Ginny, I am presently reading Ruth Culham 6+1 Traits for Writing- The Complete Guide for the Primary Grades. I teach first grade and I am pretty new to 6 traits.I am really enjoying the book. My question is, which one of these books should I get? I am looking for the one that has the most ideas for first grade. Wee Can Write
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or Using Picture Books to Teach Writing with the Traits by Culham
It would be great if everyone would share the title of one book and how they use it. I will begin:
Voices in the Park by ______ Brown I read this book aloud to the students in different voices to help them understand. We discuss how if I say a sentence such as: "Don't do that!" it is taken differently than if a child says it. I write a statement on the board. Students take on the roles of adult, teacher, principal, bus driver, child, etc saying the statement and the students discuss how they interpret from the different voices.
This book, if you're not familiar with it, is about a boy who dreams about the future and it's not what he expects. He expects robots, machines to make his meals, etc. Instead, the future in his dreams is a sad one created by man's mis-use of the environment. The pictures are great and I love the ending.
I start the lesson by having the kids brainstorm about the future....what will they be doing 50 years from now, where will they work, what new inventions will exist.....etc. I then read the book aloud and we discuss each double page illustration (is this realistic? Could this really happen?) We do a lot of predicting during the reading of the book.
When done, the kids return to their brainstorming sheet and make any necessary changes (some don't change anything). We talk about diary writing (why do people write diaries, what do they write, who is the audience....) and then I show a diary entry I have written for the year 2050. We underline all of the indicators that it's the future and not 2006. Students are then asked to write a diary entry of their own, using the writing process. I've done this lesson with students in grades 4 to 7.
There are 48 picture book titles at this site, all with ideas how to use them to teach writing:
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Some of the titles listed there are the titles you ladies mentioned.
Janet
On 7/01/06, Phyllis wrote: > It would be great if everyone would share the title of one > book and how they use it. I will begin: > > Voices in the Park by ______ Brown > I read this book aloud to the students in different voices > to help them understand. We discuss how if I say a sentence > such as: "Don't do that!" it is taken differently than if a > child says it. I write a statement on the board. Students > take on the roles of adult, teacher, principal, bus driver, > child, etc saying the statement and the students discuss > how they interpret from the different voices.
I will be teaching 5th grade writing this year after teaching 1st grade for 4 years. I am attending a 6 traits workshop next week at my regional education centers, but other than that I am at a loss on what i should be doing to prepare. Any suggestions? Sally
Here are some things I did this year that you won't find in the 6 Traits course. They would be easy to prep over the summer.
1. I created a sample autobiography and my kids began creating theirs on the second day of school. It contained 6 pages - Introduction, Favorite hobby, Family, Favorite sport or activity, Pets, and a Choice page. (Gave them the choice of what they wanted to write about, not whether or not to do the page!) We put them into a book format and illustrated them. They laid on the student's desks for parent orientation night. The kids put much more effort into their books once they saw mine. The year I went without the sample, I didn't get great quality.
2. Find neat pictures in magazines. Paste them on construction paper and laminate when you get back to school. This is for an "idea" activity. Give each group or student a picture and they have to come up with what happened before and after the picture then write about it. Helps generate a story line.
3. Cut out little pictures from mags and post on construction paper. (I made multiple copies on my printer at home so each group would have the same set of pictures.) Put maybe 5 or 6 pictures in a baggie. Give each group of students a baggie and they put the pictures in whatever sequence they feel is appropriate. Then they write a story using the sequence they created.
4. Search the web for writing prompts. ([link removed])
5. Search the web for picture books that teach the traits. (I've included a link below.)
This is really just scratching the surface. There is also a book by Scholastic (or thru Amazon) called 6+1 Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide. It has a lot of neat activities in it. I would try checking it out at the library rather than purchasing it and just use what you like from it. (Amazon also offers used copies.)
Hope this helps you get started! Teaching writing can really be fun especially if you integrate it with the rest of the curriculum. That helps kids write more "knowledgable" papers. Good luck!
Craft Lessons: Teaching Writing K-8 by Ralph Fletcher and Joann Portalupi
Is this the book you are referring to? I, also, am teaching second grade. I have been to two worksop provided by my district, but with little satisfaction. I have attended another workshop, which my principal paid to send all 3 second grade teachers, but I find myself repeating over and over the same ideas, without taking things further.
The lesson you shared is great. My question is will I find enough in this book for second grade? I have purchased many professional books that I have NEVER really read or studied. I just keeping buying. Is this going to be a book that I will use or just buy and never really study?
(I know you don't really know me, but what I am asking is this: As a second grade teacher are there lessons in this book that can lead me through better writing experiences for my students?)
