Download Text Set Assignment

Text Set Assignment
The topic that I chose to complete my text set was on weather. I decided to use this topic
because it directly correlates with the SOL’s that I am required to teach (SOL 2.6). Weather, and
more specifically, storms, can be a difficult concept for some children to master. It is difficult to
find appropriate reading material for second grade students that provide enough information on
the subject. The material is often way too difficult for my students to read independently. There
is also a lot of confusion between some of the storms, such as hurricanes and tornadoes, so it is
important to use a variety of resources to help students with their understanding.
I am a second grade teacher with the collaboration class, so my students are quite diverse
when it comes to their individual needs and reading abilities. I have students in my class that are
currently reading on readiness/preprimer level and some that are reading on a fourth grade level.
With such a wide range of abilities, it is important to provide them with every opportunity to
learn, be successful, and to show mastery of the concept.
Resource #1. Weather Words and What They Mean by: Gail Gibbons
Gibbons, G. (1990). Weather Words and What They Mean (1st ed.) New York, New York:
Holiday House.
Readability Level: 3rd-4th grade using the Flesch-Kincaid Readability Formula
p. 4
Moisture in the air comes from water that evaporates, mostly from the oceans. Wind is air in motion. The
temperature goes up and down. When the sun rises in the morning, the air becomes warmer and the temperature
goes up. When the sun sets, the air becomes cooler and the temperature goes down. The temperature also changes
with the seasons. In the summer, the sun is high in the sky. The days are warm and longer. In the winter, the sun is
low in the sky. The days are cold and shorter. High pressure is when air particles are close together. The air is
usually cool and dry. High pressure often brings fair weather.
Flesch-Kincaid Level: 4.0
p. 10
The amount of moisture in the air is called humidity. Warm air has more moisture in it than cold air. At night when
the air cools down, it can’t hold as much moisture. The moisture that forms on the ground is called dew. If the
temperature goes below freezing, the dew freezes. Then it is called frost. Moisture makes clouds, too. When water
evaporates from rivers, lakes and oceans, it is called vapor. It moves up with the warm air and forms little drops of
water or ice crystals. A cloud is formed. Clouds come in all shapes and sizes. There are three main kinds of clouds.
Flesch-Kincaid Level: 2.5
p. 16
A cloud close to the earth’s surface is called fog. Rain forms inside rain clouds. The water vapor that evaporates
from below forms tiny water drops. The tiny drops join together and become bigger drops. When they are heavy
enough, they fall. Rain comes down in different ways. Sometimes there are floods when it rains for a long time.
Thunderstorms are scary! Lots of tiny drops of water whip around inside the cloud at very high speeds. When they
rub and bump against each other, they make electricity. When enough electricity builds up, it bursts through the
cloud and flashes. This is called lightning. Lightning is very hot. It heats the air around it. The hot air expands
and…BOOM!
Flesch-Kincaid Level: 3.8
I would use this text as read aloud to the whole class. It is well above a second grade
reading level, so it would not be useful for all of my students. This book is a good introduction,
as part of the preparation phase, to the weather unit because it exposes the students to different
vocabulary words that are associated with different weather and storms. The author, Gail
Gibbons, does a nice job of providing important information about a difficult concept in a way
that younger students can understand. During reading I would make sure to stop and discuss
important vocabulary words such as temperature, moisture, blizzard, etc.
Resource #2. What Will the Weather Be? By: Lynda Dewitt
Dewitt, L. (1991). What Will the Weather Be? (1st ed.). New York, New York: HarperCollins
Publisher.
Readability Level: About 5th grade using the Fry Readability Formula
p. 5
The sky was gray and cloudy over Washington, D.C., on the morning of January 22, 1987. The weather forecast
called for an inch or two of snow. But by noon, there was so much snow on the ground that many cars and buses
were stuck in it. The airports had to close down. So did the schools. In all, fourteen inches of snow fell on the city.
