Elmer and the Dragon · Garden Heights Academy

Part 2

for Elmer and the Dragon · Part 2 · Chapters 3

a novel by Ruth Stiles Gannett

30 min5 Parts

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 2

The storm has thrown Elmer and the dragon down into the sea, and they crawl ashore on a long sand bar joined to a small green island. The dragon is soaked and worn out from fighting the wind and waves, so Elmer makes him comfortable and tells him to rest. While the dragon sleeps, brave Elmer sets off alone to explore the strange little island, wondering where in the world the storm has carried them and whether anyone — or anything — lives there.

What We Will Learn

Focus	What It Means
Setting	How a sand bar links the sea to a hidden island
Science (Coasts)	How sand bars and shallows form along a shore
Character	Elmer’s courage and care for his friend

Chapter Summary

Chapter	Key Events
Ch.3	After the crash landing, Elmer and the dragon come ashore on a sand bar attached to a small green island; Elmer lets the exhausted dragon rest and sets off alone to explore

💭 Before You Read · Warm-Up (not scored)

There are no wrong answers here — just think, guess, and talk:

Elmer makes his exhausted friend rest before he explores. When is it right to put someone else’s needs first, even when you’re curious or in a hurry?
He sets off alone onto a strange island. What would you check for first if you landed somewhere completely unknown?
Predict: the island is small, green, and very quiet. What kind of creatures might be watching Elmer without him knowing?

Copyright Notice

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.

Part 1

Vocabulary

Study 10 key words from Chapters 3, then answer each question.

🧠Knowledge Bank · Finding the Way Without a Map

Geography · NavigationAfter the storm, Elmer and the dragon are far from home with no map. So how do travelers find their way? For thousands of years, sailors and birds have used the world around them. By day they follow the sun, which rises in the east and sets in the west. By night they read the stars, which sit in steady patterns. They also watch for landmarks, like a coastline, a mountain, or the shape of an island. Even the wind and the waves give hints. Little by little, careful watchers piece these signs together to steer the right way. Reading nature’s signs is the oldest kind of navigation.

A small clear plastic compass lying flat, its red-and-white magnetic needle pointing across the marked dial toward north — Photograph of a small magnetic compass with its needle settled. The *Knowledge Bank* explains that travelers far from home with no map have always used the world around them: the sun by day, which rises in one direction and sets in another, and the stars by night. A compass adds a third way, because its magnetized needle turns until it lines up with the Earth itself. Look at the needle rather than the numbers: it is free to spin, and it always stops in the same place. This is an ordinary modern instrument, not one from the story.
Magnetic compass; photograph by Evan-Amos. Source: Wikimedia Commons, public domain.

sandbarn.Ch.3

A raised ridge of sand near a shore or in shallow water

“They crawled ashore onto a long sandbar.”

shallowadj.Ch.3

Not deep

“The water near the bar was warm and shallow.”

shoren.Ch.3

The land along the edge of a sea or lake

“Waves pushed them gently toward the shore.”

strandedadj.Ch.3

Left stuck somewhere with no easy way to leave

“The storm left them stranded on a strange island.”

recoverv.Ch.3

To get back health or strength

“The dragon slept to recover from the storm.”

explorev.Ch.3

To travel through a place to learn about it

“Elmer set off to explore the green island.”

comfortv.Ch.3

To make someone feel less worried or upset

“Elmer tried to comfort the frightened dragon.”

cautiousadj.Ch.3

Careful to avoid danger

“He was cautious as he crept into the trees.”

soggyadj.Ch.3

Very wet and soft

“Their soggy clothes dripped on the sand.”

dampadj.Ch.3

Slightly wet

“The damp sand was cool under his feet.”

ⓘ 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.

🧠Knowledge Bank question

1According to the Knowledge Bank, travelers have found their way for thousands of years by using ___.Ch.3

2True or False: “Shallow” water is very deep.Ch.3

3The land along the edge of the sea is the ___.Ch.3

4True or False: To “explore” a place means to travel through it to learn about it.Ch.3

5Fill in each blank with the correct word.Ch.3

Word choices:strandedrecovercautioussoggy- some words will not be used

The storm left them on the island, so the dragon rested to his strength.

