how to train your dragon guided reading questions and ... · being a coward. what doesthe author...

How to Train Your Dragon Guided Reading Questions and

Activities

Map 'A Note From Hiccup' and Chapter 1: First Catch Your Dragon

AF2

1. Who is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third?

2. On which island would you find Black Heart Bay?

3. Which word on p.15 means ridiculously?

4. Why is Hiccup writing this story?

5. What does ‘cacophony’ p.2 mean?

Challenge: Draw a special viking badge

that the boys on the Dragon Initiation

Programme could wear.

AF3

1. Who is telling us the story?

2. How does the author explain that today we

have no evidence of dragons ever

existing? 3. Why is Hiccup having to steal a dragon?

4. Why is Hiccup’s reaction to the ‘death or

glory!’ chant so important?

Challenge: Draw a picture of Hiccup at the

end of this chapter and add a thought

bubble. What must he be thinking?

AF4/5

1. Why does the author repeat the word

‘bleak’ on p.16?

2. What does the name ‘Gobber the Belch’

tell us about this character?

3. What does ‘the first and most dangerous

part is a test of your courage and skill at

burglary’ tell us about Vikings?

4. What does the simile ‘run like thunder’ p.22

tell us about the Viking boys?

Challenge: Go through the chapter and

pick out all of the adjectives and adverbs

that describe the vikings.

AF6

1. What can you tell about Vikings from

this chapter? Challenge: Write a letter to Gobber the Belch to ask him if you could be on the Dragon Initiation Programme.


Activities

Chapter 2: Inside the Dragon Nursery

AF2

1. Why did people never see Hiccup’s hair?

2. Which word on p.31 means dangerous?

3. What do dragons smell like?

4. Who is Loki?

Challenge: Design a banner that states:

DEATH OR GLORY. Decorate this to fit

with the vikings' style.

AF3

1. Why does Hiccup not want to think about

the deer at Wild Dragon Cliff? 2. Why did the boys want a cold dragon?

3. How did Fishlegs put everyone in danger?

4. What ideas are given about Hiccups's

bravery? Challenge: Imagine there was a

real dragon nursery. What would it look

like? What kind of toys would the babies

play with? What would they eat?

AF4/5

1. What does ‘not your natural Viking

Hero’ p28 mean about Hiccup?

2. Being frightened is not the same as

being a coward. What does the author

mean by this?

3. Gronkle has ‘fangs like kitchen knives’.

What does this tell us about the

dragon? Challenge: Draw Gronkle.

AF6

1. Why has the author already told us

that Hiccup is the Hero of the story? Challenge: Design a perfect dragon basket.Add some modern and hi-tech features. Label your drawing.


Activities

Chapter 3: Heroes or Exiles

AF2

1. What is a gorge?

2. Which word on p.46 means ‘speed’?

3. Describe the island of Berk.

4. Who does the dragon in the basket belong

to? Challenge: Write a book review for the

copy of ‘How To Train Your Dragon’ by

Professor Yobbish (not Cressida Cowell).

AF3

1. Why was Hiccup stumbling as he ran on p.47?

2. What words and phrases tell us that Gobber

was worried about the boys? 3. What does ‘heroes or exile’ mean?

4. Why are the Hiccup and Fishlegs

surprised that they have caught a dragon?

Challenge: Write the ‘blurb’ for ‘How To

Train Your Dragon’ by Professor Yobbish

(not Cressida Cowell).

AF4/5

1. Why did the author use the adverb

‘painfully’ to describe how slow the boys

walked on p.45?

2. What does the author mean when she

writes, ‘this made the rest of the dragons

think a bit’ p.46?

3. Why is Hiccup under a lot of pressure to

be a brave Hero?

Challenge: Imagine you had been on

holiday to Berk island. Send a postcard home

to your family.

AF6

1. What can you tell about Hiccup and

Fishlegs’ friendship? Challenge: Write in your journal about what you think will happen to Hiccup in this story and predict how you think the story might end.


Activities

Chapter 4: How to Train Your Dragon

AF2

1. What shock did the boys have when

Hiccup’s dragon opened its mouth to

yawn? 2. What does ‘solemn’ p.63 mean?

