Unit 3
How to Train Your Dragon- Film Synopsis
How to Train Your Dragon is a computer-animated film that follows the story of a young Viking named Hiccup, whose village is constantly under attack by dragons. Hiccup aspires to bring down one of the dragons to prove to his father and village that he is a strong Viking. However, in attempting to achieve this dream Hiccup becomes the unlikely best friend of a young dragon, Toothless a terrifying Night Fury, and learns that there may be more to the creature than he first assumed.
The How to Train Your Dragon film is based on the book How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell.
How to Train Your Dragon is a computer-animated film that follows the story of a young Viking named Hiccup, whose village is constantly under attack by dragons. Hiccup aspires to bring down one of the dragons to prove to his father and village that he is a strong Viking. However, in attempting to achieve this dream Hiccup becomes the unlikely best friend of a young dragon, Toothless a terrifying Night Fury, and learns that there may be more to the creature than he first assumed.
The How to Train Your Dragon film is based on the book How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell.
Lesson 1- Who were the Vikings anyway?
Where did they go?
The map below shows when the Vikings settled in other parts of the world. One of the first places for Viking settlements outside Scandinavia was Britain due to its proximity to Scandinavia and the fact that it had a large number of costal towns and rivers on which Vikings could travel.
As you can see from the blue lines on the map below, the Vikings did not only travel on sea but also used rivers in order to access places that would usually take them much longer over land. The shaded green patches show where Vikings settled, as you can see the largest settlements were in Denmark, Iceland and York.
The Vikings chose York for its location central to the rest of Europe and its direct sealinks with Scandinavia (where the Vikings originated from). Where the Vikings settled they farmed the land and built houses from the materials they could find locally, wood, stone or mud. The Vikings made up rules for their settlements to prevent arguments over land, cattle or crops with heavy punishments for those who didn’t follow the rules.
The map also shows us that the Vikings did not only travel in and around Europe, but also travelled to places much further away such as Canada (Vinland), Russia and Central Asia. The Vikings travelled to these places to conquer new lands as well as to trade goods. They bought animal furs, whalebones and amber from their native land to trade in return for items such as wheat, tin and wool and more exotic items such as silk, spices and wine.
Vikings also captured slaves on their travels, many of whom were captured during raids on their town or villages or during battle. Slaves were seen as tradable goods and many Vikings became rich selling slaves to other tribes across Europe.
The Vikings chose York for its location central to the rest of Europe and its direct sealinks with Scandinavia (where the Vikings originated from). Where the Vikings settled they farmed the land and built houses from the materials they could find locally, wood, stone or mud. The Vikings made up rules for their settlements to prevent arguments over land, cattle or crops with heavy punishments for those who didn’t follow the rules.
The map also shows us that the Vikings did not only travel in and around Europe, but also travelled to places much further away such as Canada (Vinland), Russia and Central Asia. The Vikings travelled to these places to conquer new lands as well as to trade goods. They bought animal furs, whalebones and amber from their native land to trade in return for items such as wheat, tin and wool and more exotic items such as silk, spices and wine.
Vikings also captured slaves on their travels, many of whom were captured during raids on their town or villages or during battle. Slaves were seen as tradable goods and many Vikings became rich selling slaves to other tribes across Europe.
What were they looking for in a settlement?
The Vikings would have chosen their settlements based on a few key factors-
- coastal access- for exploring the seas and fishing
- fertile land for feeding livestock
- woodland for foraging for food and for hunting animals
- flat lands for building homes and making their own gardens
Weaponry and beliefs?
Viking ships were roughly 20metres long and carried up to 32 oarsmen. They were used to take trade across the world; to explore unknown territories, for raiding and as defence in battle. Today, you can visit a restored longboat (‘Gokstad’ – dug up on a farm in 1880) in the Norway Museum of Oslo. Some Viking heroes were buried with their long ships – the ultimate honour in death.
The Vikings believed that when they died, they joined the gods. They also believed that they would need their special possessions with them when they started their ‘afterlife’, so Viking heroes were often buried with their favourite weapons. These included long swords; axes; round-headed shields; leather and iron helmets and spears.
The Vikings had many gods with a complicated and far from innocent history. The family tree of the gods can be found below.
