Writing Units 2008 Smekens Education Solutions, Inc. KRISTINA SMEKENS

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1 Implementing the 6-Traits within Writing Units 2008 Smekens Education Solutions, Inc. KRISTINA SMEKENS Organizing your writing year Teach writing, not traiting Spiraling through the traits in genres Targeting specific trait skills per genre Expose students to a genre with multiple experiences 2008 Smekens Education Solutions, Inc. 1

2 Weaving the 6-Traits throughout the Year MID-FLIGHT: Spiraling through the 6-Traits within different writing assignments Ideas Organization Knowledgeable writing topics Writing for a purpose Narrow topic Details, development & elaboration Supporting ideas with reasons & examples Develop plot/action Develop characters Develop setting Focused; Ideas stay on topic Picture matches words Pre-writing; Planning 3-parts of BME Title Hook; First liner Ending; Last Liner Transitions Flashback; Foreshadow Organized by time Clumping like-ideas together Sequence; Order of ideas Voice Word Choice Writing to an audience Reader-writer connection Writer s attitude or feelings about the topic Point-of-View Characters with voice Shifting attitudes/voice within a piece Voice with type (NO,!!!, yuck) Specific nouns (right word, right spot) Adjectives (color words, number words, descriptions, 5 senses) Action verbs Adverbs Descriptions; Imagery (show, don t tell) Synonyms (varied word choice); Shades of meaning Complete thoughts; complete sentences Varied sentence beginnings Sentence Fluency Varied sentence types (.!? simple, compound, complex) Figurative language Varying sentence lengths for impact Varied sentence lengths Readability; Sounds good; Easy to read aloud Beginning capitals Proper noun capitals Letter formation Left-to-right Top-to-bottom Word spacing Word Wrapping Conventions Grammar & Mechanics Punctuation (, ;... ) Endmarks..!? Readable spelling Spelling WWW Paragraph indents 2008 Smekens Education Solutions, Inc. 2

3 WEAVING TRAITS WITHIN THE GENRES Narrative: Telling a story that entertains Trait of IDEAS Trait of ORGANIZATION Trait of WORD CHOICE FORMAT OPTIONS Fairy Tale Legend Fable Myth Short Story Fiction Biography Autobiography Personal Narrative Imaginary Narrative Writer selects a topic he is knowledgeable about topic Subject is narrowed to a small & manageable topic Writing starts somewhere and goes somewhere. There is a point; there is a plot. (i.e. 5Ws and H; something happens to someone; wish/want plot structure) Developed characters (i.e. physical description, actions, reactions, moods, gestures, thoughts, motives, attitudes) Effective dialogue (i.e. tighten dialogue vs. dialogarrhea; moves the plot along) Explode key moments freeze time to develop significant parts of the story Setting is developed (i.e. when/ where, place, time, season, location, mood) Pre-writing typically includes a beginning, middle, end approach 3 basic parts: beginning, middle, end Strong first sentence (hook; first liner) Often concludes with a circular ending that ties back to the beginning Title draws in the reader Middle is usually organized chronologically, or as-it-happened (timeline; sequencing) Sometimes the middle utilizes flashbacks and foreshadowing Time order transition words help the story sequence Effective pacing Time in stories is not equal; some parts move faster; some parts are slower and more developed Descriptive language; Five-sensory descriptions Use descriptions that show, and don t just tell to the reader (inferences) Synonyms for said in character dialogue Strong action verbs Effective adverbs Avoid redundant words Avoid confusing pronouns RESOURCES Southpaw, by Judith Viorst, is a short story told completely in an exchange of letters between two characters. Strong character voice and organization (beginning, middle, end). Because of Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo, is a fictional novel that includes vivid descriptions and strong character development. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo, is a novel written as an autobiography (first-person point of view) of a China rabbit. Saturdays and Teacakes, by Lester Laminack, is a picture book that vividly describes a single Saturday spent with his grandmother. Diary of a Worm and Diary of a Spider, by Doreen Cronin, are picture books told in scrapbook format. Arnie the Donut, by Laurie Keller, is a picture book that describes the one-day life of a donut (the making and eating of a donut). Piggie Pie, by Margie Palatini, is a picture book with strong beginning, middle, end (organization) and character voice. Throughout the story, there are references to traditional fairy tales. Mudball, by Matt Taveres, is a picture book detailing the baseball legend of the 12-inch home run Smekens Education Solutions, Inc. 3

