Island of the Blue Dolphin Internet Hunt
Based on Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

Directions: The colored and underlined words are links to web sites that provide the answers to the question.
Click on them to go to the web site. Find the answer. Use the Back button of your browser to return to this page. Sometimes you will have to click more than once to return to this hunt.
If a link is broken, use your Internet research skills to find the answer. answer sheets

1. Wonapalei harvests abalone for food and tools. What is an abalone?

Have you ever eaten one?

2. She prefers red abalone. How large is a red abalone?

Which is larger - your hand or a red abalone?

3. People hunted the sea otters. How are sea otters unique among animals? (Follow the appropriate link.)

4. Why were sea otters nearly extinct?

5. Kelp grows in the sea around the island. How fast does kelp grow? (This is an exceptional web site.)

6. How did Mr. O'Dell become aware of the true story of Karana?

You want to do a biography of O'Dell. Under what name should you search? Why?

7. List two facts about cormorants.

a.

b.

8. One plant found on the island is the toyon bush. What is its common name?

Would you expect to find it growing naturally in your town? Why or why not?

9. Aleuts came to hunt the sea otters. How did the Aleuts get that name? (Explore the site to learn the answer.)

Are they Eskimos?

10. The Island of the Blue Dolphins really exists and is part of the Channel Islands.
Which island in the chain do you think is the one? (Dig in this web site about the Channel Islands to find the answer.)

11. Select one of these reviews of the book. Why do you agree or disagree with the review?

12. Karana tells you many distances in leagues. How far is that in miles?
Use yourDictionary.com/ (Enter the term league and search for the answer.)

13. If it is 3 leagues from your home to school, how far is that in miles?

14. O'Dell describes the sea elephant. Look at these photos.
Is this what you imagined from his description?

How does your imagined picture of the seal differ from the real one?

15. Karana decides to hunt a male sea elephant (Northern Elephant Seal) for its teeth.
How much can a male elephant seal weigh?

Calculated challenge: Suppose Karana weighs 100 lbs. How much more than her, does the seal weigh?

16. Watch Santa Cruz Island video on the NPS web site.

http://www.nps.gov/chis/photosmultimedia/restoring-balance-santa-cruz-island-long-version.htm

Describe how have people impacted the island.

17. The Chumash lived along the western coast of North America. Explore this site about these people.
Write several facts about their culture.

18. Take this online quiz about the book. Write your score.

19. The Channel Islands are now a marine sanctuary. What does this mean?

20. Mr. O'Dell founded the Scott O'Dell award for Historical Fiction.
What percentage, of the winners, have you read?

21. You are required to select one of the O'Dell Award books for a history and literature project.
Describe how you would use the resources at Google books to make a selection.

Done already?

Explore this outstanding Island of the Blue Dolphin activity. Well worth the visit!

Make a Crossword Puzzle from the book's vocabulary

Use your computer to make a diagram that compares the the Chumash people with a group of native americans that live(d) in your state.

Investigate an organism of the Channel Islands area project

Make a Story Plot Timeline | Design a PowerPoint™ presentation of the story's elements

Kelp Forest - Dragonfly TV

Oceans - a cause for concern - problem based learning project

Challenge - do the "Dippin" with the Dolphins" activity.

Make a Book Trailer with Photo Story 3 free software and free tutorial

Visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium: Kelp Forest http://www.mbayaq.org/efc/efc_hp/hp_kelp_cam.asp
Use the cams (look at the bottom of the page) to see a tidal pool or an otter.

Play the Deep Sea Memory Game http://www.mbayaq.org/lc/kids_place/concentration/

* Make a character trait word cloud

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