6True or False: Someone who is “cautious” is careless and takes big risks.Ch.3

7To “comfort” someone means to ___.Ch.3

8True or False: “Soggy” means very wet and soft.Ch.3

9Fill in the blanks with the correct words.Ch.3

Word choices:exploreshallowshoredamp- some words will not be used

The water near the was , so Elmer waded out to the island.

10Slightly wet means ___.Ch.3

Part 2

Comprehension

How well do you understand Chapters 3?

🧠Knowledge Bank · Guessing What Comes Next

Reading Skill · PredictingSmart readers make guesses about what will happen next. This is called predicting. You use clues from the story plus what you already know, then you make a good guess. When Elmer lands on a strange, quiet island, you might predict that he will explore it, or that something surprising is hiding there. A prediction is not always right, and that is fine — you simply change your guess as you learn more. Good predictions keep your mind busy and make reading exciting. Before you turn the page, pause and ask one question: what do I think will happen next? Then read on to check your prediction.

🧠Knowledge Bank question

1The Knowledge Bank says a good prediction uses clues from the story plus ___.Ch.3

2Where do Elmer and the dragon come ashore?Ch.3

3Why does the dragon need to rest?Ch.3

4True or False: Elmer explores the island while the dragon rests.Ch.3

5Write the numbers 1–5 in the boxes to show the correct order of events in Part 2. Number 1 = what happens first.Ch.3

Elmer makes the tired dragon comfortable and tells him to rest.
Elmer sees the sand bar is joined to a small green island.
Elmer sets off alone to explore the island.
The storm throws Elmer and the dragon down toward the sea.
They wash up onto a long sand bar.

6True or False: Elmer leaves the resting dragon behind to explore by himself.Ch.3

7What is the sand bar connected to?Ch.3

8How does Elmer treat the dragon when they land?Ch.3

9True or False: Elmer knows exactly where the storm has taken them.Ch.3

10Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence.Ch.3

Word choices:sandgreendesertcity- some words will not be used

They came ashore on a bar joined to a small island.

Part 3

Literary Elements

Understanding HOW and WHY Ruth Stiles Gannett creates certain feelings across Chapters 3.

🧠Knowledge Bank · How a Place Makes Us Feel

Literary Craft · Setting & MoodThe setting is where and when a story takes place, and it can change how a scene feels. That feeling is the mood. A sunny beach with singing birds feels happy and safe. A dark, silent island with strange shadows feels tense and a little scary. Ruth Stiles Gannett chooses her words to color each place, so you feel it as Elmer does. As you read, notice the small details — the light, the sounds, the weather. Ask what mood they build. Writers know that the right setting can make your heart race or rest. A well-drawn place quietly shapes the whole story’s mood.

Visual AidThe same story, two different places

Diagram for the Knowledge Bank on setting and mood. Card 1 and card 2 are the two examples the Knowledge Bank gives — a sunny beach with singing birds, and a dark, silent island with strange shapes — each with the feeling it produces. The drawing does not describe the island in the book. Notice that nothing in either card is an event: the mood comes from the place alone.

Setting and mood as set out in the Knowledge Bank. Drawn for Garden Heights Academy.

📚 Literary Devices in This Part · definitions & examples

The setting is where and when a story happens — here, a green island after a storm.

Mood is the feeling a setting gives the reader, such as mystery or worry.

Suspense is the excited, uncertain feeling that makes us want to keep reading.

The questions below are mixed — not grouped by device. Decide which device each one is about.

🧠Knowledge Bank question

1According to the Knowledge Bank, the mood of a scene is ___.Ch.3

2The setting is where and when a story happens.Ch.3

3Fill in each blank with the correct word.Ch.3

Word choices:settingmoodsuspenseplot- some words will not be used

The small green island where they land is the

The tense not-knowing of what waits on the island builds .

4The tense feeling as Elmer explores the strange island is —Ch.3

5Suspense is the tense feeling of not knowing what will happen.Ch.3

6Fill in each blank with the correct word.Ch.3

Word choices:moodsettingsuspenseplot- some words will not be used

The uneasy, tense feeling after the crash is the

The island where they wash ashore is the .

