Island of the Blue Dolphins

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Island of the Blue Dolphins Map”

After reading about Karana’s adventures in Island of the Blue Dolphins, students create their own maps of the island based on details from the novel.

You’ve just read about Karana’s adventures in Island of the Blue Dolphins. Your goal for this activity is to create a map of the island that shows the most important locations and events in the novel.

• Create a map of the island. Use details from the novel to draw the island’s shape and add its main geographical features.
• Draw an important animal from the novel somewhere on your map, such as a dolphin in the sea around the island. On the back of your map, write an explanation that uses evidence from the novel to show why this animal is important to Karana.
• Choose 10 important moments from the novel. On a separate piece of paper, list the events in the order they occur and number them 1-10. Mark the locations where these events happen by writing the corresponding numbers on your map.
• When you have finished working on this activity, you will turn in:

o A detailed map of the island with 1 animal and 10 locations marked on it.

o An explanation on the back of the map that gives evidence that the animal you drew is important to Karana.

o A list of 10 important moments from the novel in chronological order.

Teaching Suggestion: Students can complete this activity individually, with a partner, or in small groups. If time permits, consider allowing students to display and discuss their completed maps.

Differentiation Suggestion: Because drawing a map of the island may prove difficult for students with spatial or motor challenges, it might be appropriate to allow them to use a computer to create or find images, or give them a map of San Nicolas to label. Students with executive function or attentional issues may benefit from working in pairs or small groups to brainstorm the most important moments in the novel, identify the locations where these events occurred, and place them in chronological order. A graphic organizer such as a timeline may also help them structure their ideas during this phase.