Rory's Story Cubes

[Legendary Sidekick]

I just bought some Story Cubes, mostly because I needed dice for something and these seemed like they could be used in the classroom for creative writing sessions. For eight bucks, I was willing to risk that I bought something useless, but cute.

Just wondering if any of you writers (or teachers) have ever used these, and if so, what your experience was like.

 

[LadyPamela]

I took a set on our recent family vacation to Disneyland. I had thought we could use them on the airplane or at the hotel in the evenings; the kids like creative writing as much as I do. Well, we didn't actually write much, but we used them while standing in the long lines at Disneyland. We would take turns pulling a cube out of the bag, and have different themes for our stories. Movies, books, first memories, Dad's stories from living in the wilds of Alaska, etc. Take the picture of lightning, for example. I though of Percy Jackson and the lightning thief; my son said Harry Potter; someone else said 'Cars' (Lightning McQueen). that sparked another conversation about other things, it was awesome! They made for great storytelling, and made the lines go quicker. We really liked using them, and I think they are great for creative exercises.
For writing, you could use more than one and try to make a story out of them, or pull one out and think how your character would react to it. Try writing from the perspective of the object on the cube (I just thought of that, it might be tough!) Anyway, there's a ton of things you could do.

Have fun with them!

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

I posted a Rory Story Cube Challenge (in the challenge forum) last night, and used that same graphic to make an example for my students.

The idea was to write a partial sample story, but I went on during my lunch break and wrote a three page story that I was pretty happy with.

Your storytelling in line idea is great... the cubes actually are convenient to just pull out of your pocket. (I have the set that comes with a little bag.)

The perspective one is great as well. Since you used the bolt of lightning as an example, I just thought up a little story for that (which I hope will be short):



"UP!"

The fairy darted up to the clouds, zigzagging to dodge the raindrops. An easy feat for one who flies at the speed of light.

"DOWN!"

The fairy zips toward the earth. Again, she shifts to one side and another, careful not to plunge into a raindrop and drown.

"UP!"

A loud boom finally catches up to her from when she first broke the sound barrier on the last trip downward.

"DOWN!"

Too focused on her target, her tiny wing brushes against a raindrop. The entire sky flashes white each time she touches water.

"UP!"

Outta my way, birdbrain! she thinks as she flits between the talons of a pesky crow.

"DOWN!"

She lands on a man's head. He dances a jig, soils his pants, and when he comes to he gets on his knees and thanks his maker just for being alive.

"GOT 'IM!"

The fairy flutters in an arc across the sky and paints a victory rainbow.

 

[LadyPamela]

Cute story; I'm glad you used them! I need to get them out again...

(Sorry about all the typos in my last post, everyone! I must have been quite distracted!)

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

My students thought the cubes were cool. We did a five-minute storytelling. I somehow ended up as the main character.

FIRE - My hair caught on fire.
WAND - A magician put the fire out.

From there, things were going smoothly until I got shot in the head with an ARROW.

The insulting part was that it wasn't the weapon arrow that got me; it was the plain, black "go-that-way" arrow.

 

[WilliamElse]

I'd never seen these before but as a teacher they look as if they could be very useful indeed. Thanks!