Students design one dragon scene, draft and record a short character message, animate the dragon on page start, and play the recording when the READER clicks the dragon.
Pacing
1 class · 24 min
Grade
Grade 3
Opens a private practice project in the Studio — no account needed.
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
From reading to an interactive project
Elementari is a browser-based tool for creating illustrated, interactive stories and projects. Students plan their writing in the Student Kit, then add it to a digital project in the editor, called Studio.
1
📖
Read
The reading provides background knowledge or a model of writing for students to draw on. The lesson plan explains its connection to the project.
📖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…
Students use the Student Kit's storyboard to plan and draft their project. Choose High Support, Guided Support, or Independent to adjust the writing scaffolds.
Student mission
Build a talking dragon scene that shares a secret message.
2Student Kit · sneak peek
High Support
Traveler, ___! Now, ___.
Key Words from the Passagemicrophonerecordwhisper
Glossary a kid-friendly definition for every key term
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! 🌄
2Type & Design Your Message! 📜
3Code your dragon to fly!
4A Dragon's Tale! 🗣️
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!
Students finish and test their projects. Work submitted through a class goes to the teacher for review; publishing a project makes it public with a shareable link.
Open these resources as web pages, then use Print to print them or save a PDF. The Student Kit supports the writing; Studio provides the on-screen build steps.
A couple of things to gather, a few quick steps to prep — then you're ready to hand it to students.
What you need
One device per student or pair
Internet connection
Student Kit or printed organizer
Microphone or headset
Quiet recording space when available
A device per student or pair
A microphone (for recording or speech-trigger activities)
Headphones or speakers
Prep before class
1Preview the designated builder story.
2Review the ordered milestones and Student Kit.
3Decide whether students work independently or in pairs.
Teacher background
What you need to know
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
Choose the writing support
These are the three support options in the Student Kit. Choose the scaffolds students need while keeping the same project.
High Support
More writing scaffolds
Sentence frames break the response into manageable parts
Supplied words and ideas help students get started
Students still have space to write their responses
Guided Support
A starting point for writing
Task prompts and selected sentence starters
Writing cues and word banks where supplied
Space to develop each response
Independent
Less scaffolding
The same project and required writing tasks
Open response space without the support frames
Students develop their own wording
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 prior coding knowledge is required to start. Students follow on-screen build steps in Studio. Coding difficulty describes the project's complexity; teachers may still need to help students test and revise. The lesson plan supports teaching, and the Answer Key provides sample writing responses.
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?
Use a Chromebook, laptop, desktop or tablet with a modern browser and an internet connection. The project editor does not support phones. Try the build on your class devices before teaching.
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?
The Student Kit has High Support, Guided Support and Independent writing profiles. They change the amount of scaffolding for the same project. Choose a profile in the kit before printing, and use the lesson plan's differentiation suggestions.
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.
