My Father's Dragon · Garden Heights Academy

Part 1

for My Father's Dragon · Part 1 · Chapters 1–2

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 1

Elmer Elevator helps a stray cat, hears about a trapped baby dragon, and stows away.

The wet catOn a cold, rainy day, kind young Elmer Elevator helps a soaking-wet old stray cat and brings it home.

The cat’s secretThe clever cat repays him with a secret. Far away on Wild Island, fierce animals keep a baby dragon captive and force it to carry them across a river.

A knapsack of tricksElmer has always dreamed of flying, so he decides to set the dragon free. With the cat’s help he packs chewing gum, pink lollipops, rubber bands, a compass, a jackknife, and more.

Stowing awayHe secretly hides on a ship sailing toward the island of Tangerina.

What We Will Learn

Focus	What It Means
Character & Kindness	How Elmer’s kindness starts his adventure
Plot Setup	The secret of Wild Island and the captive dragon
Problem-Solving	Why Elmer packs such unusual supplies

Chapter Summary

Chapter	Key Events
Ch.1	Elmer is kind to a wet stray cat; the cat tells him about the baby dragon held captive on Wild Island
Ch.2	Elmer packs a knapsack of clever supplies and stows away on a ship bound for Tangerina

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

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

Elmer helps a soaked stray cat and is rewarded with an amazing secret. Have you ever done a small kindness that led to something surprising?
Elmer packs strange things — chewing gum, lollipops, ribbons — for a rescue. Why might odd, everyday objects turn out to be the most useful tools?
Predict: a small boy is setting out to free a dragon guarded by fierce animals. Do you think he will fight his way through, or find another way?

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. My Father's 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 1–2, then answer each question.

🚢Knowledge Bank · Stowaways and Cargo Ships

Culture · Ships and PortsElmer reaches the sea and rides a ship without buying a ticket, which makes him a stowaway — someone who hides aboard and sneaks a free voyage. The ships he chooses carry cargo: crates of fruit, cloth, and machines bound for faraway ports, the busy harbors where boats tie up to load and unload. A crossing could take many days, so a ship stored barrels of water and food for its crew, and an extra mouth ate into that supply. Captains therefore searched their holds carefully. Hiding among the crates was dark, cramped, and risky, yet for a boy with empty pockets it was the only road to a distant island.

An old hand-colored slide showing many workers loading bunches of green bananas into small open boats beside a dock shed, with the words Loading Bananas on Lighters, Montego Bay, Jamaica written across the top — A hand-colored lantern slide from the early 1900s, showing the kind of work the *Knowledge Bank* describes. Bunches of fruit are being loaded into small open boats, which will carry them out to a cargo ship waiting offshore. This is Jamaica, not Elmer's harbor, and it shows loose bunches going into boats rather than crates stacked in a dark hold. Look at how many people it takes. A ship's cargo was loaded by hand, one load at a time, which is why a harbor was such a busy, crowded place.
Loading bananas onto lighters, Montego Bay, Jamaica, early 20th century; hand-colored lantern slide. Source: Wikimedia Commons, file "Loading Bananas on Lighters, Montego Bay, Jamaica" (CSWC47-LS12-017).jpg, public domain.

strayn.Ch.1

An animal with no home

“Elmer helped a wet stray cat.”

captiveadj.Ch.1

Kept as a prisoner; not free

“The baby dragon was held captive.”

knapsackn.Ch.2

A bag carried on the back

“Elmer filled his knapsack with supplies.”

stowawayn.Ch.2

Someone who hides on a ship to travel

“Elmer became a stowaway on the ship.”

suppliesn.Ch.2

Useful things gathered for a trip

“He gathered clever supplies for the journey.”

voyagen.Ch.2

A long journey by sea

“The voyage to Tangerina took many days.”

rescuev.Ch.1

To save someone from danger

“Elmer wanted to rescue the dragon.”

cleveradj.Ch.2

Smart and quick-thinking

“The cat gave clever advice.”

secretn.Ch.1

Something kept hidden from others

“The cat shared an amazing secret.”

determinedadj.Ch.1

Firmly decided not to give up

“Elmer was determined to help.”

