Mrs. Sanchez' 3rd Grade Class

In our classroom the students will be required to produce a piece of writing on a weekly basis. They will be writing narrative and expository essays. Here are some writing strategies that students may use to help them become effective writers.

Strategies Good Writers Use:

Set a purpose for your writing

Focus on your audience

List or draw your main Idea

Organize your ideas so that they make sense

Use your own personal voice

Choose EXACT VIVID Words

Use a variety of effective sentences

Elaborate with facts and details

Proofread to check for errors

Traits

Definition

Good Writers ask…

Ideas

Good writers include a clear, focused well-defined topic and all the details needed to bring the topic to life.

Is my writing clear and focused?

Is there a main idea?

Do I provide details and support the main idea?

Does my response directly address the prompt?

Organization

Good writers use a strong introduction, a logical sequence that makes sense, transitions that link ideas together, and a powerful conclusion.

Does the introduction hook the reader?

Is it easy to follow the meaning/purpose of my writing?

Are my transitions between ideas clear?

Does the sequence of my writing make sense?

Voice

Good writers write with an engaging style that shows interest in the topic.

Does the writing have a clear point of view?

Is my writing style unique to me?

Word Choice

Good writers are skilled in finding that “just right” word or phrase that makes meaning clear and reading a pleasure.

Are the words used with flair and imagination?

Are the words descriptive, precise, and accurate?

Have I overused or misused any words?

Sentence Fluency

Good writers use sentences that are strong, well crafted, and varied. The writing flows smoothly from one sentence to the next.

Do my sentences start with different words?

Do my sentences vary in length?

Do my ideas flow smoothly?

Conventions

Good writers pay careful attention to spelling, punctuation, grammar and capitalization.

Do all my sentences start with capital letters and end with a punctuation mark?

Are all words spelled correctly?

Are all paragraphs indented?

Is the dialogue punctuated correctly?

Traits	Definition	Good Writers ask…
Ideas	Good writers include a clear, focused well-defined topic and all the details needed to bring the topic to life.	Is my writing clear and focused? Is there a main idea? Do I provide details and support the main idea? Does my response directly address the prompt?
Organization	Good writers use a strong introduction, a logical sequence that makes sense, transitions that link ideas together, and a powerful conclusion.	Does the introduction hook the reader? Is it easy to follow the meaning/purpose of my writing? Are my transitions between ideas clear? Does the sequence of my writing make sense?
Voice	Good writers write with an engaging style that shows interest in the topic.	Does the writing have a clear point of view? Is my writing style unique to me?
Word Choice	Good writers are skilled in finding that “just right” word or phrase that makes meaning clear and reading a pleasure.	Are the words used with flair and imagination? Are the words descriptive, precise, and accurate? Have I overused or misused any words?
Sentence Fluency	Good writers use sentences that are strong, well crafted, and varied. The writing flows smoothly from one sentence to the next.	Do my sentences start with different words? Do my sentences vary in length? Do my ideas flow smoothly?
Conventions	Good writers pay careful attention to spelling, punctuation, grammar and capitalization.	Do all my sentences start with capital letters and end with a punctuation mark? Are all words spelled correctly? Are all paragraphs indented? Is the dialogue punctuated correctly?

Writing Strategies