Teacher Observation Guide Baby Birds Level 16, Page 1

Baby Birds 16

Name/Date Teacher/Grade

Scores: Reading Engagement ___/8 Oral Reading Fluency ___/16 Comprehension ___/28
Independent Range: 6–7 11–14 19–25

Book Selection Text selected by: o teacher o student

1. READING ENGAGEMENT
(If the student has recently answered these questions, skip this section.)

T: What kinds of books do you like to read? ____________________________________________

T: Tell me about one of your favorite books. ______________________________________________

T: Whom do you read with at home? ___________________________________________________

2. ORAL READING FLUENCY

INTRODUCTION AND PREVIEW
T: This book is called Baby Birds. It tells how baby robins hatch and how their parents take care of them.
Tell me what you know about baby birds.
Student’s response reveals o little, o some, or o much background knowledge.

T: Now, look at each picture, and tell me what you think you’ll learn about baby birds.

Note the student’s use of connecting words (e.g., and, then, but)) and vocabulary relevant to the
text. You may use general prompts, such as “What else?” or “Turn the page,” but do not ask
specific questions. Tally the number of times you prompt.

RECORD OF ORAL READING

Record the student’s oral reading behaviors. Note the student’s fluency (expression and
phrasing). Be sure to time the student’s reading.

T: Baby Birds. Now, read to find out what the author says about baby robins and how their parents take
care of them.
DRA2 K–3 © Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Page 2
Birds make nests in the spring.

Page 3
Mother robin finds mud and twigs and leaves.
She makes a round nest. She puts soft grass
inside the nest.

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Baby Birds 16
Page 4
Birds lay eggs.

Page 5
Mother robin lays one egg each day until she
has about four eggs. Robin eggs are light blue.

Page 6
Birds keep their eggs warm.

Page 7
Mother robin sits on the nest to keep the eggs
warm. She turns the eggs every day.

Mother robin sits on the nest for about 13 days.

Father robin stays nearby.

Page 8
Baby birds hatch out of the eggs.

Page 9
Baby robins crack their shells open with their
beaks. They work hard to get out of their shells.

Page 10
The babies cannot fly. They do not have
feathers. They cannot see. Their eyes are
closed. Mother and father birds feed
DRA2 K–3 © Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

their babies.

Page 11
Mother and father robin work hard to feed their
babies. The babies eat about 35 meals a day!
They eat worms and bugs.

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 Teacher Observation Guide Baby Birds Level 16, Page 3
Baby Birds 16

Page 12
Baby birds grow.

Page 13
The baby robins grow feathers. Their eyes
open. In about 14 days, they leave the nest
and learn to fly.

Time: minutes:seconds

ORAL READING WORDS PER MINUTE, PERCENT OF ACCURACY

Use the student’s oral reading time to circle the WPM range.

Word Count: 177

INTRVN INSTR IND ADV
Minutes:Seconds 6:01 or more 6:00–4:29 4:28–2:31 2:30 or less
WPM 29 or less 30–39 40–70 71 or more

Count the number of miscues that are not self-corrected. Circle the percent of accuracy
based on the number of miscues.
INTRVN INSTR IND ADV
Number of Miscues 12 or more 10–11 8–9 7 5–6 3–4 1–2 0
Percent of Accuracy 93 or less 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

• If the student’s score falls in a shaded area for either WPM or Accuracy, STOP! Reassess with a
lower-level text.
• If the student is reading below the grade-level benchmark, administer DRA Word Analysis,
beginning with Task 16, at another time.

DRA2 K–3 © Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

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 Teacher Observation Guide Baby Birds Level 16, Page 4

Baby Birds 16
3. COMPREHENSION
RETELLING
As the student retells, underline and record on the Overview the information included in the
student’s retelling. Please note the student does not need to use the exact words.

