10th Grade English Language Arts Centers

The 2025 January ELA Bell Ringers resource offers an engaging, ready-to-use set of daily activities designed to enhance students' language arts skills throughout the month. Each bell ringer encourages critical thinking, creativity, and mastery of core ELA concepts, making them ideal for middle to high school learners. The prompts range from grammar corrections and vocabulary exercises to creative writing and reflection activities, ensuring students remain focused and engaged as they transition back to school after winter break. With a balance of structured tasks and open-ended prompts, these bell ringers foster a dynamic start to each lesson.

INCLUDED IN THIS RESOURCE:

• 23 daily bell ringer activities for the month of January.
• A variety of task types, including vocabulary development, creative writing, reflection, and critical thinking.
• Seasonal themes such as New Year’s resolutions and winter-related writing prompts.

PERFECT FOR:

• Middle and high school classrooms.
• Homeschooling parents looking for structured, daily ELA practice.
• Teachers seeking classroom management tools to settle students at the start of class.
• Students of varying skill levels, as activities are designed to be accessible yet challenging.

WHY CHOOSE THIS RESOURCE?

• NO-PREP, ready-to-use prompts save preparation time for educators.
• Flexible design allows for integration into existing lesson plans.
• Includes diverse activities that cater to different learning styles and interests.
• Seasonal themes keep students engaged and motivated.

BENEFITS FOR TEACHERS/HOMESCHOOL PARENTS:

• Minimizes planning time with **NO-PREP, **pre-made, high-quality activities.
• Encourages consistent skill-building without requiring extensive grading.
• Provides a structured routine to transition students into focused learning.
• Versatile prompts can serve as discussion starters or journal assignments.

BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS:

• Builds confidence in grammar, vocabulary, and writing skills.
• Promotes critical thinking and reflection on personal growth.
• Encourages creativity and self-expression through open-ended tasks.
• Establishes a positive routine to start each day with purpose and focus.

This **2025 January ELA Bell Ringers **resource is thoughtfully curated to align with seasonal themes, such as New Year reflections and winter imagery, while incorporating a variety of ELA standards. Grammar corrections challenge students' attention to detail, while reflective prompts help them set personal and academic goals for the new year. Creative writing tasks allow for self-expression, encouraging students to develop their narrative and descriptive writing skills. Each activity is short and impactful, making it easy to integrate into your daily lessons without disrupting your overall schedule.

Teachers and homeschooling parents will appreciate the simplicity and flexibility of this resource. The bell ringers are structured to be quick and effective, taking only about 5–10 minutes of class time. Additionally, they serve as an excellent tool for classroom management, helping to settle students into a productive mindset at the start of each lesson. The wide variety of prompts ensures that students of varying skill levels and interests remain engaged, fostering a positive learning environment.

The **2025 January ELA Bell Ringers **are also designed to promote independent thinking and self-improvement among students. Activities like goal-setting and reflection help them connect their academic progress to personal growth. Meanwhile, creative tasks allow them to explore their unique voices as writers, building confidence in their abilities. By the end of the month, students will have honed essential ELA skills and developed habits that will support their success throughout the rest of the school year.

If you and your students enjoyed this resource, please leave a review so others can see your opinion.

Thank you for your support! 

**Tina - Big Easy Homeschooling Mom

**Social Media Links: **linktr.ee/bigeasyhomeschoolingmom

**Please subscribe to my website so you do not miss out on new resources and blogs:

tidewindacademyhomeschool.com

I have created a digital self-checking 15-question quiz template in Excel and Google Sheets.

With this template, you will be able to insert 15 questions as well as insert an answer key into this conditionally formatted template that will do the grading for you automatically. If a student answers a question correctly, the answer will turn green and if they answer incorrectly, the answer will turn red. You will be able to use this template for multiple quizzes in multiple subjects - all you have to do is change the questions and change the answer key.

This template will be a lifesaver and you will be sure to keep handy for every day to weekly use.

I look forward to your feedback.

Thank you for your support,

Tina - Big Easy Homeschooling Mom

Social Media Links

This product is made for:

• adapting instruction
• differentiating instruction
• on level learners
• ESL/ENL/ELL
• Deaf Education
• Homework
• Classwork
• Homeschooling
• Bell Work
• Virtual Instruction
• Remote Instruction
• Struggling Readers
• Struggling Writers

With this product, students will write sentences using the 44 idioms that are included. What an idiom is reviewed, the meaning of each idiom is provided along with an example of the word/s used in a sentence.

