Island of the Blue Dolphin

Vocabulary Words

• idly• tides• deserted• dozed• lacking• fiber• pursued• cover

idly

• idly- (adverb) not doing anything

Dad idly looked through the newspaper while waiting for us to finish getting dressed.

He sat idly on the beach watching the waves gently roll in.

tides

• tides- (noun) plural of tide: the rise and fall of the sea

We watch the rise and fall of the the waves as the tides roll in and out.

We go swimming during high tides.

deserted

• deserted- (adjective) having no people

The deserted house hasn’t had anyone living in it for years.

The uninhabited island appears to be deserted.

dozed

• dozed- (verb) past tense of doze: to sleep lightly

After dinner father dozed in his favorite chair.

The tired puppies quietly dozed on the floor.

lacking

• lacking-(verb) a form of lack: to be without

The vase was lacking flowers, so Mom put some in.

That dog is not lacking spots!

fiber

• fiber- (noun) a piece of cloth

The cloth fiber was made into a shirt.

She used the piece of fiber to make a temporary shelter.

pursued

• pursued- (verb) past tense of pursue: to chase

The bicyclist pursed the front man in the race.

The cat pursued the mouse.

cover

• cover- (verb) to travel over

He will cover a lot of ground in his hike today.

We will cover more than 500 miles on our trip today.

Concept Vocabulary Word

dilemma

A dilemma is a situation in which each choice looks equally bad.

Characters in movies and stories often face dilemmas. It makes the story more suspenseful.

What do the following words have in common?

These words have a common root word.

A root word is the word that has the main meaning, which can be changed by adding prefixes (beginnings) or suffixes (endings). The common root word is protect. It means “to keep safe from harm.”

• When the suffix -tion is added to a root word ending in t, the final t in the root is dropped.

• An example of this is the word protection.

Did You Know?

• Knowing the meaning of a root word and its suffix can help you determine the word’s meaning.

• The suffix -ive means “ having the quality of”.• The suffix -tion means “the act or process of” .• The suffix - or means “something or someone

who performs the action”.

Did You Know?

Provide definitions for protect, protective, protection, and protector.

• protect: to shield from harm or danger• protective: preventing someone or

something from being harmed or damaged

• protection: the act of keeping from harm

• protector: a person who protects

Use each word in an original sentence.

• protect• protective• protection• protector

Selection Genre: Realistic Fiction

• Characters do things that real people and animals might do in real life.

• Places in the story are real or seem real.

• The story tells about things that could happen.

• The story can be based on an event that really happened.

Activating Prior Knowledge

• How do dogs behave in the wild?• What would it be like to live on an

island with no other people?• How can sailors tell which way they

are going without a compass?• What do you know about dolphins?

What do they look like?

Use your writing journal to record your thoughts.

Background Information

This story, although not true, is based on a true story of a Native American girl who was left on an island near the coast of southern California and lived there alone for eighteen years.

Background Information

An island is an area of land completely surrounded by water, but not large enough to be called a continent.

Background Information

Sailors who travel the sea usually used a compass to help them navigate their ship.

Before the compass was invented, sailors used the stars, especially the North Star, to help them find their way.

Big Idea

Keep this question in mind as you read.

Why do people take risks?

Focus Questions

• How do you know when it is necessary to take a risk?

• How does it feel to take a risk and wish you had not?

Clues Problems Wonderings

How does this selection relate to the theme Risk and Consequences?

Copy the following in your journal.

Are there any problems like unfamiliar words? Write them in the problems section of your chart.

Let’s look at the selection again. Let’s look for unfamiliar words, concepts, or ideas. Convert the information into questions, and write these questions under the Wonderings section of your chart.

What are some clues that tell your about the story? Write them in the clues section of your chart.

Daily EditingCorrect the following sentences.

Me goed to school with she

I went to school with her.

the picture throwed the ball over the plate;

The pitcher threw the ball over the plate.

Writing: Realistic Fiction

Prewriting: During the next two weeks you are going to be writing a realistic fiction story.

In a realistic fiction story, the characters, places and events seem to be real, but are actually fake.

A realistic story has regular people or animals, the setting is a real place, and the plot could actually happen.

Why does “Island of the Blue Dolphins” fit the requirements of a realistic story?

Karana has real-life characteristics, the island is an actual place, and the events could have happened in reality.

Brainstorming Ideas For Story Writing

People Places Events

girl

boy

grandparents

parents

aunts

uncles

cousins

island

mountain

prairie

lake

desert

ocean

new baby

visit to new country

lost at sea

sailing for first time

going to Oregon

Let’s look at a couple of the ideas.

• What would the purpose and audience for each idea be?

• Now brainstorm some ideas on your own.• Make sure to include the problem that your

main character(s) will face.• Where will your story take place?• What are three major events that will take

place in your story?• Record your ideas in your journal.