The weather forecast was wrong. And people were not prepared for the huge storm. Weather forecasts tell us what
kind of weather is coming. But predicting the weather is hard to do. It is easy to see what the weather is like right
now. You can go
141 syllables
11 sentences
Readability Level: 5th grade
p. 10
But then something happens. The wind begins to blow. Air from somewhere else moves in. Sometimes it is cooler
air from the north. Sometimes it is warmer air from the south. The new air pushes against the old air. The place
where this happens is called a front. Most changes in the weather occur along fronts. Where cold air pushes against
warm air, we say there is a cold front. Cold fronts move fast. They can make the wind howl. They quickly push
warm air up and out of the way. The rising air carries water. The water is not
122 syllables
13 sentences
Readability Level: 2nd grade
p. 15
The clouds grow big and dark as more air rises. Then it rains. There may be thunder and lightning. If it is cold
enough, snow falls. It all happens very fast. Cold fronts cause sudden storms, but they usually do not last long. After
a cold front passes, the sky clears and the weather is colder. Where warm air pushes against cold air, a warm front
forms. Warm fronts move slowly. They make the wind blow just a little. Wispy clouds cover the sky. There may be
a light shower. Or it may drizzle for a couple of days. Warm fronts change the weather slowly. After a warm front
passes, the sky clears and the weather is warmer. Meteorologists, people who study the weather, try to predict where
fronts
140 syllables
12.5 sentences
Readability Level: between 4th and 5th grade
This book also does a nice job of introducing the topic of weather as an overarching
concept. I would use this book again as a read aloud to the whole class to begin the discussion
about weather in general before really focusing on specific storms. This book would be useful to
use during the preparation phase. As I read the book aloud to the class we could make a concept
map about weather and discuss ways to predict the weather. This would also be a good book to
use when trying to chart the weather. Since this book is above a second grade reading level I
would not use it as an independent reading source except for my students that are reading above
grade level. In order for my low students to understand the text I would have to use it as a read
aloud.
Resource #3. Scholastic Discover More Weather by: Penelope Arlon and Tory GordonHarris
Arlon, P., Gordon-Harris, T. (2013). Scholastic Discover More Weather (1st ed.). New York,
New York: Scholastic Inc.
Readability Level: About 7th grade using the Fry Readability Formula
p. 16
How strong is the wind today? We describe wind using a scale that is hundreds of years old. An anemometer
measures wind speed. The device’s cups spin around in the wind, and their speed is measured in miles or kilometers
per hour. At sea, there are no trees or buildings to slow wind down. The Beaufort scale was developed to warn ships
about sea winds and is still used in shipping forecasts today. The amount of water in the air stays constant. But that
water is continuously recycled-lost as falling rain, then gained by evaporation. The white light from
140 syllables
8 sentences
Readability Level: 7th grade
p. 24
You can be a cloud spotter! Learn to recognize different cloud types. Clouds are identified by appearance and
height. You can spot strangely shaped clouds on most cloudy days. Look out especially for these, which are rare and
spectacular. Every day, more than 550 trillion tons of water falls to Earth as rain, snow, or hail. This water is known
as precipitation. There is nothing more awesome than a huge thunderstorm, with its fiery lightning and booming
rumbles. When the air is especially warm and humid (damp), it rises and cools, building up huge cumulonimbus
clouds. They grow taller and move
145 syllables
9 sentences
Readability Level: 7th grade
p. 38
Extreme weather can happen anywhere in the world, but some powerful winds always happen in the same places.
Tornadoes are violent, whirling winds that are created during giant thunderstorms called supercells. They are the
most powerful gusts on Earth. Tornadoes are usually about 250 feet (76 m) wide, but some have been up to 1 mile
(1.5 km) across! A tornado is the most violent weather that the atmosphere produces. It can pick up a house or train
and break it into pieces. Three-quarters of all tornadoes happen in the United States. Tornadoes begin in huge
supercell storm clouds. They are often accompanied by thunder, lightning, hail, and very strong winds.
165 syllables
9 sentences
Readability Level: 12th grade
This text is a great book to use once you have introduced the students to the concept of
weather in general and they have a good understanding of what it is. This is a Scholastic book, so
there is a lot of information inside, but it is all very relevant and gives great detail about all of the
storms that second graders are required to know. The book also provides great visuals of real life
photographs, which are extremely helpful to students that have never seen a tornado or blizzard
before. I would use this book during the assistance phase of the PAR lesson frame. Again, I
would have to use this book as a read aloud to the whole class because it is well above a second
grade reading level. I would not read the entire book however, I would pick and choose the
sections that relate to the material I am teaching and focus on that. I would also have this book
out for students to look through while working on research or to just get a better look at the
pictures and examples.