Unlock the secrets of the classroom with our thrilling Word Search High School! Dive into a world of academic adventure and challenge your mind like never before.

• Packed with over 24 hidden words related to the high school experience
• Test your vocabulary and observation skills

Uncover the joy of learning as you scour the page for terms like "science", "homecoming", and "debate club". This Word Search High School is not just a puzzle - it's a journey through the halls of academia that will keep you entertained for hours. Whether you're a student, teacher, or lifelong learner, this game is a must-have for anyone who loves the thrill of the hunt.

Explore the world of gerunds with this comprehensive Guided Discovery: The Gerund/Gerund Phrase lesson!

Group Learning: This resource is also ideal for collaborative learning! Students can work in pairs or small groups to analyze sentences and discover the grammar rules on their own, encouraging peer discussion and cooperative learning.

This resource offers a deep dive into gerund phrases, helping students identify their structure and understand their five key functions. It includes practical exercises, sentence analysis, and engaging activities to solidify understanding.

Included in this resource:

• Clear explanations and examples of gerunds and gerund phrases.
• Exercises to identify gerund phrases as subjects, direct objects, predicate nominatives, indirect objects, and objects of prepositions.
• Fill-in-the-blank activities, YES/NO questions, and sentence completion tasks for independent practice.
• A recap section summarizing essential grammar rules about gerund phrases.

These Bell Ringers featuring 100 positive quotes and journal questions provide a great way to begin your lesson while giving you the time to manage other tasks. Journal Questions are a fantastic way for your students to applaud themselves on wins, think about their favorite memories, or work on goals in their lives.

100 Days of Bell Ringers – Engaging, Low-Effort Starters for Every Classroom!

Start your class with ease and efficiency using these 100 Bell Ringers. Here's why you'll love this resource:

• Easy Classroom Routine: Simply display the quote, read it aloud, and transition to the question page. Students can respond by writing or drawing in their notebooks.
• Time-Saving: This activity is perfect for the first few minutes of class, allowing you to take attendance, distribute materials, and address last-minute questions without interruption.
• Flexible Use: Use all 100 Bell Ringers consecutively or spread them out throughout the year—either way, they help create a consistent, engaging start to each day.
• Promotes Reflection & Creativity: The questions encourage students to think critically and express their thoughts in writing or drawing, fostering a calm, focused atmosphere from the get-go.
• Versatile for Any Grade: While best suited for 3rd grade and up, these Bell Ringers can be adapted for younger students with simple vocabulary explanations.

Bonus: I’m planning to release more Bell Ringers in the future—let me know if you'd like to see additional themes!

Allow students to take control of their learning by creating text-dependent questions based off of the levels of Bloom's Taxonomy! This activity requires students to develop and apply higher-order thinking skills by coming up with their own questions while also coming up with an answer key using the R.A.C.E writing strategy.

This Activity Pack Includes:

• Black & White Printable Version - Handouts and Activities
• Color Digital Version - Handouts and Activities
• Teacher Presentation

The Digital and Print Options Each Include:

• Handout explaining what Bloom's Taxonomy is
• Question starters/examples
• Assigned-level activity pages (R.A.C.E setup)
• Choose-your-level activity pages (one per page AND two per page options)

Teacher Presentation Reviews:

• Bloom's Taxonomy basic overview
• Each level explained

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Like this resource? Please leave a helpful review/rating and EARN SOME TeachShare CREDITS towards your next TPT purchase!

Checkout my store here - all teacher friends are welcome!

Other resources you may like:

RACE Writing Strategy | Citing Text Evidence | BUNDLE

Boho Rainbow Café Classroom Decor Theme Set | GROWING BUNDLE

DIGITAL Unit Guide Template | Scope & Sequence | EDITABLE
6th, 7th, AND 8th Grade ELA Common Core State Standards DIGITAL Checklist BUNDLE
Flipped Classroom Parent / Student BUNDLE
Starbooks Virtual Book Tasting with Verse Novels

Looking to make your classroom more welcoming this back to school season?

