Part 1
Having freed the baby dragon on Wild Island, Elmer Elevator climbs onto its back and the two set off across the wide ocean, heading home at last. Night falls, and the tired dragon flies on and on through the dark sky above the endless water. Then a fierce storm sweeps in, tossing them through wind and rain and blowing them far off their course. When the storm finally clears, the exhausted pair spot land below and glide down onto Feather Island — a strange place where the only inhabitants are canaries, who are all behaving very oddly, as if they are simply bursting with curiosity.
| Focus | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Sequels & Story Links | How this story continues My Father’s Dragon |
| Science (Weather) | How storms form over the ocean |
| Setting | A new island and its unusual canary inhabitants |
| Chapter | Key Events |
|---|---|
| Ch.1 | Elmer and the baby dragon fly away from Wild Island, heading home over the ocean; night falls and the dragon flies on |
| Ch.2 | A fierce storm blows them off course; when it clears they land on Feather Island, home of the curious canaries |
There are no wrong answers here — just think, guess, and talk:
- Elmer and the dragon set off across a huge ocean with no map. How do you think travelers found their way before phones and GPS?
- A storm blows the heroes somewhere they never planned to go. Has a ‘wrong turn’ ever led you somewhere surprisingly good?
- Predict: they land on Feather Island, full of oddly curious canaries. What might the birds be so curious — or secretive — about?
This is an independent study guide created by Garden Heights Academy to support reading comprehension and literary analysis. It contains original analysis questions and does not reproduce any text from the novel. Elmer and the Dragon is a work by Ruth Stiles Gannett. This guide is not affiliated with, authorized by, or endorsed by the author or any associated rights holders. Students should read the original book, available from libraries and booksellers.
ⓘ The vocabulary words in this list are selected to help you understand and complete this workbook. Some may not appear verbatim in the original novel.
- Night falls and the tired dragon flies on through the dark.
- The storm blows them far off their course.
- Elmer and the dragon fly away from Wild Island toward home.
- When the storm clears, they land on Feather Island.
- A fierce storm sweeps in over the ocean.
Every year, millions of birds make journeys that would leave any sailor amazed. Some fly thousands of miles across open ocean, with no islands and no landmarks to guide them, and still arrive at the exact same beach they left the year before. A voyage like that would defeat most travelers. For a long time, people could not explain how the birds managed it. Then scientists made a surprising discovery: birds carry several built-in tools for finding their way. By day, many use the position of the sun; by night, they read the pattern of the stars, just as old sailors once did. Most amazing of all, birds can sense the Earth’s magnetic field, so a part of the bird works like a tiny compass that always knows which way is north. Using all these tools together, a bird can hold a straight course and does not drift off it, even in cloud and storm. A creature smaller than your hand carries a better sense of direction than most people ever will.
This writing task is optional and is not part of your auto-graded score. The feedback below checks only the basics — length, spelling, and grammar — not whether your ideas are right or wrong. It is meant for classroom discussion and creative practice, so feel free to use your imagination!
Writing Task — Part 1 “Blown Off Course”
A storm carries Elmer and the dragon to a place they never planned to go. Write about a time your plans changed unexpectedly, or imagine being blown by a storm to a mysterious new island. What would you find there? Write at least 40 words.
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 Elmer and the Dragon.
Here are your auto-graded results:
The best last step is to teach it. In your own words, explain what happened — retell a favorite scene, teach a character’s big choice, or sum up the main idea for a parent, friend, or classmate. When you can teach it clearly, you truly own it.
Independent study guide by Garden Heights Academy. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the author or any rights holders. Contains original analysis only; no text from the novel is reproduced.