The Secret Garden

By

Frances Hodgson Burnett

A Novel Study
by Nat Reed
 The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett

Table of Contents

Suggestions and Expectations 3

List of Skills 4

Synopsis / Author Biography 5

Student Checklist 6

Reproducible Student Booklet 7

Answer Key 76

About the author: Nat Reed was a member of the teaching profession for more than 35
years. He was a full-time instructor at Trent University in the Teacher Education Program
for nine years. For more information on his work and literature, visit novelstudies.org.

Copyright © 2013 Nat Reed

Revisions Completed in 2021
All rights reserved by author.
Permission to copy for single classroom use only.
Electronic distribution limited to single classroom use only.
Not for public display.

2
 The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett

Suggestions and Expectations

This curriculum unit can be used in a variety of ways. Most chapters of the novel study
focus on two chapters of The Secret Garden and are comprised of four different sections:

• Before You Read

• Vocabulary Building
• Comprehension Questions
• Language and Extension Activities

A portfolio cover (p.7) as well as a Checklist (p.6) are included so that students may track of
their completed work.

Every activity need not be completed by all students.

Links with the Common Core Standards (U.S.)

Many of the activities included in this curriculum unit are supported by the Common Core
Standards. For instance the Reading Standards for Literature, Grade 5, makes reference to

a) determining the meaning of words and phrases. . . including figurative language;

b) explaining how a series of chapters fits together to provide the overall structure;
c) compare and contrast two characters;
d) determine how characters … respond to challenges;
e) drawing inferences from the text;
f) determining a theme of a story . . . and many others.

Themes which may be taught in conjunction with the novel include the Yorkshire Moors;
importance of friendship; perseverance; magic; positive thinking; finding beauty in the midst
of ugliness; self-acceptance; family and family responsibilities; the power of love.

3
 The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett

List of Skills

Vocabulary Development

1. Locating descriptive words/phrases 9. Use of singular/plural nouns

2. Listing synonyms & antonyms 10. Using content clues: analogies
3. Identifying/creating onomatopoeia 11. Identifying parts of speech
4. Use of capitals and punctuation 12. Determining alphabetical order
5. Identifying syllables 13. Identification of root words
6. Listing compound words 14. Identifying / creating alliteration
7. Identifying/creating similes 15. Identifying anagrams
8. Identifying/creating personification 16. Identifying sarcasm

Setting Activities

1. Summarize the details of a setting

Plot Activities

1. Complete a 5 W's Chart 5. Write a synopsis

2. Identify conflict in the story 6. Predict an outcome
3. Identify cliffhanger 7. Complete a Sequence Chart
4. Identify the climax of a novel 8. Identify foreshadowing

Character Activities

1. Determine character traits 3. Relating personal experiences

2. Meeting a challenge concepts 4. Compare two characters

Creative and Critical Thinking

1. Research 5. Conduct an interview

2. Write a newspaper article 6. Create a journal entry
3. Write a letter to a friend 7. Write a Book Review
4. Complete an Observation Chart 8. Create Found Poetry

Art Activities

1. Design a cover for the novel 3. Create a Storyboard.

2. Draw a picture of a flower 4. Create a collector's card

4
 The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett

Synopsis
When orphaned Mary Lennox comes to live at her uncle's great house on the Yorkshire
Moors, she finds it full of mysterious secrets. There are nearly one hundred rooms, most of
which are locked, and the house is filled with creepy old portraits and suits of armor. Mary
rarely sees her uncle, and perhaps most unsettling of all is that at night she hears the sound
of someone crying down one of the long corridors.

The gardens surrounding the odd property are Mary's escape and she explores every inch
of them - all except for the mysterious walled-in, locked garden. Then one day Mary
discovers a key. Could it open the door to the garden? (The Publisher)

Author Biography
Frances Hodgson Burnett

Born in Manchester, England on November 24 1849, Frances

Eliza Hodgson was the eldest daughter in a family of two boys
and three girls. As a young girl, she would scrawl little stories
on sheets of old notebooks, as she was unable to afford proper
writing materials. In 1865 the family moved to Tennessee
where they lived in a log cabin and the teenage Frances set
up a little school. She began submitting stories to women's
magazines and soon became quite a successful writer. In
1873 she married Dr. Swan Burnett and they had two sons --
Lionel, born 1874, and Vivian, born 1876 -- but the marriage
was not a happy one. Her younger son, Vivian, clamored for
something to read, so Frances wrote "Little Lord Fauntleroy"
and modeled the main character after him. In 1890 tragedy struck when her eldest son,
Lionel, died of influenza. Frances and Swan separated and finally divorced in 1898, and
she went on to remarry Stephen Townshend. Frances moved to Long Island, New York
in 1901 and there began to write her two most famous stories -- "A Little Princess" and
"The Secret Garden", inspired by her poor childhood and her love for gardening.
Frances Hodgson Burnett died on 29 October 1924. [http://www.imdb.com]

5
 The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett

Student Checklist

Student Name

Assignment Grade / Level Comments

6
 The Secret Garden

By Frances Hodgson Burnett

Name:

7
 The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett

Chapters 1-2

Before you read the chapter:

Every good novel needs an interesting protagonist (the novel's main character). In Chapter
One we meet a character that you will probably instinctively dislike. Why is it unusual for an
author to create a protagonist who is not likeable? What might be the danger of doing this?
How might it be a good idea?

Vocabulary:
Match each word with its definition by drawing a line to the answers.

1. passion a. a one-story home

2. fretful b. obvious
3. appalling c. ruin
4. bungalow d. impudent
5. implore e. meaning
6. desolation f. causing dismay or horror
7. affectionate g. a gown or dress
8. contrary h. strong feeling
9. intention i. fond of
10. frocks j. frustrate
11. discomfit k. irritable
12. apparent l. beseech

8
 Questions

1. Describe the setting of Chapter One..

2. Think of four appropriate words to describe the personality of Mary Lennox.

3. How effective do you think Mary's parents were at raising her? Support your answer
with examples from Chapter One.

4. Why hadn't Mrs. Lennox gone to the hills two weeks previously? What was the
result? What does this tell the reader about her?

