KS: R & KS1
Year Group: Year 2
Literary Theme: Fictional Worlds & Fantasy
Author(s): Helen Ward
This is a three-session spelling seed for the book The Dragon Machine by Helen Ward. Below is the coverage from Appendix 1 of the National Curriculum 2014.
Spelling Seeds have been designed to complement Writing Roots by providing weekly, contextualised sequences of sessions for the teaching of spelling that include open-ended investigations and opportunities to practise and apply within meaningful and purposeful contexts, linked (where relevant) to other areas of the curriculum and a suggestion of how to extend the investigation into home learning.
There is a Spelling Seed session for every week of the associated Writing Root.
behind, busy, climb, could, doors, floor, many, parents, people, wild
Words ending –il
The /ɔ:/ sound spelt ar after w
The /ɜ:/ sound spelt or after w
A Writing Root is available for The Dragon Machine.
Dragon guide and encyclopaedia, letters of advice, dragon machine explanation, shopping list, description, letters in role
Own version dragon story
15 sessions, 3 weeks
This is a three-week Writing Root using the text The Dragon Machine by Helen Ward, in which children are initially engaged by noticing a dragon tail and then going on a dragon hunt across the school. Children then create a guide, exploring descriptive and positional language. They engage with the main character in the story’s thoughts and emotions through letter writing. Throughout the sequence, children explore a number of spelling patterns and rules from the Y2 Programme of Study and these are specifically edited for in their final outcome of an extended ‘dragon machine’ story.
The perfect introduction to the legendary world of dragons, The Dragon Machine uses a clever mix of text and illustrations to describe how George, a young, overlooked boy, becomes aware of dragons hiding all around him.
But when it becomes apparent that they don't belong in George's ordinary world, he endeavours to do the best for his new friends and find them the home they deserve.
This enchanting story deals with issues around self-acceptance and feeling left out. After George has led the dragons out of the city, he realises that he is loved and missed by the world he left behind. This text could lead to further investigations of dragons, using the book Dragonology which also uses the talents of Helen Ward and Wayne Anderson amongst others – both are multi-award-winning. An exciting narrative that will have children wanting to learn all they can about mythical creatures.
Dragons, machines, inventions, mythical creatures, fantasy, self-acceptance, belonging, family
Date written: June 2017
View The Dragon Machine Writing RootA Home Learning Branch is available for The Dragon Machine.
This is a Home Learning Branch for The Dragon Machine. These branches are designed to support home learners to access literature-based learning using a selection of books we love from Writing Roots. They include purposeful writing suggestions, links to the wider curriculum so that texts can be used across other subjects, key questions as well as spelling or phonics investigations.
View The Dragon Machine Home Learning Branch