7The uneasy, worried feeling after the crash is the story’s —Ch.3

8Not knowing what Elmer will find on the island creates —Ch.3

9Fill in each blank with the correct word.Ch.3

Word choices:settingmoodsuspenseplot- some words will not be used

The green island is the

The tense not-knowing builds .

10The tense mood as Elmer explores mainly makes readers feel —Ch.3

Part 4

Think Deeper

Four deeper challenges — no single-word recall. Read, weigh the evidence, and reason it through.

🧠Knowledge Bank · Brave When You Are Lost

Social-Emotional · CourageBeing lost is frightening, yet Elmer stays calm and brave. This part shows real courage. Courage does not mean you feel no fear; it means you keep going even when you do. Instead of crying or giving up, Elmer looks around, thinks, and takes one careful step at a time. When you face something new or scary — a strange place, a hard test, a first day — you can do the same. Breathe, look for what you know, and try one small brave act. Little brave choices add up. Facing the unknown with a steady heart is the truest kind of courage.

1Claim: “After the storm, Elmer takes care of the dragon before exploring.” — choose the two details that best prove it.Claim & Evidence

2Shows Elmer’s care for the dragon, or just a detail of the scene? Tap each item to sort it — tap again to switch sides. You can keep tapping to change your answer.Sort into two

◄ Elmer’s careJust a detail ►

3Match each cause to its result. For each cause, pick its result.Cause & Effect

The storm throws them into the sea→

The dragon is soaked and worn out→

Elmer cares for his friend first→

The dragon is safe→

🧠Knowledge Bank question

4Fill both blanks to complete the reasoning.Build the Argument

The Knowledge Bank says Elmer shows real courage because courage does not mean , but rather .

Part 5

Standardized Test

Key Details & Inference — SAT & TOEFL-style practice

The First Rules of Survival

Being washed up on a strange shore is frightening, but survival experts say the first hours follow a clear plan. The very first task is to recover: a person who has fought cold water and waves is exhausted and chilled, and must warm up and rest before doing anything else. Next comes fresh water, because a body can last only a few days without it, while it can go much longer without food. Only then should a survivor begin to explore, and always with caution, since an unknown place may hide steep cliffs, sharp rocks, or animals. Experts also advise staying near the water at first, where rescuers are most likely to look and where the way back is easy to find. Above all, they say, do not panic: a calm mind makes better choices than a frightened one. Interestingly, this is almost exactly what Elmer does, which is why his plan feels so wise. Good stories often hide real knowledge inside an adventure.

Original passage written for Garden Heights — not a quotation from the novel.

1According to the passage, what is the very first task after washing ashore?TOEFL · Factual Information

2In the passage, the shore is ___.SAT · Words in Context

3Why does fresh water come before food?TOEFL · Factual Information

4In the passage, to recover is to ___.SAT · Words in Context

5In the passage, to explore is to ___.SAT · Words in Context

6Why do experts advise staying near the shore at first?TOEFL · Factual Information

7The passage suggests that knowing survival facts is —SAT · Inference

8Why does the author say Elmer’s plan “feels so wise”?SAT · Inference

9This TOEFL task lists six sentences; choose the THREE that best capture the passage’s main ideas. The other three do not belong — they state minor details or ideas the passage does not present.TOEFL · Prose Summary

10The author ends “good stories often hide real knowledge inside an adventure” mainly to —TOEFL · Rhetorical Purpose

Part 6 · Optional

Creative Writing

A bonus challenge to practice your English. Take your time and have fun with it.

About This Section

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 2 “Washed Ashore”

Imagine you wash up on an unknown island after a storm, just like Elmer. Describe what you see, hear, and smell as you take your first steps to explore. What will you look for first, and how do you feel? Write at least 40 words.

You can start with: “When I opened my eyes on the strange shore, the first thing I noticed was…”

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 2 Complete!

You finished Chapters 3 of Elmer and the Dragon.

Here are your auto-graded results:

-

points out of 100

Teach it to someone

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.

Move on to Part 3 →

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.