Illustration of kids with sand dragons
Art by Graham Howells
Fiction,

Jewel of the Sand Dragon

In a world of magic, two Dragon Masters must work together to stop a dangerous sand dragon. 

By Tracey West | Art by Graham Howells
From the December 2024/January 2025 Issue

Learning Objective: Students will read a fantasy story to identify how the characters solve problems they face.

Complexity Factors
  • Purpose & Levels of Meaning
    The fantasy story is about two young heroes who save people from a dangerous dragon. On another level, the story is about using unique strengths to work together and solve problems.
  • Structure
    The story is in the third person and is chronological.
  • Language
    The language is mostly conversational and includes a lot of dialogue. The term Dragon Master is used to describe children who are chosen to be paired with a dragon.
  • Knowledge Demands
    Some familiarity with the Dragon Masters series may aid comprehension but is not necessary.
Featured Skill: Problem and Solution,
Other Key Skills: problem and solution, key detail, cause and effect, plot, character’s motivation, inference, interpreting text, how a character changes, point of view, connecting to the text, theme
Standards
  • Common Core
    RL.3.1, RL.3.2, RL.3.3, RL.3.4, RL.3.6, RL.3.7, RL.3.9, W.3.1, W.3.3, SL.3.1, SL.3.2, L.3.6
  • TEKS Grade 3
    1a, 1c, 3a, 3b, 4, 6a, 6c, 6e, 6f, 6i, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7f, 7g, 8a, 8b, 8c, 10a, 10b, 10e, 12a, 12b

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Think and Read: Problem and Solution

As you read the story, think about what problem the characters face and how they solve it.

Dragon Master Ana Gamal soared across the desert. She rode her Sun Dragon, Kepri. The dragon’s white scales and yellow-tipped wings gleamed against the bright-blue sky.

“The Dragon Temple is close, Kepri,” she said. The Dragon Stone around Ana’s neck glowed as she communicated with her dragon.

Ana was visiting her friend Heru. His dragon was Kepri’s twin brother, Wati the Moon Dragon. 

“We’re here!” Ana said. 

The dragon landed near the temple where Heru lived. Ana heard Kepri’s voice inside her head saying, There is something underneath the sand. 

A low, rumbling sound came from underground. The sand beneath their feet shook. Then an enormous dragon burst up from the desert floor!

PAUSE AND THINK: Who was Ana visiting?

The Stolen Jewel

Roooaar! The dragon’s roar shook the sand. Clouds of sand sprayed up as the dragon’s wings kicked wildly. Kepri darted out of the way. 

That dragon is angry, Kepri told Ana. 

Then a shadow crossed overhead. A black dragon swooped down from the sky with a boy on his back. It was Ana’s friend Heru and his dragon, Wati!

“Wati, use your moon lasso on the Sand Dragon!” Heru yelled. 

A ribbon of black light streamed from Wati’s mouth toward the Sand Dragon. The Sand Dragon screeched and dove back underneath the sand. Wati landed next to Kepri. 

“What was that?” Ana asked. 

“That was a Sand Dragon,” Heru explained. “Each Sand Dragon has a jewel in the middle of its forehead. Someone stole this one’s jewel. He won’t calm down until the jewel is returned. He’s been scaring people and destroying things, but it’s not his fault.” 

“We must find that jewel before someone gets hurt. Kepri and I will help you,” Ana offered. 

Heru grinned. Ana, Heru, and their dragons walked over to the temple. 

Heru’s parents came out to meet them. “Ana and Kepri! What a lovely surprise,” said Heru’s mother. 

“We saw that poor, upset Sand Dragon,” Ana said. “We’d be happy to help.”

Heru’s father nodded. “We think robbers are hiding the dragon’s jewel in a cave. We need Wati and Kepri to combine their powers. They must perform the Light of Seeking!”

PAUSE AND THINK: Why is the Sand Dragon upset?

The Light of Seeking

“If Kepri’s bright sunlight pairs with Wati’s moonlight, they can shine right through any solid object,” Heru’s mother explained.

“The dragons must fly over the desert and use this Light of Seeking,” Heru said. “It will show us if the jewel is in one of the caves.” 

Ana nodded. “Let’s go.” 

Ana and Heru climbed onto their dragons and lifted off into the sky. 

“There are some caves over there,” Heru said, pointing. “Time to look for the jewel.” 

“I’m ready!” Ana agreed.

“Perform the Light of Seeking!” Ana and Heru commanded their dragons. The twin dragons moved in perfect timing together, flying across the desert. 

