Texas Middle School Fluency Assessment (TMSFA)
Texas Education Code (TEC) §28.006(c-1) requires that students who do not meet the passing standard on the Grade 6 State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) reading test must be administered a reading assessment at the beginning of grade 7. The Texas Middle School Fluency Assessment (TMSFA) was developed with Texas students to be a valid and reliable instrument for determining students’ areas of instructional need.
The TMSFA is based on valid and reliable scientific research, thoroughly measures each domain of development, and is user-friendly. The following three domains of development are assessed using the TMSFA.
- Text Comprehension (Reading)
- Word Analysis
- Fluency
Introduction to Plate Tectonics
This resource is intended to use for Tier I classroom instruction.
Human Impact
This resource can be used, in conjunction with best practices, for Tier I classroom instruction.
Introducing the Atom
A resource to be used for Tier I instruction for the introduction of the structure of atoms.
Potential and Kinetic Energy
This resource provides Tier I instruction ideas for Grade 6+ science teachers in the area of potential and kinetic energy.
Newton's Law of Inertia
This resource provides instructional resources for Newton's First Law, the law of inertia.
Newton's Law of Action-Reaction
This resource is to support TEKS (8)(6)(C), specifically the Newton's third law or the law of action-reaction.
Covalent Bonding: Electron Dot Diagrams
Given descriptions, diagrams, scenarios, or chemical symbols, students will model covalent bonds using electron dot formula (Lewis structures).
Plate Boundaries
Tier I resource for teaching about what happens at plate boundaries.
Moon Phases
Tier I resource for instruction on the lunar phases.
Matter and Energy—Chemical Reactions
Given descriptions or illustrations, students will investigate how evidence of chemical reactions indicates that new substances with different properties are formed.
Explain the Influence of the Setting on Plot Development in Literary Text/Fiction (English 7 Reading)
You will learn how the setting in a story can influence the development of the plot.
Analyze Point of View in Literary Texts/Fiction (English 7 Reading)
You will learn how to analyze different points of view, including first person, third-person omniscient, and third-person limited.
Understanding Drama (English 7 Reading)
You will learn how to explain a playwright’s use of dialogue and stage directions.
Understanding Poetry (English 7 Reading)
You will learn the importance of graphical elements (e.g., capital letters, line length, word position) in the meaning of a poem.
Imagery and Figurative Language (English 7 Reading)
You will be able to identify figurative language and understand how it creates imagery, appeals to the senses, and suggests mood.
Make Connections Between and Across Literary Texts (English 7 Reading)
You will learn how to make connections between and across texts, including other media (e.g., film, play), and provide textual evidence.
Matter and Energy—Food Chains, Food Webs, and Energy Pyramids
Given scenarios and descriptions, students will be able to diagram the flow of energy through living systems, including food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids.
Tone is in the Fear of the Beholder: Reading and Writing Using Multimodal Mentor Texts
This resource is a demonstration lesson presented at the 2014 Write for Texas Summer Institute. It provides a snapshot of a four to five week unit that engages students in the reading and writing workshop model.
TSLP—0–SE—Leadership—L2—Matching Instruction to Needs
The goal of the Texas State Literacy Plan (TSLP) is to ensure that every Texas child is strategically prepared for the literacy demands of college or career by high school graduation.