Teach students how to omit clichés from their writing

A sign of a more sophisticated writer is one who can write with strong description, interesting similes and metaphors. Unfortunately, in an attempt to include more description and imagery, students often pull from a bank of overused, voiceless and predictable clichés.    read more...

6 traits displays for the upper grades

Primary classroom displays for the 6 traits range anywhere from Clifford with six dog dishes to underwater scenes with six different sea creatures representing the traits. When you're working with kindergarten through 3rd, you can get away with almost anything! But what about the upper grades?    read more...

Kid-friendly 6-traits reminders

The 6 traits aren't rocket science, and yet, when you first learn them it seems like there's a lot to keep track of, doesnt' it? Students feel the same when the 6 traits are new to them, too.    read more...

Got purple words?

What's one way to make sure students know when you love their word choice? Stroke those words with a purple highlighter!    read more...

Trait assessment for writing

If you're using the 6 traits to teach writing, are you also using the traits to assess student writing?    read more...

6-traits cheat sheet for assessment

Need a little help remembering the main points for each of the 6 traits?    read more...

Toy time in writer’s workshop

What do Slinkies, Silly Putty, and a toy train have to do with Writer's Workshop? Everything!    read more...

One way to improve student writing

What is the #1 way to encourage a student to improve his writing? Write a note to tell him what he's doing right! And while you're note writing, wouldn't it be great to reinforce the 6 traits at the same time?    read more...

Dissecting picture books to use as mentor texts

Picture books make great mentor texts! Teachers kept asking me if there was an easier way to figure out what to use from each book. So many great picture books out there, but when do you have time to look through all of them to pick out a passage for your next mini-lesson? That's what prompted me to create the Trait Trackers.    read more...

New resources for the secondary teacher

Check out a couple new resources for secondary teachers.    read more...