Cubing Strategy
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
New York: Simon Pulse, 2005
Purpose
Developed by Cowan and Cowan (1980), the cubing strategy acts a stimulus
for writers, especially when they are suffering from writer’s block. The
strategy allows you to analyze a topic in depth, from a number of
perspectives. The six sides of the block actually parallel Bloom’s taxonomy of
comprehension levels, which is why this strategy would work as a before,
during, or after reading activity. The cube can be imaginary or constructed
from various materials.
Context
This strategy requires students to think about topics related to Uglies on many different
levels. Choose topics like the future, society, romance, wilderness, parties, courage, love,
beauty or anything that will help students visualize the novel and understand it more
deeply. Using this strategy right before brainstorming for an essay about the novel would
be very effective.
Directions
Materials needed: cube
Time: 20 minutes
Steps
1. Construct a six‐sided cube with the words describe, compare, associate, analyze,
apply, and argue for or against written on the sides
2. Choose an object or topic as a class. Write the topic on the board
3. Toss to cube to a student. Whatever way the cube lands, have the student use that
direction to talk about the topic. For example, if the topic is “future” and the cube
lands on “describe,” the student could say the future has flying cars or talk about
what they think the future looks like.
4. During the activity, have students be writing down ideas for their papers.
5. Students toss the cube to each other and keep passing it until, as a class, they have
gone through each side of the cube.
6. Repeat with a different topic.
Barber, BYU, 2010
Segue
Ask the students what they noticed about the different sides of
the cube. How does one answer differ from another? Introduce
Bloom’s taxonomy to them and hand out worksheet with the
definitions of Bloom’s taxonomy on it. Explain that you want them
to focus on the last three levels (Analysis, Synthesis, and
Evaluation) when writing their papers. Then say “Now that you
have come up with some ideas about topics for an essay about Uglies, choose one and start
writing your introductory paragraph.”
Assessment
Have students hand in their introductory paragraphs as an exit card. Read through and
label which part of Bloom’s taxonomy they are using and make suggestions on how they
could bring it up to the next level.
Barber, BYU, 2010
Argue
for/against
it!
Associate
it!
Describe
it!
Analyze
it!
Compare
it!
Barber, BYU, 2010
Apply it!