Six Traits of Writing

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Six Traits of Writing

• Ideas and Content
• Organization
• Voice
• Word Choice
• Sentence Fluency
• Conventions

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Why teach the Six Traits of Writing?

• Provides a common language for talking about
  writing
• Provides consistency
• Makes revisions manageable and purposeful
• Offers support for the writing process
• Empowers students
• Increases motivation and thinking skills
• Links reading and writing
• Provides a foundation for lifelong writing

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Ideas and Content

• Ideas and Content is what you have to say-the
  reason for writing your paper.
• A secret is to keep it small and manageable. A
  topic such as Animals in Africa is too broad.
  Narrow your topic down to Why lions hunt in
  pairs.
• Surprise your reader with what you know
• Make your ideas crystal clear and avoid words
  such as like, so, and very.

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Ideas and Content

• Do you want to know how to earn a score of SIX in
  Ideas and Content?
• The topic is narrowed to manageable size
• A clear central theme drives the writing
• Readers questions are anticipated-and answered!
• Specific details create a vivid picture and hold
  the readers interest
• The writing is clear, purposeful, and substantive

5
Organization

• An intriguing lead that grabs the readers
  attention
• A design, pattern, or logical flow (clear
  beginning, middle, and end)
• Strong transitions
• Clear connections to the main idea
• Easy to follow, but nor too predictable
• A graceful ending that wraps up the discussion

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Organization

• What is your morning routine?
• Tops and Bottoms

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Voice

• Sounds like you or a human being
• Individual-the writer's fingerprints are on the
  page
• Has energy and brings the topic to life
• Is appropriate for the audience, topic, and
  purpose
• Shows concern for the readers interests,
  informational needs
• In informative writing, does not bore the reader,
  but doesnt overwhelm the reader, either

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Voice

• Whose Voice is it activity (groups of five)
• Read Eleven and write a journal entry as if you
  are
• 1. Mrs. Price
• 2. Rachel
• 3. Sylvia or Phyllis
• 4. The red sweater
• 5. The principal, who just happened to be
  walking by

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Word Choice

• Memorable moments
• Strong verbs, precise nouns-no modifier
  overload-very, so, like
• Just right language-suits the topic, the
  audience, and the purpose
• Simple language used well-not written to impress
• Do not repeat
• Technical terms defined as needed.

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Word Choice

• Feathers and Fools by Mem Fox

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Sentence Fluency

• Rhythmic
• Easy to read aloud-inviting
• Varied sentence length-some long and detailed,
  some short and to the point
• Purposeful sentence beginnings Now, After a
  while, Nevertheless, As a result, Consequently,
  However, Therefore
• Natural dialogue

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Sentence Fluency

• Sentence pyramids
• I saw a clown.
• I saw a funny clown.
• I saw a funny clown juggling.
• I saw a funny clown juggling bowling pins.
• I saw a funny clown juggling bowling pins in a
  parade.
• I saw a funny clown juggling bowling pins in a
  Christmas parade.
• We went to the beach..

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Conventions

• Looks clean, edited, and proofread
• No big, glaring errors that distract the reader
• Correct spelling
• Correct punctuation
• Paragraphs for new topics and new speakers
• Quotation marks used with dialogue
• Proper nouns
• Noun-verb agreement
• Verb tense flows and is the same

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Conventions

• Yo Yes!

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Six Traits of Writing

• Important Book
• In groups of three, create your very own
  Important Book on the Six Traits of Writing!!
  Groups must bind their books and illustrate each
  trait.