Resource #4. Storm Chasers by: Dan and Janet Ahearn
Ahearn, D and J. (2011). Storm Chasers (1st ed.). Pelham, New York: Benchmark Education
Company.
Readability Level: About 4th grade using the Flesch-Kincaid Readability Formula
p. 8
Suddenly, all the prairie dogs disappeared from sight. Julie looked up at the sky. It was much darker now. When did
the clouds get so gray, Jack? She checked her watch. It’s 3:30! We’re late! Mom’s going to be angry. Jack said,
Look over there! He pointed to some large, dark clouds that were moving very fast. We have to get home! We can’t
get caught in a thunderstorm, Julie said. How did this happen? How did it get so late? Forget about that. Let’s just
get home. The twins ran to their bicycles and headed back to the road that led to their farm. They hadn’t ridden far
when Jack shouted, it looks like the storm will catch us before we reach the farm.
Flesch-Kincaid: 1.5
p.12
They tried. But soon their legs ached and they were out of breath. Their pedaling got slower. They were getting
really tired. Finally, Julie stopped and put her foot on the ground. Jack stopped next to her. We have to take cover
soon, Jack. How about under that bridge? We can stay under there if we have to. They started toward the bridge.
They were tired and getting scared. It looked as if the storm were about to catch them. Finally, they reached the
bridge and walked their bikes underneath. Look, Jack. What are those people doing? They could see a van parked by
the side of the road. There were five people standing beside it.
Flesch-Kincaid: 1.3
p.17
Cassie was worried about the twins’ safety. But her team couldn’t stop yet. She told the twins to get in the van. She
ordered the twins to stay out of the way and let the team work. Julie and Jack watched them but didn’t really
understand what they were doing. Then Julie realized that they were measuring the storm. An older woman seemed
to be in charge. She was shouting orders and advice over the growing noise of the storm. The twins could almost
feel the storm pressing down on them. Dust started to fly around outside. They saw Cassie and the others put on
safety goggles to protect their eyes from the dust.
Flesch-Kincaid: 3.6
p. 20
Outside, everyone was shouting with excitement. Julie and Jack couldn’t stand it. They had to get a better view of
the tornado. They opened the door of the van just enough so that they could take some pictures. They just kept
snapping away at the incredible sight. Cassie turned and saw that the twins were leaning out of the door. I told you
two to stay in the van! I know it’s exciting, but I don’t want you getting hurt! In the van, now! She angrily slammed
the door. Suddenly, the man operating the instrument with the two radar dishes shouted, I think we should go while
the going is good! The tornado showed no sign of breaking up. The twister was coming!
Flesch-Kincaid: 3.8
p. 2
It was a fine summer morning. As Julie Taylor ate her breakfast, she looked at her new camera. Her twin brother,
Jack, sat next to her. He had a new camera, too. The cameras were birthday presents from their parents. School had
just ended for the year. It was the twins’ first chance to spend the day taking pictures. The twins loved photography.
The twins often talked about how they wanted to have their pictures published in National Geographic magazine.
Mom, said Jack, Julie and I are riding our bikes out to the plains today. Did you check with your father? He might
need help on the farm.
Flesch-Kincaid: 3.7
It was difficult for me to find an accurate reading level for this book. I had to use five
separate passages in order to find a range that was closer together. In the end I was able to
conclude that it was closer to a fourth grade leveled text. This is a book that I would use in my
small reading group instruction with my highest students. This would be used during the
assistance phase as well, and I would only use this book with my students that are reading at this
level or higher. This is a great fiction book about ‘storm chasers’ that can integrate what we are
studying in science with my reading lessons. The book is about two young children that go out
during a tornado to take pictures with their new cameras. It is a great way to also talk about
different text-to-self connections and reference different storms that students might have seen or
experienced in their own lives.
Resource #5. The Magic School Bus: Inside a Hurricane by: Joanna Cole
Cole, J. (1995). The Magic School Bus: Inside a Hurricane (1st ed.). New York, New York:
Scholastic Inc.
