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bell ringers 5th grade

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ELA Bell Ringers - Morning Work - FREE 2 Weeks - 5th - 7th grades - Do Nows

FREEBIE Warm-Ups Bell Ringers : WOMEN IN HISTORY Non-Fiction for 5th -12th Grade

Math Review Activities for Number Patterns 5th grade FREEBIE

5th Grade Math Bell Ringers (Do Nows) for first 3 weeks of school (FREE)

FREE Día de los Muertos Reading Bell Ringers | Middle School | 5th & 6th Grade

• Google Apps™

FREE Winter Reading Bell Ringers | Middle School | 5th and 6th Grade

5th & 6th Grade Math Bellringers (Standards Based)

5th - 6th Grade Science Bell Ringers / Exit Slips - Water!

• Easel Activity

FREE 5th Grade Warm Up Bell Ringer Activities - Sunrise Skills

5th Grade Math Test Prep Bellringers -10 Weeks

5th Grade Bell Ringer-Place Value-Monday

5th Grade Test-Prep Bellringer Sample

Multiplying and Dividing Decimals Christmas 5th Math Winter Pixel Art Activity

• Internet Activities

AUGUST Spiral Review Worksheets Math Activities 5th Grade FREE SAMPLE PACK

FREE Place Value Worksheet Activity Standard and Expanded Form 4th 5th Grade

FREE Dividing Fractions by Whole Numbers 5th Grade Review Worksheets 5.NF.B.7.B

FREEBIE: 5th Grade Math Warm Ups, Morning Work, Bell Ringers , Homework Bell Work

FREEBIE: 180 Middle School Math Warm-Ups: No-Prep Daily Bellringers & Starters

FREE 5th Grade Daily Grammar Language Warmup - Spiral Review Activity

5th Grade Daily Math Review Fractions as Division

5th Grade Morning Work - ELA and MATH Spiral Review - With Journal Prompts

• Google Slides™

FREE MORNING WORK LANGUAGE ARTS LESSON - DAILY DAZZLE B - 5th Grade

Free 5th Grade Daily Math Spiral Review and Test Prep Sample

September Busy Book - Bell Ringer- Early Finishers

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Ninja Notes

Let us help you teach like a ninja!

Saved by the Bell Ringers in Upper Elementary

by BrainNinjasWP

Your class trickles in as you watch the time tick away and the punctual crowd starts to get restless. A student hands in work, another tells you all about the taco salad they had for lunch, while two others argue over which of two seemingly identical chairs is theirs. Does this sound familiar to you? It sounds like bell ringers might be the solution!

Bell Ringers Can Take Back That Wasted Time

Silent reading is a great way to start the day or for use during transitions. But maybe you want to shake things up? Or you want to make every minute of the day count. Bell ringers help to get things rolling from bell to bell. Read on to find out how we use them in our classroom and all the different types of bell ringers that can work.

What is a Bell Ringer?

Bell ringers are quick and easy activities (or small assignments) that students can complete independently. This happens while they wait for class to start. It can be the first thing they do in the morning, right before or after a break such as recess or lunch, or between classes/subjects. They could even be used at the end of the day. 

Bell ringers get kids’ brains primed for learning. They get students thinking about learning or about the topic of the bell ringer. They give students a routine task that is predictable and not stressful (and hopefully, they are fun, too).

Bell ringers are not meant to be assessed. Although they can be used as formative assessments, they shouldn’t be used as summative or cumulative assessments. No grades should be given for the work done during bell ringers. Looking at student work to get a sense of where they’re at can be helpful for lesson planning.

How to Run a Bell Ringer

Just like flossing your teeth, once you get into the habit, this becomes second nature. Routines create independence. It’s a predictable, safe way to get students ready for the day or the lesson. At the end of the day, routines are a nice way to sum up student learning, challenge them to continue learning, or inspire conversations at home. 

You want students to be able to do the work independently. It defeats the purpose if students need lots of support to complete bell ringers. If you have students who struggle with reading, writing or working independently (for whatever reason), establish a buddy system for those students. Working with a partner can support those struggling students or English Language Learners.

Although you can have fun with this, in general, there should be a purpose to the bell ringers. Students will buy in more if they know there is a purpose. They like to know the reason why they are doing things. Generally, our purpose is to let students know which subject we’ll be starting with or the topic that we might be addressing. Sometimes, we use them to review what we’ve learned the day before.

