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Text Complexity Analysis of Grandfathers Journey by Allen Say
Text Type: Historical Fiction Picture book
Recommended Complexity Band Level
This book concerns a young man who leaves his homeland in Japan toGrade
travel Level
to America.
He falls
Equivalent:
4.2 in love with the country and its beautiful s
Interest Level: Grades 3-5

Developmental Reading Assessment Correlation Chart (DRA): 38
Guided Reading: P
Quantitative Measure
Quantitative Measure of the Text:
Lexile Level: AD 650L
Range:
640L-850L
Associated Band Level:

Grade Band 4-5
Qualitative Measure
j
Text Structure: Moderately Complex
-Organization: May have two or more storylines and occasionally be difficult to predict.
-Use of Graphics: A range of dominant, large painted illustrations support all parts of the text.
-The genre highlights this moderately complex text structure through its traditional criteria and the organization of the text provides information in a simple,
Language Features: Moderately Complex
-Conventionality: Largely explicit and easy to understand with some occasions for more complex meaning.
-Vocabulary: Mostly contemporary, familiar, conversational and rarely very unfamiliar or overly academic.
-Sentence Structure: Primarily simple and compound sentences, with some complex constructions.
-The text portrays Standard English and does not use unfamiliar vernacular and would not interfere with comprehension, only introduce new advanced vocab
- The language register is approachable for this upper elementary age group and imparting knowledge through the narrator is completed in a coherent fashi
Meaning/Purpose: Moderately Complex
-Multiple levels of meaning clearly distinguished from each other and the theme is clear but is conveyed with some subtlety.
-The density of presented information on the grandfathers life challenges the reader appropriately, as the literal and subversive layers of meaning are ment
-Some simple figurative language is included, mainly imagery and symbolism, but these are not complex literary devices and are recognizable for the major
-The authors purpose is not withheld from the reader and his information and ideas are presented in a challenging, yet straightforward way to understand hi
Knowledge Demands: Moderately Complex
-Life Experiences: Explores several themes, experiences portrayed are common to some readers.
-Intertextuality and Cultural Knowledge: Few References or allusions to other texts or cultural events.
-Students can bring their own background knowledge and lived experiences to this text and interact to shape meaning of emigration and prior academic kno
Text Complexity Analysis of Grandfathers Journey by Allen Say

Text Type: Historical Fiction Picture book
Considerations for Reader and Task

(Blue=text specific objectives)
Possible Major Instructional Areas of Focus (include 3-4 CCS
Standards) for this Text:
Standards for Reading Literature Grade 3:
RL1 Anchor Standard:
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make
logical inferences from it, cite specific textual evidence when writing or
speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
RL1: Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of
a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
Utilize the comprehension skills of prediction, making
connections, questioning and inferencing to understand the
underlying themes of Grandfathers Journey.
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their
development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
Explore the themes of emigration, home, travel, love and loneliness
through before, during and after reading activities.
Analyze how and why individuals, events and ideas develop and interact
over the course of the text.
RL3: Describe characters in the story (their traits, motivations
and feelings ) and explain how their actions contribute to the
sequence of events
Comprehend the transition of feelings for the protagonist, as he
travels between his homeland and his land of bewilderment and
hope and how this affects other characters within the story and
his actions.
RL7 Anchor standard:
Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats,
including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
RL7: Explain how specific aspects of a texts illustrations
contribute to what is conveys by the words in a story (e.g. create
mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting).
Develop a deeper understanding of themes, feelings and
consequences through the painted illustrations and how they
portray such feelings and develop through the text.
Social Studies Curriculum Grade 3
Standard 1.0 Topic B, Indicator 1
Identify and describe how individuals and groups share and

borrow from other cultures.
Explain how the protagonist changes and alters his lifestyle during
the emigration transition and how his outlook and responses must
Below are factors to consider with respect to the reader and task:
Potential Challenges this Text Poses:
1. Some students may find the underlying themes of
emigration,
homesickness,
travel
and
loneliness
challenging to comprehend and empathize with the
protagonist, as prior knowledge and experience of these
feelings and encounters may not be prevalent in their life
and environments. Some students may not have heard of
immigration and travelling to explore the world, with few
historical contexts highlighted that a young reader may not
comprehend.
The book, therefore, may not be engaging for some
students, because it could lack explicit detail and requires
some abstract thinking and individual synthesizing and
drawing conclusions during reading the text.
However, as the United States is an immigrant country
with a variety of combined and integrated cultures living
harmoniously, many students will have a foundational
knowledge on the topic, once it is explicitly taught prior to
reading and exploring the text.
2. Grandfathers Journey also contains quite advanced and
descriptive vocabulary, which may be difficult for
struggling readers and low-ability students in the
classroom. This difficult language and lack of explicit
explanations and definitions of the dominant themes of the
story may lose some readers in the text, such as
steamship, outstand,
marveled,
bewildered [and]
sweetheart.
Differentiation/Supports for Students:
The challenging descriptive vocabulary can be pre-taught
explicitly and can also be integrated into weekly spellings
during the planned disciplinary unit.
The outstanding and award-winning watercolor painted
illustrations can also serve as a visual support and anchor
or struggling readers, as the character portrays main
feelings and changes in mood through colors and
interchangeable scenery.
Graphic organizers, character sketches and vocabulary

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Text Complexity Analysis of Grandfathers Journey by Allen Say

Text Type: Historical Fiction Picture book

Recommended Complexity Band Level

Interest Level: Grades 3-5

Associated Band Level:

Text Complexity Analysis of Grandfathers Journey by Allen Say

Considerations for Reader and Task

Identify and describe how individuals and groups share and

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