A stream of golden sunlight flowed from Kepri’s mouth. Sparkling black moonlight came from Wati’s mouth. The two streams joined and twisted together. 

The dragons shone the Light of Seeking on the caves. The first caves looked empty. Then, inside one cave, Ana and Heru saw a group of four people! And with them, something glittered with purple light. 

“The jewel!” Heru yelled.

PAUSE AND THINK: What do Ana and Heru see in the caves?

The Robbers’ Hideout

Both dragons set down in front of the cave opening. 

“When we get inside, Kepri can shine bright sunlight in the robbers’ eyes to confuse them,” Ana said. 

“And Wati can knock them down with moonbeams,” Heru added. “Then we can grab the jewel.” 

They traveled through a dark tunnel that opened up into a cave. The four robbers stood around the glittering jewel, arguing. 

“I say we sell it now!” said one robber. 

“It’s too risky!” another one shot back. 

Then the robbers saw the Dragon Masters Ana and Heru and their dragons. 

“Attack!” one robber yelled. All four robbers raised their clubs. 

“Kepri, sunlight!” Ana commanded. Kepri lit up the cave with a bright blast of sunlight. 

The robbers covered their eyes with their hands, dropping their weapons. 

“Run!” another robber cried. Three of the robbers fled. But one reached for the jewel.

Heru rushed forward. 

“Wati, moonbeam!” 

A black beam of moonlight shot from Wati’s mouth. Bam! It knocked the robber over! 

Ana jumped off Kepri’s back and grabbed the jewel. Then Ana and Heru raced out of the cave on their dragons and flew away. 

Ana, look to the east! Kepri said. Ana turned and saw the Sand Dragon angrily thrashing. 

“He’s heading toward that village!” Ana called.

PAUSE AND THINK: What did Ana and Heru get from the cave?

Save the Village!

Kepri and Wati picked up speed. 

“We’ve got to get the jewel back into his forehead quickly!” Heru called out. 

They flew ahead of the Sand Dragon and then turned to face him. 

Roooaar! The Sand Dragon let out an angry roar.  

“Should I throw it to him?” Ana asked. 

“No. You must place it in his forehead,” Heru reminded her. 

“I don’t think I can, unless he stops moving,” Ana said. 

“Let me try something,” Heru replied. “Wati, moonlight, and make it extra sparkly!” 

A ribbon of dark, glittering light streamed from Wati’s mouth. It looked like a rainbow made of blue, purple, and black. The light swirled in front of the Sand Dragon.

The creature calmed down a little, staring at the sparkly light.

“Now, Ana!” Heru cried.

“Let’s do this, Kepri!” Ana said, as the Sun Dragon swiftly flew toward the Sand Dragon.

Ana held her breath. As they drew closer, Ana reached out . . . and popped the jewel into the Sand Dragon’s forehead!

PAUSE AND THINK: What does Wati do to help Ana and Kepri?

A Great Team

Eeeeeee! A cheerful cry came from the Sand Dragon. A bright-purple light shone from the jewel. Then the dragon dove underground.

“Nicely done!” Heru grinned at Ana. 

“We make a great team,” Ana said. “That was a fun adventure, but I should get home now.”

Kepri and Wati touched noses. Then Ana waved as Kepri launched into the air and sped back across the desert. 

THINK AND WRITE CONTEST

Imagine you are the Sand Dragon. Using details from the story, write a thank-you note to Heru and Ana for returning the jewel to you. Contest entries must be submitted to “Dragon Masters Contest” by a teacher, parent, or legal guardian.* Five winners will each receive a signed copy of The Epic Guide to Dragon Masters by Tracey West.  

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Can't Miss Teaching Extras

Continue exploring the theme of teamwork in “The Zebra and the Oxpecker,” a Fiction story about two unexpected partners who discover they are more alike than they thought.

There are more dragons where this story came from! Dig deep into the history of these incredible mystical creatures in this issue’s Big Read, “Chasing Dragons.” Then enjoy our silly poem “The Dragons Are Dozing,” complete with a Figurative Language skill builder

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
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Table of Contents

1. Preparing to Read

2. Close Reading

3. SEL Focus

4. Skill Building and Writing

5. Differentiate and Customize

Struggling Readers, Multilingual Learners, Advanced Readers, Creative Writing

1. Preparing to Read

Introduce the Text and Preview Text Features

  • Ask students to predict what this article will be about based on the headline, subhead, and illustration on pages 10-11. Review the predictions after reading.