This bright Writing Center Banner is a great way to welcome students and visitors into your classroom each day! It will liven up your space and motivate your students....plus, it's so cute!! Prints two letters per page for a total of 8 pages. There are also three printable pencils in different colors which can be printed out and attached to the banner to your liking.

**For personal and single classroom use only. If using with multiple classrooms, please purchase additional licenses at the discounted rate.**

Best of all, this banner coordinated perfectly with my best-selling Writing Tools Folder: get your students writing at a higher level by offering them a colorful and coordinated reference for your Writing Center!! This reference guide is ideal for middle school students to use during independent writing assignments. Whether it is class work, center work, writing workshop, or homework, it provides quality writing The pages can be placed in a folder, booklet, or even displayed in a writing center. It helps eliminate questions and shows students ways to write effectively. This is going to help your students work independently while writing. This product is geared toward middle school but can also be used in upper elementary. I make a bunch of these Writing Tools Folders and keep them in my Writing Center and love how it helps students become more organized and independent while writing.

This resource includes 8 Anchor Charts and 3 Cover Page Options

Character Traits which comes in 4 different colors with chevron and swirls styles. The chart contains over 100 character traits that students can use to refer to during various writing activities.

Elaboration Stems which features writing stems students can use while elaborating on evidence in their essays. This chart is essential because students can refer to them while writing but gradually start incorporating them as it becomes a force of habit.

**Other Ways to Say...**which offers students multiple synonyms for overused words such as happy or sad. Great for displaying in your writing center!

Transitions which includes a strong set of transitions every writer should be using to aid in the flow of their writing, whether it's for emphasizing, giving an example or concluding an essay!

Said is Dead! which features other words for said, which is terribly overused in my classroom when there are tons of better choices!

Use This...Not That! which features better word choices for commonly used words and expressions.

Mood...which offers a great choice of words that depict either a positive, negative, or neutral mood!

Tone...which offers a great choice of words that depict either a positive, negative, or neutral tone!

★★I would love to have you as my newest follower!★★ Click here to follow.

These step-by-step charts make it way to teach literature genres, sub-genres, and authors' styles. Comes with two graphic organizers: 1 with Genre, Sub-genre, Type of Short Story, Subject, Theme, Time Period 1 for Author's Information, Birth/Death, Personal Information, Education, Works Written, Author's Style, Other Important Facts Handouts Include: Fiction and Non-Fiction Genres and Examples Types of Short Stories: Novel, Novella, Novellete, Short Story, Flash Fiction Types of Author's Style: Argumentative, Description, Expository, Narrative, Persuasive These simple to use graphic organizers make it easy for students to make connections between types of works and authors' backgrounds. Great for AP, GT, as well as at risk, ELL, and homeschooling. Use for AP test prep and assessment for analysis. Meets ELA CCSS and state reading guidelines.

A 15 page resource for student publishing of essays and written works includes: Guideline checklist Author Tips Cover Sheet/Query Letter Publishing Tips Where to Send Work: Online, local, regional, national... Books for Publishing Help Blogging Self-Publishing Publishing Checklist to Guide Students through the Process Publishing Summary List (Keep up with correspondence) Can be used individually, small/whole group, with flipped classrooms, homework, assessment of writing processes, for peer workshopping, grammar reinforcements, and as real life writing assignment. Easy to follow and implement in ELA/Journalism classrooms.

Do your students need help defining,understanding, and identifying academic, scholarly research sources? This 16 page easy-to-follow lesson includes:

Discussion/Reflection on where students search for sources

What is scholarly research? (An Overview)

Table of Other Kinds of Sources: Popular, Trade, News & Opinion

Activity for Kinds of Resources

Types of Research Resources: Primary, Secondary, Tertiary

Activity for Types of Research Resources

Where to Locate Scholarly Research

How to Know if Your Research can be Used

Using Wikipedia--Yes or No?

Evaluating Wikipedia Bibliographies

Research Sources Checklist

Great for learning how to categorize and define scholarly research sources! Use with upper level, AP, dual credit, homeschool, college level students, and flipped classrooms.

A simple introduction to parallelism and how to use it in writing. Includes: Explanation Color-coded slides Why writers use parallelism Three activities: Define "parallel" and how it is used in writing, Finding Parallelism, Using Parallelism Peer workshopping component Excellent for mini-lessons, assessment writing, learning basic skills, enhancing writing, and progression of skills. Can be used individually or small/whole group.