5. Why had Mary been completely forgotten and abandoned for a time?

6. Mary's nurse had been called Missie _______________________.

7. What made Mary's stay with the family of the English clergyman difficult?

9
8. What upsetting pieces of news did Basil tell Mary about where she was going to live
and with whom?

9. Her uncle's name was _______________________________.

10. Describe the personality of Mrs. Medlock.

11. What did Mrs. Medlock tell Mary about her uncle's past that intrigued Mary? Why do
you think she found this so interesting?

10
 Language Activities

A. India
Europe is merely powerful; India is beautiful. (Savitri Devi)

The Secret Garden opens in the country of India. At the time that the
events of this novel took place there were several thousand people from
the United Kingdom living in India, which was part of the British
Commonwealth of Nations.

What do you know about this fascinating country?

Using resources in your school library or on the Internet, research at least a half-dozen
interesting facts about India. This might pertain to its natural resources; important
occupations of its people; animal life native to the area; culture; food; recreation; etc.

11
B. The author seems to enjoy using alliteration – a literary device where
the author repeats the same consonant sound at the beginning of several
words in close succession (especially words beginning with the letter s).
An example from Chapter Two is: “'Humph,' muttered Mrs. Medlock”.
Using your imagination, create your own examples of alliteration from
the following topics. Each example must contain at least three words.

The squabble of
two raccoons

The chirp of a robin

Your own topic

C. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

One of the most revered individuals ever to hail from India was
Gandhi. Do a further investigation of this important figure and
briefly describe below what he accomplished for the people of
India, and also the mistakes he made as a public figure.

12
D. 5 Ws and an H.
Choose an event from this section that you thought was really important and/or exciting.
Using facts that you gleaned from reading about this event, fill in the balloons below,
summarizing what you learned.

WHO? WHAT?

WHERE?
WHEN?

HOW?
WHY?

13
E. Tell (and Draw) it Like it Is
Use the three boxes to tell and show the beginning, middle and ending of these chapters.

Beginning Picture Beginning:

Middle Picture Middle:

Ending Picture Conclusion:

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 The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett
Chapters 3 - 4

Before you read the chapter:

Mary proves to be a most difficult person to get along with. Not only is she cranky and
critical but she shows a streak of cruelty as well. If you had to spend time with Mary, what
would you do in order to be able to live in some kind of harmony with this disagreeable girl?

Vocabulary:
Many of the following words are from Chapter 3-4. Use the words in the box to complete
the following crossword puzzle.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11

12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19

20

21 22 23 24

25 26

27 28 29 30 31

32 33 34 35

36 37 38

39 40 41 42

43 44 45

46 47

48 49

15
 Down Across
1. More desolate. 3. Proud; snobbish.
2. Additional. 8. A tract of open, peaty wasteland.
3. Something Santa enjoys saying. 10. Mary's surname.
4. A chopping instrument. 11. A musical symbol.
5. A joke. 12. The country to which Mary journeyed.
6. ___ stopped at Thwaite Station. 15. Plain-spoken maid.
7. A desire or craving. 17. An antiseptic.
8. A frame of mind. 20. A bite to eat.
9. Part of a cook stove. 21. Formally or elaborately polite.
13 Not any; never. 23. A state in the USA.
14. Martha's brother. 25. He didn't walk.
16. In a short time; soon. 26. Opposite of girl.
18. Very well. 28 Pale.
19. Something put forth in any form. 29. Not off.
20. A girl's name. 30. ___, there and everywhere.
22. The novel's protagonist. 32. Martha's brother tamed this animal.
24. To part with money. 33. _ 109 - a boat driven by JFK.
26. Type of head covering. 35. A prefix meaning "within".
27. A spiny shrub. 37. Leaned.
28. Insect. 39. Obedient; dutiful.
31. Full of weeds. 42. A type of tree.
34. Donations. 43. Says.
36. A mode of transportation. 44. An instrument put into a horse's mouth.
38. Person often employed in an office. 47. Something to say when you need
40. Stop. something repeated.
41. Remain. 48. A train ____.
45. An article. 49. An English county.
46. Hubert Humphrey.

ANON SUZY BONNET HERE ON KANSAS

YORKSHIRE SPEND RAN STATION BUS BIT
NARIEST GORSE BOY OKAY DICKON HAUGHTY
ISSUE STATES STAY ALMS ASHY MARY
QUIT LENNOX YEN BLEAKER MOOR THE
INCLINED SNACK EH OVEN EN TRAINS
CEREMONIOUS AXE ANOTHER PT MARTHA APHID
IODINE HO ELM PONY HH OBSEQUIOUS
REEDIER MOOD ENGLAND RE GAG CLERK

16
 Questions

1. It is sometimes difficult to understand what the Yorkshire characters of the novel

are saying due to their accent. Write each expressions below in your own words.

I see tha's got back

It's none bare. It's covered wi

growin' things as smell sweet.

Canna' tha' dress thysen!

2. Mr. Pitcher tells Mrs. Medlock upon her arrival that Mary's uncle does not want to
see his niece: make sure that . . . he doesn't see what he doesn't want to see. Why do
you think he didn't want to see Mary?

3. Describe something of Martha's background, personality and character.

4. Why was it probably to Mary's benefit that Martha wasn't better trained at being
a young lady's maid?

5. Why did Ben Weatherstaff think that he and Mary were quite alike in personality?

6. What was it that made Mary see Ben in a different light? Why do you think this
affected him so much for the good?

17
 Language Activities

A. The Simile.
Frances Hodgson Burnett is an author who enjoys using literary devices.
One example that we see on more than one occasion is the simile (a
comparison between two things using the words like or as). Here is such an
instance from Chapter 4: "They're as hungry as young hawks an' faxes. "

a) List the items being compared:

Create your own similes from the following suggestions:

b) the chuckle of a old man

c) a wild ride on a Ferris wheel

B. Place the following words from these chapters in alphabetical order.

stations 1.
splashing 2.
station 3.
suddenly 4.
sigh 5.
tea 6.
small 7.
servile 8.
servant 9.
sturdy 10.

