Study Guide
The Secret Garden Written by Frances Hodgson Burnett Adapted by Kelly Kitchens Directed by Erin Kraft
How to use this study guide Book-It All Over closely aligns its performances and learning materials with research-based reading instruction. The purpose of this study guide is to engage students in reading strategies and action-oriented exercises that support comprehension of The Secret Garden. Reading strategies and Skills Activating Prior Knowledge – Pre-Show Making Self-to-Text Connections – Pre-Show Vocabulary in Context – Pre-Show Reflecting and Evaluating – Post-Show
Themes and Concepts Friendship Secrets Mystery and Magic Coming of Age
Some activities are designed for teachers to lead students through an interactive process – directions and support materials are included for successful facilitation. Others are hand-outs for independent student work or to be used for whole class discussions – these pages do not have directions for the teacher. Feel free to select one or all activities and adjust them to fit your classroom needs and the level of your students. EALRs for the study guide and performance include:
Reading: 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.3, 2.4 Communication: 1.1, 1.2, 2.2 Theatre: 1.1, 1.4, 3.1, 4.3 Literacy & Theatre Alignment by Gail Sehlhorst Activities by Josh Aaseng, Jessica Baloun, and Gail Sehlhorst Design by Jessica Baloun Study Guide © 2010-11 Book-It All Over. No parts of this guide may be reproduced without express permission.
Table of Contents
Information on Book-It All Over, the Story and the Author Stand Up If Activate Prior Knowledge – Activity My Story Make Self-to-Text Connections – Worksheet Found Poem Vocabulary in Context – Activity My Found Poem Supplementary Handout Enter the Garden Reflect and Evaluate – Worksheet
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Introduction to Book-It All Over
Book-It All Over, the arts education program of Book-It Repertory Theatre, is dedicated to inspiring people of all ages to read. We tour a diverse range of stories to schools, libraries, and community centers throughout the Pacific Northwest, conduct long-term residencies in schools, offer teacher professional development for school staff, and present low-cost student matinées of our mainstage shows. What you will see and hear at a Book-It All Over performance is literature spoken by the characters as if it were dialogue in a play. The unique Book-It Style™ preserves the author’s voice by speaking both narrative and character dialogue—including the “he said’s” and “she said’s.” Book-It takes the written word back to its roots—storytelling! Arthur Allen in La Mariposa, 2008. Photo by Chris Bennion.
Our Mission
To provide an interactive relationship between youth and literature through theatrical productions and educational programs that promote the joy of reading, embrace diversity, enhance student and teacher learning, and inspire the imagination.
Introduction to the Story
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett tells the story of the transformation of Mary Lennox from a lonely, spoiled child into a thoughtful and carying young woman. Mary is sent to live with her brooding uncle Archibald Craven at Misselthwaite Manor in Yorkshire, England after her parents die of cholera in India. Frightened by her gloomy surroundings, lonely and friendless, Mary suffers in her new situation until she discovers the key to an unkempt garden and, with the aid of a local boy named Dickon, learns how to make it grow. The newly-found key unlocks not only the garden, but Mary’s capacity to love and nurture. Through her relationship with Dickon and the invalid Colin, an unhappy boy terrified of life, Mary learns the value of true friendship.
Author Background
Frances Hodgson Burnett (November 24, 1849 – October 29, 1924) was an English playwright and author best known for her children’s stories, in particular The Secret Garden, A Little Princess, and Little Lord Fauntleroy. Born Frances Eliza Hodgson, she lived in Cheetham Hill, Manchester until after the death of her father when she emigrated with her family to Knoxville, Tennessee in 1865. Burnett turned to writing to help earn money for the family, and by the time she was nineteen she was publishing stories in magazines. At twenty-eight, her novel That Lass O’Lowries became her first success but it wasn’t until the publication of Little Lord Fauntleroy in 1886 that she became a popular writer of children’s fiction. Burnett enjoyed great success and lived a lavish lifestyle, socializing and traveling frequently to England where she owned a home. Later in life, Burnett settled in Long Island where she conceived of and wrote The Secret Garden, her best and most enduring work. She was married and divorced twice and had two children with her first husband. Her oldest son, Lionel, died of tuberculosis in 1892 and is memorialized in The Secret Garden as the character Colin. Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Hodgson_Burnett Burnett, Frances H. (1987). The secret garden. New York, NY: Signet Classics.
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Pre-Show Activity
Activate Prior Knowledge Stand Up If...
