Using Each Trait to Improve Student Writing

Middle schoolers write descriptions, narratives, and dialogues based on objects of art and time periods in a museum. They base several writing assignments on art objects and paintings, including a literal description and an emotional...

This is a fantastic collection of a wide variety of rubrics for writing, listening, and speaking! The resource contains over 14 rubrics for assessing such items as a summary, autobiographical sketch and narrative, speech, oral report,...

If your writing classroom was the Wild West, what phrases would be "outlawed"? Here is one poster that every writing instructor, and really, any teacher of communication, should have in their classroom!

Shake it up! Shake your tablet to bring up a unique writing prompt for journaling or blogging with your class. Shake again and a new one appears. Prompts can come from different categories (sketches, scenes, texts, words, news) to help...

Students study examples of each trait in literature. They discuss how each trait adds to the craft of writing and practice revision of a writing piece with a particular trait in focus. They rate their writing on the trait of Ideas using...

Young scholars revise their writing using the six traits. In this six traits lesson, students review each trait and see examples in books they read. They apply these traits to revise a writing piece they are working on.

"What?" she said. "That video just told me to eavesdrop, get to know imaginary people, and talk to myself. Interesting." It's all for a good cause, though! These three techniques will help your young writers improve their fictional...

Need sample prompts and exemplars to use with your class? Utilize the links provided here and download high, middle, and low-level examples of student writing. Designed as a teacher resource, the links include models of expressive and...

In expository writing, it is important to back up claims with evidence and details. Help your class to develop their writing with notes on different types of evidence. Once they have the basics down, practice with a sample thesis and...

Improve writing skills by finding a personal writing style, using descriptive language effectively, and using precise language. Middle schoolers discuss individual style in writing and formal and informal language. They utilize figures...