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My Father's Dragon · Garden Heights Academy
Part 3
for My Father's Dragon · Part 3 · Chapters 5
a novel by Ruth Stiles Gannett
25 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 3
Deep in the jungle, Elmer runs straight into a pack of hungry tigers who happily announce they are going to eat him. Thinking fast, Elmer pulls out his chewing gum and offers it to the tigers, telling them it is a special treat that lasts and lasts if you never swallow it. The greedy tigers each grab a piece and start chewing — and they are so busy chewing and chewing that they completely forget about Elmer. While the distracted tigers chomp away, brave, quick-thinking Elmer quietly slips past them and hurries on toward the river.
What We Will Learn
Focus
What It Means
Problem-Solving
Elmer’s first clever escape
Science (Tigers)
Real facts about these big cats
Character
Elmer’s quick thinking under pressure
Chapter Summary
Chapter
Key Events
Ch.5
Hungry tigers want to eat Elmer; he gives them chewing gum, and while they chew, distracted, he slips safely past
💭 Before You Read · Warm-Up (not scored)
There are no wrong answers here — just think, guess, and talk:
Facing a pack of hungry tigers, Elmer doesn’t run or fight — he hands them chewing gum. Why can distracting a stronger enemy work better than facing it head-on?
The tigers are beaten by their own greed. Can you think of a time when wanting too much of something got a person (or an animal) into trouble?
Predict: Elmer has more odd supplies in his pack. What kind of animal problem might a lollipop or a ribbon solve?
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 5, then answer each question.
🐅Knowledge Bank · All About Tigers
Biology · TigersThe tiger is the largest cat on Earth, heavier than a lion and strong enough to drag prey bigger than itself. Wild tigers live only in Asia, spread from the steaming forests of India to the freezing woods of eastern Russia. Every tiger wears its own pattern of black stripes, and no two are ever alike, much as no two people share a fingerprint. Those stripes are a disguise: they break up the animal’s outline among tall grass and shifting shadow so it can creep close before rushing. A tiger hunts alone and waits with great patience. So few remain today that the species is now endangered.
ferociousadj.Ch.5
Very fierce and dangerous
“The ferocious tigers surrounded Elmer.”
greedyadj.Ch.5
Wanting far too much
“The greedy tigers grabbed the gum.”
distractv.Ch.5
To pull attention away
“Elmer used gum to distract the tigers.”
announcev.Ch.5
To say something openly
“The tigers announced they would eat him.”
escapev.Ch.5
To get away from danger
“Elmer needed to escape the tigers.”
cleveradj.Ch.5
Smart and quick-thinking
“His clever trick saved his life.”
pouncev.Ch.5
To jump suddenly to attack
“A tiger might pounce at any moment.”
enormousadj.Ch.5
Extremely large
“The tigers had enormous paws.”
nervousadj.Ch.5
Worried and uneasy
“Elmer felt nervous but stayed calm.”
quietlyadv.Ch.5
Without making noise
“Elmer slipped away quietly.”
ⓘ 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.
1Very fierce and dangerous means ___.Ch.5
2True or False: To “distract” means to pull someone’s attention away.Ch.5
3Wanting far too much means being ___.Ch.5
4True or False: To “pounce” means to lie down and sleep.Ch.5
5Fill in each blank with the correct word.Ch.5
Word choices:ferociousgreedydistractescape- some words will not be used
The tigers were , so Elmer used gum to them.
6True or False: To “announce” means to say something openly.Ch.5
7To get away from danger is to ___.Ch.5
8True or False: “Enormous” means very small.Ch.5
9Fill in the blanks with the correct words.Ch.5
Word choices:cleverquietlynervouspounce- some words will not be used
Elmer’s trick worked, and he slipped away .
10To jump suddenly to attack is to ___.Ch.5
Part 2
Comprehension
How well do you understand Chapters 5?
🍫Knowledge Bank · Where Chewing Gum Comes From
Food Science · Chewing GumThe odd treat in this chapter has a real history. For centuries, people in Mexico and Central America chewed chicle, a milky sap collected by cutting the bark of the sapodilla tree. In the eighteen hundreds, makers boiled that sap, sweetened it, and rolled it flat into the sticks we would recognize today. Most modern gum uses a man-made base instead of tree sap, but the idea never changed: something soft you chew for a long while and never swallow. That is precisely what makes it handy on a journey. A single stick hides in a pocket, yet it holds a hungry mouth far longer than any snack.
1What do the tigers want to do to Elmer?Ch.5
2What does Elmer give the tigers?Ch.5
3What does Elmer tell the tigers about the gum?Ch.5
4True or False: The tigers get so busy chewing that they forget about Elmer.Ch.5
5Write the numbers 1–5 in the boxes to show the correct order across Part 3. Number 1 = what happens first.Ch.5
The tigers announce they are going to eat him.
Elmer offers them chewing gum that ‘lasts forever.’
The greedy tigers chew and chew, distracted.
Elmer runs into a pack of hungry tigers.
Elmer quietly slips past and hurries on.
6True or False: Elmer fights the tigers with his fists.Ch.5
7Why does the gum trick work?Ch.5
8What does Elmer do while the tigers chew?Ch.5
9True or False: Elmer stays calm and thinks quickly in danger.Ch.5
10Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence.Ch.5
Word choices:gumtigerschewriver- some words will not be used
Elmer gave the chewing and slipped away while they chewed.
Part 3
Literary Elements
Understanding HOW and WHY Ruth Stiles Gannett creates certain feelings across Chapters 5.
