homework machine lexile reading level

Author:
Number of Books in Series: 2
Age Group: 8 - 12 years

Homework Machine Book List:

Other Websites for Additional Information: Author Website for Dan Gutman

The Homework Machine

50 pages • 1 hour read

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Introduction-Chapter 2

Chapters 3-4

Chapters 5-6

Chapters 7-8

Chapters 9-10

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Summary and Study Guide

The Homework Machine , written by acclaimed American author Dan Gutman was first published in 2007 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and is the first of a two-book series. The second book, The Return of the Homework Machine , was published in 2011. Gutman is primarily a children’s fiction writer who has been nominated for and won numerous awards, including 18 for The Homework Machine alone. Gutman is best known for his humorous series, My Weird School , in which there are more than 70 books. He lives in New York City with his family.

The paperback edition used for this study guide was published by Simon & Schuster in 2007.

Plot Summary

The Homework Machine is told from the perspectives of multiple characters in the format of tape recordings for a police report.

The four main characters are fifth-grade students who are grouped at the same classroom table because their last names start with D: Sam Dawkins (Snik), Kelsey Donnelly , Judy Douglas , and Brenton Damagatchi . Other than sharing the same last initial, the students have nothing in common. Snik is the cool class smart aleck; Kelsey is laid back and doesn’t care about school; Judy is conscientious and in the gifted program; and Brenton is a loner and genius who designs software and studies psychology in his spare time. Snik pushes people’s buttons, and one day he pushes Brenton too far—implying that Brenton spends all his free time doing homework. Brenton retorts that he doesn’t spend any time doing homework and lets slip that he has invented a homework machine.

Snik calls Brenton a liar, so Brenton invites Snik, Judy, and Kelsey to his house to see for themselves. The group are stunned when Brenton’s machine prints out perfectly completed homework in Brenton’s handwriting. Brenton agrees to let Snik, Judy, and Kelsey join him after school to “do” their homework and even rewrites the software to accommodate their handwriting. The unlikely foursome spends every afternoon together, but they insist that they are not friends and that the only reason they tolerate each other is to use the homework machine, which they name Belch. Judy feels guilty about cheating but enjoys getting A’s and uses the extra time to take up ballet. Kelsey’s vastly improved grades earn her privileges, such as a belly-button piercing, from her mother. As the weeks pass, the D Squad becomes addicted to using Belch and the boundaries between their various social identities begin to blur. Snik shows an interest in “boring” chess, which Brenton plays, and Judy tries to be complimentary about Kelsey’s piercings (while finding them disgusting). Everything seems to be going well. However, things start to rapidly fall apart halfway through the year. Judy and Kelsey’s other friends resent their new associations and “unfriend” them, and their teacher, Miss Rasmussen , suspects that they are cheating.

In addition, a strange man has been stalking the group ever since Brenton designed software to instigate a hugely successful social media-driven “red socks day” that spread across America. Miss Rasmussen springs a surprise test on the class to see whether the D Squad really knows their schoolwork. Sure enough—Kelsey and Snik fail, and Judy gets a C, confirming Miss Rasmussen’s suspicions. Before Miss Rasmussen can report them, Snik’s father, who is in the military, is killed in the Middle East. This tragic event diverts Miss Rasmussen’s attention from the cheating, which seems trivial in comparison. The bond between the D Squad strengthens as the stress of keeping Belch secret increases.

Together they decide to shut Belch down, only to discover that Belch has taken on a life of its own and will not power off. They throw Belch into the Grand Canyon and feel relief as they watch it disappear. However, when backpackers find computer pieces at the bottom of the canyon, the D Squad is called into the sheriff’s office where they confess to everything. The case is closed, but their unlikely friendships continue to strengthen and grow. The stalker turns out to be someone scouting Brenton to offer him a job as an influencer for his company. The company’s clients want to market their products to kids. Brenton simply offers him an idea he would like to influence kids with: “Do your homework” (146).