Readability Level: This book would be appropriate for late 3rd-6th grade using the FleschKincaid Readability Formula
p. 12
We started going up, and Ms. Frizzle said, did I mention, children, that hot air rises? We rose higher and higher.
Even though hot air was filling the balloon, the air around us was growing colder. We had to put on warm jackets.
Warm air rising from earth carries lots of water vapor molecules, Ms. Frizzle continued. As the air rises, it cools
down. The water condenses in the air and forms clouds. We drifted into the center of a cloud. Ms. Frizzle was rightit was damp in there. The cloud was made of tiny droplets hanging in the air.
Flesch-Kincaid: 4.2
p. 24
In the clouds around us, huge bolts of lightning were flashing. We thought it was all over for us, but then we saw the
bus again. It had become a weather plane-the kind that explores hurricanes. We tumbled into a rescue chute and fell
onto the plane…that is, the bus…er…we mean the plane. Thunder crashed and boomed. We covered our ears. Ms.
Frizzle turned the plane, and we headed straight toward the center of the storm. We had the feeling someone was
missing. We flew through miles of thunderstorms, and Ms. Frizzle took roll call. Guess who was missing-Arnold!
He had fallen and missed the plane!
Flesch-Kincaid: 3.5
p. 32
The entire hurricane was moving across the ocean toward land, and we were going with it! The right forward corner
of the hurricane as you are looking toward land has the strongest wind and rain and the highest ocean waves,
shouted the Friz. Naturally, she flew directly to that part. As the hurricane approached land, the wind pulled up trees
by roots and blew the roofs off houses. It also blew ashore a huge dome of water called the storm surge. The ocean
rose ten feet higher than usual, and, on top of that, there were giant waves. We were horrified as we watched the
storm surge sweep over the shore below.
Flesch-Kincaid: 6.3
p.34
Somehow Arnold managed to get on the plane before we were swept away by the waves at the front edge of the
hurricane. The water was creeping up the windows. The plane was going to sink for sure! Then we saw a dark,
funnel shape coming our way. I’ve seen that shape on TV, said Ralphie. I read about it in a book! said Keesha. The
twister came right for us. The next thing we knew, it had picked us up, and we were traveling by tornado! After a
while we felt a bump and looked around. The tornado had set us down gently. We were in our old school bus again.
We were dressed in our regular clothes again. And we were at a gas station.
Flesch-Kincaid: 2.6
The students always love a Magic School Bus story with Ms. Frizzle! The adventures that
Ms. Frizzle can take students on is very engaging and keeps them interested in the text. This is a
book that I would use during the preparation or assistance phase of the PAR lesson framework. I
could use this book to introduce students to hurricanes or I could use it as a resource for students
to use during research. I actually used this book for both. I read it aloud to the whole class and
set it out for students to look at on their own time as well. The book provides students with very
important facts and information about hurricanes, but keeps them engaged by imagining that they
are actually inside a hurricane. While researching storms, heterogeneous groups of students
could use this book to help them gather facts, but this would only be effective if you paired the
low students with a high student that was capable of reading the text.
Resource #6. Hurricanes by: Seymour Simon
Simon, S. (2003). Hurricanes (1st ed.). New York, New York: HarperCollins Publisher.
Readability Level: About 8th grade using the Flesch-Kincaid Readability Formula
p. 1
Hurricanes are huge spinning storms that develop in warm areas around the equator. Hurricanes bring strong winds,
heavy rains, storm surges, flooding, and sometimes even tornadoes. Coastal areas and islands are in the most danger
during a hurricane, but even inland areas are at risk. Hurricane season along the East Coast of the United States
begins in June and continues until the end of November. The peak hurricane months are August and September. The
East Coast averages about five hurricanes a year. Over other parts of the world, hurricanes happen year-round. The
word hurricane comes from people who lived in the Tropics in earlier times. The ancient Mayan people of South and
Central America called their storm god Hunraken. An evil god of the Taino people of the Caribbean was called
Huracan. Hurricanes are not really evil, but they can cause terrible destruction and great loss of life.
