log out of Clever/ClassLink if using a shared device so the next student can log into their Clever/ClassLink account

After finishing ROAR, teach expectations and routines for Magpie Days where students learn independently in Magpie for 45-60 min each week

• • Review rules for independent work time
  • Review rotations for centers, if necessary
  • Consider seating arrangements 
  • Show students how they will get their device, headset, and Clever/ClassLink badge
  • During Magpie Days, students can work for as long as allotted each day in Magpie. They’ll Sign Out and continue where they left off the next time they log into Magpie

4. Troubleshooting Plan and Support

Know your tech contacts:

• Roster issues: reach out to your school/district IT or admin
• Magpie tech issues: use Magpie Helpdesk (magpieliteracy.zendesk.com) or email [e-mail] 

Common fixes for student login/device issues

• Ensure device is charged
• Ensure device meets Magpie requirements
• Ensure headphones are working and are plugged into device properly
• Click Refresh browser button or log out/in again through Clever/ClassLink
• Try different browser or device if needed
• Check wifi speed (using fast.com or another site) and browser version
• Clear cache if needed (with tech support help)

5. Implementation Best Practices

Teach routines so students use Magpie time purposefully: 

•  Ensure students know the routines and expectations so they can maximize their learning time with Magpie for 45-60 minutes learning each week

**Coming Soon** Track your Magpie Usage dashboard weekly to ensure each student learns in Magpie for 45-60 minutes/week

• Celebrate students meeting usage targets

Connect Magpie to classroom goals and learning

• Post minutes goals visibly
• Make connections between what students are learning inside and outside of Magpie across their day

Sample Magpie Weekly Schedules

Whole Class Magpie Implementation Model

M	T	W	TH	F
	Magpie - 30 minutes		Magpie - 30 minutes

Small Group/Rotation Magpie Implementation Model

M	T	W	TH	F
Group 1 - 20 minutes Group 2 - 20 minutes Group 3 - 20 minutes	Group 4 - 20 minutes Group 1 - 20 minutes Group 2 - 20 minutes	Group 3 - 20 minutes Group 4 - 20 minutes Group 1 - 20 minutes	Group 2 - 20 minutes Group 3 - 20 minutes Group 4 - 20 minutes	Students needing additional learning time in Magpie

Printable Checklist