4 Narrative: Telling a story that entertains Trait of VOICE Trait of SENTENCE FLUENCY Trait of CONVENTIONS PLANNING NOTES Attitude/Mood is established Attitude/Mood may change throughout the story Character attitude is apparent, without using feeling words. Reader feels an emotional connection to the character(s) Point of view is consistent (first or third person) Sentence beginnings vary (not all new sentences begin with a transitional word/ phrase) Sentence lengths vary (Slinky Test) Some simple sentences; some compound sentences. Sentence lengths vary intentionally (i.e. long sentences for calm portions; short sentences for fast portions.) Punctuating dialogue includes quotation marks, commas, end marks, and paragraph indention for new speakers. Maintain consistent verb tense (past, present, future) Use different punctuation marks to create the mood you want (ellipse for suspense, dash for impact, colons for listing, etc.) Break the story into paragraphs Utilize active voice 2008 Smekens Education Solutions, Inc. 4

5 WEAVING TRAITS WITHIN THE GENRES Expository: Writing that informs Trait of IDEAS Trait of ORGANIZATION Trait of WORD CHOICE FORMAT OPTIONS Five Paragraph Essay Report Research Paper Summary Newspaper Article Scholarship/College Application Essay Clear purpose for writing (thesis statement; statement of purpose) Subject is narrowed to a small & manageable topic Provides facts and information (5W s and H; researched information) Uses elaboration; Ideas are clearly and specifically developed (answering the why questions) Support includes multiple sources (primary sources vs. secondary sources) Sources are deemed credible and reliable (i.e. timely information from encyclopedias; accurate information from websites) Paraphrasing of ideas into the writer s own words (versus plagiarism) Distinguishing fact from opinion Pre-writing typically includes a web approach or outlining Beginning/Introduction that articulates the thesis and purpose for writing Ending/Conclusion that returns to the thesis or purpose for writing, and wraps it up Body/Middle paragraphs are organized or clumped together with topic sentences (main ideas and supporting details) Ideas are arranged in a logical order Using time-order transition words Organize paragraphs by subheads Precise and accurate vocabulary terms used to explain the topic (In the primary, this might include building a word bank of words related to the topic) Vocabulary is explained or defined, as appropriate for the audience RESOURCES Bat Loves the Night, by Nicola Davies, is a picture book that utilizes two different fonts per page to tell two different perspectives of a bat s life. One font reveals bat facts in informational sentences (expository). The second font is a story approach about a bat s life (narrative). The Emperor s Egg, by Martin Jenkins, is a picture book that utilizes two different fonts per page to tell two different perspectives of a Emperor Penguin s journey in laying and hatching an egg. One font reveals penguin facts in informational sentences (expository). The second font is a story approach a penguin s life (narrative). Utilizes effective strategies for collecting information and research (notecards, etc.) Researching ideas; maintaining note cards 2008 Smekens Education Solutions, Inc. 5

6 Expository: Writing that informs Trait of VOICE Trait of SENTENCE FLUENCY Trait of CONVENTIONS PLANNING NOTES Utilizes third person point-of-view (eliminates the first-person I ) Utilizes an attitude of confidence and authority on the topic Sentence beginnings vary (not all new sentences begin with a transitional word/ phrase) Sentence lengths vary (Slinky Test) Using end punctuation with different sentences. Declarative/periods Interrogative/question marks Exclamatory/excl. points. Sentence lengths vary intentionally (i.e. long sentences for thought-provoking ideas; short sentences for hard-hitting facts.) New paragraph indents when subtopics change within the writing. Items listed in a series utilize correct punctuation (commas, semicolons, colons, etc.) Pronoun references remain consistent and agree with the verbs Citation of sources/works Cited page correctly formatted 2008 Smekens Education Solutions, Inc. 6

7 WEAVING TRAITS WITHIN THE GENRES Persuasive: Writing that influences Trait of IDEAS Trait of ORGANIZATION Trait of WORD CHOICE FORMAT OPTIONS Persuasive Essay/ Letter Dear Santa letter Opinion Persuasive Speech Pro/Con Argumentative Paper Editorial Advertisement Writer is knowledgeable about topic Subject is narrowed to a small & manageable topic Position or stance is clearly articulated (purpose for writing) Multiple reasons included Each reason is clearly explained and supported with relevant examples and evidence (facts, statistics, examples, reasons, etc.) Introduction/Beginning states the purpose Body paragraphs are organized in an intentional order Writing crescendos to a clincher statement Concludes in a way that prompts readers to change their thinking or to take a certain course of action Reasons, examples and scenarios recalled are all written with precise wordchoice accuracy Action verbs are utilized for powerful impact Words are chosen carefully to convey the tone, the right shade of meaning to the audience (effective vs. whiny) RESOURCES Southpaw, by Judith Viorst, is a short story told completely in an exchange of letters between two characters. The voice of the two characters (Janet and Richard) shifts dramatically throughout the letter exchange, and includes persuasive moments. Stays completely on topic; Doesn t wander off into other related ideas. Addresses the question What action do you want the reader to take? Acknowledges the opposition s point of view Refute the opposition s point of view 2008 Smekens Education Solutions, Inc. 7

