Text Complexity Analysis of For Liberty: The Story of the Boston Massacre by Timothy Decker

Text Type: Nonfiction

Text Description Recommended Complexity Band Level

A well-rounded account of the Boston Massacre. Facts and black and white
4-6 illustrations give a chilling recounting of this infamous day in hi

Quantitative Measure
Quantitative Measure of the Text: Range: Associated Band Level:
730L 640L850L 4-5

Qualitative Measures
Exceedingly Complex (E.C.) Very Complex (V.C.) Moderately Complex (M.C.) Slightly Complex (S.C.)

Text Structure: M.C.

Organization is clear and in chronological order. S.C.
The illustrations support and extend the meaning of the text. V.C.

Language Features: M.C.

Conventionality is largely explicit and easy to understand with some occasion for more complex meaning (M.C.)
Vocabulary is fairly complex with sometimes unfamiliar content-specific vocabulary. (V.C.)
Sentence Structure is primarily simple and compound sentences. (M.C.)

Purpose: M.C.
Implied but easy to identify.

Knowledge Demands: M.C.

Relies on moderate levels of discipline-specific knowledge, includes mix of recognizable and challenging ideas. (V.C.)
No references to other texts (S.C.)
 Text Complexity Analysis of For Liberty: The Story of the Boston Massacre by Timothy Decker
Text Type: Nonfiction

Considerations for Reader and Task

Possible Major Instructional Areas of Focus (include 3-4 Below are factors to consider with respect to the reader and task:
CCS Standards) for this Text:
Potential Challenges this Text Poses:
Understanding how tensions can rise to this level.
R3: Analyze how and why individuals, events and ideas develop Reading the emotions in the story
and interact over the course of the text Explain the relationship or Interpretation of the illustrations because they are black and
white.
interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or
concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific
information in the text. Differentiation/Supports for Students:

R4: Interpret words and phrases as they are used in text,
including determining technical, connotative and figurative
meanings; and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning
and tone Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-
specific words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 5 topic or
subject area.
- Reading aloud by the teacher
- Highlighting key vocabulary for the students.
- Explicit teaching of some content specific vocabulary
- Small group discussions of the key points to gain more
understanding of what we had read.
- Copy of the book in the classroom for all students to have
access to reread the material.

R6: Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and
style of a text Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic,
noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they
represent.
R9: Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or
topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches
authors take. Integrate information from several texts on the same
topic in order to write or speak about the topic knowledgeably

Created by _____________________________________________ (name, state, email, date) Reviewed by ____________________________________________(name,

state, e-mail, date)