Benchmark Books and Indicators - First Grade:FALL

Ben’s Teddy Bear
By Beverley Randell
Red Level
DRA Level: 3

Text Characteristics

  • Font is large, usually printed in black on a white background.
  • Usually two or three lines of print on most of the pages.
  • Text is patterned and somewhat predictable. Patterns tend to change a couple of times throughout the story.
  • A simple story, with a beginning, middle, and end.
  • Words are still supported by illustrations, but students need to search more in the picture to find help in reading the words.
  • Pages are more apt to begin with a single high frequency word and then include words that require picture support and attention to first letters.
  • Words are consistently placed in the same area on the page, preferably top left or bottom left.
    Sentences are more varied, resulting in texts that include a full range of punctuation.

Reader Behaviors

  • Gets mouth ready for the initial sound of a word.
  • Uses left to right directionality as well as a return sweep to another line of print.
  • Uses picture cues.
  • Locates one or two known words on a page.
  • Monitors for meaning: checks to make sure it makes sense.