T: Close the book before the retelling, and then say: Start at the beginning, and tell me what the
author said about baby birds and how their parents take care of them.
Overview
1. Birds make nests in the spring. Robins make round nests from mud, twigs, leaves, and grass.
2. Birds lay eggs. Mother robins lay one egg each day until they have about four eggs. The eggs
are light blue.
3. Birds keep their eggs warm. Mother robin keeps her eggs warm by sitting on the nest for
about 13 days. She turns the eggs every day.
4. Baby birds then hatch from the eggs. Baby robins use their beaks to crack open the eggshells.
5. The babies cannot fly. They don’t have feathers, and they cannot see.
6. Mother and father birds feed the babies. Robins feed their babies worms and bugs for about
35 meals a day.
7. Baby birds grow. Baby robins grow feathers, and their eyes open.
8. In about 14 days, baby robins leave the nest and learn to fly.

If necessary, use one or more of the following prompts to gain further information. Place a
checkmark by a prompt each time it is used.

o Tell me more.
o Tell me what baby birds are like when they first hatch.
o Tell me how mother and father birds take care of their babies.

USING NONFICTION TEXT FEATURES

Record the student’s responses to the prompts and questions below.

T: Turn to the timeline on pages 14–15. Say: Use the timeline, and tell me what happens before the
eggs are laid in the nest.
DRA2 K–3 © Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

T: What happens after the eggs are laid in the nest?

MAKING CONNECTIONS
T: What did this book make you think of? or What connections did you make while reading this book?

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 Teacher Observation Guide Baby Birds Level 16, Page 5
Baby Birds 16

4. TEACHER ANALYSIS
ORAL READING
If the student had 5 or more different miscues, use the information recorded on the Record of
Oral Reading to complete the chart below.

Student problem-solves words using: Number of miscues self-corrected:

o beginning letter(s)/sound(s) Number of miscues not self-corrected:
o letter-sound clusters Number of words told to the student:

o onset and rime

o blending letters/sounds
Miscues interfered with meaning: Miscues included:
o never o omissions
o knowledge of spelling patterns o at times o insertions
(analogies)
o often o substitutions that were
o syllables o visually similar
o rereading o not visually similar
o no observable behaviors

Copy each substitution to help analyze the student’s attention to visual information.
e.g., next (substitution)
nest (text)

Oral Reading Rate: (Optional) Use the formula below to determine the student’s exact oral
reading rate. Convert the student’s reading time to all seconds.

177 (words) 4 _______ total seconds 5 _______ WPS 3 60 5 ________ WPM

DRA2 Continuum
• Circle the descriptors that best describe the student’s reading behaviors and responses.
1. Use your daily classroom observations and the student’s responses to the Reading
Engagement questions to select statements that best describe the student’s level of
Reading Engagement.
2. Use your recorded observations from this assessment to select the statements that best
describe the student’s Oral Reading Fluency and Comprehension.
• Add the circled numbers to obtain a total score for each section.
DRA2 K–3 © Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

• Record the total scores at the top of page 1.

Note: If the Comprehension score is less than 19, administer DRA2 with a lower-level text.

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 Name/Date Teacher/Grade Level 16, Page 6

