No More "Busywork" Bellringers: ELA Warm-ups that Work

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I know I usually talk about writing, but we need to start with some math first.


Let's take the number 10 and multiply it by 180.


You get 1,800. 


Now divide that by 60.


What does this all add up to and WHY AM I DOING MATH?!??!


Because if you spend just 10 minutes a day on an ELA warm-up, that adds up to an entire month of instructional time over the course of a school year.

A MONTH.

So… are your warm-ups worth that much?


If those 10 minutes aren’t building writing skills, strengthening grammar, or helping with test prep… they’re lost time. That’s why I stopped doing “Motivation Monday” and “Word Wednesday” and started using a structured routine that actually builds writing momentum.


✏️ What I Use Instead: The ELA Three-a-Day

It’s quick. It’s structured. It’s powerful. And it works all year long.

🔹 1. Sentence Combining

We start every day with this. At the beginning of the year, students practice simple compound sentences—adding commas and conjunctions correctly. As the year progresses, they work on complex sentences, then move into writing from just a prompt or topic. By the end of the year, they’re confidently creating their own compound and complex sentences daily.

I use stickers and digital trophies as motivators—it makes this skill-building feel fun.


🔹 2. Test Prep Skill

This daily practice includes grammar, language conventions, and multiple-choice practice to build familiarity with standardized question types. I use it to formatively assess what they need more help with—and what I can move past.

Bonus: It helps them practice test-taking strategies like eliminating answers, identifying distractors, and reading carefully.


🔹 3. Quick Write

This is the most creative part. Students respond to strange pictures, fantasy prompts, or silly scenes with a short, ungraded quick write. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s fluency, voice, and play. They’re experimenting, taking risks, and writing daily.

They look forward to this part of class. It builds writing stamina, creativity, and confidence in ways traditional assignments just can’t.



💬 How I Kick Off Class: Question of the Day

As they arrive, I have a “Question of the Day” on the board—like a quick round of Scattergories with odd categories. It’s fast, fun, and encourages students to get to class on time just to see what today’s question is.


🎥 Want to see this in action? Watch the Full Explanation Here:

📺 Watch on YouTube



Try It in Your Class!

You can grab:


Happy writing!

Robin  




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