This menu activity is a performance task for use after reading The Van Gogh Café, the middle grades novel by Cynthia Rylant. With the activity, students create a menu for the Van Gogh Café either using their own creativity or by using the template provided. Students will need to include specific menu items directly from the text and then add items of their own choosing. Other elements on the menu will also reflect details from the book. This activity supports reading standards, especially the standards for using ideas and details directly from the text. The Easel version is ready to use with directions and answer boxes. For the complete novel study, with chapter questions, a before-reading activity, and activities for key ideas and details, vocabulary, and making inferences, as well as a follow-up performance task, writing prompts, and a card game for review, see: The Van Gogh Café - Novel Study For novel studies for more great middle grades novels, see the novel studies section of this store. From Classroom in the Middle