Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
1 Creating a Vision
Who Invented the Six Traits?
Assessing to Learn: The Bridge to Revision
Ten Reasons to Make Six-Trait Writing Part of Your Instruction
Building a Personal Vision
Chapter 1 in a Nutshell
Study Group: Interactive Questions and Activities
2 Creating Assessment to Match the Vision
Keys to Quality Assessment
Holistic 6-Trait Scale (Figure 2.3)
Horizontal and Vertical Integrity (Figure 2.4)
A Few Good Prompts (Figure 2.5)
Barry's Prompts (Figure 2.6)
Rules of the Road for Writing Prompts (Figure 2.7)
Large-Scale and Classroom Assessment: Lessons from Two Perspectives
Lessons Learned from Large-Scale Assessment
Twelve Tips for Succeeding on Writing Tests (Figure 2.8)
Lessons Learned from Classroom Assessment
Chapter 2 in a Nutshell
Study Group: Interactive Questions and Activities
3 Warming Up-and Scoring Well
What Makes Writing Work (Figures 3.1 and 3.2)
Building a Community of Writers
The Redwoods (Figure 3.3)
Mouse Alert (Figure 3.4)
What Teachers Value in Writing
What Teachers Value in Writing (Figure 3.5)
War of the Rubrics
Teacher 6-Point Writing Guide (Figure 3.6)
Getting Ready to Score Papers
Suggested Scores and Comments
Scoring Grid Master (Figure 3.7)
Making Your Scoring Consistent
Pet Peeves (Figure 3.9)
Chapter 3 in a Nutshell
Study Group: Interactive Questions and Activities
4 Building a Foundation: Ideas and Organization
Ideas: The Heart of It All
Ideas Shortie (Figure 4.1)
Practice Papers
Paper 1: Making Decisions (Expository, Grade 8)
Paper 2: Harder Than You Think (Personal Essay, Grade 10)
Organization: Showcasing It
Organization Shortie (Figure 4.2)
Practice Papers
Paper 3: Some Cartoons Are Violent! (Persuasive, Grade 3)
Paper 4: The Baseball (Narrative, Grade 5)
Looking At Additional Papers
Paper 5: Unscripted Television: Enjoy It While You Can (Persuasive, Middle School)
Paper 6: Einstein (Informational, Grade 5)
Paper 7: Writing Today (Persuasive, Grade 9)
Paper 8: A Great Book (Literary Analysis, Grade 8)
Paper 9: Writing Is Important (Expository, Grade 11)
Paper 10: Under the Knife (Expository, Grade 12)
Paper 11: Be Happy With What You Have (Literary Analysis, Grade 3)
Paper 12: How to Be a Good Driver (Expository, Grade 12)
Paper 13: The Funeral of My OREO (Narrative, Grade 4)
Paper 14: Computing Batting Averages (Expository, Grade 6)
Paper 15: Cats or Dogs (Persuasive, Grade 6)
Chapter 4 in a Nutshell
Study Group: Interactive Questions and Activities
5 Adding Flavor: Voice, Word Choice,
and Sentence Fluency
Voice: Fingerprints on the Page
Voice Shortie (Figure 5.1)
Books (From Which) You'll Love Reading Aloud (Figure 5.2)
Practice Papers
Paper 1: Why You Need a Job (Persuasive, Grade 9)
Paper 2: Zeena and the Marshmallows (Persuasive, Grade 5)
Word Choice: The Bridge from Message to Voice
Word Choice Shortie (Figure 5.3)
Paper 3: Chad (Descriptive, Grade 3)
Paper 4: Pets Are Forever (Informational, Grade 8)
Sentence Fluency: Variety and Rhythm
Sentence Fluency Shortie (Figure 5.4)
Paper 5: A Rescue (Narrative, Grade 4)
Paper 6: The Mysteries of Birds of Prey (Informational, Grade 5)
Looking at Additional Papers
Paper 7: A Sunflower Seed (Expository/Reflective, Grade 5)
Paper 8: Reflecting on Saba and History (Memoir, Grade 7)
Paper 9: Reflections on Writing (Personal Essay, Grade 12)
Paper 10: Fishing (Narrative/Expository, Grade 11)
Paper 11: Review of Exploring the Weather (Literary Review, Grade 8)
Paper 12: You Whant to Be My Friend? (Personal Essay, Grade 3)
Paper 13: Homeless (Narrative/Memoir, Grade 6)
Paper 14: Movies and Books: A Comparison (Comparative Analysis, Grade 8)
Paper 15: Why I Write (Expository, Grade 7)
