1. Work your way up the pyramid of Six Writing Traits as writing develops. Do not leave one behind as you move on to the next – all must be evident for good writing! VOICE SENTENECE FLUENCY WORD CHOICE CONVENTIONS ORGANIZATION IDEAS “technical- sounding” writing

2. Idea developing experiences providing a reaction point of viewevidencereasons clear, unique, interesting thoughts Word Choice figurative language domain- specific words concrete- words & phrases clear, precise nouns and verbs Conventions handwriting spelling patterns formatting pronoun person/# verb tense grammar, usage, and mechanics Organization temporal words groupinglinking clear set-up and/or introduction sense of closure strong lead, conclusion, sequence, and transitions Voice stylehumortone reader interest personality, attitude, and enthusiasm Sentence Fluency varied sentence patterns sentences have rhythm sentences flow different lengths and types "flow" "I Will Call On Various Students" - pneumonic device Description/Definition: ________ was a kind of __________ that … Compare/Contrast: _x_ and _y_ were similar in that they both…, but _x__…, while _y_… Sequence: ____ began when…, continued with…, and ended with … Problem-Solution: _________ wanted …, but …., so … Cause/Effect: _________ happened because …. caused …. ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARIES need to be slightly modified to fit the exact topic. This is a good way to quickly sum-up an event, person, or document so you can get back to focusing on the necessary answer. The Six Traits of Writing

3. Short Essay Paragraph INTRODUCTION * topic * main idea * turn the question into a statement – don’t begin a new idea just yet INFORMATION * facts* reasons* examples * bring in new information from the reading, text box, source, graph, chart, map, or outside knowledge EXPLAIN * define* describe* detail * connect * prove your information supports the topic and answers the question CONCLUDE * sum up* finalize* wrap up * don’t stop cold – identify a theme or a judgment – if you would have answered the question in one sentence what would be said? ** ORGANIZATION **

4. TWO-SENTENCE INTRODUCTION: 1)TOPIC – restate the topic given in the question 2)SUMMARY – in one sentence define, describe, or otherwise sum-up the main topic idea *** never “preview” by listing information within the introduction *** Convention and formatting reminders. ALWAYS remember the following, handwritten or typed: 1.indent every paragraph 2.double space 3.PAST TENSE VERBS 4.third person pronouns only (they, he, she) Xnever 1 st person (I, me) Xnever 2 nd person(us, we) 5.capitalize proper nouns 6.avoid contractions (didn’t  did not ; they’re  they are) 7.avoid “weak” transitions (first, second, third, next, and then, in conclusion…) 8.avoid “weak” conclusions (simply restating topic sentence) 9.use clear words – avoid “things,” “stuff,” “people” 10.reread, edit, revise, and correct every time