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Launch Tab

The Launch Tab is a teacher-focused instructional space designed to help teachers prepare students before independent work begins.

Written by Stephanie

The Launch Tab is designed to help teachers start class with clarity. Instead of jumping straight into student work, teachers can now model, anticipate thinking, and set up discussion before students begin.

Why Teachers Use the Launch Tab

Teachers use the Launch Tab to:

  • model strategies before independent work

  • anticipate student thinking and misconceptions

  • introduce key vocabulary and concepts

  • support classroom discussion and sense-making

  • preview the structure and difficulty of assignments

Best practice: Use the Launch Tab before students begin the assignment to model, preview, or activate prior knowledge.

What’s Included in the Launch Tab

The Launch Tab automatically generates instructional supports based on the assignment content.

Example Problems

Magma automatically generates 3 example problems aligned to the assignment.

These examples help teachers:

  • model problem-solving strategies

  • clarify expectations

  • guide whole-class discussion

Examples always match the assignment structure and difficulty level.

For example:

  • assignments with mild, medium, and spicy problems will display one example of each level

  • assignments with only mild problems will display three mild examples

Key Vocabulary

The Launch Tab also includes automatically generated vocabulary support.

For each assignment, Magma creates:

  • 4 vocabulary cards

Each card includes:

  • a key math term

  • a student-friendly definition

  • examples connected to the assignment concepts

Teachers can use these cards to:

  • introduce important vocabulary

  • build shared understanding

  • encourage discussion before independent work begins

Lava prompts may also appear to encourage students to share their own examples and thinking.

Scrap Paper

The Scrap Paper tool provides a blank drawboard for live instruction and quick modeling.

Teachers can use:

  • writing tools

  • drawing tools

  • manipulatives

to demonstrate strategies and work through ideas with the class.

Scrap Paper is especially useful for quick demonstrations without needing to enter Solve Mode or open a specific problem.

How to Use the Launch Tab

Teachers commonly use the Launch Tab to:

  • model example problems

  • preview assignment expectations

  • introduce vocabulary

  • facilitate discussion

  • demonstrate strategies on Scrap Paper

  • build readiness before independent practice

Customize Your Launch Tab

Teachers can now customize the AI-generated vocabulary and example problems in the Launch Tab to better match their curriculum, instructional approach, and students' needs.

Edit Key Vocabulary

  1. Open an assignment and select the Launch tab.

  2. Select Key vocabulary.

  3. Click into a vocabulary card to edit the word, definition, or examples.

  4. Use the + icon to add a vocabulary card or the trash icon to remove one.

Each assignment supports:

  • Up to 4 vocabulary words

  • 1–3 examples per vocabulary word

  • Editable words, definitions, and examples

Customize Example Problems

  1. Open the Launch tab and select Example problems.

  2. Review the automatically generated examples.

  3. To replace a problem, click the trash icon on its card.

  4. Click the regenerate icon in the empty slot to generate a replacement.

The new problem maintains the same difficulty level (Mild, Medium, or Spicy) while using different numbers or a different scenario.

At least one example problem must remain in the Launch Tab.

Additional Information

  • Changes to AI-generated content cannot currently be reverted to the original version.

  • Regenerating an example problem creates a new version rather than restoring the original.

  • Mathematical formatting using KaTeX is not currently supported in manually edited text.

  • Teachers can use Start Lesson to present their Launch content during instruction.

Important Notes

  • Example Problems and Key Vocabulary are generated automatically.

  • Instructional supports always align to the assignment content and difficulty level.

  • Scrap Paper is temporary and does not save work.

  • The Launch Tab replaces the previous Instructions Tab experience.

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