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C. Quintet
Unlike quintuplet (a set of five children born to the same mother at one birth), a quintet is a
five-line verse that tells a story. The quintet has a syllable pattern and has the wonderful
ability of bringing a visual image to life for the reader.

Here is the structure of the quintet:

A Creative Title

Line 1 – tells when ~ and has 3 syllables

Line 2 – tells where ~ and has 5 syllables
Line 3 – tells what ~ and has 7 syllables
Line 4 – describes activity ~ and has 9 syllables
Line 5 – contains a relevant thought ~ and has 3 syllables

An Example!
Here is an example of a Quintet take from the poem, Jack and Jill.

Jack and Jill

Dinner time,
Up a hill they went,
To fetch a pail of water,
Then Jack and Jill tumbled down the hill,
Poor old Jack.

Now try your hand at writing a quintet which contains some of the important details from
this section of the novel.

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 The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett

Chapters 5 - 6

Before you read the chapter:

In Chapters 1-2 we discussed the presence of an protagonist in a story. By the end of
Chapter 6 we meet a couple of candidates for the role of antagonist (bad guy) in the story.
Why do you think it is necessary for a good story to have an antagonist?

Vocabulary:
In each of the following sets of words, underline the one word that does not belong. Then
write a sentence explaining why it does not fit.

1 disdain hatred esteem derision

2 sallow complex pale ashen

3 novelty newness originality serendipity

4 legitimate distinguish characterize ascertain

5 torrents germination cascade flood

6 justify resent begrudge dislike

7 luxurious rich elaborate umbrage

8 obliged legitimate required compelled

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 Questions
Cloze Call

Complete the following exercise filling in the correct words from the Word Box.

robin Craven house Ben Betty door

fox library governess Soot nursery mouse
look corridor boring child Martha branch
Medlock surly ivory box tapestry

Mary finally decided to go outdoors because she found that staying inside all the time
was too _______________. Although she didn't shout like _____________'s brothers and sisters,
Mary did like to ____________ at things. She sometimes looked for ___________ Weatherstaff,
but he was often too ________________ to talk to. Mary enjoyed catching a glimpse of the
_____________ when she was outside. Although Mary looked and looked, there didn't seem
to be a ______________ into the garden. Martha told Mary that the garden had once belonged
to Mrs. ________________. One day when she was in the garden, the ________________ broke
and she fell and died. When Mary sat listening to the wind it almost seemed to sound like a
_____________ crying. The sound, however, seemed to come from inside the ______________.
Martha blamed the sound on the crying of ______________ Butterworth, the scullery-maid.
Martha told Mary about how once her brother, Dickon, had rescued a baby ____________
from drowning in its hole. Another time he brought home a half-drowned young crow
which he named ____________. One rainy day Mary decided to go exploring through the old
house looking for the ______________. In one room she found a cabinet with a hundred little
elephants made of _____________. In another room she found a _____________ with six babies.
Soon after this she again heard the crying and placed her hand against the _______________
on a wall which fell open and revealed a ________________ behind it. At that moment Mrs.
______________ came along. She was very angry and told Mary that if she didn't return to the
________________ immediately she would ________________ her ears. Mary was also told that
she needed a ________________ to look after her.

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 Language Activities

A. Anagrams (Another challenging kind of puzzle!)

An anagram is a word that is formed by changing the order of the letters of another word.
For example, the letters in the word DOES can also form the word DOSE.
Follow these directions to form the anagrams:

a) read the clue in the right-hand column.

b) Using the word in the left-hand column move the letters around in any order, but you
must use all the letters.

Each of the words in the left-hand column is found in these two chapters.

Word Anagram Clue

meals Opposite of females.
moor Part of a house.
shout A direction.
lives Sins.
persist Clergymen.
stare Amounts of charge or payment.

B. Servants of the Rich

Rich people during the time in which Mary lived usually had a number of
people working for them performing specific duties. Below is a list of
positions in a rich person's mansion. For each briefly describe his/her
possible responsibilities.

Butler
Scullery Maid
Footman
Page
Chamber Maid
Head Groom

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 Extension Activity

Storyboard
A storyboard is a series of pictures that tell about an important event in a
story. A storyboard can tell the story of only one scene – or the entire
novel. [You may wish to postpone the completion of this assignment until
you have read further in the novel.]

Complete the storyboard below illustrating the events of your favorite scene from the novel
thus far. You may wish to practice your drawings on a separate piece of paper.

1 2

3 4

5 6

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 The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett

Chapters 7 - 8
Before you read the chapters:
Edwin Hubbel Chapin once wrote, Bigotry dwarfs the soul by shutting out the truth. What did
Mr. Chapin mean by this statement? Why do you think racial prejudice can be so
destructive?

Vocabulary:
Beside each word in Column A write the correct synonym or definition from Column B.

COLUMN A MEANING COLUMN B

1. dialect a. deep in thought
2. wistful b. offended
3. reflective c. rudeness
4. pert d. forced
5. indignant e. a language
6. languid f. usual; customary
7. impudence g. tricky
8. obliged h. yearning
9. accustomed i. listless; lacking in spirit
10. baffling j. lively

24
 Questions

1. Why did Mary doubt that she could ever visit Martha's cottage?

2. What might some people find unusual about Martha's attitude when visiting her
family once a month?

3. Why do you think that it was so important to Mary that she see inside the secret
garden?

4. Why did Martha want to learn more of Mary's life in India?

5. There is an incident in Chapter 8 which reveals a great deal about the kindness of
Martha's mother. What was this incident?

6. There are two statements of racial bigotry in this chapter. One comment was
made by Martha and one by Ben. What were they? What reason may have been
behind these offensive statements?

25
 Language Activities

A. The Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger is defined as an ending (i.e. of a chapter) which features the
main character in a difficult dilemma. Check the concluding paragraphs of
Chapter 7 and describe how this chapter ends in such a way.

B. Alive on the Moor

Sports Cards have been a very popular collector’s item for a
number of years. A Willie Mays 1952 Topps rookie card, for
instance, is worth $3000.00 today.

