[mein10]

Well, since there have been 8 responses already and it isn't even noon....here is way to get started!!

What is your favorite trait to Teach, AND why?

• Ideas
• Organization
• Word Choice
• Voice
• Sentence Fluency
• Conventions
• Presentation

[angel77]

I really enjoy getting the kids to use "million dollar" words and add greater description of characters and setting to their stories.
I usually do a big push at Hallowe'en - so many words to brainstorm and so many characters to describe.
We do a lot of synonyms/antonyms work as well.

[Teach4]

I definitely think word choice is the most fun. And I love the picture books with the really fantastic million dollar words. After hearing a few of those and realizing how bland their own writing is, I usually see a dramatic improvement from the kids. They have a good time trying to "top" each other with their use of out-there adjectives.

[ashleymarie81]

VOICE!

My fifth graders and I have really gotten "good" at recognizing this, but I'm still learning myself!

I'm so excited about this new meeting room. Looking forward to sharing ideas and resources. The first thing that comes to mind is picture books that we can use to teach with the traits. I have a long list that I typed in Word, but it's saved at home. I'll post it later though.

Thanks!
Ashley

[readerabbit]

I like to brainstorm. I want my students to feel free to challenge their brains with ideas even if they are not used. I teach them to have many keys (ideas) that way if one idea doesn"t work you can use another one.
It has been my experience that many times students get a brain freeze if their first/only idea runs into a roadblock.

[Trinia2]

I am intrigued by the novel words and powerful words. My kids have been especially turned on to color words. It is refreshing to read their writing. My second choice is sentence fluency. I love teaching them how to write varying senteces. Today we worked on complex sentences and I can't wait to see if they are applied to their writing.

[proseolg]

I love your "million" dollar words!! We use the phrase "spicy" words. The kids really do love trying to top each other in this area.
I am also an old fashioned fan of teaching Grammar conventions. I admit it!

[ashleymarie81]

We use the term "million dollar" words too! I posted a link below that includes a list of the words my fifth graders use. I'd love to learn more words though. Thanks!

http://ashleyhogue.com/listofwords.htm

[imalith]

My favorite trait to teach is word choice and it seems to go along with the elaboration part of the idea trait.

I guess it is my favorite because I have some cool activities and it also seems to be the writing stage that my sixth graders are in when they arrive in the fall.

Voice is the most challenging. At the beginning of the year I get kids thinks voice is, "Hey dude, did you know that Hatshepsut was the first female pharoah?" Uck! Teaching proper tone and refined words for the audience is more challenging.

[sonshine]

This is the one I find easiest and the one that I enjoy teaching the most. Love those "million dollar words."

Another thought: If you use the write nouns and verbs, you need use adjective and adverbs only sparingly

[beachmom]

Is Voice Hard To Teach? How Would You Teach Voice To Third Graders?

[mein10]

There a lots of ways to teach voice. I like to begin by having each student create their own "journal". They learn that they all have a different voice and when the journals all look different they can't wait to write in them. My kids say, "I'd know it was **** by the tone in the paper!" Also, the voice needs to mathc the audience. Have you heard of RAFT? It is a great way to get kids to think about who they are addressing and the "tone" or "voice" they'll need to use. Then, we read books that have strong "voice" like:

Two Bad Ants or Horrible Harry and the Horrible Rotten No Good Day.

Look up lesson on line, or pick up one of the great resources we are all sharing on the favorite resources post. If lots of us suggest them, they are probably worth your time!


Here is a site with books listed by trait: READ them you kids!! Talk traits all the time!!!
http://cfbstaff.cfbisd.edu/baarg/pic...hing_six_t.htm

[teamteacher]

This year my class has enjoyed using "sizzling vocabulary." They have also become adept at pointing our sizzling vocab in our read alouds and in their library books!!! A co-teacher uses this same idea in her class. When she is introducing this concept, she passes out pop-rocks to students who use "sizzling vocabulary." I plan to do this next year.

[mein10]

[Paolo]

I've been working with Six Traits for about 10 years and have trained teachers Kdg- high school across the country. I used to be intimidated by Sentence Fluency (especially for primary) but now I tend to view it more as "fluency" (with sentences being only part of it) and I love teaching students to work with the sounds of writing.

What is raft?