Baby Birds 16
DRA2 CONTINUUM LEVEL 16 TRANSITIONAL READER
INTERVENTION INSTRUCTIONAL INDEPENDENT ADVANCED
Reading Engagement
1 Selects texts from 2 Selects texts from 3 Independently selects 4 Independently selects a
identified leveled sets with identified leveled sets with texts from identified leveled variety of “just right” texts;
teacher support; uncertain moderate support; tells sets most of the time; identifies favorite book by
Book Selection
about a favorite book about favorite book in identifies favorite book by title and gives an overview
general terms title and tells about a of the book
particular event
1 Sustains independent 2 Sustains independent 3 Sustains independent 4 Sustains independent
reading for a short period of reading with moderate reading for at least 10–15 reading for an extended
Sustained Reading time with much encouragement minutes at a time period of time
encouragement
Score 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Oral Reading Fluency
1 No expression; monotone 2 Little expression; rather 3 Some expression 4 Expression conveys
Expression
monotone meaning most of the time
1 Mostly word-by-word 2 Short phrases most of the 3 Longer word phrases some 4 Longer, meaningful
Phrasing time; inappropriate pauses of the time; heeds most phrases most of the time;
punctuation heeds all punctuation
Rate 1 29 WPM or less 2 30–39 WPM 3 40–70 WPM 4 71 WPM or more
Accuracy 1 93% or less 2 94% 3 95%–98% 4 99%–100%
Score 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Comprehension
1 Comments briefly about 2 Identifies and comments 3 Identifies and connects at 4 Identifies and connects at
ideas only when prompted or briefly about ideas with some least 3 key ideas (e.g., and, least 4 key ideas without
Previewing is uncertain; may use a few prompting; uses a few terms then, too) without prompting; prompting; relevant
terms or labels relevant to or labels relevant to the text some relevant vocabulary vocabulary
the text
1 Includes at least 1 2 Includes 2–3 ideas/facts 3 Includes most key 4 Includes all key
Retelling:
idea/fact from the text; from the text; partial ideas/facts, generally in a ideas/facts in a logical order
Key Ideas and Facts
limited retelling retelling logical order
1 Includes at least 1 detail; 2 Includes at least 2 details; 3 Includes some important 4 Includes most important
Retelling: may include incorrect may include details details
Details information misinterpretation
1 Uses general terms or 2 Uses some language/ 3 Uses language/vocabulary 4 Uses important
Retelling: labels; limited understanding vocabulary from the text; from the text; basic language/vocabulary from
Vocabulary of key words/concepts some understanding of key understanding of most key the text; good understanding
words/concepts words/concepts of key words/concepts
Retelling: 1 Retells with 5 or more 2 Retells with 3 or 4 3 Retells with 1 or 2 4 Retells with no questions
Teacher Support questions or prompts questions or prompts questions or prompts or prompts
1 Locates and uses incorrect 2 Locates and uses 3 Locates and uses 4 Quickly locates and uses
DRA2 K–3 © Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

information to respond or is information in the chart to information in the chart to information in the chart to
Using Nonfiction Text
uncertain accurately respond to 1 of accurately respond to both accurately respond with
Features
the prompts; gives a partially prompts details to both prompts
correct response
1 Makes no or an unrelated 2 Makes a connection that 3 Makes a literal connection 4 Makes a thoughtful
connection; cites an reflects a limited that reflects a basic connection that reflects a
Making Connections idea/fact directly from the understanding of the text understanding of the text deeper understanding of the
text text
Score 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Choose three to five teaching/learning activities on the DRA2 Focus for Instruction on the next page.

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 Teacher Observation Guide Baby Birds Level 16, Page 7
Baby Birds 16

DRA2 FOCUS FOR INSTRUCTION FOR TRANSITIONAL READERS

READING ENGAGEMENT COMPREHENSION
Book Selection Previewing
o Teach student strategies to select “just right” texts for o Model and support previewing informational books

o Introduce student to reading materials from a variety o Model and teach student how to activate relevant
independent reading during read-aloud and shared reading experiences

o Model and discuss why readers have favorite books

of genres background knowledge before reading an
informational text
and authors
Retelling
Sustained Reading o Model and teach how to retell the ideas and facts
o Model and support the use of sustained reading time
o Develop clear expectations for amount of o Model and teach how to identify important
presented in an informational text

o Provide opportunities for buddy reading

independent reading information (key ideas and facts) to include in a

o Create structures and routines to support reading at o Support retelling information in a logical order
retelling

home o Model and support using key vocabulary/language

o Model and support going back into the text for

from the text in a retelling
ORAL READING FLUENCY
Expression and Phrasing specific information
o Model and teach how to emphasize key words and
Using Nonfiction Text Features
o Model and support reading in longer, meaningful o Teach student how to read information presented
phrases when reading informational texts

o Teach student how to use graphic organizers to keep

graphically
o Model and support how to attend to punctuation
phrases with appropriate expression

o Have student practice appropriate phrasing and track and present facts and ideas
expression with familiar texts
Making Connections
o Model and teach how to make text-to-self connections
o Model and teach how to make text-to-text
Rate
o Provide materials and time for repeated reading to
connections
o Teach student to read lower level and/or familiar texts
increase reading rate

at an appropriate rate OTHER

Accuracy: Word Analysis

o Support and reinforce self-corrections of miscues
o Model and support how to take words apart (e.g., onset

o Teach how to use word chunks and analogies to

and rime, syllables) to problem-solve unknown words

o Provide spelling activities and word sorts to help

problem-solve unknown words

student recognize patterns in words

DRA2 K–3 © Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

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