Writing Skills: Sixth Grade Proficiency

In preparing for the Sixth Grade Writing Proficiency, we are working towards developing a wide range of skills:

• Writing process

1. pre-planning, planning and
2. writing first draft, every-other-line
3. revising (using BLUE ink traditionally) by using powerful words, feeling words, adding transitions, creating sentence variety, building tight paragraphs (working on ‘foggy writing’), etc.
4. editing (typically using RED ink) by removing redundant words, checking grammar, word usage, punctuation, and spelling. [Re-write the much-revised and edited work, every-other-line, for the next 'draft', and then read it aloud to yourself or someone else.]
5. publishing the final copy after it has been polished and perfected many times.

• Planning a Story or Narrative must include descriptions of the characters and setting(s), a series of rising actions leading to the climax of the plot, with resolution of the conflict or problem in the falling action. Avoid writing “The End” or any equivalent redundant expression.
• Planning for an essay must include:

1. Introduction paragraph that starts with a ‘hook’, leading information that introduces each main idea paragaph, a strong thesis sentence, and a transition to the first main idea paragraph.
2. Main Idea Number 1 paragraph should have a clear topic sentence, a couple of supporting ideas, and extensive details that support the main idea. Anecdotes are welcome as well as statistical facts. Of course, using transition words is important!
3. Main Idea Number 2 should build on the thesis of the introductory paragraph with another main idea, supporting ideas, and details.
4. Main Idea Number 3 should also support the thesis of the essay. Supporting ideas, and details are essential; transitions are imperative.
5. A Conclusion is one option for the final paragraph; a Summary is the other option. The easiest is probably the summary, since it is a restatement of the main thesis, and the three main ideas with a concluding sentence. In a conclusion, the thesis is restated, with the position clearly restated, and the acknowledging of opposing positions.