Flesch-Kincaid Level: 8.3
p.4
Hurricanes are the only weather disasters that have been given their own names, such as Andrew, Camille, Floyd,
Fran, Hugo, Irene, and Opal. In some ways all hurricanes are alike. But like different people, each hurricane has its
own story. All hurricanes form in the same way. They begin life in the warm, moist atmosphere over tropical ocean
waters. First, the atmosphere gathers heat energy through contact with ocean waters that are above eighty degrees
Fahrenheit to a depth of about two hundred feet. Next, moisture evaporating from the warm waters enters the
atmosphere and begins to power the infant hurricane. The growing hurricane forms bands of clouds and winds near
the ocean surface that spiral air inward. Thunderstorms form, heating the air further and forcing the winds to rise
higher into the atmosphere and the spinning to increase.
Flesch-Kincaid Level: 8.8
p. 8
A storm surge is a huge dome of water, fifty to one hundred miles wide, that sweeps across a coastline where a
hurricane makes land. A storm tide is a combination of a storm surge and a regular monthly high tide. When they
come together, water heights are at their greatest. In September 1900, a deadly hurricane swept over the port town of
Galveston, Texas. It caused the worst storm tide in United States history. The streets were flooded to depths of
fifteen feet and higher. Winds gusted to more than 100 miles per hour, ripping off roofs and uprooting trees. Huge
chunks of buildings flew through the air.
Flesch-Kincaid Level: 6.1
Hurricanes is a great nonfiction text for students to use when studying storms, especially
hurricanes. The book focuses on hurricanes only and is very text heavy except for a few pictures.
This text would not be appropriate for my students to read independently because it is too far
above a second grade reading level. I would however use the book as a read aloud and for
students to study the pictures. I could justify using this book for research if there was an aid or
teacher leading the group. The benefits to using this book are the pictures. It provides great
photos of real hurricanes and the damage they can cause.
Resource #7. Weather Wiz Kids.com
Wicker, C. (n.d.). Welcome to Weather Wiz Kids. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
Readability Level: Between 7th-10th grade using the Flesch-Kincaid Readability Formula
Drought
A drought is when there is a lack of precipitation over an extended period of time, usually a season or more,
resulting in a water shortage for some activity, group, or environmental sector. Its impacts result from the interplay
between the natural event (less precipitation than expected) and the demand people place on water supply, and
human activities can exacerbate the impacts of drought. Drought has many causes. It can be caused by not receiving
rain or snow over a period of time. If you live in a place where most of the water you use comes from a river, a
drought in your area can be caused by places upstream from you not receiving enough moisture. There would be less
water in the river for you and other people who live along the river to use. People can also play a big role in drought.
If we use too much water during times of normal rainfall, we might not have enough water when a drought happens.
Flesch-Kincaid: 10.0
Hurricanes
A hurricane is a huge storm! It can be up to 600 miles across and have strong winds spiraling inward and upward at
speeds of 75 to 200 mph. Each hurricane usually lasts for over a week, moving 10-20 miles per hour over the open
ocean. Hurricanes gather heat and energy through contact with warm ocean waters. Evaporation from the seawater
increases their power. Hurricanes rotate in a counter-clockwise direction around an “eye” in the Northern
Hemisphere and clockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere. The center of the storm or “eye” is the calmest
part. It has only light winds and fair weather. When they come onto land, the heavy rain, strong winds and large
waves can damage buildings, trees and cars.
Flesch-Kincaid: 8.0
Thunderstorms
A thunderstorm is a storm with lightning and thunder. It’s produced by a cumulonimbus cloud, usually producing
gusty winds, heavy rain and sometimes hail. The basic ingredients used to make a thunderstorm are moisture,
unstable air and lift. You need moisture to form clouds and rain. You need unstable air that is relatively warm and
can rise rapidly. Finally, you need lift. This can form from fronts, sea breezes or mountains. A thunderstorm is
classified as “severe” when it contains one or more of the following: hail one inch or greater, winds gusting in
excess of 58 mph (50 knots), or a tornado.