On 7/17/06, Terry wrote: > Alta, > There is a lesson I use from "Craft Lessons", it is called > Focusing on a Slice of Pie. Here is the gist of it: > > 1. Draw a large pizza on a chart. > 2. Talk to them about big topics we write about: My Life, School, > My Summer Vacation > 3. Tell them how those topics are too big to focus on...too many > things to it...too many relatives, etc. So explain how you are > only going to focus on a slice of the pie. > 3. Then get them to ask questions...for instance if you chose my > summer break...what was my favorite day this summer. > 4. Draw a slice in the circle. > 5. Tell them you are starting to narrow down, but in that one day > I still a big topic. So narrow it again... > 6. Have them narrow it until it is focused. > 7. Then tell them, when writing they need to ask, am I trying to > eat the whole pizza? See if you can focus on a slice of the pie. > > I have used other graphics like steps to, just getting closer and > closer to the focus. Circle within a circle until it is narrowed. > Summer break is good to use...or the big topic of animals, both > are good and easy models to narrow the focus. > Terry
Kathy, I loop 2nd to 3rd and I find this book very useful. It is easy to follow craft lessons and ties them to literature. Very easy reading! Terry
On 7/24/06, KathyB2ndia (formerly KathyB1stia) wrote: > Terry > > Craft Lessons: Teaching Writing K-8 by Ralph Fletcher and Joann > Portalupi > > Is this the book you are referring to? I, also, am teaching > second grade. I have been to two worksop provided by my district, > but with little satisfaction. I have attended another workshop, > which my principal paid to send all 3 second grade teachers, but I > find myself repeating over and over the same ideas, without taking > things further. > > The lesson you shared is great. My question is will I find enough > in this book for second grade? I have purchased many professional > books that I have NEVER really read or studied. I just keeping > buying. Is this going to be a book that I will use or just buy > and never really study? > > (I know you don't really know me, but what I am asking is this: > As a second grade teacher are there lessons in this book that can > lead me through better writing experiences for my students?) > > > > On 7/17/06, Terry wrote: >> Alta, >> There is a lesson I use from "Craft Lessons", it is called >> Focusing on a Slice of Pie. Here is the gist of it: >> >> 1. Draw a large pizza on a chart. >> 2. Talk to them about big topics we write about: My Life, > School, >> My Summer Vacation >> 3. Tell them how those topics are too big to focus on...too many >> things to it...too many relatives, etc. So explain how you are >> only going to focus on a slice of the pie. >> 3. Then get them to ask questions...for instance if you chose my >> summer break...what was my favorite day this summer. >> 4. Draw a slice in the circle. >> 5. Tell them you are starting to narrow down, but in that one > day >> I still a big topic. So narrow it again... >> 6. Have them narrow it until it is focused. >> 7. Then tell them, when writing they need to ask, am I trying to >> eat the whole pizza? See if you can focus on a slice of the pie. >> >> I have used other graphics like steps to, just getting closer > and >> closer to the focus. Circle within a circle until it is > narrowed. >> Summer break is good to use...or the big topic of animals, both >> are good and easy models to narrow the focus. >> Terry
Hi! I am moving to grade 4 after doing Kindergarten for the last 10 years. I have been doing some professional reading eg. first steps writing and strategies that work. My school encourages us to use first steps..I was just wondering if the two programs are compatable. I really don't know much about 6 traits. There seems to be many books using 6 traits in their title. Please suggest where a newbie should start. Thanks a million!!!
First Steps and Six Traits are not incompatible - both are based on good practice in process writing instruction, both apply principles of assessment to guide instruction, and both emphasize that you have to "teach" writing, not just "assign" it. Also, both are "resources" not "programs."
In my experience, First Steps instruction provides a very good foundation in different text forms, and Six Traits helps students craft their writing.
One professional book that combines aspects of both is The Write Genre by Rog and Kropp. I'm guessing you're in Canada, so the publisher is Pembroke ([link removed].
On 7/07/06, christine wrote: > Hi! I am moving to grade 4 after doing Kindergarten for > the last 10 years. I have been doing some professional > reading eg. first steps writing and strategies that work. > My school encourages us to use first steps..I was just > wondering if the two programs are compatable. I really > don't know much about 6 traits. There seems to be many > books using 6 traits in their title. Please suggest where > a newbie should start. Thanks a million!!!