The Vikings believed that when they died, they joined the gods. They also believed that they would need their special possessions with them when they started their ‘afterlife’, so Viking heroes were often buried with their favourite weapons. These included long swords; axes; round-headed shields; leather and iron helmets and spears.
The Vikings had many gods with a complicated and far from innocent history. The family tree of the gods can be found below.
Dragon Lore
Viking stories are full of monsters: trolls, giants, sea serpents, dwarfs and DRAGONS. Written in old Norse, these stories are set in ‘Midgard’ or ‘Middle Earth’ and ‘Asgard’ – the area in the sky where gods and goddesses lived. Story has it that a rainbow bridge connected the two worlds.
Viking dragons are usually serpent or lizard-like, they can breathe fire and have bat-like wings.
Task
In your table groups, you will create a powerpoint presentation demonstrating all of you knowledge about the Vikings. You will do this in a logical and clear manner with sub headings for each topic you choose to cover. You will cover at least 4 of the 7 topics below. You are expected to conduct your own research as well as referring to the information present on this page. (you will have 2 periods to collect and organise your research for presentation)
- The homeland of the Vikings
- Invasions, battles and raiding
- Settlements and day to day life
- Religious beliefs/ gods
- Viking inventions
- Viking trading
- Viking stories and folklore
Lesson 2- Folklore and Legend
The Story of Sigurd and the Dragon Fafnir
The story tells of Sigurd the great Viking warrior who slays the dragon Fafnir. Sigurd takes the dragon’s heart and drinks its blood and in doing so he acquires magical powers including the ability to see into the future. Thereafter Sigurd wears a dragon symbol on his armour so everyone knows he killed Fafnir. Sigurd is eventually betrayed by his own family, who are jealous of his popularity. He is stabbed in his sleep, and though he wakes and cuts his attacker’s body in two, Sigurd dies soon after.
See what you can find out about these other dragon myths:
The story tells of Sigurd the great Viking warrior who slays the dragon Fafnir. Sigurd takes the dragon’s heart and drinks its blood and in doing so he acquires magical powers including the ability to see into the future. Thereafter Sigurd wears a dragon symbol on his armour so everyone knows he killed Fafnir. Sigurd is eventually betrayed by his own family, who are jealous of his popularity. He is stabbed in his sleep, and though he wakes and cuts his attacker’s body in two, Sigurd dies soon after.
See what you can find out about these other dragon myths:
- Nidhogg
- Siegfried and Fafnirr
- St George and the Dragon
- Thor and the Midgard Serpent
Creating a Book
Lesson 3- Drawing Characters
Cressida Cowell is the author behind the ‘Dragon’ books. She is also the illustrator. Before she starts writing, she spends a long time working on her drawings of the characters.
Answer the questions below-
Answer the questions below-
- How does she go about drawing her characters?
- How does she know how to draw the facial expressions of her characters?
- How is her character creation process similar to that of a DreamWorks animator?
Task
You will each be given a mirror. Spend a few moments pulling faces into the mirror. I will give you a few different emotions to try out to begin with.
Once you are feeling confident, pick three of your best facial expressions/ visual emotions and use these to create three different viking characters of your own in your English Exercise Book.
You will each be given a mirror. Spend a few moments pulling faces into the mirror. I will give you a few different emotions to try out to begin with.
Once you are feeling confident, pick three of your best facial expressions/ visual emotions and use these to create three different viking characters of your own in your English Exercise Book.
Lesson 4- Maps to Stories
Once Cressida has created her characters, she works on a detailed map. The map helps her to work out the direction the story will take.
Once Cressida has created her characters, she works on a detailed map. The map helps her to work out the direction the story will take.
-Name some of the places on Cressida’s map. What kinds of activities do you think happen there?
Task
Cressida suggests that creating a map is a good way of starting a story.
Think up your own imaginary Viking world and create a map for it. Remember what we learnt about Viking settlements at the start of this unit when designing your map.
Viking settlements should have-
Cressida suggests that creating a map is a good way of starting a story.
Think up your own imaginary Viking world and create a map for it. Remember what we learnt about Viking settlements at the start of this unit when designing your map.
Viking settlements should have-
- Coastal access
- Flat fertile land
- Woodlands
Below are some examples of the types of coastlines you may wish to create for your imaginary Viking world.
