READABILITY ANALYSIS OF THE TEXTBOOK

Grade level of text analysis: 7th

Content Area: Social Studies/Civics
Textbook used for analysis:
Remy, Richard C. (2013). Civics: Economics & Geography. Columbus, OH: McGraw
Hill Education.
Chapter 11 Voting and Elections
(1st selection page 306-7)
Expanding Suffrage
The Declaration of Independence states that "all men are created equal." Unfortunately, this
principle, or basic belief, of giving equal rights to all people has not always been achieved. In the
early years of our country, suffrage, or the right to vote, was limited to small groups of people. A
few states allowed both white and African American males to vote. Typically, however, only
white, male landowners were allowed to vote. Over the years, suffrage has expanded to include
more and more Americans. People who were once barred from voting included white adult males
who could not afford.
Microsoft Words Readability Score: 8.7
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 8.3
Total Word Count: 101
Total Sentence Count: 7
Total Syllable Count: 172
Chapter 11 Voting and Elections
(2nd selection page 316)
Two special processes give voters a direct voice in governing. One is called
an initiative, and the other is called a referendum. An initiative is a process that
lets voters propose new laws or amendments to state constitutions. First, people
in favor of the law must gather enough signatures to place the item on the
ballot. The proposed law is called a proposition, or "prop." In the election,
people vote for or against the proposition.
A referendum asks voters to accept or reject a law passed by a state or local
legislature. Some states require voters to approve changes to
Microsoft Words Readability Score: 8.2
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 8.3
Total Word Count: 100
Total Sentence Count: 7
Total Syllable Count: 176

It is easy to become distraught that your son or daughter is reading a textbook that is written
in between an eighth and ninth grade level, and he or she is only in the seventh grade. Please do
not be concerned. A common practice the publishers of student textbooks use is to start a
textbook at or a little below the grade level intended and by the end of the school year have it be
above grade level. The idea behind is to progressively challenge your children to read more
difficult texts, forcing their reading levels to improve over time. At this point in the school year it
is very easy to have the students reading text at this level as they have exceeded this capability in
many of their other texts. I also keep an eye on the class and can readily identify those students
who may not be ready for higher complexity levels.
Below you will find 6 additional books if you are concerned about your students reading
abilities. Three of these texts have been chosen for students who need something less challenging
to read. The other three have been chosen for those who need to be challenged. Both sets of these
books cover the same material covered in our regular textbook but at what you may consider
more appropriate reading levels. All of these are available at the local library.
A word of caution with respect to the readability levels. You may have noticed there is a little
fluctuation in the grade level that these scores are presenting. This is not an exact science, but a
good approximation as to the general grade level for the books. There are far too many factors
that need to be considered to be exact such as language proficiency, comprehension of subject
matter, and prior exposure to not only the material but the vocabulary and syntax used in the
books. One student may be an honors literature student, yet he or she may find an Earth Science
textbook difficult. Readability is relative to the person reading the book at that time. With this in
mind the creators of the various readability score formulas tried to make the formulas as
universal as possible given those factors.
If your student is struggling or needs an even greater challenge, please do not hesitate to
discuss this with me. We all have one goal: the success of your child now and for the future.

Nobleman, M. T. (2005). Election day. Minneapolis, MN: Compass Point Books.

Text Selection Page 5
What is Election Day?
Election Day is when people vote. They choose the people they want to lead their cities,
states, and country. The people trying to get elected are called candidates. A candidate who is
elected represents everyone in his or her area. Once elected, the persons job is to listen to what
the people want and improve the government to make peoples lives better.
In the United States, Election Day is set by law. It is always the Tuesday after the first
Monday in November in even-numbered years. Even numbered years end in a 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8.
Microsoft Words Readability Score: 6.1
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 6.2
Total Word Count: 101
Total Sentence Count: 10 Total Syllable Count: 163

Stier, C., & Avril, L. (2007). If I ran for president. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman.
Text Selection Pages 13-16
If I ran for president, I would travel the country to meet lots of people. Id have my own
campaign bus or airplane to take me from place to place. Inside thered be comfy seats, perfect
for checking out the news, writing speeches, and thinking about how to solve the nations
problems. Id take naps too - Id need the extra rest. Id work hard and be very busy! All in one

week, I might share cereal with kindergartners in California, crunch corn with farmers in Kansas,
and have dinner in Delaware, where Id order the Blue Plate Special with..
Microsoft Words Readability Score: 5.1
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 6.3
Total Word Count: 101
Total Sentence Count: 7
Total Syllable Count: 164

Peppas, L. (2010). Election day. New York: Crabtree Pub.

Text Selection Pages 4-6
What is Election Day?
Election Day is the day when people choose their leaders. Election comes from the word
elect. It means to help make a choice or decision. Different countries around the world have
different election days. Some countries have one election day that is always on the same date, in
other countries, election days fall on different dates.
What is Democracy?
Most countries hold elections. They rule by democracy. Democracy means that the people
from a country help to decide who will make laws. The group of elected people is called a
government. Thousands of years ago, ancient
Microsoft Words Readability Score: 5.6
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 5.8
Total Word Count: 100
Total Sentence Count: 11 Total Syllable Count: 169

Thomas, W. D. (2008). How do we elect our leaders? Pleasantville, NY: Gareth Stevens.

Text Selection Page 7-8

Often, several people want to be a partys candidate for president. Primary elections help the
party decide which person to support. Each of the big parties holds its own primary elections in
separate states. In many states, only people who are members of a party can vote in the primary
election.
The primaries usually begin very early in an election year. The first one has traditionally taken
place in New Hampshire. Instead of a primary, some states hold a caucus. In a caucus, members
of a political party hold a meeting to choose their candidate for president. Iowa usually holds the
first caucus.
Microsoft Words Readability Score: 8.4
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 8.7
Total Word Count: 103
Total Sentence Count: 9
Total Syllable Count: 174

Giddens-White, B. (2006). National elections and the political process. Chicago, IL: Heinemann
Library.
Text Selection Page 6
During the spring of 1787, a group of men gathered to make a plan for the United States
government. The written document that they created is called the U.S. Constitution. The
government created by the U.S. Constitution is a republic, or representative democracy.
A democracy is a form of government in which the people hold power. In a representative
democracy, citizens exercise their power by choosing the people to represent them in the
government. In a large country like the United States, it would be too difficult to have citizens
vote on every issue. Instead, they choose representatives by voting in periodic elections.
Microsoft Words Readability Score: 10.7
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 8
Total Word Count: 103
Total Sentence Count: 7
Total Syllable Count: 180

Goodman, S. E., & Smith, E. H. (2008). See how they run: Campaign dreams, election schemes,
and the race to the White House. New York: Bloomsbury.
Text Selection Page
We put our Founding Fathers on pedestals and think they were perfect. But they werent.
George Washington was always in debt. He had to borrow money to get to his own inauguration.
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were brilliant patriots and presidents, but they often acted like
babies. For years they competed about everything. In fact, Adamss last words were Thomas
Jefferson still survives, not knowing that his former enemy had died just a few hours earlier.
Alexander Hamiltonwell, ask someone about him when youre older!
After the Revolution, these very real, very imperfect men did the best job they could
designing our government.
Microsoft Words Readability Score: 8.4
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 8.7
Total Word Count: 105
Total Sentence Count: 9
Total Syllable Count: 173