Teaching Pre K-8: Story roulette

An easy-to-do activity, where the writing fun goes 'round

The following story openings are just a small sampling of the unlimited variety that can be used in a creative writing activity called "Story Roulette":

Rosario heard a loud noise behind her. When she turned round, she saw . . .

Something woke Jaime in the middle of the night When he went downstairs to investigate he discovered ...

Latasha was surprised when she looked out the school window and realized ..

As you can see, the stories can take off in almost any direction. But one thing's for sure - the activity gives writers of all abilities and ages an opportunity to participate in creating a story with a plot, setting and characters.

Spinning the roulette.

For this activity, students sit in circles of five. (You can have fewer or more students, if necessary. You can also substitute rows for circles, if necessary.) Before they begin writing, I review story elements such as plot, emphasizing that the story should stay on the same subject from beginning to end. We discuss the important role of the conclusion, how it must wrap up the entire story and put a frame on the picture.

I put a story starter on the board, then give each student five minutes to write an opening paragraph. If the activity is conducted more than once, students write their own story starters and share them with the class. The stories can be funny or dramatic or tragic.

At the end of five minutes, the paper is passed to the student seated to the side (or to the rear) and another paragraph is added to the story. I usually give students seven to eight minutes to add to the story because they must first read what has been written and then respond and write.

When the last writer's turn comes, I briefly remind writers of the role of the conclusion.

Then the story is completed and returned to the first writer for editing and proofreading. Depending on their grade level, students can look for errors ranging from spelling mistakes to runon sentences.

Oral sharing. At least one student volunteer in each group reads a completed story aloud. The stories are usually funny, and sometimes even silly, providing students with a sense of the fun of creative writing.

When time permits, I have one group exchange papers with another group for silent sharing. Students can also be encouraged to illustrate the stories, and final versions can become part of class portfolios or exhibited work.

Overall, this activity promotes collaboration among students and gives them a sense of both the excitement and the challenge in writing a good story.

Judy Downs-Lombardi is an assistant professor of education at The University of Tampa, Tampa, FL.