6+1 Traits of Writing

• Ideas• Organisation• Sentence fluency• Word choice

• Voice• Conventions• Presentation

• Analysed texts and used rubrics to grade them according to ideas

• Become familiar with what to look for in a piece of writing that exhibited strong development of ideas.

• What are some of these characteristics?

Some characteristics of good writing-ideas

• Clear and focused• Holds readers attention• Relevant anecdotes and details enrich the

central theme• Idea narrow and manageable• Reader’s questions are anticipated and answered• Insight-picking out significant aspects from life’s

experiences

Ideas Trait

Teaching the Ideas Trait 3-6

• Selecting the Idea (topic)

• Narrowing the idea (focus)

• Elaborating the idea ( development)

• Discovering the best information to convey the idea (details)

Teaching the ideas trait P-2

• Finding the right topic

• Selecting interesting, relevant details

• Making the content clear

Using Mentor Texts

Analyse picture story books to identify• TOPIC

• Focus

• Development

• Details

Selecting an idea 3-6 p.51

• Make old ideas new again• Free ideas- free writing flashback favourite places• Corral ideas• Prompt ideas

Selecting an idea P-2 p.82

Finding the right topic

• What’s so special?

• Fun with Funnels

• Ideas are everywhere

In the classroomDiscuss ways to introduce these ideas.

What will / could you do?

Can I use a mentor text? How do I choose it?

What do you envisage the students will produce.

Before next week plan a lesson that would help students select an idea for writing-it could be individually or a class lesson. Be clear about what you want at this stage-you’re only in the planning stage

Narrowing the idea p. 88 P-2 p.55 3-6

• R.A.F.T.S.

• Call it out

• String-along

• Picture this