Flesch-Kincaid: 7.1
After using three different passages from the website, I was only able to determine that
the reading level for the site was somewhere between 7th and 10th grade, but probably closer to
8th grade. This website was created by an actual meteorologist from Indiana. This site includes
valuable information on each storm that my students were studying. I used this website for
students to complete research for a project that I assigned at the end of our weather unit. Of
course, I had the groups heterogeneously mixed so there was at least one student in each group
that could read some or most of the words. I also monitored the groups and walked around the
room to help any students that needed help reading or finding important information. Not only
does the website include important facts about the different storms, but it also includes lesson
ideas for the teacher and important vocabulary to go with each storm listed on the site. I really
like to use this website to extend my students’ learning and understanding of weather and storms.
Resource #8. PebbleGo.com
“The Emergent Reader Research Solution” PebbleGo. www.pebblego.com. Retrieved October
18, 2015.
Readability Level: About 3rd grade using the Flesch-Kincaid Readability Formula
Blizzards
Blizzards are strong winter storms. They have snow, high winds, and very cold temperatures.
Winds blow at least 35 miles (56 kilometers) an hour. Everything looks white. Blizzards start in winter
when a front of cold air meets a front of warm air. Clouds form and fill with ice crystals and water vapor.
The vapor and crystals mix to make snowflakes. Falling snow fills the sky. Strong wind blows the snow,
making it hard to see. Snow on the ground is blown into high drifts. Wind makes the freezing air
feel even colder than it is. Snow in the air, on the ground, and in the clouds causes a whiteout.
Snowdrifts make it hard to walk or drive. Uncovered skin quickly freezes, causing frostbite.
Flesch-Kincaid: 3.2
Tornadoes
A tornado is a swirling funnel of wind. These very strong windstorms come down from the clouds.
When the funnel touches the ground, it is a tornado. Tornadoes usually happen in spring and summer storms. Warm
air masses meet cold air masses. Wind spins the air into a funnel cloud. The tornado spins the air very fast as it
moves along. Tornadoes happen all over the world. Hundreds of tornadoes form each year in the central United
States. This area is known as Tornado Alley. Strong tornadoes destroy anything in their paths. Strong wind uproots
trees. Spinning wind rips the roofs off buildings.
Flesch-Kincaid: 4.5
Droughts
Droughts happen when there is not enough precipitation in an area. Crops die up and dry. Lakes and rivers may also
dry up in a severe drought. Dry weather and drought are different. A place may have less rain or snow than usual for
a few weeks. But drought happens when very dry weather lasts many months or longer. Droughts may happen
anywhere. But droughts hit desert areas most often. Grasslands and plains also have droughts. Crops grow on plains
so droughts there leave people with little food. Every area has usual wind patterns. If these winds change, weather
changes. Winds may push away storms or keep clouds from forming. Then rain doesn’t fall and droughts happen.
Flesch-Kincaid: 3.4
I use Pebblego often when I am teaching a science or social studies concept. It is a quick
and easy way to grab students’ attention and keep them engaged in the topic at hand. It is a great
resource to use for students that are reading below grade level because it reads the material aloud
and has visuals to support the text. I like to use this site in both whole group lessons and small
group when students are completing research on a topic. Pebblego has information on all of the
storms that we study during our weather unit, so I would use this when students are completing
research for their final projects. They are able to watch short videos of the storms as well as
listen to the text being read to them.
Resource #9. Brainpopjr.com: Temperature Video
Temperature. (n.d.). Retrieved October 21, 2015, from
https://jr.brainpop.com/math/measurement/temperature/
Readability Level: This video is appropriate for students kindergarten through second
grade.
This is a website that I like to use when I am introducing a new concept in any of the
content areas. The site offers many short video clips that correlate with many SOLs. The
particular video that I chose for my text set was the video on temperature. Since temperature is
part of the weather SOL, I like to show it at the beginning of the unit. It is a great introduction to
temperature and the weather in general. There is another site that is geared toward the upper
elementary grades called Brainpop and they offer videos about certain storms. I do not like to
show these to my whole class because the information is a bit too advanced for some of my
students, so I like to use the videos that are geared toward the lower elementary grades. I would
consider showing my high students the other videos in small group just to provide them with
enrichment and a bit more differentiation about the concept.
Resource #10. Learning Resource: Student created weather forecast videos