Using Literature to Teach the
Traits
Indian River County Schools
Sebastian Elementary
Katy Bartolini
(772)978-8231
katy.bartolini@indianriverschools.org
Introduction
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Using the 6 Traits of Writing and
incorporating literature to model the
traits.
These skills and strategies are used daily
to reinforce writing skills.
Using technology to enhance the writing
curriculum.
Agenda
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Teaching the traits of writing literature
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Ideas
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Organization
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Voice
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Word Choice
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Sentence Fluency
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Conventions
Writer’s Workshop includes 4 main components
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Modeled Writing
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Independent Writing
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Conferencing
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Sharing
Teaching technology through writing projects.
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Publishing Station
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Writing Station
Overview
Writers will become Readers
and Readers will become Writers
Read
Draw
Model
Think
Pair
Share
Edit
Write
Words
Vocabulary
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Ideas – attention to detail, tells the whole story.
Organization – pictures and text go together,
the piece has a beginning, middle, and end
Voice – writer’s passion for the topic
Word Choice – builds a picture for the reader
Sentence Fluency – sentences vary in structure
and length.
Conventions – Capitalization, punctuation,
grammar
Writing Activity
Book - Where the Wild Things Are
by: Maurice Sendak
 discuss traits that compliment the
book
 use materials on the table to create
your own “Wild Thing”.
 write a story describing your
adventures if you were a “Wild
Thing.”
Literature to Teach the Traits
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Ideas
• If Dogs were Dinosaurs by David M.
Schwartz
• Out of the Ocean by Debra Frasier
• Owen by Kevin Henkes
Organization
• I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman
Orloff
• Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas! By Dr.
Seuss
Literature to Teach the Traits
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Voice
• The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant
• The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle
• When Sophie Gets Angry-Really,
Really Angry by Molly Bang
Word Choice
• Fancy Nancy by Jane O’Connor
• Piggie Pie by Margie Palatini
• The Jacket I Wear in the Snow by
Nancy Winslow Parker
Literature to Teach the Traits
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Sentence Fluency
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The Important Book by Margaret
Wise Brown
Millions of Cats by Wanda Gag
Hey, Al by Yorinks
Conventions
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Duck on a Bike by David Shannon
Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle
Alexander & the Terrible Horrible, No
Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
Make and Take Activity 1
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April Shower’s Mobile – Publishing Station
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Trace and cut out a white cloud.
Trace and cut out nine blue raindrops.
Trace and cut out three red flowers.
Trace and cut out three green stems.
Glue three white strips to the cloud.
Glue the raindrops to the strips.
Glue a flower and stem to the bottom of each strip.
April Poem – Computer Station
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Type the poem you found about the month of April.
Glue it onto your April Mobile.
Make and Take Activity 2
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Butterfly Mobile – Publishing Station
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Use the templates to cut out the butterfly shapes from blue,
yellow, and pink paper. Also cut 2 each of the large and small
circles from each color.
Lay out the 3 butterflies and position the spots so there are
contrasting colors on each one as shown.
Punch 2 holes in each butterfly as marked on the templates.
Thread the yarn through the butterflies.
Butterfly Poem – Computer Station
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Write your Haiku Poem
Attach your poem to one of your butterflies on your
mobile.
Make and Take Activity 3
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Ladybug Activity – Publishing Station
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Trace and cut out 3 body parts, 6 legs and 2
antenaes.
Glue the body parts together and attach the
writing paper.
Go to Mrs. Bartolini and she will attach the
wings.
Write about a time
Make and Take Activity 4
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Short Vowel Sounds Sort – Textbook Station
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Take out a piece of paper. Fold it like a hot dog.
Label each side with e and o.
Cut out the pictures.
Say the picture out loud and see if you can hear
the short e or short o sound.
Glue the picture on the correct side of your
paper.
Color the pictures.
Summary
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Model the skills you wish to teach the children
once a week during Writing Workshop.
The other days of the week, teach a mini-lesson
using the traits before individual writing time.
The children NEED to write daily in a journal.
They need to have a conference with the
teacher 2-3 times a week.
Provide the tools necessary to help their writing
grow.
Build the children’s writing skills at their own
pace.
Writing is successful when you start the children
at their own individual level and build on their
skills from there.
Where to Get More Information
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Resource Books
Wee can Write by Northwest Regional Educational
Laboratory
Using Picture Books to Teach Writing With the Traits
by Ruth Culham & Raymond Coutu
Seeing with New Eyes by Northwest Regional
Educational laboratory
picture books by Northwest Regional Educational
Laboratory
Just Write: All Year Long Kindergarten by Kathryn
Robinson
Never Too Early To Write by Bea Johnson
Teaching the Youngest Writers by Marcia S. Freeman