by Frances O Roark Dowell Introduction New Windmill titles are supported with and Teaching resource sheets to engage students with the novel and to help you with your planning. Each set of resources includes a series of self-contained lessons with photocopiable worksheets, teaching notes and suggestions for Guided Reading. Each activity is mapped against the Framework to help you with your planning. There are also suggestions for further study areas including speaking and listening, writing and reading activities. If your students have enjoyed studying this novel there are suggestions of other New Windmills they may like to read for pleasure. Resources for Dovey Coe: Synopsis Activate prior learning Activities Exploring colloquial expressions Research into the problems faced by students who have a hearing impairment A newspaper article on Dovey Coe s trial Guided reading Literal and metaphorical Empathetic reading Identifying stylistic conventions of newspaper reporting Further study areas Reading for pleasure Activities by Alan Pearce The following pages can be downloaded and printed out as required. This material may be freely copied for institutional use. However, this material is copyright and under no circumstances can copies be offered for sale. The publishers gratefully acknowledge permission to reproduce copyright material.
Synopsis Dovey Coe is a twelve-year-old girl who lives in the small town of Indian Creek, North Carolina. Parnell Caraway, the son of the richest man in town, wants to marry Dovey s older sister Caroline. Although Caroline does not agree to Parnell s wishes, she does enjoy the attention that he gives her, and enjoys the lifestyle that he offers her. Dovey and Caroline have a deaf brother, Amos, who is regarded by some people in the town to be a freak. Dovey and Amos are extremely close and Dovey teaches him to read and write. They spend hours together in the mountains, hunting with Amos s two dogs. Parnell s evil personality is reflected in his willingness to make derogatory comments about Amos, which does not improve Dovey s opinion of Parnell. Caroline plans to leave Indian Creek to train as a teacher, but at her leaving party Parnell publicly proposes to Caroline, only to be humiliated by her refusal. One evening Parnell lures Dovey back to his father s shop, announcing that he has one of Amos s dogs tied up. It becomes clear that Parnell wishes to achieve some sort of revenge over Caroline and her family, by killing Amos s dog in front of Dovey. Dovey stabs Parnell with a knife but he knocks her out. When she comes to she finds that Parnell has been murdered. At Dovey s trial it is shown that she would have been too weak to lift up the metal canister used to murder Parnell. We later learn that it was Amos who committed the murder in order to protect Dovey, but no one finds out the truth and the story ends happily. Activate prior learning It would be helpful if the students understood some of the terms used in the legal system of the USA. In addition, the students might like to explore what they understand about the US legal system from films and television. The novel refers to the prosecuting attorney, the defending attorney, the sheriff and the judge. These positions could be compared with the legal system of England and Wales, or Scotland. 2 Teacher s Notes Harcourt Education Limited, 2005
Teaching notes Activity 1 Exploring colloquial expression Framework Objectives Year 7: W14 Define and deploy words with precision, including their exact implication in context. S16 Investigate differences between spoken and written language structures. Year 8: W7 Understand and explain exactly what words mean in particular contexts; S12 Explore and use different degrees of formality in written and oral texts. Year 9: W7 Recognise layers of meaning in the writer s choice of words; S10 Explore differing attitudes to language, and identify characteristics of Standard English that make it the dominant mode of public communication. Activity aims: To engage in close reading. To explore the meanings of colloquial expressions. This activity asks the students to explain a number of colloquial expressions before they write a glossary to explain some of the phrases Dovey uses throughout the novel. Provide the students with Resource 1. The students task is to explain a number of colloquial expressions that are embedded within a short passage. This passage contains examples of British colloquial expressions, most of which the students will be very familiar. The activity could be extended by asking the students to provide some more contemporary colloquial expressions. Provide the students with Resource 2. The students are asked to contribute to a glossary for a new edition of Dovey Coe. The students are asked to consider a range of colloquial expressions used by Dovey, and to try to explain their meanings for another audience. These colloquial expressions will be familiar to the students and so they should be encouraged to speculate about their meanings from the context in which they appear. It might be worthwhile to consider the difference between colloquialisms and slang. (Both are informal language, but slang is usually associated with a specific sub-group, such as teens or even snowboarders.) This activity could be followed up with a consideration of modern slang. Guided reading Literal and metaphorical Select a small group of students who would benefit from some help with distinguishing between the literal and the metaphorical. Re-read pages 18-19, from If it weren t for Caroline to so much above us. Ask the students to explain clearly what the following phrases mean: didn t give him the time of day hung the moon so much above us. 3 Teacher s Notes Harcourt Education Limited, 2005