8 Persuasive: Writing that influences Trait of VOICE Trait of SENTENCE FLUENCY Trait of CONVENTIONS PLANNING NOTES Writer s attitude/tone about the topic is clearly established (i.e. anger, sarcasm, convincing, requesting, etc.) Writer utilizes persuasive, influential, manipulative, confident language (eliminates all whining, begging, pleading, blackmailing voices) Most powerful ideas and points are written in short, stand-alone sentences. Words, phrases, or sentences may intentionally repeat for impact. Exclamation points used effectively for impact (not over used) Strong sense of audience; Reader feels an emotional connection to the writer 2008 Smekens Education Solutions, Inc. 8

9 WEAVING TRAITS WITHIN THE GENRES Poetry: Writing with imagery Trait of IDEAS Trait of ORGANIZATION Trait of WORD CHOICE FORMAT OPTIONS Haiku Acrostic Lyric Rhyme Schme Free Verse Blank Verse There is a story, point, message, purpose or main idea to the poem. Topics written about are often small, everyday topics. Explain the particular poem s structure or format (Haiku, acrostic, etc.) End with your strongest line Descriptive language (Show, don t tell; Five-sensory descriptions) Figurative language (similes, metaphors, alliteration, onomatopoeia) Exact language. Precise and concise word choice. Rhyming words, if there are any, make sense. Avoid cliches RESOURCES Love That Dog, by Sharon Creech, can be read aloud to students in a few short days. It is a series of journal entries from a male student about studying poetry in school. It is told completely in poems. Hoop Kings and Hoop Queens by Charles Smith, Jr., is a set of poems about current NBA and WNBA stars. The word choice is dynamic within each poem. The Blood Hungry Spleen, by Allan Wolf, is a book of poems about human body parts (bones, lungs, kidneys, skin, teeth, etc.) Each body part has it s own poem. Word choice includes correct anatomy terms. A Writing Kind of Day: Poems for a Young Poet, by Ralph Fletcher, is a skinny book of poems about being a studentwriter Smekens Education Solutions, Inc. 9

10 Poetry: Writing with imagery Trait of VOICE Trait of SENTENCE FLUENCY Trait of CONVENTIONS PLANNING NOTES Attitude/Mood is established Figurative language (similes, metaphors, alliteration, onomatopoeia, parallelism) help the smooth reading of the poem. The sound of the poem should match the ideas the poet is trying to convey. Ideas are conveyed, but often not in formal sentences. Varied and intentional punctuation marks and convention styles for effect (ellipse, commas, dashes, parentheses, bold, italic, all caps, etc.) Fundamentals of rhythm, rhyme scheme, beat. Using repetition for impact Writing with intentional fragments (not complete sentences) Deciding where to break a line 2008 Smekens Education Solutions, Inc. 10

11 Multiple Exposures: Spiral through significant genres Narrative: Mystery Historical Fiction Realistic Fiction Science Fiction Biography Memoir Fable Fairy Tale Tall Tale Imaginary Narrative Expository: Report Summary Research Paper Application Essay Compare Contrast Newspaper Article Book Report Literature Response Friendly Letter Business Letter Persuasive: Opinion Pro/Con Persuasive Letter Persuasive Essay Argumentative Paper Editorial Advertisement Poetry: Acrostic Cinquain Haiku Concrete Ballad Limerick Free Verse Found Poem 2008 Smekens Education Solutions, Inc. 11

12 Multiple Exposures: Identify target writing skills ROUND 1 ROUND 2 ROUND Smekens Education Solutions, Inc. 12

Personal Narrative STUDENT SELF-ASSESSMENT. Ideas YES NO Do I write about a real event in my life? Do I tell the events in time order?

Personal Narrative STUDENT SELF-ASSESSMENT. Ideas YES NO Do I write about a real event in my life? Do I tell the events in time order? 1 Personal Narrative Do I write about a real event in my life? Do I tell the events in time order? Does the narrative have a beginning? Does the narrative have a middle? Does the narrative have an ending?