Share What Only You Really Know
“It’s a secret garden and I’m the only one in the world that wants it to be alive.” - Mary Lennox
Time: 10 minutes Purpose: To activate prior knowledge for the characters, events, and concepts in the reading – specifically
moving to new places, friendship, magic, and secrets.
Preparation: Read through the directions and dialogue before leading the activity. Pre-select, adjust and/or
create statements that are appropriate for the level, age, and background of students.
Directions:
Students sit at their desks. Tell students they will activate prior knowledge on themes in the story to prepare for the performance they will see. Tell students they will hear a series of statements and if the statement applies, they should stand, scan the room, then sit for the next statement. Begin with simple statements to get everyone moving and then transition to statements related to the content that gradually get more sensitive as the activity progresses.
Dialogue:
Just like strong readers think about what they already know about a topic before reading, we’re going to think about what we already know about friendship, secrets, and magic before seeing The Secret Garden in an activity called “Stand Up If...” I will say a series of statements starting with “Stand up if this statement is true for you...” and if the statement is true you will stand, look around the room to see who else is standing, then sit down and listen for the next statement. You can choose not to stand, even if the statement is true for you – that’s okay. No one comments or is allowed to say whether something is or isn’t true for another person – this is a silent activity. Let’s begin.
Stand-up if this statement is true for you:
• I have played by myself for an entire day with out friends, family, TV or video games. • I have felt alone before – like I didn’t have any friends. • I have felt unwanted before. (Transition to content statements.) • I get nervous about making new friends. • I love making new friends. • I love playing outside. • I know someone who is spoiled. • I love playing with animals. • I have been called spoiled. • My favorite season is spring. • Sometimes I act-out to get attention. • My favorite season is summer. (Continue with • I have witnessed, or seen, something magical. fall & winter.) • I have solved a mystery. • I have planted a garden. • I have moved to a new neighborhood, city, state, • I have a secret hideout with my friends. • I have found a way into a place that was or country one time. locked or forbidden. • I have moved to a new neighborhood, city, state, • I have a secret so big I won’t tell anyone. or country two times. (Continue until no one • The longest I have kept a secret is 1 day stands.) (Continue with 1 week, 1 month, etc. until no • I didn’t want to move. one is standing.) • I was excited to move. • I think it’s hard to keep a secret. • • • •
I like chocolate I read a book this weekend I like sports I am wearing shoes
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Make Self-to-Text Connections
Pre-Show Activity
My Story
Unlock the Garden of Friendship “She had begun to like the robin and Dickon. She was beginning to like Martha, too. That seemed a good many people to like – when you were not used to liking.” - Mary Lennox Sometimes friendships can be complicated. Mary never had a friend until she entered the garden. In each box, write about or draw your experiences with friendship.
A time when I felt alone...
A time when I was cruel or mean to someone...
A time when I made an unexpected friend...
A time when I was kind...
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Pre-Show Activity
Vocabulary in Context Found Poem
What’s Your Secret Message?
“Can I trust you? I trusted Dickon because the birds trusted him. Can I trust you – for sure – for sure?.” - Mary Lennox A “found poem” is a poem created with words and phrases from an existing story. You’ll create a five-line found poem with a secret message using words and phrases from The Secret Garden.
Step 1: Pick one of three themes from the story, and circle it:
Friendship
Secrets
Magic
Step 2: Pick words and phrases from these lists to create your own found poem about the theme you
circled. Under each line there is a direction about what to write. Have fun – in a found poem, there are no wrong answers!
WORDS Mysterious Garden Smile Lonely Crying Whispering Spoiled Strong Courage Hope Laughter Wandering
PHRASES
Out of sight The child no one ever saw Make friends Secret garden I wish Rain or shine I never had a secret Laugh over nothing Like an angel Can I trust you? I found the key Locked up
Write the theme word you circled
Write one phrase from the list
Write three words from the list
Write one phrase from the list
Write one word from the list
Step 3: Now that you’ve composed your found poem, copy it onto the “My Found Poem” page. Page 5
My Found Poem by
Psst... listen...
Now that you’ve written your poem using words and phrases from The Secret Garden, be sure to listen for them when you see the play!
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Post-Show Activity
Reflect and Evaluate Enter the Garden
Put on a character’s shoes and step inside... “She took a long breath and pushed back the door, slipped through it, and shut it behind her. She was standing inside the secret garden.” - Mary Lennox
With a partner: 1. Pair-share your favorite part of the play.
2. Pair-share something you didn’t understand or still have a question about. 3. List all the characters you can remember. 4. Talk about which character is most like you and why.
If you were in the story... Which character would you be?
Now, write about or draw that character... At the beginning of the story...
At the end of the story...
This character has taught me...
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