Skip the Assessment

Don’t assess or grade the bell ringers. This is not their purpose. The activity needs to be low risk. This keeps students engaged and willing to take risks in the activities. Who has time for grading all of that anyway? A quick glance over what students do or say should suffice.

The diversity of bell ringers keeps students engaged. You want them chomping at the bit to find out what the bell ringer is for the day. Hook them right from the start!

Location Matters!

There are a few ways to display the bell ringers. You can have a spot on a board where you post them, but ideally, projecting the bell ringer from your computer is the best. As long as students know where to look every single time, you will have to figure out what works best in your classroom. It will depend on the type of bell ringer and the subject area.

Think about where students will collect their answers (if at all). A scribbler, binder or folder are some ways to collect their work. You could also go digital, but that means students would have to have access to a device. This might not be worth it as it might take up more time getting them set up than completing the actual bell ringer. Unless you are teaching online. This is all part of setting up the routine you use.

Use the first few bell ringers to practice the routines instead of the content in the bell ringer.

Types of Bell Ringers

Previewing .

When starting a new unit or introducing a new concept, you want to get your students thinking about what’s to come. Bell ringers can prime students’ brains for new learning, like priming your lawnmower before yanking on the chain. If you don’t do it, it won’t start. But if you prime it too much, the engine drowns and won’t start. Make sure you use something that is manageable for students. You don’t want them to be drowning in the learning before you even start the lesson. It’s meant to spark interest – not teach the lesson.

Reviewing 

If you run out of time during a lesson, bell ringers are a great way to finish up a concept on another day. Use a bell ringer to reignite the content from the previous learning and get kids right back into the game.

When you are introducing the next level of the concept, bell ringers are fantastic for reviewing what was previously learned before introducing more information.

If you are introducing a new concept that builds on a concept you taught earlier in the year (or maybe it is an outcome from a previous year), a bell ringer is a quick way to review. It is also great to see what students already know about a concept to help with your planning.

If your students have completed the concept or lesson and are ready to stretch their thinking, bell ringers can provide opportunities for them to stretch their thinking. Just like your favourite pyjamas that get more comfortable as you wear them, challenging student thinking regularly makes students more comfortable with the challenge. 

Do your students struggle with maintaining a Growth Mindset? You’ll want to lead them out of the learning pit! Not sure what this is? Check out our post on how to Use The Learning Pit to Teach Growth Mindset . This is especially true in low-stakes situations like bell ringers where they are not being assessed. Remember that the goal of a bell ringer is to ignite learning for the day or lesson.

Bell ringers provide a great opportunity for students to practice skills. This is especially true for skills that need short, repeated practice but not tonnes of class time dedicated to the task. Grammar tidbits and math facts are examples of short, repeated practice opportunities.

It’s okay to let loose sometimes, too. Not everything has to be connected to the curriculum. Bell ringers can be just for fun. Fun facts, random quotes, funny stories, or historical facts are possibilities for random bell ringer fun. Even memes can be used for fun. Put up a picture and ask your students to write the meme that goes with it. (This one is super fun if you have lots of class clowns and comic geniuses).

Subject Specific Bell Ringers

Start off your class with a subject-specific bell ringer as you get ready for the lesson. Here are some ideas you can use for bell ringers.

Language Arts

Writing activities.

In our classroom, students write uninterrupted for 10-15 minutes. For more information on other ways we use the writing prompts, read Challenge Your Students with Writing Activities Every Day . We have created so many writing prompts over the years. We have sets that are organized in different ways. The monthly and genre sets contain the same prompts organized differently. They do not contain holidays. The holiday and season sets are completely new prompts. Monthly Sets : Free Sample , September , October , November , December , January , February , March , April , May , June , Bundle Genre : Free Sample , Narrative , Expository , Persuasive , Bundle Holiday Sets : Back to School , Thanksgiving , Halloween , Remembrance Day , Christmas , New Year’s , Lunar New Year , Poetry Month , Diwali , Kindness , Earth Day , Easter , Valentine’s Day , St. Patrick’s Day , End of the Year Seasons : Spring , Summer , Autumn , Winter , Bundle

Complete a journaling activity.

Write a book, movie, video game, website, or television show recommendation. 

Fill in blank speech bubbles. 

