Island of the Blue Dolphins

In the eight years I have been teaching, I have come to have a love hate relationship with the novel "Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell.  There are some years that I would dread teaching it.  It is not the easiest book for fourth graders to understand, yet at the same time, they absolutely love reading it.  I teach in California, so teaching this novel is a great way to teach them about different elements of our coast such as kelp forests, as well as the different sea life that is native to our Pacific Coast, such as Octopus, or the"devilfish" as it is referred to in the novel, the sea otter, abalone, and the elephant seal.  I also integrate teaching about the missions of California as well as the different Native American Tribes that lived all throughout our great state. 

This year I have found a new love for this novel.  I searched and searched on line for different packets and questions, and ways to teach the novel. I came across this great website and packet that I pull many of the questions from.  Here is the link: http://www.novelstudies.org/downloads/Island_of_The_Blue_Dolphins.pdf 

Island drawings based on details from the novel

Island Drawings based on details from the novel

Cover of their folders for our literature unit

Drawing of Karana's home based on details from the novel

One of the many different sheets used to learn more about the marine life mentioned in the novel

I found this PDF to be one of the most helpful I have ever used.  The questions really make my students think,and I love that they have to go back to the novel for their answers.  It has great things to do with vocabulary, as well as different things to do with grammar.  My students do not mind working on these worksheets together, and actually enjoy them.  There are some great extension activities as well. 

This has not been the only thing that I have been using to teach the novel.  There are so many things that you can teach your students about from this novel.  For each animal that we come across I print out a kid friendly fact sheet, or some other form of information that I find on-line and edit for them.  We made folders in the beginning of the unit, and we keep all our goodies in the folders.  As for the animal printouts we have one on the sea elephant, sea otters, octopus, and the abalone.  They love learning all about the sea life! 

I have just really gotten into the book this year.  Maybe it is the new found link above, and the fact I haven't taught it in a few years, as I was up in fifth grade for a while, or maybe it is the excitement I see in my students face whenever it is time for us to get our novels out and read, or maybe it is simply because this book is truly a timeless classic.  Whatever the reason, I am happy that I am able to share some of the things I have discovered, and rediscovered here with you.