How does the way we say something change what it means?
Students will be able to
Design the scene of the dragon.
Code the dragon to fly with the Animate coding block.
Code their recorded voiceover to play when the reader clicks on the dragon.
Key vocabulary
microphonerecordwhisper
Assessment
Formative
Use milestone checks, organizer responses, and daily test evidence to guide feedback.
Summative
The dragon's message has a clear purpose and a voice that fits the chosen mood. The dragon animates on page start and plays the correct AUTHOR recording when clicked.
The student journey
This is a build — not a worksheet packet
Every lesson runs like the story students are about to make: read it, write it, build it, polish it, publish it. The printables scaffold each stage — the published Elementari project is the destination.
1
📖
Read
Students read a short, high-interest passage — a real-world hook, not a dry textbook definition — to spark ideas for what they'll make.
📖The Man Who Squeaked Like a Mouse
A grown man stepped up to a microphone. He opened his mouth — and out came a tiny, squeaky voice: "Hello, everybody!" The man was Walt Disney. The squeak was Mickey Mouse. For almost twenty years, Walt himself was the voice of his most famo…
SourcesThe Walt Disney Family MuseumD23: The Official Disney Fan Club
In the studio, students bring the project to life — adding art and following the exact writing and coding steps shown below. The Studio Compass walks them through it, one step at a time.
🧭Studio CompassStep 1 / 4
Summon Your Dragon & Set the Scene! 🌄
Step into a magical world of design and animation! We're going to make a dragon share a secret message. Let's get creative and watch our dragon come to life! 🐉✨
Key words — tap to learnon page start block
Each step checks off & advances on its own
All 4 studio steps · dynamic to the project
1Summon Your Dragon & Set the Scene! 🌄~3 min
2Type & Design Your Message! 📜~8 min
3Code your dragon to fly!~5 min
4A Dragon's Tale! 🗣️~8 min
4
🔁
Polish
ongoing
Teacher and peer feedback pin right onto the project — students revise until it's ready to share.
Feedback on the project2 pins
🍎
Add one more sentence here so readers get the full picture.
👍 2Teacher
A
The interaction is clear — it helps the reader follow the project!
A couple of things to gather, a few quick steps to prep — then you're ready to hand it to students.
What you need
A device per student or pair
Internet connection
A microphone (for recording or speech-trigger activities)
Headphones or speakers
Prep · about 10 min
1Print the student kits
2Assign this lesson to your students
3Skim the build steps
Teacher background
What you need to know
Students learn that character lives in the voice: the same words whispered, boomed, or giggled become three different creatures. Voice actors choose speed, size, and feeling to match who is speaking. They apply this by deciding who their dragon is, drafting a short message that fits, and recording it the way that dragon would truly say it.
Key terms
microphone
a tool that catches your voice so it can be saved or made louder
record
to save sound so it can play again later
whisper
to speak in a very soft, quiet voice
Watch for these misconceptions
✕
The recorded message differs from the final written line. →Have the AUTHOR point to the exact script, rehearse it once, and rerecord only after the words are final.
✕
Clicking the dragon triggers no voice or the wrong sound. →Check that the click event targets the dragon and the play-record block selects the saved recording.
Standards alignment
Aligned to the standards you teach
Every task maps to a specific standard, so planning and reporting are covered.
Tracking 7 frameworks: Common Core ELA, Common Core Math, NGSS +4
CCSS · ELA6CSTA6ISTE73 frameworks · 19 standards · DOK 3
CCSS · ELA
Common Core State Standards — English Language Arts
6 standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.5
With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.5
With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
Also addressedCCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.6 · CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.5 · CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.6 · CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.5
CSTA
CSTA K–12 Computer Science Standards
6 standards
1B-AP-15
Test and debug a program or algorithm to ensure it runs as intended.
1A-AP-12
Develop plans that describe a program’s sequence of events, goals, and expected outcomes.
Also addressed1B-AP-13 · 1A-AP-15 · 1B-AP-11 · 1B-AP-17
ISTE
ISTE Standards for Students
7 standards
ISTE 1.4.a
Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts, or solving authentic problems.
ISTE 1.4.c
Students develop, test, and refine prototypes as part of a cyclical design process.
ISTE 1.6.d
Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.
ISTE 1.5.d
Students understand how automation works and use algorithmic thinking to develop a sequence of steps to create and test automated solutions.
Also addressedISTE 1.1.c · ISTE 1.6.b · ISTE 1.5.c
Full task-by-task mapping — including Depth of Knowledge — is in the answer key.
Differentiation & accessibility
Built to reach every learner
One lesson, three built-in paths — with accessibility baked into the materials, not bolted on afterward.
Extra support
Emerging readers & writers
Read-aloud and multilingual support in the Elementari build
Studio Compass highlights one task at a time — including the coding
Sentence frames and a word bank so it is never a blank page
On grade
The core lesson
The passage and storyboard exactly as written
Model answers and “look-fors” in the answer key
Self-check chips at every milestone
Ready for more
Extension & challenge
Challenge vocabulary and a real-world extension question
Deepen one existing page or interaction — without changing the required mechanics
A longer, evidence-based reflection prompt
Accessibility, built inPredictable step-by-step structureOne task at a time · Studio CompassHighlighted response areasLow-stimulation printMovement-friendly pacingDesigned so every student can design, write, and code — with ADHD, autism, and dyslexia in mind.
Questions
Teacher FAQ
Do I — or my students — need to know how to code?
No. Coding concepts are introduced in plain language exactly when students need them, and Studio Compass confirms each milestone so students keep moving without you troubleshooting. The teacher guide walks you through the whole build, answers included.
How long does this lesson take?
About 24, paced into 45-minute class periods. You can spread it out or compress it — students pick up where they left off, so it doesn't have to finish in one sitting.
What devices does this lesson work on?
Students can read, write, code, and publish on Chromebooks, iPads, tablets, laptops, or desktops. All they need is a modern browser — nothing to download or install.
What is Studio Compass?
Studio Compass is the step-by-step guide inside the Studio. It shows students what to do next, identifies the exact coding blocks they need, and confirms completed milestones so they can keep moving independently.
How does this lesson support different learners?
This lesson includes read-to-me with synchronized highlighting, a built-in glossary, and picture-based storyboarding, with writing and coding scaffolds you can dial up or down. Students can work with guided support or more independently — and still finish the same project.
Ready when you are
Bring this lesson to your class
Import your class, assign in one click, and watch them build — the whole kit comes with it.