Wouldn’t it be great if a series of collector’s cards were

issued celebrating the plants and flowers of Yorkshire?

A number of beautiful plants and flowers grow wild on the

moors of Yorkshire County. Several of these are mentioned
in these chapters including the following: gorse, purple bells,
broom, heather, crocuses, and daffydowndillys (daffodils).

Your task is to choose one of these plants/flowers (or

another that is native to Yorkshire) and write a short report
on it. Your report should be in the form of a sports card.
The front of the card should include a colored picture, and the back should contain at least
three interesting facts about the plant/flower.

26
C. Rewrite the following sentences putting in the correct capitalization and punctuation.
mary enjoyed speaking to ben weatherstaff in the garden

why did mrs medlock leave for london at such an early hour

i don't doubt the fact that martha dickon and their mother loved living in yorkshire

D. PERSONIFICATION is giving human qualities to something that is not

human. We find an example of this in Chapter 7: ... showing how important
and like a human person a robin could be. Here the author is giving human
characteristics to a robin.

Why do you think personification is a popular literary device used by many authors?

Create your own example of personification.

BONUS: See if you can find another example of this literary device in this novel.

27
 The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett
Chapters 9 - 10

Before you read the chapters:

Discovering an unexplored garden such as Mary did would be quite the adventure. Describe
what you think would be exciting about such an experience. What unexpected things might
one find in such a garden? [Make sure to tax your imagination!]

Vocabulary:
Choose a word from the list that means the same as the underlined word(s).

tremulous alcove ponder defiant obliged

intention absorbed intimate persist flout

Who would have thought that she would endure through so much
1
hardship?
She found the kitten hiding in an out-of-the-way nook in the
2
corridor.
3 His quavering voice was evidence of the fact that he was nervous.
I did not mean to suggest that you were neglectful of your sworn
4
duty.
Sheldon Cooper was so consumed with his experiment he did not
5
hear me enter his lab.
6 Did you ever stop to think that she may be on to something?
The cadets are all required to complete some form of community
7
service during their stay.
8 You will only look foolish if you taunt the other actors.
The coach was forced to ask his captain what his purpose had
9
been in drawing the foul.
No one dreamed that such an insolent child could ever be so
10
pleasant to be around.

28
 Things From the Garden - Please define
• tendrils
• sprays
• buds
• moss
• jonquils

Questions

1. What did Mary find disturbing about her secret garden?

2. Why was the robin so still when Mary entered the garden for the first time?

3. Exaggeration is a literary device used by many authors. We find an example of

exaggeration in Chapter 9: Mother says he just whispers them out of the ground.
What do you think might be the advantage of using exaggeration in a story?

4. What was the purpose of the letter that Mary and Martha sent to Dickon?

29
5. Why do you think Mary might have to be careful about spending too much time
in her secret garden?

6. What was the favorite flower of Ben Weatherstaff and why?

7. From the story complete this description of Dickon. He was ________ years old
with ____________ eyes and cheeks were as red as _____________.

8. According to Dickon, what was proof of the robin's friendship with Mary?

9. Why do you think Mary trusted Dickon enough to show him the secret garden?

30
 Language Activities

A. Mary's Journal
The novel makes no mention of Mary keeping a secret journal, but imagine
if she did. Create a journal entry covering one event described in these two
chapters - perhaps her impression of Ben, Dickon or Martha, or her feelings
about the secret garden or her friend, the robin. Make sure you express
your feelings about the topic of your choice.

B. The author mentions in Chapter 10 that Ben Weatherstaff was a

sarcastic person. Ben verifies this by telling the robin, "Tha' can put up with
me for a bit sometimes when tha's got no one better." Look up the meaning
of sarcasm and then using your imagination create an example of sarcasm.

31
C. Cinquain Poems
One popular form of poetry is the cinquain poem which has five lines and most often does
not rhyme. Write two Cinquain poems about both Mary and Dickon, using what you know
about them from the novel thus far.

Line 1 is one word. Santa

Line 2 is two words. Saint Nick
Line 3 is three words. Long white beard
Line 4 is four words. Christmas Eve present-giver
Line five is one word. Jolly

Mary
____________________

______________________________

______________________________________

____________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Dickon
____________________

______________________________

______________________________________

____________________________________________

______________________________________________________

32
 The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett
Chapters 11 - 12

Before you read the chapters:

In Chapter 12 Mary meets her uncle, Mr. Craven for the first time. Briefly predict how you
think this meeting will go.

Vocabulary:
Solve the following word search puzzle using the words from the Word Box. Remember –
the words can be horizontal, vertical or diagonal. They may be forward or even backward!

URNS ALCOVES REVERENT LICHEN WICK

INDUSTRIOUS PRUNING STOUTLY OBLIGED DISTENDED
MOURNFULLY OBSTINANT FRETFULLY DISTRACTED RESPECTABLE

Q W E R E L B A T C E P S E R
R M T Y U I O P A S D F G H J
M N O B V C S X D D F G H J K
P O I U U N Y E T R E G D F T
O M F D R T D H G F N D S R N
B N R U F N G H J I K L N E A
L B T C E Z F X N C V B H T N
I V Y T L K K U A J H C G F I
G C S V C R R T L E I D F U T
E I H I G P E R C L S S D L S
D X W B H J K L O H Y G F L B
F Z G T N E R E V E R S D Y O
D I S T R A C T E D T Y U I O
D S H G F D G H S T O U T L Y
I N D U S T R I O U S P O I U

33
 Questions

1. What huge advantage did the robin have by building its nest in the secret garden?

2. Investigate: pruning was one of the procedures used by Dickon in the garden.
Using resources in your school library or on the Internet find out why pruning can
be good for some plants.

3. Once again the author uses a simile in her description in Chapter 11: my nose end
fair quivers like a rabbit's... What two things are being compared in this example?

Bonus: two paragraphs following the above simile another one occurs. What is it?

4. Describe your impression of Mary's uncle, Mr. Craven, from the meeting
described in Chapter 12. Be sure to mention his personality as well as his
appearance.

