Text Leveling System

A Sick Day for Amos McGee

RDQ:	588	Max Word/Sent	63	Total Words	446		Diff Words	215
Lex	660	Ave Word/.Sent	10	Hi Freq occurs	232	52%	Hi freq	68	31.6%
AR	2.9	Long Sentences	11.4	Low Freq occurs	30	6.7%	Low freq	23	10.7%

Amos Magee was an early riser. Every morning when the alarm clock clanged, he swung his legs out of bed and swapped his pajamas for a fresh pressed uniform.
He would wind his watch and set a pot of water to boil-saying to the sugar bowl, "a spoonful for my oatmeal, please, and two for my teacup."
Belly full and ready for the work day, he ambled out the door.
Every day Amos waited for the number five bus. Next stop, city zoo, the bus driver would call. 6 AM right on time he'd reply.
Amos had a lot to do at the zoo, but he always made time to visit his good friends.
He would play chess with the elephant (who thought and thought before making a move), run races with the tortoise (who never lost), sit quietly with the pen when (who was very shy), lend a handkerchief to the rhinoceros (who always had a runny nose), and at sunset read stories to the owl (who was afraid of the dark).
One day Amos awoke with the sniffles, and the sneezes, and the chills. He swung his achy legs out of bed, curled them back again and said, "ugh. I don't think I'll be going to work today."
Meanwhile at the zoo.
The animals waited for their friend.
The elephant arranged his pawns and polished his castles.
The tortoise stretched his legs and limbered up.
The penguin once sat patiently, all by himself.
The rhinoceros worried that his allergies were worsening.
The owl perched atop a tall stack of storybooks scratching his head with concern.
Where is Amos? The animals wondered.
Later that day
hooray! My good friends are here! The elephant prepared a game of chess. Amos thought and thought before making a move.
I'm too tired to run races today, said Amos to the tortoise. Let's play hide and seek instead. The tortoise head inside his shell. Amos hid beneath the covers.
Amos yawned, I could use a nap. The penguin sat quietly, keeping Amos's feet warm.
Ah Choo Amos awoke with a sneeze. The rhinoceros was ready with a handkerchief.
I'm beginning to feel much better thank you, said Amos to his friends. He swung his legs out of bed. Perhaps we'll share a pot of tea.
Amos wound his alarm clock. It's getting late he said. After all, we have a morning bus to catch. So Amos said goodnight to the elephant. And goodnight to the tortoise. And goodnight to the penguin. And goodnight to the rhinoceros. And goodnight to the owl, who knowing that Amos was afraid of the dark  read a story aloud before turning out the light.

Subjective Criteria

Illustrations: Some support

Dialog: Simple

Vocabulary: Some difficult words

Language: Colorful, figurative

Sentences: Some Long/Complex

Text structure: Story/Poem

Concept: Fanciful

Features

Topic

Zoos

Caring/Hugs

*Animals

Friendship

*Feelings, Behaviors

Low Frequency Words

achy	allergies	ambled	concern	curled
handkerchief	knowing	limbered	magee	meanwhile
oatmeal	patiently	pawns	penguin	perched
riser	sniffles	spoonful	storybooks	swapped
tortoise	worsening	yawned