July 23, 1998
Six-Trait Writing
Organization
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Mountainette 4/WV
- Hi Kim - just read the archives of the last meeting - very interesting!!!!!!
Got a lot of great ideas!!!
Kim/KS/8th - Hello,
Mountainette. I'm glad I could help.
Kim/KS/8th - Have
you visited my page on Commonly Asked Questions About ORGANIZATION?
Mountainette 4/WV
- Yes, I looked at your page - but didn't have time to read all of it
Kathy/5/IA - Welcome
the the 6-Trait Writing Session. Tonights topic is ORGANIZATION.
Kim/KS/8th - Mountainette
and Jill, are you familiar with Six Trait?
Mountainette 4/WV
- Just from reading the archives on ideas and content
Jill - Hi Kim.Yes,
I am a 6 Traits trainer in Billings, Montana
Kim/KS/8th - Mountainette,
no problem. You'll see that you are using Six Trait, you just aren't calling
it that.
Kathy/5/IA - That's
great, Jill! You and Kim have a lot in common, then!
Mountainette 4/WV
- Our 4th graders have a state writing test - looks like that is common
throughout the US
Kathy/5/IA - Yes,
our 4th graders do the same in Iowa. I have 5th graders.
Kathy/5/IA - I loved
all the ideas you shared in the last session, Kim. I just got done reading
the transcripts! WOW!
Mountainette 4/WV
- I wrote out 4 pages of notes from the last session!!!
Kim/KS/8th - Mountainette,
WOW! I need to print out the session to add to my notebook.
Kathy/5/IA - I'm
helping Kim out tonight - as hostess. Let's start out with some questions
for Kim.
Kim/KS/8th - Well,
who has a question?
Kathy/5/IA - I printed
out the bibliography at your site, Kim,on organization. How do you use
the children's literature in each step of your training?
Joan/1/NY - I'm always
intersted in writing suggestions i teach 1st grade
Mountainette 4/WV
- Should I do this first with the whole class on a certain topic - say
vacations?
Jill - My friend,
Juline (third grade) is sitting right beside me. She teaches in my school
and is eager to learn more about the traits, too. As Kim knows, Billings
just started working with the Traits this year in a few elementary classrooms.
Kim's website is fantastic! What great work she is doing for all of us!
Kathy/5/IA - Kim,
do you teach each trait to the students separately with different writing
ideas?
Mountainette 4/WV
- Kim. should I do this with the whole class first, using a graphic organizer,
on a certain topic like - summer vacation?
Kim?KS/8th - Kathy,
I am just starting to use children's lit. I have used training papers.
Kathy/5/IA - We've
had questions on how to use the children's literature, should this be done
with the whole class with certain topics, and do you teach each trait separately
- Kim.
~Sea~ - training
papers?
Kathy/5/IA - What
are training papers?
Kim?KS/8th - Mountainette,
what do you mean by THIS? Organization?
Kim?KS/8th - Sea,
at the workshop I attended, I received some actual student papers to use
as examples. I found a site that offers a few on the net. I will be adding
a link to my site tomorrow.
Mountainette 4/WV
- To start the kids writing at the first of the year, I usually use a web
and we write something together
Kim?KS/8th - Monatianette,
I do something similar. I have the students write a paper about themselves.
I do one as an example.
Kim?KS/8th - Mountainette,
I love graphic organizers. I have 3 or 4 books of them and there are several
on the web. I have some links at my site.
Kathy/5/IA - Is each
piece of writing "graded" using the 6-trait model?
Mountainette 4/WV
- I noticed them and looked at some on your website
Kim?KS/8th - The
training papers are examples. You present them to the class and have them
score them based on the rubric. It gives them a chance to see strong and
weak writing.
Kathy/5/IA - Are
the training papers available anywhere?
~Sea~ - oh! so training
papers are writing samples on an overhead?
Kim?KS/8th - Kathy,
I'll be adding a link to some I just found today. I don't think I can post
the ones I have, as I don't have permission. Sea--YES.
