Grade 6
Language Arts
Writing
Standard 1

WRITING STRATEGIES.


 
Resources
Lesson Plans
Assessments
1.) Call It Courage, by Armstrong Sperry.
1.) After reading out loud the description of an Octopus found on pg. 92 of Call it Courage, talk about descriptive writing; giving unusual or hidden details, using precise verbs, nouns, and adjectives to paint a picture, using figurative language (metaphor, simile, personification).  Have students report on an eyewitness account of some action such as observing and describing a pet.
Previously Published Data

1.) Engage students in the observation and story detail activities to help them understand the importance of specific details in conveying information. Using the traditional writing process, have students write a piece based on the observational activity. Other subjects might include: describing an animal and its behavior; reporting an eyewitness account of some action, such as a school event; or interviewing and profiling some community figure. After the writing stage and before the editing stage, writers should go through this checklist for an expository piece.

Quick check for the writer of an expository piece: 

Did you:
 

  • Pull together enough information to write with confidence on your topic? 
  • Dig for the unusual or hidden details not known by everyone? 
  • Teach your reader something new? 
  • Make everything clear and easy to understand? 
  • Spend extra time on the most important points? 
  • Explain any unusual words or terms? use creative and interesting examples so that the reader is not bored? 
  • Use precise verbs, nouns, and adjectives to paint a picture for the reader? 
  • Think of what questions the reader might have - then try to answer them? 

    •  

     

    When presenting writing tips, each tip can be studied in a series of small group or individual activities: 

    1) Know your topic: Read about it. Talk to people who know about it. Ask question, observe. 

    2) Be curious: Make a list of questions (3-6) about your topic. Answer each question in a paragraph or two 

    3) Be choosy: Focus on what is interesting and different for the reader to learn. You can't include everything.

    4) Tie things together: Try to see how all the little bits of information add up. What's the one big thing you can say about your topic? Example: Turtles are smarter than people think. Put that one idea right in your first paragraph.

    5) Make it clear: If you use new words, explain what they mean. Read it aloud to yourself to see if it makes sense. 

    6) Liven it up: Keep it lively with some examples from your own experience. Your paper should not be all stories. Exposition explains and gives information. A good story can make a point and wake up the reader. 

    7) Enjoy your writing: Do you like your topic? If you do, others will too. 

    8) Write with more confidence: Don't sound too shy!

    1.) There are six writing traits to develop in students' writings: voice, organization, ideas and content, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions. Begin by focusing on one trait, gradually adding the other traits and raising the expectations. In this assignment, focus on ideas and content.

    Ideas and Content Rubric:

    5 - This paper is clear and focused. It holds the reader's attention. Relevant anecdotes and details enrich the central theme or story line. 

  • Ideas are fresh and original 
  • Writer is writing from experience or knowledge and shows insight.
  • Relevant telling, quality details gives the reader important information.
  • Topic is developed to make a point or tell a story. 
  • Every piece adds to the whole. 

    • 3 - The writer is beginning to define the topic, although development is limited.
  • It is pretty easy to see where the writer is headed, though more information is needed to fill in the blanks. 
  • The writer seems to be drawing on knowledge or experience, but has difficulty going from general observations to specifics. 
  • Ideas are reasonably clear. topic requires more development 

    • 1 - As yet, the paper has no clear sense of purpose or central theme. To extract meaning from the text, the reader must make inferences based on sketchy details. The writing reflects more than one of these problems.
  • The writer is still in search of a topic, or has not begun to define the topic in a meaningful, personal way. 
  • Information is very limited or unclear. 
  • The text may be repetitious or may have many disconnected thoughts.
  • Everything seems as important as everything else. 
    Previously Published Data

    •  

     

    1.) There are six writing traits to develop in students' writings: voice, organization, ideas and content, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions. Begin by focusing on one trait, gradually adding the other traits and raising the expectations. In this assignment, focus on ideas and content.

    Ideas and Content Rubric

    5 - This paper is clear and focused. It holds the reader's attention. Relevant anecdotes and details enrich the central theme or story line. 

  • Ideas are fresh and original 
  • Writer is writing from experience or knowledge and shows insight.
  • Relevant telling, quality details gives the reader important information.
  • Topic is developed to make a point or tell a story. 
  • Every piece adds to the whole. 

    •  

     

    3 - The writer is beginning to define the topic, although development is limited.

  • It is pretty easy to see where the writer is headed, though more information is needed to fill in the blanks. 
  • The writer seems to be drawing on knowledge or experience, but has difficulty going from general observations to specifics. 
  • Ideas are reasonably clear. topic requires more development 

    •  

     

    1 - As yet, the paper has no clear sense of purpose or central theme. To extract meaning from the text, the reader must make inferences based on sketchy details. The writing reflects more than one of these problems.

  • The writer is still in search of a topic, or has not begun to define the topic in a meaningful, personal way. 
  • Information is very limited or unclear. 
  • The text may be repetitious or may have many disconnected thoughts.

    • Everything seems as important as everything else.