The Secret Garden - Macmillan Education Everywhere

The Secret GardenThe Secret GardenThe storyIt is 1910 and Mary Lennox lives in India. Her parents die of fever. She is sent to England to live in a largehouse in the country with her uncle, Mr Craven. His wife died ten years ago and he never goes out and neversees anyone. Mrs Medlock, the housekeeper, looks after the house. Martha, a housemaid, looks after Mary.When Mary explores the house she hears someone crying, but Mrs Medlock denies the fact and immediatelytakes Mary back to the nursery.Mary spends a lot of time outside. Martha tells her that Mrs Craven’s garden has been locked since she died, tenyears ago. Mary finds a key in the soil. One day, she finds a door in a wall, overgrown with ivy. She unlocks itand discovers the ‘secret’ garden. The garden is overgrown and neglected. Mary begins to tidy up the garden.She becomes friendly with Ben, the old gardener, who looks after all the gardens of the house. Mary asksMartha for some garden tools and some seeds to plant. Martha’s brother, Dickon, brings them to her and sheshows him the garden.One night, whilst in bed, Mary hears crying again and goes to investigate. She finds Colin, Mr Craven’s son,crying. Colin is ten and is very ill. He tells Mary his mother died when he was born. Mary tells him about thegarden and Colin asks Mary to come and see him every day. Mary plans to take Colin to see the secret garden.Mary’s visits make Colin feel a lot better. Martha’s brother, Dickon, visits Colin one day with Mary and bringslots of tame animals with him. Colin is delighted.Mary and Dickon take Colin secretly into the garden. Colin realises it is his mother’s garden, and says he willcome every day. Colin spends a lot of time in the garden with Mary and Dickon. He is determined to get well.With help, he begins to walk. Every day he gets stronger and walks better.Still heart-broken about his wife, Mr Craven travels around Europe. One day, he mysteriously begins to feelbetter himself. He thinks about Colin and dreams about his wife. He decides to come home again. When he getshome he hears children laughing in the garden and then Colin runs out of the door. Mr Craven can’t believehis eyes. The children show him the garden and tell him their story.Introducing the booklHold up the cover. Read the book’s title toand with the class. Ask the children whatthey think the story might be about. Discussthe meaning of secret with the class.lTalk about the picture on the front cover. AskWhat do you think the story is going to beabout? What do you think the door leads to?The cover1Explorers 5: The Secret Garden Teacher’s NotesThis page has been downloaded from www.macmillanenglish.com/young learners Macmillan Publishers Limited 2011 Text Louis Fidge 2007

The Secret GardenThe title pagelNow look together at the title page.lPoint out that it is a classic story that hasbeen re-told and simplified. (A classic story isone which is very good and has been popularfor a long time.)llAsk Who wrote the original story? (There issome information about the author on page80.) Ask Who adapted the story? (She madethe story simpler and easier to read.)lAsk the children to turn to the contents page.Explain that the Contents list tells us what isin the book.lAsk How many chapters are there? Read thechapter titles to and with the class. Brieflyexplain any unfamiliar words (most will becovered in the chapter notes). Ask thechildren what page each chapter starts on.lExplain that Mary is a girl and Martha is herhousemaid. Ben is an old gardener. Dickon isMartha’s brother. Mary is staying at MrCraven’s house and Colin is his son.lPoint out that at the end of the book there isa poem (‘The gardener’s morning’ on page74) and some information about how togrow a bean (beginning on page 76).lAsk questions about each chapter title tostimulate the children’s interest, for example:Note the ivy all around the outside of thepage. Ask the children what they think eachgarden tool (the spade, the fork and the hoe)are used for.Talk about the picture. Ask Where is the birdsitting? (on the handle of a spade) Ask Whatis a spade for? Describe the bird. (Note its redbreast. This bird is called a robin, orsometimes called a robin redbreast.) The birdis common in England. What is behind thespade? (a wall) The wall is covered with ivy,a dark green plant that grows and spreadsup walls.Chapter 1: Where do they think Mary hascome from?Chapter 2: Who are Martha and Ben?Chapter 3: Who does Mary think made thecry? Why?In which chapter is the word ‘secret’ used?In which chapter are there some animals?The contents pagelTell the children to do the related activity onpage 1 of their Workbook.You can play the story on the audiocassette/CD at any time you choose.2Explorers 5: The Secret Garden Teacher’s NotesThis page has been downloaded from www.macmillanenglish.com/young learners Macmillan Publishers Limited 2011 Text Louis Fidge 2007

