Good teachers have long recognized the power of using picture books as models of good writing. The short, focused, and tightly woven text mirrors the kind of writing they want their students to be doing. In this essential resource, the authors have organized by trait more than 150 annotations of new and classic books that will delight young studentsNand inspire powerful writing. Peppered throughout are 18 step-by-step, trait-focused lessons based on specific books. For use with Grades K-2.

For intermediate-grade teachers who want to weave the traits into their writing program but are unsure where to begin, help has arrived! This book contain just what they need to get started: trait-focused lessons, activities, reproducibles, scoring guides, conference comments, scored sample papers, children's book lists, and teaching tips. But Culham and Coutu do more than provide ""stuff""; they provide reliable, levelheaded, easy-to-follow advice on applying the traits so teachers begin seeing results in their students' work from day one. For use with Grades 3-5.

Becoming a better writer begins with reading well-written books and trying what their authors do successfully. So why not help middle schoolers improve their writing by exposing them to mentor texts written just for them? Culham, Blasingame, and Coutu have selected 150 fiction and nonfiction books by master writers, annotated them, and organized them by trait. Each annotation explains what the book is about and why it's a good model. Twenty ready-to-use, literature-based lessons are also included. For use with Grades 6-8.

For primary-grade teachers who want to weave the traits into their writing program but are unsure where to begin, help has arrived! This book contain just what they need to get started: trait-focused lessons, activities, reproducibles, scoring guides, conference comments, scored sample papers, children's book lists, and teaching tips. But Culham and Coutu do more than provide ""stuff""; they provide reliable, levelheaded, easy-to-follow advice on applying the traits so teachers begin seeing results in their students' work from day one. For use with Grades K-2.