Lower elementary · Grades K–2
My Father's Dragon Homeschool Literature Study Guide
For grades K–2 · 4-week family study
by Ruth Stiles Gannett
Prepared by StudyGuide Pro · Updated
About the book
What this guide helps your family notice
A boy named Elmer Elevator travels to Wild Island with a backpack full of ordinary objects and an extraordinary rescue plan.
Why we place this guide in grades K–2
The short chapters create a satisfying read-aloud cadence, and every new island problem gives a child a chance to predict, sequence, and explain cause and effect.
Placement reflects the independence, evidence, vocabulary, content, and project expected by this guide. It is a teaching recommendation, not a claim that every child reads at the same pace.
Free sample lesson
Week 1 · A rescue idea
Read Chapters 1–2
What makes Elmer decide to rescue the dragon?
Parent answer guidance
A strong answer should name a specific choice, detail, or line from Chapters 1–2; explain what it shows about a rescue idea; and make room for a different answer when the child can support it from the story. Prompt once with “What in the chapter makes you think that?” before supplying an interpretation.
Edition-independent chapter map
A 4-week reading schedule
The plan follows chapters or named sections rather than page numbers, so it stays usable across common paperback, hardcover, and ebook editions. If an edition numbers supplemental material differently, match the chapter title or stopping event.
Week 1 · Chapters 1–2
A rescue idea
What makes Elmer decide to rescue the dragon?
Activity: Draw Elmer's backpack and label what each item might do.
Week 2 · Chapters 3–5
Wild Island
How does Elmer use listening and observation to stay safe?
Activity: Begin a map with the island's first landmarks.
Week 3 · Chapters 6–9
Clever solutions
Which animal problem is the trickiest to solve?
Activity: Act out one rescue using only three props.
Week 4 · Chapters 10–end
Home again
How has Elmer changed by the time he returns?
Activity: Finish and narrate the Wild Island map.
Learning objectives and extra prompts
What students will practice
- Use the text to practice sequencing.
- Use the text to practice problem-solving.
- Use the text to practice map skills.
- Use the text to practice character actions.
More sample questions
- 01How does Elmer prepare before leaving home?
- 02Which plan works best, and why?
- 03What do the animals learn from Elmer's courage?
Extension activities
- Map Wild Island
- Pack an imaginary rescue bag
- Invent a safe solution to a story problem
Content notes for parents
Know what to expect before you begin.
A playful rescue adventure with mild peril, animal captivity, and clever problem-solving.
Children practice: Sequencing · Problem-solving · Map skills · Character actions
Final reflection
Finish with a final project.
Design a labeled map of Wild Island and narrate Elmer's route from the beach to the dragon and home again.
Final-project rubric
Four things to look for
01
Understanding
Accurately represents the book’s characters, events, setting, or central ideas.
02
Text evidence
Uses specific moments, details, or language from the reading to support choices.
03
Communication
Explains the project clearly in words suited to the student’s grade band.
04
Reflection
Connects the finished work to a theme, change, question, or insight from the book.
Use the rubric descriptively: beginning, developing, clear, or especially strong. It is answer support for family feedback, not a standardized assessment.
Editorial and worldview note
What kind of guide this is
Written for Christian homeschool families: literary analysis stays grounded in the book, with room for biblical reflection at home. These are literature guides, not Bible curriculum.
Prepared by StudyGuide Pro; reviewed September 1, 2026. Read the editorial method →
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