6 Trait Writing

The Yummy Analogy

Ice Cream Sundae!

The 6 Traits of Writing are like a delicious

How Does That Work?

The Bowl = IdeasThe Scoops = Organization

The Mix-Ins = VoiceThe Perfect Toppings = Word Choice

The Syrups = Sentence FluencyThe Spoon = Conventions

Put it all together you have a yummy treat!

The Bowl = Ideas

• Bowls are the foundation of any good sundae

• Bowls come in many shapes & sizes and are designed for a variety of purposes

• After you pick the right style of bowl, you still have to chose one that is the right size

The Scoops = Organization

Traditional Sundaes include three delicious scoops just like any

good piece of writing has three specific sections:

Vanilla = BeginningChocolate = Middle

Vanilla Swirl = End

The Mix-Ins = Voice

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.

Just-Right Toppings = Word Choice

• Use the right toppings at the right time to really make your Sundae pop.

• Try using words that create pictures, precise nouns and lively verbs.

Sweet Syrup = Sentence Fluency

• 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.

The Spoon = Conventions

• Grab the spoon early and there may be nothing good to go after. Wait until the Sundae is all built to grab the spoon.

• CAPS (capitalization, agreement/usage, punctuation, spelling) are important but wait until everything else is in position before you start working on them.

The Perfect Sundae

With all of the pieces assembled it is time to enjoy a yummy treat!