Mountainette 4/WV
- We have examples of writing on transparencies in our Harcourt-Brace reading
program
Kathy/5/IA - A link
would be great, Kim. Your site is so helpful.
~Sea~ - mountain,
why not use some of your student's real samples?
Kim?KS/8th - Mountainette--they
will work. So will samples from your own students. You just need to be
familiar with them first, so you can lead the discussion.
~Sea~ - you could
block out their name and discuss improvements(?)
Mountainette 4/WV
- I don't want my students to have their writing picked apart - even tho
their name might not be on it
Kim?KS/8th - Sea,
great idea!
~Sea~ - thank you,
kim. didn't mean to break in ahead of you
Mountainette 4/WV
- I'm afraid that might stop some from trying
Kathy/5/IA - I started
to exchange writing with another 5th grade teacher last year over the internet.
We kind of did the same thing, so that the students wouldn't be embarrassed
showing their writing in this fashion.
Kim?KS/8th - Mountainette,
you could get samples from another teacher. This year, I am going to ask
my students if I can post some of there writing on my site as examples.
Jill - In my training,
we were told not to use writing from our own kids.
Mountainette 4/WV
- Maybe I could trade with the other 4th grade teacher
~Sea~ - mountain,
you might select passages (after a little time has passes) and with your
FIRST one... after they "helped" make revisions... tell them it was YOURS!
~Sea~ - opps - passed...
so it won't be so fresh to their memory
Kim?KS/8th - Mount....that
would work. Jill, I don't remember that in my training, but I don't usually
use my students' writing anyway. I have used some when training teachers,
but always with permission first.
Kathy/5/IA - I bet
if you post a request for a 4th grade partner on t.net, you would find
one, Mountainette.
Jill - Trading papers
with another teacher at your own grade level is a great idea or even trading
papers with a teacher at another grade level in your building.
Kim?KS/8th - Apparently
I don't know who I am. I just noticed the ? in my name. What about this
idea? Maybe I could start a ring or something where we could share student
writing. We would need our students' permission probably.
Mountainette 4/WV
- I thought about getting with the other 4th grade teacher and assigning
the same topic, since the state writing test always gives a prompt
~Sea~ - LOL ? Kim!
Mountainette 4/WV
- Maybe do this weekly or monthly
Kathy/5/IA - That
would be a good idea, Kim!
Mountainette 4/WV
- That's alright Kim - WE know who you are!!!! LOL
Kim?KS/8th - Mount...good
idea. Anything to make your students more comfortable.
Kathy/5/IA - So,
what ideas can you give us on the topic of Organization, Kim?
Kim?KS/8th - What
types of questions do you gals have?
Kim?KS/8th - Jill,
we haven't heard from you in a while.
Jill - What are some
of your favorite picture books to use for organization?
Kathy/5/IA - Do you
have specific ideas on how you teach/model the organization portion of
this model. You gave great one's for the first trait.
Kim?KS/8th - Jill,
I haven't used picture books much. There is a list of some at my site--a
link to another district that uses 6 Trait.
Kathy/5/IA - Here
is the address for the bibliography at Kim's site: http://www.kent.wednet.edu/staff/creed/organization_bib.html
Kim?KS/8th - One
of the first things I do with my students is give them a set of cards with
pictures. I get the pictures from clip art programs and copy them onto
cardstock, laminate and cut.....
Kathy/5/IA - What
do you do with the pictures, Kim...I know you are typing the next part
right now. :0)
Kim?KS/8th - I give
each group (2-3 students) around 50-60 cards. The task is to group the
pictures according to similarities....
Kathy/5/IA - Neat
- I could see this linking to my science lesson on classification, too
...
Kim?KS/8th - the
only rule is that there has to be at least 3 cards in each group. The students
get very creative...and competitive....
Kim?KS/8th - Kathy,
definitely. The traits can carry over into other subjects. In fact, they
should.