Need help teaching how to explain, identify, and write APA or MLA annotated bibliographies? Then, this is the resource for you and your students!

Includes:

What is an annotated bibliography?

What is the difference between bibliography, annotated bibliography, and works cited? (with examples of each)

Examples of Bibliographies

Colorcoded Example

Identify the Eight Parts of an Annotated Bibliography

Checklist for Writing an Annotated Bibliography

Bonus: Lecture with Audio Link

Great for individual/small and whole groups, flipped classrooms, homeschool, literacy centers, online learning, and peer workshopping classrooms. Can be used for assessment purposes or introduction to research. Easy to follow format with examples makes writing your annotated bibliography easy!

Engage students in learning about narrative writing and cultures and diversity. Create Road of Life Maps (many students' examples included) then storytell one event using narrative characteristics. This complete Common Core ELA lesson plan includes: Objectives Benefits Background Knowledge Road of Life Map (directions, teacher & students' examples) Scoring Rubrics Grading Information Students' narrative essays (peer workshoppings & maps) Media resources for elementary and secondary Literature resources for elementary and secondary Writing assignment for narrative Peer Workshopping practice slides Theory and Research information Quotes A great beginning of school year assignment to learn about students and to let students learn about you, as well as to introduce writing process, help students learn how to put final packets together, and can be used as a diagnostic writing. Fun, educational, and encourages storytelling and sharing along with building safe communities of writers in language arts classrooms.

This fun technology activity for all ages introduces and uses synonyms to turn students' photos into word-photo images! Can be used as individual/small/whole group activity. Includes: Definition and Example Whole Class "Give It a Try" Activity Step-by-Step Directions Materials List Websites and Links Ipad/Ipod/Android Apps Students' Examples Student Activity Directions Can be used with flipped classroom models, homeschool, and with minimal teacher instruction. Technology-based grammar/reading activity needs computers and internet access.

16 page presentation to help students define and understand what a ballad is, how it changed over time, its historical importance, Dand how to write a ballad. Includes: Definition with individual/group activity Examples of ballads throughout time periods Patterns/Rhyme scheme with example Critical thinking & fact based Individual/group activities Write your own ballad individual/group activity Research project with scoring rubric Extra Resources Complete interactive unit for defining, recognizing, teaching and writing ballads. Meets Common Core State Standards.

Interactive, peer workshopping approach to teaching Descriptive Writing. The PowerPoint has 21 slides and includes: Includes: Interactive Activities Descriptive Assignments Frequent checks for comprehension Crossword Puzzle Examples Figurative Language/Senses Peer Workshopping Resources Slide It defines, explains, introduces, and encourages descriptive writing through figurative language, five senses, tone, mood, show not tell, and visualization. Writing activities and handouts for scaffodling, assessment and comprehension of descriptive writing are included.

Help student writers conquer figurative language terminologies and usages. Includes: Definitions Color Coded Examples Visuals Writing activities Peer Workshopping activities Figurative Language Strategies: Poetry terminologies: Similes, Metaphors, Adjectives, Adverbs, Onomatopoeia Five Senses: Hear, See, Smell, Taste, Touch Appositive phrases Stretching sentences with -ing words. Large download at 17 slides...can be used in pieces. Mind Mapping Handout Figurative Language Checklist handout Use with individual students, small groups, or whole class.Use for introduction, mastery, or assessment. Meets CCSS guidelines.

Students produce personal narratives from memories with this 21 page guide that used the writing process. Includes: Attributes/Characteristics of Narrative Essay Overview of Writing Process Creating life maps (with student examples) Narrowing topics--prewriting stage with examples Narrative writing examples Online Reading: Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge Peer workshopping with guided questions: Revision and Editing Final Essay Stage Publishing/Sharing Scoring Rubric Extra Resources The 21 page guide is self-explanatory. It includes interactive writing activities along with using the writing process and peer workshopping strategies to teach narrative writing. Weblink to the online narrative book Gordon Wilfred McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox (by Screen Actors Guild) is excellent! Engaging and fun lesson that meets CCSS.

Journal writing prompts that reflect winter activities(no religious holidays/symbols). 24 Great story starters for journal writes, essay writings, or on-demand practices. Wonderful, engaging visuals with easy-to-understand sentences.