Chapter 5 in a Nutshell
Study Group: Interactive Questions and Activities
6 Framing the Picture:
Conventions and Presentation
Conventions and Presentation: Editing and Framing
Conventions Shortie (Figure 6.1)
Practice Papers
Paper 1: Haircut from Hell (Narrative/Imaginative, Grade 6)
Paper 2: The Ritual of Sticks and Rocks (Imaginative, Grade 6)
Putting All Traits Together
Paper 3: File Sharing Is Not the Spawn of Satan (Persuasive/Expository, Grade 12)
Paper 4: A Beautiful Dream (Memoir, Grade 12)
Paper 5: A Strange Visiter (Narrative/Imaginative, Grade 5)
Paper 6: The Day My Grandfather Died (Narrative, Grade 4)
Paper 7: Let a Non-Natural-Born Citizen Be President (Persuasive, Grade 7)
Paper 8: Computer Blues (Narrative, Grade 12)
Paper 9: The Pirate Ship ( Descriptive, Grade 5)
Paper 10: A Collaboration of Thoughts on Art (Expository Essay, Grade 10)
Chapter 6 in a Nutshell
Study Group: Interactive Questions and Activities
7 Using Traits to Support Writing Process
Learning Process from the Inside Out
Getting Started
Important Things to Model for Students (Figure 7.1)
What About Genres?
Connecting Traits to Process
Traits Supporting Process (Figure 7.2)
Experience: Where Ideas Come From
Prewriting/Rehearsing: Giving Shape to the Ideas We've Chosen
Webbing Example (Figure 7.3)
Listeners' Questions (Figure 7.4)
Sally's Life Map (Figure 7.5)
Drafting: Going From Beginning to End
Sharing Your Voice With an Audience
Revising: Letting the Traits Shine
Editing: Making the Reader Feel At Home in Your Text
Publishing: Honoring and Preserving Writing
Assessing: For Students, the First Step in Revising
Chapter 7 in a Nutshell
Study Group: Interactive Questions and Activities
8 Using Writers' Language to Unlock Revision
Starting with Process . . .
. . . then Workshop
Giving It Power
Guess what? You're already doing it . . .
Connecting to Research
Making a Plan
Four Keys to Success
Key 1: Surround Students With Writers' Language
Student 6-Point Leap the River Writing Guide (Figure 8.1)
Student Checklist (Figure 8.2)
Simple Checklist (Figure 8.3)
Key 2: Teach Students to Be Assessors
Key 3: Call on Literary Mentors for Examples
Key 4: Use Focused Lessons and Strategies
Planning Lessons (Figure 8.5)
Lessons and Strategies for Ideas
Sensory Details Chart (Figure 8.7)
Lessons and Strategies for Organization
Out-of-Order Lines from Sneed B. Collard's The Deep-Sea Floor (Figure 8.10)
Lessons and Strategies for Voice
Lessons and Strategies for Word Choice
Lessons and Strategies for Sentence Fluency
Lessons and Strategies for Conventions
Copy Editors' Symbols (Figure 8.25)
Copy Editors' Symbols for Young Writers (Figure 8.26)
A Message for Parents and Other Caregivers
Dear Parent Letter re Conventions (Figure 8.29)
Chapter 8 in a Nutshell
Study Group: Interactive Questions and Activities
9 Troubleshooting: Dealing With
Common Writing Problems
Problems With Ideas
Non-Fiction Read-Alouds (Figure 9.2)
Problems With Organization
Informational Map on Nutrition (Figure 9.4)
Problems With Voice
Problems With Word Choice
New Words (Figure 9.8)
Problems With Sentence Fluency
Problems With Conventions
Helping Challenged/Beginning Writers
Sample Style Sheet (Figure 9.9)
For Students Who Need a Challenge
Plan for Revision (Figure 9.13)
Chapter 9 in a Nutshell
Study Group: Interactive Questions and Activities
10 Listening to Teachers' Voices
In Elaine's Self-Contained Sixth Grade Classroom
Writing Coach Checklist (Figure 10.1)
In Jim's High School Classroom
In Billie's Seventh Grade Classroom
Reading, Traits, and Connections (Figure 10.2)
In Ellen's AP English Classroom
In Judy's Third Grade Classroom
In Barbara's Middle School Classroom
