A set of activity printables and worksheets for teaching ages 9-12, with activity instructions and CCSS included. See details below.
These resources were originally created for our experiential workshops on Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell.
Do YOU want to teach in fun, hands-on, meaningful ways?
are for these activities:
Printable: basket template
When Karana jumps off the ship, her baskets holding her most important possessions sink to the bottom of the sea. This activity represents the real Conflict of this story, the problem of survival that Karana must deal with alone. A new basket is also the first and last thing she and Ramo make together after the ship leaves, and a poignant reminder of their final conversation as they stand on the cliff, holding their basket of abalone.
Printable: Constellation model
When Karana sets out in her canoe at night to try and reach the mainland and her people, the sea is so black she can’t tell the difference between it and the sky. Focusing on a familiar green star in the east calms and guides her. This is the night she conquers fear and acquires more wisdom. This project captures a critical "turning point," as well as Karana's intense solitude and her indomitable spirit.
Printable: Specimen label
As a meaningful snack from the story, serve up some devilfish (aka squid) and seaweed in recognition of Karana's leadership and survival skills, and package these dried marine munchies with Karana and Rontu's specimen label.
included in this set:
author
narrative arc with discussion questions + key
setting + key
vocabulary + key
creative writing (making comparisons)
creative writing (sensory description)
theme + key
These seven worksheets, woven into activities, help kids retain information and gain writing skills. Your kids can use them to:
take notes about the author while watching a biography video
learn the important concept of the narrative arc, gain an overview of this story's structure, and engage in discussion questions (key included)
locate the setting and calculate the years the "real" Karana spent on San Nicolas (key included)
pick up some vocabulary about island geography (key included)
understand, through writing analysis, why some metaphors work and some don't
do some creative writing to describe a creature as if seeing it for the first time, without using its known name
kids discover the theme of leadership (key included)
You're off to share the best of this great book in fun, hands-on ways!
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