• joyous• useful• lonely• dangerous• hopeful• movement• playful• careless• freely• painful

• helpless• statement• hazardous• gladly• marvelous• fearless• treatment• suddenly• shipment• harmless

Spelling Pretest

• joyous• useful• lonely• dangerous• hopeful• movement• playful• careless• freely• painful

• helpless• statement• hazardous• gladly• marvelous• fearless• treatment• suddenly• shipment• harmless

Check Your Spelling Pretest

Can you give me an example of

• a person?

• a place?

• a thing?

Each of the examples is a noun.

A noun names a person, place, thing or idea.

A common nouns name generic persons, places, or things.

These are also concrete nouns because they name things that can be seen or touched.

Partner Assignment:

• Write two sentences in your journal with common nouns.

• Have your partner identify the common nouns in your sentences.

• You have 3 minutes.

Workbook Assignment

• Reading Workbook page 13.

• Read the directions and then complete the page.

uninhabitedmissingfabricsurgeschasedlazilycrossnapped

uninhabitedmissingfabricsurgeschasedlazilycrossnapped

•idly•tides•deserted•dozed•lacking•fiber•pursued•cover

What do the following words have in common?

These words all have the suffix -ly or -ness

The suffix -ly means to have in a _______ way. It is an adverb. It tells in what way something is done.

The suffix -ment means to be in a ________ state.

Provide definitions for quietly, slowly, happiness, and sadness.

• quietly: in a quiet way• slowly: in a slow way• happiness: in a happy state• sadness: in a sad state

What other words can you think of that have the suffix -ly or -ness?

You have one minute to write as many words as you can think of with the suffix -ly or -ness in your journal.

Did you think of:

nearly, lightly, forgiveness, goodness

What are the root words in the following words?

Create this chart in your journal.

Assignment

• What other root words can you think of to add the suffixes to make new words?

• You have five minutes to come up with as many new words using the suffixes on your chart.

• Did you think of these words?

shipment

commitment

contentment

careless

useless

worthless

playful

cheerful

plentiful

marvelous

frivolous

hilarious

Workbook Assignment

• Complete pages 1 and 2 in your Skills Practice Book.

Visualizing- A good reader recognizes appropriate places in the text to stop and visualize.

A good reader visualizes literal ideas or scenes described by the author.

A good reader makes inferences while visualizing to show understanding of the character’s feelings, mood, and setting.

A good reader visualizes differently depending on the type of text.

Predicting- A good reader uses clues in the text and prior knowledge to make predictions.

A good reader recognizes when predictions are or are not confirmed by the text.

A good reader updates predictions during reading based on information in the text.

A good reader identifies why predictions were or were not confirmed. This identification includes missed clues in the text that would have helped make a better predictions.

Making Connections- A good reader makes connections between or relates personal experiences to what is read in the text (text to self connections). A good reader uses those personal experiences to explain something encountered in the text.

A good reader makes connections across or relates information within and across selections (text to text connection).

A good reader makes connections or relate information between what is happening in the text to what is happening in the world today (text to world connections).

A good reader notes ideas in the text that are new or conflict with what he or she previously thought.

Let’s read the first two pages of the story.

Readers summarize to check their understanding of a story and to focus their minds on important information. Let’s summarize what we have learned about Karana’s situation so far.

1

Sample Summary

• Karana has been left alone on the island. All of her people left without her in a rush to escape their enemy, the Aleuts. She has been hoping they will return to rescue her, but as winter approaches, her hope is fading. She is very frightened and alone.

If we picture in our minds what is happening in the story, we can understand the characters and events better. I can see big waves crashing against the island, and the wild dogs standing outside the fire ring. These are scary pictures. Karana must be afraid.

2

• The island reminds Karana of her family and friends who are now gone. So she is not only alone and scared, but is brokenhearted as well. We probably can’t think of many worse situations to be in. We might make the same decision and leave the island.

3

When we read, we stop to think about what we have already read. Then we make predictions about what might happen next. This makes the story more interesting, because we want to see whether our predictions are confirmed. Plus, it helps us understand the story.

4

To make predictions, we look for clues that might tell us what is going to happen. Karana is able to get the canoe into the water by herself, using her brains and her muscles. She knows how to handle the canoe. A good prediction might be that she will be able to find land, her family, and her friends. Let’s continue to read and check our prediction.

4

I can picture myself in a canoe in the middle of the ocean at night, with the sea and the sky being black. Just imagine floating in the middle of that blackness- the only sound you hear is the splashing of waves around your boat! No wonder Karana is afraid.

