This requires more than just showing examples from mentor text.
Researchers in Missoula, Montana, and Beaverton, Oregon, replicated Diederich's study, settling on the same basic set of traits. Or, learn more about each of our homeschool-friendly products here:.
This includes precise nouns, action verbs, descriptive adjectives, and varied synonyms. If you prefer organizing paper-based resources, create an old-fashioned filing system with six folders or a set of six three-ring binders.
These are: Ideas —the main message Organization —the internal structure of the piece Voice —the personal tone and flavor of the author's message Word Choice —the vocabulary a writer chooses to convey meaning Sentence Fluency —the rhythm and flow of the language Conventions —the mechanical correctness Presentation —how the writing actually looks on the page Ideas The Ideas are the main message, the content of the piece, the main theme, together with all the supporting details that enrich and develop that theme.
All writing—from essays to reports to stories, plays, Web pages, instructions, and so on—exhibits these traits. Reveal one of those objects within the lesson to demonstrate how a large subject can be narrowed down to a smaller, more focused topic. The overall level of language helps communicate a particular message or tone.
WriteShop asks: Did students use appropriate topic and closing sentences? Presentation Presentation combines both visual and textual elements.
These include: Balance of white space with visuals and text, graphics, neatness, handwriting, font selection, borders, and overall appearance. In descriptive writing, strong Word Choice resulting in imagery, especially sensory, show-me writing, clarifies and expands Ideas. At lower levels below 5th gradethe Common Core focuses on just three of the traits: ideas, organization structureand conventions.
Trait 6: Conventions Did students adhere to conventions of form?