2. Brainstorm Write a list of as many characteristics of GOOD WRITING as you can on the left side of your folded paper.

3. Categorize Now, look at your list. Try to organize these characteristics by category. Next to the characteristic, write the name of the category it should belong in.

4. Categories Ideas Organization Voice Word Choice Sentence Fluency Conventions

5. Use supporting details. Focused on the topic. Interesting, original ideas. Main ideas are clear and specific. “Showing” not just telling. Clear, meaningful purpose. Individual and authentic. Strong feelings; honest statements. Developed personality. Appropriate tone for purpose and audience. Connects with reader. “Hooks” the reader. Logical and effective. Readers can easily follow. Smooth transitions Feels finished at the end. Arranged in best order. IDEASORGANIZATIONVOICE

6. Memorable. Strong verbs. Specific adjectives and adverbs. Words and phrases used accurately and effectively. Creates a picture in reader’s mind. Smooth and expressive. Variety in beginnings, length and structure. Structured so it is easy to understand. Correct punctuation, capitalization, spelling. Proofreading and editing. Paragraphing. WORD CHOICESENTENCE FLUENCY CONVENTIONS

7. PRESENTATION Neatness. Appropriate fonts, sizes, and spacing. Appropriate use of bullets, numbering, and styles.

8. Reflect Which of the six traits of writing are your strengths? Which ones do you need to work on improving?

9. Good writing has all of these qualities… Ideas Organization Voice Word Choice Sentence Fluency Conventions

10. IDEAS Interesting and important. Has a main idea. Interesting details. “Showing” not just telling. Clear and meaningful purpose. Something unusual or surprising that works.

11. ORGANIZATION Logical and effective. Readers can easily follow. Catches the audience’s attention. Feels finished at the end – makes an audience think. Arranged in best order. Spends the right amount of time on each part. Easy to follow from part to part.

12. VOICE Individual and appropriate. Author cares about the topic. Strong feelings; honest statements. Authentic and original. Developed personality. Appropriate tone for purpose and audience.

13. WORD CHOICE Specific and memorable. Strong verbs. Adjectives and adverbs that make things specific. Words and phrases used accurately and effectively.

14. SENTENCE FLUENCY Smooth and expressive. Makes it fun to read out loud. Variety in beginnings. Variety in length and structure. Rhythm, rhyme, and alliteration. Structured so it is easy to understand.

15. CONVENTIONS Correct and communicative. “Outside” punctuation (end marks). “Inside” punctuation (commas, semicolons, colons, dashes, parentheses). Capitalization. Paragraphing. Spelling.