WritingFix Writing Traits for Primary Writers

By now I'm sure you're all familiar with the WritingFix website. It is a treasure trove.  I encourage you all to bookmark the site as your Primary Resource! 

Here is a link to WritingFix's  Writing Traits: Traits for Primary Writers.

This is a Nevada Print Guide and Teacher Workshops sharing materials from Northern Nevada's teacher inservices and print guide.

There are many lessons and resources for Primary Writers on this page.  I also want to direct your attention to: Six By Six: Traits Writing for Little Writers.   This inexpensive book offers thirty-six writing lessons (six lessons for each of the six traits...six by six).

Also consider joining the Primary Teacher's Group on the Writing Lesson of the Month Ning. (There are 12,000+ Teachers on this network!)

In our online class, Teaching and Assessing Writing with the 6-Traits,  we quickly develop a community of practice dedicated to sharing ideas, resources and methods about the 6-Traits.  By the end of the course teachers know how powerful a like minded community can be.

WritingFix and their online groups will help any teacher seeking to improve their writing instruction find a supportive online community.

Join and online community of writing teachers! It's free and who knows where it will lead?  8-)

J.Peterman: Word Choice & Voice

The J. Peterman Catalog is real and online!  http://www.jpeterman.com/

What a great way to teach word choice and voice!  From the online catalog:

The Victoria Falls Jacket


http://www.jpeterman.com/Mens-Jackets-Vests/Victoria-Falls-Jacket

It has the look of a true jacket. Substantial and trim, not flimsy and baggy. You could navigate down the Zambezi and then proceed directly to high tea on Stanley's Terrace without raising any eyebrows.

Victoria Falls Jacket (No. 1636). Four buttoning, flapped pockets outside, three inside. Crisp notched collar with chin strap. Airy mesh half-lining. Pointed yoke, deep inverted pleats, and stitched-down Norfolk-style waist in back.

Carry on, gentlemen.

Men's even sizes: 38 through 48.

Color: Tobacco.

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More:

J.Peterman Writing Idea. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9tvATHGya0
Uploaded to YouTube by Barry Lane.

This is a brief Interview with Dena and Corbett Harrison (the write couple).  Corbett is the Webmaster and writer behind the great 6-Traits oriented WritingFix website http://www.writingfix.com/. Dena discusses how sharing the J.Peterman catalog with her students generated some great writing.

Great Voice and Word Choice Example:

For a prime example the J.Peterman overblown speaking style: http://tinyurl.com/62b2v5j

Seinfeld - Peterman Background

Larry David, Seinfeld and J. Peterman (The real J.Peterman.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9tvATHGya0

This topic was suggested during a discussion on Word Choice in my Teaching and Assessing Writing with the 6-Traits online class.

I had some fun running down these resources. I'm not sure how they might play for the current generation of kids in the seats who may not be Seinfeld fans.  Not many will know who J.Peterman is.  That's why I tried so hard to find the right video  example of word choice and voice!

Let me know what you think?

~ Dennis (In exotic Valley Center)

Larry David, Seinfeld and J. Peterman (The read J.Peterman.)

Organization: Ruth Culham

A poem about Organization from the 6 + 1 traits of writing: the complete guide By Ruth Culham

Organization

Ideas with focus and details galore. . .

In your head, on paper, on the computer, and more.


Time to think about order, how to get it down right,

There are so many options, you can get writer’s fright.

The ideas need purpose, direction and shaping,

Decisions on how will be all to your making.


Reason and logic, compare and contrast,

Detailed analysis or present to past,

Information you’ve given in just the right doses,

Events proceed logically – no hocus pocus.


Organization is the name of this trait,

From beginning to end and a middle, top-rate.

Transitions, pacing, sequencing, too,

There’s plenty to think out, lots of writing to do.


Five-paragraph themes may seem ever so neat,

But as a way to organize, they’re hardly complete.

Formula writing is nothing so hot,

Try writing with insight, freshness, and thought.



If you think that it’s easy, we’ll just see about that,

Getting it right is like herding cats.


The ideas are out there-now grab them and shake,

Good organization takes skill and imagination to make.