Text Leveling System

Apple Picking Time

RDQ:	476	Max Word/Sent	22	Total Words	1012		Diff Words	392
Lex	630	Ave Word/.Sent	10	Hi Freq occurs	609	60.2%	Hi freq	136	34.7%
AR	2.6	Long Sentences	2	Low Freq occurs	32	3.2%	Low freq	28	7.1%

Sometime after the summer is spent but before the jack-o'-lanterns are lit
it's apple picking time.  All over the valley up and down the hillsides
the branches are heavy with red apples.  Tomorrow we will go to work.]]
When it's apple picking time everyone has to help.
The whole town knows we have only three weeks to get
the fruit off the trees before it spoils.  Papa takes time off 
from the market Mama leaves the housework and I don't
have to go to school.  Even the Sisters from the convent
help at harvest time..
When you go apple picking you have to getup
before the sun.  The moon is still high in the sky and the 
rooster hasn't crowed yet.  The birds are asleep.  Everything
is asleep-except Mama Papa and me an all the other 
apple pickers.]]
We meet outside the town in cars and pickups.  Papa
finds a place behind Grandma and Grandpa's truck.  Then 
our families follow the narrow dirt road to the orchards.
We travel past fallen cornstalks fields of hay and 
mailboxes with their flags up.  If we hit a bump the lights 
bounce from the road and we are in darkness again.
Mama and Papa talk in low voices and I draw faces on 
the frosted window.  We climb up the hillside and into the
apples.  We don't stop until we see the sign PICKERS WANTED.]]
All of us kids jump out of the care and pickups at once.  The Hoffman
twins are the fist to swing from the low branches and we play high-and-seek
in the empty bins.  It's easy to find each other because breath clouds tell your
hiding place.]]
Dave is our foreman and he arrives in a big truck that doesn't have a
door.  He hands each of us a purple ticket.  Then Papa lifts up the lunch chest 
and we head down to our trees.  Grandma and Grandpa are on the same row.]]
Even before Papa turns his radio on I'm up the ladder.  Twist! Snap! Twist!
Snap!  The apples fall in the bag and rub against my stomach.  I remember to lean into the ladder for balance so both hands are free for picking.  That's what 
Grandpa taught me.]]
We work fast in the morning because after lunch we will be hot and tired.
Now we wear woolen shirts and gloves with the fingers cut out.  Mama says when you go apple picking you need to keep your hands warm but have a good grip.  That's what Grandma taught her.]]
Every few minutes someone yells "Full!" We hear Dave's tractor in the distance.  First he stops for Sister Dolores then
Grandpa.  Papa is next.
Dave must have known Papa's bin was ready because
he drives over while Papa is still up on the ladder.  Before 
he takes the apples away he punches a half-moon on
Papa's ticket.
The tractor comes again and again.  Again and again.
By lunchtime Mama has two and Papa has three half-moons
on their tickets.  Mine has none.]]
I help Papa spread out on a worn quilt under a tree
and we make cushions with our heavy shirts.  Mama
unpacks the food and pours coffee for everyone but me. I
have hot chocolate.  Grandma always says that food tastes
better when you eat outdoors.  I think so too.  Later Papa
fiddles with the radio buttons and the music changes.
"Ready?" he asks.]]
Mama takes Papa's hands and he brings her to him
almost in a hug but more graceful. Then he twirls her 
around under the branches.  Mama can spin good even in
tennis shoes.  Round and round they go.  When the music
gets soft Mama loosens her red scarf and brown curls fall
down her back.  Without stopping they reach for me and 
we are three dancing.  The music quickens and Papa carries
me so I won't miss steps.  We whirl faster and faster in a 
circle.  As we spin the trees do too and I'm sure they must
be dizzy from watching us.]]
The music slows and Papa sways back and forth
with one arm around Mama and the other around me.  I want 
the radio to play forever and our friends to keep clapping.
But the work whistle blows and Grandpa calls us.
Even before Papa can turn the music low I'm up the 
ladder.  Twist! Snap! Twist! Snap! That bin is almost full.]]
We pick all afternoon and still the tractor doesn't
come for me.  Now the harness straps dig into my shoulder
and the sun is too bright.  Papa tries to move the ladder as
the sun moves but the sun always tricks him.  Only the little
kids napping under the trees have shade.]]
Near quitting time our row starts to empty.  First
Grandma and Grandpa pack up.  Our friends follow soon
after.  When they go their radios do too and except for
Dave's tractor in the distance the orchard is suddenly
silent.]]
In the quiet a girl's voice calls out "Full!" and her echo answers right back.
"Mama! Papa! It's mine!
But they are both already beside me.
"Congratulations! Hooray for Anna!"]]
"Mighty fine job" says Dave as he punches a half-moon on my ticket.
"I guess you'll know what to do with this" he laughs.]]
I don't take off my canvas bag and I don't wait for 
Mama and Papa.  I run all the way to the orchard office to 
cash my ticket in.  When Grandpa sees me I get a big hug
and all the other kids want to see the ticket too.]]
Soon Mama and Papa join us and everyone loads up
their cars and pickups and says good-bye.
Then the procession moves slowly down the hillside
away from the apples.  We travel past fallen cornstalks
fields of hay and mailboxes with their flags down.  And if
we hit a bump no one mentions it.]]
Mama and Papa talk in low voices and I dream of apples
and dancing and two half-moons on a purple ticket.]]

Subjective Criteria

Illustrations: Some support

Dialog: Simple

Vocabulary: More decoding/definition issues

Language: Few descriptive words

Sentences: Simple phrases

Text structure: Blend of written/oral

Inferences: Some implications

Features

Character traits

Present Tense

Topic

*Plants

Autumn

Food

Gardens/Gardening

*Family & Friends

Low Frequency Words

carries	congratulations	convent	crowed	curls
cushions	echo	foreman	frosted	getup
graceful	harness	harvest	housework	lanterns
loosens	napping	orchard	orchards	pickers
pickups	pours	procession	quickens	quitting
radios	scarf	whirl