Six Traits Writing

Fourth Grade

WRITING IS FUN!!

• We all like to talk about our experiences! Sometimes we forget how things happened, so we need to write them down.

• There are some rules that we need to follow so that our writing is clear and sends that mental picture to our reader.

NOW LET’S CREATE A STORY!

• Get a clipboard, paper, and a pencil with an eraser.

• Open your mind and follow the directions that are coming your way!!

IDEAS AND CONTENT

• Write at least six sentences describing yourself, where you’re from, your family and your interests.

• Make sure that your paper is focused on the main idea.

• Is your paper interesting and does it hold the reader’s attention?

ORGANIZATION

• Make your first sentence inviting to the reader so that he/she wants to learn more about you.

• The details of your life should be in a logical order.

• Your conclusion should bring an ending to what you have written.

SENTENCE FLUENCY

• Make sure that your sentences have different beginnings and lengths.

• Your sentences should have an easy flow when reading them. Your writing sounds natural, the way someone might talk.

WORD CHOICE

• When writing your sentences, make sure that you have descriptive words that appeal to the five senses.

• Use powerful action verbs to give your writing energy.

VOICE

• When you are writing, take some risks. You should be honest about yourself and your feelings.

• Your story should convey your personality.

• You should create a connection between yourself and the reader.

CONVENTIONS

• Make sure your sentences all begin with a capital letter.

• End all sentences with proper punctuation.

• Divide like sentences into paragraphs.

• All spelling should be correct.

• Are commas used correctly?

• Are apostrophes used correctly?

RE-READ AS YOU GO

• As you are writing and re-reading your story, go back and make sure that your sentences make sense.

• Make sure you have paragraphs.

• Indent

• Do you have a topic sentence?

• Do you have a conclusion at the end?