Set a Purpose for Reading

 
  • Call on volunteers to read aloud the Think and Read box on page 10 and the Think and Write box on page 15.
  • Remind students to keep these prompts in mind while reading the story.

Introduce Featured Skill

  • Build on the Think and Read prompt by explaining this story’s featured skill: Problem and Solution. Encourage students to think about what problems the characters face, and how they end up solving these problems.

Introduce Vocabulary

 
  • Show or assign the Vocabulary Slideshow to preview challenging words. Then assign the Vocabulary Skill Builder before or after reading.

2. Close Reading

Reading and Unpacking the Text

  • Read the story as a class or have students follow along as they listen to the Read-Aloud.
  • Stop and use the Pause and Think questions at the end of each section for a comprehension check. Encourage students to go back to the text to support their answers.
  • Project or assign the Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking Questions. (Alternatively, use all or part of the Learning Journey Slide Deck.)

Close-Reading Questions

  • Read the first section. How do Ana and her dragon Kepri communicate with each other? Ana communicates with Kepri by talking to her dragon while her Dragon Stone glows. Then she listens to Kepri’s voice inside her head. (key detail)
  • Read “The Stolen Jewel.” Why does the Sand Dragon screech and then dive back under the sand? The Sand Dragon screeches and dives back under the sand because Wati streams a ribbon of black light from his mouth toward the angry dragon. (cause and effect)
  • Read “The Light of Seeking.” What is the Light of Seeking? Why do Ana and Heru command their dragons to perform it? The Light of Seeking combines Kepri’s sunlight with Wati’s moonlight to shine through any solid object. Doing this will show them whether the Sand Dragon’s jewel is in one of the caves. (problem and solution)
  • Read “The Robbers’ Hideout.” What happens after one of the robbers reaches for the jewel? When one robber reaches for the jewel, Heru rushes forward and orders Wati to shoot a moonbeam. The black moonlight knocks the robber over. Ana jumps on Kepri’s back and grabs the jewel. Then Ana and Heru fly away on their dragons. (plot)
  • Why do Heru and Ana realize they must act quickly to put the jewel back into the Sand Dragon’s forehead? Ana and Heru realize that the angry Sand Dragon is heading toward a village. They have to place the jewel back into its forehead because the dragon is angry, and they don’t want it to hurt anyone in the village. (characters’ motivation, inference) 
  • Read “A Great Team.” Why does Ana tell Heru “We make a great team”? Ana knows that by working together with their dragons, she and Heru were able to return the jewel to the Sand Dragon. They helped get the Sand Dragon’s jewel back to him so he could go back to his underground home. (interpreting text)

 

Critical-Thinking Questions

  • How does the Sand Dragon change from the beginning of the story to the end? In the beginning of the story, the Sand Dragon is angry because someone stole the jewel in the middle of its forehead. He bursts from the desert floor and is a danger to a village in his path. At the end of the story, after Ana puts the jewel into the Sand Dragon’s forehead, he calms down. After uttering a cheerful cry, he dives underground where he belongs. (how a character changes)
  • Heru tells Ana that the Sand Dragon has been behaving badly, “but it’s not his fault.” How do you think the story would have been different if Heru hadn’t understood why the Sand Dragon acted the way he did? Answers will vary. Sample response: I think the story would have been different because Heru and Ana might not have been nice to the Sand Dragon. They knew that he was acting badly because of his missing jewel. If they hadn’t known about his missing jewel, they might have tried to fight him instead of getting his jewel back. The Sand Dragon could have gotten hurt and he could have hurt people in the village. He also might not have ended up happy at the end of the story. (point of view)

3. Skill Building and Writing

Featured Skill: Problem and Solution

  • Distribute or digitally assign the Problem and Solution Skill Builder and have students complete it in class or for homework.  

  • Ask students to write a response to the Think and Write prompt on page 15.

Differentiate and Customize
For Striving Readers

To help striving readers understand the plot, play the read-aloud audio of the story as students follow along in their magazines. Pause at the end of each section to discuss what happened, and write a one- or two-sentence summary together.

For Multilingual Learners

The descriptions of the dragons’ magical powers in the story may be difficult or unfamiliar to your multilingual learners. Before reading, call out the dragons’ special powers and abilities. Ensure your students understand what these powers are and their significance to each dragon. Then read through the story as a group, pausing whenever students come across these powers.

For Advanced Readers

Invite students to continue exploring the theme of teamwork in “The Zebra and the Oxpecker,” a fiction story about two unexpected partners who discover they are more alike than they thought.

Text-to-Speech