The Highlights of Homeschooling
Novel Literature Unit Study
and Lapbook
Island of the Blue Dolphin
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Written by Scott O’Dell
Created by Teresa Ives Lilly
Co-Authored by Franca Diana
Sold by www.hshighlights.com
Everything in the unit can be used to create a file folder lap book.
Pre-Reading Skills Activity
Author Information Activity
Time line Activity
Theater Box Activity
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Each Lesson covers one whole book and includes:
Create a Newspaper Layout Activities including: Editorial, Travel, Advice Column,
Comics, Society News, Sports, Obituary, Weddings, Book Review, Want Ads, Word Search.
Creative Writing Activities including: Letter, Fairy Tale, Mystery, Science Fiction, Fable,
Dream or Nightmare, Tall Tale, Memoir, Newberry Award, A Different Ending.
Writing Skills Activities including: Description, Expository, Dialogue, Process, Point of
View, Persuasion, Compare and Contrast, Sequel, Climax and Plot Analysis.
Poetry Skills Activities including: Couplet, Triplet, Quinzain, Haiku, Cinquain, Tanka,
Diamanté, Lantern and Shape Poem.
Literature Skills Activities including: Main Character, Main Setting, Main Problem,
Possible Solutions, Character Traits, Character Interaction, Cause and Effect, Description,
Pyramid of Importance, Villain vs. Hero.
Art Expression Activities including: Main Character, Main Setting, Travel Brochure,
Postal Stamp, Book Cover, Menu, Fashion Designer, Puzzle, Mini Book, Ten
Commandments.
Poster Board Activities including: Collage, Theater Poster, Wanted Poster, Coat of Arms,
Story Quilt, Chalk Art, Silhouette, Board Game Construction, Door Sign, Jeopardy.
Creative Art Activities including: Sculpture, Shadow Box, Mosaic, Mobile, Acrostic,
Tapestry, Paper Dolls, Book Mark, Photography, Parade Float, Sketch.
Encyclopedia Skills Activity
Journal Activity
Main Idea
Key Event
Prediction
Comparison
Comprehension
True and False
Vocabulary Skills Activities including: Define,Synonym, Antonym, Syllables,
Sequence of Events.
Handwriting
Final Activities including: Sign Language Vocabulary, Literature Web, Bingo.
To use this unit either print out all the pages or have the student
recreate most of them in a notebook or on white or colored paper.
All of the pages can be added to the lapbook project as shown in the
photos, or only use those items you want to use to create your
lapbook and use a spiral notebook for the other pages.
The following are photos of how the work can be presented in the
lapbook format. You can make yours look different if you like.
To create the lapbook use 3-6 file folders (colored are best),
construction paper or index cards, markers, glue and a stapler.
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This is followed by a photos of how to do the newspaper layout.
Front
Back
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Each unit divides the book into 10 lessons or less. Each lesson covers one to four chapters
of the book. Students read the chapters for each lesson, then do the work for that chapter.
Lesson 1
Chapters 1,2
Lesson 2
Chapters 3,4,5
Lesson 3
Chapters 6,7,8
Lesson 4
Chapters 9,10,11
Lesson 5
Chapters 12,13,14
Lesson 6
Chapters 15,16,17
Lesson 7
Chapters 18,19,20
Lesson 8
Chapters 21,22,23
Lesson 9
Chapters 24,25,26
Lesson 10 Chapters 27,28,29
Vocabulary List:
Lesson 1 afloat canyon trembled ravine seldom concealed parley harbor Aleut leagues
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Lesson 2 pelts slain strewn carcass scarcely lest surged council henceforth
abound ample
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Lesson 3 spite scurrying solemnly foam ledge retreated gorged mast beckoned ponder
shrouded
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Lesson 4 vanished sheltered slinking smother bowstring crevices advice ancestors
companion seeped labor figure brackish
Lesson 5 quarreled secure embers gruel displease squarely venturing glance rival
determination
Lesson 6 meantime prowling satisfied fortunate mending mound voyage crippled
warily matted
Lesson 7 entangled amused stunted singed pry faggot forked seized flailing
bruise
Lesson 8 glossier giddy shimmered motion gestures farewell dusk reproachfully
reflection
Lesson 9 fledglings graceful teetering scarcely stride frisked hobbled headland snares
Lesson 10 faint shuddered perched therefore whence horizon mission wreckage
overtook vanquished
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Newspaper Activity: As the student completes the newspaper activities
have them lay them out on a big board or on several poster boards. Don’t
glue them on until the entire newspaper is laid out.
Begin by creating a name for your newspaper. Type out the name of your
newspaper, in big bold letters and place it on the board where you think
it should go. Use tape or sticky clay to place articles and pictures on your
poster board, until you are done with all of them. By using this method of
placement, you can move them around as needed.
Pre-Reading Activity: Have the student look at the book they will
be studying for this unit. Then have the student write the information
required for this activity on the book patterns or in their notebook.
The patterns may be cut out and placed on the lapbook.
Title
Main
Character
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Publishing
Company
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Illustrator
What do
you think
the book is
about?
Why are
you looking
forward
to reading
this book
Author Activity: Have the student use the book they are studying
and information found on the internet. Then have the student write
the information required for this activity on the patterns or in their
notebook. The patterns may be cut out and placed on the lapbook.
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Write the author’s
name on the correct
pattern
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Write the name of all the books by
this author on the book pattern. If
there are more than three books,
just select the three most famous.
On the house pattern write
information about the author such
as where the author was born,
lived and how they became an
author.
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Time Line Activity: Have the student use the book they are studying
to fill out the time line indicating when anything new, interesting or
important happens in the book. This time line pattern can be copied
into the student’s notebook or this pattern can be printed smaller and
placed on the lapbook.