3. What is the name of the sport that the

Vikings play?

4. Describe the appearance of ‘How To Train

Your Dragon’ by Professor Yobbish.

Challenge: Compare Snotlout and Hiccup.

What are the similarities and differences

between the two boys?

AF3

1. Why did Hiccup try to walk through the

gates without being noticed?

2. Why does Fishlegs defend Hiccup in

front of Snotlout?

3. Why is it important that Hiccup

challenges Snotlout?

4. How does Hiccup react to reading ‘How To

Train Your Dragon’?

Challenge: If the answer to a question was

‘The Vikings’, what could the question be?

Think of three questions.

AF4/5

1. Why are names like Sweetums,

Sugarlips and Babyface suggested by

Snotlout?

2. ‘My day just gets better and better’ says

Hiccup on p.63. What does he mean by

this?

Challenge: Go back through this chapter

and collect all of the adjectives describing

Snotlout.

AF6

1. Why was a picture of ‘How To Train

Your Dragon’ included by the author?

2. Why was ‘How To Train Your Dragon’

the name of a book in this book, called

‘How To Train Your Dragon’? Challenge: Snoutlout is a bully. True or false? Give reasons for your answer.


Activities


Activities

Chapter 5: A Chat with Old Wrinkly

AF2

1. What is Hiccup’s mother called?

2. What has Hiccup got to do by Thor’sday

Thursday?

3. What happened when Old Wrinkly

accused Hiccup of talking to dragons?

4. Find a word on p.80 that means the

same as ‘other’.

Challenge: Collect all the adverbs ending

in –ly from this chapter.

AF3

1. Why did Old Wrinkly ‘hurriedly turn the

laugh into a cough’ p.76? 2. Do the Vikings in this story play sports?

3. What ideas are we given about Hiccup’s

leadership skills?

4. Why is Old Wrinkly an important

character? Challenge: Draw a thought

bubble for Hiccup at the end of this chapter.

What plans can he think of to train his

dragon?

AF4/5

1. What does the word ‘shovelling’ suggest

about Stoick the Vast at breakfast time?

2. Why does the author describe the sea as

being ‘as flat as glass’ p.75?

3. How does this chapter help you to

understand more about Hiccup?

Challenge: Design an invitation for

spectators at Thor’sday Thursday. Think

about the kind of events they might be

able to watch.

AF6

1. What can you tell about the author’s

opinion on Professor Yobbish’s book? Challenge: Write a book review of Professor Yobbish’s book.


Activities

Chapter 6: Meanwhile Deep in the Ocean...

AF2

1. What does ‘suspended’ mean?

2. How many years are there in a century?

3. Can ‘stirred’ have more than one meaning?

4. Which words and phrases told you that

something was changing in the sea?

Challenge: Write three

newspaper headlines

declaring sightings of the Sea Dragon.

AF3

1. What does ‘not a mollusc stirred, not a

scallop shimmied’ suggest about the Sea

Dragon on p.82?

2. What do the words ‘jerking’ and

‘fluttering’ describe about the dragon now?

3. Why are the changes in the Sea Dragon

important? Challenge: Design a

noticeboard with a warning for sailors,

swimmers and fishermen of the lurking Sea

Dragon.

AF4/5

1. Why did the author compare the dragon

to a mountain?

2. How has the choice of words and

phrases emphasised how enormous the

dragon is?

3. What does the phrase ‘underwater desert’

p.82 tell us about what is happening?

Challenge: Find out what hermit crabs and

barnacles are: what do they look like, what

do they eat and where do they live?

AF6

1. Was this chapter trying to build tension? Challenge: Draw the Sea Dragon described at the beginning of the chapter.


Activities

Chapter 7: Toothless Wakes Up

AF2

1. What does ‘plume’ mean?

2. Which language does Toothless speak?

3. What do dragons do when they are

scared or angry? 4. Why do Vikings stay cold at night?

Challenge: Write ‘A Beginner’s Guide to

Dragons’. Use all of the new information

you have learned about handling dragons

in this chapter.

