Bell+Ringers

__Friday and Monday NO SCHOOL__
 * __Tuesday (May 30, 2017)__**
 * __NO BELL RINGER__**

__END OF QUARTER 4___ __Thursday (May 25, 2017)__ “I'm sick of not having the courage to be an absolute nobody.” - J.D. Salinger, //Franny and Zooey// Can you explain this quote? Why does it take courage to be an absolute nobody? Do you have this courage? Do you want it? Do you know anyone who does? __Wednesday (May 24, 2017)__ Make a list of things you will never do OR a list of things you will never do again. Pick one (or a few as time permits) from the list and explain. __Tuesday (May 23, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Monday (May 22, 2017)__ Read this article and respond to it. __Friday (May 19, 2017)__ Free write __Thursday (May 18, 2017)__ View this video and explain what you think the blue shadow is and why you think that. We will discuss it tomorrow. __Wednesday (May 17, 2017)__ You've been chosen by a completely random lottery to be the only person to get a once in a lifetime time opportunity to make up one brand new Constitutional Amendment that will be added to The Constitution automatically and will take effect immediately. What do you add? Why? __Tuesday (May 16, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Monday (May 15, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Friday (May 12, 2017)__ Free Write __Thursday (May 11, 2017)__ Most companies and organizations have mission statements. Take a look at a few examples and then write a personal mission statement. Explain why you chose that statement. Google: “Google’s mission is to organize the world‘s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” Starbucks: “To inspire and nurture the human spirit - one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.” Walmart: "We save people money so they can live better." __Wednesday (May 10, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Tuesday (May 9, 2017)__ Language arts class is like a grocery store. Explain and expand this simile to make an extended metaphor. In what ways is language arts class like a grocery store? Is grammar like cleaning supplies? Is vocabulary the produce section? Do you need a lot of different groceries to make a good meal like you need lots of ideas and skills to make a good essay? You may create a poetic extended metaphor or a long expository paragraph. __Monday (May 8, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Friday (May 5, 2017)__ Free write __Thursday (May 4, 2017)__ Your writing prompt for today must start with this line: “In short, we have been telling ourselves some lies.” __Wednesday (May 3, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Tuesday (May 2, 2017)__ __Monday (May 1, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Friday (April 28, 2017)__ Free Write __Thursday (April 27, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Wednesday (April 26, 2017)__ __**NO BELL RINGER (book talks by Mrs. Sedik)**__ __Tuesday (April 25, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Monday (April 24, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Friday (April 21, 2017)__ Free write __Thursday (April 20, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Wednesday (April 19, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Tuesday (April 18, 2017)__ How do you view your life: a Journey; a Battle; the Seasons; a Novel; a Race; a Performance; a Merry-go-round; a Stroll in the Park. You may NOT use "Life is like a box of chocolates" or one you have heard already. Which is the best metaphor for your life? Why? What do you think this says about you? __Monday (April 17, 2017)__ “Talent is the desire to practice.” – Malcolm Gladwell Do you think this is true? Do you have examples either way? Does this explain or inspire anything in your life? __Thursday (April 13, 2017)__ Free write for only seventh grade. (none for eighth grade because of career day) __Wednesday (April 12, 2017)__ If you could have any fictional character as a best friend, who would you choose? Why? What do you think that would be like? What stories would happen if you were best friends? __Tuesday (April 11, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Monday (April 10, 2017)__ “There is a great deal of difference in believing something still, and believing it again.”- W. H. Auden What do you no longer believe in that you wish you could believe in again? Why? __Friday (April 7, 2017)__ Free Write __Thursday (April 6, 2017)__ Read these proverbs (short saying about a widely known truth, moral, or advice) and then pick one to discuss, to question, and with which to agree or disagree. __Wednesday (April 5, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Tuesday (April 4, 2017)__ "Inspiration and growth only come from adversity and from challenge — from stepping away from what's comfortable and familiar and stepping out into the unknown." -Ben Saunders Either discuss Ben Saunders's quote or write your own philosophical truth and discuss that. __Monday (April 3, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Friday (March 24, 2017)__ Free Write __Thursday (March 23, 2017)__ Respond to the picture of a drop of water:
 * __NO BELL RINGER__**
 * __Friday (April 14, 2017)__**
 * __No School and no bell ringer__**

