Some Ideas for Introducing 6 -Traits Writing
Rubrics:
Before using the BSSD rubrics to score sample papers with students, have students make their
own rubrics and score with them.
1. Great Cookie Rubric
 Have teams make a rubric for “What makes a great cookie?” Determine categories and
descriptions for levels. Modify- “What makes a good sandwich?” etc.
 Either make cookies (you can add too much salt or baking soda to give them a good-looking
but not good tasting example…), have students make or bring different cookies to test, or buy
some different cookies.
 Teams should score the cookies then come together for class consensus.
2. Have the whole class make a rubric for “What makes a great basketball uniform?” or “What
makes a great _______(chair, student desk, anything)?” Then they can draw or make models
and the class can score using the rubrics.
3. Use anonymous sample papers to score with students. First do whole group scoring to model
the process. Then have students score in teams and come back together to share scores and
look for consensus. The web sites below have sample papers and I have plenty.
C.R.A.F.T.S. Writing PromptsContext; Role; Audience; Format; Topic; Strong Words
These are great to use to highlight a trait, work on different types of writing or incorporate
writing across the curriculum. Students can create their own C.R.A.F.T.S. prompts and respond
or share with other students.
EX: Simulated First Aid Activity followed by writing prompt:
Context: You receive first aid care from a classmate after a simulated accident or medical
emergency.
Role: Victim
Audience: Care-giver or rescue squad
Format: Letter
Topic: Quality of care received
Strong Verbs: inform; evaluate
Graphic OrganizersExcellent for developing Ideas and Organization -check Wiki or the Internet sites below for
many sample organizers.
Trait Posters: Have student groups design their own posters for each trait using wordle.net ,cartoons
or other creative means. Share /post their work and refer to it.
TRAITS:
1. IDEAS
Headline: Have students think of a memorable or exciting outdoor adventure and journal
a quick summary with some sort of graphic representation. Next they come up with a
headline for their adventure. They share their headlines (not the summary) with the class
and students provide peer feedback- Catchy headline? Want to know more? Boring? Etc.
Print out headlines to hang up around the class as visual reminders.
Lifemap: Have students make a timeline-type map of their lives. They use graphics
(symbols or little sketches) to represent events. They can keep this in a journal and pull it
out when they need a writing idea. Partners might ask them to write about a particular
event or symbol- or you might use them to help prompt an idea.
Lifemaps can be used for characters in books (Book Club ideas for SFA) or movies,
famous people, historical figures etc. to promote writing across the curriculum…. You
can use these for Organization trait also.
Find The Potato: Give each student a potato with a number sticker on it. (Modify with
another object like a rock.) Have them write a detailed description without mentioning
the number. Have the class try to match the potato to the description. Works on details!
2. ORGANIZATION
Books: Look at many types of books (using elementary level books lets you do this
quickly and visually) – picture books, mystery books, manuals, cooking books, reference
books, stories etc. and discuss how they are organized. You can do this as team activity
with students sharing their book with the class.
Great Beginnings and Endings: Handout enclosed with samples to discuss. Students can
search books to find great beginnings, supporting detail paragraphs, endings etc.
Cut-And-Paste: Cut apart papers, stories etc. and reorganize.
The Important Book: Have your class decide on a topic for The Important Book. Each
student can write an entry for the book- The Important Thing About Hunting- different
sections for different animals maybe. The Important Thing About Seasons – different
students write about different seasons. The Important Thing About ________ (Your
Village)… The important thing (ha!) is that students organize the book about the main
topic and provide entries.
Graphic organizers: All sorts on the web sites below… Sandwich or hamburger organizer
is a fun way to start.
3. VOICE
Gross Stuff: http://yucky.discovery.com or http://www.grossology.org/ Just
show this for the class and there’s plenty of voice to share as examples.
Headline: Same as for Ideas trait but you can use it for Voice too.
Voice Search: Have students find samples of great voice in any type of writingmagazines, picture books, or even just pictures (Bart Simpson or an athlete doing
an amazing feat)… Share, discuss and make posters of Voice to post around the
room. (Posters can be good visuals for ideas…).
Movie Clip: Find and show part of a movie where the dialogue and
cinematography show Voice. Discuss how movies can use sound, lighting etc. to
set the mood and create voice, then relate to how writers must develop these things
through their words.
Cartoons: Have students create cartoons with dialogue and work on Voice to really
show the personality of the characters.
4. SENTENCE FLUENCY
Slinky: Use a slinky , yarn or strings or a large rubber band and model sentence
lengths- stretch a little for short sentences and a lot for longer sentences. Have
students make sure there is a mix of lengths.
Highlighter: Self or peer edit samples and highlight words used too often or
sentences beginning the same way each time. Some of the sample papers to score
with rubrics would be good to model this.
Cut-And Paste: Same as with organization but apply to sentences. Cut out,
combine, etc.
Record speaking: Record younger students telling a story about the first time they
had a sleepover or similar prompt, then replay and listen for sentence fluency
compared to when writing. Let them know writing is our way of speaking on
paper.
Venn Diagram: Compare two paragraphs about the same subject (good and bad)
then chart similarities and differences
5. WORD CHOICE
Games or Activities: Go out and play a sport or fish or make and fly kites or paper
airplanes… I did this with a rock pinnacle contest. The key is to go out and do.
Come back and brainstorm lists of words to describe the activity. Pull in the
senses- what did you feel, see, smell, hear….? Make a poster or word-wall with
pictures and words. Use wordle.net to make a cool word poster. Use comics and
call-outs to print up dialogue with exciting or passionate words.
SHOW, DON’T TELL
This can be adapted for Voice and Ideas also.
Let’s Eat!: Share some sort of strong food- cheese, lemon, delicious baked goods
etc. Make a list of descriptive words about the food. Describe, describe,
describe…
Headline: Same as for Ideas trait but you can use it for voice too.
Highlight: Look at words used in sample papers and highlight great words.
6. CONVENTIONS
Playdoh Revision Activity: A copy is with the packet -makes revision tangible.
You can modify if you can’t get playdoh -have them make wood or stick models,
pebble/rock sculptures, paper creations etc.
I’d use this activity in conjunction with Sentence Fluency, Word Choice and
Conventions- they all work together…
Sample Papers: Model revision with students. Have them revise and improve
samples.
6 –Traits Web Resources
www.wordle.net - makes mixed-up word posters
www.writingfix.com - has an interactive plot creator for writing prompts and many great lessons
http://www.thetraits.org/index.php - NWREL Scoring - papers and rubrics
http://www.nwrel.org/assessment/lessonplans.php?odelay=0&d=1&search=1&grade=5&trait=0
NWREL Trait lesson plans
http://www.edina.k12.mn.us/concord/teacherlinks/sixtraits/sixtraits.html - great posters, graphic
organizers and elementary ideas
http://www.geocities.com/oberry1790/narrativebibliography.htm -bibliography of picture books to teach
6 Trait writing
http://www.olympus.net/personal/skoehler/6trait/ - k-8 6-trait lessons for each trait used in Sequim
School District
http://www.cyberspaces.net/6traits/index.html - lessons shared by primary teachers
http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer - plenty of graphic organizers
http://www.graphic.org/ -assortment of graphic organizers
Have fun writing!
Susette Carroll
BSSD 6-Traits Integrated Writing Facilitator
scarroll@bssd.org
Skype susettecarroll
(907) 624-4223
Rev. Spring 09