5. Why did Mary think for a moment that Dickon was a wood fairy? What dispelled
this notion?

34
 Language Activities

A. Choose ten words from these chapters with two or more syllables. Indicate the
syllables by drawing a line between each syllable. Example: Mar / tha.

B. Homophones
This chapter includes a number of examples of words that have
homophones Examples of homophones include horse – hoarse and way –
weigh. Two words are homophones if they have the same pronunciation
but different meanings, origins, or spelling.

Think of two more examples of homophones and use each in a sentence showing the
meaning of each word quite clearly.

Example 1

Homophones Sentence
1
2

Example 2

Homophones Sentence
1
2

35
C. Mary Writes a Letter
In Chapter 12 Mary has the opportunity to speak to her uncle and guardian
for the first time. Although the meeting goes quite well, it is very brief, and
I am sure that when it is over there are a few things that Mary wished she
had mentioned to her uncle (such as thanking him for taking her in, and
perhaps a question or two about himself and his past). Imagine after
returning to her room Mary decides to write her uncle a short Thank You
letter. Create such a letter to your uncle. It should be at least a half-page in length and
follow the proper format of a friendly letter. Be sure to include at least two pertinent
questions that you think Mary would be interested in finding out the answers to.

36
D. Mary quotes a famous nursery rhyme in Chapter 11: Mistress Mary Quite Contrary.
Nursery rhymes have been enjoyed for generations. Ring-a-ring o'Roses and O, Dear, What
Can the Matter Be? are two other popular nursery rhymes whose topic is flowers.

Ring-a-ring o'Roses Oh, Dear, What Can the Matter Be?

Ring-a-ring o'roses Oh, dear, what can the matter be?

A pocket full of posies, Dear, dear, what can the matter be?
Atishoo! Atishoo! Oh, dear, what can the matter be?
We all fall down. Johnny's so long at the fair.

Picking up the daises, He promised to bring me a basket of posies,

picking up the daises, A garland of lilies, a gift of red roses;
Atishoo!, Atishoo! A little straw hat to set off the blue ribbons
We all jump up. that tie up my bonnie brown hair.

Three types of flowers are mentioned in these two poems (roses, daisies, and
lilies). A posy can refer to any flower usually done up in a bouquet. Your task
is to draw a picture of one of these flowers, depicting it as accurately as
possible. [You may also choose one of the flowers mentioned in Mary's poem:
silver bells and marigolds (the cockle shells are a mollusk, not a flower).

Title: _______________________________

37
 The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett

Chapters 13 - 14

Before you read the chapters:

A person who is spoiled can be very hard to take. What do you think is the best strategy for
curing someone who is badly spoiled? Why?

Vocabulary:
Write a sentence using the following words. Make sure that the meaning of the word is
clear in your sentence.

torrents

fret

reality

obliged

persistent

clamber

sensible

obstinate

38
 Questions

1. What motivated Mary to find out what (or who) was behind the sound of crying?

2. Describe Colin (not only his appearance, but his personality as well).

3. Why did Colin believe the doctor wanted him to die? From your reading do you
feel Colin may have been right, or was he just paranoid? Defend your answer.

4. What two reasons did Colin give for covering the picture of his mother?

5. Why was Martha so frightened when Mary told her that she had visited Colin?

6. Why didn't Mary regard Dickon's power over the animals of the moor as magic?

7. Mary and Colin discovered that they were related. They were _________________.

39
 Language Activities

A. We have already read about a number of important conflicts in this

novel. Conflict is an important element in a work of fiction. There are
generally three types of conflict: person against person; person against
self; and person against nature. Find two examples of conflict in The
Secret Garden, and tell which type of conflict each is.

B. A quintet is a five-line verse that tells a story. The quintet has a syllable pattern and can
bring an exciting scene to life. (It doesn't have to rhyme.)

Line 1 – tells when. 3 syllables Now create a quintet poem using ideas from
Line 2 – tells where, 5 syllables recent events in The Secret Garden.
Line 3 – tells what, 7 syllables
Line 4 – describes activity, 9 syllables
Line 5 – contains a thought, 3 syllables.

TITLE: ________________________________________

40
C. Rajah
Colin is fascinated when Mary mentions the rajahs of India. As described by
Mary, the rajahs were Indian monarchs who were fabulously wealthy. He had
rubies and emeralds and diamonds stuck all over him. Using resources in your
school library or the Internet investigate the rajah and write a brief report
describing something of the history and responsibilities of this monarch.

D. Write the plural of the following nouns from the novel. Careful – you may wish to
consult a dictionary for some of these words.

Singular Noun Plural Noun

foot
lily
child
ivory
lash
person
fox
tapestry
life
opportunity

41
E. Jeopardy!
Imagine you are preparing Jeopardy categories for The Secret Garden. For
the two categories below list five answers (questions) for each. The
answers should get harder as the dollar value increases.

1. Characters in The Secret Garden.

$100

$200

$300

$400

$500

2. Events in The Secret Garden.

$100

$200

$300

$400

$500

42
 The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett
Chapters 15 - 16

Before you read the chapters:

The sound artist, Alva Noto, once said, "There is always room for coincidence." Writers,
however, are encouraged to avoid the use of coincidence in their stories. Why do you think
this might be good advice?

Vocabulary:
Choose a word from the list to complete each definition.

evident unfurl tousles hysterics meddle

thrive conceited condescending doleful indignant

1. The pirates did not _____________ the Jolly Roger until the start of the battle.

2. "Try to look more cheerful," his mother suggested. "You look positively ___________."

3. My little sister went into ______________ when Tommy threw the snake at her.

4. Who would have thought that wild turkeys would ___________ in such a cool climate?

5. My aunt was extremely __________________ at what she perceived to be an affront.

6. It is quite _____________ that we have a much better team than the Leafs.

7. I hate the way your uncle _______________ my hair.

8. Most movie stars that I have met are so ____________ it is difficult to be around them.

9. Elizabeth still finds it impossible not to __________ in the affairs of others.

10. His manner of speaking to those younger than him is most ________________.

43
 Questions

Indicate whether the following statements are True or False or fill in the blanks.