Language Arts and Grammar Activities

• Draw comic book strips to retell stories or make up new ones.
• Prepare for Speech on the Spot , a public speaking practice activity.
• Complete word work (spelling, word families, word parts).
• Explore figurative language.
• Refine recognizing parts of speech.
• Practice grammar skills.
• Learn about literary terms.
• Introduce new vocabulary words.
• Fix mistakes (editing and revising).
• Analyze mentor sentences.

Reading Activities

Practice reading comprehension strategies

Create responses to a text

Complete Weekly Reading Skills

We created these activities based on Canadian content for students to complete during our Language Arts lessons. You can read more about them in this post, Add Great Content to Your Literacy Lessons. Many of the activities make great bell ringers. The grade levels mainly align with the reading levels, but please check the previews. Since there is lots of content-specific language, some of the passages might be difficult for students reading below grade level to complete independently.

Try Grade 4

Try this set free: Writing-On-Stone Park , Set 1 Natural Resources Bundle : Agriculture , Mountain Pine Beetle , Orphan Wells , Watersheds , Set 2 Wandering Waste : Pacific Garbage Patch , Plastic Film , Waste Innovation , Whale Poop , Set 3 Community Life : Quality of Life , Rural Ghost Towns , Tourism , Urban Origins , Set 4 Light & Shadow , Colour Blindness , Rainbows , Shadow Puppets , Ultraviolet Light , Set 5 Heritage Objects : Artifacts , Fossils , Frank Slide , Okotoks , Set 6 Simple Machines : Indigenous Tools , Mechanical Watches , Nature’s Machines , Silly Machines , Set 7 Heritage Sites : Buffalo Jumps , Father Lacombe , John Ware , Ukrainian Village , Set 8 Peculiar Plants : Carnivorous Plants , Invasive Species , Sacred Plants , Xeriscaping , Social Studies Only Bundle , Science Only Bundle , Year Long Bundle

Check Out Grade 5

Try this set free: Permafrost Set 1 Becoming Canada : Canadian Flag . Charter of Rights , Patriation , Statute of Westminster , Set 2 Weather Wonders : Climate Migration , Fabric & Fibres , Weather Forecasting , Tornados , Set 3 Confederation : Excluded Voices (Indigenous People) , Expanding West , Macdonald and Cartier , Nunavut , Set 4 Canadian Chemistry : Fireworks , Green Ink , Insulin , Peanut Butter , Set 5 Canadian Injustices : Africville , Chinese Head Tax , Internment Camps , Komagata Maru , Set 6 Eclectic Electricity : Electric Cars , Electric Eels , Internet Data Centres , Lightning , Set 7 Canadian Groundbreakers : Elsie MacGill , Mary Two-Axe Earley , Stanley G Grizzle , Willie O’Ree , Set 8 Wild Wetlands : Busy Beavers , Constructed Wetlands , Urbanization , Uses of Peat , Social Studies Only Bundle , Science Only Bundle , Year Long Bundle

Look at Grade 6

Try this set free: Constellations Set 1 Canadian Space Tales : Canadian Astronauts , Canadian Space Technology , Pluto , Space Junk . More sets will be created soon. Social Studies Only Bundle (available soon), Science Only Bundle (available soon), Year Long Bundle (available soon)

French as a Second Language

• Build vocabulary
• Complete word studies 
• Practice recognizing parts of speech and using them correctly
• Practice grammar skills
• Use writing prompts
• Analyze mentor sentences
• Practice dialogues
• Fill in speech bubbles 
• Draw comic book strips
• Learn and practice linguistic concepts

We created an entire set of French Bell Ringers designed for French as a Second Language classrooms. They share information about the French language with short activities each day. They are organized by month, but they are not generally seasonal and can be done in any order.

September , October , November , December , January , February , March , April , May , June

Try this free set or grab the whole year bundle that comes with a bonus set.

You can try a free set of the French Bell Ringers when you join our mailing list. If you’re already a member, you can find the set in the resource library .

