Island of the Blue Dolphins



O'Dell, Scott. Island of the Blue Dolphins. New York: Yearling, 1987.

Scott O'Dell won the Newbery Medal for Island of the Blue Dolphins in 1961. The book that he shares is based on a real-life story of an American Indian girl named Karana who is twelve years old. In the 1800s, she becomes stranded on an island off of the coast of California is must learn how to survive on her own in isolation for eighteen years before deserting the island to live on the Santa Barbara.

This historical fiction novel tells a story about a young Indian girl, named Karana, who is forced to live alone on the Island of the Blue Dolphins after she is separated from her tribe. Karana must learn the skills to survive on her own including fighting off invaders, wild dogs and natural disasters. As seasons pass, Karana waits with anticipation for a ship to bring her back to her tribe safely.

Resources to Support the Text

• A thematic exploration of the text

This website integrates technology through allowing the students to actively engage in studying a historical fiction event. It provides the students with the opportunity to further explore and build their background knowledge on the different aspects of the story including the village, sea life and the island. In the village, the students are able to look at the anthropology of the Native Americans that inhibited the island. In the sea life exploration, the students are able to build on their comprehension about the wildlife mentioned in the text including the dolphins, sea otters, and squid. In the final section, the students will learn more in depth about the Island of the Blue Dolphins (San Nicholas Island) through looking at pictures and labeling on a map the different places on the island mentioned in the book. At the end of the exploration, the students will be presented with a short quiz reflecting on the information that they have learned and will receive a certificate based on completion.

• Channel Islands Marine Sanctuary

This website allows the students to virtually search and learn more about the Santa Barbara Channel, which is where the Island of the Dolphins is located. The students can become familiar with the geographical location of the story including the marine life located in the area.

Key Vocabulary

Aleuts, cormorants, abalones, intruder, scurrying, basin, headland, crevice, forbade, scarcely, enemy

Reading Strategy

Before reading, have the students do a think-aloud. Have the students predict what the story will be about after hearing the title. The students will be able to verbalize their internal thoughts and begin figuring out what the text means. These thoughts might include questions or connections to other texts, the world or their personal lives.

Writing Activity

After spending eighteen years in isolation solely forming relationships with animals, do you think that Karana would fit in with her tribe? Write a persuasive essay stating why or why not with supporting information from the book.