--**BEGINNING OF QUARTER FOUR**---

__Wednesday (March 22, 2017) **END OF QUARTER THREE BELL RINGERS**__ analyze this sentence. __Tuesday (March 21, 2017)__ Explain the literal and figurative meanings of this quote and provide literary or personal connections: "Words differently arranged have different meanings, and meanings differently arranged have a different effect." -Blaise Pascal, philosopher and mathematician (1623-1662) __Monday (March 20, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Friday (March 17, 2017)__ Free Write. If you wish, check out these top ten Irish myths to give your some inspiration. __Thursday (March 16, 2017)__ Answer the questions in the following prompt: “Think about the day that you were born. Somewhere on this earth a tree started to grow. That tree has been growing since the day you were born. We don’t know where that tree is, but it is as old as you are today. If you were to see your tree today, what would it look like? Think about the kind of tree it is. How big is it? Where is it growing, and is there anything nearby? What color is your tree, and does it change colors with the seasons? What makes up your tree? What kind of leaves does it have? Does your tree grow fruit or flowers? How does your tree feel? How does your tree smell? How is your tree like you?”- Aileen Pugliese Castro __Wednesday (March 15, 2017)__ NO BELL RINGER BECAUSE OF THE GRAMMAR QUIZ __Tuesday (March 14, 2017)__ Respond to this quote: __Monday (March 13, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Friday (March 10, 2017)__ Free write today. __Thursday (March 9, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Tuesday and Wednesday (March 7 and 8, 2017)__ View the video and answer the questions in your document. __Monday (March 6, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Friday (March 3, 2017)__ Freewrite __Thursday (March 2, 2017)__ Respond to one of the quotes on this page. For extra fun, devise your own funny quote. __Wednesday (March 1, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Tuesday (February 28, 2017)__ Write about having the set of minions for a week. __Monday (February 27, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Friday (February 24, 2017)__ Free Write __Thursday (February 23, 2017)__ Explain first what Ron Jones __means__ and then __what you think__ about his thoughts when he says, __Wednesday (February 22, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Monday and Tuesday (February 20 and 21, 2017)__ NO BELL RINGERS SINCE THERE IS NO SCHOOL __Thursday and Friday (February 16 and 17, 2017)__ NO BELL RINGER BOTH DAYS __Wednesday (February 15, 2017)__ No prompt __Tuesday (February 14, 2017)__ Write a funny Valentines Day poem and then use the paper provided and make a place for your poem. Then, give it to someone today. __Monday (February 13, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Friday (February 10, 2017)__ Instead of a bell ringer today, you will take a pop grammar quiz (# two (2) of quarter three (3)) __Thursday (February 9, 2017)__ NO BELL RINGER __Wednesday (February 8, 2017)__ In //I Can Read with My Eyes Shut//, Dr. Seuss wrote, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more things that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” Do you think this is true? Why or why not? __Tuesday (February 7, 2017)__ There is no bell ringer today; instead, __after I give you the readings in class__, answer the middle of the year assessment (MOY) questions linked below for __your grade level__. 7th grade 8th grade __Monday (February 6, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Friday (February 3, 2017)__ Free Write __Thursday (February 2, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Wednesday (February 1, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Tuesday (January 31, 2017)__ After viewing the Mary's Room video,apply those concepts to how you learn and describe that learning with examples from your own experiences. __Monday (January 30, 2017)__ The grammar quiz will be today's bell ringer, but please view this video after the quiz or tonight, and be ready to discuss it tomorrow. __Friday (January 27, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Thursday (January 26, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Wednesday (January 25, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Tuesday (January 24, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Monday (January 23, 2017)__ Respond to this poem after you analyze it. __Friday (January 20, 2017)__ Free Write __Wednesday and Thursday (January 18 and 19, 2017)__ View this video and answer the questions that go with it. __Tuesday (January 17, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Monday (January 16, 2017) NO BELL RINGER MLK DAY__ __Friday (January 13, 2017)__ Since Friday the 13th is considered unlucky, read about its origins here and then freewrite about any of the phobias on this list. __Thursday (January 12, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Wednesday (January 11, 2017)__ Now after viewing the picture yesterday, compare this perspective of a similar man to your response from yesterday; scroll to 1 minute 46 seconds. __Tuesday (January 10, 2017)__ Respond to this picture. __Monday (January 9, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence. __Friday (January 6, 2017)__ Free Write __Thursday (January 5, 2017)__ Analyze this sentence.
 * "Resilience is all about being able to overcome the unexpected. Sustainability is about survival. The goal of resilience is to thrive."** -Jamais Cascio
 * //“ I stumbled upon a bit of human nature and psyche: why do we give up our freedom for the thought of being better than everyone else?”//**

