The education behind the book -

chapter notes, QCA assessment focus and cross-curricular links for Key Stage 2 and 3

As a teacher with nearly twenty years classroom experience, Dragons in the Sky was originally written as a text to encourage reluctant boy readers and to promote the development of higher order reading skills. Designed to appeal to readers within the 10 - 16 age group it is an ideal book for primary-secondary transition. Offering background information on Captain James Cook, who was born and lived in the area, and the local history of the Eston ironstone mines, Dragons in the Sky is not only a thrilling novel of mystery and suspense set against the beauty of the Cleveland Hills but a story which lends itself to further exploration.

Detailed chapter notes, linked  to the QCA Assessment Focuses and prepared with the support and guidance of Sue Urwin, Teaching and Learning Consultant from Redcar and Cleveland, are available for free download from this page. These notes offer Chapter by chapter questions for discussion, cross curricular links and suggested activities, and make an easily accessible teaching resource which is highly recommended for use with the book as a whole class text or guided set. To download the teachers notes, please click here.

Author David Jowsey took part in educational workshops and visited schools to promote the release of Dragons in the Sky in December 2006 and throughout 2007.

He also took part in 'The Big Write' during January and February 2008.

Invited to visit, David combined nineteen years of teaching experience with his love of writing to take the children on a journey through the development of characters. Through analysis of a chapter from Dragons in the Sky the children were able to explore how the characters' emotions, physical actions and facial expressions worked together to create atmosphere and tension, and the way in which these qualities worked together to broaden the reader’s understanding of the characters. Linked to dialogue and interaction with other characters in the chapter, the children developed a wider understanding of the importance of the character as a whole, rather than as a thinly created persona. They explored a set of given circumstances and placed themselves within fictional situations, studying how they would react themselves, as an aid to developing stronger character writing during follow-up activities.

For David, having an opportunity to leave the classroom for a time to work with children as an author was a very enlightening and enjoyable experience. Since completion of the workshops, he has received letters and emails from numerous children who took part, thanking him for helping them and even sending stories which have been developed by the sessions.

Involvement in ‘The Big Write’ has led to an increase in book sales of Dragons in the Sky and David has been invited to return at a later date to continue his input.

David was invited as guest author to take part in Redcar and Cleveland's Gifted and Talented Film Making Workshop in August 2008 and 2009.

David spent several days working with students, conducting writing exercises to develop the students' story writing skills, and overseeing the development of scripts which were later filmed by the students with the help of a professional film maker. Each film was screened at a prestigeous 'Oscars' ceremony in front of parents and friends, education advisors and the Mayor of Redcar and Cleveland.

David Jowsey and Publisher Thomas Sigel conducted a number of school workshops in support of the release of Shattered Truths.

They visited local primary and secondary schools and were interviewed on Bob Fischer's BBC Radio Tees 'Gobstoppers' show.