The Boxcar Children · Garden Heights Academy
Part 1
for The Boxcar Children · Part 1 · Chapters 1–2
a novel by Gertrude Chandler Warner
This workbook is built on a solid pedagogical foundation, effectively integrating content and language learning based on the CLIL framework (Content and Language Integrated Learning), elevated by our unique 5th C — Connection — and an integrated Standardized Test section that weaves every SAT & TOEFL question type right into the novel, so learners build real test skills easily, naturally, and with fun.
What Happens in Part 1
Four orphaned children — Henry, Jessie, Violet, and little Benny Alden — are alone in the world. One warm night, hungry and tired, they stop at a bakery and are given bread and a place to sleep. But when Henry and Jessie overhear the baker’s wife planning to send five-year-old Benny away to a Children’s Home, the children slip away in the dark. They are afraid to go to the one relative they have — a grandfather they have never met and believe is unkind — so they set off on their own, traveling by night and sleeping by day.
What We Will Learn
| Literary Element | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Character | The people (or animals) a story is about — here, the four Alden children |
| Setting | The time and place of a story — a town at night and the open country |
| Conflict | The main problem the characters must solve — having no home and fearing being split up |
Chapter Summary
| Chapter | Key Events |
|---|---|
| Ch.1 | The Four Hungry Children — the orphans buy bread and shelter at a bakery, then run away when they learn Benny will be sent to a Children’s Home |
| Ch.2 | Night Is Turned into Day — the children travel by night and sleep by day so no one will find them, resting in a haystack |
Copyright Notice
Independent study guide by Garden Heights Academy. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Gertrude Chandler Warner or Albert Whitman & Company. No text from the novel is reproduced. Students should read the original book. Reference edition: this workbook follows the standard Albert Whitman & Company edition (the 1942 text) — the version sold in bookstores today. Early 1924-text reprints differ substantially and will not match this workbook’s chapters.
Part 1
Vocabulary
Study 10 key words from Chapters 1–2, then answer each question.
Knowledge Bank · Why a Boxcar?
Background · Author HistoryA boxcar is a big enclosed freight car that rolls along railroad tracks, its wooden walls and sliding door built to guard cargo from rain, wind, and thieves. In the early 1900s, freight trains were the main way goods crossed the country, so nearly every town grew up beside a set of tracks. Author Gertrude Chandler Warner lived right next to those tracks in Putnam, Connecticut, and she spent hours watching the long trains rumble past. She often daydreamed about climbing inside an empty boxcar and turning it into a snug little house. Notice how that childhood wish shapes the story: because a real boxcar is sturdy, roomy, and weather-tight, it makes a surprisingly sensible shelter for four children who suddenly have nowhere else to go.
ⓘ Vocabulary words are selected to help you understand and complete this workbook. Some may not appear verbatim in the novel.
wearyadj.Ch.1
Very tired
“After walking for hours the weary children could hardly stand.”
bakeryn.Ch.1
A shop where bread and cakes are baked and sold
“Warm light shone from the little bakery on the corner.”
peerv.Ch.1
To look closely or hard at something
“They stopped to peer through the bakery window.”
orphann.Ch.1
A child whose parents have died
“The four children were orphans with no home of their own.”
anxiousadj.Ch.1
Worried and uneasy
“Jessie felt anxious that someone might find them.”
fortunateadj.Ch.2
Lucky
“They were fortunate to find a safe place to rest.”
journeyn.Ch.2
A trip from one place to another
“Their journey took them far from the town.”
sheltern.Ch.2
A place that protects you from weather or danger
“They looked for shelter before the rain came.”
dawnn.Ch.2
The first light of the morning
“At dawn the children stopped to sleep in the hay.”
faintadj.Ch.2
Weak and dizzy
“Benny felt faint because he had not eaten.”
1After walking for hours, the hungry children could hardly stand. They were —Ch.1
2A “bakery” is a place where cars are fixed.Ch.1
3To “peer” into the bakery window means to —Ch.1
4Fill in each blank with the correct word.Ch.1
Word choices:orphanwearybakerydawn- some words will not be used
A child whose parents have died is an
After their long walk the four children were
5Someone who is “anxious” feels calm and relaxed.Ch.1
6The children were lucky to find a safe place to rest. They were —Ch.2
7A trip from one place to another is a —Ch.2
8A “shelter” is a place that protects you from bad weather or danger.Ch.2
9Fill in each blank with the correct word.Ch.2
Word choices:dawnfaintjourneyshelter- some words will not be used
The first light of the morning is called
With no food, Benny felt weak and
10Benny had not eaten and felt weak and dizzy. He felt —Ch.2
Part 2
Comprehension
How well do you understand Chapters 1–2?