__Tuesday and Wednesday(January 3 and 4, 2017)__ __Tuesday:__ Go to this site and explore it. Then describe what you did in a paragraph. __Wednesday:__ You have two choices for Wednesday (choose to write about a. or b. ): a.) Make a list of goals for learning how to write, how to understand grammar, how to read critically, and how to read for literary techniques that help you understand the themes in what you read. Please make your goals specific to your needs rather than the whole class. b.) Make a list of questions regarding the above categories. Again, be specific to your needs. __Friday (December 16, 2016)__ Free Write and last day of quarter 2 grading __Thursday (December 15, 2016)__ Respond to this photograph:

__Wednesday (December 14, 2016)__ Analyze this sentence.

__Tuesday (December 13, 2016)__ Analyze this sentence. __Monday (December 12, 2016)__ Analyze this sentence. __Friday (December 9, 2016:__ Free-Write __Thursday (December 8, 2016)__ Respond to this photo -

__Wednesday (December 7, 2016)__ Analyze this sentence. __Tuesday (December 6, 2016)__ Respond to this [| video]. What do you think about it? What questions does it provoke in you? How might you use this information? Dr Emoto. __Monday (December 5, 2016)__ Analyze this sentence. __Thursday (December 1, 2016)__ Free Write after vocabulary test. __Wednesday (November 30, 2016)__ Analyze this sentence. __Tuesday (November 29, 2016)__ Read this article and list two (2) truths you learned that are meaningful to you, one (1) question you still have, and one (1) you would add to the list. __Monday (November 28, 2016)__ Analyze this sentence. __Friday (November 18, 2016)__ Choose one of these two images and respond to it. We will share these after the break. __Thursday (November 17, 2016)__ Describe all you are thankful for this season and explain why. __Wednesday (November 16, 2016)__ Begin a list of questions that you'd like to have answered. They may be about the future or the past. __Tuesday (November 15, 2016)__ Analyze this sentence. __Monday (November 14, 2016)__ Analyze this sentence. __Friday November 11, 2016: Veteran's Day__ __Thursday (November 10, 2016)__ View the top optical illusion and try to explain it. Look at the others; which are your favorites and why? __Wednesday (November 9, 2016)__ Analyze this sentence. __Tuesday (November 8, 2016)__ Analyze this sentence. __Monday (November 7, 2016)__ Write a persuasive essay about a topic you support. __Friday (November 4, 2016)__ Write a story using all these things in it: telepathy, kittens, half-eaten pizza, saltine crackers, and a radio call-in host. __Thursday (November 3, 2016)__ Explain what this quote by President Johnson means and connect it to something else: "Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose." -Lyndon B. Johnson __Wednesday (November 2, 2016__ Analyze this sentence __Tuesday (November 1, 2016)__ Analyze this sentence

Monday (October 31, 2016) NO BELL RINGER TODAY Friday (October 28, 2016) Write a poem, story, or essay on a spooky topic. You will share your creation on Monday. Thursday (October 27, 2016) NO BELL RINGER Wednesday (October 26, 2016) “In all affairs [human activity] it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.” -Bertrand Russell, philosopher, mathematician, author, Nobel laureate (1872-1970) What does Russell mean and how do you know? How might you apply this to your life? Tuesday (October 25, 2016) Analyze this sentence. Monday (October 24, 2016) Analyze this sentence.