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Lexile Levels: What Parents Need to Know

Get the facts on your child's reading level, and learn about this important measurement tool..

What Is a Lexile Level?

A popular method used by schools to measure a student reader’s ability is Lexile level or a Lexile Measure. A Lexile measure is a valuable tool for teachers, parents, and students. It serves two unique functions: it is the measure of how difficult a text is OR a student’s reading ability level. The Lexile Framework was developed by MetaMetrics © , an educational assessment and research team, funded originally by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. 

What Does Lexile Score Mean?

A student receives his or her Lexile measure from one of two ways: taking a school-administered SRI (Scholastic Reading Inventory) test , which is specifically designed to measure Lexile or reading ability OR by taking a standardized reading test which converts the reader’s results to a Lexile measure. If a student gets a 550L then he or she is a 550 level Lexile reader. 550L is the measure of his or her readability level. It is important to note it is never called a score! This encourages student achievement. 

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How to Find a Child’s Lexile Level 

The Lexile level will always be shown as a number with an “L” after it — for example 770L = 770 Lexile. The higher the Lexile measure, the higher the student’s reading level. The reader’s Lexile Framework works in intervals of five with 5L being the lowest. The highest possible measure is 2000L. Anything below 5L is assessed as a BR or Beginning Reader.

How to Find the Lexile of a Book

A book’s Lexile measure is analyzed by MetaMetrics © . After a text is assessed, it is given a measure like that of a student’s readability level, 600L for example. In this measure, MetaMetrics © is assessing the text’s difficulty level. A book or magazine at a 500L has a Lexile Level of 500. MetaMetrics © predicts and assesses how difficult a text will be for a reader to comprehend. The two main criteria it tests are word frequency and sentence strength. A text’s Lexile Framework works in increments of 10 with 10L being the lowest. Measures below 10L are classified as BR or Beginning Reader.

Lexile Levels in Practice

The ideal for both reader and text is to match both their assessed Lexile measure. For example a book or magazine with a 770L and a reader assessed at a Lexile level of 770. The reading levels per classroom are wide-ranging and varied. There are many factors that go into matching a student to his or her ideal text. The Lexile Framework is a good place to start in picking the right book at the right Lexile level as it targets areas in need of intervention and encourages achievement across grade levels and curricula.   

How to Find Books on Your Child’s Lexile Level

Lexile levels are scientifically and mathematically assigned based on the difficulty and readability of a book. Once you know your child’s Lexile level, you can search for books that match this level to expand your home library and encourage daily reading practice in your own home. Use the Lexile database to search by Lexile level, title, or subject to find books your child will enjoy and be able to read without becoming discouraged at his or her reading achievement. 

Use the chart below to compare Lexile Levels with other leveled reading systems:

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The Homework Machine

by Dan Gutman (Author)

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The Homework Machine Hardcover – March 1, 2006

• Book 1 of 2 The Homework Machine
• Print length 160 pages
• Language English
• Grade level 3 - 7
• Lexile measure 680L
• Dimensions 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.25 inches
• Publisher Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
• Publication date March 1, 2006
• ISBN-10 0689876785
• ISBN-13 978-0689876783
• See all details

Editorial Reviews

From school library journal, from booklist, about the author, excerpt. © reprinted by permission. all rights reserved., the homework machine, simon & schuster children's publishing.

Continues... Excerpted from The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman Copyright ©2006 by Dan Gutman. Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; Repackage edition (March 1, 2006)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 160 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0689876785
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0689876783
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 8 - 11 years, from customers
• Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 680L
• Grade level ‏ : ‎ 3 - 7
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.8 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.25 inches
• #3,453 in Children's Values Books
• #7,535 in Children's School Issues
• #16,585 in Children's Friendship Books

About the author

I was born in a log cabin in Illinois and used to write by candlelight with a piece of chalk on a shovel. Oh, wait a minute. That was Abraham Lincoln.

Actually, I’m a children's book author. I’ve written more than 170 books for kids from kindergarten up to middle school.

For the little ones, I write picture books like "Rappy the Raptor," about a rapping raptor named Rappy, who raps.

For beginning readers, I write "My Weird School," about some kids who go to a school in which all the grownups are crazy. Thirty-one million copies have been sold. I also write “Wait! WHAT?” a series of biographies that focus on the unusual aspects of people like Albert Einstein, Amelia Earhart, Muhammad Ali, and Teddy Roosevelt.

For middle-graders, I write the baseball card adventure series, about a boy who has the power to travel through time using a baseball card like a time machine. He goes on adventures with players like Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, and others.

For advanced readers, I write "The Genius Files," "Flashback Four,” “Houdini and Me” and others.

If you’d like to find out more, visit my web site (www.dangutman.com), my Facebook fan page, and follow me on Twitter and Instagram @dangutmanbooks.

Customer reviews

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• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 77% 12% 6% 3% 2% 12%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 77% 12% 6% 3% 2% 6%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 77% 12% 6% 3% 2% 3%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 77% 12% 6% 3% 2% 2%

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers find the storyline entertaining, cool, and great. They also say the book style is easy to read, as it's written in short.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the storyline entertaining, fun, and bring happiness to readers. They also say the book has mystery and excitement, and is a great book that kids could relate to. Readers also mention that the book teaches a valuable lesson and has a really great ending.

"...Beyond the central plotline of this fun and thought-provoking story , Dan Gutman has also folded into the mix a whole series of kid-relevant issues..." Read more

"Nice read for my grandson's 5th grade class. The book kept the reader's attention . It was fun and memorable...." Read more

"...He liked the book and found it interesting , but disliked the fact that so many people got away with wrongdoing...." Read more

"I loved the book it was fun and interesting I especially liked the suspense peaple who gave it a one two and three stars review are crazy I liked..." Read more

Customers find the book style easy to read, and set up perfectly for team reading. They also like the format, saying it's written at the police.

"...How cool is that. The book style is easy to read since it is written in short snippets from each of the 4 students involved in this diabolical..." Read more

"Read this with my son. Great and easy read ." Read more

"My sixth graders loved this book! It was a quick read aloud ." Read more

"...This book is set up perfectly for team reading with different characters "titled" above their thoughts.Great book!" Read more

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Lexile Text Analyzer

With the Lexile Text Analyzer tool, paste or type in text to receive a Lexile range. View text characteristics along with challenging words and their definitions.

Lexile Text Analyzer Quick Start Guide

Lexile Text Analyzer Limits

Lexile Text Analyzer Preparation Guidelines

What are Plain Text files and how do I use them?

Plain text (.txt) is a type of digital file that is free of computer tags, special formatting, and code. This is the only file type recognized by the Lexile Text Analyzer.

Convert an electronic file to plain text (.txt) from Microsoft Word on Windows : In a Windows Microsoft Word document, click the Save As button from the File menu. Select Save As Type from the drop-down list then select Plain Text (*.txt) . Click the Save button and a File Conversion window will open. Click the Other Encoding radio button and select US-ASCII from the list of formats to the right. Select Allow Character Substitution . Click the OK button to save the document in plain text format.

Convert an electronic file to plain text (.txt) from Microsoft Word on Macintosh : In a Macintosh Microsoft Word document, click the Save As button from the File menu. Select the Save As Type drop-down list then select Plain Text (*.txt). If the warning box appears, click the Yes button to save the file and disregard the remainder of this procedure. Otherwise, a File Conversion window will open. Select the MS-DOS radio button. Select Allow Character Substitution . Click the OK button to save the document in plain text format.

What special editing guidelines do I need to follow?

In order to have the best estimate of text complexity, there are certain editing guidelines that must be followed:

Ellipses : Remove ellipses in the middle of sentences and make sure they are flush when used as end punctuation.

Example 1 :

Original: The dog was done running… hot, thirsty, and exhausted.

