FIRST LEVEL
LEARNING RESOURCES
Cressida Cowell
Resource created by Jennifer Buchan
SECOND LEVEL
Content
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Introducing Cressida Cowell: Activities for First Level
Introducing Cressida Cowell: Activities for Second Level
How to Train Your Dragon: Activities for First Level
How to Train Your Dragon: Activities for Second Level
How to Be a Pirate: Activities for First Level
How to Be a Pirate: Activities for Second Level
Meet Our Authors Special Event: Activities for First Level
Meet Our Authors Special Event: Activities for Second Level
Additional Resources
Cressida Cowell biography
Cressida Cowell lived in London and spent her holidays on a small,
uninhabited island off the west coast of Scotland when she was growing
up. She was certain that there were dragons living on the island, and has
been fascinated by dragons ever since. She has a BA in English Literature
from Oxford University, a BA in Graphic Design from St Martin's and an MA
in Narrative Illustration from Brighton. Cressida loves illustrating her own
work, but also loves writing books for other people to illustrate. Cressida
has written and illustrated eight books in the popular Hiccup series. The
series is now published in over 30 languages.
The first novel in the series, How to Train Your Dragon, is now a major
DreamWorks Animation feature film and has received both Oscar and
BAFTA nominations for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score. A
sequel is scheduled for release in 2013 and an animated series is
launching on the Cartoon Network in 2012.
Also the author of picture books, Cressida has won the Nestle Children's
Book Prize 2006 and has been shortlisted for many others. Cressida lives
in Hammersmith with her husband and three children.
Introduction to this resource
The activities provided in this resource focus on the two novels How to
Train Your Dragon and How to Be a Pirate. They are designed to be fun,
engaging, cross-curricular activities which should enhance the children’s
enjoyment of the author’s work. The resources will also explore some of
the themes and topics which arise during the Scottish Book Trust Meet
Our Authors Special event, which can be watched on the Scottish Book
Trust website. Please see the websites below for further information about
Cressida Cowell and other teaching resources and activities.
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The Meet Our Authors Special Event with Cressida Cowell:
CfE
www.scottishbooktrust.com/podcasts/video/meet-our-authors-specialcressida-cowell
The official Cressida Cowell website: www.cressidacowell.co.uk
The official How to Train Your Dragon website with excellent activities,
resources and information about books in the series:
www.howtotrainyourdragonbooks.com/
Introducing Cressida Cowell
ACTIVITIES FOR FIRST LEVEL
Read about Cowell’s life as a child and her inspiration for the How to Train
Your Dragon series: www.howtotrainyourdragonbooks.com/about/.
Discuss times that you have visited an island or somewhere remote and
share any ideas that you had about monsters, dragons or creatures which
might have lived there!
Cowell explains that she used to spend every summer and parts of the
spring on the remote island. She tells us that there was no electricity, and
therefore no lights or television! As a class, try to go a day without using
electricity, or set a homework challenge to go one evening without using
electricity!
Creating Texts
– LIT 1-09a
Social Subjects
– People,
Place and
Environment –
SOC 1-08a
ACTIVITIES FOR SECOND LEVEL
Read about Cowell’s life as a child and her inspiration for the How to Train
Your Dragon series: www.howtotrainyourdragonbooks.com/about/
Cowell explains that she used to spend every summer and parts of the
spring on the remote island. She tells us that there was no electricity, and
therefore no lights or television! As a class, try to go a day without using
electricity, or set a homework challenge to go one evening without using
electricity!
ICT to Enhance
Learning – TCH
2-03b
Social Subjects
– People,
Place and
Environment –
SOC 2-08a
3
How to Train Your Dragon: activities for first level
CfE
NUMERACY
Photocopy onto an acetate the grid in Additional Resources 1 and place
this over the map on pages 8 and 9 of the novel. Use the grid references to
describe what can be found on different parts of the different islands. Make
symbols of Viking ships and have a game of Battleships with a friend.
Shape, Position
and Movement
– MTH 1-18a
WRITING
On pages 21 and 32, Cowell has created dragon factfiles to describe
two of the dragons in detail to the reader. Look at this website to read
about other dragons in the series:
www.howtotrainyourdragonbooks.com/herosguidetodeadlydragons/.
Design your own dragon and draw an illustration of it, labelling its
different features and details. Use the factfiles to help you think about
different things to include (colours, claws, teeth, defence systems…).
Remember to give your dragon a name which reflects its personality!
Creating Texts
– ENG 1-31a
ART
Work in a group to plan your own map of different islands, giving them
names and marking on key landmarks (see the map on page 8 and 9 for
ideas!) Take your plan outside and draw a large version of your map onto
the ground using chalk. Give other groups a tour of your islands and, as you
hop from one to the next, tell them about the landmarks that exist on each!
