Writing Workshop AND 6 Traits together

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6 Traits Chatboard

Writing Workshop AND 6 Traits together

by Stacy

Jun 26, 2008

Hi experts! I'm a newbie at six traits but really want to incorporate them into my writing workshop mini-lessons. I plan to buy the book, Creating Young Writers soon!

I'm working on mapping out year in writing workshop with mini-lessons to focus on the traits. I would attach it, but I'm not sure how to. This is how I have it worked out...

When I'm teaching prewriting, I will focus on teaching the trait of **ideas**. When teaching drafting, I will teach **organization and sentence fluency**, revising will focus on organziation, word choice, sentence fluency, and editing/convention, etc. Voice will be taught later on as I think this will be difficult for my second graders.

Does this make sense to you? I'm not sure. I plan to use the **language of the traits all year long** and not just during the study. I have about 2-3 weeks set aside to study each process & trait in depth.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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Kathy On 6/27/08, cjf wrote: > On 6/26/08, Stacy wrote: >> Hi experts! I'm a newbie at six traits but really want to >> incorporate them into my writing workshop mini-lessons. I >> plan to buy the book, Creating Young Writers soon! >> > > I think you are right on, Stacy. I am a 6 Traits trainer and > I present the 6 tr...See More

Jul 11, 2008

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cjf On 7/11/08, Kathy wrote: > Do you have any suggestions for poetry to read in the 3rd > grade?

A few EXCELLENT books that will be helpful in planning your study of poetry. "Awakening the Heart: Exploring Poetry in the Elem. and Middle School" Georgia Heard (The ideas will work K-8 and can be used for the entire year) "Conversations w...See MoreOn 7/11/08, Kathy wrote: > Do you have any suggestions for poetry to read in the 3rd > grade?

A few EXCELLENT books that will be helpful in planning your study of poetry. "Awakening the Heart: Exploring Poetry in the Elem. and Middle School" Georgia Heard (The ideas will work K-8 and can be used for the entire year) "Conversations with a Poet: Inviting Poetry into K-12 Classroom" Betsy Franco "Kids' Poems: Teaching 3rd and 4th Graders to Love Writing Poetry" Regie Routman (She has also written books for K, 1, and 2. This is a great resource because she has the mini-lesson and samples of students' work). "Poetry Matters: Writing a Poem from the Inside Out" Ralph Fletcher

I use only free verse for my writing instruction because students struggle finding that rhyming word and ruin many a good poems with a ridiculous word that rhymes. I do have rhyming poetry books in my classroom library for students to read, but I don't use them for my writing workshop mini-lessons.

Some of my favorite poets for free verse are: Ralph Fletcher, Paul Fleischman (poetry for 2 or more voices, students love writing this poetry after reading his poems), Donald Graves, **Kristine O'Connell George , Georgia Heard, Langston Hughes,Walter Dean Myers, Naomi Shihab Nye, Jack Prelutsky (If Not For the Cat), Marilyn Singer, Mattie J.T. Stepanek, **James Stevenson, Janet S. Wong, **Valerie Worth, Jane Yolen,

These are just a few of my absolute favorites**.

I spend the first 2-3 weeks of school setting up my writer's workshop and launching their notebooks. I share a lot of literature and get them jotting down thoughts, ideas, and drafts. Then I spend about 6 weeks with reading, discussing and writing poetry. When we move into writing memoirs they have pages filled in their notebooks to draw from and they believe they are writers=). You are probably wondering where the 6 traits come in. I train my students to read like writers, so we always use literature we've read to explore the author's craft and that's when the 6 traits language comes in. During my mini-lesson using one of Valerie Worth's poems we might examine the organization (use of line breaks and white space). Students then practice that craft with one of their own poems. I present 2-day workshops on poetry/6 traits connection, so it's hard to describe it here. I hope this helps you get a start. You really can't go wrong if you are using the lang. of 6 traits and letting your kids write everyday.

Jul 12, 2008

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Kathy I've checked into a couple of your resources and have ordered some, thanks so much for sharing. On 7/12/08, cjf wrote: > On 7/11/08, Kathy wrote: >> Do you have any suggestions for poetry to read in the 3rd >> grade? > > A few EXCELLENT books that will be helpful in planning your study > of poetry. > "Awakening the Heart:...See MoreI've checked into a couple of your resources and have ordered some, thanks so much for sharing. On 7/12/08, cjf wrote: > On 7/11/08, Kathy wrote: >> Do you have any suggestions for poetry to read in the 3rd >> grade? > > A few EXCELLENT books that will be helpful in planning your study > of poetry. > "Awakening the Heart: Exploring Poetry in the Elem. and Middle > School" Georgia Heard (The ideas will work K-8 and can be used for > the entire year) > "Conversations with a Poet: Inviting Poetry into K-12 Classroom" > Betsy Franco > "Kids' Poems: Teaching 3rd and 4th Graders to Love Writing Poetry" > Regie Routman (She has also written books for K, 1, and 2. This is > a great resource because she has the mini-lesson and samples of > students' work). > "Poetry Matters: Writing a Poem from the Inside Out" Ralph Fletcher > > I use only free verse for my writing instruction because students > struggle finding that rhyming word and ruin many a good poems with > a ridiculous word that rhymes. I do have rhyming poetry books in my > classroom library for students to read, but I don't use them for my > writing workshop mini-lessons. > > Some of my favorite poets for free verse are: > Ralph Fletcher, Paul Fleischman (poetry for 2 or more voices, > students love writing this poetry after reading his poems), Donald > Graves, **Kristine O'Connell George , Georgia Heard, Langston > Hughes,Walter Dean Myers, Naomi Shihab Nye, Jack Prelutsky (If Not > For the Cat), Marilyn Singer, Mattie J.T. Stepanek, **James > Stevenson, Janet S. Wong, **Valerie Worth, Jane Yolen, > > These are just a few of my absolute favorites**. > > I spend the first 2-3 weeks of school setting up my writer's > workshop and launching their notebooks. I share a lot of literature > and get them jotting down thoughts, ideas, and drafts. Then I spend > about 6 weeks with reading, discussing and writing poetry. When we > move into writing memoirs they have pages filled in their notebooks > to draw from and they believe they are writers=). > You are probably wondering where the 6 traits come in. I train my > students to read like writers, so we always use literature we've > read to explore the author's craft and that's when the 6 traits > language comes in. During my mini-lesson using one of Valerie > Worth's poems we might examine the organization (use of line breaks > and white space). Students then practice that craft with one of > their own poems. > I present 2-day workshops on poetry/6 traits connection, so it's > hard to describe it here. I hope this helps you get a start. You > really can't go wrong if you are using the lang. of 6 traits and > letting your kids write everyday.

Jul 23, 2008

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Sheila I'd love some very specific mini lessons to start my year (including read aloud suggestions:)) as I'm brand new to both 6th grade and workshop approach but start both on Tuesday with 6, 7 and 8th. Read alouds and the launch itself are my area of need in terms of ideas for effectively beginning. Help??!!

Thanks for any suggestions! Sheila ...See More

Aug 28, 2008

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Justin On 7/01/08, ms.p-w wrote: > I add to it as I find new craft, but here is the rough list... > > Content - specific details, sensory details, elaboration > Organization - opening grabbers, ending zinger > Voice - simile and metaphor, alliteration, personification, > onomatopoeia, hyperbole, idioms > Word Choice - vivid verbs, str...See More

Jun 17, 2011

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