SPOOKYSTORYWRITING

Fun and interactive creative writing activity that will have

your students rolling story dice to write spooky stories.

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OVERVIEW

StoryRolling

Creative writing gets rolling as students roll story element dice (setting, character, obstacle, and a story starter) to create a

random set of story components. Once students have their story elements, they’ll plan and write a spooky story as they

combine each of the elements in an entertaining writing piece.

Lesson

Assemble materials: Copy a class set of the ‘Spooky Story Writing Pre-Write’ and the ‘Writing Paper’. Make story element

dice by cutting out each shape, folding along the lines, and taping or gluing the cube together. (You may want to make each

cube a different color. Copy as many as you will need depending on how you will have students complete the story rolling.

Students could roll their story dice independently, with partners, in small groups, or even at stations throughout the room.)

Lesson:

• Explain to students that scary stories have the same elements as other stories (character, problem, setting). Just like

other stories, the main character is faced with a challenge to overcome. However, scary stories add additional elements

of a creepy setting, scary characters, and a twist or surprising element at the end. You may also want to read a scary

story to students – included is “The Pink Jellybean”. It’s most effective if you don’t read the title and you read it aloud in

a very suspenseful manner.

• Explain to students that they will be writing spooky stories. However, they will have a little help determining the story

elements.

• Model rolling the dice and create a mini-story with the class.

• Depending on how students will be rolling the dice in your class, assemble partnerships or groups.

• Distribute the ‘Spooky Story Writing Pre-Write’ for students to record the story elements they roll.

• Once all students have rolled each story element, lead students through the pre-write:

Characters – Students will most likely use the character they rolled as the antagonist. That means that they need

to create a main character. Have students add details about how each looks and acts.

Setting – Have students consider when the story takes place and add descriptive details to amp up the fear factor.

Plot – Encourage students to develop their plot sequence. The key will be the twist in the story. Twists can include

things like a blocked escape route or the bad guy is actually the good guy.

Descriptions – Have students develop sensory descriptions that add to the scariness of the story.

• Give students an opportunity to write their spooky story on the ‘Writing Paper’. They can begin with the story starter they

rolled.

• After students have written their stories have them share with a partner, small group, or the whole class.

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The Pink Jellybean Story(Skip the title and read this aloud in a suspenseful manner to really lay on the scare factor.)

At the end of a long, dark road is a long, dark path.

At the end of the long, dark path is a lone, dark house.

And the lone, dark house has a single, dark door.

Behind the single, dark door is a long, dark hall.

At the end of the long, dark hall are a set of tall, dark stairs.

At the top of the tall, dark stairs is a long dark balcony.

At the end of the long, dark balcony is a big dark room.

In the big, dark room is a big, dark closet.

In the big, dark closet is a big, dark door.

Behind the big, dark door are some steep, dark stairs.

At the top of the steep, dark stairs is a dark, dusty attic.

In the dark, dusty attic is a big, dark chest.

In the big, dark chest is a small, dark box.

And in the small, dark box is a pink jellybean.

Copyright © 2014 Brain Waves Instruction All rights reserved by author.For classroom use only by a single teacher. Please purchase one licensure per teacher using this product.

Spooky Story Writing – Pre-Write

SETTING OBSTACLE CHARACTER STORY STARTER

CH

AR

AC

TE

RS

SE

TTIN

GP

LO

TD

ES

CR

IPTIO

NS

MAIN CHARACTER – Protagonist CHARACTER - Antagonist

Looks Like: Acts Like: Looks Like: Acts Like:

Where does the story take place? _________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

When does the story take place? __________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Describe the place. ______________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

BEGINNINGThe main character will

encounter an obstacle

or his/her worst fear.

How does this happen?

MIDDLEThe main character will try to overcome the obstacle, but fail.

How will this happen?

Attempt 1:

Attempt 2:

ENDINGThe obstacle is

overcome. This is

where you include a

TWIST.

SOUNDS SIGHTS SMELLS/TASTES TEXTURES

D

Copyright © 2014 Brain Waves Instruction All rights reserved by author.For classroom use only by a single teacher. Please purchase one licensure per teacher using this product.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name ___________________________________________

SETTING CUBE

THE WOODS

IN A

CAVE

ADESERTED MUSEUM

OLD, ABANDONED

HOUSE

A RUN-DOWN

CASTLE

A BASEMENT

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CHARACTER CUBE

MONSTER

GHOST WITCH OLD MAN

MUMMY

MADSCIENTIST

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OBSTACLE CUBE

The main character hears a

strange noise.

The main character has

to save someone.

The main character is

lost and alone.

The main character is

trapped.

The main character is being chased.

The main character is

stranded.

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STORY STARTER CUBE

The night was black all around me.

I could feel another set

of eyes watching me.

Behind the door, I heard

endless tapping.

Closer and closer it

came, it was getting bigger and bigger.

Cold and wet, I tried to make my way home.

Peeking throughthe window, my curiosity turned to horror.

Copyright © 2014 Brain Waves Instruction All rights reserved by author.For classroom use only by a single teacher. Please purchase one licensure per teacher using this product.

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