Six Traits of Writing
Writing is like a sundae...sweet, tasty, and full of surprises! By: Mrs. Yates
2013
Your son or daughter will, hopefully, be coming home talking about how we made ice cream sundaes in writing! You are probably wondering what in the world that has to do with writing?! The 6 traits of writing (ideas, organization, word choice, sentence fluency, voice, and conventions) are a focus in my classroom. Here’s how the ice cream sundae relates to those six traits: IDEAS = BOWL Without ideas, you can’t have a piece of writing, just like a sundae would be hard to make if you didn’t have a bowl to put it in. The issue is that there are a lot of different bowls in the world, just like there are a lot of different ideas you can write about. Some bowls serve a specific purpose like a cereal bowl, pasta bowl, soup bowl, serving bowl, etc. just like our ideas serve a specific purpose in writing. But even after picking the right bowl, you still have to find the right size. That can sometimes be the hardest part of an idea – narrowing it down to the right size for your writing.
ORGANIZATION = 3 SCOOPS Traditional Sundaes include three delicious scoops just like any good
piece of writing has three specific sections: Vanilla = Beginning, Chocolate/Vanilla Swirl = Middle, Chocolate = End! We want to hook our readers with a good strong lead at the beginning of our writing. Through the middle we want to connect our ideas and topics so that they flow smoothly from one to another. The end must wrap it all up by connecting the beginning and middle so that the reader feels satisfied.
VOICE = MIX-INS What you mix into your Sundae says a lot about you. What you bring to the mix is what
makes it interesting. Make sure the audience knows your enthusiasm, involvement and feelings on the topic. Make your voice part of the piece. You have to add your own flavor to your writing which allows your reader to connect better to the story.
WORD CHOICE = PERFECT TOPPINGS Ever get a Sundae with too much Whip Cream? It is so heavy that it weighs everything else down. That can happen with your word choice too. Too many adjectives and adverbs can really weigh your writing down. Try focusing more on precise nouns, action packed verbs and words that help create a picture, not just send your reader running for the dictionary.
SENTENCE FLUENCY = SYRUP Syrup flows over ice cream, mix-ins and toppings to create a blend
that is perfect. Sentences in your writing should flow and blend to create the perfect rhythm. Don’t get stuck on one syrup though – variety helps keep things new and fresh. Try altering beginnings or sentence length to really make your writing syrupy sweet.
CONVENTIONS = SPOON Working on conventions in your writing is important. The problem is if you
start working on them too early you will still have to come back and do it again after you work on voice, word choice and sentence fluency. So take your time and do it right – keep the conventions work where it belongs – as the last step before you share your masterpiece for the world to enjoy. This is where you can fix spelling, punctuation, and capitalization!
With all of the pieces assembled it is time to enjoy a yummy treat! Hope this analogy is a fun way to remember and use the 6 traits in writing! Keep up all the writing you are doing at home! There are many ways to use writing at home, from letters to email to simple notes on the fridge! Be sure to post what you are writing from home! Visit our NEW Writing Blog for inspiration!