8th grade Bellringers
Mrs. Goble
2013-2014
Warm-up #1:
 Understanding an Expository Prompt:
The cost of gasoline has risen drastically.
Think of alternatives to paying such outrageous prices for fuel.
Write to explain what alternatives you would use to save
money.
Warm-up #2:
 Understanding a Persuasive Prompt
A school board is considering keeping school in session all year.
Instead of a long summer vacation, there will be many shorter
breaks throughout the year.
Think about the effects of a twelve-month school year. Do you
agree or disagree that schools should be in session all year?
Now, write an essay in which you persuade the reader why this
is or is not a good idea. Defend your position with specific
reasons supported by several detailed examples.
Warm-up #3:
Effective Leads/Hooks
Prompt:
Many high school students hold part-time jobs after school.
Think about the effects part-time jobs have on students. Do part-time jobs hinder
or help a student’s educational goals?
Now write to convince your guidance counselor to accept your view of high
school students holding part-time jobs.
Directions:
1.
Circle the word that tells whether it’s an expository or persuasive prompt.
Underline the topic you are to write about.
2.
Write an effective lead/hook. **No questions
Warm-up #4:
The principal at your school has been asked to discuss with a parent
group the effect of watching television on students’ grades.
Think about how watching television can hurt students’ grades.
Write to convince your principal to accept the view that watching
television hurts students’ grades.
Directions:
1. Circle the word that tells whether it’s an expository or
persuasive prompt. Underline the topic you are to write about.
2. Write an effective lead/hook. **No questions
Warm-up #5:
Prompt:
Technology has become vital in our modern society. It acts as both a
source for knowledge and for enjoyment.
Think about technology’s role and connection with education. Does
it help or hinder?
Write to convince the school board to accept your view of
technology and its role in your school.
Directions:
1. Circle the word that tells whether it’s an expository or
persuasive prompt. Underline the topic you are to write about.
2. Write 2 sentences of background information (extra info. not
related to thesis)
Warm-up #6:
Everyone has jobs or chores. These may be things people do because
they are asked to do them or because doing the job makes them feel
good about themselves.
Think about one of your jobs.
Now write to explain why it is important to have jobs or chores.
Directions:
1. Circle the word that tells whether it’s an expository or
persuasive prompt. Underline the topic you are to write about.
2. Write 2 sentences of background information (extra info. not
related to thesis)
Warm-up #7:
Prompt:
Your school has decided to grant your grade level one privilege that
the other grades in your school do not have.
Think of one privilege that your class does not have that you would
now like to have.
Now write to convince the administrators of your school to grant
this privilege to your class for the rest of the year.
Directions:
1. Circle the word that tells whether it’s an expository or
persuasive prompt. Underline the topic you are to write about.
What are your (3) reasons supporting?
2. Write a thesis statement [(1)sentence responding to the prompt
containing (3) reasons]
Warm-up #8:
Writing Situation:
Throughout history many important things have been made or
invented.
Directions for Writing:
Before you begin to write, think about an invention that has been
important to people. Now, write an essay to explain why this one
invention has been important.
Directions:
1. Circle the word that tells whether it’s an expository or
persuasive prompt. Underline the topic you are to write about.
What are your (3) reasons supporting?
2. Write a thesis statement [(1)sentence responding to the prompt
containing (3) reasons]
Warm-up #9:
Prompt:
Your school board members have been asked to consider banning music
playing devices (i.e. MP3 players, CD players) from schools due to
distractions they cause in classrooms.
Think about the effects of listening to music playing devices in the
classroom have on you and your friends.
Now write to convince your school board members to accept your point of
view on whether music playing devices should be banned from schools.
Directions:
1. Circle the word that tells whether it’s an expository or persuasive
prompt. Underline the topic you are to write about. What are your
(3) reasons supporting?
2. Write an introduction paragraph (following the format taught)
Warm-up 10:
Adding Imagery
( Change bland “telling” sentences into “showing” sentences full of specific and
enlightening details)
 Telling example:
My room is a mess.
 Showing example:
On patches of my room’s wooden floor, tiny black ants feasted on chocolate
cookie crumbs and stray pieces of buttered popcorn. A deck of cards and parts
of the Monopoly game teeter-tottered atop mounds of shorts, t-shirts, jeans,
sneakers, and stiff, dirty socks.
Directions: change the following sentences into “showing” sentences.
 The party was great.
 Her room was a mess.
 The drive in the car was uncomfortable.
Warm-up #11:
Fixing Grammar – Punctuation, Capitalization, and Spelling
Insert the necessary punctuation marks and capitalize words where necessary. Some
misspellings may also have to be corrected.
Paragraph with Grammatical Errors:
the continuing care retirement community CCRC has become one alternative
to the impending increase in our elderly population according to estella espinoza
professor of gerontology at the university of connecticut. nursing homes are no
longer the answer to this social need she said their simply to costly for todays
senior-citizens she added.
CCRC's normally require a tremendous down payment to buy into a
living unit then they require a considerable monthly "maintenance fee." this large
initial investment together with the continuing high price of socalled maintenance
means that many americans will be excluded from the CCRC of their choice. "its a
shame that getting old has to be so expensive" said espinoza there are three things
involved here affordability convenience and human dignity
Warm-up #12:
 Use context clues to determine the meaning of the word and then
write your own sentence using that word
1. There was a myriad of M&M’s sprawled out on the table
waiting to be eaten.
2. Even after the teacher parsed the lesson, students still had
difficulty understanding the material.
Warm-up #13:
 Effective Transitions- determine 
in which paragraph and for what

