Writer's Workshop

12/6  We have started our next unit of writing - persuasive 
paragraphs and letter writing.  Stay tuned!
 
We use Thinking Maps to organize our writing.  
The 6 traits of writing include: 
*WORD CHOICE - Evident of precision in the use for words (awareness 
     of language, understanding that there are different ways to say
     things, stretching to use new words)

*VOICE - Evidence of the writer behind the message (enthusiasm for 
     writing, individuality, personality, and charm, tailoring 
     communication to an audience, evokes an emotional response).

*SENTENCE FLUENCY- The rhythm and flow of the language, how it plays
     to the ear. (sentence sense, an ear for language patterns, use
     of more complex sentences, a variety of sentence lengths).

*ORGANIZATION - The internal structure of the piece (beginning, 
     middle, and ending, ability to organize and group, good sense of
     sequence).  

*IDEAS - The main point or storyline. (awareness of details, knowing
     what's important or interesting, clarity, focus, sense of
     purpose).

*CONVENTIONS - The mechanical correctness of the piece. (awareness
     of writing conventions: spelling, punctuation, grammar, and
     usage, paragraphing and capitalization).  

We will continue to strenghthen these traits throughout the year.