Text Complexity Analysis of

My Very Own Room (title)

byAmanda Irma Perez (author)

Recommended Complexity Band:MODERATELY COMPLEX

Text Description

Briefly describe the text: Literary Text – Realistic Fiction

With the help of her family, a resourceful Mexican-American girl with two parents, five little brothers, and visiting relatives realizes her dream of having a space of her own. Based on the author's own childhood.

Qualitative Measures

Meaning/Purpose

MODERATELY COMPLEX: More than one level of meaning with levels clearly distinguished from each other; theme is clear, but may be conveyed with some subtlety (you need to read the entire story to really understand the character’s motivation for wanting personal space

—a love of reading (pg. 134-137)

-there’s also a conflict of themes, because the family values sharing space, while the main character is growing up and wants independence (pg. 118-119, 121)

-there are subtle references to immigration (pg. 119, pg. 123)

Text Structure

SLIGHTLY COMPLEX –The story follows a predictable model of plot structure where character has a problem and persists.

-Exposition (pg. 118-121)

-Rising Action (pg. 122-124)

-Climax comes when her mom allows her to have the storage room (pg. 124)

-Falling Action (pg. 125-135)

-The story ends with character feeling happy about getting what she wanted and the love of her family (pg. 136).

Language Features

MODERATELY COMPLEX – Uses familiar and conversational vocabulary, but has some vocabulary in Spanish (“Ay, mijita” pg. 123, “Tio” pg. 128).

Conventionality: some inferences and use of similes and descriptive language (toilet seat warm pg. 119, like ant family pg. 126, etc.

Vocabulary: although words aren’t academic they are pieced together in a way that sets a tone and is descriptive (“That yellow piece of yarn was magical” pg. 128) (“It was as dainty as a beautiful ballerina…” pg. 133, with little dialogue.

Sentence structure: some compound sentences and complex constructions“Our tiny house was shared by eight of us…” pg. 119; “Sometimes very early in the morning…” pg. 121.

Knowledge Demands

VERY COMPLEX – Life experiences: explores multiple themes; experiences portrayed may or may not be common to readers. Also, there are many references to cultural elements.THEMES: personal space,immigration, cultural family relationships, saving for a rainy day, resourcefulness pg. 127-129, communal space vs. private space, selfish desires vs. sacrificing for the group, etc.

Quantitative Measure

Complexity Band Level (provide range): 2nd – 3rdgrade level

Lexile or Other Quantitative Measure of the Text:700L

Considerations for Reader and Task

Below are factors to consider with respect to the reader and task (See attached guiding questions to assist each teacher in filling out this section for his or her own class):

Potential Challenges this Text Poses:

Some themes may be easier to pick out than others; the easier theme would be having your own space and making decisions where you have to consider others. However, the themes of resourcefulness, cultural family relationships, and the complexity of immigration (temporary safe haven for newcomers) may be more challenging to highlight. These may require close reading with teacher guidance and instructional conversations.

MajorInstructional Areas of Focus (3-4 CCS Standards) for this Text:

Key Ideas and Details:

3.RL3.1 – Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

3.RL3.2 - Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.

3.RL3.3 - Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.

Differentiation/Supports for Students

For students who are unfamiliar with the culture presented in the story, the teacher may want to pre-teach or discuss some of the cultural references, including Spanish vocabulary. Listening to the story on CD may also be helpful.Pre-teaching vocabulary and/or going through a picture-walk may be beneficial for English Learners in addition to sentence frames and “talk moves” to facilitate rich instructional conversations.

Created by: Lisa Quon-Heinsen () and Michelle Staine ()

Ana Guzman ( ) and Jennifer Morales-George ()Reviewed by: