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Number of Words: 962
Characteristics of the Text Genre • Realistic fi ction
Text Structure • Organized chronologically• Problem presented on fi rst page
Content • Art show at school • Sculpture made from school litter
Themes and Ideas • Discussion about what art is and how art can make viewers think• School litter can be turned into art.• Creativity is rewarded.• It can take courage to take risks.
Language and Literary Features
• Conversational language • Third person narrator
Sentence Complexity • Split dialogue• Direct speech – What fun! – implied but no quotation marks• Compound and complex sentences with phrases: Today Mrs. Reynolds told the class that
they were going to have an art show.Vocabulary • Many art terms, some of which might not be familiar: mobile, globs( of paint), grainy,
fi gure, construction paperWords Many challenging multisyllable words such as presentation, remember, impressive
Illustrations • Realistic illustrations of a classroom• Illustrations support the text, especially the surprise ending.
Book and Print Features • Twelve pages of text, illustrations on every page • Colorful border reinforces the art theme.
Fountas-Pinnell Level NRealistic Fiction Selection SummaryDarlene is excited about the class art show, but she isn’t quite sure what her project will be. Once she fi nally decides on a plan, Darlene keeps her idea a secret. At the show, Darlene unveils her piece of art made from litter picked up around her school. Darlene is awarded a prize for the most thoughtful piece of art at the show.
certifi cate – an offi cial piece of paper that is given for an achievement, p. 7
charts – forms that show information, p. 11
creative – able to imagine new ideas, p. 14
educational – an object or experience that teaches you something, p. 5
erupt – burst suddenly, p. 4
impressive – done with great skill, p. 10
presentation – a description or performance, p. 7
report – n. a written or spoken account of something, p. 3
Target Vocabulary
Darlene and the Art Show by Margaret Gallo
Build BackgroundHelp students think about what art is and the kinds of art projects they enjoy doing at school. Build interest by asking questions such as the following: What do you think art is? What kinds of art projects do you enjoy doing? Read the title and author and talk about the cover illustration. Tell students that this story is realistic fi ction, so the characters are going to act like real people.
Introduce the TextGuide students through the text, noting important ideas, and helping with unfamiliar language and vocabulary so they can read the text successfully. Here are some suggestions:
Page 3: Explain that this is a story about a girl named Darlene. Her class is going to have an art show and she has to decide what to do for her art project.Suggested language: Turn to page 3 of this book. Here is a picture of Darlene and her father. Her father is driving Darlene home from school. Read the fi rst sentence: Darlene started talking as soon as her father picked her up from school. What do you think she is talking about?
Page 4: The next day at school, the class was ready to erupt in excitement about the big art show. What does this sentence tell you about the students’ feelings about the art show?
Page 5: Draw attention to the question Mrs. Reynolds has written on the chalkboard: What is art? What do you think art is? Do you think art should make us think, or is it just some pretty for us to look at?
Page 7: Point out the highlighted word in the caption: presentation. Draw attention to the illustration on the page. In this picture, Darlene is about to make a presentation. What is she going to do?
Page 8: Let’s look at Darlene’s piece of art in this picture . What do you think it is? What things can you see in it? Why do you think Darlene made her piece of art out of these things? If you were one of her classmates, what would you say to Darlene about her piece of art?
Now turn back to the beginning of the story and read to fi nd out what happens at the art show.
ReadHave students read Darlene and the Art Show silently while you listen to individual students read. Support their problem solving and fl uency as needed.
Remind students to use the Visualize Strategy from the last page of the book and use story details to picture what is happening as they read.
Discuss and Revisit the TextPersonal ResponseInvite students to share their personal responses to the book.Suggested language: How do you think Darlene felt after she was given the prize? Why do you think that?
Ways of ThinkingAs you discuss the text, help students understand these points:
Thinking Within the Text Thinking Beyond the Text Thinking About the Text
• Darlene has to decide what to do for an art project.
• She makes a piece of art out of trash she picked up at the school.
• She wants her piece of art to make others think about littering.
• At the art show, she is awarded a prize for making the most thoughtful piece of art.
• Art can make people think about how to make the world better.
• It takes courage to take risks.
• The dialogue in the story sounds very realistic, the way children really sound.
• The ending is a surprise because Darlene is given a special prize.
• The author’s attitude is that art can take many forms and it should make viewers think.
Choices for Further Support• Fluency Invite students to choose a passage from the text to act out. Remind them to
pay attention to the punctuation of the split dialogue and to say the conversations as if the characters were really speaking.