1. Mary knew at once that Colin was the type of boy that you could tell a
T or F
secret to.

2. Colin said that Dickon was an animal charmer and he was a boy animal.
T or F

3. Dickon's crow was called ___________ and his fox was named __________.
T or F

4. Dickon advised Mary not to be too curious with the animals in springtime.
T or F

5. Dickon confessed to Mary that his mother often worried that he had
T or F
trouble keeping a secret.

6. Dickon suggested that Colin probably wished he'd never been born.
T or F

7. Mary was truly a self-sacrificing person.

T or F

8. Colin was extremely upset with Mary for not visiting him earlier in the day.
T or F

9. Although she tried to pretend otherwise, Mary did believe that Colin was
T or F
going to die.

10. The package that Mary received from her uncle contained several beautiful
T or F
_______. Two of them were about ___________ and were full of ___________.

44
 Language Activities

A. What a Character.
So far in our novel you have been introduced to several interesting characters. These
characters share a number of similarities and many more differences. Choose two characters
from The Secret Garden. Using the Venn Diagram below please record characteristics which
mark your two choices – consider both physical and personality traits. Similar traits should
be placed in the intersecting part of the circles. Be sure to record the names of the two
characters in the boxes provided for each circle.

Character 1

Character 2

45
B. A Comic Strip
This activity is especially for students with an artistic flair or who love comic books! It
can be done for any event up to this point in the story. The first step is to decide on the
length of your comic strip (6 to 9 frames is suggested); next consider what events you
will include. You may wish to highlight a brief incident or include the highlights of the
novel to this point. A quick sketch of the comic strip can first be accomplished in a
storyboard format before a final copy is attempted. The strip should include a title and
dialogue. It should be neat and imaginative.

46
C. Time for a Quick Review.
a) What happened in the story so far that would never happen to you and why?

b) If you were Mary, what in one thing that you would have done differently? Why?

c) Identify two different emotions that one of the characters went through in the story and
give reasons as to why he/she felt this way.

d) If you could change one thing that has happened in the story what would it be and why?

47
 The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett
Chapters 17 - 18

Before you read the chapters:

If you were Mary, how do you think you would "cure" Colin of his hysterics and thinking he
is going to die? What would be your strategy?

Vocabulary:
Synonyms are words with similar meanings. Using the context of the sentences below,
choose the best synonym for the underlined words in each sentence.

1. No one in the family was more sympathetic with the beggar's plight than Melinda.
a) calm b) sensitive c) passionate d) temperate

2. Immediately following the accident the passengers were forced to restrain the bus
driver.
a) stimulate b) encourage c) repose d) suppress

3. Sheila was the most obstinate girl we'd ever known.

a) stubborn b) loyal c) respectful d) dutiful

4. The diamond cutter looked intently at the photograph.

a) distractedly b) steadily c) casually d) guiltily

5. When we were stopped, the officer seemed relentless.

a) ruthless b) belligerent c) determined d) confounded

6. Before we achieve success we will have to modify our original plans.

a) change b) discard c) verify d) castigate

7. The soldiers witnessed a young wench drawing water from the village well.
a) witch b) servant c) waitress d) damsel

8. No one felt more resentment over the proposal than the mayor.
a) affection b) sympathy c) animosity d) distrust

48
 Questions

1. Describe Mary's strategy in "curing" Colin of his hysterics in Chapter 17.

2. Check the items below which are Yorkshire expressions:

a) Aye, that we mun. □ b) Y'all come back now, hear! □

c) I'll tell thee what us'll do first □ d) Inna di lights □
3. Describe your impression of Colin following his hysterics in Chapter 17.

4. Dickon says, "Mother says as th' two worst things as can happen to a child is
never to have his own way - or always to have it.” Defend or refute this opinion.

5. Why did Mary decide to talk Yorkshire to Colin that very day?

6. Why do you think Mary decided to tell Colin about the secret garden at the end
of Chapter 18?

49
 Language Activities

A. Copy out any three sentences from these chapters and underline the verbs.

B. Try to reassemble the word parts listed below into ten compound words found in these
chapters. Be careful - one or two are quite tricky!!

stand drops spring some break

body fast to him every
thing snow self bone under
morrow how time back ever

50
C. Interview
Interview at least three other students for their views of this novel so far. (Try
to get both positive and negative comments.) Write a brief report putting
these views together.

51
 The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett

Chapters 19 - 20

Before you read the chapters:

If you were able to tame any kind of wild animal and make it your own personal pet, what
animal would you choose - and why?

Vocabulary:
Antonyms are words with opposite meanings. Draw a line from each word in column A to its
antonym in column B. Then use the words in column A to fill in the blanks in the sentences.

Column A Column B
irritable lacking
unscrupulous meek
perplexed unhappiness
luxurious cheerful
recluse honest
austere intolerant
ecstasy poor
sufficient enlightened
lenient extrovert

52
1. One could describe the millionaire's Rolls-Royce as being very_________________.

2. My uncle lives as a _________________ in the backwoods of northern British Columbia.

3. After being up for most of the night, the maid found herself to be in an ____________
mood.

4. The little girl was in a state of ______________ when she visited Disney World.

5. The judge let the safe-cracker off with a rather ________________ sentence.

6. Keeping the stolen money for himself was an _______________ thing to do.

7. Despite her riches, the princess lives quite an ________________ lifestyle.

8. When presented with the puzzle, George found himself most ________________.

9. One canteen of water was not _______________ for crossing the desert on horseback.

Questions

1. Why do you think the author gives Colin the title of the young Rajah?

2. What did you think of Medlock's statement to Susan Sowerby in Chapter 19

when she said to her, I've seen the times when I should have said you was clever?

3. In Chapter 19, what tremendous news does Mary bring to Colin one morning?

53
4. What was especially unusual about Colin's first conversation with Dickon?

5. Why do you think everyone (including Dr. Craven) liked and respected Dickon?

6. At one point in Chapter 20 Mr. Roach comments, You'd think he was a whole Royal
Family rolled into one - Prince Consort and all. Prince Consort was Albert, the
husband of Queen Victoria. It would seem from Mr. Roach's comment that Albert
was alive at this time. Investigate when Albert, Prince Consort lived to get an idea
of when the novel takes place.

