Island of the Blue Dolphins

Reading Check and Short Answer Questions on key plot points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, quizzes, and more.

Chapters 1-7

Reading Check

1. What 1animal do the Aleuts hunt?

2. How much of the hunt’s profits does Captain Orlov promise to give the villagers in Chapter 1?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your responses.

1. Why doesn’t Chief Chowig trust Captain Orlov and the Aleut hunters?

2. How does Karana feel about the Aleuts’ hunting in Chapter 3, and why does she feel this way?

3. What happens when Captain Orlov and the Aleut hunters break their agreement with the villagers in Chapter 4?

4. Why does Karana leap off the ship that comes to carry the villagers to a new home in Chapter 7?

Paired Resource

“‘Blue Dolphins’ Author Tells Why He Writes for Children”

• This 1984 article from The New York Times discusses Scott O’Dell’s life and what motivated him to create his beloved works of children’s fiction, including Island of the Blue Dolphins.
• This resource relates to the theme of Learning from Nature.
• In what ways are Karana and O’Dell similar? Based on what you now know about the author and his reasons for writing, what predictions can you make about the novel?

Chapters 8-14

Reading Check

1. What animals kill Ramo in Chapter 8?

2. What animals give Karana hope as she paddles her canoe in Chapter 10?

3. What animal’s tusks does Karana use to make spears in Chapter 14?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your responses.

1. Why does Karana hesitate to craft weapons for herself in Chapter 9?

2. Why must Karana abandon her attempt to journey east and return to the island in Chapter 10?

3. After returning to the island, what does Karana build in Chapter 12?

Paired Resource

“What the Wild Has Taught Me About Survival and Success”

• In this 13-minute TEDxYouth Talk, survival expert Megan Hine shares techniques for weathering challenges in the wild and day-to-day life.
• This resource connects to the theme of The Struggle for Survival and Self-Determination.
• In this section, what scares Karana and how does she face her fears? How does Karana meet the basic needs that Megan Hine describes? Based on this TedxYouth Talk, what advice would you give Karana about fear and survival?

Chapters 15-20

Reading Check

1. What does Karana name the wild dog she nurses back to health in Chapter 15?

2. What is the “devilfish” Karana discovers in Chapter 16?

3. What kind of animal are the two new friends Karana makes in Chapter 18?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your responses.

1. How did the wild dogs’ leader come to the island, and how does Karana know this?

2. When the pack corners Karana’s dog in Chapter 17, why does she decide not to intervene?

3. What does Karana see that makes her hide in the cave near the spring in Chapter 20, and how is she certain of what she’s seeing?

Paired Resource

“The Science-Backed Benefits of Being a Dog Owner”

• This brief article from the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley summarizes research on the benefits of having a dog.
• This resource relates to the themes of Learning from Nature and Building Trust and Friendship.
• What are the physical and psychological benefits of owning a dog according to science? How do these benefits compare to the changes you see in Karana after she befriends the leader of the wild dogs?

Chapters 21-29

Reading Check

1. What does Karana use to make a new skirt in Chapter 21?

2. What gift does Tutok leave for Karana in Chapter 21?

3. In Chapter 23, what injured animal does Karana tend to and name Mon-a-nee?

4. In Chapter 26, what does Karana name her new dog?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your responses.

1. In Chapter 22, what two gifts does Karana give to Tutok, and what makes these gifts special?

Hint: One of the two gifts is verbal.

2. In Chapter 24, how does Karana decide to change after befriending Won-a-nee and her family? How does Karana think her people would react to this decision?

3. Why does Karana feel hopeful at the end of the novel?

Paired Resource

“What Archaeologists and Historians Are Finding About the Heroine of a Beloved Young Adult Novel”

• This article from Smithsonian Magazine provides information about the historical figure who inspired Island of the Blue Dolphins, including research that updates people’s understanding of her life story.
• This resource relates to the theme of The Struggle for Survival and Self-Determination.
• How does Karana’s story compare to that of the Lone Woman of San Nicolas? How does the historical woman’s life connect to the theme of The Struggle for Survival and Self-Determination?

Recommended Next Reads

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

• In this thrilling, Newbery-Honor-winning middle-grade novel, 13-year-old Brian must learn to survive on his own after being stranded in the Canadian wilderness.
• Shared themes include The Struggle for Survival and Self-Determination and Learning from Nature.
• Shared topics include adventure, courage, animals, and nature.
• Hatchet on SuperSummary

96 Miles by J. L. Esplin

• In this Whitney Award-winning middle-grade novel, brothers John and Stew embark on a desperate journey through the Nevada desert.
• A shared theme is The Struggle for Survival and Self-Determination.
• Shared topics include adventure, courage, danger, survival, and family.
• 96 Miles on SuperSummary