A Row of of

Realistic
Fiction
A Row
of Lamps
by Paul Mason
illustrated by Caroline Hu
PAIRED
Diwali
READ
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Program: CR 14 Component: LR G3 U1 W2 O
Vendor: Learning Media Level: 28 PDF
STRATEGIES & SKILLS
Comprehension Vocabulary
Strategy: Visualize celebrate, courage,
Skill: Sequence disappointment, precious,
pride, remind, symbol,
Vocabulary Strategy tradition
Sentence Clues
Content Standard
Social Studies
Culture
Word count: 893**
**The total word count is based on words in the running text and headings only. Numerals and words
in captions, labels, diagrams, charts, and sidebars are not included.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by
any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of The
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., including, but not limited to, network storage or transmission, or
broadcast for distance learning.
Send all inquiries to:

McGraw-Hill Education
Two Penn Plaza
New York, New York 10121
ISBN: 978-0-02-118965-6
MHID: 0-02-118965-X
Printed in the United States.
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A
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Genre Realistic Fiction
Essential Question
What can traditions teach you about
cultures?
A Row
of Lamps
by Paul Mason • illustrated by Caroline Hu
Chapter 1
Something Special . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Chapter 2
Light and Dark. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Chapter 3
An Invitation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Chapter 4
Looking at the Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Respond to Reading. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
PAIRED
READ Diwali . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Focus on Social Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
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Chapter 1
Something Special
It was art—my favorite class of the week.
Mrs. Jones had asked us to draw something
that was really precious to us. I guessed she
meant something that was special. I wanted
to ask her what she meant but I didn’t
say anything. I’d only been at school for a
few weeks. Being the new kid in class can
be difficult. I just put my head down and
started drawing.
Mia, the girl sitting next to me, leaned
over and stared at the pattern I was
drawing. “That’s a cool design, Anjali,”
she said. “I’ve never seen anything like
that before.”
I smiled and nodded, but didn’t say

anything.
“I really like the bright colors and the

shapes,” said Mia.
“Thanks,” I said quietly. “It’s called
Rangoli. It’s a symbol we draw to
celebrate Diwali.”
“Di-what-i?” Mia asked.
I smiled. “Diwali. It’s a festival that

happens every year. There are lots of pretty
lights and fireworks and good food—plenty
of desserts. We always have a party.”
“That sounds like fun,” Mia laughed.
“I like those kinds of parties.” She went back
to her drawing.
I thought about inviting her over to our

house to celebrate the Diwali festival with us.
I didn’t have any friends in school, and Mia
was being kind. But maybe she’d find our
Diwali tradition strange, so I didn’t ask.
Chapter 2
Light and Dark

“Dad, would it be OK if I invited Mia over
for Diwali?” I asked that night.
“Of course,” he said. He was busy getting

our Diwali lamps and lanterns ready.
I couldn’t wait for them to be lit up for
the festival.
“But she might think it’s strange. She

doesn’t know anything about Diwali,” I said.
Dad stopped what he was doing. “Why do

you think we put all these lamps out?”
“To light up the house?” I asked.
Dad smiled. “You’re right, it’s so that

light can beat the dark. But in our culture
they’re also there to remind us that learning
new things is a bit like ‘seeing the light.’
We believe it brings good luck. Diwali is
something everyone can celebrate.”
6
7
I thought about what Dad said. “So
teaching Mia about Diwali would be
a good thing?”
“That’s right,” he said, smiling. “Now the

entrance needs to be decorated.”
Chapter 3
An Invitation
The next day at school, I still wasn’t sure
whether to invite Mia. I wanted to go and
talk to her at recess, but she was hanging
out with a bunch of her friends. I didn’t
have the courage to ask her in case they
all laughed.
So I stayed by myself and ate my snack.

Maybe it was better that way.
Later Mia came up to me. “Anjali, I
looked up Diwali on the Internet. It means
‘row of lamps’ right?”
I was surprised. “Yes, we put up lights

all around our house. The best part is that
Diwali lasts for five days.”
10
“Five whole days?” Mia shook her head.
“No way! How come my family doesn’t do
something like that?”
“You could come over if you like.” I was

worried she might say no. I didn’t want to
face disappointment.
But Mia smiled. “Really? I’d love to. But

are you sure?”
11
I nodded quickly. “Sure, Dad said I could
invite you over for the main celebration
tomorrow night. It’ll be fun.”
“Great! I’ll ask Mom when I get home.

There’ll be lots of desserts, right?”
“Of course!” I said laughing.

12
Chapter 4
Looking at the Lights

The next night our house looked beautiful.
The lamps on the driveway were golden
and glowing. There were lanterns hung
everywhere and lights around the windows
and doors. The house shone in the dark
night. I had made a Rangoli by the front
door to welcome everyone.
13
I kept looking out of the window, waiting
for Mia to arrive.
Finally, Mia and her dad walked up the

driveway. She ran to greet me. “Happy
Diwali,” she said.
“You must be Anjali,” Mia’s dad said.