7. How did Mary and the others ensure that they were not discovered when they
took Colin into the secret garden for the first time.

54
 Language Activities

A. Onomatopoeia
The author enjoys using a variety of literary devices in this novel. One such
device is onomatopoeia. An example is “Caw - Caw” - when the author
imitates the sound of a crow. Define onomatopoeia, and use your
imagination to think of one more example of this device. [Bonus if you can
find another example from the novel.]

B. Character Study
What do you think? The author has given us quite a clear picture of Mary by the time we
finish reading this section. Some psychologists believe that most people can be categorized
as either Type A personalities or Type B.

Type A people are often high-achieving "workaholics" who multi-task, push themselves with
deadlines, and hate both delays and indecision.

Type B people, on the other hand, live at a lower stress level and typically work steadily,
enjoying achievement but not becoming stressed when they do not achieve. When faced
with competition, they do not mind losing and either enjoy the game or back down.

Which personality type do you think Mary is?

Be sure to defend your answer.

55
C. Newspaper Report
Imagine you are a newspaper reporter at the time of our story. You decide to
write a story briefly relating to your readers the special talents of Dickon
Sowerby. Make sure your article includes not only his special gifts when it
comes to wild animals, but something of his unusual personality as well.

56
D. Found Poetry
Found Poetry is a type of poetry created by taking words, phrases, and
sometimes whole passages from prose (like novels or short stories) and
reframing them as poetry by making changes in spacing and/or lines. We see
a possible example of this in Colin's statement at the end of Chapter 20.

The TASK. Find a picture book from your classroom or school (or public) library which is
written in prose (not poetry). By reframing the prose, create an example of found poetry for
a specific selection (i.e. 1-2 pages) of this picture book, then record your example below.

Name of
Page #'s Found Poetry
Picture Book

57
 The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett
Chapters 21 - 22

Before you read the chapters:

"Life is something like this trumpet. If you don't put anything in it, you don't get anything
out." -W C Handy ~ How do you think the above quote might apply to Colin?

Vocabulary:
Analogies are equations in which the first pair of words has the same relationship as the
second pair of words. For example, stop is to go as fast is to slow. In this example, both
pairs of words are opposites. Choose the best word from the word box to complete each of
the analogies below.

solemn radiant hesitant harangue indignant

tactless condescend exultation persevere obstinate

1. Discouragement is to as decrease is to increase.

2. Glowing is to as stupendous is to tremendous.

3. Scold is to as courageous is to brave.

4. Amenable is to as energetic is to apathetic.

5. Eager is to as dull is to sharp.

6. Gifted is to talented as annoyed is to .

7. Late is to early as joyous is to .

8. Ancient is to old as rude is to .

9. Noisy is to clamorous as accommodate is to .

10. Past is to contemporary as quit is to .

58
 Questions

1. Give your own interpretation as to what the author might mean by the following
statement: One of the strange things about living in the world is that it is only now
and then one is quite sure one is going to live forever and ever and ever.

2. What was it that saved Dickon and Mary from explaining to Colin about the tree's
broken branch?

3. When speaking about the secret garden, what do you think Colin meant when he
said, I'm going to grow here myself?

4. Describe Ben's immediate reaction when he saw Mary inside the secret garden?
Why do you suppose he reacted in this manner?

5. Give two examples of Colin's manner of addressing Ben in these chapters.

1
2

6. Describe the change in the way Ben treated Mary and the others. Why the
change?

59
 7. For what purpose had Ben been coming into the garden?

8. What was the first plant that Colin helped to plant in the garden?

Language Activities

A. Beside each of the following words from this chapter, write its root word.

enjoyment making
shaking delightedly
drowsily going
mysteriousness reality
rubbed tries

B. Who is going to help the poor old action word?

An adverb is a part of speech defined as a modifier (or helper) of a verb (usually an action
word). Often an adverb will end in the letters ly (i.e. slowly). Chapter 21-22 feature a good
many creative adverbs.

Colin flushed tremendously.

In this sentence, what verb does tremendously modify? ____________________

Colin looked as if he were resting luxuriously.

In this sentence, what verb does luxuriously modify? ____________________

He stopped shaking his fist very suddenly . . .

In this sentence, the adverb _______________ modifies the verb ____________.

60
C. Sequence Chart
Choose what you consider to be the six most important events in these chapters. In each of
the six boxes below list the six events that you have chosen, describing what happened and
telling why you consider this to be an essential part of the story.

61
D. Observation Chart
The Secret Garden is a novel filled with sights and sounds. Look back over
the novel and get as many examples of the five senses, listing them in the
chart below with a brief description about where each was found. You
may wish to choose your examples from one particular scene, or include
a number of different scenes.

Sight Sound Touch Taste Smell

62
 The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett

Chapters 23 - 24
Before you read the chapters:
Remez Sasson once said, The difference between can and cannot are only three letters. Three
letters that determine your life's direction. How might this maxim apply to Colin?

Vocabulary:
Beside each word in Column A write the correct synonym or definition from Column B.

COLUMN A MEANING COLUMN B

1. impartially a. satisfy
2. imposing b. gloomy
3. enraptured c. angry
4. gratify d. delighted
5. dignity e. oddity
6. morbid f. plentiful
7. indignant g. without favor
8. bounteous h. magical
9 peculiarity i. nobility
10 mystic j. overwhelming

63
 Questions

Choose the most appropriate answer for each question.

