Six Trait Writing: Continuing Our Conversations

Denise O’BrienESU 10

November 23, 2011

NDE Update Personal Narrative Review the six traits Share resources and activities that

support six trait writing in your classroom

Share technology tips and sites that can be incorporated to enhance writing instruction

Today’s Outcomes

Writing is not a regular part of my

program and occurs sporadically throughout the year.

My students write once a week. Daily lessons include writing

assignments for my students. Large blocks of time are allocated

to student writing.

Self-assessment of Writing in My Classroom

NeSA-W

2011 Testing Window: January 23- February 10 May 2012- NeSA-W scores released Analytic rubric available Domains weighted (2013)

Content /ideas- 35% Organization- 25% Word choice/Voice- 20% Conventions – 20%

4th Grade will continue to be paper pencil

Fabulous 4

1. Use I or We2. About incident that really happened3. Beginning, Middle and End4. Reflection

Characteristics of Personal Narrative

• Use I or we• Has voice• Has a reflection• About an incident that really happened• Appeals to senses• Logical sequence• Shows emotion or feelings• Has beginning, middle, and end• Strong Verbs• Usually in the past tense• Plenty of description• Often includes conversation• Shows more than tells• Might be embellished• Reflection

Characteristics of Personal Narrative

The Reading-Writing

Connection“Nobody but a reader ever became a writer”

~ Richard Peck

“Long before writers can create their own text, they can learn

what good writing is all about by hearing and

loving the work of others.”

~Spandel & Stiggins, 1997

Provide opportunities for your students to write often and for many purposes

Write with students Model writing Use the language of writing Share books you love Use think-alouds Introduce the writing process to your

students

Where do you begin?

Explicit instruction on

writing skills and strategies

Opportunities to respond in lessons

Positive, corrective feedback on performance

Emergent and Developing Writers Need . . .

Have a strong, clear idea. Use details and pictures to paint a picture in your

reader’s mind. Write with authority and voice. Organize your information so that a reader can follow

it. Use words that make sense—and that are lively as well. Write with fluency and variety—the way good dancers

dance. Make your conventions as strong as you can so that

readers can figure out your message.

“…the keys to writing well:”

Spandel, 2008, Creating Young Writers

Model I do it. Prompt We do it. Check You do it.

Teaching Skills and Strategies

http://holdregeelementarywriting.wikispaces.com/

Holdrege Elementary Writing Wiki

The paper is focused, clear, and

specific It all makes sense The topic is small enough to handle There are important telling details that

go beyond common knowledge Clear Interesting

Ideas

Ideas Lesson

Using Literature to Enhance Writing Instruction ~ Rebecca Olness

Use picture prompts

http://www.flickr.com

The Story Starter Jr. http://www.thestorystarter.com/jr.htm

ToonDoo http://www.toondoo.com/

Technology Tips & Sites for Ideas

There is a snappy lead that

gets the reader’s attention. The paper is easy to follow. Everything fits in the right

place. Provides connections. Like a road map, easy to follow. There is a graceful ending. It

doesn’t just stop.

Organization

Read The Gingerbread Man to the class. Discuss the beginning, middle and end of

the story with the class. Use a paper that has been folded in thirds,

demonstrate that the first section is for the first part of the story, the middle section is for the middle of the story, and the last section is for the end of the story.

Have students draw a picture of the beginning, middle, and end of the story in the appropriate space. Depending on the age and ability of the student, a few words or sentences can be added.

Organization Lesson

Using Literature to Enhance Writing Instruction ~ Rebecca Olness

Four Square for Organization

Graphic Organizers http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer

Types and Examples of Transitions http://bit.ly/pU1cKK

Use a picture prompt and have students write beginnings or endings for the picture. Capture their ideas on a Google Doc.

Technology Tips & Sites for Organization

It sounds like the particular writer. The writer seems engaged, involved with the

topic. It brings the topic to life. The paper is full of feelings. It makes me respond – laugh, smile, cry, wince

. . . I want to read it aloud. It has pizzazz!

Voice

Read Fly Away Home and

Smoky Night by Eve Bunting. Have students work in pairs or

groups to find the words used to convey the feelings in the book.

Chart the feeling words.

Voice Lesson

Using Literature to Enhance Writing Instruction ~ Rebecca Olness

Read Guess How Much I love You by Sam

McBratney.

Voice Lesson

Using Literature to Enhance Writing Instruction ~ Rebecca Olness

Idiom Site http://www.idiomsite.com/

The Writing Fix http://

writingfix.com/6_traits/voice.htm The Writing Fix – Feeling Game

http://writingfix.com/forkids/feelinggame.htm

Skype: www.skype.com Skype an Author Network

http://skypeanauthor.wetpaint.com/

Technology Tips & Sites for Voice

There are moments that stick

with you. There are strong verbs and

precise nouns. The words are colorful, snappy,

vital, brisk and fresh. The words create word

pictures. The words are just right.

Word Choice

I do not choose the right word. I get rid of the wrong one.

~A.E. Housman

Read Bear Snores

On by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman

Chart and discuss all of the “wow” words the students hear

Word Choice Lesson

Rock or Pebble Game – Creating Writers,

Spandel Some words have muscle. They carry a lot

weight. They have substance, meaning and impact.

Have an assortment of words and have children determine if the word is a “pebble” a vague word or a “rock” an impact word.

Make Word Posters

Word Choice

Wordle

http://www.wordle.net/ Snappy Words

http://www.snappywords.com/ Instant Poetry Forms

http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/newpoem.htm

Synonyms for said http://www.cyberspaces.net/6traits/

Technology Tips & Sites for Word Choice

The paper is easy to read aloud. There are some short and some long

sentences. Sentence beginnings vary; they show

how ideas connect. There are carefully crafted sentences. There is consistency in tense. The paper flows.

Sentence Fluency

Have students list or circle the first word

in each sentence they have written.

Have students count the words in each sentence and make a list.

Phone Yourself Have students read their work into

phonics phone.

Lesson Ideas for Sentence Fluency

I Caught It by Sarah Barchas

http://writingfix.com/6_Traits/Primary/I_caught_it.htm

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen http://writingfix.com/Process/Revi

sion/Owl_Moon.htm

Sample Word Choice Lessons

The paper looks clean, edited

and proofread. Capital letters are used

correctly. Punctuation was used correctly. Spelling is accurate. Paragraphs are indented. The writer used good grammar. The reader does not need to do

any mental editing.

Conventions

Model, model, model Keep expectations realistic Use word banks or personal

dictionaries Ask students to double-space Give students editing practice often Teach editor’s symbols Have students read their writing aloud

Lesson Ideas for Conventions

By reading literature often and widely students more readily learn to write.

~Rebecca Olness

Picture Books for Teaching Six Trait Writing http://bit.ly/cOtrcH

Writing Fix Teacher Lessons http://writingfix.com/

Literature Resources

Holdrege Elementary Writing Wiki

http://holdregeelementarywriting.wikispaces.com/ ESU 4 Six Trait Writing Wiki

http://esu4sixtraitwriting.wikispaces.com/ ESU 3 K-2 Six Trait Writing Wiki

http://writingextravaganza3.wikispaces.com/Six+Traits+K-2

ESU 3 3-6 Six Trait Writing Wiki http://

writingextravaganza3.wikispaces.com/Six+Traits+3-6

Sites to Check Out

1. Be a collector.2. Be a reader.3. Form a network.4. Post the traits in your room.5. Model (be a writer yourself).6. Have your students write, write, and write

more.7. Include parents.

8 Things You Can Do Right Now

Denise O’Brien

ESU 10dobrien@esu10.org

308-237-5927

Contact Information