“We’ve heard all about you.” I blushed.
“Wow,” he said. “Those decorations are
beautiful.”
14
We chatted as we walked up to the house.
Mia showed her dad the Rangoli I had
drawn. I listened with pride as she explained
to him what she had learned about Diwali.
I had to smile. Dad was right. Because

of me, Mia had learned something new.
I had also made a friend. All thanks
to Diwali.
15
Summarize Character
Setting
Summarize A Row of Lamps. Beginning
Use your graphic organizer Middle

to help you.
End
Text Evidence
1. How can you tell that this story
is realistic fiction? Which parts are
probably true, and which parts are
not? Genre
2. What happens when Anjali first
meets Mia? Sequence
3. What does festival on page
4 mean? Use the clues in the
sentence to help you. Sentence Clues
4. Read chapter 3. Write about what
happens during recess. Retell the
events in order. Write About Reading
16
Genre Expository Text
Compare Texts
Read about the tradition of Diwali.
Diwali
The festival of Diwali started in India,
but today it is celebrated by people
around the world. The festival is in the
fall and it lasts for up to five days.
Brijesh Singh/Reuters/CORBIS
Lights are an important part of the

holiday. In some parts of India, people
float small lamps on the rivers. At
night, thousands of small lights
drift along the water. In other
places, people hang colorful
lamps around their homes.
17
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Rangoli are drawn, or made from things
such as rice, beans, or sand.
Rangoli are another traditional part

of Diwali. The patterns are placed in
doorways to welcome people. Creating
a Rangoli takes time. First, an outline is
drawn in rice flour or sand. Then the
shape is filled in using colorful sand or
spices. Some Rangoli show animals or
plants. Others are repeating patterns.
India Picture/CORBIS
18
Diwali is a time of fun for everyone.
People buy new clothes to wear. They
like to give presents to show that they
care for one another. There are parties
with snacks and desserts.
Laddus are dough balls flavored

with almonds.
Make Connections
What traditions are part of the Diwali
PhotosIndia.com LLC/Alamy
festival? Essential Question

How did this article help you
understand Anjali’s culture? Text To Text
19
Purpose To understand the place
of traditions in a culture
Procedure
Step 1 Research Diwali traditions in one
region of India.
Step 2 Write a paragraph about the

traditions you learned about.
Step 3 Share what you learned with

others in the class.
Step 4 Discuss how the Diwali traditions

are similar and how they are
different in the regions you each
researched.
20
Literature Circles
Fiction
Setting
Where did A Row of Lamps take place?
When did it take place?
Sequence of Events
What happened in A Row of Lamps?
What happened first, then, next, and
finally?
Plot
What was the problem for Anjali
at the beginning of the story?
What happened to make a change?
What was the solution?
Conclusions
What is the theme or message of
A Row of Lamps?
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Traditions
GR M • Benchmark 28 • Lexile [t/k]
Grade 3 • Unit 1 Week 2
www.mheonline.com
ISBN-13 978-0-02-118965-6
MHID 0-02-118965-X
99701
EAN
9 780021 189656
3
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Realistic

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Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Send all inquiries to:

Printed in the United States.

IFCIBC_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 2 27/01/12 2:06 PM

001_009_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 1 7/02/12 9:59 AM

001_009_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 2 7/02/12 9:59 AM

I smiled and nodded, but didn’t say

“I really like the bright colors and the

001_009_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 3 7/02/12 9:59 AM

“Di-what-i?” Mia asked.

I smiled. “Diwali. It’s a festival that

001_009_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 4 7/02/12 9:59 AM

I thought about inviting her over to our

001_009_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 5 7/02/12 9:59 AM

Light and Dark

“Of course,” he said. He was busy getting

“But she might think it’s strange. She

Dad stopped what he was doing. “Why do

“To light up the house?” I asked.

Dad smiled. “You’re right, it’s so that

001_009_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 6 7/02/12 9:59 AM

001_009_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 7 7/02/12 9:59 AM

“That’s right,” he said, smiling. “Now the

001_009_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 8 7/02/12 9:59 AM

So I stayed by myself and ate my snack.

001_009_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 9 7/02/12 9:59 AM

I was surprised. “Yes, we put up lights

010_016_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 10 7/02/12 10:05 AM

“You could come over if you like.” I was

But Mia smiled. “Really? I’d love to. But

010_016_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 11 7/02/12 10:05 AM

“Great! I’ll ask Mom when I get home.

“Of course!” I said laughing.

010_016_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 12 7/02/12 10:05 AM

Looking at the Lights

010_016_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 13 7/02/12 10:05 AM

Finally, Mia and her dad walked up the

“You must be Anjali,” Mia’s dad said.

010_016_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 14 7/02/12 10:05 AM

I had to smile. Dad was right. Because

010_016_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 15 7/02/12 10:05 AM

Summarize A Row of Lamps. Beginning

Use your graphic organizer Middle

010_016_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 16 7/02/12 10:05 AM

Lights are an important part of the

017_020_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 17 27/01/12 2:02 PM

Rangoli are another traditional part

017_020_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 18 27/01/12 2:02 PM

Laddus are dough balls flavored

festival? Essential Question

017_020_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 19 27/01/12 2:02 PM

Step 2 Write a paragraph about the

Step 3 Share what you learned with

Step 4 Discuss how the Diwali traditions

017_020_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 20 27/01/12 2:02 PM

IFCIBC_CR14_LR_G3_U1W2L28_O_118965.indd 3 27/01/12 2:06 PM

GR M • Benchmark 28 • Lexile [t/k]

Grade 3 • Unit 1 Week 2

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