AF3

1. Why did Toothless bite Hiccup on the arm?

2. How does Toothless feel about Stoick’s dragons?

3. Which words tell us that Stoick’s dragons

mean Toothless harm?

4. What ideas are we given about how

clever Fishlegs is?

Challenge: ‘Dragon for Sale’ – advertise

Toothless, using persuasive language.

AF4/5

1. Explain what ‘Just talking to it?????’ p.85

implies about talking to dragons.

2. How does Hiccup’s understanding of

Dragonese show us more about what type

of person he is?

3. What do words such as ‘contentedly’

p.94 tell you about the growing

relationship between Hiccup and

Toothless?

Challenge: Dragons are

dangerous creatures. True or

false?

AF6

1. What can you tell about Hiccup’s

feelings towards Toothless? Challenge: Who is the odd one out? Stoick, Hiccup or Fishlegs? Explain your answer.


Activities

Chapter 8: Training Your Dragon the Hard Way

AF2

1. What type of yelling did Hiccup try on Toothless?

2. Why does Hiccup start being so nice to Toothless?

3. Which word on p.96 means very wet?

4. Which phrase on p.100 means that

Hiccup is really fed up of Toothless’s

behaviour?

Challenge: So far in the story, who is your

least favourite character? Explain why.

AF3

1. What ideas are we given about dragons?

2. What does Fishlegs think of Hiccup’s

dragon training style?

3. What do Dogsbreath and Snotlout think of

Hiccup and Fishlegs’s dragons?

4. How does Toothless react to Dogsbreath

and Snotlout?

Challenge: Write to Hiccup to give him

some advice on dragon training.

AF4/5

1. Why does the author compare Toothless

to a crocodile and a shark?

2. What do words like ‘saunter’, ‘swagger’

and ‘sneer’ imply about Snotlout and

Dogsbreath?

3. What ideas are we given about what the

Vikings expect Hiccup to do?

Challenge: Design a game about dragon

training. Think about what the aim of the

game is, how to make this tricky for the

player and how to help them win.

AF6

1. Was this chapter trying to make the

reader feel sorry for Hiccup? Challenge: Draw a picture of Hiccup wearing an outfit to dragon train in. Label the picture and explain the features of the clothing.


Activities


Activities

Chapter 9: Fear, Vanity, Revenge and Silly Jokes

AF2

1. What does ‘gracefully’ p.104 mean?

2. What happened when Hiccup shouted ‘go’?

3. What did the dragon say when Hiccup

promised to tell a joke in return for

mackerel?

4. Which word told you that Old Wrinkly

doesn’t think the Initiation Test is

important?

Challenge: Tests are a really good way of

showing how hard you have worked. True

or false? Explain your answer.

AF3

1. Why did Hiccup decide to tell jokes to his

dragon?

2. How was Toothless different when he

went hunting and smelled the sea salt?

3. Why is it important that Hiccup shows that

his dragon is under his control?

4. How did Old Wrinkly react to the boys

catching fish with their dragons?

Challenge: Imagine you could travel back in

time and write Old Wrinkly’s school report.

What would it say?

AF4/5

1. Why does this chapter have that title?

2. What do phrases such as ‘ancestral memory’

p.111 tell us about how Toothless hunts?

3. Why do you think the fact card for the

Monstruous Nightmare dragon is used

in the middle of this chapter?

Challenge: Design an advertising poster

selling dragon watching binoculars.

AF6

1. What can you tell about how much the

author likes Hiccup? Challenge: Write 3 questions that you would like to ask Hiccup.


Activities

Chapter 10: Thor'sday Thursday

AF2

1. What does ‘spectacular’ p.117 mean?

2. What is the name of Stoick’s brother?

3. Which word on p.137 means sending

someone away as a punishment?

4. What happened at the end of the

chapter? Challenge: Design a programme

that sounds like the one on p.118.

Describe the following events using your

imagination ‘Dragonese Workshop’ and

‘Boat Building Demonstration’.

AF3

1. Which phrases on p.119 tell us that the

young Vikings are nervous about the

Initiation Test?

2. Why was Toothless the only dragon to

return to his owner when the dragons

were told to start hunting?