Kim?KS/8th - As long
as the students can justify their groupings, I allow them. One year, one
of my groups put a deer in the electric category...
Kathy/5/IA - Do they
do some writing with the pictures then?
Kim?KS/8th - The
explanation was that the deer was a reigndeer that you put up as an X-mas
decoration.
Kathy/5/IA - Clever!
Mountainette 4/WV
- Somewhere I read to have the students write a story using a sentence
on a card, having the teach okay it, go back and write the next sentence,
and so forth until the story is complete. Then put the card in order and
write the final copy. That helped me with run on sentences.
Kim?KS/8th - Kathy,
they could, but since this is my first activity, the only writing I have
them do is to write down the categories and items.
Mountainette 4/WV
- I tried this on Rain Forest animals and then gave all the kids an A
Kathy/5/IA - So how
does this activity tie into the organization trait - how do you explain
it to the kids?
Kim?KS/8th - Mountainette,
I saw that idea, too. I like it! I have done a modified version by having
the students do an outline with one sentence per letter/number.
Samantha - Hi! Sorry
I'm late! I had cheerleading camp! I am planning on using this next year
in my classroom, so I think I'm going to have to be sure to check the archives
on what I missed. Mountianette, I have tried that idea as well! It works
Kathy/5/IA - The
last session was very good, Samantha. What grade do you teach?
Kim?KS/8th - The
tie-in is that even though every group had the same pictures to work with,
they chose to categorize them in different ways. We can do the same with
a piece of writing.
Samantha - Kim: How
long should I wait until I start teaching in this model. As soon as possible,
or after school starts a little while? Kathy: I teach 7th and 8th!!!!!!
Kim?KS/8th - Samantha,
I start right away, with the first piece of writing. However, my entire
district uses this model. I suggest starting with IDEAS AND CONTENT or
ORGANIZATION. Then continue adding ONE trait at a time. Of course, you
do CONVENTIONS at the same time because they are already familiar with
that trait.
Kathy/5/IA - I see,
Kim! What other ideas do you have? Do you do several of these "mini lesson"
type activities before having the kids write something following all 6-traits?
Jill - We give this
bibliography to participants in our classes. It is great! We are using
lots of picture books in our training sessions and I use them in my own
2nd grade classroom.
Kim?KS/8th - Kathy,
actually the only time I have my students do all six traits for a grade
is when we do the state writing assessment, which is based on the model.
Mountainette 4/WV
- So when your kids write, you focus on one or two of the traits at a time?
Kim?KS/8th - Jill,
the primary teachers in our district use picture books a lot more than
the secondary teachers. However, I want to start using them more in mini-lessons.
Samantha - I am a
little confused. I teach each level, right? Then if I want a student to
write a paper on Romeo and Juliet, for example, I do not grade them on
each topic?
Kim?KS/8th - Mountainette,
yes. Conventions is usually one of the traits. It seems they need constant
reinforcement in that area.
Samantha - Kim, Do
you have any ideas on how to use these picture books. I teach 12 levels
within my 6 classes, and would like to use picture books.
Mountainette 4/WV
- I don't know what conventions is.
Kathy/5/IA - I've
had my students write a paragraph a week, and have graded them with other
rubrics. Is the 6-trait model considered a rubric?
Kim?KS/8th - Samantha,
that is up to you. Since your students aren't familiar with it. I would
start with one trait and add to it.
Samantha - Conventions
are those basics, punctuation, spelling, etc. Right Kim?
Kathy/5/IA - Conventions
- such as mechanics (caps, puncuation, etc..) right?
Kim?KS/8th - Mountainette,
sorry, conventions are spelling, punctuation, grammar, usage, etc.
Kim?KS/8th - Kathy,
the 6 Trait model is based on a rubric for each trait.
Mountainette 4/WV
- I was kind of figuring that out!!! After i posed the question, that is!
Samantha - Kim: Thanks
to you I was able to answer that question right! If it wasn't for your
website, I wouldn't have known where to start. If I forget to say thanks!