5

• Earlier, we said that a good prediction would be I predicted that Karana will find her way to her family. After reading how Karana uses the stars as her guide and as a type of clock that tells her how long she was traveling, we should be more confident of our prediction. 6

Well we thought that Karana was going to make it, even after the canoe started leaking. Now thought, a bigger leak has sprung, and Karana thinks that the leaks could become much worse. We might have to revise our prediction. The boat could sink before she reaches her family. Karana might drown in the ocean.

7

Karana has a tough decision to make. She can continue and risk drowning, or she can turn back to the island where she will be alone. We all have had to make difficult decisions, and it's hard to be completely satisfied with the choice you make.

8

Karana decides to turn back to try to reach the island. It is a smart choice. She is a survivor- she wants to live, even if it means living alone. The leak has not gotten worse, so a good prediction would be that she is not going to drown, and she will make it back to the safety of the island.

9

Karana is happy to see the dolphins swimming and diving. I remember seeing dolphins at an aquarium when I was younger. They were big, happy, friendly creatures. It is easy to see why Karana would think of them as friends. 10

• At the beginning of the story, we thought that Karana would make it to her people, but we revised our prediction based on what happened. Our last prediction, though, was confirmed- Karana makes it back to the Island of the Blue Dolphins. 11

Meet the Author Scott O’Dell

• Scott O’Dell believes “Island of the Blue Dolphins” was a good book for children. Do you agree? Discuss with you partner why or why not.

• Did you consider that it is a good book for children because Karana teaches us about surviving risks and consequences.

Meet the Illustrator Barbara Massey

• Barbara Massey knew she wanted to be an illustrator when she was very young. More than anything else, she loved to draw. Describe any hobbies or interest that you might have that could possibly lead you to a job someday with your partner.

• Did you consider things that you like to collect like rocks? Do you like researching them at the library or Internet to find out information about the rocks? Did you think about becoming a scientist who studies the Earth and its rocks?

Theme ConnectionsWithin the Selection

• Why does Karana take the canoe away from the Island of the Blue Dolphins by herself?

• Karana cannot bear the thought of staying on the island by herself indefinitely.

• What are the possible consequences of this risk?

• Possible bad consequences: Karana could drown, become lost at sea, or land in a place where she knows no one. Possible good consequence: Karana could find her family and friends.

Theme ConnectionsBeyond the Selection

• What risks have you or someone you know taken recently? What were the consequences?

• Are any of you teaching yourselves to use in-line skates? The bad consequences could include the times you fall down and you might get hurt. Good consequences include getting better and having fun.

• Why did you or the other person take the risk?• For anyone who is teaching themselves how to

use in-line skates, did you take the risk because you want to be able to skate with your friends who already know how to in-line skate?

Daily EditingCorrect the following sentences.

the beach were desertd at this early our?

The beach was deserted at this early hour.

The girls set there alarm and waked in time to sea the sun rise over the Ocean,

The girls set their alarm and woke in time to see the sun rise over the ocean.

Let’s look at some different types of graphic organizers that can be used to structure the ideas brainstormed before. Inspiration Character Map

Fiction Writing on Inspiration

Workbook Assignment

• Skills Practice page 9.

Create the following chart in your notebook to sort this

week’s spelling words.

Sort the words into the correct category and

then circle the root word for each word.• joyous• useful• lonely• dangerous• hopeful• movement• playful• careless• freely• painful• *adjustment• *idly

• helpless• statement• hazardous• gladly• marvelous• fearless• treatment• suddenly• shipment• harmless• *glamorous

joyous

dangerous

hazardous

marvelous

glamorous

useful

hopeful

playful

painful

lonely

freely

gladly

suddenly

idly

movement

statement

treatment

shipment

adjustment

careless

helpless

fearless

harmless

advice, fear, fortune

These words are abstract common nouns.

An abstract noun names something that cannot be seen or touched, such as an idea, quality, or feeling.

Let’s brainstorm some nouns.

Write four sentences using the nouns in your journal. Use at least two abstract nouns. Exchange your paper with your partner for them to identify the nouns in your sentences.

Did you think of:

park dog

swing girl

teacher book

zoo tiger

church pastor

pond grass

Did you think of:

sadness youth

bravery knowledge

effort

• idly• lacking• tides• deserted• cover

the rise and fall of the sea

to travel over

to be without

not doing anything

having no people

• dozed• fiber• pursued• dilemma

a piece of cloth

a situation in which each choice looks equally bad

to sleep lightly

chased

What do the following words have in common?

These words all have the suffix -ity.

• What is each word’s root?

• electricity

• peculiarity

• similarity

• technicality

• electricity

• peculiarity

• similarity

• technicality

Can you think of any other words that have the suffix -ity? Share them with your partner.

Did you think of:

oddity

eccentricity

practicality

Author’s Point of View• The position from which the author tells the

story is the point of view.• Writers use one of two kinds of narrators. A

first-person narrator is a character who is involved in the story, describes the action, and tells about the other characters.