1 Informal conversation Dovey Coe The following passage has been written in the first person and the narrator has used a number of colloquial expressions. Colloquial expressions are expressions that are suitable for informal conversation. See if you can explain clearly what each of the expressions actually means. I need to get something off my chest. Yesterday I tried to chat up Sue. She s got a sweet tooth so I bought her a box of chocolates that cost 5 what a rip off. She said that she wouldn t go out with me because I was too immature. What a cheek. Still, I couldn t care less really, because there are loads of other fish in the sea. 4 Harcourt Education Limited, 2005
2 Glossary of Dovey s expressions The novel Dovey Coe has been written in the first person, and the narrator has used a number of colloquial expressions. Imagine that the publishers want to produce a glossary to explain the meanings of the colloquial expressions in the novel. They have asked you to explain the following phrases that appear in the first five chapters. See how many of them you can explain, but remember that you must explain exactly what is meant by each of them. Notice that one of the expressions has been explained for you. Page Expression Explanation 1 I reckon it don t matter 1 Parnell Caraway was rotten to the core Dovey meant that Parnell was really horrible. Rotten to the core suggests that he is horrible all the way to the middle that there is no goodness in him. 3 At least a million other things that all add up to my good life here 5 Ain t you something 13 Mrs Dreama had the learning of a brick 14 Motioning for me to stop in my tracks 17 The sort of girl whose head held a bigger picture than marrying 18 Barking their heads off 23 There was no love lost between Parnell Caraway and me 24 Coming up with an idea on the spot 5 Harcourt Education Limited, 2005
Teaching notes Activity 2 Research into the problems faced by students who have a hearing impairment. Framework Objectives Year 7: R2 Use appropriate reading strategies; R6 Adopt active reading strategies; Wr14 describe an object, person or setting in a way that includes relevant details and is accurate and evocative. Year 8: R2 Undertake independent research; Wr12 Describe an event, process or situation, using language with an appropriate degree of formality. Year 9: Wr3 Write in Standard English; R2 Synthesise information from a range of sources; Wr11 Make telling use of descriptive details. Activity aims: To select appropriate information. To produce an informative leaflet. This activity asks the students to research into the problems faced by students who are hearing impaired, and to produce an information leaflet. Provide the students with Resource 3. This Resource asks the students to identify what Amos was able to achieve. Amos is deaf, and so he is restricted in what he can do. However, the aim of this activity is to point out to the students how skilful he actually is. It might be helpful, before the students tackle this Resource sheet, to ask them to consider what they could do and not do if they were profoundly deaf. Provide students with Resource 4. This Resource asks the students to carry out a piece of independent research in order to answer some questions, and to use their answers to produce an information leaflet. The students should produce their leaflet to be read by an audience of their own peers. It might be necessary to revise the use of present and past tense writing, and writing in the first and third person. A very useful place for the students to start their research would be the Royal National Institute for Deaf People s website. Go to http://www.heinemann.co.uk/hotlinks and type in express code 1079P. This site considers all of the relevant issues, and provides other helpful links. Guided reading Empathetic reading Select a group of students who would benefit from some support with empathetic reading. Re-read pages 20 21 from Parnell sat down on the step to between the two of them. In this incident Parnell insults Amos. Dovey responds aggressively while Caroline seems to ignore Parnell s rudeness. Firstly, ask the students to say why they think Dovey is so rude. (She dislikes Parnell; she is worried about Parnell s influence over Caroline; she is defending Amos.) Afterwards, ask the students to explain why Caroline might have responded like she did. (She is more aware that Parnell has very little influence over her; she has been enjoying the attention she has been receiving from Parnell.) Ask the students to judge the behaviour of both Dovey and Caroline. 6 Teacher s Notes Harcourt Education Limited, 2005
