Home › Reading schedules › The Secret Garden

Reading schedule · Grades 3–6

The Secret Garden in 5 Weeks: A Reading Schedule

A five-week plan for reading The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, one section a week. Each week gives the reading, a short summary of what happens, three discussion questions and the escape room that goes with it. For grades 3–6, in class or at home.

Pacing

At the grammar stage (grades 3–6) short, regular readings work better than long ones. Many families read aloud together and ask children to tell back what they heard before talking about the questions. Each week covers one section; if a section feels long, take two weeks over it and keep the escape room for the end.

Each week ends with an escape room on that week's reading: seven self-checking locks that run in any browser, with no logins, and progress is saved, so a room can be finished another day. Every room has free taster locks to try, and members can open them all.

Print this schedule Escape rooms on The Secret Garden

Week 1: Chapters 1–5

Read: Chapters 1–5

Left alone in India, Mary Lennox is sent to her uncle's house in Yorkshire and driven across the moor with Mrs Medlock. Cheerful Martha, old Ben Weatherstaff and a robin begin to soften her, she hears of a garden locked for ten years, and at night she hears crying in a corridor.

Discussion questions

1. Why is Mary so disagreeable at the start?
2. How does Martha help Mary without trying to?
3. Why has the garden been locked?

Escape room: Across the Moor (lockedlessons.com/rooms/secret-garden-chapters-1-5/)

Week 2: Chapters 6–10

Read: Chapters 6–10

Mary explores the many rooms of the house, and the robin helps her find the key. Martha's mother sends her a present, Mary finds the door under the ivy and starts work in the garden, and she meets Dickon.

Discussion questions

1. How is Mary changing as she spends time outdoors?
2. Why does Mary keep the garden a secret?
3. What is special about Dickon?

Escape room: The Hidden Door (lockedlessons.com/rooms/secret-garden-chapters-6-10/)

Week 3: Chapters 11–15

Read: Chapters 11–15

Dickon helps in the garden, and Mary meets Mr Craven and asks for a bit of earth. She finds the boy in the great bed, a boy who orders everyone about, and tells him about Dickon and the moor while the robins build their nest.

Discussion questions

1. Why does Mr Craven keep away from his son?
2. How are Mary and Colin alike?
3. Why does Colin want to see the garden?

Escape room: A Bit of Earth (lockedlessons.com/rooms/secret-garden-chapters-11-15/)

Week 4: Chapters 16–21

Read: Chapters 16–21

Mary quarrels with Colin, and his tantrum in the night ends when she stands up to him. They plan to take him outside, Dickon brings his animals and a new-born lamb, Colin visits the garden for the first time, and a face looks over the wall.

Discussion questions

1. Why does Mary's anger help Colin when kindness has not?
2. What does Colin feel on his first visit to the garden?
3. What happens when someone looks over the wall?

Escape room: The Wheeled Chair (lockedlessons.com/rooms/secret-garden-chapters-16-21/)

Week 5: Chapters 22–27

Read: Chapters 22–27

Colin takes his first steps and plants a rose, talks about Magic and plans to keep his new strength a secret. Mary sees the picture behind the curtain, Dickon's mother visits, and Mr Craven journeys home.

Discussion questions

1. What does Colin mean by Magic?
2. Why does Colin keep his strength a secret?
3. What brings Mr Craven home?

Escape room: Magic in the Garden (lockedlessons.com/rooms/secret-garden-chapters-22-27/)