Text Leveling System

Tadpole's Promise

RDQ:	174	Max Word/Sent	19	Total Words	372		Diff Words	137
Lex	250	Ave Word/.Sent	8	Hi Freq occurs	200	53.8%	Hi freq	50	36.5%
AR	1.8	Long Sentences	0	Low Freq occurs	11	3%	Low freq	7	5.1%

Where the Willow meets the water a tadpole met a Caterpillar. They gazed into each other's tiny eyes and fell in love. She was his beautiful rainbow,]]
and he was her shiny black Pearl. I love everything about you, said the tadpole.]]
I love everything about you, said the Caterpillar. Promise you'll never change.]]
I promise, he said.]]
But as sure as the weather changes, the tadpole could not keep his promise. Next time they met, he had grown two legs. You've broken your promise, said the Caterpillar.]]
Forgive me, Begged the tadpole. I couldn't help it. I don't want these legs. All I want is my beautiful rainbow.]]
All I want is my shiny black Pearl. Promise me you'll never change, said the Caterpillar.]]
I promise, he said. But as sure as the seasons change, the next time they met he had grown arms.]]
That's twice you've broken your promise, cried the Caterpillar.]]
Forgive me, begged the tadpole. I couldn't help it. I do not want these arms. All I want is my beautiful rainbow..]]
And all I want is my shiny black Pearl. I will give you one last chance, said the Caterpillar.]]
But as surely as the world changes, the tadpole could not keep his promise. The next time they met he had no tail.]]
You have broken your promise three times, and now you have broken my heart, said the Caterpillar.]]
But you are my beautiful rainbow, said the tadpole.]]
Yes but you are not my shiny black Pearl. Goodbye. She crawled up the Willow branch and cried herself to sleep.]]
One warm moonlit night, she woke up. The sky had changed. The trees had changed. Everything had changed.]]
Except for her love for the tadpole. Even though he had broken his promise, she decided to forgive him.]]
She dried her wings and fluttered down to look for him.]]
Where the Willow meets the water, a frog was sitting on a Lily pad.]]
Excuse me, she said have you seen my shiny black.]]
But faster than she could say Pearl, the frog leapt up and swallowed her,]]
in one big gulp.]]
And there he waits.]]
Thinking fondly of his beautiful rainbow]]
and wondering where she went. The end.]]

Subjective Criteria

Illustrations: Some support

Vocabulary: Few decoding/definition issues

Language: Few descriptive words

Sentences: Simple phrases

Text structure: Blend of written/oral

Features

Topic

Changes

Butterflies

Feelings/Emotions

Caterpillars

Frogs

Insects

*Animal Life

Low Frequency Words

gazed	gulp	leapt	moonlit	pearl
seasons	surely	swallowed