Post-It Note BrainstormYou and your partner write down as many

characteristics of GOOD WRITING as you can on the Post-It Notes. Use one note per characteristic and lay out on desks.

Now, looking at all the characteristics, try to group similar characteristics together and create a name for that group.

• Use supporting details.

• Focused on the topic.

• Interesting, original ideas.

• Main ideas are clear and specific.

• “Showing” not just telling.

• Clear, meaningful purpose.

• Individual and

authentic.

• Strong feelings;

honest statements.

• Developed

personality.

• Appropriate tone

for purpose and

audience.

• Connects with

reader.

• “Hooks” the reader.• Logical and

effective. • Readers can easily

follow.• Smooth transitions• Feels finished at the

end.• Arranged in best

order.

IDEAS ORGANIZATION VOICE

• Memorable.• Strong verbs.• Specific adjectives

and adverbs. • Words and phrases

used accurately and effectively.

• Creates a picture in reader’s mind.

• Smooth and expressive.

• Variety in beginnings, length and structure.

• Structured so it is easy to understand.

• Correct punctuation, capitalization, spelling.

• Proofreading and editing.

• Paragraphing.

WORD CHOICE SENTENCE

FLUENCYCONVENTIONS

PRESENTATION

• Neatness. • Appropriate

fonts, sizes, and spacing.

• Appropriate use of bullets, numbering, and styles.

Good writing has all of these qualities…IdeasOrganizationVoiceWord ChoiceSentence FluencyConventions

IDEASInteresting and important.Has a main idea.Interesting details.“Showing” not just telling.Clear and meaningful purpose.Something unusual or surprising that works.

ORGANIZATIONLogical and effective.Readers can easily follow.Catches the audience’s attention.Feels finished at the end – makes an

audience think.Arranged in best order.Spends the right amount of time on each

part. Easy to follow from part to part.

VOICEIndividual and appropriate.Author cares about the topic.Strong feelings; honest statements. Authentic and original.Developed personality.Appropriate tone for purpose and audience.

WORD CHOICESpecific and memorable.Strong verbs.Adjectives and adverbs that make things

specific.Words and phrases used accurately and

effectively.

SENTENCE FLUENCYSmooth and expressive.Makes it fun to read out loud. Variety in beginnings.Variety in length and structure.Rhythm, rhyme, and alliteration.Structured so it is easy to understand.

CONVENTIONSCorrect and communicative. “Outside” punctuation (end marks).“Inside” punctuation (commas, semicolons,

colons, dashes, parentheses).Capitalization.Paragraphing.Spelling.