Texas Formative Assessment Resource (TFAR)

This post is for Texas teachers who teach STAAR testing subjects (it may apply to other states as well but I’m not sure). I did my own research on how students can practice within the testing platform and I was pleasantly surprised when I found Texas Formative Assessment Resources. Testing anxiety is real and anything that I can do to help ease students' nerves, I will try!

The Texas Formative Assessment Resource (TFAR) is a free online platform that allows teachers to create and give formative assessments to their students. I found out about this platform mid-way through the year and started using it immediately. The main reason why I loved using this platform so much was that you can see the increase in students' confidence using the STAAR platform.

Students have been taking their assessments in Eduphoria for most of their educational journey and I think we can agree that it differs from the actual STAAR platform. Students were able to practice finding their tools and resources on the platform before testing day. 

• Go to https://www.texasassessment.gov/educators.html and scroll down and click on the “Texas Formative Assessment Resource” link.

• When creating a new test, you can either create your own question from a template or use the TEA item bank. Here’s an example of an “Equation Editor” question that I created. Be forewarned, it does take quite a bit of time to figure out how to create new questions but you will get faster with time!

• Click on “TA - Test Administration for Interim and Operational Testing” once you are ready to administer the “test”. 

• Students will sign in through the Secure Test once you have received the “Session ID”. I spent quite a time at the beginning of the school year creating Student TSDS ID cards. I create laminated notebook cards that have students' names and their TSDS ID. I treat this as a “secure test material” and collect after students sign in. 

  
  

  

  
  

• I use “Google Slides TFAR Instructions” the first couple of times students complete a  TFAR assessment. After a couple of times, students know the drill and I just have to post the session ID on the board. 

  
  

• Click on “CRS - Centralized Reporting System” to review the results. 

  

The only thing that students get frustrated with, is that the Desmos calculator does not shrink and move around like it does on the actual STAAR test day. Maybe this is just an error on my end though? 

If you made it to the end, thank you for reading! I wanted to make any Texas educators aware of additional resources that they can use to improve student achievement! :)

Click here for additional information: https://tea.texas.gov/student-assessment/assessment-initiatives/texas-formative-assessment-resource 

Linear Functions Boom Cards

File for the Post: Linear Functions Boom Cards

I am sure most of us have had those teaching days where students are done with the lesson and there are still 15-20 minutes left of class. Meanwhile, you’re just HOPING an administrator won’t do a walkthrough lol…. Introducing Boom cards! Boom cards offer an interactive and self-checking way to practice an assigned set of skills. You can assign Boom Cards to your students (paid version) or you can provide them with a Fast Play link (free version).

This last Tuesday, my students flew through the lesson and we had about 20 minutes left of class. I didn't want to waste any instructional time so I assigned students this Boom card set over Linear functions. I just wanted to give students extra practice so we did the Fast Play link. 

Results: Algebra 1 students LOVED the immediate feedback of Boom cards. Every student was engaged and when they didn't get the correct answer, they would raise their hand to ask for help. I am planning to create a huge set of Boom cards for Algebra 1 as a “backup“ for whenever we have extra time in class. (I'm on the Boom card wagon now lol)

If you want to use the following Boom cards, the questions are over the following: 

• Card 1: Finding slope/rate of change from a table
• Card 2: Identifying zero of a graph
• Card 3: Identifying y-intercept of a graph
• Card 4: Finding slope of a graph
• Card 5: Rate of change and y-intercept of a graph
• Card 6: Finding slope from two points
• Card 7: Writing equation in slope-intercept form given 2 points
• Card 8-9: Identifying slope from equation in slope-intercept form
• Card 10-11: Identifying slope and equations from horizontal and vertical lines
• Card 12-13: Identifying equation in from a graph
• Card 14: Identifying zero and y-intercept from a graph

I am new to Boom cards so any suggestions or hints would be appreciated! :)

Introducing Slope Formula

File for the Post: Introducing Slope Formula

This week, we began our Chapter 3 “Linear Functions” unit. My team introduces Linear Functions by first teaching how to find the slope from two ordered pairs and a given table. We strongly emphasize using the slope formula, since it is on the student's Algebra 1 Formula Chart. 

This year, I decided to create and laminate a “Slope Formula” template for students to write on with Expo Markers (HIGHLY recommend it)! To be honest, I didn’t think a majority of students would like to write on the sheet, but I was wrong. This was very successful (especially in our Algebra 1 co-teach classes).

 

After the notes, students completed the following cut-and-paste activity. Students had to match ordered pairs and tables that have the same slope. Students really enjoyed this activity and felt confident using the slope formula by the end of the class period!

Any interesting ways that you teach the slope formula? Would love to hear more successful teaching strategies!

Algebra 1: Domain and Range

File for the Post: Algebra 1 Domain and Range

Do your Algebra 1 students struggle with finding the domain and range of continuous graphs? I created this Domain and Range flip-book a few years ago when I was teaching Algebra 1. We spend about three 50-minute class periods teaching domain and range. 

Day 1: Students find the domain and range of discrete data. Highlighters are a MUST for domain and range. We have students highlight the domain and the x-axis in one color and then the range and the y-axis in a different color. This year, we did a quick scavenger hunt over the lesson as an assignment. Overall, all of the Algebra classes thought day 1 went great and students were very successful!

For those who are wondering what "DRXY... that's our algebra battle cry" is, it is a phrase that I created that correlates to my schools pep rally song.

Day 2: Students find the domain and range of continuous data. Our students always seem to struggle with finding the domain and range of continuous data. Highlighters are still a must for students to use. I know there are different teaching methods of teaching domain and range (sticky notes/boxes/highlighters). I haven’t had much success with sticky notes but if you have, please let me know how it works for you and your students. :) 

Students always have great discussions with the partner activity that I created.

I hand any student that seemed to be struggling during the notes (I usually walk around while I teach with my iPad and assess understanding) the following intervention worksheet to complete before moving onto the partner activity. I created this multiple-choice intervention practice sheet this year and it seemed to have great success!

Day 3: Mixed review practice... We are doing a mini re-teach review this upcoming Tuesday and then following up with a Create a Face Activity.

In previous years, students seem to slowly catch onto domain and range through spiral review and warm-ups. Any advice and teaching tips that I can share with my team would be greatly appreciated :)!

Questions for teachers who have experience in Algebra 1 or teaching domain and range:

1. Do you recommend teaching continuous data or discrete data first?
2. What method of teaching domain and range have you found to be most successful?

See the top of the post for the files :)

Point- Slope Formula in Algebra

We are wrapping up our “More Linear Functions” unit. For the past two years, we have split point-slope formula, parallel lines, perpendicular lines, and direct variation into a second linear functions unit. 

 

On the first day, we kept the notes short and sweet and taught students point-slope formula and how to convert the equation to slope-intercept form. We used the same activity from last year, but I did add “boxes” to the assignment. Teaching students to use “boxes” to help substitute values into the point-slope formula really helped our struggling learners. Click here for previous post.

 

 

 

On the second day, we did a second set of notes and used this new Stations Maze activity where students practiced a combination of point-slope formula problems. Overall, I really liked how we split this topic into two days because it helped break it down for struggling students without overwhelming them.

 

If you have any questions, please leave a comment! I would love to hear any teaching strategies or ideas on how you teach the point-slope formula. I can add it to this post to share with other teachers as well!

 

Click below for the point-slope maze activity!

• Stations Maze Activity