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Calendar Highlights

Clothing Resource Center Open   Tuesdays
4:30 - 6 p.m.
Board Work/Study   Oct. 8
Star Lake Elementary 50th Year of Operation   Oct. 9
Teacher Inservice - Non Student Day   Oct. 10
Fear Free SAT   Oct. 11
Regular Board Meeting   Oct. 14
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Beyond High School

Are you a student wondering which classes you should take next year? A parent who wants to help your student achieve his or her goals? It's never too early to plan ahead for what comes after graduation. We can help you make the right choices. Read more »

Three Trait Model of Writing Assessment

The three writing traits assessed in the Federal Way Public Schools are:

Concept & Design (triangle)  |  Style (chili pepper)  |  Mechanics (wrench)

(Click a tab to view a topic.)

Key:

Triangle: The pupil includes either (a) the three parts of a paragraph (introduction, supporting sentences, and closing), or (b) the three parts of a story (beginning, middle, and ending).

Chili Pepper: The pupil uses powerful language, voice, and sentence variety to "spice up" the writing.

Wrench: The pupil repairs any mechanical problems, for error-free writing.

This icon indicates a writing example (below)--click either the icon or the text to view it. Many have areas highlighted to illustrate the points being examined. Use your browser's /back/ feature to return to this page. (If your browser goes back too far, click the model or process link at left that brought you here.)

Traits:

_Concept & Design_  |  Style  |  Mechanics

-Topic Sentence
-Supporting Sentence
-Closing Sentence
-Transitions
-Organization

Traits:

_Concept & Design_  |  Style  |  Mechanics

\Topic Sentence

    • Gain the attention of the reader.
    • Tell the reader what the writing is about.

This piece begins with a character description, and then moves to the plot (problem and resolution) of the story.

Traits:

_Concept & Design_  |  Style  |  Mechanics

\Supporting Sentence

    • Support the topic with details, examples, facts.

The writer gives facts about the character.

The writer gives details about how the character solves the problem.

Traits:

_Concept & Design_  |  Style  |  Mechanics

\Closing Sentence

    • Restate the topic in a creative way, leaving the reader satisfied.

This beginning writer solves the problem in the final sentence.

Traits:

_Concept & Design_  |  Style  |  Mechanics

\Transitions

    • Connect ideas and paragraphs effectively.

In the beginning there are four transitions, with most sentences beginning with "She." Toward the middle and end, the writer uses transitions to connect ideas and to give a sense of time.

Traits:

_Concept & Design_  |  Style  |  Mechanics

\Organization

    • Organize logically.
    • Give sense of completeness.

Traits:

Concept & Design  |  _Style_  |  Mechanics

-Word Choice
-Sentence Fluency
-Voice

Traits:

Concept & Design  |  _Style_  |  Mechanics

\Word Choice

  • Use powerful language appropriate for the audience and purpose.

 

Traits:

Concept & Design  |  _Style_  |  Mechanics

\Sentence Fluency

Use a variety of sentence lengths and beginnings.

The beginning of the piece has limited sentence structure, but the end of the piece contains varied beginnings and sentence structures.

Traits

Concept & Design  |  _Style_  |  Mechanics

\Voice

  • Show the person behind the words.

Traits:

Concept & Design  |  Style  |  _Mechanics_

  • Use complete sentences.
  • Use correct capitalization, punctuation.
  • Use correct grammar.
  • Use correct spelling.
  • Indicate paragraphs correctly.

After correcting mechanical errors, the writer produced a neat, error-free final copy.