Below are some examples of symbols you may also wish to incorporate into your map-
Natural structures-
Man made structures, people and dragons-
Task
Now we are going to develop your draft maps into authentic looking map scrolls. We will be using cartridge paper and tea bags to create this effect. Once these have dried, you will be recreating your maps onto these aged pieces of paper. You will be presenting your maps to your fellow classmates, so make sure it is your best work.
Now we are going to develop your draft maps into authentic looking map scrolls. We will be using cartridge paper and tea bags to create this effect. Once these have dried, you will be recreating your maps onto these aged pieces of paper. You will be presenting your maps to your fellow classmates, so make sure it is your best work.
Lesson 5- Character Development and Linguistic Devices
Task 1
Cressida talked about using good describing words to make characters interesting. Draw a picture of Stoic the Vast (the Viking Chief) with a beard of ‘exploding fireworks’.
Task 2
Create a character for your map story and think up a good way of describing him or her that would ensure that an image of your character stayed in the mind of your reader.
Lesson 6- How to Train Your Dragon
This is the trailer to the movie "How to Train Your Dragon" but where did the idea for the original novels come from? Below is a selection of video interviews with Cressida Cowell where she explains a little bit about her childhood holidays and where her ideas about Viking and dragons came from.
Inspiration
Task- Group Discussion
Can you think of a place you have been to that felt as remote as that island? Maybe you have visited a small village in China (or maybe even some of the more remote fishing villages or nunneries in Hong Kong). How did it make you feel when you were there? Can you see why this might have inspired Cressida?
Can you think of a place you have been to that felt as remote as that island? Maybe you have visited a small village in China (or maybe even some of the more remote fishing villages or nunneries in Hong Kong). How did it make you feel when you were there? Can you see why this might have inspired Cressida?
Commonalities and Differences Between the Book and the Film
Task
In your English Exercise books, copy the chart below and fill in as much as you can based on the videos above.
Lesson 7- From Book to Script
In this lesson, we will be comparing and analysing the first page of the book and the first page of the movie script...
1. The book starts with this sentence:
Long ago, on the wild and windy isle of Berk, a smallish Viking with a longish name stood up to his ankles in snow.
The film script starts with this sentence:
FADE IN:
EXT. NORTH SEA/VILLAGE – NIGHT
Why does Cressida Cowell introduce her main character in the first sentence?
Why does the film script describe the setting and not Hiccup?
Long ago, on the wild and windy isle of Berk, a smallish Viking with a longish name stood up to his ankles in snow.
The film script starts with this sentence:
FADE IN:
EXT. NORTH SEA/VILLAGE – NIGHT
Why does Cressida Cowell introduce her main character in the first sentence?
Why does the film script describe the setting and not Hiccup?
2. In the book, the island of Berk is described as ‘wild and windy’. In the film script,it’s described in this way:
We skim above a dark, wild ocean. The camera turns toward a lone island, Berk.It is a gigantic shard of rock jutting straight out of the water.
Why do you think there is more detail in the film script? Draw what you think Berk looks like from above from the book’s description, then the film’s description. Which one was easier to draw?
We skim above a dark, wild ocean. The camera turns toward a lone island, Berk.It is a gigantic shard of rock jutting straight out of the water.
Why do you think there is more detail in the film script? Draw what you think Berk looks like from above from the book’s description, then the film’s description. Which one was easier to draw?
3. Read through the book passage again and describe Hiccup in no more than ten words.
4. Read through the script extract again and describe Hiccup in no more than ten words. What are the differences between the way Hiccup is portrayed in the book and in the film? Why?
5. Towards the end of the script extract, it says:
The camera drifts closer, circling.
Whose point of view do you think the camera is showing here?
The camera drifts closer, circling.
Whose point of view do you think the camera is showing here?
6. The dragons are only mentioned once in the book version:
‘Ten boys, including Hiccup, were hoping to become full members of the Tribe by passing the Dragon Initiation Programme. They were standing on a bleak little beach at the bleakest spot on the whole bleak island. A heavy snow was falling.’
How do you think Hiccup and the boys feel about the Dragon Initiation Programme? What do you think this programme entails? Why do you think their teacher,‘Gobber the Belch’, calls it a ‘military operation’.
‘Ten boys, including Hiccup, were hoping to become full members of the Tribe by passing the Dragon Initiation Programme. They were standing on a bleak little beach at the bleakest spot on the whole bleak island. A heavy snow was falling.’