I'm saying it now!
Kim?KS/8th - Mountainette,
no problem. Part of 6 Trait is getting students (and yourself) used to
the terminology.
Kim?KS/8th - Okay,
want another mini-lesson idea?
Mountainette 4/WV
- Sure!!!
Kathy/5/IA - Yes,
go right a head Kim! :0) I love your ideas!
Samantha - So if
my students are writing a paper, I have them write in the 5 paragraph form
as usual, and I only grade on trait such as content and ideas?
Kim?KS/8th - Give
the students a list of 3 or 4 items and have them figure out which one
doesn't belong. Example: kitten, puppy, calf, horse
Samantha - Kim: As
many as you have time to give. I am an eager learner!!!!
Kathy/5/IA - The
horse...right???
Kim?KS/8th - Samantha,
yes--after you have covered the trait with them. Do some mini-lessons,
short writing, and then give them a large assignement that you score for
that trait. I usually give 100 points for such an assignment. 50 for the
rubric score times 10, and 50 points for following directions, lenght requirement,
correct format, etc. The rubric score isn't really supposed to be a grade,
but I think we have to put it in somewhere. OOOH, sorry, yes the horse.
Samantha - I GET
IT! Thanks! You made it easy!
Kim?KS/8th - 8th
graders love the "Which one doesn't belong activity. Give them some hard
ones. Ex: pear, banana, stawberries, spinach--I don't like spinach doesn't
count
Kathy/5/IA - Is there
a book or site with these type of activities in it, Kim? Do you have them
listed at your site?
Kim?KS/8th - Oh,
Samantha, if you score it for 2 traits, then each trait is worth 25 points--the
rubric score times 5
Kim?KS/8th - Kathy,
some of the activities are listed, but I am new ones all the time.
Kim?KS/8th - Want
to know where I get my ideas? I look through books of activities, not just
writing either, and I adapt them to fit a trait.
Jill - Wow, I can't
think, write and keep up with all of you. Sorry, I just seem to throw things
out there. Is anyone else in this chat a primary teacher? Kathy, there
are activities in some of the training materials we use in Billings.
Mountainette 4/WV
- Do you have the kids write why they picked the one that doesn't belong?
Kathy/5/IA - So would
the writing tie in to the "what doesn't belong" activity be that - just
like with the 3 items that belong, our writing has to be organized, with
each idea connecting with each other?
Kim?KS/8th - Spinach
isn't a fruit. Yes, Mountainette.
Samantha - Kim, I
have tried the Parts of the Whole activity, and I was wondering: Do you
use this as a whole group activity or as a center activity? I used it in
a learning center (WHICH IS SOMETHING I AM INTERESTED IN HEARING HOW UPPER
GRADE TEACHER RUN THEM)and they worked great!
Kathy/5/IA - Is this
training offered all over? I haven't seen any training for the 6 trait
model here in Iowa. I've run acrossed it on the net, though.
Kim?KS/8th - Kathy,
yes. And the best thing is you can use a few ideas or a lot, depending
on how much time you have.
Jill - Kathy, I will
e-mail you some of the ideas we use if you send me your e-mail address.
Kim, going way back to the beginning of this chat, I would love to be involved
in a writing ring of teachers who are using the Traits.
Samantha - Kim: How
long have you used this successfully! Should I expect results quickly?
Kim?KS/8th - Kathy,
I don't think so. I'll be adding a link to some training sessions offered
by NWREL.
Samantha - Jill:
That is a great idea. Is there already one going?
Kim?KS/8th - Jill,
I have to figure out how to set up a ring first! Maybe we could start out
as a list or something. I'll do some investigating, unless someone can
give me directions.
Jill - Do you all
have the website for the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory where
the 6 Traits were born?
Kim?KS/8th - Samantha,
my district has been using this model for over 6 years. In the beginning,
the progress was slow, but visible. It is worth it. You teach the traits
already, you just don't call them that.
