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The Art Doctor Who Cleans a Painting

3rd grade nonfiction passage about art conservator: 152 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.

3rd grade nonfiction art conservator 152 words

The Art Doctor Who Cleans a Painting

A painting can be hundreds of years old. Over time, dust and dirt can settle on it. The paint may flake. A conservator is a person who cares for old art, like a doctor for paintings.

Her first rule is to do as little harm as possible. So she does not rush. She looks at the painting closely, and she takes photos before she starts.

To clean it, she uses a tiny cotton swab. She tests a very small spot first, in a corner. If the paint stays safe, she keeps going, one small patch at a time.

If a bit of paint is lifting, she glues it down with great care. She writes notes about every step she takes. Then a future conservator can read them.

Her goal is not to make the painting look new. It is to keep it healthy, so people can enjoy it for many more years.

Questions

  1. What is a conservator? in the text

  2. What does she do before she starts cleaning? in the text

  3. What does she use to clean the painting? in the text

  4. Where does she test the cleaning first? in the text

  5. Why does she test a small spot first? think about it

  6. Why does she write notes about each step? think about it

Words to know

conservator
a person who cares for and protects old art
flake
to break off in thin little pieces
swab
a small stick with cotton on the end
healthy
in good shape and not harmed
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One passage, three levels

The same topic and facts written three ways, so a mixed class can read and talk about one text. Each group’s sheet shows only a shape; the key says which is which.

● Easier · 140 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.4

A painting can be very old. Dust and dirt can settle on it. The paint may flake. A conservator cares for old art. She is like a doctor for paintings.

Her first rule is to do the least harm. So she does not rush. She looks at the painting up close. She takes photos before she starts.

To clean it, she uses a tiny cotton swab. She tests a very small spot first, in a corner. If the paint stays safe, she goes on. She cleans one small patch at a time.

If a bit of paint is lifting, she glues it down with care. She writes notes about each step. A future conservator can read them.

She does not try to make the painting look new. She wants to keep it healthy. Then people can enjoy it for years.

▲ This passage · 152 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.1

A painting can be hundreds of years old. Over time, dust and dirt can settle on it. The paint may flake. A conservator is a person who cares for old art, like a doctor for paintings.

Her first rule is to do as little harm as possible. So she does not rush. She looks at the painting closely, and she takes photos before she starts.

To clean it, she uses a tiny cotton swab. She tests a very small spot first, in a corner. If the paint stays safe, she keeps going, one small patch at a time.

If a bit of paint is lifting, she glues it down with great care. She writes notes about every step she takes. Then a future conservator can read them.

Her goal is not to make the painting look new. It is to keep it healthy, so people can enjoy it for many more years.

■ Harder · 168 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.9

A painting may be hundreds of years old, and over that time dust and dirt can settle on its surface while the paint begins to flake. A conservator is a specialist who cares for old art, much as a doctor cares for patients.

Her first principle is to cause as little harm as possible, so she never rushes. She examines the painting closely and photographs it before she begins any work.

To clean it, she uses a tiny cotton swab. She tests a very small spot first, usually in a corner. If the paint remains safe, she continues, cleaning one small patch at a time.

Whenever a bit of paint is lifting away, she carefully glues it back down. She also writes detailed notes about every step she takes, so that a future conservator will be able to read them.

Her goal is not to make the painting look brand new. It is to keep the painting healthy, so that people can enjoy it for many more years.

Download as one PDF

How to use it

  1. Press Read it big (or B) to put the text on the projector, or Full screen (F) to fill the whole screen.
  2. Ask the questions one at a time and use Show answer when the class has decided. A shows or hides every answer.
  3. Print student copy for the class, or Print with answers for yourself.

Ideas for class

  • Before reading, put conservator, flake, swab and healthy on the board with their meanings from the Words to know section and have students predict what the text will be about.
  • Read it aloud once while students follow along, then have them reread it alone or with a partner. At a calm 100 words a minute it takes about 2 minutes to read aloud.
  • Use the Read it big button (or B) to put the text on the projector, and Show answer on one question at a time so the class commits to an answer first.
  • Question 5 asks the reader to infer. Ask students to point to the words in the passage that led them to their answer.
  • Ask students to write one question the passage did not answer, then look for the answer in a book or on a classroom screen.
  • Print the student copy for independent work and keep the answer-key copy for yourself.

Related

Questions

What reading level is "The Art Doctor Who Cleans a Painting"?

It was written for 3rd grade. It has 152 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 3.1. That is a formula's estimate from sentence length and syllables, and it is not a Lexile or a guided reading level, so check it against your students.

What do the questions ask?

There are six. 4 ask for something the text says directly and 2 ask the reader to work something out from clues. Each has an answer in the key, and the answers are written as a teacher would accept them, not as the only possible wording.

How long does it take to read?

About 2 minutes read aloud at 100 words a minute. For a one-minute fluency check, paste it into the fluency timer and use the word count.

Can I print it?

Yes. Print student copy gives the passage, the questions with lines to write on, and the word meanings. Print with answers gives the same page with the answers filled in. Both are made in your browser.

Is this passage from a published book?

No. It was written for Peabody Teach, so there is no book to buy and no login to read it.

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