3 Looking at Amos In the following passage Dovey explains that although Amos was deaf, he was able to achieve a great deal. In the boxes around the passage record the things that Amos was able to do. Some folks thought that because Amos didn t hear and he didn t talk, he must be stupid, and a lot of folks treated him like he was, though it was a far sight from the truth. I taught Amos to read when he was eight and I was seven, which weren t as hard as you might think. I started him out with picture books that had just a few words. So there d be a picture of a dog and the word dog, and Amos made the connection right quick. If there was a word that didn t have a picture of it attached, I d just find a real-life example and show it to him. Later on, I taught him how to read lips in pretty much the same way, and soon he could understand just about anything a person would care to say to him as long as they spoke directly to his face. He couldn t talk, but he could write. In fact, his handwriting was a sight prettier than mine. Mama said my writing looked like a chicken dipped in ink had walked across my paper. Page 12 7
4 Creating a leaflet to inform readers Many people in Indian Creek thought that Amos was strange just because he was deaf. To balance this view, you are going to produce a leaflet that could be used to support students reading of the novel Dovey Coe. Consequently, your audience is students of your own age and ability. The leaflet should contain the following sections: 1 Explain what problems are faced by people who are deaf. 2 Show how far, and what ways, can these problems be overcome. 3 Provide biographical accounts of people who have suffered from deafness but who have made significant achievements. 4 Give details about organisations that support people with deafness. Remember In this piece of information writing: write in the present tense when you write about the problems deaf people have write in the past tense when you write about the deaf people who have made significant achievements use connectives to link ideas together avoid using too many adjectives and adverbs when you are presenting factual information. Try to make the leaflet as attractive as possible. Think about: different font sizes different colours illustrations headings and sub-headings bullet points. 8
Teaching notes Activity 3 Newspaper Article on Dovey Coe s Trial Framework Objectives Year 7: S17 Use Standard English; Wr10 Organise texts in ways appropriate to the content. Year 8: S12 Explore and use different degrees of formality in written texts; Wr12 Describe an event, process or situation, using language with an appropriate degree of formality. Year 9: S9 Write sustained Standard English with the formality suited to reader and purpose; Wr7 Explore how non-fiction texts can convey information in amusing or entertaining ways. Activity aims: To select appropriate information. To write a newspaper article. This activity leads the students towards creating a newspaper article about Dovey Coe s trial. The guided reading activity could be done first with a class, or a group of students who would benefit from some extra help with stylistic conventions of newspaper articles. Provide the students with Resource 5. This Resource presents a newspaper article on the first day of the trial and asks the students to identify some of the stylistic conventions of a newspaper article. Prior to studying the Resource sheet, the students could be asked to discuss what they understand about the conventions of newspaper journalism. It might also be helpful to revise the use of past and present tenses, and first and third person writing. Provide the students with Resource 6. This Resource asks the students to select relevant information to include in their own newspaper article on the last day of the trial. The students are provided with notes they made during the trial of Dovey Coe. They are then asked to write a newspaper article reporting on the trial. The Resource sheet reminds the students of the stylistic conventions of a newspaper article, but it might be necessary to support some students with their writing. The most difficult problems the students will face are (a) answering all of the wh questions within their first paragraph (b) combining quotations into their reporting (c) moving from first to third person, and from past to present in their writing. Guided reading Identifying stylistic conventions of newspaper reporting 9 Select a group of students who would benefit from some additional support when analysing the stylistic conventions of newspaper reporting. Distribute Resource sheet 5 then read the extract from a newspaper article together. It is from the Indian Creek Daily and is based on the news that Caroline had been accepted for teacher training. Ask the students to identify the following: the answers to the wh questions in the first paragraph (who, where, what, how, when) an example of emotive language an example of exaggeration a fact. Teacher s Notes
5 Guided reading activity Indian Creek s Own Trainee Teacher Caroline Coe, eldest daughter of John Coe, general engineer of Indian Creek, has today announced that she is leaving her home town to train as a teacher. John Coe, Indian Creek s proudest father, hoped that his daughter would return one day to teach in the local school. Folks don t take too kindly to teachers from out of town. Ain t y all noticed? commented John Coe. Caroline, beaming like a new moon over North Carolina, said that if the local school would accept her then she would be delighted to work there. Caroline will be away from her folks for two years, learning all of the skills that a modern teacher requires. It seems that the next generation of Indian Creek kids is in for a treat. 10