Kathy/5/IA - I've
done very primative email "rings" where I just add addresses that are interested
in a certain topic to my address book.
Kim?KS/8th - Jill,
this is one of the pages, but not the main one. It will get you there,
though.
Kim?KS/8th - oops,
the URL would help! http://www.nwrel.org/sixtraits/overview/overview.htm
Kim?KS/8th - Kathy,
that is what I'm doing with the Post Card Exchange.
Kim?KS/8th - Back
to ORG. I teach the students about good leads as well. There is a list
of types and examples at my site.
Jill - Mountainette
and Samantha, with Kim's site and the NWREL site, you will learn so much
about the traits.
Kim?KS/8th - I also
do the same with conclusions and transtions. They are at my site, too.
Mountainette 4/WV
- I definitely will be checking both sites out!!!
Kim?KS/8th - Jill,
Kathy, Samantha, and Mountainette, the NWREL site has a lot of info--acivities,
sample papers, and more! Let me get the URL for a different page.
Samantha - Kim, Could
I do something like the following: I like to use very familar things when
teaching a new concept. For instance, if I were to use Litte Red Riding
Hood. I can read the story to the students, and have them practice coming
up with exciting leads. Since the story is so small and familiar I feel
they could work quicker. I could then use a different fairy tale for each
day of the each week and build up to higher levels. Am I on the right track?
Kim?KS/8th - Try
this one--it's for the sample papers. http://www.nwrel.org/sixtraits/practice/practice.html
Kim?KS/8th - Samantha,
that's a great idea! I'll bet Jill has some more ideas like that!
Kim?KS/8th - Kathy,
I think I had trouble last time when I clicked on a link from here. Try
typing it in.
Kim?KS/8th - Samantha,
if you do that, you have to do The True Story of the Three Little Pigs!
Samantha - Believe
it or not, the first essay I had my students write was about Little Red
Riding Hood. The students were really able to grasp the concept by starting
out with something so familiar. We sometimes forget 7th and 8th graders
love those old classics!
Kim?KS/8th - Another
good lesson on organization is to have the students write directions for
something. Then have them trade papers and try following the directions
EXACTLY as they are written. It gets pretty humorous sometimes.
Mountainette 4/WV
- Oh, boy! What do you mean by good leads - the way you start off ?
Mountainette 4/WV
- I'm learning so much tonight!
Kathy/5/IA - We rewrote
Cindella in the same fashion, Samantha.
Kim?KS/8th - Mountainette,
yes, the lead is the beginning. Just another term.
Samantha - Mountainette,
Kim GREAT info about how to teach leads at her website. I am sure she won't
mind me saying this, but if you want to learn more about this trait model,
she knows her stuff! TRY IT!!!!
Samantha - Kathy,
Great minds must think alike! (ha! ha!)
Kim?KS/8th - I can't
stress enough that you are already teaching this stuff--really! This model
just organizes it a little better and gives you a way of assessing it.
Mountainette 4/WV
- Thanks Samantha. Today is my first experience with six traits!
Samantha - Kim, are
we wearing you out? I hope not!
Jill - These is an
organization lesson called Beginnings, Middles, and Ends by Linda L. Reed
a teacher at Sierra Vista Elementary School http://www.nwrel.org/sixtraits/lessons/pbook/pbook1.htm
If you go to this link, it should also give you some other lessons that
have been developed and used by teachers using the Traits
Kathy/5/IA - I agree,
Kim. We are doing these types of things in the classroom. :0)
Kim?KS/8th - Jill,
I have to save that URL! I want to look!
Samantha - Kim, I
always go to your site through my bookmark. Could list it for Mountainette?
Mountainette 4/WV
- I have bookmarked Kim's site
Samantha - Oh! Great!
Look out for all of the new things you'll find!
Kim?KS/8th - KIM'S
KORNER for TEACHER TALK--http://www.angelfire.com/ks/teachme
be careful not to mix up the e and the l--you will get a shock!