3. Which words and phrases tell us that

Hiccup is really fed up at the end of this

chapter?

4. What ideas are we given about what

Hiccup thinks of the Viking rules?

Challenge: Using your imagination, draw

one of the Elders of the Tribes: Hairy Scary

Librarian, Terrible Tuffnut, the Vicious

Twins, Mogadon, Stoick and Gobber.

AF4/5

1. Why does the author show a

programme of events on p.118?

2. What does ‘listening round eyed’ p. 119

tell you about the stories being told?


understand how different Hiccup is to

most Vikings? Challenge: Find out more about Thor.

AF6

1. Was this text trying to celebrate or

criticise the Vikings? Challenge: Write a goodbye letter from Hiccup to his mum.


Activities

Chapter 11: Thor is Angry

AF2

1. What does ‘encrusted’ p.142 mean?

2. Which phrase on p.147 means that the

dragon eats a lot?

3. What does the book, ‘How To Train Your

Dragon’ tell Stoick and Gobber to do?

4. Describe what the Sea Dragon does to

Gobber. Challenge: Find all the words in

this chapter that mean the same as ‘big’.

AF3

1. How is Stoick feeling about his decision to

banish his own son? 2. Why did Stoick call a Council of War?

3. What was strange about the

disappearance of the domestic dragons?

4. How did the Sea Dragon react to the

Viking shout?

Challenge: Design a ‘WARNING’ sign for

the Viking beach whilst the Sea Dragon is

there.

AF4/5

1. How has the choice of words created a

feeling of anger at the beginning of this

chapter?

2. Why did the author describe the Vikings’

cry as being ‘like the faint cry of a

newborn baby’ in comparison with the

Sea Dragon’s roar?

3. How does the ‘impressive silence’ p.152

keep the reader interested in this

chapter?

Challenge: Gobber the Belch is a hero.

True or false? Explain your answer.

AF6

1. What is the author’s purpose for

including a terrifying Sea Dragon at

this point in the story? Challenge: Draw a thought bubble for Hiccup athe the moment when Fishlegs shouts, ‘Hiccup can speak to dragons!’.


Activities

Chapter 12: The Green Death

AF2

1. What did Stoick offer to do?

2. Which word on p 160 shows that the

dragon was feeling evil towards Hiccup?

3. What is the real name of the dragon?

Challenge: Design a perfume called ‘Dragon

Breath’. Draw a diagram of the bottle,

labelling important information and explain

what the perfume smells like. Use p161-2

to help you describe this.

AF3

1. Why did the author compare the sheep

to blackberries?

2. Why is it important that the dragon

describes how he eats sheep and

humans?

3. How do we know that the dragon is getting

a bit fed up of Hiccup’s talking in this

chapter?

4. How does the dragon react to hearing

Hiccup’s name?

Challenge: If you could design a free gift to

go with this book, what would it be? Draw

and label the ‘freebie’.

AF4/5

1. What does ‘Hiccup had to force himself to

put one foot in front of the other’ p.159 tell

you about how he is feeling? 2. What does ‘mind’s eye’ p. 164 mean?


understand how different Hiccup is from

other Vikings?

4. How has the choice of words created the

feeling that the dragon is unpleasant and

dangerous?

Challenge: Design a toothbrush and

toothpaste for dragons with bad breath.

Explain the special features.

AF6

1. What can you tell about the author’s

opinion on whether Hiccup is a Hero? Challenge: This edition of “How To Train Your Dragon’ comes with free collector cards. Design your own collector cards for Fishlegs, Hiccup and Stoick.


Activities


Activities

Chapter 13: When Yelling Doesn't Work

AF2

1. What does Stoick think he did wrong?

2. Which phrase on p174 shows that

Hiccup is starting to like Thuggory? 3. What is Hiccup’s plan?

4. What does ‘fiendishly’ mean?

Challenge: Design a ‘For Sale’ notice

advertising a newborn litter of baby

dragons. Explain their appearances, special

skills, price and what to bear in mind when

looking after dragons.

AF3

1. How did Stoick react to the failure of

Professor Yobbish’s book? 2. Why do you think Hiccup is being followed?

