Received: from [209.75.187.203] (HELO ) by MDCCLXXVI.com (Stalker SMTP Server 1.8b6) with SMTP id S.0000280147 for <6Tarchive@CyberSpaces.net>; Sun, 08 Aug 1999 23:10:33 -0700 Date: Sun, 8 Aug 1999 23:10:01 -0700 Subject: 6Traits Digest #49 - 08/08/99 From: "SixTraitsMailring" <6Traits@> To: "SixTraitsMailring" <6Traits@> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable Sender: <6Traits@> Precedence: Bulk List-Software: LetterRip Pro 3.0.5 by Fog City Software, Inc. List-Subscribe: List-Digest: List-Unsubscribe: Message-Id: 6Traits Digest #49 - Sunday, August 8, 1999 Organization Example by "Debbie SoS" Re: 6Traits- Organization Example by A light moment by "Susan Nixon" <susan@desertskyone.com> Looking for Pooh? by "Susan Nixon" <susan@desertskyone.com> Re: 6Traits- teaching strategy by "Susan Nixon" <susan@desertskyone.com> Re: 6Traits- Organization Example by If you are interested by "Susan Nixon" <susan@desertskyone.com> verb site by "Susan Nixon" <susan@desertskyone.com> Re: 6Traits- web site by "Susan Nixon" <susan@desertskyone.com> Re: 6Traits- 6 traits - assignment example by "Susan Nixon" <susan@desertskyone.com> Your eyes by "Susan Nixon" <susan@desertskyone.com> Web site and first day ideas by "Susan Nixon" <susan@desertskyone.com> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Organization Example From: "Debbie šoš" Date: Sun, 08 Aug 1999 17:31:19 GMT I haven't received mail in the past few days. Could someone let me know = if there is a problem at my end? Thanks. I am looking at the organization examples, and am still debating. I think that I will be out in left field = with them, but I believe all are a Level 3 or more, with the story about Thor, being the weakest. I liked Zeena (marshmallows), and I found the details in Gila distracting. I'll look at them more closely and post my final thoughts when I know that someone is out there! ;) For an organization example (children's author), I looked at Dr. Seuss' = "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". The story line is well thought out with supporting details, and I like how at the beginning the Who's would = "FEAST! FEAST! FEAST! FEAST! FEAST!" and being the one thing that he liked least = of all, it was appropriate that, in the end, "He, he himself, the Grinch, carved the roast beast!" Anyway, there it is! Debbie =BAo=BA Grade 2 Ontario, Canada ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: 6Traits- Organization Example From: AnnMath@aol.com Date: Sun, 8 Aug 1999 15:07:58 EDT Don't despair, I sent out the same message last week. There are people = out here, but we're either taking our last ditch vacation at the beach, or = roving about Target and Walmart looking for bargains. Or, packing up children = for college, once again. BTW - I loved the third example, mostly because I would love to meet her; = but I admit it's definitely a right brained piece. There are those right = brained among us who intuitively click with the myriad details and are not distracted. :-) I call that special education disability level 13 (there = are 12 levels here) : OE (or organizationally impaired.) Referencing this "level" of sped gives others a place to "put" us when we lose our purse or = plan book while looking for another web site for our class project on the Iditerod. This last paragraph being a perfect example... Off the subject.(natch) For pure metaphor alone read My Life as a Geisha. Now, watch there be a tropical storm as I head out to a delayed, Delaware-beach week! Just the touch after a summer of drying out. :) See you in a week. Sympathies to all those who are starting back already; = I envied your early outs back in June. Ann/Maryland/5th(all too soon) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: A light moment From: Susan Nixon <susan@desertskyone.com> Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 01:39:08 -0700 If things are really getting you down, thanks to Margaret Klabik, here's a light moment to make you think: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/7454/noah.html Susan Nixon 2nd Grade Phoenix, AZ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Looking for Pooh? From: Susan Nixon <susan@desertskyone.com> Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 01:40:12 -0700 Here he is! http://chaos.trxinc.com/jmilne/Pooh/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: 6Traits- teaching strategy From: Susan Nixon <susan@desertskyone.com> Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 03:35:54 -0700 I'm working on catching up! >from a poem by Mary Ann Hoberman, "A House is a House for Me" > >A hill is a house for an ant, an ant. >A hive is a house for a bee. >A hole is a house for a mole or a mouse >And a house is a house for me! A word about this book. It is a wonderful pattern book to use with students - not necessarily to be judged on the traits rubric, but for experience in writing and divergent thinking. As an example, when we do a quilt unit, my students do "A Quilt is a House for...." During oceans, = "An Ocean is a House for...." Etc. This is an excellent, enjoyable way to evaluate what children have learned, and it's totally painless for them. = =3D) Again, when the students are familiar with a format, they can concentrate on the learning. I believe that some of the traits could be developed = with this as a lesson plan - word choice and sentence fluency, for example. Susan Nixon 2nd Grade Phoenix, AZ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: 6Traits- Organization Example From: Billiej43@aol.com Date: Sun, 8 Aug 1999 19:21:24 EDT In a message dated 8/8/99 7:10:06 PM !!!First Boot!!!, AnnMath@aol.com = writes: << Don't despair, I sent out the same message last week. There are people = out here, but we're either taking our last ditch vacation at the beach, or roving about Target and Walmart looking for bargains. Or, packing up children = for college, once again. BTW - I loved the third example, mostly because I would love to meet her; = but I admit it's definitely a right brained piece. There are those right brained among us who intuitively click with the myriad details and are not distracted. :-) I call that special education disability level 13 (there = are 12 levels here) : OE (or organizationally impaired.) Referencing this "level" of sped