purpose is each transition used

 Equally important

 Furthermore

 In addition to

 Moreover

 Likewise

 However

 Although

 Nevertheless

 On the contrary

 Be that as it may

 Nonetheless
In brief
Finally
In short
In conclusion
All in all
Consequently
Hence
As a result of
Similarly
Accordingly
Therefore
Initially
To begin
Warm-up #14:
 Point Evidence Explain 1
Directions: create one(1) point and one (1) correlating evidence and
explanation for that point
Prompt:
In recent years, many areas in the United States have
experienced natural disasters, such as floods, earthquakes,
hurricanes, and tornadoes.
Think about ways young people should respond to help people
in other communities that have experienced natural disasters.
Write to explain ways young people may respond to help
people in other communities affected by natural disasters.
Warm-up #15:
 Sentence Variety- combine the following simple sentences
John was tired. John was proud of his performance.
2. Some people prefer fast-food hamburgers. I like to eat
hamburgers. I prefer them cooked at home on the
barbeque.
3. Marina has been traveling. Her travels started at the
beginning of the week.
4. The house sold for over a million dollars. The small, white
cottage sat on a hill.
1.
Warm-up #16:
 Directions: create one(1) point and one (1) correlating evidence
and explanation for that point
 Prompt:
Each year, many teenagers are killed or injured by driving
under the influence of alcohol or by riding in a car driven by an
alcohol-impaired teen.
Think about how these alcohol-related deaths or injuries can be
reduced.
Write to explain solutions to help stop other teens from risking
their lives by driving under the influence of alcohol.
Warm-up #17:
 Directions: create one paragraph that includes (1) point and one
(1) correlating evidence and explanation for that point and a closing
sentence
Prompt:
Students are legally allowed to drop out of school after they
reach the age of 16. The state is currently considering a bill
which will raise this age to 18.
Think about the problems or benefits of raising this age to 18.
Now write to convince your legislators to accept your
viewpoint on the mandatory age for dropping out of school.
Warm-up 18:
Effective Closing Sentences
 Prompt:
Teenagers are often influenced by celebrities.
Think about a celebrity who positively affects teens.
Write to explain how a celebrity can serve as a positive role
model to teens.
Warm-up #19:
 Directions: create a body paragraph using transition, point, evidence,
explain, and closing sentence. *Be sure to use sentence variety
 Prompt:
Celebrities normally get paid many times the amount that firefighters, teachers and policemen earn.
Think about whether you believe that celebrity salaries should
be lowered.
Now write an essay to convince the public that your point of
view is justified.
Warm-up #20:
Adding Imagery
Directions: change bland “telling” sentences into “showing” sentences full
of specific and enlightening details
 The store owner was mean.
 The lunch was awful.
 She is athletic.
Warm-up #21:
 Directions: Find all sentence fragments and fix
Although women's college basketball in Connecticut is a marvelously
entertaining and popular sport. It not hard to remember. When it
was not so popular. Which is hard to believe. Only a few years ago,
my friends and I to go to a women's basketball game. And we could
get seats for free near center court. Especially on Sunday afternoons.