Art and Design
– EXA 1-06a
TECHNOLOGY/SOCIAL SUBJECTS
There are several images of Viking ships throughout the novel (pages 8 and
9, page 217 and page 226). Research the different parts of a Viking ship
and take the quiz on the following link to see how many you can
remember:
www.viking-magic.com/stormriders%20quiz.htm
Follow the link to instructions and a template for how to make your own
Viking ship: www.ecnavan.ie/resources/Viking_ship.pdf
ICT to Enhance
Learning –
TCH 1-03b
People, Past
Events and
Societies –
SOC 1-02a
Craft, design,
engineering
and graphics
contexts for
developing
technological
skills and
knowledge –
TCH 1-12a
4
CfE
Homework Activities
The first way that Hiccup manages to train Toothless is by telling him
jokes. Tell the jokes from the story to a parent, carer or sibling at home.
Ask them to tell you some of their jokes and learn them to tell to others
at school. Share your jokes with friends during a class circle time or
make a class joke book. Enjoy the jokes told on the How to Train Your
Dragon website: www.howtotrainyourdragonbooks.com/funstuff/jokes/.
Listening and
Talking – Tools
for Listening
and Talking –
ENG 1-03a
Use the following link or print off the Dragonese dictionary from the
website and create a message in Dragonese for a parent, carer or
sibling to translate:
www.howtotrainyourdragonbooks.com/funstuff/writedragonesse/
Writing –
Enjoyment and
Choice –
LIT 1-20a
How to Train Your Dragon: activities for second level
NUMERACY
Photocopy onto an acetate the grid in Additional Resources 2 and place
this over the map on pages 8 and 9 of the novel. Give instructions to a
friend about how to visit each of the islands by giving him/her directions
using compass points and degree turns.
Shape, Position
and Movement
– MTH 2-17c
WRITING
Look at the messages written by Hiccup and his father on pages 102 and
220 of the novel. Spot and correct the spelling mistakes! Write your own
message about Hiccup and make some deliberate spelling mistakes. Give
your message to a friend for him/her to correct.
The book that Hiccup reads about How to Train Your Dragon (pages 63-68)
is not very helpful as it only gives him one tip…to yell at it! Think about
ways in which you have trained a pet or create an entirely new set of
imaginative rules about how Hiccup could train Toothless and write a page
of your own which could be included in Professor Yobbish’s book.
On pages 21 and 32, Cowell has created dragon factfiles to describe
two of the dragons in detail to the reader. Look at this website to
read about other dragons in the series:
www.howtotrainyourdragonbooks.com/herosguidetodeadlydragons/.
Design your own dragon and create a factfile for it. Set it out in the
same way as those in the novel, with an introductory paragraph and
illustration, followed by statistics. Use the factfiles in the novel to help
you think about different things to include (colours, claws, teeth,
defence systems…). Remember to give your dragon a name which
reflects its personality!
Tools for
Writing –
LIT 2-21a
Creating Texts
– ENG 2-31a
Creating Texts
– ENG 2-31a
5
LISTENING AND TALKING
Watch the trailer for the How to Train Your Dragon Movie
(http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/dreamworks/howtotrainyourdragon/) and
discuss ways in which it looks similar or different to the novel. Think about
how you had imagined the characters, places and dragons to look when
you read the novel – do they appear the same in the film? Explain which
you prefer and why.
CfE
Enjoyment and
Choice –
LIT 2-01a
TECHNOLOGIES/SOCIAL SUBJECTS
Research different aspects of life in Viking times (Viking routes, costumes,
gods and ships) in order to complete the different activities and tasks
found the following resource:
http://egfl.net/teaching/Advice/Environmental/NewPlans/past/vikingworksh
eets.pdf
Technology to
Enhance
Learning –
TCH 2-03a
People, Past
Events and
Societies –
SOC 2-06a
Homework Activities
Make a list of different heroes that you have read about in novels
written by other authors and share these with the class. In class, make
a list of key heroic characteristics that the different heroes have in
common.
Use the following link or print off the Dragonese dictionary from the
website and create a message in Dragonese for a parent, carer or
sibling to translate:
www.howtotrainyourdragonbooks.com/funstuff/writedragonesse/
6
How to Be a Pirate: activities for first level
CfE
(part two of the How to Train Your Dragon series)
READING
From Alvin’s first appearance in the story, Cowell starts to drop hints at his
true character. She uses a combination of illustrations, events and choice
of vocabulary to do this. Look closely at the illustration on page 62 and
then at all of chapter 7 in order to spot some of the clues that Cowell gives
about Alvin’s real character.
Understanding,
Analysing and
Evaluating –
ENG 1-19a
TECHNOLOGIES
Take the CBBC quiz on the following link to see how much you know
about pirates! :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_5350000/newsid_5359900/53
59972.stm
ICT to Enhance
Learning – TCH
1-03b
WRITING
In the novel, the Hooligans are given a clue which leads them to the
treasure (page 65). Work with a partner to draw your own treasure map,
labelling islands, seas and landmarks (just like on pages 10 and 11 of the
book). Decide where to hide a treasure chest but keep it a secret! Write
three clues which will lead a friend to different parts of the island and then
end up at the treasure. Swap maps and clues with friends and try to find
their treasure!
Enjoyment and
choice –
LIT 1-20a
ART
In the novel, two types of monster are described and illustrated (the
Skullion and the Strangulator). Each has a unique way of catching its prey
(cutting the Achilles tendon or squeezing to death!) Design your own
monster and draw an image of it using your own choice of media. Ensure
your image is detailed enough to show how your monster will catch its
prey! Explain your monster and your choice of media to the class.
