Sessions

 

Session 1 

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will investigate the life of Scott O'Dell and determine what influenced him to write "Island of the Blue Dolphin".

Students will examine the true story that inspired the story of "Island of the Blue Dolphins" called "Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island".

Students will identify the San Nicolas Island on a map. 

Students will examine how local legends and stories influence the community people live in.

Students will describe how the setting and theme affect the story. 

HOMEWORK: 

1) Reading - Read Chapters 1 and 2

2) Comprehension - Answer the comprehension question in your packet for chapters 1 and 2 with complete sentences.

3) Reader's Response - Selfie worksheet. 

4) Critical Thinking/Writing - Karana’s father is the leader of the people on San Nicholas Island. Someone once said, “Real leaders are ordinary people with extraordinary determination”. What do you think are two characteristics of a good leader (someone you would like to follow during a difficult time). Write a paragraph identifying the two characteristics of a good leader and why they are important. 

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Session 2 

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will present their selfie, comprehension questions and writing to the class. 

Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read. 

Students will define key vocabulary words found in chapters 1 - 2.

Students will analyze/compare/contrast Karana and her brother, Ramo.

Students will investigate the Aleut people of Alaska and Russia.   

Students will analyze anagrams and compound words they have read in chapters 1 - 2.

HOMEWORK: 

1) Reading - Read Chapters 3 and 4

2) Comprehension - Answer the comprehension question in your packet for chapters 3 and 4 with complete sentences.

3) Reader's Response - Series of Events worksheet. 

4) Investigation - Investigate one of the following two topics from Chapters 3-4: Sea Otters and Sailing Ships of the 1800's. Research three interesting facts about your choice and be ready to present your facts to the class in the next session. 

5) Critical Thinking/Writing - Putting your trust in someone (especially a friend) can be a dangerous thing to do, especially if that person lets you down. Describe a time in your own life (or that of someone you know) when you felt let down by someone you trusted.  

 

Session 3 

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will present their series of events, comprehension questions, investigation results and writing to the class.

Students will solve a secret code.

Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read. 

Students will solve a crossword puzzle using vocabulary words from chapters 1 - 4. 

Students will investigate foreshadowing and how it is used in literature. 

HOMEWORK: 

1) Reading - Read Chapters 5 and 6

2) Comprehension - Answer the comprehension question in your packet for chapters 5 and 6 with complete sentences.

3) Reader's Response -  Comic Book Creator worksheet. 

4) Investigation - The story mentions that abalones, the food gathered by Ulape and Karana, are shellfish that contained dark red flesh. Research three other facts about this creature and be ready to present your findings to the class in the next session. 

5) Critical Thinking/Writing - Describe a time when you couldn’t wait for something to happen - perhaps a birthday or  special event. Describe the event and how you felt.

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Session 4 

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will present their comic book, comprehension questions, investigation results and writing to the class.

Students will define key vocabulary words found in chapters 5 - 6.

Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read. 

Students will break words apart according to their syllables.  

Students will analyze homonyms and how they were used in the chapters they have read. 

Students will compare/contrast two of their favorite characters they have encountered so far in the book. 

HOMEWORK: 

1) Reading - Read Chapters 7 and 8

2) Comprehension - Answer the comprehension question in your packet for chapters 7 and 8 with complete sentences.

3) Reader's Response -  What Are They Thinking? worksheet. 

4) Investigation - The author mentions the fact that Ramo wore a string of sea elephant teeth around his neck. Research three things about sea elephants (aka: elephant seals) and be ready to present your findings to the class in the next session. 

5) Critical Thinking/Writing - In these chapters Karana makes a great personal sacrifice.  Sometimes it is necessary to make personal sacrifices in order to obtain a goal which is important to us. Tell about a time when you (or a friend) made a personal sacrifice in order to achieve a particular goal which was important. Be ready to present your findings to the class in the next session. 

 

Session 5 

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will present their what are they thinking, comprehension questions, investigation results and writing to the class.

Students will define key vocabulary words found in chapters 7 - 8.

Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read. 

Students will construct plural forms of words they have encountered in their reading.   

Students will analyze alliteration, simile and how they were used in the chapters they have read. 

HOMEWORK: 

1) Reading - Read Chapters 9 - 11

2) Comprehension - Answer the comprehension question in your packet for chapters 9 - 11 with complete sentences.

3) Reader's Response -  Twenty Questions worksheet and Your Thoughts. 

4) Investigation - Comic Strip 

5) Critical Thinking/Writing - Henry Rollins wrote, Loneliness adds beauty to life. It puts a special burn on sunsets and makes night air smell better.  Loneliness, however, can be very difficult. For the remainder of the novel Karana struggles with loneliness.  Describe a time in your own life when you felt lonely. Try to think of the good and bad about such a feeling

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Session 6

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will present their twenty questions, comprehension questions, investigation results and writing to the class.

Students will define key vocabulary words found in chapters 9 - 11.

Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read. 

Students will analyze personification and how it were used in the chapters they have read. 

HOMEWORK: 

1) Reading - Read Chapters 12 - 13

2) Comprehension - Answer the comprehension question in your packet for chapters 12 - 13 with complete sentences.

3) Reader's Response -  Magnify An Event worksheet.

4) Critical Thinking/Writing - Karana proves to be a most enterprising and creative girl. Explain in a paragraph why these character traits might be very important for someone in her position.

 

Session 7

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will present their magnify an event, comprehension questions and writing to the class.

Students will solve a word search using vocabulary words found in chapters 12 - 13.

Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read. 

Students will edit sentences for proper capitalization and punctuation.

Students will analyze cliffhanger and how it was used in the chapters they have read. 

The class will construct a journal entry explaining how life on the island the past few weeks has been difficult as if they were Karana.