Of course, that before names such as Rebecca Lobo, Jenn Rizzotti,
and Kara Wolters became household words. Lobo's book, HOMECOURT ADVANTAGE, which she wrote with her mother. A bestseller in Connecticut. If more than a couple of hundred fans showed
up for a game. It was considered a big turnout. And games were
played in practically silent gyms. Because the fans didn't care who
won. Nowadays, it almost impossible to buy tickets to a women's
game, and you can't get seats. Unless you know someone.
Warm-up 22:
Directions: use context clues to determine the meaning of the word
and then write a sentence using that word
 After waiting in queue to enter the Harry Potter ride at
Islands of Adventure, we were denied access due to it being
over capacity.
 The ravenous pregnant woman could concentrate on nothing
but food.
Warm-up 23:
Restated Thesis in Conclusion
 Create a thesis statement
 Then create a restated thesis (address points in two
sentences)
Prompt:
Obesity is becoming a national health issue.
Think of reasons why Americans are gaining weight and
becoming obese.
Write to explain reasons why Americans are fighting the weight
battle.
Warm-up #24:
Directions: read the following prompts and write a thesis
statement.
1. We all have a special person we like. Think about a person
that you like. Now write to explain why you like that
person.
2. You have just found what you believe to be a wonderful
pet. Before you begin writing, think about why this would
be a wonderful pet to you and think about what you will
say to your parents about your pet. Now write to persuade
your parents on why you should be allowed to get this
wonderful pet.
Warm-up #25:
Directions: brainstorm ideas for the following prompt then
write a thesis statement.
The principal of your school does not agree with having
students work in groups to do all their school work. Think
about the reasons why students should work in groups to do all
their school work. Now write to convince your principal
whether students should work in groups to do all their school
work.
Warm-up #26:
 Directions: brainstorm ideas for the following prompt then
write a thesis statement.
Most teenagers have chores. Think about why it is important
for teenagers to have chores. Now write to explain why it is
important for teenagers to have chores.
Warm-up #27:
 Directions: brainstorm ideas for the following prompt then
write a thesis statement.
The principal of your school does not think that having candy
and soda machines in school is a good idea. Think about the
reasons why having a candy machine in school is a good idea.
Now write to convince your principal whether having candy
and soda machines in school is a good idea.
Warm-up #28:
 Directions: Find errors in parallelism and fix
In the restroom, Tishena was brushing her hair, freshened
her lip-gloss, and took deep breaths, trying to work up the
courage to walk to her first speech class.
2. Chelsea had to paddle past a school of jellyfish, kicked a
small sand shark in the nose, and untangling seaweed from
her surfboard before she reached her favorite point break.
3. Spiders that bite, hissing snakes, and squealing rodents fill
the aquariums in Desmond’s basement.
1.
Warm-up #29:
 Directions: use context clues to determine the meaning of the word
and then write your own sentence using that word
Havoc ensued once the protesters discovered that they
would be arrested.
2. Although the truth hurt, especially since it was coming
from my own sister, I appreciated her candor.
1.