Knowledge Bank · Reading for Who, Where, and Why
Reading StrategyEvery strong reader begins a story by quietly asking three questions: who are these people, where are they, and why do they act as they do? In the opening pages the answers arrive fast — four Alden children, alone at night, hurrying away from the only town they know. The trickiest of the three is nearly always why, because a writer often shows a feeling instead of naming it. Warner never says plainly that the children fear being separated; she lets their choices reveal it. When you notice a character doing something puzzling and pause to ask what is driving it, you are making an inference — a smart guess built from clues in the text. Practice that habit as you read, and the children’s puzzling choices will begin to feel perfectly logical.
1How many children are in the Alden family?Ch.1
2The four children’s parents are still alive.Ch.1
3What do the children buy at the bakery?Ch.1
4Why do Henry and Jessie decide to run away from the baker’s wife?Ch.1
5Put these events from Part 1 in the correct order. Write 1–4 (1 = first).Ch.1–2
- Henry and Jessie overhear the plan to send Benny away.
- The four hungry children stop outside a bakery at night.
- The children slip away in the night and run off.
- The baker’s wife lets them sleep in the bakery.
6To avoid being seen, the children travel at night and sleep during the day.Ch.2
7Who is the youngest of the four children?Ch.1
8Who is the oldest child and acts as the leader?Ch.1
9The children are afraid to go to their grandfather because they think he is unkind.Ch.1
10Where do the children rest during their journey?Ch.2
Part 3
Literary Elements
Understanding HOW and WHY Gertrude Chandler Warner writes Chapters 1–2 the way she does.
Knowledge Bank · Warner’s Word-Craft: The Quiet ‘Fortunate’
Language · Understatement SpotlightFour children have lost both parents and are wandering alone — a truly frightening situation — yet Warner keeps her words calm, gentle, and even cheerful. When a kind baker hands them bread, she calls the children fortunate, as if a warm loaf settles everything. Deliberately saying less than a moment could allow is called understatement, and Warner leans on it throughout the book. Why choose such a quiet voice for such a hard story? Because it matches the Aldens themselves, who meet trouble without panic and simply get on with the next task. The plain, hopeful words make the children seem brave rather than pitiful, and they let the reader feel safe even in hardship. Watch how a writer’s gentle tone can turn a sad tale into a warm, comforting adventure.
📚 Literary Devices in This Part · definitions & examples
Character means a person or animal in a story. The four children — Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny — are the main characters of this book.Setting is the time and place of a story. In Part 1 the setting moves from a town at night to the open countryside.Conflict is the main problem the characters must solve. The children’s conflict is that they have no home, little food, and fear being separated.
The questions below are mixed — not grouped by device. Decide which device each one is about.
1The dark woods and old boxcar where the children hide form the story’s —Ch.1–2
2The setting is the time and place where a story happens.Ch.1–2
3Fill in each blank with the correct word.Ch.1–2
Word choices:settingconflictproblemmood- some words will not be used
The woods and boxcar where they live are the
The children’s struggle to survive alone is a .
4The children’s struggle to stay safe and fed on their own is a —Ch.1–2
5A problem is a difficulty the characters must solve.Ch.1–2
6Fill in each blank with the correct word.Ch.1–2
Word choices:problemsettingconflicttheme- some words will not be used
Having no home and no parents is the children’s
The lonely woods where they hide is the .
7Being orphans with nowhere safe to go is the children’s main —Ch.1–2
8The place and time a story happens is its —Ch.1–2
9Fill in each blank with the correct word.Ch.1–2
Word choices:conflictproblemsettingplot- some words will not be used
The children’s fight to survive alone is a
The woods and boxcar are the story’s .
10The lonely woods setting mainly makes the children’s situation feel —Ch.1–2
Part 4
Think Deeper
Four deeper challenges — no single-word recall. Read, weigh the evidence, and reason it through.
