Morning Magic: 28 Bell Ringers for Middle School

See Bell Ringers for Middle School, Fun Bell Ringer Questions, and Engaging Prompts Your Students Will Love!— We know you’re going to love these ideas. Take a look and enjoy!

Oh yeah.

For many educators (and students!), going from one class to another throughout the school day can feel a little bit like the transitions never end.

And…

Having group after group shuffle in and settle down can become a challenging part of the day for teachers and students alike. Then, you have to figure out how to start off with the lesson, besides the fact that getting a bunch of students to settle down is no joke.

But take heart because…

We have 28 super fun bell ringers to help you inspire your students!

You see…

The bell ringers below are simple ways to get kids more engaged from the get-go. Plus, teachers can use these bell ringer ideas for classroom management and get a sense of where the kids are in terms of previous lessons.

So get to it and take a look at these 28 bell ringers for middle school kids. Your students are sure to love them.

Oh, and if you’re wondering what a bellringer is exactly, it’s a small activity, mini-assessment, or quick assignment, typically prompts or questions surrounding a current topic.

Let’s get started!

28 Fun Bell Ringer Questions And Prompts For Middle School Students

Enjoy this list of bell ringers for middle school students to inspire your kids.

On Monday, ask students to list their favorite quote or quotes to help them tackle the blues, get motivated, and stay focused.
For a focus on perseverance and progress: “The sun himself is weak when he first rises, and gathers strength and courage as the day goes on.” – Charles Dickens. This quote emphasizes that even the brightest things start slow. Mondays might feel daunting, but you can build momentum throughout the day.

For a focus on taking charge of your own experience: “Monday Morning Blues? Why not change the color of your Monday to yellow and brighten up the coming week?” – Kanika Saxena. This quote reminds students that their attitude can influence their experience. They have the power to make their Monday positive!

For a fresh start with the excitement of achieving goals. “Monday is a chance to start fresh. A new week to learn, grow, and crush your goals. Let’s do this!” – Unknown.
On Tuesday, assign one writing prompt from this list of 68 Wonderful Daily Writing Prompts.
Start a Wacky Wednesday class tradition, where students share the whackiest thing they’ve learned this school year.
Be thirsty for knowledge on Thursdays and have each student share a new vocabulary word to expand their linguistics.
Friday is for fun! Give students a writing prompt to write 100 words on what their plans are for the weekend.
Which two or three questions were the most challenging this week from their class or homework? Briefly share why.
Can you solve math problems mentally or do you need other resources to help you?
Each day, ask a different student to come up with a question of the day to share with their classmates.
If your book character had a social media account, what would they say?
What are your favorite ways to start the school morning?
If you could teach any class lesson, what would the topic be? What would your first order of business be?
What’s the concept you find hardest about algebra?
Let’s prep for the day’s work with a fun-themed pop quiz, enjoyable math activity, or silly word puzzle.
For 5th-grade students: Write a short script of a conversation you had recently with someone you admire.
For 8th-grade students: write a 100-word anonymous journal entry about what you find hardest about ____ class.
What’s the one concept you’ve had trouble with in this entire year?
Do you think incorporating Google Slides enhances class engagement? Why or why not?
Share a figurative language example (i.e. “That news hit me like a ton of bricks”) and have students write a short story about it or draw a picture inspired by it.
How does using technology impact your learning?
Let’s do a creative bell work activity together. Here are 3 ideas:
- Headline Rewrite: Project a news headline on the board (you can find one online or use one from the day’s paper). Instruct students to rewrite the headline creatively. This could involve making it more dramatic, funny, or using a different perspective. This activity gets students thinking critically about language and information.
- Mystery Image Reveal: Partially cover an image related to your lesson topic on the board. Slowly reveal more of the image each day, prompting students to guess what it is and what it might signify in relation to the upcoming lesson. This builds anticipation and gets students thinking about the upcoming content.
- Debatable Definitions: Display a word on the board that connects to your lesson. Ask students to write down their own definitions of the word. Then, have them share their definitions with a partner and discuss any differences. This gets students activating prior knowledge and considering multiple perspectives on a topic.
In what way, if any, do your grammar skills play a role in your school’s success?
Here’s a bell ringer idea for the middle school ELA classroom: Introduce a word of the day, and have middle schoolers write the word, its meaning, and a sentence using the word.
Give students three incorrect sentences to correct.
Start off the ELA class with low pressure and consistency to make students feel welcome and ask each student to use one word to describe how they’re feeling today.
Let students come up with some bell work ideas that you can incorporate into the classroom routine.
For social studies class, project an image on the wall, and ask students about the relevance of what’s being studied, a creative yet historically appropriate caption, and what’s happening in it.
Test students’ grammar skills by having them view examples you create and share, and have them add punctuation to sentences.
Ask your students their favorite one-minute way to warm up. Once you have an answer, let them do it and get their energy out before starting the morning work. Set a timer!

With these bell ringers for middle school students, you’ll find some consistency in how you get your class started, not to mention, help with crowd control!

120 More Free Writing Prompts & Resources

Until next time, write on…

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Sincerely,
Jill
journalbuddies.com
creator and curator