Samantha - Kim, remember
I was the one that was shocked first! Boy was I blushing!
Mountainette 4/WV
- LOL
Jill - Mountainette,
Kim has a ton of excellent material on her website. Yes, you are teaching
the Traits...now the model gives you the language to use with your students!
Mountainette 4/WV
- What is the third trait? Any idea when you will be presenting it?
Kim?KS/8th - Samantha,
you aksed a question about the Parts of the Whole activity. I have my students
do it in groups--the centers method worked for you?
Samantha - Yes, but
it was time consuming!
Kathy/5/IA - How
much time do you spend teaching/modeling each trait?
Kim?KS/8th - The
next one is either VOICE or WORD CHOICE on August 5th, the next is August
12th---assuming the baby doesn't come early.
Mountainette 4/WV
- Baby?????
Samantha - Oh! I
didn't realize you're expecting! How exciting!
Kim?KS/8th - Kathy,
remember that my whole district uses this model, so most of my students
alreay know it. I just refresh their memories. When I first started, I
spent several weeks on each trait before moving on to another.
Jill - Kim, are you
having a baby?
Kathy/5/IA - That
would be wonderful....how big is your district?
Kim?KS/8th - Yes,
I'm due October 7th, but we are doing a C-section the last week of September.
My other two were early though.
Kathy/5/IA - Is everyone
who deals with writing trained in this?
Mountainette 4/WV
- I am really anxious to get my kids started
Samantha - Kim, Do
you only teach writing or do you have to incorporate it in with teaching
grammar, etc.? How much time do you spend on each during the week?
Kathy/5/IA - ( in
your district )
Kim?KS/8th - My district
serves around 2500 students, I think. Every language arts teacher has to
go through the training. All new teachers, regardless of subject, must
go through the training. In my building, every teacher has to go through
the training.
Samantha - Mountainette,
I am anxious, but a little nervous! Be sure to go to the first meeting
that was archived.
KTG - Can you tell
what that is:)
Mountainette 4/WV
- Do they start in Kind?
Samantha - Kim, Take
it away! We'll wait until you can brief KTG!
Mountainette 4/WV
- I wrote 4 pages of notes on the first meeting, Samantha!
KTG - sorry if I
am interrupting
Kim?KS/8th - Mountainette,
I'm not sure about K--but 1st for sure. They only start with Ideas and
Organization, then add traits. I think by 4th they are doing all of them.
Jill - KTG--Welcome.
A third baby, how exciting! I am even more impressed with you and your
abilities. How do you manage to keep up your website, teach and have a
family?
Samantha - Oh! So
you we're in the same boat. We probably know just enough to be dangerous!
Samantha - KTG -
You're not interupting! The more the better!
Kathy/5/IA - No,
you aren't interrupting, KTG! Glad you are here. Kim has a lot of info
at her site. Could you post the address again, Kim?
Kim?KS/8th - KTG,
the Six Trait Model is just writing broken into the 6 areas that teachers
value most--Ideas and Content, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence
Fluency, and Conventions.
Kim?KS/8th - Jill,
I started my site last summer, then pretty much neglected it until this
summer. I try to add a new page every day.
Samantha - KTG -
What grade to you teach?
Kathy/5/IA - Do you
have anymore Organization mini lessons up your sleeve, Kim???
KTG - The six trait
model sounds interesting. My district is big on writer's workshop.
Samantha - Kim, I
can't believe it was just last summer. Last summer was when I was preparing
for my first job! Without your site, I wouldn't have made it. You started
it up at the perfect time! It sure got me more prepared!
Kathy/5/IA - This
will fit right in, KTG! You'll impress everyone with your knowledge!
Kim?KS/8th - Another
lesson (more of a medium that a mini--LOL!) I have done is to have the
students use a newspaper (USA Today is great for this one) to find examples
of pie graphs, bar graphs, line graphs, and charts/tables....
