Text Leveling System

The Night Before Halloween

RDQ:	687	Max Word/Sent	23	Total Words	423		Diff Words	243
Lex	680	Ave Word/.Sent	11	Hi Freq occurs	227	53.7%	Hi freq	70	28.8%
AR	3.1	Long Sentences	13.2	Low Freq occurs	31	7.3%	Low freq	29	11.9%

Twas the night before Halloween,
and all through the house
all the creatures were stirring,
except for the mouse.
The monsters had gathered
to plan and prepare,
for the trick-or-treaters
who soon would be there.]]
Mummies unraveled
and put on new wraps.
Spiders found corners
and spun silky traps.]]
Count dracula grinned
and slicked back his hair.
Frankenstein's bride cried,
""I've nothing to wear!""]]
""Hurry up!"" said a ghoul
who started to yawn.
""There's so much to do
before bedtime and dawn.""
So the witches brewed up
a magical potion,
which set every monster
and goblin in motion.
They blew up balloons,
and hung streamers and lights,
and decorated till
the wee hours of night.]]
Meanwhile the children
were tucked snug in their beds,
while visions of candy corn
danced in their heads.]]
In the morn when they woke,
it was Halloween Day.
There was bobbing for apples
and rides in the hay.]]
There were costume parties,
and games to be played.
Cupcakes and candy and,
of course, a parade!]]
After dinner was served,
the kids were done eating,
it was finally time
to go trick-or-treating!
Moms re-painted faces,
and straightened clown hats,
put wings back on fairies,
angels, and bats.]]
Jack-o'-lanterns were set
out on porches with care.
Their grins seemed to say,
""Knock if you dare.""
Gypsies and pirates 
and zombies in rags,
grabbed their bright flashlights
and trick-or-treat bags.]]
hey walked down each lane,
avenue, and street,
rang every doorbell
and said, ""Trick or treat!""]]
But just when the children
thought they were done,
the princess said,
""We've forgotten just one.""]]
So they walked to the house
at the top of the hill,
which gave all the kins
a spine-tingling thrill.
They stood on the porch
and were ready to knock,
when they heard heavy footsteps,
and a turn of the lock.]]
When what to their 
curious eyes should loom,
but a wicked old witch
holding a broom.
Her cap - how it shimmered!
Her face - oh, how scary!
Her hat was so pointy,
it frightened the fairy!]]
The wicked witch said,
""Welcome. We have a surprise.""
And the children yelled,
""Run! It's not a disguise!""]]
The monsters were sad
when the kids ran away.
They wanted the children
to come in and play.
The wicked witch said,
""We can have our own fun!
Come on, little monsters,
the night's just begun!""]]
The monsters all cheered
as they danced with delight,
""Happy Halloween to all - 
and to al a fright night!""]]

Subjective Criteria

Illustrations: Little support

Dialog: Simple

Dialog: Broken dialogue

Vocabulary: More decoding/definition issues

Language: Many descriptive words

Sentences: Multiple phrases

Text structure: Difficult

Inferences: Several Implications

Complexity: Several unrelated ideas

Concept: Fanciful

Features

Integral Setting

Parody

Rhyming

Unusual use of vocabulary

Topic

Witches

Fears

Costumes

Parties

*Entertainment & Fun

*Fictional Ideas/Charac

*Holidays, Events, Cele

Halloween

Low Frequency Words

brewed	curious	disguise	dracula	fairies
frankenstein's	ghoul	goblin	gypsies	halloween
kins	lanterns	loom	magical	meanwhile
morn	motion	porches	potion	shimmered
slicked	spine	stirring	straightened	twas
unraveled	visions	yawn	zombies