The Reading and Writing Nook

Hands-On Reading & Writing Resources

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About Us

Welcome! I’m Sonam, a passionate middle grades educator who believes learning sticks best when students are up, moving, and engaged. Over the years, I’ve taught middle school English Language Arts in both the U.S. and abroad, primarily in independent schools, and I’ve seen firsthand how hands-on, movement-based instruction can transform a classroom.

As a former board member of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), I’ve been fortunate to help shape the broader conversation around literacy education. With a B.S. in Education from The University of Texas at Austin and an M.Ed. from Johns Hopkins University, I now use my background and expertise to design creative, standards-aligned resources that bring energy, clarity, and joy into ELA classrooms everywhere.

August Bell Ringers: No-Prep ELA Warm-Ups for Middle School

The first weeks of school can feel like a whirlwind with new routines, new names, new energy. That’s exactly why I love starting each class with a simple, consistent ELA warm-up activity. Bell ringers give students a clear routine while giving you a few precious minutes to take attendance, greet students, and breathe.

But here’s the thing: not all back-to-school bell ringers are created equal. Some feel like busywork, and that’s the last thing we want for our students. I want quick activities that are fun, structured, and actually build into something bigger.

That’s where story-based bell ringers come in. Grab your free set of August ELA Bell Ringers HERE.

Why Use Story-Based Bell Ringers in August?

Instead of random prompts, each week of these August bell ringers follows a silly, connected story. Students complete short daily challenges, like expanding sentences, adding dialogue, or throwing in a cliffhanger, that build into a funny little narrative by Friday.

This type of story-based warm-up routine works because:

  • Students practice real writing skills without overwhelm.
  • They get hooked by the ongoing story and curious to see what happens next.
  • You establish a strong back-to-school routine that feels purposeful, not like “filler.”

Skills Practiced with August ELA Bell Ringers

These ELA warm-ups for grades 5–8 aren’t just quick writes, they build writing skills. Students practice:

  • Varying sentence structure: experimenting with short bursts, flowing sentences, and compound structures.
  • Strong word choice: swapping bland verbs for specific, silly, or exaggerated alternatives.
  • Show, don’t tell writing: revealing character emotions through actions and dialogue.
  • Dialogue with purpose: writing conversations that actually move the story forward.
  • Building suspense and humor: practicing cliffhangers that keep readers curious.
  • Smooth transitions: connecting classroom scenes, cafeteria chaos, and gym adventures.
  • Detail expansion: using appositives, parentheses, and prepositional phrases.
  • Cause and effect: showing how one wacky event leads to the next.

By the end of the week, students have a mini story filled with voice, detail, and personality.

How to Use August Bell Ringers in Your Classroom

  1. Project them on the board using the Google Slides version.
  2. Have students respond in their notebooks or on the handout as soon as class begins.
  3. Use them as 5–7 minute warm-ups to start every day with structure.
  4. Let students share on Fridays to build classroom community.

Free August Bell Ringers for Teachers

The best part? These August bell ringers for upper elementary and middle school are completely free for my email community. They’re ready-to-print, scaffolded, and designed to make your mornings smoother while keeping students engaged.

Grab your free set of August ELA Bell Ringers HERE.

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