• Work on a problem of the day or week (problem solving)
• Practice operations drills like addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
• Complete task cards  
• Complete a number of the day activity
• Use manipulatives to solve a problem
• Introduce science phenomena/concepts
• Read science news
• Interpret data
• Make hypotheses or predictions
• Make observations 
• Watch and debrief video of science demonstration
• Complete science journal prompts

Social Studies

• Work on a Geography Scavenger Hunt
• Complete mapping activities 
• Interpret historical images 
• Interpret primary sources
• Explore different points of view on a topic
• Read quotes and respond
• Read current events
• Prepare for discussions
• Complete logic puzzles
• Interpret image prompts
• Complete simple art projects like sketching
• Respond to a piece of artwork
• Practice fine motor skills (printing, cursive writing, drawing, cutting, tracing, sewing)
• Play online games
• Watch wordless videos and complete an activity
• Complete a “Would you rather…” activity
• Complete “What if…” activity
• Write a Tweet
• Answer a question of the day
• Create a meme
• Answer polls or surveys
• Complete riddles and brain teasers 
• Answer online quizzes

Why You Should Use Bell Ringers

The biggest win in our eyes is avoiding the start of class chaos that we all experience. Kids have something to do right away and are engaged in learning from the minute they arrive. Remember the anticipatory set or the hook in your lesson plans? Bell ringers can do this work for you.

Kids love routines (adults do, too). The predictability of the routine helps students get ready for learning. Just like warming up your muscles before a competition, bell ringers warm up students’ brains. Bell ringers can help students make connections to old learning, new learning, between concepts and between ideas. 

Have you ever used a bell ringer to start off your class? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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Bell Ringers

Bell ringers: how they changed my life and why i can’t live without them.

In the last couple of years I have gone through some teaching position changes that I never thought would happen to me.

I taught self-contained 5th grade for three years (that included my student teaching).

I knew nothing else, and honestly, at the time, I didn’t really want to. Long story short, I moved across the state  and took a 6th grade position that I *thought* was 6th grade self-contained. Turns out not so much…

SIXTH GRADE ELA DEPARTMENTALIZED POSITION

To keep it brief, when I was hired for my 6th grade position, not only was I told I would be only teaching ELA, but I was also told there was an issue with my teaching partner situation.

By December, I was on my 7th (YES 7TH) teaching partner. I was the only consistency our 6th graders had, but I was struggling when they were coming into my room after whoever was their math and science teacher that day.

I had always loved Harry Wong’s First Days of School, but again, my classroom management had been “manageable” until I was into this new position.

In general, my homeroom was okay, but the second class (who had a different teacher almost every week), was making me lose my EVER LOVING MIND. I’m talking literal wrestling, yelling, not getting ANY supplies… Just shear chaos. It was miserable for all of us.

CONTROLLING WHAT I COULD CONTROL WITH ELA BELL RINGERS

My homeroom came back to me at the end of the day as well… and that was also a super tough transition. I knew that I had to change though and had to try and control the things I could control. This is not always easy, but I have become very reflective and flexible in my short teaching career *survival of the fittest friends. Also, I really had mostly wonderful kids, so I knew it really wasn’t their fault.

Harry Wong talks about kids needing to have something to do right when they get into class. They need structure, routine, expectations, etc. You know the drill… My instinct was morning work, but hello middle school. No time to do that and no time to grade.

WHY I DECIDED TO USE BELL RINGERS IN MY CLASSROOM

Bell Ringers were one of those things I had always heard about when I taught elementary, but never really needed at that time. In fifth grade we did morning work. This worked in self-contained for a couple of reasons:

• They were ALL MINE all day long. One of the biggest adjustments for me (going from elementary to middle) had been the switching of classes… and switching classes in my previous situation was SUPER tough.
• We formed consistent routines. If we needed to change something I could because it just affected us.
• I had no copy limits at my first school (THE WORST). Morning work, and even some bell ringers take copies, and I just didn’t have that option at my new school.
• I could “grade” the morning work when I had time. There were a million other things that my 5th graders cared about being graded than their morning work. My 6th graders only had me for ELA, so they knew if I wasn’t grading consistently they didn’t have to try that hard.

So, I created ELA Bell Ringers, and swear I’m not product pushing, they changed my life. Here’s why:

• I made them all notebooks that had a section for bell ringers only. I spent a weekend buying the composition notebooks, making the tabs, and gluing them in.

MODELING THE BELL RINGERS TO ENCOURAGE SUCCESS

I modeled the heck out of how bell ringers should look:

• I knew that I would probably have to slow down to a crawl in December to teach my 6th graders, but nothing else was working so I was willing.
• I wanted the bell ringers to take 3, maybe 4 minutes… but I knew that it would take a week or two of 10-15 minute modeling each day to get to that point. So I did.
• In theory, I wanted it all to fit on one page, but knew that wouldn’t happen with some of my #hotmessexpress students, so when I counted out the pages for Bell Ringers (yes, I counted the exact number of pages for each week) I gave a front AND back page for each week of bell ringers.
• So for a school year, they would need about about 38 pages (just to be safe).

