Text Leveling System

Bear's Bargain

RDQ:	191	Max Word/Sent	21	Total Words	428		Diff Words	169
Lex	380	Ave Word/.Sent	10	Hi Freq occurs	251	58.6%	Hi freq	70	41.4%
AR	1.9	Long Sentences	2.5	Low Freq occurs	4	0.9%	Low freq	4	2.4%

One day Bear said to Little Bird,
""I wish I could learn how to fly.""
""I'll show you how to fly,""
chirped Little Bird,
""if you'll teach me how to be big.""]]
""Okay,"" said Bear, ""the first thing you have
to do is eat everything I cook for you.""
And he went inside and cooked a big meal
for Little Bird.  Then he made tiny barbells
and showed Little Bird how to lift weights.]]
every day Bear cooked for Little Bird and
made sure he did his exercises
but Little Bird didn't get any bigger.]]
""It's not working, is it?"" said Little Bird.
""No,"" replied Bear, ""but I've got another idea,""
and he gave Little Bird a pumpkin seed.]]
Bear showed Little Bird how to plant the seed]]
And gave him a tiny watering can.]]
Every day the pumpkin plant grew bigger and bigger.
When it blossomed, Bear showed Little Bird a trick.
""If you want to grow one really big pumpkin,""
he said, ""you have to snip off all but one blossom.""]]
When the blossom withered, a little pumpkin
began to grow.]]
One day, Bear carved a picture of Little Bird
on the pumpkin.]]
As the pumpkin grew bigger and bigger,]]
so did the picture of Little Bird.]]
Then one afternoon, Bear said to Little Bird,
""See how big you've grown?  I can hardly
pick you up!  Now you have to teach me
to fly.""  Little Bird was very proud of
his pumpkin, and it did make him feel big.]]
""Okay,"" chirped Little Bird.  ""Flying is easy!
Just climb up on that rock over there,
Flap your arms, and jump!""  Bear did exactly
As Little Bird said.  He climbed up on the
Rock, flapped his arms, and jumped.]]
But he soon hit the ground with a bump!
""It's not working, is it?"" said Bear.
""No,"" chirped Little Bird, ""but I've got
another idea.  First we have to go shopping.
Then I'll show you exactly what to do.""]]
So Bear and Little Bird went downtown and
bought some paper, sticks, string, and glue.]]
When they got home, Bear set to work.
At first he had trouble tying knots.]]
He kept breaking the sticks.]]
And the glue seemed to get on all the wrong places.]]
But finally he had made a beautiful kite.
""Now paint a picture of yourself on the kite,""
said Little Bird, ""and I'll show you how to fly it.""]]
Flying the kite wasn't any easier than making it.]]
But when at last it was high in the sky]]
Bear exclaimed, ""Look at me, I'm flying!""]]

Subjective Criteria

Illustrations: Some support

Dialog: Two speakers

Vocabulary: Few decoding/definition issues

Language: Few descriptive words

Sentences: Multiple phrases

Text structure: Blend of written/oral

Sequence of Events: Chronological

Features

Simple problem/solution

Simple Plot

Topic

Wishes

*Animals

Bears

Birds

Low Frequency Words

barbells

knots

tying

withered