How do you think Hiccup and the boys feel about the Dragon Initiation Programme? What do you think this programme entails? Why do you think their teacher,‘Gobber the Belch’, calls it a ‘military operation’.
7. How are the dragons introduced in the film script? Why do you think the film does it so differently?
8. Look back at the image you created from the first page of Cressida Cowell’s novel. Why do you think the filmmakers chose such a different approach to the film’s opening sequence, and not something like yours?
Lesson 8- Film Viewing and Book Readings
Task
As we watch the film, plot the events on a story arc in your English Exercise books.
As we watch the film, plot the events on a story arc in your English Exercise books.
Chapter 10 Reading
Lesson 9- Reflecting on the Film
Compare the opening and closing lines of the film How to Train Your Dragon:
In the opening scene of the film Hiccup narrates: “This is Berk. It’s twelve days north of Hopeless and a few degrees south of Freezing to Death. It’s located solidly on the Meridian of Misery. My village. In a word? Sturdy. It’s been here for seven generations, but every single building is new. We have fishing, hunting, and a charming view of the sunsets. The only problems are the pests. You see, most places have mice or mosquitoes... we have... dragons.”
In the closing scene of the film Hiccup narrates: “This is Berk. It snows nine months of the year, and hails the other three. Any food that grows here is tough and tasteless. The people that grow here are even more so. The only upsides are the pets. While other places have ponies or parrots... we have... dragons.”
In the opening scene of the film Hiccup narrates: “This is Berk. It’s twelve days north of Hopeless and a few degrees south of Freezing to Death. It’s located solidly on the Meridian of Misery. My village. In a word? Sturdy. It’s been here for seven generations, but every single building is new. We have fishing, hunting, and a charming view of the sunsets. The only problems are the pests. You see, most places have mice or mosquitoes... we have... dragons.”
In the closing scene of the film Hiccup narrates: “This is Berk. It snows nine months of the year, and hails the other three. Any food that grows here is tough and tasteless. The people that grow here are even more so. The only upsides are the pets. While other places have ponies or parrots... we have... dragons.”
- What do these quotes tell us about the village and the people of Berk?
- What changes and what remains the same in these two descriptions of Berk?
Lesson 10- Dragon Types
Below is a list of different dragons from the movie. Spend some time looking over these and deciding which ones you may like to focus on. For your assessment, you will be asked to select between 3 and 5 species.
Gronckle
Nadder
NightFury
Nightmare
Terrible Terror
Zippleback
But How do you Train a Dragon???
Below are two very different extracts from the film. The first teaches you a little about the strengths and weaknesses of different breeds to help you approach and tame them.
The second video shows you Hiccup's rather different approach to tame and train dragons- through gaining trust.
Lesson 11- Summative Assessment Preparation
Gathering Data
- Pick a selection of dragon species from the movie (between 3 and 5).
- Find out as much information as you can about each creature.
- Invent appropriate information for classification information that may be missing.
Developing Content
- Write one – three paragraphs under the subheading Home Comforts (natural habitats and important elements for domesticated dragons)
- Write one – three paragraphs under the subheading Food for Thought (food preferences or specific digestion issues of this species)
- Write one – three paragraphs under the subheading Health Matters (highlight any medical issues or prone sensitivities that this particular species may have)
- Write one – three paragraphs under the subheading Exercise and Entertainment (how much exercise or play does this animal require- give examples as well as amounts)
- Write one – three paragraphs under the subheading Training and Trick (What tricks can this animal be taught to perform? What training tactics would you recommend? Etc.)
- Write one – three paragraphs under the subheading Company (Is this a solitary animal or a social animal? How comfortable is this creature with humans? Does it prefer to spend time with a species that is not its own?)
- Take note of where your information came from so that you can include proper references in the final piece
Designing the Aesthetics
Plan layout of your pamphlet-
You must include all references at the end and ensure that your pamphlet is formatted in a clear, visually pleasing and easy to read way.
- How will the pages fold?
- Where will you place images and diagrams?
- Will these be annotated or labeled?
- How will the eye travel across the page?
- What order will you present the information in?
You must include all references at the end and ensure that your pamphlet is formatted in a clear, visually pleasing and easy to read way.