HOMEWORK: 

1) Reading - Read Chapters 14 - 16

2) Comprehension - Answer the comprehension question in your packet for chapters 14 - 16 with complete sentences.

3) Reader's Response -  Text Me worksheet 

4) Investigation - A number of interesting plants and animals are mentioned in this novel. In Chapter 16, for instance, we meet the devilfish for the first time. This animal is most likely an octopus. Using resources in the library and/or on the Internet, research four interesting facts about this creature. You may discuss its appearance, diet, habitat, or some other fascinating topic. Be ready to share your results with the class in the next session.

5) Critical Thinking/Writing - Bobby Unser once said, “Success is where preparation and opportunity meet”. How might this be especially true of Karana in her particular circumstances?

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Session 8

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will present their text me, comprehension questions, investigations and writing to the class.

Students will construct sentences using vocabulary words found in chapters 14 - 16.

Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read. 

The class will create at least six interesting questions to ask Karana, and then put together possible answers to each of the questions using evidence from the book.

HOMEWORK: 

1) Reading - Read Chapters 17 - 19

2) Comprehension - Answer the comprehension question in your packet for chapters 17 - 19 with complete sentences.

3) Reader's Response -  A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words worksheet 

4) Critical Thinking/Writing - Karana realizes in these chapters that it is sometimes necessary to stay back and not interfere in the life of someone else, even when you feel you might be able to help them through their immediate situation. Why might this sometimes be necessary? If possible, support your answer with an example from your own experiences. 

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Session 9

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will present their a picture is worth a thousand words, comprehension questions and writing to the class.

Students will define key vocabulary words found in chapters 17 - 19.

Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read. 

Students will choose a conflict featured in the book so far and complete a Conflict Dissection Chart with as much detail as possible.

Students will investigate a graphic organizer that helps researchers to isolate their research topic. 

HOMEWORK: 

1) Reading - Read Chapters 20 - 21

2) Comprehension - Answer the comprehension question in your packet for chapters 20 - 21 with complete sentences.

3) Reader's Response -  Character Selfie worksheet 

4) Investigation - Observation Chart worksheet

5) Critical Thinking/Writing - In the next two chapters Karana must contend with the return of the Aleuts to her island. Predict what you think will happen.

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Session 10

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will present their character selfie, comprehension questions, investigation and writing to the class.

Students will define synonyms of key vocabulary words found in chapters 20 - 21.

Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read. 

Students will analyze nouns, verbs and root words from chapters 20 - 21. 

HOMEWORK: 

1) Reading - Read Chapters 22 - 23

2) Comprehension - Answer the comprehension question in your packet for chapters 22 - 23 with complete sentences.

3) Reader's Response -  Series of Events worksheet 

4) Critical Thinking/Writing - In this section of the novel Karana finds it difficult to trust Tutok, the Aleut girl. Do you think it is generally a wise thing to be distrustful of strangers? Defend your answer.

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Session 11

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will present their series of events, comprehension questions and writing to the class.

Students will define define antonyms of key vocabulary words found in chapters 22 - 23.

Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read. 

Students will analyze nouns, verbs and adjectives from chapters 22 - 23.

The class will discuss their views of the novel so far (positive and negative)

HOMEWORK: 

1) Reading - Read Chapters 24 - 25

2) Comprehension - Answer the comprehension question in your packet for chapters 24 - 25 with complete sentences.

3) Reader's Response - Make a collage from magazine pictures illustrating a scene from these chapters, or events and characters from the entire novel.  

4) Critical Thinking/Writing - Karana experiences loss several times in the novel. The next two chapters record another instance where Karana loses someone close to her. William Cowper once wrote, “Grief is itself a medicine”. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Defend your answer.

 

Session 12

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will present their collage, comprehension questions and writing to the class.

Students will define define analogies of key vocabulary words found in chapters 24 - 25.

Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read. 

Students will choose an interesting character from the book (it doesn’t necessarily have to be Karana) then prepare about a half-dozen questions to ask with possible answers.

HOMEWORK: 

1) Reading - Read Chapters 26 - 27

2) Comprehension - Answer the comprehension question in your packet for chapters 26 - 27 with complete sentences.

3) Reader's Response -  Comic Book Creator worksheet 

4) Investigation - Investigate one of the following three topics from the last few chapters, researching three interesting facts about your choice. You may choose from xuchal, cormorant or smelts

5) Critical Thinking/Writing - In these two chapters Karana experiences two natural disasters – a tsunami and an earthquake. Describe how such events might be disastrous for Karana. 

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Session 13

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will present their comic book creator, comprehension questions, investigation and writing to the class.

Students will define define key vocabulary words found in chapters 26 - 27.

Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read. 

Students will analyze personification, simile and how they were used in the chapters they have read.

HOMEWORK: 

1) Reading - Read Chapters 28 - 29

2) Comprehension - Answer the comprehension question in your packet for chapters 28 - 29 with complete sentences.

3) Reader's Response -  Now is your chance to share the novel with others. Write a review of  Island of the Blue Dolphins describing in no more than one paragraph an outline of the plot, and then in another paragraph how you enjoyed the novel (or didn’t) and why. (Please don’t give away the ending!)

4) Critical Thinking/Writing - Before you begin reading the novel’s final chapter, would you read another novel by the author, Scott O’Dell (i.e. The Black Pearl)? Why or why not?

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Session 14

LESSON OBJECTIVES: 

Students will present their review, comprehension questions and writing to the class.

Students will define define key vocabulary words found in chapters 28 - 29.

Students will answer comprehension questions and discuss the chapters they have read. 

Students will create a book cover, storyboard, story pyramid and cast for the novel.

Students will compare how Karana has changed from the beginning of the novel to the end.

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