3. Hiccup is beginning to see that the dragon

may have already helped him with his

hero problem. How can we tell this? Challenge: Hiccup is a real hero. True or false?

AF4/5

1. What does ‘he never wrote a letter if he

could help it’ p170 tell us about Stoick?

2. Thuggory laughs hysterically when he

looks at the other gigantic Sea Dragon.

What does this tell us?

3. In what ways is Hiccup like the Green

Death? Challenge: 'He was resting his

vast, wicked chin on the cliff as a pillow.

Great plumes of violet smoke were

belching out of his snoring nostrils’. Identify

all of the adjectives in these sentences.

Then write another descriptive set of

sentences, this time writing about Stoick,

who is feeling rattled.

AF6

1. What can you tell about changing

opinions in the Vikings towards Hiccup? Challenge: Write a missing page from Professor Yobbish’s book entitled ‘When Yelling Doesn’t Work’.


Activities


Activities

Chapter 14: The Fiendishly Clever Plan

AF2

1. What are the feather bombs for?

2. Which word on p.188 means very angry?

3. What did Green Death do when he was

pelted with feather bombs?


chapter? Challenge: Take a look at

www.cressidacowell.co.uk to find out more

about the author.

AF3

1. Why do you think Snotlout is not keen to

help with the plan?

2. What ideas are we given about the adults

whilst the boys are planning their attack?

3. Why is it important that the boys and

their dragons all work together to defeat

the dragon?

4. What do you think of the boys’ bravery?

Challenge: Read ‘Cressida Cowell’s

Favourite Facts’ and write a ‘Favourite

Facts’ for Hiccup.

Use your imagination if you don’t know

the answer!

AF4/5

1. 'Cold steel is the only language a creature

like that can understand’ p.180 explains

Snotlout. What does this mean?

2. How does the choice of words in this

chapter give the feeling that the boys are

in danger?

3. Why does the writer compare running

through heather to walking through

treacle?


understand what bravery actually is?

Challenge: Draw a ‘story map’ explaining

each stage of the ‘fiendish’ plan.

AF6

1. Was this text trying to tell us

something about mental (your mind)

strength and physical (body) strength? Challenge: Read ‘Cressida Cowell’s Favourite Facts’ and write a ‘Favourite Facts’ for Fishlegs. Use your imagination if you don’t know the answer!

http://www.cressidacowell.co.uk/


Activities


Activities

Chapter 15: The Battle at Death's Head Headland

AF2

1. What happened as the dragons met at

Death’s Head Headland? 2. Wht does ‘lopsidedly’ mean?

3. Which word on p.192 means small?


chapter? Challenge: Write 4 newspaper

headlines for a story describing the dragon

fight.

AF3

1. Why are the teams making the dragons

angry on purpose?

2. What are the boys waiting for as soon as

the dragons stop fighting?

3. Explain why the boys laughed hysterically

once the dragons had finished fighting.

4. How did Hiccup know that there was

something wrong at the end of the dragon

fight?

Challenge: Imagine you knew where to find

Death’s Head Headland. Design a

monument in memory of the fierce battle

that took place there. What information

would you write on the monument?

AF4/5

1. How has the choice of words in this

chapter created the feeling that the

dragon fight was a terrible sight?

2. Whys did the author use the sentence

‘There was silence.’ p.194 as soon as the

dragons had run out of energy?

Challenge: Collect all of the adjectives in

this chapter that describe a negative

(bad) feeling.

AF6

1. Why did the author surprise the reader

(you) at the end of the chapter? Challenge: Describe this story in less than 50 words.


Activities

Chapters 16 & 17: 'The Fiendishly Clever Plan Goes Wrong' and 'In

the Mouth of the Dragon'

AF2

1. What had Hiccup been waiting to hear?

2. Describe the Green Death in this chapter.

3. What did the dragon do to Dogsbreath?

4. Where did Hiccup see that the dragon’s

fire came from as he dangled inside its

mouth?

Challenge: Imagine Hiccup had given

Fishlegs a note to give to his parents in the

event that the plan had gone wrong. Write

that note.