Mountainette 4/WV
- Getting some math skills in here too!
Kim?KS/8th - Then
the students select one of the graphs, charts, tables, etc. and write it
in narrative form..
KTG - THe idea about
using the newspaper is great. My 8th grade ss teacher made us cut out any
maps we saw in the paper and paste them iin our notebooks. We then would
describe our map/s. I still remember it!
Samantha - Kim, I
bet we could incorporate that idea by using some of those Mini-Theme Units.
I think I got those from your page, Did I?
Kim?KS/8th - The
organization in the graph needs to match what is in their narrative.
Kathy/5/IA - Mini=Theme
Unit...I'll have to look for that one!
Samantha - KTG -
Great Idea! We are really getting into some great things when we can get
all subject involved.
Kim?KS/8th - Samantha,
No those aren't mine. I'm interested though!
Kathy/5/IA - So where
did you find them Samantha!!!!
Kim?KS/8th - Here's
one for science: The students will need background information on Mass
and Volume....
Kim?KS/8th - Each
step has its own box or boxes on a graphic organizer--Step 1: The students
write 3 likenesses between the two--Ex: both can be measured in metric...
Samantha - Kathy,
do you have the address, where others can search for Mini-Thematic Language
Arts Units. They are WONDERFUL!
Kathy/5/IA - I'll
go get it - Her site is in my book marks. BRB.
Kim?KS/8th - Step
2: Students write 3 differences--EX: mass is measured with a balance, volume
is measured with a graduate...
Kim?KS/8th - Step
3: students write 3 important ideas associated with measuring mass and
volume--can't have already used them in steps 1 and 2--EX: make sure balance
is even before adding masses and objects, measure graduate from eye level
for volume...
Jill - A quick mini
lesson: 5 or 6 scene sequence cards. Display the cards out of order. Ask
the class what's wrong with them and what to do to make them make sense.
Have someone put them in order and discuss why that's important. Follow-up:
Talk about the importance of order fro understanding. This mini-lesson
came rifht off the Six Trait Writing Warm-Ups that I got from my training.
There are about 10 lessons for each trait. This is what I will e-mail to
you if you are interested. what's wrong with them
Kathy/5/IA - Here
is The Teacher Desk site: http://www.knownet.net/users/Ackley/main.html
KTG - That would
be great Jill. What a great minilesson. I am glad I found you guys:)
Kim?KS/8th - Step
4: students write 3 uses for each--EX: mass used to measure vergetables
at grocery store, volume used to measure liquids in recipes...
Samantha - Jill-
could I give you may e-mail and you send them over?
Kim?KS/8th - Jill,
I'm jealous! I didn't get those with my training. Can we work out a trade?
Kathy/5/IA - What
are you sending, Jill...what did I miss?
Samantha - Kim, I
am still listening! I just get a little lost in SCIENCE!
Marilyn - I've been
following Kim's website and all of her updates - one amazing lady! Am really
excited to start this fall.
Samantha - Marilyn,
Are you new at the 6 trait model or have you used it before?
Marilyn - Am brand
new to 6 Trait - I've taught Grade 7 for several years now. Writing is
my weakness - I'm more into the reading and Lit Circles.
Samantha - Jill,
maybe you could post them on the board, and let us all go there to copy
them. I am sure others would be interested!
Kim?KS/8th - Step
5: Students write 3 paragraphs comparing and contrasting mass and volume.
1) likenesses and differences from steps 1 and 2, 2) important ideas to
keep in mind when measuring mass and volume from step 3, 3) how are mass
and volume used in the real world? from step 4. You could also add on a
lead and a conclusion, and voila--a 5 pargaraph essay--completely organized!
Mountainette 4/WV
- We do mass and volume in math towards the end of the year - sounds like
a great way to see what they learned, Kim.
Kim?KS/8th - Want
another mini-lesson? I'm sitting here with my notebook...
Marilyn - Kim - my
question... as a real rookie with 6 Trait, do I need to do much pre-work
with my kids? What should I do first? And yes please to the mini lesson.