End of quarter 1 bell ringers Friday (October 21, 2016) No bell ringer today: I WILL GRADE BELL RINGERS OVER THIS WEEKEND AND NEXT WEEK. (14 responses between 9/26 and 10/20- 9/26,27,28,29,30 and 10/4,5, 6, 7, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20.) Thursday (October 20, 2016) Describe the techniques which most help you remember words, facts, or ideas. Wednesday (October 19, 2016) Analyze this sentence for parts of speech, parts of the sentence, phrases, and clauses. Tuesday (October 18, 2016) Analyze this sentence for parts of speech, sentence, phrases, and clauses. Monday (October 17, 2016) Take this BOY (7th grade) Take this beginning of the year assessment (BOY) (8th grade) Friday (October 14, 2016) Free Write Thursday (October 13, 2016) Read through several of Bob Dylan's song lyrics and write about why he deserved or did not deserve the Nobel Prize in Literature that was announced today (The literature prize is given for a lifetime of writing rather than for a single work.) No bell ringers for Monday through Wednesday (October 10-12) Friday (October 7, 2016) After making a copy of this sentence, analyze the sentence. Put your copy in your bell ringers and grammar folders. Thursday (October 6, 2016) After making a copy of this sentence, analyze it. Put your copy in bell ringers and grammar folders. Wednesday (October 5, 2016) Analyze this sentence after you make a copy in DocHub. Put the finished one in your bell ringer and a copy in your grammar folder. Tuesday (October 4, 2016) Analyze this sentence after you make a copy of it in your grammar folder and bell ringer folder. Friday (September 30, 2016) Free choice writing Thursday (September 29, 2016) After the vocabulary test, decide which word on the test is most interesting to you and explain why it is. You may also choose to write about one test item that gave you the most trouble and why. Wednesday (September 28, 2016) Write about this quote: "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." //-Maya Angelou// Tuesday (September 27, 2016) Discuss the rhetorical devices in the debate last night (8th grade) View this video and respond to it in writing. (7th grade) Monday (September 26, 2016) Make a list of ways to vary sentences. Friday (September 23, 2016) Read this poem and look for literary techniques. What does this poem make you think about and why? //Revision// by Kimberly Marcus Life is full of twists and turns and, with each bend, a person learns that fire warms and fire burns - a matter of degree. Life is good and life’s not fair and in this whole wide world out there some will love and some won’t care - a harsh reality. But in this life you get to choose how you cope with things you lose, a mortal wound or healing bruise - it’s all in how you see. © Kimberly Marcus. All rights reserved. THURSDAY (September 22, 2016) Continue the freewrite from yesterday. //WEDNESDAY (September 21, 2016)// //Freewrite// TUESDAY (September 20, 2016) Write a story, poem, or essay as a response to these[| pictures]. MONDAY (September 19, 2016) Describe a mistake you made this past week and how you handled it. THURSDAY and FRIDAY (September 15 AND 16, 2016) Discuss this quote: “The past is always tense, the future perfect.” - [|Zadie Smith] How might the above quote relate to this quote? “When it rains it pours and right after it pours the sun always come out” -Unknown WEDNESDAY (September 14, 2016) No bell ringer today TUESDAY (September 13, 2016) List all that you have learned so far in English this school year. MONDAY (September 12, 2016) Read this poem, //If// by Rudyard Kipling, and then write your own to your future self. FRIDAY (SEPTEMBER 7,8, and 9, 2016) Continue Bell Ringer from Wednesday. See the presentation. THURSDAY (September 8, 2016) We will continue yesterday's prompt tomorrow; no bell ringer today. See the presentation. WEDNESDAY (September 7, 2016) Explain the following without Googling them: What are the **eight parts of speech**; what are the **parts of a sentence**; what **kinds of phrases** are there; what is a **clause;** what are the **types of sentences**? TUESDAY (September 6, 2016) Read the list of beautiful words, pick one you really like and explain why you like it. Then find a word not on the list and write why it would be a good choice to add to the list. FRIDAY (September 2, 2016) In your group, figure out the following word puzzles by Will Shortz and then write about the experience (YOU MAY NOT GOOGLE THE ANSWERS): 1. Think of a common boy's name starting with **J**. Change the **J** to **SH** and you'll get a common girl's name. What names are these? 2. What familiar three-word phrase, in 14 letters, contains only two different consonants, **N** and **G**, each repeated several times? THURSDAY (September 1, 2016) Respond to this John Green video. Do you agree, disagree and why. What insights does he provide that you never considered before? What advice might you give instead? WEDNESDAY (August 31, 2016) Write anything you wish to imagine; it may be a story, poem, essay, article, free-write, or a list of future ideas. Be prepared to share this is class. TUESDAY (August 30, 2016) Describe the difference between **connotation** and **denotation**. What is **diction** and how does it relate to connotation? MONDAY (August 29, 2016) Respond to this quote with comments, questions, and insights: "Most people think that shadows follow, precede, or surround beings or objects. The truth is that they also surround words, ideas, desires, deeds, impulses and memories." -Elie Wiesel, writer, Nobel laureate (b. 1928) FRIDAY (August 26, 2016) If you were a character in a book, describe yourself and then tell a story about yourself. THURSDAY (August 25, 2016) View the following video and then list your most helpful class rules.