Using Mentor Texts to Teach 6 + 1 Writing Traits

In this book, you'll find a wealth of mini lessons designed to improve the quality of students' writing. Each lesson uses a key mentor text and spotlights one of the 6 + 1 Writing Traits to allow students to focus on the essential aspects of good writing - content, organization, word choice, voice, sentence fluency, conventions, and presentation. Inviting and practical, the lessons are concise and follow a consistent model for easy implementation. With seven lessons per chapter, each includes step-by-step guidance, open-ended prompts, and suggestions for additional suitable mentor texts. The chapters are organized by genre - including fiction, informational texts, and poetry - and feature graphic novels and graphic informational mentor texts to inspire and engage students. Aligned with the Common Core State Standards, this resource is essential for any K-8 or pre-service teacher who wants to instill in their students the skills to become independent, confident writers.

Beverly A. DeVries is Professor Emerita at Southern Nazarene University, USA and teaches ESL to elementary students and adults. She is the author of the bestselling textbook Literacy Assessment and Intervention for Classroom Teachers, Sixth Edition.

Meet the Author Preface Chapter 1: Primary Fiction Trait: Content - Those Shoes Trait: Organization - Can I Be Your Dog? Trait: Word Choice - Chrysanthemum Trait: Voice - Julius: The Baby of the World Trait: Sentence Fluency - Dear Peter Rabbit Trait: Conventions - Memory Jars Trait: Presentation - The Camping Trip Chapter 2: Elementary Fiction Trait: Content - Leo Geo and the Cosmic Crisis Trait: Organization: Flashback - Jangles: A Big Fish Story Trait: Word Choice - Magnificent Homespun Brown Trait: Voice - Encounter Trait: Sentence Fluency - Walk Two Moons Trait: Conventions - Bud, Not Buddy Trait: Presentation - New Kid Chapter 3: Informational Primary Texts Trait: Content - Dolphins and Sharks: Fact Tracker Trait: Organization - ABC Insects Trait: Word Choice - The Cloud Book Trait: Voice - Sea Turtles Trait: Sentence Fluency - Amazing Dolphins! Trait: Conventions - North American Animals: Bald Eagles Trait: Presentation - Life Cycle of a Butterfly Chapter 4: Informational Elementary Texts Trait: Content - Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood Trait: Organization - Cheetahs Trait: Word Choice - Locomotive Trait: Voice - Endangered Desert Animals Trait: Sentence Fluency - Bananas! Trait: Conventions - Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 Trait: Presentation - Science Comics: Coral reefs: Cities of the Ocean Chapter 5: Primary Poetry Trait: Content - "What Is Yellow?" in Hailstones and Halibut Bones Trait: Organization - "Picnic" Summer: An Alphabet Acrostic Trait: Word Choice - "The Whales Off Wales" in Book of Animal Poetry Trait: Voice - Won Ton and Chopstick: A Cat and Dog Tale Told in Haiku Trait: Sentence Fluency - "Our Tree" in Sing a Song of Popcorn Trait: Conventions - "Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me Too" in Where the Sidewalk Ends Trait: Presentation - "All Wet" in Ode to a Commode: Concrete poems. Chapter 6: Elementary Poetry Trait: Content - Bug Off! Creep, Crawly Poems Trait: Organization - Count Me a Rhyme: Animal Poems by the Numbers Trait: Word Choice - "The Turkey Shot Out of the Oven" in Something Big Has Been Here Trait: Voice - "Foul Shot" in Reflections on a gift of a watermelon pickle Trait: Sentence Fluency - "The Toy Eater" in Falling Up Trait: Conventions - "Mirror, Mirror" in Falling Up Trait: Presentation - "Cool, Sweet...But enough about me" in Ode to a Commode: Concrete poems. Final Takeaways References