Dashes Paralyzed Mother Position Write Opening Activity: Read the poem excerpt below and annotate what

you notice about the punctuation and grammar Baker uses.

Hyperby David Baker

Then a stillness descended the blue hills. I say stillness. They were three deer, then four. They crept down the old bean field, these four deer, for fifteen minutesmoreas we watched them in the field, in the soughing snow. That's how slowly they moved in stillness, slender deer. The fourth limped behind the other three, we could see, even in the darkness, as it dragged its right hindquarter where it was hit or shot. Katie sat back on her heels. The dog held in his prints, or Kate held him, hardly breathing at first. Then we relaxed. Blue night descended our neighbor's blown hills. And the calm that comes with seeing something beautiful but far from perfect descended absolute attention, a fixity. I say absolute. It was stillness.

Reflection: Read the poem AGAIN, but this time look at the dashes. Then, write a reflection below that answers the following: 1. What do the dashes do as you read? What is their impact? Effect? 2. How does Baker use the dash? Why?

Teacher Question:

Grammar, 1

Dashes Paralyzed Mother Position Write

Judge to rule if kids can see paralyzed mom

Ex-husband says their three young children would be traumatized by visitation By JOHN ROGERS
updated 3/24/2011 3:36:47 PM ET

Things I agree with/positive emotions

Things I disagree with/negative emotions

Reader #1: ____________________________________________________________________ LOS ANGELES Even though Abbie Dorn was paralyzed giving birth to triplets, her parents say that doesn't mean she should be denied the right to hold her children and watch as they grow up even though she can't eat, speak or move. The parents have gone to court in an effort to persuade a judge that their daughter not only wants motherhood, but has a constitutional right to it as well. Her condition doesn't mean she loves her children any less than any other mother would love hers, they say. But allowing three preschoolers to spend lengthy periods of time with a woman who can only lay motionless will traumatize them, argues their father, Dan Dorn. He has been raising the two boys and a girl as a single parent since the day he brought them home from the hospital nearly five years ago. He wants things to remain that way. Reader #2: _______________________________________________________________________ After hearing closing arguments from both sides Thursday, Superior Court Judge Frederick C. Shaller is expected to decide whether Dan Dorn must agree to grant his ex-wife regular visitation rights. Ultimately, Shaller's ruling will likely only resolve the matter temporarily. A parental rights lawsuit brought by Abbie Dorn's parents, Paul and Susan Cohen of South Carolina, is expected to take place later. The tragic events that led all parties to Shaller's courtroom this week began on what should have been the happiest day of Abbie Dorn's life. That was June 20, 2006, when she left for the hospital to give birth to her sons Reuvi and Yossi and their sister Esti.

Grammar, 2

Dashes Paralyzed Mother Position Write The first two births took place without incident, but as a doctor was delivering Yossi he accidentally nicked Dorn's uterus. Before doctors could stop the bleeding, her heart had stopped, a defibrillator they used malfunctioned and her brain was deprived of oxygen. Reader #3: ______________________________________________________________________ A year later her husband, believing she would never recover, divorced her and is raising their children at his Los Angeles home. Her parents, meanwhile, took her to their Myrtle Beach, S.C., home where they are caring for her. As the conservators of her estate, they also manage her malpractice settlement of nearly $8 million. They want her ex-husband to bring the children there for regular visits. Until a four-day visit last December, Dan Dorn had not done so. His ex-wife's parents say that was the first chance she had to hold her children since the day they were born. Both sides agreed in court last week that the visit went well and the children would like to see their mother again. But their father wants to limit their interaction to avoid traumatizing them. He noted that his exwife can't speak and he believes she isn't aware of her surroundings. Reader #4: _____________________________________________________________________ Abbie Dorn's mother disagrees. She says her daughter expresses her emotions when she smiles or cries and that she communicates with others by blinking her eyes. One long blink means yes. No response to a question means no. When a Los Angeles Times reporter visited her last year and asked if she wanted to see her children, Dorn responded with a long, firm blink. The Times reported that neurologist Dr. Angela Hays, who examined Abbie Dorn, testified that she can perceive sounds and images. "She does perform an eye blink maneuver to attempt to signal yes or no answers," Hays said, although "it was difficult for me to get her to do that reliably."
Works Cited Fight for a Mother's Right to See Her Kids. YouTube. ABC News, 14 Apr. 2010. Web. 05 July 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rjg-dFgjs4>.

Grammar, 3 05 Rogers, John. "Judge Rule If Kids Can See Paralyzed Mother." Children's Health on NBCNews.com. NBC News, 24 Mar. 2011. Web. July 2013. <http://www.nbcnews.com/id/42251738/ns/health-childrens_health/t/judge-rule-if-kids-can-see-paralyzedmom/#.UddpUzv2aAg>.

Dashes Paralyzed Mother Position Write

Interview: Do you think Abbie Dorn should have visitation rights to see her children? Why or Why not? Explain. Interview a classmate and get their response. Paraphrase what they said below
____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________

Mentor Sentences Directions: read the sentences below, taking special note of the dashes being used. 1. And with good reason, for hardly a week passed in which the Times did not carry a paragraph describing how some eavesdropping little sneakchild hero was the phrase generally usedhad overheard some compromising remark and denounced his parents to the Thought Police (24). 2. It was always at nightthe arrests invariably happened at night (19). 3. Much more it was because of a secretly held beliefor perhaps not even a belief, merely a hopethat OBriens political orthodoxy was not perfect (11). Grammar Notes: Create THREE rules for the dashhow would you use it? Think about the mentor sentences above(class notes)

Grammar, 4

Dashes Paralyzed Mother Position Write Find sentences from ___________________________ that use a dash and copy them below. We will work through the effect and purpose for the sample together, and then you need to write the effect/purpose of your own examples below

Dash Example Sample: On the coins, on stamps, on the covers of books, on banners, on posters, and on the wrappings of a cigarette packeteverywhere (27).

My Observations of the Dash Effect/Purpose

1.

2.

3.

Grammar, 5

Dashes Paralyzed Mother Position Write

DASHES and OPINION: Abbie Dorns parents want their daughter, who is paralyzed, to have access to see and visit with her children although she cant speak, walk, or function on her own. Abbie Dorns husband, Dan Dorn, doesnt want his ex-wife to see their preschool aged children because it could be traumatic for them. Do you think Abbie Dorn should have visitation rights with her children? Why or why not. THERE SHOULD BE NO I STATEMENTS and remember to highlight your grammar! Use the space below to state your opinion and use the dash in two meaningful ways. See rubric below ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________
4-Awesome!
I take a position and offer thoughtful, thorough discussion of the topic (10pts). I use the dash in several meaningful ways, along with other grammar techniques (10pts). I clearly identify my grammar techniques by highlighting or circling

3-Got It!
I take a position and offer clear and complete discussion of the topic (8pts).

2-Almost
I may take a position but is underdeveloped, brief, and/ or basic (6-7pts). I try to use the dash, but there may be an error, it may not be meaningful and/or it is only used once (6-7pts).

1-Not Quite
I fail to take a position and/or my discussion is weak, confusing, incomplete (0-5pts). I fail to use the dash in my passage and/or there are many grammar errors (05pts).

I use the dash twice, it is correct and clear (8pts).

***

I identify some of my grammar techniques by

I fail to identify the grammar

Grammar, 6

Dashes Paralyzed Mother Position Write

(5pts). highlighting or circling (3pts). techniques by highlighting or circling (0pts).

Score: ____/25pts

Grammar, 7