ⓘ 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, why did ship captains search their holds so carefully?Ch.1

2True or False: To be “captive” means to be free to go anywhere.Ch.1

3A bag you carry on your back is a ___.Ch.2

4True or False: A “stowaway” hides on a ship to travel secretly.Ch.2

5Fill in each blank with the correct word.Ch.1–2

Word choices:captiveknapsackrescuestray- some words will not be used

Elmer packed his to the dragon held on Wild Island.

6True or False: A “voyage” is a long journey by sea.Ch.2

7To save someone from danger is to ___ them.Ch.1

8True or False: Someone “determined” gives up easily.Ch.1

9Fill in the blanks with the correct words.Ch.2

Word choices:stowawaysuppliessecretclever- some words will not be used

He gathered clever and became a on the ship.

10Something kept hidden from others is a ___.Ch.1

Part 2

Comprehension

How well do you understand Chapters 1–2?

🎒Knowledge Bank · Packing for a Long Trip

Planning · Explorer SuppliesBefore any real journey, careful travelers write a list. Explorers, hikers, and sailors all learn the same rule: whatever you forget, you will do without, so every item has to earn its place in the bag. The best supplies are light, small, and useful in more than one way. A comb, a rubber band, or a folded sheet of paper weighs almost nothing and can still mend a problem far from home. Packing is really a way of thinking ahead — imagining trouble before it arrives and choosing a tool to meet it. That is why a strange-looking bundle can still be carefully planned.

Visual AidEvery item must earn its place

Table for the Knowledge Bank on packing. It pairs four small, light things with a job each one can do. The four are examples only, not a list from the book, and the table does not claim these are the best things to pack for any real trip. Notice that not one of them is heavy or expensive. That is the whole rule: a good supply is small, light, and able to do more than one job.

Examples chosen to match the packing rule the Knowledge Bank states. Drawn for Garden Heights Academy.

🧠Knowledge Bank question

1According to the Knowledge Bank, what makes the best supplies for a long trip?Ch.1

2What secret does the cat tell Elmer?Ch.1

3Why does Elmer want to go to Wild Island?Ch.1

4True or False: Elmer packs unusual supplies like chewing gum and lollipops.Ch.2

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

The cat tells Elmer about the captive baby dragon on Wild Island.
Elmer packs a knapsack full of clever supplies.
Elmer stows away on a ship bound for Tangerina.
Elmer is kind to a wet, homeless stray cat.
Elmer decides to rescue the dragon.

6True or False: The wild animals make the baby dragon carry them across a river.Ch.1

7How does Elmer travel toward the islands?Ch.2

8Who helps Elmer plan and pack?Ch.2

9True or False: Elmer’s supplies are chosen carefully for a clever reason.Ch.2

10Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence.Ch.1–2

Word choices:catdragonshipisland- some words will not be used

A clever told Elmer about the captive .

Part 3

Literary Elements

Understanding HOW and WHY Ruth Stiles Gannett creates certain feelings across Chapters 1–2.

🗺Knowledge Bank · The Shape of a Quest

Literary Craft · The QuestMany of the world’s oldest stories share one shape, which storytellers call a quest. A hero leaves the safety of home, travels toward somewhere strange, and tries to reach a goal that truly matters. Ancient myths use this shape, and so do films made last year. A quest needs three pieces before it can start: a hero, a strong reason to go, and a hard road lying in between. Tales in which a child slips away alone to rescue someone are among the oldest of all, because the traveler is small and the world is wide. Once those three pieces are set in place, the story can set out on its long adventure.

📚 Literary Devices in This Part · definitions & examples

A clear goal drives a quest. Elmer’s goal is to rescue the baby dragon.

Foreshadowing: the odd supplies hint that each one will be useful later.

Characterization: Elmer’s kindness to the cat shows he is caring and brave.