HOW I GRADED THE BELL RINGERS TO SAVE MY SANITY

In the picture, you can kind of see how I graded, and this was HUGE for my 6th graders, and simple for me.

• I learned quickly that I had to be diligent about grading or they wouldn’t do it.
• Eventually, I didn’t even have to check. I started letting the first 3-4 students who did quality bell ringers work, grade their classmates. They would just stamp for me. It even made some of my super reluctant workers get theirs done, because even 6th graders want to grade!
• Eventually I just bought some stamper markers (instead of initialing because you have no idea how much time that wastes) and then it was really fast!

BELL RINGERS AS A CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT TOOL

I am honestly not looking for “real” instruction here. I don’t want you to think Bell Ringers are a waste of time, but I found that when I did morning work, I WANTED them to finish the work because it was very much a review of what we were learning. That means sometimes I HAD to teach the morning work (ugh). Not my goal.

• With the Bell Ringers, they teach the kids something, but nothing requires me to “instruct,” because I need that time for attendance and such.
• The Bell Ringers were the same, but varied ha! What this means, is that they did the same format every week, but the type of Bell Ringer changed every day and the content changed every week. They didn’t get bored, but they always knew what to do. This is what a week of bell ringers looks like.

BELL RINGERS FOR 4TH-6TH GRADE ELA

These bell ringers were made for my sixth grade ELA students, but work perfectly in fifth grade, and a lot of fourth grade teachers have had success with them as well. These same bell ringers have also become 100% digital in Google Slides.

You can get my:

• Middle Grade Digital and No Print, No Prep ELA Bell Ringers by clicking here or…
• You can try them out FREE for three weeks by clicking here. 
• If you are a subscriber, these are already in your free resource library.

WHAT WERE THE RESULTS OF IMPLEMENTING BELL RINGERS?

• My kids got to work right away
• I had kids coming straight into class (without wrestling, touching, being all around insane- that’s a win in middle school)
• They were learning!
• I also had to make ZERO copies
• Grading was simple and it guaranteed a grade every week.

A MESSY MORNING ROUTINE THAT NEEDED WORK 

Root or affix of the week bell ringers for quick warm-ups.

I made these bell ringers to be the perfect fit for this very short morning time. Since their original creation, they have also become 100% digital in Google Slides.

•   Root and Affix of The Week Bell Ringers by clicking here or…
• You can even try them out FREE for three weeks by clicking here. 

WHY NOT SOMETHING LIKE SILENT READING INSTEAD?

• If you know me, you know I am a HUGE advocate for creating life long readers by using the philosophies as outlined by Donalyn Miller in Reading in the Wild . In 6th grade, I still did “Daily 5” even though we only had two rounds, so my students read silently for 20-40 minutes each day.
• In 7th and 8th grade we will still have at least 15 minutes of reading at the end of class each day.
• That 5 minutes of Bell Ringer time is precious, but I’ve learned that having my students coming into class at the start and reading right away doesn’t work for me. I’m not saying that’s the case for everyone, but not me.
• I want that reading time to do conferences and groups (and even reading sometimes), and if I am spending it getting kids settled, taking attendance, and other stuff, I don’t get to be a part of that reading time.
• I actually remember my 6th grade teacher having us read at the start of class. I was, and always have been a reader, but I seriously can’t remember ever actually reading during that time. I spent those 10 minutes getting my homework out and watching her come to my desk stamp it and “pretending to read” because 10 minutes just didn’t seem like enough.
• It also just seemed like something for us to do until she could stamp the homework and take attendance. The point is, I didn’t see the reading as the goal for her.
• If you have to choose between Bell Ringers and reading: CHOOSE READING, but if you need a structure for the start of class, and still have time for reading, then Bell Ringers are seriously life changing.

MIDDLE SCHOOL ELA BELL RINGERS FOR 7TH AND 8TH GRADE

• Middle School ELA Bell Ringers for Seventh and Eight Grade | Volume One
• Middle School ELA Bell Ringers for Seventh and Eight Grade | Volume Two
• Unique and Fun Middle School ELA Bell Ringers for Seventh and Eighth Grade 
• Read more about: Back to School , ELA Bell Ringers

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Elementary Assessments

51 Great Bell Ringer Writing Prompts

Help students transition into an academic mindset using these engaging bell ringer writing prompts.

