What are the 6 Plus 1 Writing Traits?

1. What are the 6 Plus 1 Writing Traits? • The traits of good writing are • Conventions • Ideas • Voice • Word Choice • Sentence Fluency • Organization • Conferencing

2. Purpose • The purpose of using the six traits is to give students and teachers the same language and expectations for writing during Kindergarten Kid Writing. The traits give the writer a clear picture of what to do to make the students' writing- the best it can be. • Just as there are traits for field hockey, like speed, staying low, good stick work, and playing as a team, there are traits for quality writing. • The main goal is to transfer the writing skills students have developed during Kid Writing to writing whenever it is used, not just during Kid Writing.

3. Conventions E.Q. How can I use punctuation to make my writing easier to read? • Did I use a period? • Did I use a question mark? • Did I use spacing between words? • Did I use letters to match sounds? • Did I spell sight words correctly? • Did I use a capital letter to begin a sentence?

4. Ideas E.Q. How can books, illustrations, symbols and our own stories give us ideas of things to write? • What is my message? • Is my message clear? • Did I try hard to make it interesting? • Do I have enough information?

5. Voice E.Q. How does voice help usto say what we think? • Do I really like this story? • Does this writing sound like me? • How do I want my readers to feel? • My favorite part is_____________.

6. Word Choice E.Q. When I look at my illustration, the word that comes to my mind is_____________. • Did I use a new word? * * • Did I use a word that * Sparkles? * * * * • Did I add a Name? Action? Description?

7. Sentence Fluency E.Q. How can I make my writing flow? • Do I have long and short sentences? • Does my writing sound smooth? • Does my writing flow like music?

8. Organization E.Q. Why is organizing my writing so important? • How does my writing look? • Did I write from left to right? • Did I write from top to bottom? • Did I organize my writing with a picture? • a beginning, middle, and an ending?

9. 6 Plus 1 … Conferencing E.Q. How can conferencing with my friends make me a better writer? Kindergarten adds Peer Conferencing to the menu of writing traits. Throughout the year, the children learn three types of conferencing which include… • The author wants to know… • The listener wants to know… • The author has a few questions. Each poster has a list of questions the author or the listener can choose to ask during the peer conferencing part of Kid Writing.

10. Conferencing The author wants to know… • What do you like about my story? • What pictures did you see in your mind as I read my story? • What was your favorite part of my story? • What sparkle word can I add to my story? • Do you have any questions for me?

11. Conferencing The listener wants to know… • Tell me more about… • I could hear your voice when you wrote …  • Why did you choose this idea? • How do you feel about your story? • What title did you give your story? Why?

12. Conferencing The author has a few questions. • Why did I put a capital letter at the beginning of this word? • Why did I leave a space in between the words? • What do you know about the word I in a sentence or when it is by itself?  • What is this called? (?) • What is this called? (!)

13. How can parents help at home? Parents, You can support your child’s writing at home by asking the questions listed under each of the writing trait slides. These are the same questions I ask the kindergarten children once each of the traits have been introduced. My weekly newsletters will keep you informed as to when each of the six traits have been introduced. If you have any questions, you know where to find me! Thank you for your time! Mrs. Decker