• This kind of narrator can give only the thoughts, feelings, and actions of that character.

• A third-person narrator is an outside observer who can reveal the thoughts, feelings, and actions of any of the characters.

• Whose point of view is this story told?

• First Person: Karana’s point of view

• The reader can only know what she knows and see what she sees.

• The story’s point of view affects how we respond to its characters and influences our perspective of the text. Scott O’Dell tells this story in the first person.

How does the point of view affect our perspective of the story?We see the situation through Karana’s eyes; we know exactly how she is feeling because she tells us as though she is speaking to a close friend.Can you find any excerpts where Karana tells us what she is feeling?“Yet, I cannot say I was really afraid…” (p.37)

The author is not going to tell us what kind of person Karana is. We have to figure it out for ourselves.

Work with a partner to think of some ideas about what kind of inner qualities and physical qualities Karana has, based on her actions. You have 5 minutes.

An author sometimes choose one point of view over another to add meaning to the story. For example, suppose Scott O’Dell chose to write this story in the third person. Reread the first few paragraphs on page 24 from the third-person point of view, substituting she and her for I and me.

• When there is a third-person narrator, it is almost as though there is another character with Karana, watching her and describing her actions.

• How does using the first-person point of view add to the feeling the author is trying to create?

• He wants to create a sense of aloneness, because Karana is alone. Using the third-person point of view would take away from the sense of aloneness.

Every story is told from a specific point of view, the perspective from which the author presents the action and information in the story influences the text. The narrator might be a character in the story or an outside observer who is not involved with the action of the story.

How does the author’s point of view influence the story?

Because the narrator is Karana and the story is told from her perspective, we are sympathetic to her situation and feelings. We feel a connection to her and the fear she feels when she is alone on the quiet black ocean. Also we feel the hope that represented in the star that shines in the darkness and helps her find her way. If the author told the story from another point of view, we might see the characters and events differently.

The setting plays an important role in “Island of the Blue Dolphins”. Karana describes the setting to us, and this adds to our understanding of Karana.Find examples in which Karana describes parts of the setting.Example: “ as the sun came out of the waves I saw that it was far off on my left… I changed my direction and paddled along the path made by the rising sun.”Why does the author have Karana describe the setting this way?So we can see how she views the natural world, how it differs from our view, and how much the natural world influences her daily life.

• Scott O’Dell uses the dolphins in this story for a specific purpose. They are not only creatures- they symbolize something.

• What do you think the dolphins symbolize?• They symbolize good luck and

companionship for Karana. They help ease her loneliness.

Daily EditingCorrect the following sentences.

it were there last day of vacation at the Ocean,

It was their last day of vacation at the ocean.

Its been five day since we has had a good meal.

It’s been five days since we have had a good meal.

Writing: Realistic Fiction

• “Island of the Blue Dolphins” is told in the first person, which allows us to experience events as the character experiences them. It also allows us to know her thoughts as she thinks them. In a way, we feel close to the character.

The third-person point of view tells the story through a narrator when sees and hears the action but doesn’t take part in the action. Sometimes the narrator relates only what the main character experiences. In other cases, the narrator relates what other people experience and think as well. In this way, the narrator often can relate details and events that the main character or characters might not observe.

• Today you need to decide which point of view you are going to write your story from.

• Make any changes you need to on the Graphic Organizer you are using to organize your ideas for your fiction story. Be ready to explain why you chose the point of view you did for your story.

• joyous•useful• lonely•dangerous•hopeful•movement•playful•careless• freely•painful

•helpless•statement•hazardous•gladly•marvelous• fearless•treatment•suddenly•shipment•harmless

Copy your spelling words into your journal. Draw a line between the root word and its suffix.

• joy/ous•use/ful• lone/ly•danger/ous•hope/ful•move/ment•play/ful•care/less• free/ly•pain/ful

•help/less•state/ment•hazard/ous•glad/ly•marvel/ous• fear/less•treat/ment•sudden/ly•ship/ment•harm/less

Check your spelling words into your journal.

Assignment

Do page 11 in your Skills Practice Book.

Proper NounsLet’s name some people we know.

Karana Amy Daniel Jose Andrew Kathy

A proper noun names a particular person, place, thing, or idea. They begin with capital letters. A person’s name is an example of a proper noun. What other types of nouns can be capitalized?

Did you think of states, cities, countries? West Valley City, Utah is an example of this. Would we capitalize the name of our school?

Yes we would because it is the name of a specific place.

Other Proper Nouns

• Titles of Magazines• Newspapers• Book Titles• Television Programs• Movie Titles• Works of Art• Musical Compositions• Months, Days, and Holidays• Cities, States and Countries

Assignment

• Skills Practice 1 page 13.