Island of the Blue Dolphins
Cliffhanger
• In order to create a sense of excitement
and motivate the reader to move on to the
next chapter, a writer often leaves an
important question unanswered at the end
of a chapter.
• What was the cliffhanger at the end of
chapter three?
Question for discussion
• Do you think the author wants us to
believe that the battle flared due to
accident or just cause? Explain your
answer.
Context Clues
• When you come across a word you don’t
know, context clues can often help you
figure out what a word means. Context
clues may be other words or phrases in
the sentence, or they may be the way the
unfamiliar word is used in the sentence.
Characterization
• What character traits did Karana display
when she chose to return to her brother
on the island?
• How do you think these qualities will
affect her chances for survival on the
island? Explain.
Predictions
• Using observations or experiences to make
a reasonable guess about what will
happen.
Question for discussion
• How did Karana satisfy two of the basic
elements of survival- food and shelter?
• Why do you think the element of clothing
did not seem important?
Questions for discussion
• How might you treat common health problems
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such as a sprain, a cut, a common cold, or a
stomach ache if you had no access to a doctor
or pharmacy?
Why do you think Karana nursed the leader of
the pack of wild dogs back to health?
Do you think Karana was justified in not aiding
Rontu in his fight? Explain.
Inferences
• Authors don’t always tell their readers
exactly how the story characters are
feeling or what they are doing.
Sometimes the authors give clues about
what is happening. Then it is up to the
reader to make inferences based on the
clues and their own experiences to figure
out what is happening
Question for discussion
• What evidence do you have that the
author, Scott O’Dell, is a naturalist who
carefully studied animal behavior before
writing this book?
Personification-giving human
qualities to inanimate objects
• Example: The earth seemed to be holding
its breath, as though it were waiting for
something to happen.
– What is being personified?
– How did this statement reflect Karana’s mood
before the storm began?
– Find another example of personification in the
novel. Provide the page number.
Drawing conclusions
• Reaching a decision or making a judgment
based on a body of evidence or a group of
facts.