The six traits of writing are a crucial part of writing curriculum, especially when students are beginning to learn how to write persuasively. However, just because it’s important doesn’t mean it’s easy to teach! That’s why we are presenting you with resources, ideas, and activities that make teaching the six traits of writing easy and fun!

What Is Trait-Based Writing and Why Is It Important?

The six traits of trait-based writing are:

• Ideas
• Organization
• Word choice
• Sentence fluency
• Voice
• Conventions

These six things are the basic framework that make up quality writing at all skill levels. They are the ingredients in your recipe to improve your students’ writing! Including these in your writing curriculum also provides consistent vocabulary, so it’s easier for students to understand what they do well and what they can improve on.

Trait-Based Writing: Author’s Voice

While all six are equally important in quality writing, this article will focus on an author’s voice and how it is used to set the tone of the writing, depending on what purpose the writing serves.

When teaching voice, it helps to narrow down students’ focus to:

• Attitude: How does the author feel about the subject he or she is writing about?
• Audience: Whom is the author writing for?

Together, attitude and audience will determine how an author approaches a writing topic.

Writing lessons can often become labor intensive activities that eat up a good portion of your school day. But scheduling consistent writing opportunities for students is important for their growth as writers. Evan-Moor’s Daily 6-Trait Writing bundles on Teachers Pay Teachers offer short daily lessons that focus on one trait at a time, providing consistent, focused writing practice. Each bundled unit provides five weeks of daily activities that are focused on one writing trait. (You can purchase the entire Daily 6-Trait Writing resource for 25 weekly units covering all traits here.)

How to Use Descriptive Words to Convey Voice or Tone (Grade 4)

For example, one lesson from Daily 6-Trait Writing grade 4, unit 5, weeks 1–5 teaches students how to use descriptive words to convey voice or tone in their writing. Each week focuses on a different aspect of the trait presented. Included in this mini bundle are five weeks of daily writing lessons that practice:

• Examining different writing voices
• Using your voice to persuade
• Writing from different points of view
• Using voice in poetry
• Developing your own voice

Find Daily 6-Trait Writing grade 4, unit 5, weeks 1–5 on Teachers Pay Teachers here.

Each five-week bundled unit provides:

• Five weeks of daily activities
• 20 reproducibles (days 1–4 of each week)
• 5 writing prompts (day 5)
• Teacher support and grading rubric

Throughout the week, whether you choose to teach lessons consecutively or pick and choose to fit classroom needs, students will go through activities and lessons that teach them how to recognize and use each writing trait. As activities get progressively more complicated, students will fully understand how to implement the trait into their own writing. Day five of each week includes a writing prompt, so students can practice their newfound skills. Use the teacher support in each model for tips on how to teach each unit. Each activity builds towards the fluent use of the specific trait, so feel free to skip around and pick the ones you like!

Practice Writing with Voice Within Different Writing Genres (Grade 5)

Daily 6-Trait Writing grade 5, unit 5, weeks 1–5 includes five weeks of mini writing lessons that help students practice writing with voice within different writing genres.

• Examining Different Writing Voices
• Using Different Voices for Different Purposes
• Using Voice in Poetry
• Writing from Different Points of View
• Using Voice in Persuasive Writing.

Find Daily 6-Trait Writing grade 5, unit 5, weeks 1–5 on Teachers Pay Teachers here.

For more trait-based writing teaching tips, view: Using Voice to Persuade: Persuasive Writing Prompts for Grades 4–6.

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Christine Wooler has experience working with children as a youth soccer coach and summer camp counselor. She is currently studying English Literature and journalism in college. She enjoys exploring educational topics that help students have fun while learning.