Lesson 1 Activities: Have the student use the book they are studying
and information found on the internet. Then have the student write
the information required for this activity on the patterns or in their
notebook. The patterns may be cut out and placed on the lapbook.
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Encyclopedia: Choose one subject
from this lesson that interested you
and look it up on the internet or in
an encyclopedia. Write the name
of the subject across the top of the
monitor pattern. On the monitor
screen section, write three or more
interesting facts about the subject.
Journal: Imagine that you are one
of the characters from the story.
After reading each lesson, write
a short journal entry telling what
happened from your character’s
point of view. Draw a picture to
go along with your journal entry.
At the end of the book, staple all
the journal entries together to form
a complete booklet. You can even
create a special cover for it from
construction paper.
Vocabulary word: ________________________________
Definition of the word: ____________________________
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Antonym of the word: _____________________________
How many syllables does the word have? ______________
Vocabulary: Look up the
vocabulary words from the list
for this lesson. On two patterns,
or on two index cards write
one word. On one card write
the definition of the word, the
Antonym and how many
Syllables the word has.
On the other card, write the same
word. Write a full sentence using
this word and write the
Synonym of the word.
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Vocabulary Word: ________________________________
Sentence using the word: ___________________________
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Synonym of the word: _____________________________
Do this for all the vocabulary
words. Place the patterns
or cards in an envelope
which can be glued into the
student’s notebook or onto the
lapbook.
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Sequencing: At the end of the
lesson write two of the main events
on these two strips. Save them in
an envelope which can be glued onto
the lapbook or in the notebook.
At the end of the book, these
strips can be taken out and the
student can try to arrange them in
the correct order as they occurred in
the story.
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Handwriting: Have the student pick their favorite sentence they read in this lesson.
Have them write the sentence in their best handwriting on this page or in their notebook.
Lesson 1 Activities: Have the student use the book they are studying
for the following lesson activities. Then have the student write the
information required for this activity on the page or in their notebook.
Fill in the Blanks: Write the vocabulary word that best completes the sentence
Words:
seldom canyon leagues parley concealed
1. Ramo stood at the top of the _____.
2. Karana _____ herself behind a bush.
3. Captain Orlov wanted to ______ with Karana’s tribe.
4. Secret names were _____ used in Karana’s tribe.
5. The island is two ______ long.
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True / False: Write T if statement is true; write F if it is false.
1. ___ Everyone in Karana’s tribe had two names.
2. ___ Captain Orlov did not agree to split his otter catch equally.
3. ___ The Aleuts once belonged to Karana’s tribe.
4. ___ Chief Chowig shared his bass catch.
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Multiple Choice: Write ABCD in the blank for the best answer.
1. The Russian captains name is _____.
A. Captain James
B. Captain Romonov
C. Captain Orlov
D. Captain Mitriff
2. The name of Karana’s village is ______.
A. Blue Cove
B. Ghalas-at
C. Dolphin Cove
D. Coral Cove
3. The island is shaped like a ______.
A. dolphin
B. whale
C. sea lion
D. otter
4. Karana’s father is ______.
A. Chief Mitriff
B. Chief Orlov
C. Chief Ramo
D. Chief Chowig
Main Idea: In a sentence or two, write what the main idea of this part of the book was.
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Key Event: What was the most important event?
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Prediction: Predict what you think will happen in the next lesson.
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Comparison: Compare two things in this lesson. Tell what makes them alike and what makes
them different.
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Fact or Opinion: Write one sentence that is a fact about the lesson and one sentence that is
an opinion about the lesson.
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Comprehension: Write full sentences to answer these questions.
1. Who came to visit Karana’s island?
2. What was Won-a-pa-lei’s secret name?
3. Where does this story take place?
4. When Ulape went out to gather shellfish she came upon what?
5. Why did the Russian captain come to the island?
6. How did Karana know that the Aleut were watching her tribe?
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(Where )___________________________________________________________________
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(When)____________________________________________________________________
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Main Character: Write words in the circles to describe the main character.
Physical appearance
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Concern or worry
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Who they relate to
Your opinion of them
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Poetry Form: Write a poem about the book or characters using this format.
Couplet: A Couplet is a two line poem with
Example:
a fun and simple rhyming pattern. Each line
has the same number of syllables and their
If a seed could have its way
endings must rhyme with one another. Humor
it would grow in just one day.
is often used in couplets. _____________________________________________________________________________________
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Newspaper Activity: Have the student use this form to write their newspaper piece on
then paste it onto their newspaper lay out poster.
Editorial: An editorial is written by the editor of the newspaper. In an editorial the
editor gives an opinion of something. Imagine you are the editor of your newspaper.
Write your opinion of something that happened in the book so far.
Editorial
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Creative Writing Activity: Have the student use this form or write in their notebook.
Letter Writing: Write a letter from one character in the book to another.
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Dear
,
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Sincerely,
Writing Skills Activity: Have the student use this form or write in their notebook.
Descriptive: Descriptive writing uses words such as color and texture to
describe something. Describe a person, place or thing from this lesson.
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Lapbook Activity: Main Character Have the student draw and color a picture of the main
character on the solid section of the flap book. Cut out the entire flap book. Cut on the dotted
lines and fold the four flap sections over the picture of the main character. On the outside of
each flap have the student write one word that describes the character.
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Poster Board Activity: Book Collage
Have the student print out pictures from
the internet that represent characters from
the story. They can use magazine pictures
as well. Then have the student glue them
all over a 1/2 poster board in an over
lapping fashion to create a book collage.
Creative Art Activity: Sculpting
Have the student create on of the
characters from the story out of clay
or play doe.