1. Mary realized that one of Colin's peculiarities was that he didn't realize how ______
he could be.

a) gracious
b) dull
c) rude
d) generous

2. In his boyhood Ben Weatherstaff had been a __________.

a) prisoner
b) soldier
c) groomsman
d) sailor

3. Colin proclaimed that when he grew up he would make great ___________.

a) speeches in Parliament
b) scientific discoveries
c) promises to all mankind
d) none of the above

4. According to Mary, magic is always pushing, drawing and making things out of ____.

a) Pixie dust
b) the God-given earth
c) nothing
d) love and goodness

5. Ben's experiences with church-going taught him to leave before what event?

a) collection was taken

b) final prayers were said
c) Vespers
d) communion

6. It was important to Colin that this person not be informed of his progress:

a) Dr. Craven
b) Mrs. Medlock
c) the nurse
d) Mr. Craven

64
 7. Colin and Mary purchased food secretly from ___ without Mrs. Medlock knowing.

a) the butcher in town

b) Mrs. Sowerby
c) Martha
d) Dr. Craven's wife

Language Activities

A. What a Bunch of Characters!

The novel has featured a cast of memorable characters, from Mary and Colin to Dickon,
Martha, Mrs. Sowerby, Dr. Craven and a whole host of secondary people (and animals).
Choose four of your favorite characters from The Secret Garden and complete the chart
below with details about each one.

Your Personal A Category of

Character Strengths Weaknesses Feelings About your Choosing
Him/Her

65
B. Fascinating Facts
A number of animals native to the moors of Yorkshire are mentioned in
Chapter 23. These include: foxes, otters, ferrets, squirrels, muskrats (water
rats), moles and badgers. Using resources in your school library or on the
Internet, research three interesting facts about one of the above mammals.

C. Caviar Words
The author of this novel is noted for her use of elegant, tasteful words.
Someone once stated that some words have the sound of caviar (rich and
elegant) and others are more are common (peanut butter words). With a
colleague come up with 6 examples of each type of word. You may use
any chapter of the novel to find these words.

Caviar Words Peanut Butter Words

66
D. The Story Pyramid
The story pyramid gives the creator an opportunity to summarize points in a story using only
a certain number of words. By limiting your options in this way, it will give you the
opportunity to stretch your thinking because of the small number of words required at each
level of the pyramid. It is also a great opportunity to gather the most important information
when writing a summary.

Write a story pyramid following these instructions.

Line 1: One word, stating the name of the main character

Line 2: Two words, describing this character
Line 3: Three words, describing the setting for much of the story
Line 4: Four words, stating a problem faced in the novel
Line 5: Five words, describing one event from the last two chapters
Line 6: Six words, describing another event from the last two chapters
Line 7: Seven words, describing an event from anywhere in the novel
Line 8: Eight words, describing another character from the novel

67
 The Secret Garden
By Frances Hodgson Burnett

Chapters 25 - 27

Before you read the chapter:

If you were the author, how would you end this novel?

Vocabulary:
Match each word with its definition.

1. indignant a. bewildering
2. solemn b. chant
3. disconcerting c. impatient
4. secrete d. loving
5. indulgent e. serious
6. restive f. discharge
7. pilgrimage g. ecstatic
8. incantation h. disgruntled
9. exultant i. journey
10. affectionate j. lenient

68
 Questions

1. The climax of the story usually occurs at the highest point of the plot, when the
novel's main problem is resolved. When do you think the climax of The Secret Garden
occurs?

2. Investigate using resources in your school library or on the Internet. In Chapter 25

Dickon and the others sing the Doxology together. The name of the hymn the
Doxology is taken from is _______________________________. The hymn writer was
___________________________.

3. What was Mary's brainstorm in Chapter 25?

4. Twice in Chapter 26 the author uses the word "devouring": Ben fixed devouring eyes
on him (Colin); and his (Colin) eyes quite devoured her(Susan's) face. Find the context of
one of these phrases and put it into your own words.

5. To whom do you think Susan Sowerby was referring when she mentioned the Joy
Maker to Colin?

6. What two things summoned Mr. Craven back home?

7. Were you satisfied with the conclusion of the novel? Why or why not?

69
 Language Activities

A. Lights, Camera, Action!

At least two movie versions have been made of this classic novel, one in 1949 starring
Margaret O'Brien and Dean Stockwell, and another version in 1993 featuring Kate Maberly
and Heydon Prowse.

Imagine that you are the casting director for a project designed to put together a movie
version of The Secret Garden. Who would you cast for the principal roles:

• Mary –

• Colin –

• Dickon –

• Ben Weatherstaff -

• Martha –

• Mrs. Sowerby –

• Dr. Craven –

• Mrs. Medlock -

• Mr. Craven –

• Mary's mother -

• ____________________ -

• ____________________ -

You may wish to choose Hollywood actors for this task, or for some fun, limit your choices
to people in your school (teachers and students). Beside each selection write a brief
explanation for your choice.

70
B. A Book Review
Now is your chance to share your own reactions to the novel with others.
Write a review of the book, describing in no more than one paragraph an
outline of the plot, and then in another paragraph how you enjoyed the
novel (or didn’t) and why. (Please don’t give away the ending!) This review
can even be posted to a websites like www.amazon.com.

71
C. The Five W’s Chart
Choose a major event from the novel, then complete the following chart with
the important details.

What happened?

Who was there?

Why did it happen?

When did it happen?

Where did it happen?

72
D. Sequence Chart
List the main events of The Secret Garden in the order in which they occurred.

The Secret Garden

First

Next

Next

Next

Next

Next

Next

Next

Last

73
E. Further Activities
With a partner or small group complete the following.

a) Recreate an event from the story.

With a small group choose an event from the novel to act out. Create a
script including dialogue and stage directions. (If there's time, create a
few stage props.) Enact your presentation before the class.

b) Create a book trailer.

Check out a couple of YouTube videos featuring trailers for popular

novels. Create a script for the trailer. (If there's time, create a few stage
props.) Record the trailer and play the recording to the class.

c) Rewrite an ending to the story.

With a partner create a new ending to the story. Make sure your story
is exciting and believable and contains the appropriate details.

d) Pretend you are a character and interview the other characters.

With a small group of other students have the host introduce each of
three or four characters to the class with a brief description, then ask
each character two or three pertinent questions.

e) A book advertisement on the school PA.

With a small group create a short advertisement for the novel. During
the morning announcements for the school have the students present
this advertisement. (It works best if the school library has a few copies
of the novel so interested students can borrow a copy.

74
 Extension Activity

Book Cover
Create a book cover for The Secret Garden. Be sure to include the title,
author, and a picture that will make other students want to read the novel.

75