Integration of the Six Traits in First Grade Writing

The following is a suggested schedule to help the teacher organize mini-lessons so as to “cover” the assessed Six+1 Traits during the school year. It is merely a guide. Student work should play the primary role in determining the direction of instruction.

First Trimester: September-December
Week 1 Ideas: Generate ideas
Week 2 Organization: Generate personal idea list
Week 3 Conventions: Spelling strategies
Week 4 Presentation: Define audience and purpose

Week 5 Ideas: Written and illustrated ideas match
Week 6 Organization: Sentence is complete (contains a noun and verb)
Week 7 Conventions: Begin with a capital, end with a period
Week 8 Presentation: Letters formed correctly, legible handwriting

Week 9 Ideas: Identify main idea
Week 10 Organization: Main idea is followed by supporting details
Week 11 Conventions: Punctuation review
Week 12 Presentation: Generate “Criteria for Excellent Writing”
Week 13 Ideas: Writing stays on topic

Second Trimester: January-March
Week 14 Organization: I’m beginning to expand on my 1 main idea
Week 15 Conventions: Expected words are spelled right
Week 16 Presentation: My friends can read my writing

Week 17 Ideas: Idea + 2 supporting details
Week 18 Organization: Beginning, middle, end are present in writing
Week 19 Conventions: Dialogue – quotation marks
Week 20 Presentation: Illustrations show detail and add interest to writing

Week 21 Ideas: My reader gets the general idea
Week 22 Organization: Beginning, middle, end are clear in writing
Week 23 Conventions: Capitals are in the right place
Week 24 Presentation: Paper is easy to read

Third Trimester: April-June
Week 25 Voice: The writing sounds like you, topic matters to you
Week 26 Word Choice: Opening words “hook” the reader
Week 27 Sentence Fluency: Sentences begin in different ways
Week 28 Presentation (Oral): Writing is read to peers

Week 29 Ideas: Idea + 3 supporting details
Week 30 Organization: Beginning, middle, end make sense in writing
Week 31 Conventions: Variety in punctuation – (. ? !)
Week 32 Presentation: Writing is read confidently to peers

Week 33 Voice: It sounds like you’re excited about this topic
Week 34 Word Choice: This shows your imagination
Week 35 Sentence Fluency: Paper is easy to read out loud
Week 36 Organization Ending ties it all