The Secret GardenChapter 1Mary comes to EnglandActive vocabularyalonemany words begin with the prefix‘a‘, for example awake, asleep,aboardPages 3 to 9carriagenote the slightly unusual ‘iage’endingcorridorthe ‘or’ ending is very commonfrightenedthe ‘gh’ is silentillnessnote the ‘ll’ and ‘ss’lockedthe ‘ed’ is pronounced ‘t’nursemaidthis is a compound word: nurse maid nursemaidnurseryother ‘ery’ words are: pottery,bakery, jewellery, machineryservantthere’s an ant in this word!staredthe ‘are’ sounds like ‘air’stonechange the ‘st’ to ‘al’, ‘b’ and ‘ph’to make other ‘one’ words.the ‘g’ is a soft ‘g’ and ispronounced like ‘j’Passive raitstationrustlingwailingstamped her footBefore readinglPre-teach the active vocabulary (see theTeacher’s Notes Introduction page 13 and theGlossary). Use the notes in the table todiscuss any interesting features of the words.lAsk the children to do the activities onpage 2 of their Workbook to practise the newvocabulary.lRead the title of Chapter 1.3Explorers 5: The Secret Garden Teacher’s NotesThis page has been downloaded from www.macmillanenglish.com/young learners Macmillan Publishers Limited 2011 Text Louis Fidge 2007

The Secret GardenllllTell the children to look at the picture onpage 3. Ask Which of the two characters isMary? How is she dressed? How does she look?Who is the lady? How is she dressed? How doesshe look? Why do they both look so serious?Where are they sitting? How can you tell thecharacters lived in the past? Where do you thinkthey are going? Describe the countryside thatcan be seen out of the window.l– Read the chapter again and encourage theclass to read it with you.– Read the chapter again, a paragraph at atime, and ask the class (or individuals) toread each paragraph aloud after you.– Do not read again to the class. Ask groupsor individuals to read the chapter aloud, aparagraph at a time.Tell the children to look at the picture onpages 6 and 7. Ask What form of transport canyou see? Describe the horse and carriage. Dowe still see horse and carriages on the roadtoday? Who is in the carriage? Where is thevehicle going? Describe the house. Who lives inthe house? Is it a rich or poor person? Talkabout the grounds surrounding the house.Tell the children to look at the picture onpage 8. Ask Are Mary and Mrs Medlock insideor outside the house? How can you tell it is a bighouse? Describe what you can see. How do thegirl and the lady look?llRead (or play) the chapter again, aparagraph at a time. Explain the meaningand pronunciation of the words listed aspassive vocabulary, and any otherunfamiliar words.lDiscuss how the pictures can help the readerguess the meaning of the text.Stage 1 comprehension (literal)Ask these questions orally, or set them asa written activity. You can also ask thechildren to do the activity on page 3 of theirWorkbook.Optional suggestion: you may wish to givethe children an appropriate amount of time,for example five minutes, to look quicklythrough the chapter to find (and perhapsunderline) the active vocabulary they havebeen introduced to.1. What did Mrs Medlock say about the moor?2. What strange things happened to Mary onehot morning when she woke up?3. How old was Mary?4. What terrible news did the man tell Mary?During readinglChoose whichever of the following options ismost appropriate for your class:5. What did the children do to Mary whenshe went to stay with some friends of herfather’s?Point out that the sequence of the events inthe chapter is quite unusual. It begins withMary on a train in England and then herthoughts flash back to her living in Indiaand her parents dying of fever. The last partof the chapter explains how Mary came toEngland to live in a big house with her richuncle, Mr Craven.6. Where did the children say Mary was goingto live?7. How did Mary get to England?8. Who met her?9. Describe Mrs Medlock.Read the chapter expressively to the class (orplay the audio cassette/CD). Do not stop toexplain anything or to ask questions. Ensurethe children are following in their books.10. What did Mrs Medlock say about a) Mary’snew home? b) Mr Craven?11. Was the house far from the station?4Explorers 5: The Secret Garden Teacher’s NotesThis page has been downloaded from www.macmillanenglish.com/young learners Macmillan Publishers Limited 2011 Text Louis Fidge 2007