• Comprehension Based on your observations of the students’ reading and discussion, revisit parts of the text to clarify or extend comprehension. Remind students to go back to the text to support their ideas.
• Phonics/Word Work Provide practice as needed with words and word parts, using examples from the text. Remind students that contractions used in a dialogue can make the conversation sound true to life. For example, when Darlene is asked about her art project, she always responds, “I’m not sure yet.” Have students make a list of the contractions used in the dialogue in the story.
Writing about ReadingCritical ThinkingHave students complete the Critical Thinking questions on BLM 12.8.
RespondingHave students complete the activities at the back of the book. Use the instruction below as needed to reinforce or extend understanding of the comprehension skill.
Target Comprehension SkillStory Structure
Target Comprehension Skill Remind students that they can think about a story
character or a problem faced by the character by looking at what happens in the story. Model the skill, using this Think Aloud:
Think Aloud
Darlene has a problem. She is not sure what to do for the class art show. How does she solve her problem? Darlene decides to make a piece of art out of the trash she fi nds around her school. Darlene’s solution to her problem makes for an exciting ending to the book!
Practice the SkillHave students write two sentences telling what they learned about Darlene from what she does in the story.
Writing Prompt: Thinking Beyond the TextHave students write a response to the prompt on page 6. Remind them that when they think beyond the text, they use their personal knowledge to reach new understandings.
Assessment Prompts• In paragraph 2 on page 7, fi nd the word that means almost the same as looked.
• Tell one word that best describes Darlene.
• On page 10, what is the fi rst paragraph mainly about?
English Language DevelopmentReading Support Give English learners a “preview” of the text by holding a brief small-group discussion with them before reading the text with the entire group.
Idioms/Cognates Explain the meaning of the term pile of junk (page 8) and talk about what role this phrase plays in the story. Also, you can mention the Spanish cognates for the following target vocabulary words: report/ reporte; presentation/ presentación; erupt/ erupcionar; educational/ educacional; certifi cate/ certifi cado; impressive/ impresionante; examined/ examinó.
Oral Language DevelopmentCheck student comprehension, using a dialogue that best matches your students’ English profi ciency level. Speaker 1 is the teacher, Speaker 2 is the student.
Beginning/Early Intermediate Intermediate Early Advanced/Advanced
Speaker 1: What is the girl’s name in the story?
Speaker 2: Darlene
Speaker 1: Where does the story take place?
Speaker 2: at her school
Speaker 1: What does Darlene have to do?
Speaker 2: make an art project
Speaker 1: What is Darlene’s art project?
Speaker 2: It is a piece of art made from trash she picked up at school.
Speaker 1: What happens when Darlene shows her piece of art at the show?
Speaker 2: Some children point at it or laugh about it.
Speaker 1: Why does Darlene win a prize at the art show?
Speaker 2: She wins a prize for making the most thoughtful piece of art at the show.
Critical ThinkingRead and answer the questions.
1. Think within the text What does Darlene want to be
when she grows up?
Possible response: She wants to be an artist.
2. Think within the text What does Wendy Lubner think
about Darlene’s art project? How do you know?
Possible response: Wendy thinks Darlene’s art project is silly. She laughs when
she sees it.
3. Think beyond the text Do you think Darlene will
become a great artist when she grows up? Why or
why not?
Responses will vary.
4. Think about the text Do you agree with Mrs. Reynolds
that Darlene’s art project is the most creative and
thoughtful one? Explain.
Responses will vary.
Making Connections In Darlene and the Art Show, Darlene learns that art is everywhere. Think of your school or neighborhood. What kind of artwork could you make from things you find there.
Write a paragraph answering the following questions:
On the last page of the story, Darlene gets a prize for making the most thoughtful piece of art in the show. Why do you think she was given this prize? Do you think she deserved it? Why or why not? Use details from the story to support your opinion.
1. Think within the text What does Darlene want to be
when she grows up?
2. Think within the text What does Wendy Lubner think
about Darlene’s art project? How do you know?
3. Think beyond the text Do you think Darlene will
become a great artist when she grows up? Why or
why not?
4. Think about the text Do you agree with Mrs. Reynolds
that Darlene’s art project is the most creative and
thoughtful one? Explain.
Making Connections In Darlene and the Art Show, Darlene learns that art is everywhere. Think of your school or neighborhood. What kind of artwork could you make from things you find there.