In Andrea's Multi-Age Second-Language Classroom
Thoughts, Feelings, Actions (Figure 10.5)
In Sue's Elementary Art-Based Classroom
In Sammie's Tiger Learning Center
Chapter 10 in a Nutshell
Study Group: Interactive Questions and Activities
11 Going Informational
How Informational Writing Is Different
Teacher 6-Point Informational Writing Guide (Figure 11.1
Student 6-Point Informational Writing Guide (Figure 11.2)
Sample Papers
Paper 1: Black Widows (Informational, Grade 3)
Paper 2: Bears in the Wild (Informational, Grade 4)
Paper 3: Thomas Alva Edison: Wizard of Menlo Park (Informational, Grade 5)
Paper 4: Driving Tests Should Be Harder (Persuasive, Grade 7)
Paper 5: Humboldt Penguins (Informational, Grade 9)
Paper 6: The Middle Ages (Informational, Grade 7)
Paper 7: Life in the Middle Ages (Informational, Grade 9)
Paper 8: Solar Energy (Informational, Grade 9)
Paper 9: Kill Measurement 34-Now! (Persuasive, Grade 8)
Paper 10: The Violin (Informational, Grade 10)
Paper 11: Libraries (Informational, Grade 9)
Paper 12: Expanded Definition: Resonance (Technical, College)
Paper 13: Pablo Picasso (Informational, Grade 7)
Paper 14: Desert Tortoise (Informational, Grade 7)
Paper 15: The Chameleon (Informational, Grade 4)
Paper 16: The Giant Panda (Informational, Grade 4)
Chapter 11 in a Nutshell
Study Group: Interactive Questions and Activities
12 Exploring the World of Beginning Writers
If you work with challenged writers . . .
Teaching Ourselves What to Look For
Helping Writers See Their Strengths
How the Traits Look Early On
Paper 1: Bat and Spider (Age 4)
Paper 2: Mike's Note (Age 4)
Paper 3: Clouds (Grade 2)
Paper 4: Sam Is My Friend (Grade 1)
Paper 5: My Favorite Brother Is Nick (Grade 1)
Paper 6: I Like My Library (Grade 1)
Paper 7: Catdog Shopping (Grade 1)
Paper 8: Mason's First Book (Kindergarten)
Paper 9: Old (Grade 3)
Paper 10: Dear Tooth Fairy (Grade 2)
Paper 11: Jamey the Cat (Grade 2)
Paper 12: Brad's Pyramid (Grade 2)
Paper 13: Mr. Bear Is Loving (Kindergarten)
Paper 14: My Grocery List (Kindergarten)
Paper 15: My To-Do List (Kindergarten)
Paper 16: My Winter Vacation (Grade 2)
Ideas for Teaching Traits to Beginners
Thinking Like a Writer Posters (Figure 12.1)
Favorite Books for Primary
Paper 17: Guess Why I Like School? (Grade 1)
Paper 18: My Dog (Anonymous)
Paper 19: Dictated Story About the Coyote (Grade 2)
Simple Editing Checklist for Primary (Figure 12.3)
Advanced Editing Checklist for Primary (Figure 12.4)
Copy Editors' Symbols for Beginning Writers (Figure 12.6)
Continuums for Charting Growth
Primary Continuums (Figure 12.9)
Give It Time
Chapter 12 in a Nutshell
Study Group: Interactive Questions and Activities
13 Communicating With Students
Through Comments
Through Conferences
Two-Minute Conference Topics (Figure 13.2)
Through Response Groups
Through Grades
Scores for Chris on Five Assignments (Figure 13.5)
Communicating With Parents and Other Caregivers
To Parents and Other Caregivers . . .
14 Expanding the Vision
Appendices
Appendix 1
Teacher 3-Level Writing Guide (Adaptable to 5- or 6-Point)
Appendix 2
Student 3-Level Writing Guide (Adaptable to 5- or 6-Point)
Appendix 3
Student Leap the River Writing Guide in Spanish
Appendix 4
Student Checklist in Spanish
Appendix 5
Trait Shorties in Spanish
Appendix 6
Student Checklists (and Simplified Checklists) for
n Narrative Writing
n Informational Writing
n Persuasive Writing
n Literary Analysis
Appendix 7
Teacher 3-Level Informational Writing Guide
(Adaptable to 5- or 6-Point)
Appendix 8
Student 3-Level Informational Writing Guide
(Adaptable to 5- or 6-Point)
Appendix 9
Sample Correlations
Appendix 10
Blank Master of Lesson Planning Chart (Figure 8.5)
