Teaching Notes

The Science of Dragons Show

Join Scientific Sue on this most historical and creative journey of scientific discovery.

The show is based on the books written by Cressida Cowell: How to Train your Dragon. Not once does Cressida mention the words science or engineering but she has her young Vikings and their Dragons doing some really amazing scientific stuff! So This show has been developed to find out if Cressida is a Scientific genius or just a fantastic story-teller.

Scientific Sue will need lots of brave volunteers to help her investigate and explore the science of how dragons fly.  Then, using some of the science behind different ‘fire types’ (steam, ice fog, explosive gases, burning rocks, flammable gases and of course smoke and flames) she will create her own dragon. Prince has a very special power, Camouflage.  When he licks other dragons disgusting fire types, such as corrosive slobbers, alkaline  pee, dried tears and acidic dandruff crystals he is able to change colour. What colours do you think we can make in our Viking Laboratory?

Norbert, the fire-breathing dragon and Jessica, the  icy fog breathing dragon are celebrating the hatching of their latest baby, there is just one problem, this little dragon can’t fly yet. Will it be possible to use the science discovered in the show to help their baby dragon ‘Stormfly’ Fly?!

The science and engineering content and storytelling and game playing aspects of the show vary for different key stages and audience types and the availability of dry ice.

This show covers the following themes and topics:

  • Forces and Energy

    Balancing Dragon Template

  • Properties of Materials
  • Acid and Base/Alkali reactions
  • Combustion
  • Flight and buoyancy
  • Tests for Hydrogen, Oxygen and Carbon dioxide
  • Literacy links
  • Teaching notes are available on request
  • Click here for Scientific Sue’s Acrobatic Dragon