Becoming Writers
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
We have been learning the 6 + 1 Traits of Writing. The traits are: Ideas, Organization, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Voice, Conventions, and Presentation. The traits are a way of teaching the language of writing, it isn’t a writing program.
This week we’ve learned how organization is the glue that holds a piece of writing together. The students have been practicing by writing directions using transitional words (i.e. first, then, next, later, finally, etc.) and writing about their school day. The students are organizing their writing based on their favorite subjects.
We continue to learn 5-10 vocabulary words each week. The new vocabulary words help the students build up their word choice in order to more effectively express themselves. The students are rewarded with paw prints each time they use the word in speaking or writing, as well as if they find the word in a book that they’re reading. Please encourage the students to use the words they’ve learned in class at home.