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

🧠Knowledge Bank question

1According to the Knowledge Bank, what three things must a quest have before it starts?Ch.1–2

2A goal is what a character is trying to achieve in a story.Ch.1–2

3Fill in each blank with the correct word.Ch.1–2

Word choices:goalforeshadowingcharacterizationsetting- some words will not be used

Elmer’s main

The odd supplies that hint they will be useful later are a kind of .

4The strange supplies Elmer packs hint they will matter later. This clue-dropping is —Ch.1–2

5Foreshadowing gives away the whole ending in the very first sentence.Ch.1–2

6Fill in each blank with the correct word.Ch.1–2

Word choices:characterizationgoalforeshadowingmood- some words will not be used

Showing Elmer’s kindness to the cat is

His firm plan to save the dragon is his .

7We learn Elmer is caring and brave mainly through —Ch.1–2

8Why does the author describe each odd supply so carefully?Ch.1–2

9Fill in each blank with the correct word.Ch.1–2

Word choices:foreshadowingcharacterizationgoalplot- some words will not be used

The odd knapsack items are

Elmer’s brave kindness is clear .

10Giving Elmer a clear goal early mainly helps readers —Ch.1–2

Part 4

Think Deeper

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

🦒Knowledge Bank · Tricksters in World Folktales

World Folktales · Trickster HeroesLong before this book was written, storytellers everywhere loved a small hero who wins by thinking. In West African tales, Anansi the spider talks his way past animals ten times his size. In stories told in the American South, Br’er Rabbit escapes stronger enemies with a joke and a trick. Scholars call such a character a trickster, and the pattern repeats on every continent: muscle loses, wit wins. Listeners have always cheered these tales, because the weakest creature in the room turns out to be the one who walks away safe. Elmer joins that ancient family, and his sharpest tool is his brain.

1Claim: “Elmer’s kindness to the stray cat is what sets the whole adventure in motion.” — choose the two details that best prove it.Claim & Evidence

2Shows Elmer’s kindness and its reward, or just a background detail? Tap each item to sort it — tap again to switch sides. You can keep tapping to change your answer.Sort into two

◄ Kindness and its rewardJust a detail ►

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

Elmer sees a wet, cold stray cat→

The cat is grateful→

Elmer hears of the captive dragon→

He plans ahead→

🧠Knowledge Bank question

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

The Knowledge Bank says Elmer belongs to an old family of story heroes because , which shows that .

Part 5

Standardized Test

Vocabulary in Context & Main Idea — SAT & TOEFL-style practice

The Power of Lateral Thinking

When most people meet a problem, they push straight at it, using more force or more effort. But there is another way, and clever people have always known it: instead of pushing harder, you look for a sideways answer. Thinkers call this lateral thinking — solving a problem from an unexpected direction rather than head-on. Imagine a heavy door that will not open however hard you shove; a lateral thinker simply notices it is marked ‘pull.’ The trick is to study the problem until you spot its hidden weakness, then use a small, surprising tool to slip past it. A hungry animal, for example, might be beaten not by strength but by its own greed. Lateral thinking often looks like cleverness or even luck, but it is really a skill a determined person can practice: ask what the problem truly wants, and look for the secret answer no one else has noticed. The smallest person in the room can win this way.

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

1In the passage, “determined” most nearly means ___.SAT · Words in Context

2What do thinkers call solving a problem from an unexpected direction?TOEFL · Factual Information

3The example of the door marked ‘pull’ shows that —SAT · Inference

4A hidden “weakness” is —SAT · Words in Context

5According to the passage, a hungry animal might be beaten by —TOEFL · Factual Information

6In the passage, “secret” most nearly means ___.SAT · Words in Context

7The passage most strongly suggests that a small, weak person can win by —SAT · Inference

8According to the passage, a lateral thinker opens the stuck ‘push’ door by —TOEFL · Factual Information

9Which sentence best states the main idea of the passage?SAT · Central Ideas

10The author ends “the smallest person in the room can win this way” 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 1 “Packing for an Adventure”

Elmer packs a knapsack of clever supplies for his journey. If you were going on a big adventure, what would you pack and why? List your items and explain how each could help. Write at least 40 words.

You can start with: “For my big adventure, I would pack…”

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 My Father's 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 2 →

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.