Text Leveling System

How Spider Saved Thanksgiving

RDQ:	244	Max Word/Sent	20	Total Words	407		Diff Words	188
Lex	500	Ave Word/.Sent	7	Hi Freq occurs	222	54.5%	Hi freq	68	36.2%
AR	2.1	Long Sentences	0	Low Freq occurs	19	4.7%	Low freq	12	6.4%

Thanksgiving was coming, and I was feeling happy.]]
""What's your favorite holiday, Fly? I asked.
""Halloween,"" said Fly. ""I like to scare other bugs.""
""I love all holidays,"" said Ladybug.]]
Then the school bell rang. Brrrrinnnngggg!
We hurried into Miss Quito's class.]]
""Good morning, class,"" said Miss Quito.
""Today I'm going to tell you about the very first Thanksgiving.""]]
""Zzzz,"" snored the twin caterpillars.
They just couldn't stay awake.]]
""The Pilgrims came over on the Mayflower,""
said Miss Quito.]]
""That fly is my Uncle Max,"" said Fly.
""Shhhh,"" said Ladybug.]]
""We are going to put on a play about the first
Thanksgiving,"" said Miss Quito.
""I'll be a Pilgrim,"" said Fly.
""I'll be a Pilgrim lady,"" said Ladybug.
""Very good,"" said Miss Quito. Everyone else can
be Indians!""]]
We rehearsed the play every day.]]
Finally the day of the show arrived.
The first act was on the good ship Mayflower.
""Sail on,"" said Fly.
""Water, water everywhere,"" said Ladybug, ""and not
a drop to drink.""]]
""Have a drink from my canteen,"" I said.]]
I was also playing a Pilgrim as we were short of bugs.
""Land ho!"" shouted Fly as the curtain fell.]]
I changed into an Indian for the next act, and
greeted Fly and Ladybug as they landed
on Plymouth Rock.
""Welcome, Pilgrims,"" I said.]]
""We come in peace,"" said Fly.
""I think Pilgrim Fly speaks with
forked tongue,"" I said.]]
The curtain dropped.
Miss Quito applauded.]]
Act three was the thanksgiving feast.
We were all seated around the Thanksgiving table.
The table was set, but there was no turkey.]]
""Oh, my,"" said Miss Quito. ""I forgot to bring
the turkey!""
And what was Thanksgiving without a turkey?]]
Everyone looked at me.
""Don't look at me, I said.
Then I got an idea!]]
I rushed into the supply closet
and found what I was looking for -
a box of balloons.]]
I huffed and puffed and blew up ten balloons.
Then I twisted and turned, and turned and twisted,
until...]]
There was our turkey!]]
""You saved the play,
Spider!"" said Ladybug.]]
The balloon turkey was the hit of the show.
The audience applauded.
But we were still hungry.]]
So after the show we went to Ladybug's house and
had a real Thanksgiving dinner.]]
And we gave thanks...
Fly for the good food.
Ladybug for good times.
Miss Quito for good students.]]
And me for my good friends,
Fly and Ladybug 
- and a great teacher, Miss Quito.]]

Subjective Criteria

Illustrations: Some support

Dialog: Multiple speakers

Vocabulary: More decoding/definition issues

Language: Few descriptive words

Sentences: Multiple phrases

Text structure: Blend of written/oral

Features

Topic

Thanksgiving

*Holidays, Events, Cele

Low Frequency Words

applauded	audience	brrrrinnnngggg	curtain	forked
halloween	mayflower	peace	pilgrim	pilgrims
plymouth	rehearsed