Edited: The dog was done running hot, thirsty, and exhausted.

Original:She thought about it but could she . . .

Edited: She thought about it but could she…

Parentheses : Remove parenthesis that surround complete sentences.

Original: (The conclusion covers all the major points from the argument.)

Edited: The conclusion covers all the major points from the argument.

Em Dashes : Em dashes (—) should be changed to dashes with a space on both sides.

Original: Cats are great—furry, cuddly, playful.

Edited: Cats are great - furry, cuddly, playful.

Symbols : Symbols should be removed ($, %, @, #, * ©, °). Some of these are due to plain text conversion issues while others are due to the Lexile Analyzer not recognizing them.

Original: *Horses are related to hippopotamuses.

Edited: Horses are related to hippopotamuses.

Double Punctuation : Every sentence must end with only one designated punctuation mark (period, question mark, exclamation mark, semicolon, colon). Remove any repetitive marks.

Original: What do you mean!?

Edited: What do you mean?

Original: And when the door closed…?

Edited: And when the door closed…

How can I use the Lexile Text Analyzer to assess the complexity of tests?

Educators may find it helpful to evaluate the reading demand of the assessments they develop for and administer to their students. Getting an estimated Lexile text measure range for the overall assessment can provide insight into whether reading challenges are likely to affect student performance on the assessment. If the reading demands of the assessment are substantially higher than the Lexile measure of the student, a poor performance on the assessment may be due to reading comprehension issues rather than a sign of weak content knowledge.

When measuring reading comprehension tests, all complete sentences in all reading passages should be measured all together as one document. You should not measure sample items, directions, or the test items themselves. Depending on the format of the test item, you may also measure the complete sentences in the items in order to compare their difficulties to that of the reading passage, but do not measure the item text together with the passage text.

How can I use the Lexile Text Analyzer to assess the complexity of web resources?

When measuring text from websites, be sure to remove the non-prose and web page-specific elements. Embedded computer tags, special formatting, and code is often present in web content. The Lexile Text Analyzer cannot recognize many of the elements which can result in a computing error. Be sure to use plain text, txt.files, and remove any odd characters before clicking Analyze.

What are the limits of the Lexile Text Analyzer?

• 500 word limit per measure
• 50 Lexile measure ranges per month
• Store up to 50 measured texts

Why do texts under 650L receive Early Reading Indicator values?

MetaMetrics carried out research to examine the unique properties of early reading texts and how they affect the reading challenge for learners. There are a wide variety of types of early reading texts such as decodable texts, leveled readers and others that often have unique text characteristics. Early reading texts often have easy-to-decode words that become increasingly orthographically complex as texts become more challenging. Texts also incorporate certain types of systematic repetition and patterning that changes as the texts become more challenging. The Lexile Text Analyzer identifies the presence of the various features within text and reports this information as additional Early Reading Indicators to the Lexile measure to help educators, content publishers and researchers better understand what characteristics are making a text more or less complex.

What types of texts are appropriate for measurement?

The primary objective for measuring text using the Lexile Text Analyzer is to preserve complete sentences in the text while removing all incomplete sentence content. Because The Lexile® Framework for Reading was built upon the measurement of professionally edited, complete, conventional prose text, the Lexile Analyzer will return an inaccurate Lexile measure for other kinds of text. The lists below show which categories of text should and should not be measured using the Lexile Analyzer.

• Newspaper, Magazine, Journal, and Web Articles
• Short Stories
• Student Writing
• Multiple Choice Test Items
• Fill In The Blank Test Items
• Plays/Dramas
• Recipe Lists
• Song Lyrics
• Instant Messages/"Texting" Language

There are a few exceptions to this list. For example, narrative poetry that is conventionally punctuated may be measured with the Lexile Text Analyzer. Text written in rhyme does not necessarily qualify as poetry and may still be measured. Texts that are appropriate for use with the Lexile Text Analyzer will still require text editing.