Bell ringers, brief exercises that students complete while the teacher attends to classroom preparatory duties, help to establish a consistent routine so that student distractions are minimized upon arrival to class.

These short tasks settle students and encourage them to begin working.

Done consistently, students know what to expect upon arrival, and the teacher gets a bit more time to organize for the next lesson.

Whichever subject you teach, you’ll find these bell ringer writing prompts helpful as you plan your lessons.

Related: bell ringers for middle school , bell ringers for high school

Bell Ringer Writing Prompts

The following bell ringer writing prompts help students to transition smoothly into learning mode.

1. What are some examples and non-examples of an ambitious spirit?

2. Describe two significant social issues currently affecting your country.

3. Explain the importance of getting enough sleep.

4. Describe your favorite food.

5. Share a memorable first day of school.

6. Summarize a section or chapter of a book you’re currently reading.

7. Where do you see yourself in fifteen years?

8. What are the pros and cons of owning a dog?

9. Explain why an architect is considered a type of artist.

10. Tell the benefits of listening to music.

11. Brainstorm a social media hashtag that represents something about you. What is the hashtag? Describe what it means.

12. Describe a place where you feel safe.

13. What are the consequences of too much junk food?

14. Share an experience visiting another country or state.

15. Write a note to a friend or family member, thanking the person for a kind gesture.

16. How do you prepare for back to school?

17. Are typing skills and cursive handwriting still essential skills to learn? Why or why not?

18. Define success.

19. Describe your strategy for reaching your SMART goals.

20. Write a recommendation for a summer reading book you like.

21. Share the recipe for having a really good report card.

22. My favorite holiday tradition is … because…

23. Describe your ideal meal without actually mentioning it.

24. What do you like and dislike most about autumn?

25. Tell the importance of saying “please” and “thank you”.

26. Write about your top two favorite things that have happened so far this school year.

27. Describe a book you read that you just couldn’t put down.

28. Share a proud moment in your life.

29. Write about what you like and dislike about your school.

30. What are the benefits of responding to bell ringer writing prompts?

31. In your opinion, how can students stop stressing out?

32. Draft a letter to students in the grade level below you, telling them what to expect next school year.

33. If I knew I couldn’t fail, I would…

34. Would you rather be covered in scales or covered in fur? Explain your choice.

35. How can you encourage a friend who is feeling down?

36. Summarize an important skill, concept, or lesson you learned this week.

37. Explain the importance of having solid study skills.

38. “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” What do you think this quote means?

39. To your knowledge, is college always necessary? Why or why not?

40. If someone from out of town visited your city for a few days, what attractions would you recommend for them to see and why?

41. Why do you think it’s important for people to donate to local charities?

42. Explain the history behind your favorite comic.

43. Pick a president from history, and write a brief biography about him.

44. How should people work out a disagreement?

45. Which do you like better…the morning time or the night time? Why do you like this time of day more than the other?

46. For 24 hours, you have wings and can fly anywhere. Describe all the places you’ll visit.

47. Write the characteristics of your parents.

48. Describe the perfect school day.

49. Share a family tradition.

50. Tell a strategy for building something out of 100 Legos.

51. Why is it necessary to have rules?

Final Thoughts: Bell Ringer Writing Prompts

Now you have a ready-supply of bell ringer writing prompts that get students on task quickly.

If you found these bell ringer writing prompts helpful, download free printable of bell ringer questions .

Language & Grammar

Science & Social Studies

Digital Learning

Warming your kids up for writing block.

Have you guys heard of bell-ringers? If you have, it was likely for middle or high school, or even 4th and 5th grade when students switched class periods. BUT I partnered up with The Superhero Teacher and we created Bell Ringers for primary students, too! It’s a fantastic strategy for warming your kids up for writing block.

Below, I’m going to tell you what Bell Ringers are, how to use them, and all the different options.

What are Bell Ringers?

So let’s start with what Bell Ringers are. In middle and high school (the grades Britt started out with), bell ringers are writing prompts that students use as they first come into that period. Now, it will look quite different in primary grades!! Bell ringers cover a variety of different writing styles. They are cyclical practice activities, which means they will spiral throughout the year. Each week will deal with narrative skills, opinion writing, informational writing, sentence editing, and more!

 (Link:  Bell Ringers Journal )

How Can I Use Bell Ringers in Primary Grades?

