Jessica Kohl

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Home > Six Traits of Writing

Six Traits of Writing

Sentence Fluency:

“The sentence fluency trait has two important dimensions: the grammar that makes a group of words a sentence and the way sentences sound to the ear.  Signs that writers are working well with the sentence fluency trait include:

  • Working with several words in a row, with attention to phrasing.
  • Being more concerned about sentence quality than sentence correctness.
  • Experimenting with different sentence beginnings.
  • Crafting sentences of varying lengths.
  • Weaving questions and statements into the text.
  • Using transitional words to connect one sentence to the next.
  • Writing passages that can be read aloud with ease” (Culham 207).

Book Choices:

I will be focusing on the “experimenting with different sentence beginnings” aspect of sentence fluency.  The books I picked are great examples of that aspect. 

Andreae, Giles.  Giraffes Can’t Dance.  <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State>: Orchard Books, 2001. 

Brown, Margaret Wise.  The Important Book.  <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State>: Harper Collins, 1977.

Seuss, Dr.  Oh, the Places You’ll Go!  <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State>: Random House, 1990.

 

New York State Learning Standards:

  • Standard 1:   Students will listen, speak, read, and write for information and understanding.
  • Standard 2:   Students will listen, speak, read, and write for literary response and reflection.
  • Standard 4:   Students will listen, speak, read, and write for social interaction.

Objectives:

  1. Students will compare two given writing examples to determine which example is more exciting.
  2. Students will discuss different sentence beginnings from The Important Book.
  3. Students will write three sentences with different beginnings describing how they are important.

Materials:

Chart paper, Markers, Pencils, Paper folded into three sections for the entire class, “________’s Important Page” for the entire class, The Important Book

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Anticipatory Set:

I will show students a piece of writing in which all sentences start the same way.  Students will be asked what they think.  Next, students will be shown a second piece of writing which all sentences start in a different way.  A discussion will follow and questions prompting which piece of writing sounds better and why will occur.

 

Procedure:

  1. Anticipatory set as stated above.
  2. Introduce The Important Book.  Ask questions like, “What do you see on the cover?” and “What predictions can you make?”  Tell students that the author, Margaret Wise Brown, makes writing exciting.  Not all of the sentences start the same way.
  3. Read the book.  Point out different sentence beginnings along the way. 
  4. Lead a discussion focusing on sentence fluency.  Ask a question like, “What ways did Margaret Wise Brown, the author, start her sentences?”
  5. Have students return to their classroom seats.
  6. Hand out paper folded into three sections to students.
  7. Brainstorm with students things that make them important.
  8. Have students draw pictures relating to three things that make them important. 
  9. Next, students will write sentences to correspond to their pictures they drew focusing on making all of their sentences start in a different way.

Closure:

Have students share their sentences and pictures with a neighbor.  Student work can be displayed in the classroom or made into a class book.

 

Assessment:

Students will be assessed on their writing piece.  Did all of their sentences start in a different way or do all sentences start the same way?  Students who did not meet this objective will be given extra practice at a later date. 

 

Differentiation:

Students who require extra help may need to be prompted further to help them come up with ideas.  Students may also refer back to The Important Book to get different ideas on how to start sentences. 

Students who require an extra challenge can brainstorm more ideas in which they are important.  This can lead to the challenge of writing more than three sentences.

 

Sources:

Culham, Ruth.  6+1 Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide for the Primary Grades.  <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State>: Scholastic, Inc., 2005. 

File Attachments:
  1. _________'s Important Page _________'s Important Page
  2. Good/Bad Writing Sample Comparison Good/Bad Writing Sample Comparison
Author: Jessica Kohl
Last modified: 5/29/2006 4:39 PM (EDT)