Island of The Blue Dolphins

Vocabulary

• Aleut - people from around the Aleutian Islands
• Toyon - an evergreen shrub
• Shrouded - to cover or hide from view
• Surged - a strong wavelike forward movement
• Gorged - to stuff with food 

Chapter 1
Island of the Blue Dolphin opens with Karana's memory of the day the Aleut ship came to Ghalas-at.She and her brother Ramo spot the ship approaching the village.A group of aleuts lands on the island shore,bringing with them Capitan Orlov,a Russian who has come to the island to make a deal with the chief of the village.The deal was that the Aleuts would only be able to hunt on the island if Ghalas-at got half of the otter that the Aleuts hunt.

Chapter 2
In chapter two, describes the island.She describes how it is two leagues long and one league wide, also the land forms on the island. In this chapter the villagers keep a eye out on the Aleuts so they don't leave without giving them the otter. They also keep track of how much otter the aleuts caught so they get a equal share.Also, in this chapter Ulape has went to the cliff and saw white bass.The Aleuts had found out about the white bass and wanted some.This reason is what has caused lots of distrust.

Chapter 3
The Aluets would always hunt otter even if the winds were heavy. The Aluets would work all day long. At dark, the hunters would bring their catch to the cove, and the otter would be skinned and fleshed. Many of their tribe went to the cliff to count the number of otter each night. Karana doesn't like seeing the otter being killed. There are no trees on the island except small stunted ones. The villagers watched over the Aluets to make sure they wouldn't take off without giving Ghalas-at the otter. Every hour someone brought news. The Aluets were about to leave.

Chapter 4
The Aluets break camp and prepare to leave the island.Seeing this, the people of Ghalas-at go down to meet them on the shore. The warriors go to the beach while the women wait in the brush along the cliff. Karana's father confronts Captain Orlov. Though Orlov offers a chest full of trinkets, Chowig insists that his people are owed three more, and will not let the Aluets leave until the villagers have been paid. The Aluets manage to leave despite Chowig's warning. Chowig steps in the way of one Aluet, and a battle breaks out. Many of the villagers die, and so does Chief Chowig.

Chapter 5
After the battle, the women buried the dead. There were only 42 men still alive. The village was quiet. They also chose a new chief named Kimki. The women had to take the place of the men. Ulape and Karana had to gather abalones. The women had to work hard now that the men aren't here. Life in the village wasn't peaceful. Memories of the people that died came back into everyones mind. Kimki gathered the tribe, and said he would take a canoe and go east to a country that he had been to once. There he would make a place for the tribe. Everyone wondered if he would ever return.

Chapter 6
Everyday people from the village would look out to sea for a sign of Kimki, but there would always be no sign.The chief, Matasaip that is in charge until Kimki returns, decided the village should pay more attention about the Aleuts than Kimki returning. The chief had said it is almost time before the Aleuts come back. So they cold leave the island before the aleuts come back. The canoes had been filled up with water and food,also they left the canoes at the bottom of the cliff by the people.So if the Aleuts come they could flee. Later one night a man came crying the Aleuts are here! So immediately everybody went to the canoes. The sails are white instead of red though. Nanko,had went to go investigate and it was the white men who had come to take us away from Ghalas-at.

Chapter 7
Karana had packed her items she needed ,so the other villagers.So they could get ready to go on the ship white men.A little time before going on the ship Ramo had went to go fetch his fishing spear.The spear was in the village and at that time everybody was on the ship and ready to go.Karana couldn't find Ramo at all and when she did it was to late.Ramo was on the island and the ship had already left.Karana asked them to turn around,but they had said no. Karana had no choice,but to jump off the ship.She jumped into the ocean and swam to shore.

Bibliography
O'Dell, S. (1998). The Island of the Blue Dolphins. Evanston, Illinois: McDougal Littell

Author's Page

Pooja Patel is a former sixth grade Wood Elementary student .Pooja is eleven years old.Her birthdate is May 12,2003.She has one older brother,Punit.Pooja and Punit are six years apart.Pooja plays volleyball and does gymnastics.Pooja name means pray in her culture, her culture is Hindusium.Poojas' mom and dad are Indian.She likes learning a lot about India because her mom and dad come from India.

Author's Page


Grace Soontornviwath is a student at Wood Elementary. Grace is eleven years old and was born on July 31,2003. She likes to play piano, soccer, and volleyball. Grace has a little brother named Dylan. He is 7 years old. Grace's parents are from Thailand. Grace's family goes there every 2 years. Grace loves to go and learn new things.