Kids on the Net

For downloadable notes and worksheets see below

NOTE: Some activities require a plugin program called Flash™ to be installed on your computer. Ask whoever is in charge of the computer to download it safely for FREE by clicking here.

The premise
Dragonsville is a community of dragons who live close to Kids’ Castle (another project within the Kids on the Net website). The dragons of Dragonsville are friendly, yet shy dragons who have avoided contact with humans until now. Since learning that the knights of old had spread untruths about them, they have decided that they need to show children how friendly they really are and so have made the decision that it is time to allow children into Dragonsville.

Within Dragonsville there are several sections that encourage children to produce literacy work. Each has been designed to fulfil at least one curriculum objective to fit with teachers' termly planning.

Further info on curriculum links is available in our eTeachers' Portal

The Rock of Knowledge
This is an area where the dragons go to find out information. Children are encouraged to research and present information in this area. Example application: The NLS framework for Year 3 term 2 (Instructional writing), Year 4 term 2 (Explanation), Year 5 term 2 (Non Chronological Reports and Explanation) and Year 6 term 2 (Notices and Public Information Documents) can be linked into this area.

The Cave of Fame
Dragons are proud of their ancestors, and like to display images of them. In this area children are able to select a dragon from a gallery of images, and write a biography for it. Example application: The NLS framework for Year 6 term 1 (Biographies and Auto Biographies) can be linked into this area for revision purposes.

The Naming Pool
P articularly for younger children, this area encourages children adopt a young dragon and to write a character portrait of it. Once the character portrait is submitted, the child will be able to see the dragon animated. Example application: Year 3 Term 2 (Character Portraits). There is also an interactive activity to design a "lost dragon" poster (requires Flash).

The Portal of Tidings
In this area children can write dragonpal letters to the dragons of Dragonsville. There is also a ‘d-card’ section allowing children to send email postcards to their friends. Example application: The NLS framework for Year 3 term 3 (letters), Year 5 term 1 (Recounts and visits), Year 5 term 3 (letters) and Year 6 term 1 (letters) can be linked into this area.

The Cavern
This area is Dragonville’s Town Hall. Serious debates based on moral issues take place here. Example application: The NLS framework for Year 4 term 3 (Persuasive Writing and debates), Year 5 term 3 (Persuasive writing to argue a point of view and leaflets) and Year 6 term 2 (Moral issues) can be linked into this area. Interactive activty - design a persuasive poster (requires Flash).

The Story Scroll
This area features stories that children can interact with. Personalised interactive stories: Children can enter data such as their first name, school, best friend, etc as well as being prompted to think about similes. They can then see this information integrated into a story presented just for them that they can print and keep. There is also an example here of a branching non-linear story in which different schools wrote succeeding chapters of a story begun by children's author Karen King and children voted for their favourite. Example application: Collaborative Writing (years 3-6). Also there's a Metaphor and Simile Quiz here.

Images of the dragons can be downloaded here.

To view the pdf files you will need to install Acrobat reader.

Teachers notes		Pupil worksheets / helpsheets
Year 6 Term 1 Biographical writing		Writing the biography of a dragon

Year 5 Term 2 Information writing (Research)		Researching information worksheet

Year 5 Term 3 Persuasive writing		Creating a poster to persuade

		Creating a report to persuade

Year 4 Term 1 Instructional writing		Writing instructions worksheet

Year 3 Term 2 Character portraits		Character portrait worksheet

		Character portrait poster

Year 3 Term 3 Letter writing		Letter writing worksheet

Hyperlinks (Creating footnotes)		Hyperlinking activity
		Microsoft word file example