Kim?KS/8th - This
one is called, Find My Secret Category. Its similar to the one where you
had to figure out which one didn't fit.
Kim?KS/8th - The
students will need paper and pencil. Have them create 3 columns for 1st
guess, 2nd guess, and final guess...
Kim?KS/8th - Give
the students a series of 4 items that are related, but only give two, let
them guess, give a 3rd, let them guess, then give them the 4th, let them
guess--they are guessing the catgory..... EX: pencil, paper...
Kim?KS/8th - Oh,
2 or all 3 guesses can be the same...books....
Marilyn - My kids
would really like that, Kim. A good source for categories/items might be
the HELP series put out by Linguisystems.
Kim?KS/8th - and
finally, chalkboard...what's my secret category?
Kathy/5/IA - Great
idea! You have SO many!!!
Kim?KS/8th - Did
you guess things in the classroom? Make them harder as you go along--you
could tie this in with other classes.
Mountainette 4/WV
- I liked that idea, Kim.
Marilyn - You could
do great concept reviews in all sorts of subjects with that method. Thanks!
Kim?KS/8th - Marilyn,
I'm not familiar with Linguisystems. I found my list in a teacher resource
book.
Marilyn - It's a
publisher that does lots of language and speech problems - they have lots
of remedial materials for LA students with language based disabilities
or difficulties.
Kim?KS/8th - This
next one goes with Parts of the Whole, which is at my site. Take a piece
of writing and put each sentence on one line. Then cut the lines apart
and let the students put it back together again. This is the same as numbering
the correct sequence, but is much more fun--great for tactile/kinesthetic
learners.
Samantha - This one
works great! My kids really had fun, and learned a lot!
Kathy/5/IA - Yes,
that does sound much more fun, Kim!
Kim?KS/8th - Well,
it's been over 2 hours, and my feet are starting to swell--heat and pregnancy,
you know. Any last questions?
Samantha - Be sure
to laminate them the first time!
Marilyn - Not to
sound silly - what sorts of pieces do you use for this? Just a paragraph
that you create, or from a mag, or what?
Kim?KS/8th - My last
advice is this: If you find something, try it even if it seems too "young"
for your students. Make some adaptions to fit the grade level, and go with
it!
Kathy/5/IA - So true,
Kim - just about anything can be adapted to any grade level! I get some
of my best ideas from K-3 idea books!
Kim?KS/8th - Marilyn,
anything will work. I took mine from an old book on reading skills. It
had the "number the correct sequence" activities. I just retyped it and
laminated.
Marilyn - Thanks,
Kim. I guess I thought that you were creating your own and tailoring it.
Kim?KS/8th - Kathy,
maybe you could post a message at the main board inviting others to join.
Marilyn, I borrow from other sources whenever I can, and make adaptions
when I have to!
Kim?KS/8th - Goodnight
all! Thanks for a great session!
Marilyn - Something
I'd like to ask all of you. Whenever I go to conferences, or read resource
books, I get the feeling that presenters' or authors' students are writing
this wonderful stuff, or turning out this perfect work...some of my kids
do excellent stuff, but so many are weak or pretty in the middle. Have
you found 6 Trait to really improve writing skills?
Kim?KS/8th - Marilyn,
I have seen a lot of improvement--our scores prove it. However, do all
of my students do great? No.
Marilyn - Thanks
again< Kim, it was great. My daughter needs me, so I need to run. Talk
to you again, I hope _ I'm truly an admirer!
Kim?KS/8th - I only
had one student this year that received all fives on her Six Trait assessment
when it was scored by our district raters. I did have several with 4s and
5s, though! Overall, the writing is much better, but I won't pretend that
all of my students are doing great, or even that all of them are in the
middle. It is a lot better, though!
Kim?KS/8th - Goodnight,
all! See you again in August.
Marilyn - A relief
-- I always feel incompetent! Bye!
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