Song for a Whale

Chapters 1-16

Reading Check

1. A beached sei whale (Chapter 1)

2. Antique Radio Magazine (Chapter 2)

3. Blue 55 (Chapter 3)

4. In-school suspension (Chapter 6)

5. An Admiral radio (Chapter 7)

6. Wendell (Chapter 8)

7. Bridgewood School (Chapter 9)

8. Mr. Russel (Chapter 15)

9. Andi (Chapter 16)

Short Answer

1. The students at Iris’s school mistakenly believe she lacks intelligence because she does not communicate in the same way they do. Her teacher does not understand rhyme in sign language and asks her to redo her paper with rhyme. Iris becomes increasingly frustrated with her surroundings because she cannot communicate effectively. (Various chapters)

2. Blue 55 is unable to communicate with other whales and the experience is isolating for the whale. Iris feels the same way because she is a person who is Deaf in a school where other students cannot understand her. (Various chapters)

3. Blue 55 attempted to communicate with the other whales, but they could not hear him. The other whales began to ignore him because of his lack of communication and eventually abandoned him. (Chapter 6)

4. Andi believes the biggest mystery of Blue 55 is that he continues to sing even when others cannot hear him. (Chapter 10)

Chapters 17-32

Reading Check

1. American Sign Language: A History (Chapter 17)

2. Appleton, Alaska (Chapter 18)

3. The Philco radio (Chapter 21)

4. Grandma (Chapter 22)

5. Coke (Chapter 24)

6. Crème brûlée (Chapter 26)

7. Bennie (Chapter 28)

8. He stops singing. (Chapter 30)

9. Skagway (Chapter 32)

10. Signing songs (Chapter 32)

Short Answer

1. Iris believes the signs the students use at Wendell’s school are more sophisticated than the signs she knows. The way students communicate at Wendell’s school is too quick for Iris to keep up with. (Chapter 17)

2. The fifth gas giant planet Jupiter, knocked out of orbit. (Chapter 23)

3. Iris says that it feels as if her grandma has come to life again. Prior to their trip to Alaska, Grandma was despondent because of her husband’s death. (Various chapters)

Chapters 33-48

Reading Check

1. Dolphins (Chapter 33)

2. The Lighthouse Bay Sanctuary in Oregon (Chapter 34)

3. Cape Oliver (Chapter 35)

4. Nina (Chapter 36)

5. A junkyard (Chapter 37)

6. The gas planet knocked off course (Chapter 40)

7. A compass (Chapter 41)

8. A handshape poem (Chapter 42)

9. An acoustic biologist (Chapter 44)

10. Mara (Chapter 47)

Short Answer

1. Blue 55 feels as though someone is finally listening to him. (Chapter 43)

2. Iris’s mother was born in a family where both parents are Deaf. She is afraid if she allows Iris to go to a school for people who are Deaf, she will be left out like she was when she was younger. (Chapter 46)

3. Iris believes the new school will provide her with a place to belong, in the same way that Mara and Iris’s song helped Blue 55 to belong. (Chapter 48)

Chapters 1-16

Reading Check

1. A beached sei whale (Chapter 1)

2. Antique Radio Magazine (Chapter 2)

3. Blue 55 (Chapter 3)

4. In-school suspension (Chapter 6)

5. An Admiral radio (Chapter 7)

6. Wendell (Chapter 8)

7. Bridgewood School (Chapter 9)

8. Mr. Russel (Chapter 15)

9. Andi (Chapter 16)

Short Answer

1. The students at Iris’s school mistakenly believe she lacks intelligence because she does not communicate in the same way they do. Her teacher does not understand rhyme in sign language and asks her to redo her paper with rhyme. Iris becomes increasingly frustrated with her surroundings because she cannot communicate effectively. (Various chapters)

2. Blue 55 is unable to communicate with other whales and the experience is isolating for the whale. Iris feels the same way because she is a person who is Deaf in a school where other students cannot understand her. (Various chapters)

3. Blue 55 attempted to communicate with the other whales, but they could not hear him. The other whales began to ignore him because of his lack of communication and eventually abandoned him. (Chapter 6)

4. Andi believes the biggest mystery of Blue 55 is that he continues to sing even when others cannot hear him. (Chapter 10)

Chapters 17-32

Reading Check

1. American Sign Language: A History (Chapter 17)

2. Appleton, Alaska (Chapter 18)

3. The Philco radio (Chapter 21)

4. Grandma (Chapter 22)

5. Coke (Chapter 24)

6. Crème brûlée (Chapter 26)

7. Bennie (Chapter 28)

8. He stops singing. (Chapter 30)

9. Skagway (Chapter 32)

10. Signing songs (Chapter 32)

Short Answer

1. Iris believes the signs the students use at Wendell’s school are more sophisticated than the signs she knows. The way students communicate at Wendell’s school is too quick for Iris to keep up with. (Chapter 17)

2. The fifth gas giant planet Jupiter, knocked out of orbit. (Chapter 23)

3. Iris says that it feels as if her grandma has come to life again. Prior to their trip to Alaska, Grandma was despondent because of her husband’s death. (Various chapters)

Chapters 33-48

Reading Check

1. Dolphins (Chapter 33)

2. The Lighthouse Bay Sanctuary in Oregon (Chapter 34)

3. Cape Oliver (Chapter 35)

4. Nina (Chapter 36)

5. A junkyard (Chapter 37)

6. The gas planet knocked off course (Chapter 40)

7. A compass (Chapter 41)

8. A handshape poem (Chapter 42)

9. An acoustic biologist (Chapter 44)

10. Mara (Chapter 47)

Short Answer

1. Blue 55 feels as though someone is finally listening to him. (Chapter 43)

2. Iris’s mother was born in a family where both parents are Deaf. She is afraid if she allows Iris to go to a school for people who are Deaf, she will be left out like she was when she was younger. (Chapter 46)

3. Iris believes the new school will provide her with a place to belong, in the same way that Mara and Iris’s song helped Blue 55 to belong. (Chapter 48)