Knowledge Bank · A Family That Sticks Together
Ethical Inquiry · A Family That Sticks TogetherThe beating heart of Part 1 is loyalty — the choice to stay together no matter what. The Aldens could have knocked on a stranger’s door and asked to be taken in, but they are terrified that grown-ups would split them up and send them to separate homes. So they give up the warmth of a cosy bakery and slip back into the night, choosing each other over comfort. Notice how Warner makes the oldest, Henry, quietly take charge while the others trust him, and how even little Benny is never left behind. Their teamwork is not merely sweet; it is what keeps them safe, because four children who guard one another are far stronger than one child alone. As you read, ask yourself what the family gains by refusing to be divided.
1Claim: “The children run away to keep their little family together.” — choose the two details that best prove it.Claim & Evidence
2Shows why the children run away, or just a detail of the scene? Tap each item to send it left or right.Sort into two
◄ Why they run awayJust a detail ►
3Match each cause to its result. For each cause, pick its result.Cause & Effect
The children are orphaned and alone→
A bakery takes them in→
Henry and Jessie overhear a plan to split them→
They want to stay together→
4Fill both blanks to complete the reasoning.Build the Argument
The children run away because , which shows that .
Part 5
Standardized Test · Vocabulary in Context & Main Idea
Part 1 practices exam reading skills — Vocabulary in Context, Main Idea, Inference, and Author’s Purpose — in the styles the SAT and TOEFL use. Read the passage (the highlighted words are tested below), then choose the answer best supported by the text.
Knowledge Bank · How the SAT & TOEFL Ask
Test Skills · Part 1Real reading exams rarely test a single fact. This section practices four question families: Vocabulary in Context (what a word means in this sentence), Main Idea (the central point), Inference (what must be true even if unstated), and Author’s Purpose (why a detail is included). For vocabulary, cover the word, read the sentence, and predict a replacement before you choose.
A thunderstorm begins with warm, wet air rising from the ground on a hot afternoon. As this air climbs, it cools and forms a cloud that can tower many kilometers into the sky. Inside the cloud, tiny water drops and ice crystals bump together and build up a huge electric charge. When the charge grows strong enough it leaps free as lightning, a spark so hot that it makes the air explode — and that sudden blast is the thunder we hear. Because light travels faster than sound, we see the flash before the rumble reaches us, so counting the seconds between them shows how distant the storm is. A single storm can unleash heavy rain, fierce wind, and even hail in just a few minutes. Sensible people never ignore the warning signs; they find shelter indoors or in a car and wait. A thunderstorm is brief but powerful, and treating it with respect is the surest way to stay safe.
Original passage written for Garden Heights — not a quotation from the novel.
1As used in the passage, the word “tower” most nearly means —SAT · Words in Context
2The passage suggests that thunder heard from far away means the storm is —SAT · Inference
3According to the passage, what makes the sound of thunder?TOEFL · Factual Information
4As used in the passage, the word “unleash” most nearly means —SAT · Words in Context
5According to the passage, why do we see the lightning before we hear the thunder?TOEFL · Factual Information
6As used in the passage, the word “brief” most nearly means —SAT · Words in Context
7Which statement best expresses the central idea of the passage?SAT · Central Ideas
8The passage mainly urges readers to treat a thunderstorm with —SAT · Rhetorical Purpose
9The passage most strongly suggests that if the gap between the flash and the rumble grows longer, the storm is —TOEFL · Inference
10Why does the author explain counting the seconds between the flash and the rumble?SAT · Text Structure & Purpose
Part 6 · Optional
Creative Writing
A bonus challenge to practice your English.
About This Section
This writing task is optional and not part of your auto-graded score. Feedback checks length, spelling, and grammar only.
Writing Task — Part 1 “The First Night”
Use setting to describe the four children’s first night on their own. What do they see, hear, and feel as they walk away from the bakery in the dark? Write at least 40 words.
You can start with: “As the last light went out in the bakery window, the four children stepped quietly into the dark street and…”
0 / 40 words minimum
🗣 Teach It · Just for Fun (optional)
No right or wrong — close the screen and tell someone nearby what happened in this part. Can’t find anyone? Tell yourself out loud. The moment you teach it, you truly understand it.
🏆
Part 1 Complete!
You finished Chapters 1–2 of The Boxcar Children.
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