6 + 1 Traits of Writing

8th Grade Writing

What is it anyway?

�Common vocabulary to describe our vision of what good writing looks what good writing looks like

IDEASORGANIZATION

VOICE

SENTENCE

FLUENCY

WORD

CHOICE

CONVENTIONS

Trait 1: IdeasTrait 1: Ideas

Trait #1: IDEAS

� Ideas make up the content of the piece of writing – the heart of the messagethe message

� In other words, it is the topic and details

Trait #1: IDEAS

Elaborating on the idea – Make it your own!

(development)

Discovering the best information to convey the idea (details)

Selecting an idea (topic)

Narrowing the idea (focus)

(development)

Helping you narrow your topic and develop

your idea…

Use R.A.F.T.S.

� R – Role (What is your role as a writer?)

� A – Audience (Who is this piece of writing for? Make sure that you’re thinking about content and style with this part!)

� F – Format (Is it a letter? Story? Essay?)

� T –Topic (What is the subject supposed to be? What do you need to focus in on?)

� S – Strong Verb (What is the writing purpose – to persuade, analyze, create, predict etc.)

Let’s try it!

� Role: A recently enlightened teenager

� Audience: Younger kids who don’t yet know the truth

Format: Memo

Date: 29 August 2014

Grown Up Rule: Mow the Lawn

“Official Reason”: To make our yard look nice and teach you character

The Truth: True, mowing the lawn may � Format: Memo

� Topic: Tell the truth about another grown-up rule

� Strong Verb : INFORM/REVEAL

The Truth: True, mowing the lawn may teach you character; however, the real reason to mow the lawn is to prevent the building of a habitat for ferocious garden gnomes. Garden gnomes only thrive in tall grass where they can be hidden. In tall grass, they build up fortresses and prepare themselves for battle against unsuspecting toddlers. In order to protect your younger siblings, you must mow the lawn!

Trait 2: OrganizationTrait 2: Organization

Trait #2: CAT HERDING

Trait #2: CAT HERDING

� Internal structure of the piece, thread of meaning, and logical pattern of ideas.

ORGANIZATION

pattern of ideas.

� In other words, the structure; the frame; the way you piece ideas together

Trait #2: ORGANIZATION

Internal

Structure

What happens without internal structure?

Trait #2: ORGANIZATION

� Beginning � Middle � End

Trait #2: ORGANIZATION

�An inviting introduction gets the reader started, hooks started, hooks them, and gives clues about what is to come.

Trait #2: ORGANIZATION

� Thoughtful transitions link key points and ideas.

� Transitions: word, formatting or other clues that help us move from one concept or idea to the next. move from one concept or idea to the next.

Trait #2: ORGANIZATION

� Sequencing should be logical, purposeful and effective.

� Sequencing is the order in which things happen

Trait #2: ORGANIZATION

� Pacing should be under control.

� Pacing is knowing when to move quickly through information and when to slow down and give more detail

Trait #2: ORGANIZATION

� A satisfying conclusion wraps it all up, yet leaves the reader with something to wonder about.about.

Hungry? For good writing?

Would you rather eat this… Or This???

___________________________

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TRANSITION!

TRANSITION!

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TRANSITION!

Try it!

� Your job is to write a HAMBURGER STYLE PARAGRAPH about one of the following prompts:

� CPA should add the following elective class…

� The best restaurant in the world is…

� Friends are an important aspect of middle school � Friends are an important aspect of middle school because…

� PREWRITE using a brainstorm.

� Then, create an outline of the major points.

� Finally, WRITE a rough draft (on your own paper) of an excellent, juicy, 8th grade hamburger paragraph ☺

Trait 3: VoiceTrait 3: Voice

Trait #3: Voice

� Voice is the golden thread that runs through the piece.

� It’s how the reader knows it is really YOU speaking.

� It is the heart and soul of the writing, the magic, the wit, the feeling, the It is the heart and soul of the writing, the magic, the wit, the feeling, the life and the breath.

� It is that individual something -- different from the mark of all other writers—that we call VOICE.

So…what does that really mean?

Trait #3: Voice

� We feel like we need to create a better country through the government. We want peace and comfort, and want this for our children as well. So, we are going to create some laws to help us do these things. some laws to help us do these things.

Trait #3: Voice

� We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution

for the United States of America.

Trait #3: Voice

� Use the “Scoring Guide: Voice” on the back of your notes to fill in the blanks for the second section of your notes (all but the last three bullet points).

� Tone is: the writer’s attitude (point of view) towards the readers or the material being written

Trait #3: Voice

� IN SHORT…good voice emerges when the writer:

� Speaks directly to the reader on an emotional level

� Experiments with style to � Experiments with style to match the purpose and audience

� Takes risks by revealing the person behind the words

How DO we add voice to our writing?How DO we add voice to our writing?