New
New
Year 5

Exploring and engaging with themes in 'How to Train Your Dragon’

I can identify and reflect on the key themes in 'How to Train Your Dragon'.

New
New
Year 5

Exploring and engaging with themes in 'How to Train Your Dragon’

I can identify and reflect on the key themes in 'How to Train Your Dragon'.

warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Hiccup’s character goes on a transformation throughout the text; he begins the text as an unlikely hero
  2. Hiccup’s characterisation does not remain fixed; by the end of the text he demonstrates many heroic qualities
  3. A theme is a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a story
  4. Themes can leave us with ideas and questions that we reflect on after reading the text

Keywords

  • Theme - A theme is a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a story.

  • Convey - To convey means to communicate a message to the reader directly or indirectly.

  • Hero - A hero is a protagonist with noble qualities, often saving or helping others.

Common misconception

Pupils may find it challenging to think of two distinct similarities and differences.

Pupils could mind map character traits of Toothless and compare these to character studies of Hiccup.

Following the lesson, you may wish to read the remainder of the text. Children can read independently or have this read to them.
Teacher tip

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.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Loading...

6 Questions

Q1.
Which spelling is correct for the main protagonist of 'How to Train Your Dragon'?
Hicup
Correct answer: Hiccup
Hiccuup
Hiccupp
Q2.
What strategy does Hiccup try that motivates Toothless the best in the text?
fear
being kind and showing gratitude
Correct answer: telling jokes and riddles
Q3.
True or False? Toothless is a selfish dragon.
Correct Answer: True, true
Q4.
Which of the following are dragon breeds mentioned in the text so far?
Correct answer: Gronkle
Glimmerfire Wyrm
Correct answer: Basic Brown
Flutterwing Serpent
Correct answer: Monstrous Nightmare
Q5.
What is a suitable definition of a theme?
where the story takes place
Correct answer: a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a story
an educated guess, based on evidence in the text or prior knowledge
Q6.
What is a suitable definition of loyalty?
feeling unhappy about someone else's success
Correct answer: being a faithful friend who sticks by others through challenges
always telling the truth

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definition.
Correct Answer:theme,a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a story

a big idea, topic or message that recurs within a story

Correct Answer:convey,to communicate a message to the reader directly or indirectly

to communicate a message to the reader directly or indirectly

Correct Answer:hero,a protagonist with noble qualities, often saving or helping others

a protagonist with noble qualities, often saving or helping others

Q2.
What language does Hiccup use to speak with The Green Death?
Correct Answer: Dragonese, dragonese
Q3.
Which of the following characters stand up for Hiccup when Snotlout is picking on him?
Dogsbreath
Wartihog
Correct answer: Fishlegs
Correct answer: Thuggory
Q4.
Which of the following are reasons why the larger dragon is nicknamed 'The Purple Death'?
its wingspan
Correct answer: the colour of its scales
the colour of its teeth
Correct answer: the shade of smoke billowing from its nose
Q5.
Match the following dragons to their masters.
Correct Answer:Horrorcow,Fishlegs

Fishlegs

Correct Answer:Fireworm,Snotlout

Snotlout

Correct Answer:Toothless,Hiccup

Hiccup

Q6.
Sequence the following events in the order that they happen in the Chapter.
1 - Hiccup leaves the leaders and finds himself speaking to the rest of the novices.
2 - Snotlout teases Hiccup for being able to speak Dragonese.
3 - Thuggory stands up for Hiccup and puts Snotlout in his place.
4 - Hiccup comes up with a plan.
5 - The dragons decide to desert their masters if the situation does not look good.