Now, let’s talk about how you can use them in primary classes. Obviously, you can use these however you see fit, but here is my recommendation. I think bell ringers would work best in your first or second grade classroom in the first 5 minutes of your writing block. The kiddos can grab their bell ringer journals, answer the prompt that they either see in their journal or on the board (depending on which format you choose) and they will write the answer to the prompt.

Self-Assessments for Warming your Kids Up for Writing Block

To turn it into a great self-assessment, you can have the students read their responses to three other friends. Then, they’ll put them away and start your writing lesson. It’s a great activity for warming your kids up for writing block.

(Link:  Bell Ringers Journal )

What are the Different Options?

And, this particular Bell Ringer product comes with MULTIPLE options. So, it can fit any format in your classroom. You can print it off like a journal, or you can display the prompt on the board while kids respond in their journal. Also, you get to choose if you want to use colored ink or black and white. AND there are editable options too if you need to write your own prompt one week or for the entire year. So you’ve got options!

• Color journal
• Editable black and white journal
• Black and white journal
• Editable color journal
• PowerPoint to display

Let’s get a closer look at each of those options below! Option #1: Color Journal

(Link:  Bell Ringers Journal ) Option one is to have a journal with color images. The days of the week also come in color, too. It comes with primary writing lines OR regular writing lines. You can choose which you need for your class.

Option #2: Black and White Journal

(Link:  Bell Ringers Journal ) The black and white journal comes with the photographs in grayscale and the clip art in black and white so that the students can color in the clip art. The cover is also black and white, so the kiddos can color theirs and make it their own. Just like with the color version, you can choose between primary and regular writing lines.

Option #3 & 4: Color or B/W EDITABLE Journal

(Link:  Bell Ringers Journal ) Also included in the bell ringer journals is a PowerPoint version of the bell ringers. This is so that you can put your own prompt in if you would like. Or you could decrease the number of lines, move the lines, or increase the number of lines your students write on. The text and the writing lines are editable in this version.

Option #5: Presentation Version to display

(Link:  Bell Ringers Presentation Version ) This presentation version of the bell ringers journal is the SAME writing prompts as the journal. It’s just offered in PPT format so that you can display the prompt on the board, and the students can record their answers into blank writing journals. This may be for the teachers who have extremely limited copies for the year, are out of copies for the year, or just want to be eco-friendly. Some teachers choose to buy the bundle, too. It includes both the presentation and the journal prompts so that students can write in their journals and see it on the board as they come in as well.

Option #6: Digital Conversion

Want to check out a week for free?

In Britt’s store, she has put a full Monday-Friday set up that you can check it out to see if it would work for your kiddos. If so, check for links below!

(Link:  Freebie )

Warming Your Kids Up for Writing Block – Get Started!

Want to get started today? Grab the journal, PowerPoint, or bundle here!

(Link:  Bell Ringers Journal )

Thanks for reading Warming Your kids Up for Writing Block post! Don’t forget to  subscribe  to my newsletter for great resources all year long!

• Read more about: Uncategorized , Writing Blog Posts

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Monthly Bell Ringer Collection

This collection of bell ringers includes a set of free bell ringers for each month of the year, part of our free resources for teachers collection.

We have created a set of bell ringers for each month of the year. These prompts focus on special holidays, celebration and other unique events that occur during each month.

Within each set you will find a selection for those schools who do celebrate holidays such as Halloween and Valentine’s Day. However, we have worked to make sure that the majority of bell ringers that we have created will fit into any school environment.

You will find that a few bell ringers repeat each month. The remainder will be unique to the month so that students will often be encouraged to think about a new topic.

These are designed to print two on an 8 1/2 x 11 page. Print, laminate and cut apart.

You might choose to store them in a binder with a pocket for each month. Or, put each set into a file folder.

Using Bell Ringers in the Classroom

Bell ringers are designed to be an easy, getting ready to learn task. Choose a spot in the classroom where you will display your bell ringer each day. We like the idea of using a chalkboard if available. Another idea is to place the bell ringer on a blank wall and then ask students to place post it notes with their responses around the bell ringer.

We find that students often to see the response of the teacher so take time to answer the question each day!

You can find the free, monthly bell ringers below. Click on each image to go to the post and find the set for the month.

Make sure you bookmark this post so that you can easily find it each month. Not sure how to bookmark?

Take a look at this tutorial we created: Bookmarking in Chrome