Game

What are the 6+1 Traits? 1.Voice 2.Word Choice 3.Conventions 4.Sentence Fluency 5.Organization 6.Ideas 7.Presentation

Ideas Start with the ice cream. What’s a sundae without the ice cream? The main idea or topic sentence is essential and begins the piece. All other “add-ons or toppings” enhance the ice cream (main idea).

Organization Hold it all together with the dish. The dish (organization) makes the ice cream (ideas) easier to grasp and prevents it from “melting away.”

Word Choice Something more to go on that sundae? Bananas, candies or chopped nuts also enhance the sundae. There are many types of add-ons (word choice) to compliment your sundae (main idea).

A Closer Look at Word Choice Use powerful words that paint a mental picture for the reader. Add descriptive adjectives to enhance nouns. –The lumpy brown toad hopped quickly through the squishy gooey mud. Verbs should be strong action words. –The cows stampeded through the field. –The cows sauntered through the field.

What else? Try to use specific, rather than general nouns. –The car zoomed down the street. The 1957 Chevy zoomed down the street. Use language that is comfortable, not “flowery” or “stuffy.” –I shall not follow you. Avoid slang and cliches. –He was fixin’ to finish his homework.

Sentence Fluency Will there be anything else to go on your sundae? How about some whipped cream to help the toppings “flow along?”

Conventions & Presentation What’s a sundae without a cherry to “top it off?” Polish up your dessert and add the finishing touch. It’s all in the presentation… looks CAN fool the stomach! And now… grab a spoon and enjoy!

Voice Hot fudge, strawberries, pineapple, enhance the ice cream. Toppings add individuality to the ice cream (main idea). We don’t all like the same things on our sundaes, do we? Without toppings, ice cream is just too blah!

Voice Activity Read the two stories below and decide which author grabs and holds your attention. I went canoeing with friends. They brought their dog. It was hot outside. The water felt good. The dog liked to play in the water with us. We all got wet. It was fun! One sizzling August afternoon my friends and I cruised down the Wisconsin River on a bright red canoe. Their energetic golden retriever, Paddington, rode along with us. Whenever one of us would shout, "Switch sides," Paddington would jump up and dance around. One time he leaped so high, he tipped the bouncing boat. We all flopped into the water splashing and laughing like baby seals. What fun! Which story was more fun to read? In the second story you could hear the writer's voice. The author's enthusiasm made it easy for readers to imagine what was happening.

Using our common senses……. The old man grumbled a bit as he wiped his teary eye with the back of his gnarled hand. He could taste the salt as he rubbed his parched lips. He glanced at his silent wife standing a short distance away. She too was old, but he still saw in her wrinkled face the pretty young girl he had married. She still smelled like freshly mowed spring grass. Key: sound touch taste sight smell

Making Word Posters Tombstone WordsSparkle Words pretty good so a lot said terrifying ear-splitting squishy scrumptious copious ~Encourage your students to add to the lists. Words_files/frame.htm /word_choice.pdf

Bibliography classroom.jcschools.net/daleyl/6_Traits1.p pt#257,7,What are the 6+1 Traits? s/sixtraits/voice.htm