Art and Design
– EXA 1-04a
Homework Activity
Draw a picture of the different things that you would like to find in a
treasure chest. Think about including modern items, older items,
precious objects, things you have always wished for …or even a person
or pet!
7
How to Be a Pirate: activities for second level
CfE
(part two of the How to Train Your Dragon series)
SOCIAL SUBJECTS
The novel takes a humorous approach to piracy as Toothless and the other
Vikings are trained to become pirates. Real piracy has recently returned as
a major problem in some parts of the world. Look online and in
newspapers for articles relating to recent incidents. On a world map,
highlight areas in which piracy still exists today. You could use this link to
help you:
People in
Society,
Economy and
Business –
SOC 2-15a
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_7730000/newsid_7736900/77
36915.stm
NUMERACY
Look closely at the timetable of the Pirate Training Programme given on
page 88 of the novel. Create questions for a friend about what the pirates
will be doing at different times on different days. Imagine you were training
to be a pirate. Think of the different skills you would need and create your
own weekly Pirate Training Programme. You could create an extra column
in your timetable and add in the timings of different events. Swap
timetables with a friend to share ideas.
Number,
Money and
Measure –
2-10a
LISTENING AND TALKING
On page 95, Hiccup says, “Do you really think that we should be looking
for the treasure? We’re quite happy and peaceful enough without all that
money.” A saying that we often hear is, ‘Money can’t buy happiness.” In
groups, discuss the following points:
l
l
l
l
Creating Texts
LIT 2-09a
Whether money can buy peace
Whether money can ruin peace
Whether people with more money are happier
Whether money is necessary for happiness
WRITING
In the novel, the Hooligans are given a clue which leads them to the treasure
(page 65). Work with a partner to draw your own treasure map, labelling
islands, seas and landmarks (just like on pages 10 and 11 of the book).
Decide where to hide a treasure chest but keep it a secret! Write three clues
which will lead a friend to different parts of the island and then end up at the
treasure. Try to make your clues into riddles so that they are trickier for
friends to solve. Remember to make each line rhyme, just like Cowell does!
Swap maps and clues with friends and try to find their treasure!
Enjoyment and
choice –
LIT 2-20a
8
Homework Activity
Throughout the novel, Hiccup strives to be a hero. Tell a parent, carer or
sibling about the different heroic actions that Hiccup performs
throughout the book. Interview different people at home, asking them
about what they think makes a hero and what type of characteristic a
hero should have.
CfE
Reading –
Understanding,
Analysing and
Evaluating –
ENG 2-19a
Meet Our Authors Special Event
You can watch the video of the event on the Scottish Book Trust website. It
lasts for about 45 minutes. Clips of the event are also available on YouTube.
www.scottishbooktrust.com/meet-our-authors-special-cressida-cowell
www.youtube.com/meetourauthors
ACTIVITIES FOR FIRST LEVEL
Writing
During the event, Cowell talks about the way that she started by drawing a
map of the Island of Berk and that this helped her to form the story. As she
suggests, draw a map of an imaginary place and write a story about it.
Creating Texts
– ENG 1-31a
Listening and Talking
Cowell talks about the way in which she uses illustrations to make her
books even more exciting. She thinks that illustrations are really important.
Hold a class discussion about whether you think illustrations are important,
illustrations that have really added to stories in books that you have read or
favourite illustrators.
Cowell tells us that she loves playing games with language and tries to
create names for her characters which sound a bit like their personalities.
The names of her characters often make use of alliteration. Find the
alliteration in the names of the different characters in the novel and then
create other Viking character names of your own, making their names
reflect their personalities and use alliteration.
Creating Texts
– LIT 1-09a
Tools for
Listening and
Talking – ENG
1-03a
9
ACTIVITIES FOR SECOND LEVEL
CfE
Writing
During the event, Cowell talks about the way that she started by drawing a
map of the Island of Berk and that this helped her to form the story. As she
suggests, draw a map of an imaginary place and to write a story about it.
Creating Texts
– ENG 2-31a
Cowell explains the importance of adding detail to descriptions in order to
make characters, settings and plots come alive. She compares the
descriptions, ‘Gobber had a red beard’ and ‘Gobber had a beard like a
hedgehog struck by lightning’, explaining that the second is much more
interesting and helps the reader to create a much more vivid image. Create
a vivid description of a character and work with a partner. Read your
description and ask your partner to draw an illustration of him/her, using
your interesting details and imagery! You may wish to use similes and
metaphors to help you!
Creating Texts
– ENG 2-31a
Listening and Talking
Cowell tells us that she believes writing and film-making are like telling a
big lie. Hold a class debate to discuss whether or not you agree.
Creating Texts
– LIT 2-09a
Cowell tells us that she bases many aspects of her stories on her own
personal experiences and real life. As you watch the event, take notes
about the different parallels that Cowell draws between her own life and
experiences and the characters and plot of the stories.
Finding
and Using
Information –
LIT 2-05a
10
Additional Resources 1
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F
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Additional Resources 2
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CfE
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