AF3

1. Who is Little Supper?

2. How did Hiccup escape being swallowed?

3. How did Hiccup react to dangling inside

the dragon’s mouth?

4. How was Hiccup different after he had

been inhaling the dragon’s fumes for a

while?

Challenge: Draw a ‘freeze frame’ of the

moment when Hiccup is snatched. Show

the reaction on the faces of onlookers.

AF4/5

1. Why did the author use the simile ‘like

prison doors’ p. 200 to describe the

jaws of the dragon?

2. Explain why Hiccup had to be the one

to receive punishment from the dragon.

Challenge: Imagine you are one of the boy

Vikings running away from the Green

Death. You witness the dragon snatching

Hiccup. Write a play script from this

moment onwards exploring what happens

to the other boys and how they react to

what they saw.

AF6

1. Would you describe Hiccup as a hero?

Explain your answer. Challenge: Imagine the story ends at the end of this chapter. Draw a storyboard entitled ‘The Legend of Hiccup The Brave’. Split the story so far into 6 parts, ending with him being eaten by the dragon.


Activities

Chapter 18: The Extraordinary Bravery of Toothless

AF2

1. What did Toothless do to the Green Death?

2. How did Hiccup escape?

3. What happened to the Green Death

when he tried to blow fire?

4. How did Stoick’s shield save Hiccup’s life

afterall? Challenge: Draw a thought bubble

for Toothless as he watches Stoick’s cry of

‘N-N-NOOOO!!!’

AF3

1. How was Toothless different after he

heard Stoick’s desperate cry of

‘Noooooo!’?

2. How did Hiccup manage to cover the

Green Death’s fire holes?

3. What does the word ‘impaled’ imply about

what would have happened to Hiccup if

the tooth hit him?

4. What ideas are we given about Stoick in

this chapter? Challenge:

'Maybe it was Stoick’s heartrenderingly

powerless cry of ‘N-N-N00000!!!’ that

caused him to pause’ p.206. Draw a picture of Stoick as he says this.

AF4/5

1. Based on the first sentence of this chapter,

how does the author make you want to

read more?

2. ‘[The Green Dragon] scratched him on the

chest. He hardly felt it though. He was

so excited.’ What does this tell us about

Toothless?

3. What does this chapter tell us about

how vulnerable the Vikings were in the

face of such a big monster? Look for

phrases that show this.

Challenge: Imagine that Stoick, Toothless

and Hiccup had a conversation behind the

shield as they waited for the dragon’s fire to

come. Write this as a playscript.

AF6

1. Was this chapter trying to show us what

a real hero is? Challenge: Imagine you are Stoick. Retell the events of this chapter as you saw them.


Activities


Activities

Chapter 19: 'Hiccup the Useful' and 'The Epilogue'

AF2

1. What was the ‘extraordinary miracle’ p.214?

2. What colour is dragon’s blood?

3. Why does Hiccup need to be fast if he

wants to check on Toothless?

4. What does the word ‘mournful’ mean on

p.219? Challenge: Draw a ‘freeze frame’ of

the first paragraph of this chapter.

AF3

1. How do Vikings run funerals?

2. How did Hiccup react to news that

Toothless had died?

3. Why was Snotlout disappointed to see

Hiccup alive and well?

4. What ideas are we given about dragons

in the future?

Challenge: Pretend you are

Professor Yobbish. Write a

reply to Stoick’s letter.

AF4/5

1. 'Everybody looked shifty, and nobody

would look at Hiccup. Stoick cleared his

throat awkwardly’. How does this help

you to understand what Hiccup’s

reaction might be to Toothless’s death?

2. What does ‘a frenzy of exasperation’

explain about how Hiccup is feeling on p.

217?

3. Why does the writer compare Toothless

to a comet?

Challenge: Draw a thought bubble for

Hiccup whilst he watches the flaming ship

drift away.

AF6

1. Does the author like Toothless? How do

you know? Challenge: Myths are stories about gods and heroes that explain natural events. Legends are stories about heroic characters based on truth but added to over time. Fables are short stories to teach a moral lesson. Is this book a myth, legend or fable? Explain your answer and give answers from the text.


Activities

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