gives others a place to "put" us when we lose our purse = or plan book while looking for another web site for our class project on the = Iditerod. This last paragraph being a perfect example... >> Ann, Have you been following me this past week? That's just what I have = been doing. Start school in about a week.....don't know for sure when because I = don't have a letter from my principal yet. AND, the comment about not being able to find keys, etc. I swear you've = been behind me all along. I have lost 2 whole sets of keys that have completely = left the planet in the past 3-4 years. I know they have to be at = home...after all, I drove home from school, didn't I? Have a great trip to the beach. Sorry that I didn't get to work with you = on the 6 traits project. I wasn't sure just how long it would take me to get = my eyes back--actually, only took about 1 1/2 weeks and we're almost back to normal. Don't see double anymore. Billie ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: If you are interested From: Susan Nixon <susan@desertskyone.com> Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 03:55:37 -0700 If any of you are interested in Jewish writing particularly, I have been contacted by a man who runs a Jewish writing list. If you write to me, I will give you the information. Susan ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: verb site From: Susan Nixon <susan@desertskyone.com> Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 03:56:27 -0700 At 10:28 AM 7/30/99 EDT, you wrote: >Couldn't reach the verb "place" at (?) >http:/members.aol.com/criscadian/verbs.html >do I have it right? I reached it with Netscape, but I had to have the little advertising = window from Geocities shut down or it came up in there instead. Susan Nixon 2nd Grade Phoenix, AZ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: 6Traits- web site From: Susan Nixon <susan@desertskyone.com> Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 03:58:09 -0700 At 09:56 AM 7/30/99 -0500, you wrote: >Where can I go back and read previous postings? I jumped into this list serv a little late and would love to do some catching up. You all should = be >commended on your wonderful ideas. > >Nicole Nicole, and anyone else who missed it, deleted it accidently, or just somehow skipped over it (which I've been known to do!), the archive site, which now has all digests, is <6Traits@/archive/> Next time I update the index page for our website (hopefully later tonight!) I will add the link on the main page. Susan ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Re: 6Traits- 6 traits - assignment example From: Susan Nixon <susan@desertskyone.com> Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 04:11:28 -0700 At 09:43 AM 8/5/99 -0500, you wrote: >I'd like to suggest kind of a different example for organization >-unorthodox. The book is "A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving. When I >first started reading it, it felt distinctly unorganized to me, but when = I >finished it, I realized that there isn't a wasted word in the whole book = - >everything is important to the whole book, all the ends are tied up, and >every word counts. I'd call that masterful, if unusual organization. What >do others think? I haven't read the book, so I can't comment on that. However, I see no reason why organization has to follow our expectations. If a student can justify the organization of the piece, or explain it in a way that makes sense, even if it's unconventional, I would think that would be fine. This might be a good reminder to us that we need to read to the end of a piece. Susan Nixon 2nd Grade Phoenix, AZ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Your eyes From: Susan Nixon <susan@desertskyone.com> Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 04:44:06 -0700 >eyes back--actually, only took about 1 1/2 weeks and we're almost back to = >normal. Don't see double anymore. Billie, that's great! So you're actually ready for school? We must all be of a certain age. =3D) Forget is my middle name. I know = I started a message about the sentence fluency levels, but can't find it, so what did I do with it? I obviously didn't send it! =3D( Susan ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Web site and first day ideas From: Susan Nixon <susan@desertskyone.com> Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 21:29:23 -0700 http://6Traits.CyberSpaces.net The said synonyms are finished! Mostly. I still have a few messages to cross-reference with the main list. The ask synonyms are currently intermixed. At a later date, I will separate them. Additionally, you will find two new What's New hits. Someone asked for things to do the first few days of school, when you are just beginning. I have put up some general teaching strategies for 6 Traits. Also, here's a diagnostic idea which came from my trainers: Draw a picture of something important to you. Then write about your = picture. This can be used K-12. Be careful not to make value judgments, such as: Draw a picture of something you *like*. This narrows the students' = choices too much. You might also begin with some sequencing ideas - such as sequencing segments of Sunday comics. For those of us going back into the classroom this week or next, it's important to remember this: There are no *right* answers to rubric levels. There are only = *defensible* answers. Go back to the rubric. Go back to the writing piece and pull = out support for your decision. Tomorrow - the last trait! Conventions - the teacher's favorite bugaboo. = =3D) I'd like to find more inspiring comments about writers and writing. Several were posted this past week. I'd like to make a page of them on = the website, so that those of you training others at your schools will have them to share. If you have found one, or some, please send them to me personally. mailto:susan@desertskyone.com Here's one: Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader -- not the fact that it's raining, but the feel of being rained upon. -- E. L. Doctorow Over and over we must remind our students: Don't tell about it, *show* = it. Susan Nixon 2nd Grade Phoenix, AZ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- End of 6Traits Digest -- To unsubscribe, send any message at all to: 6Traits-off@.