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Year 5

Engaging with the context of 'How To Train Your Dragon'

I can understand the context of ‘How to Train Your Dragon'.

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Year 5

Engaging with the context of 'How To Train Your Dragon'

I can understand the context of ‘How to Train Your Dragon'.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ is an illustrated chapter book.
  2. The text draws influences from Viking history, Norse mythology and folklore.
  3. The text references the notion of being a hero.
  4. Understanding the context of the story can help readers build connections and deepen understanding.

Keywords

  • Context - The context is the surrounding details that help you understand what you're reading.

  • Norse mythology - Norse mythology is a set of ancient tales of Scandinavian gods, beliefs, and the worlds they inhabit.

  • Folklore - Folklore is a genre in which oral stories are shared and passed down over time.

  • Impression - An impression refers to initial feelings about a person, place or thing, gained from reading a text.

Common misconception

Pupils may not be familiar with some of the Norse mythology references.

Pupils could explore texts that develop their understanding of Norse myths, such as 'Norse Myths: Tales of Odin, Thor and Loki', written by Kevin Crossley-Holland and illustrated by Jeffrey Alan Love.


To help you plan your year 5 english lesson on: Engaging with the context of 'How To Train Your Dragon', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

'A Note from Hiccup' could be given to pupils to read prior to starting the unit. This will introduce them to the central protagonist and some of the key themes explored in the text.
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Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

You need a copy of the 2017 Hodder Children’s Books edition of ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ written and illustrated by Cressida Cowell, for this lesson.

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following describes a riddle?
how a text relates to a reader, another text or the wider world
Correct answer: a puzzle that requires creative thinking or clever interpretation to solve
information or facts to show something is true
Q2.
True or False? Non-fiction texts are books or articles that provide factual information about real people, events or topics.
Correct Answer: True, true
Q3.
From the front covers, which of the following are likely to be non-fiction texts?
Correct answer: Queer Heroes
Correct answer: Drawn Across Borders
Lightfall
The Last Firefox
Q4.
Match the following terms to their definitions.
Correct Answer:character,a person or an animal in a story
tick

a person or an animal in a story

Correct Answer:setting,where the story takes place
tick

where the story takes place

Correct Answer:plot,what happens in the story
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what happens in the story

Q5.
A myth is...?
a narrative told through poetry, blending prose and poetic elements.
a historical account or biography written from personal knowledge.
Correct answer: a traditional tale explaining a culture's beliefs and customs
Q6.
Which of the following are examples of mythical creatures?
Correct answer: dragon
dog
cat
Correct answer: unicorn
fish
Q3 image 1 Queer Heroes: Meet 53 LGBTQ Heroes From Past and Present!, Arabelle Sicardi, Sarah Tanat-Jones, Wide Eyed Editions Q3 image 2 Drawn Across Borders, George Butler, Walker Studio Q3 image 3 Lightfall, Tim Probert, HarperAlley Q3 image 4 The Last Firefox, Lee Newbery, Laura Catalan, Puffin

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the following keywords to their definitions.
Correct Answer:context,the surrounding details that help understand what you're reading
tick

the surrounding details that help understand what you're reading

Correct Answer:Norse mythology,a set of ancient tales of Scandinavian gods, beliefs and worlds
tick

a set of ancient tales of Scandinavian gods, beliefs and worlds

Correct Answer:folklore,a genre in which oral stories are shared and passed down over time
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a genre in which oral stories are shared and passed down over time

Q2.
An impression refers to...
a lesson that can be learnt from a story or experience.
an important moment that significantly alters the course of the story.
Correct answer: initial feelings about a person, place or thing.
Q3.
True or False? 'How to Train Your Dragon' is set in a fictional world.
Correct Answer: True, true
Q4.
Which of the following describes Valhalla?
the wise leader of the Norse gods
the god of thunder
a mischievous trickster
Correct answer: a majestic hall in Asgard
Q5.
Which of the following are features of a traditional myth?
easy-to-overcome challenges
Correct answer: important moral or lesson taught
contain only factual information
Correct answer: epic battles or adventures - usually containing heroes and mythical creatures
Q6.
True or False? Based on the text, the Vikings were very democratic people.
Correct Answer: False, false