😂Knowledge Bank · Humor Born of Surprise
Literary Craft · Humor and SurpriseThis adventure is thrilling, and it is also very funny, and nearly all of its humor grows from surprise. The writer sets up something fearsome, then answers it with something small and silly, and that sudden switch is what makes a reader laugh aloud. Comedy writers say the gap between what we expect and what we get is the whole engine of a joke. Gannett keeps the danger honest — these animals really could eat a boy — while every escape stays playful. That balance thrills young readers without frightening them. Watch how often a frightening page finishes on something perfectly ridiculous.
📚 Literary Devices in This Part · definitions & examples
The tigers are a problem; the chewing gum is the clever solution.Elmer’s key trait is cleverness — he thinks his way out of danger.The story uses a pattern: each animal is outwitted by one clever item.
The questions below are mixed — not grouped by device. Decide which device each one is about.
1The tigers are the danger Elmer faces; the clever gum trick is his —Ch.5
2A solution is how a character solves the problem they face.Ch.5
3Fill in each blank with the correct word.Ch.5
Word choices:problemsolutiontraitpattern- some words will not be used
The fierce tigers are the
The clever gum trick is Elmer’s .
4Elmer’s main character trait, shown again here, is his —Ch.5
5A character trait changes completely on every single page.Ch.5
6Fill in each blank with the correct word.Ch.5
Word choices:patterntraitsolutionmood- some words will not be used
Each animal beaten by one clever item is a repeating
Elmer’s key .
7Beating each animal with one clever item over and over is a story —Ch.5
8How does Elmer solve the tiger problem?Ch.5
9Fill in each blank with the correct word.Ch.5
Word choices:solutionproblemtraitplot- some words will not be used
The tigers are a deadly
Elmer’s quick wits give him a clever .
10The repeating problem-and-solution pattern mainly shows that —Ch.5
Part 4
Think Deeper
Four deeper challenges — no single-word recall. Read, weigh the evidence, and reason it through.
💡Knowledge Bank · Solving a Problem Sideways
Thinking · Lateral ThinkingWhen a problem is too big to beat head-on, clever people hunt for a side door. Thinkers call this lateral thinking: rather than asking how to win the fight, you ask what else about the situation could change. A locked gate might be walked around. A hungry animal might simply be fed. Inventors work this way too — sticky notes exist because someone asked what a weak, failed glue might be perfect for. Elmer never tries to be stronger than a tiger, since he never could be. He changes the question instead, and his best answers always arrive sideways.
1Claim: “Elmer escapes the tigers by outsmarting them, not fighting.” — choose the two details that best prove it.Claim & Evidence
2Shows Elmer using cleverness, or just a detail of the danger? Tap each item to send it left or right.Sort into two
◄ Elmer’s clevernessJust a detail ►
3Match each cause to its result. For each cause, pick its result.Cause & Effect
Hungry tigers surround Elmer→
Elmer thinks fast→
The tigers are busy chewing→
His trick works→
4Fill both blanks to complete the reasoning.Build the Argument
Elmer beats the tigers because , which shows that .
Part 5
Standardized Test
Factual Details & EXCEPT Questions — SAT & TOEFL-style practice
🎯 You already have the skills from the sections above — this is just a fun way to meet real SAT & TOEFL-style questions. Read the passage (the highlighted words are tested below), then answer the questions below. Tap an answer to select it, then tap it again to confirm — you can change your choice until you confirm.
In stories from all around the world, the smallest character is often the one who wins. A tiny hero cannot beat a giant by strength, so instead the hero must be cunning, using tricks and quick thinking to escape. These tales share a clear pattern. First, a weak character meets a powerful enemy — a giant, a wolf, a tiger. Next, the small hero spots the enemy’s hidden flaw, often its greed, its vanity, or its stupidity. Then, instead of fighting, the hero sets a clever trap that turns the enemy’s own weakness against it. Finally, the little one escapes while the powerful one is left fooled. People have loved this pattern for thousands of years, from ancient Greece to West Africa, because it carries a hopeful message: you do not have to be the biggest or strongest to win. A sharp mind, these stories promise, can be the most powerful weapon of all.
Original passage written for Garden Heights — not a quotation from the novel.
1A hero who is “cunning” wins by —SAT · Words in Context
2An “enemy” in these tales is —SAT · Words in Context
3The passage lists these steps of the pattern EXCEPT —TOEFL · Negative Fact (EXCEPT)
4A “flaw” is —SAT · Words in Context
5According to the passage, what kinds of flaws does the enemy often have?TOEFL · Factual Information
6The passage most strongly suggests that the little hero usually wins by —SAT · Inference
7Why have people loved this pattern for thousands of years?SAT · Inference
8According to the passage, people have loved this story pattern for —TOEFL · Factual Information
9Which sentence best states the main idea of the passage?SAT · Central Ideas
10The author ends “a sharp mind… can be the most powerful weapon of all” 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 3 “Outsmarting Trouble”
Elmer escapes the hungry tigers with a clever trick instead of fighting. Write about a clever way to solve a problem without fighting. Describe the problem and your smart solution. Write at least 40 words.
You can start with: “Instead of fighting, the clever thing to do 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 3 Complete!
You finished Chapters 5 of My Father's Dragon.
Here are your auto-graded results:
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points out of 100
Your Writing
Your writing was checked automatically for length, spelling, grammar, and whether you included the key parts of the scene. Scroll back to Part 5 anytime to read your feedback and improve your work.
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.
