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
Teaming up with Transitions
Students participate in an activity where they must link cause and effect statements using transition words. The lesson is designed with English learners in mind, and it includes instructional strategies designed to provide comprehensible input, such as visuals and collaborative learning.
Increasing Student Agency with Nonfiction Text
Students compare deep reading with an iceberg. Instruction focuses on teaching students’ close reading and annotation skills and increasing agency as students dive into informational text. Students are empowered through conversations, tech tools, and co-creation of criteria to read deeply.
Combining Sentences
Students will manipulate word and punctuation cards from mentor sentences to compose and decompose compound sentences.
Crime Scene Inferences
In learning stations, students use textual evidence and personal schema to generate inferences, make generalizations, and draw conclusions to support understanding about expository text.
Tackling Transitions
In this lesson, students will learn how to effectively use transition words. These will be used to connect ideas and organize the flow of their writing so it is coherent.
Inferring: It’s a Beast!
Using a digital forum, seventh-grade students will collaboratively generate authentic inferences about character motivation. Students will utilize textual evidence and draw from personal schema in order to make logical connections across multiple genres.
Remembering Leaders
Students will read expository text, categorize findings, and reformulate the text into an obituary.
Teacher poised for modeling
Are You Speaking Greek?
Students will be able to determine the meaning of words using Greek, Latin, or other linguistic roots and affixes.
Can You Summarize?
Students will work with partners, as well as independently, to create and evaluate summaries of expository text.
Fun with First Drafts
The lesson will support students’ writing a first draft of a personal narrative story by providing opportunities to listen to their previously recorded story, review their (graphic organizer) draft web, and add sticky notes with further details to their webs.
The Golden Touch
Students will practice using a protocol to create a summary of an expository text.
Introduction to Section 11
This resources introduces the 16 lessons in Section 11 of the Career and Technical Education Work-Based Learning course. Each lesson in this section describes one of the federally recognized career clusters.
Lesson 11.1: Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
This resource describes the scope of the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) Career Cluster in terms of career pathways, practicum courses, work-based learning (WBL) experiences, prerequisites, safety and occupational training, and curriculum resources.
Introduction to Section 12
Introduction to Section 12
Lesson 12.1: College and Career Readiness
This resource describes various aspects of career and college readiness, starting with the definitions and standards and then covering career preparation and practicum teachers are in an excellent position to help students develop their career goals.
Lesson 12.2: Post-Secondary Opportunities
This resource introduces the most common post-secondary opportunities, and explores the role of the work-based learning (WBL) instructor in assisting students in evaluating their options and planning their next steps after high school.
Lesson 12.3: WBL Activities for Students
This resource describes six recommended activities that work-based learning (WBL) teachers can incorporate into classroom lessons to help students prepare for life beyond high school.
Lesson 11.2: Architecture and Construction
This resource describes the scope of the Architecture and Construction Career Cluster in terms of career pathways, practicum courses, work-based learning (WBL) experiences, prerequisites, safety and occupational training, and curriculum resources.
Lesson 11.3: Arts, A/V Technology and Communications
This resource describes the scope of the Arts, A/V Technology and Communications Career Cluster in terms of career pathways, practicum courses, work-based learning (WBL) experiences, prerequisites, safety and occupational training, and curriculum resources.