6 Stylistic conventions of newspaper reporting Here is a newspaper article that appeared in the Indian Creek Daily. It covers the first day of Dovey Coe s trial. Below the article there is a list of some of the stylistic conventions that you might expect in a newspaper article. Write each of the stylistic conventions in one of the boxes that appear around the outside of the article, and then draw an arrow to an appropriate word or phrase. Tearaway Tomboy Accused of Knife Murder Today, in the packed courtroom of Indian Creek, 12 year old Dovey Coe was accused of stabbing 16 year old Parnell Caraway to death. The small courtroom in this sleepy mountain town has never before witnessed such a sensational trial. Mr Tobias Jarrell, the Prosecuting Attorney, described the murder as a heinous crime committed by an enraged woman. The people of Indian Creek listened in silence as the graphic details of this violent crime were laid bare. Mrs Lucy Caraway, the jaded mother of the victim, dabbed her eyes with a spotless white handkerchief as she sobbed through her experiences of the night of August 23rd. On that fateful night Lucy Caraway entered the back room of the family business, Caraway Dry Goods Store, to be horrified by the scene. In front of her, on the floor, lay the dead body of her son, his shirt soaked in blood; beside him was a blood stained knife, while standing over the dead body was twelve-year-old Dovey Coe, confused but unrepentant. It seems that the people of Indian Creek will not be following this open and shut case for very many days. 11 Who, where, what, how, when, fact, opinion, exaggeration, emotive language.
6 Covering the Dovey trial The trial of Dovey Coe for the murder of Parnell Caraway took at least two days. Imagine that you are a reporter for the Indian Creek Daily and you have been covering the trial. Your task is to write an article about the sensational events of the last day of the trial. You have recorded the following notes about the trial, and you will now have to select which of them you want to use in your article. Dovey Coe innocent! On witness stand: knife, blood-stained shirt, metal canister for soda fountain. Mr Harding, Defending Attorney, has had quiet trial. Not bothered to interview anyone yet. First witness: Sheriff Douglas questioned him about canister definitely the murder weapon. Second witness: DC. Questioned about events of the night. THEN dramatic moment. DC asked to pick up soda canister. She couldn t it was too heavy! She couldn t have been the murderer. Judge Lovett M Young took 30mins to find DC Not Guilty. 12 Now, select the information that you want to use, and then write your article. Remember, in a newspaper article you should use the following stylistic conventions: write in the past tense write in the third person, except for quotations from eye witnesses that should be written in the first person answer all of the wh questions: who, where, what, how, when in the first paragraph include some facts, but also some opinion use some exaggeration to make your report more exciting use some emotive language to grab your reader s attention.
6 Dovey Coe The Indian Creek Daily 13
Further study areas This novel explores a number of relationships within an isolated community in the USA. It focuses particularly on the murder of an arrogant, wealthy teenager who believes that he should be able to achieve everything that he wishes. The following study areas provide ideal opportunities for creating interesting and stimulating activities: Author s craft: Consider the advantages and disadvantages of writing in the first person. (Author s craft: Yr7 R12; Yr8 R10; Yr9 R9) Persuasive writing: Persuade Amos not to tell anyone that he killed Parnell Caraway. (Persuasive writing: Yr7 W15; Yr8 W13; Yr9 W13) Personal view: How far do you think Caroline was responsible for the tragic events of the novel? (Writing reflectively: Yr7 W19; Yr8 W16; Yr9 W13) Collaborative drama: As a class, recreate the trial scene. (Collaborative drama: Yr7 S&L16; Yr8 S&L16; Yr9 S&L14) Group discussion: Dovey says I weren t convinced being rich brings satisfaction to a person. Do you agree? (Group discussion: Yr7 S&L12; Yr8 S&L10; Yr9 S&L10) Writing to entertain: Choose any of the key events in the novel and rewrite them from Amos s perspective. (Writing to entertain: Yr7 Wr5; Yr8 Wr6; Yr9 Wr5) Reading for pleasure This novel is set in a rural community in the USA and focuses on the experiences of four children. If students have enjoyed this novel then they will also enjoy Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech in which adopted brother and sister have a number of exciting experiences in a rural setting in the USA. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit shares a similar magical quality and tells the story of a young girl s discovery of a family who know the secret of everlasting life. 14 Teacher s Notes