Terry and RD, You both make really good points. I was feeling hesitant to say that "showing not telling" can belong to two traits because I think it's very important to avoid "double jeopardy" in scoring... from Spandel's Creating Writers: "Traits are distinct enough from one another that we do not wind up scoring the same thing twice.... we would be just duplicating efforts (and assessing unfairly)." (p23) This point is close to my heart because, although I haven't been using 6+1T for assessment (will start next year), the analytical scoring we used in the past emphasized this VERY heavily... that taking points off from two areas for the SAME weakness is unfair. This seems to be a strength of Six Traits, too. But now that I read your responses, I think that aspects of writing CAN be part of two traits without unfair scoring. If the ideas are there but just "told" with poor word choice that doesn't "show", that lowers the Word Choice score; if the "telling" rather than "showing" detracts from the ideas themselves, that lowers the Ideas score. Now that I think about this, which trait is affected is usually fairly clear in a given piece of writing.
On 7/18/06, RD wrote: > justann and Terry, > > You really got me thinking about this. I think Terry makes a good > point and although I do think it's possible to tell but not use the > best word choice for doing it, that would still be telling. I would > score high for showing and then, when I assessed for word choice, I'd > score the piece lower. > > The 6 traits are so interwoven that it is really difficult sometimes to > separate them. Word choice is pervasive; it affects everything. How > can you separate an idea from the words that covey that idea? > > On 7/18/06, Terry wrote: >> JustAnn, >> Do you think one could show and not tell, but not use the best word >> choice for doing it? Also, could someone use some great word choices, >> but still not give me a clear picture? To me, the second would be >> harder to do, what do you think? >> Terry
Interesting responses which got me to think! Thanks! I am reading Culham's primary book, so I probably shouldn't have had to ask this question. LOL. Last year was my first year with the traits, and I really focused on my "Show, Don't tell" technique with Word Choice. I think, though, it would be OK to introduce it during my "Ideas" instruction and then come back and really focus on it later. Speaking about assessment, I found that last year I didn't assess more than one trait at a time. I used the rubrics in Culham's book. Alta
On 7/18/06, just ann wrote: > > Terry and RD, > You both make really good points. I was feeling hesitant to say > that "showing not telling" can belong to two traits because I think it's > very important to avoid "double jeopardy" in scoring... from Spandel's > Creating Writers: "Traits are distinct enough from one another that we > do not wind up scoring the same thing twice.... we would be just > duplicating efforts (and assessing unfairly)." (p23) This point is > close to my heart because, although I haven't been using 6+1T for > assessment (will start next year), the analytical scoring we used in the > past emphasized this VERY heavily... that taking points off from two > areas for the SAME weakness is unfair. This seems to be a strength of > Six Traits, too. > But now that I read your responses, I think that aspects of writing CAN > be part of two traits without unfair scoring. If the ideas are there but > just "told" with poor word choice that doesn't "show", that lowers the > Word Choice score; if the "telling" rather than "showing" detracts from > the ideas themselves, that lowers the Ideas score. Now that I think > about this, which trait is affected is usually fairly clear in a given > piece of writing. > > > On 7/18/06, RD wrote: >> justann and Terry, >> >> You really got me thinking about this. I think Terry makes a good >> point and although I do think it's possible to tell but not use the >> best word choice for doing it, that would still be telling. I would >> score high for showing and then, when I assessed for word choice, I'd >> score the piece lower. >> >> The 6 traits are so interwoven that it is really difficult sometimes > to >> separate them. Word choice is pervasive; it affects everything. How >> can you separate an idea from the words that covey that idea? >> >> On 7/18/06, Terry wrote: >>> JustAnn, >>> Do you think one could show and not tell, but not use the best word >>> choice for doing it? Also, could someone use some great word choices, >>> but still not give me a clear picture? To me, the second would be >>> harder to do, what do you think? >>> Terry
I'm looking for classroom posters for 6 Traits (or 6 + 1) that would be appropriate for an upper middle school or high school classroom. The ones I've seen seem to be aimed more at elementary level. Any suggestions?
On 7/12/06, try your state education dept wrote: > On 7/11/06, just ann wrote: >> I'm looking for classroom posters for 6 Traits (or 6 + 1) >> that would be appropriate for an upper middle school or >> high school classroom. The ones I've seen seem to be >> aimed more at elementary level. Any suggestions? > > you may see if your state dept. of education has any or your > district office
there is a website that has many things for 6 traits. I saw a poster that had the 6 traits on it and it was labled for middle school. Site [link removed]?
Just a Dream, by Chris Van Allsburg
This book, if you're not familiar with it, is about a boy who
dreams about the future and it's not what he expects. He
expects robots, machines to make his meals, etc. Instead, the
future in his dreams is a sad one created by man's mis-use of
the environment. The ...See More