Trait expert Ruth Culham has created a diverse set of papers grades K-2, assessed and annotated them, and designed an interactive whiteboard CD of exemplars so teachers and students can use them as the focus of trait-based writing instruction. The papers are highlighted by key quality for each trait, making it easy for writers to see what works and what doesn't by simply pressing the color-coded buttons at the bottom of each projected paper on the white board. Can be used with overhead projectors as well. For use with Grades 6-8.

Why has the 6+1 TRAIT model had such a tremendous impact on writing instruction? Because it works. It allows teachers to pinpoint students' strengths and weaknesses in ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, conventions, and presentation, and focus instruction. Now Culham turns her expert eye to our youngest students. Like her groundbreaking guide for grades 3 and up, her new book contains scoring guides, sample papers, and focus lessons for each trait, but framed to address K-2 teachers' needs For use with Grades K-2.

We dream of a time when all students will be confident, capable readers and writers. When we teach students to read as writers using mentor texts, we awaken that dream and make it real. Imagine the power of providing students with books that show them their faces, their culture, their lives on every page. And imagine how every classroom's collection of mentor texts can grow by adding books that celebrate diversity. In Dream Wakers: Mentor Texts That Celebrate Latino Culture, Ruth Culham focuses her love of children's literature-and her decades of work developing the traits of writing-on books that celebrate Latino life and culture. She provides a wide variety of ideas to teach writing using some of the richest and most beautiful children's books available. Dream Wakers gives you: An annotated list of more than 120 books with do-it-today lesson ideas for teaching the traits of writing-Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, and Conventions. More than half of the books listed are bilingual or offer English and/or Spanish editions. Eleven original, insightful essays by renowned children's authors of some of the featured books A handy reference chart that helps teachers locate books quickly by trait, genre, language, and author/publisher information. Ruth encourages all of us to make sure students of all backgrounds have access to high-quality, culturally diverse texts and recognize the difference those texts will make in their reading lives, as well as in their perception of themselves as a thinkers, learners, and citizens.

It's been said that good writers borrow but great writers steal. Writing thieves read widely, dive deeply into texts, and steal bits and pieces from great texts as models for their own writing. Ruth Culham admits to being a writing thief—and she wants you and your students to become writing thieves, too. A major part of good writing instruction is finding the right mentor texts to share with students. Within this book, you’ll discover more than ninety excellent mentor texts, along with straightforward activities that incorporate the traits of writing across informational, narrative, and argument modes. Chapters also include brief essays from beloved writing thieves such as Lester Laminack, David L. Harrison, Lisa Yee, Nicola Davies, Ralph Fletcher, Toni Buzzeo, Lola Schaefer, and Kate Messner, detailing the reading that has influenced their own writing. Ruth's renowned easy-going style and friendly tone make this a book you'll turn to again and again as you guide your students to reach their full potential as deep, thoughtful readers and writers. There's a writing thief in each of us when we learn how to read with a writer's eye!

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.

Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Conventions, and Presentation. Look at good writing in any genre, and you'll find these traits. Think of them as the fuel that stokes the engine of writing. With this book, teachers will learn how to assess student work for these traits and plan instruction. And they'll be amazed at how the writing in their classroom improves. Includes scoring guides, focus lessons, and activities for teaching each trait. For use with Grades 3 & Up.

Ask successful writers and they'll tell you, the key to writing well is revision. Ask elementary school teachers and they'll tell you, the real challenge of writing instruction is teaching kids how to revise. Ruth Culham is both a successful writer and a writing teacher, and she's discovered how to teach writing and revision in a way that's accessible to both teacher and students: First read the writing, assess it using the traits of writing, then teach the writers and guide revision decisions using traits as a common language and map. This book shows you how to assess and teach writing in a way that's practical and doable-and best of all, see results. Part 1 walks you through the traits of writing and their key qualities, showing step by step how to read students' writing and offer feedback that nudges them forward through the revision process. Chapters will help you address challenges students face within each mode of writing (narrative, expository, persuasive), and provide tools young writers can use to evaluate their own writing and make revision decisions accordingly. Part 2 dives into instruction, offering specific guidance for how to use what you've learned from reading student writing to design lessons that scaffold students toward making their own craft decisions and revisions. In addition, there's an entire chapter devoted to mentor texts that you can use to model traits and key qualities for your students.

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.