As an elementary school teacher we do something called bell work, everyday, first thing in the morning after the bell.
I’ve worked across different grade levels from first grade to seventh grade. One bell work activity that I’ve found is accessible to students of all ages is the ABC’s.
Alphabet knowledge is foundational knowledge. Once the students know those twenty six letters in their assigned order, then they can learn the sounds and begin making and breaking apart words. This is an extremely important skill. When students know all the sounds, they can start blending and learn more about tricky patterns while spelling and reading.
It is at this point students begin to gain confidence in writing their own words, stories, poems and books.
The bell work assignment is appropriately titled, “The ABCs of Whatever.”
I ask students to talk at their tables or talk with a partner about things they like. Sometimes I list their topics on the board, depending on the skills and ages of the students.
Then I have the students pick a topic. The assignment is to write “the ABC’s of whatever” they want. Finding a word related to their chosen topic for each letter of the alphabet.
For example of a student really likes dinosaurs the student can write the ABC’s of Dinosaurs. Starting with the letter…
Aa, Ankylosaurus
Bb, Brachiosaurus
Cc, Conchoraptor
Dd, Dilophosaurus
Ee, I don’t know a dinosaur that starts with E and maybe the students won’t either, but you get the picture.
Since you’re allowed to leave what you need to blank, it’s really all fun. Students are also allowed to add as many words to one letter as they’d like. Students just have to stay on the same topic, that’s the objective and fun.
The ABC’s of whatever they know a lot about, whatever they feel comfortable with, or really, whatever they like. I get students thinking and this activity gets students writing. It’s a great way to have them show what they know and recall vocabulary.
Sometimes in my classroom I do the exercise with students. A few weeks ago I found this piece I wrote called the ABC’s of Success circa 2018-2019 school year.
Accountability, attitude, action
Balance, belief, boldness, blessings
Creativity, commitment, consistency, character
Dreams, duplication
Endurance, entrepreneurship
Forward, future, fail forward, freedom
Growth, generosity
Hope, help
Integrity, independence, invest
Jovial, joy
Kindness
Loyalty, leverage, live
Mentorship
Nurturing, need
Opportunity, overcome
Perseverance, positivity, partnership, persistent, purpose, plan
Quest
Resilience, read, reward
Security, system, submission, spoken word
Together, transparent
Understanding, unity
Value, volume, vision
Win, wisdom, why
X-factor, execution
Yearning
Zeal
Now go out and be successful
Recycled Flowers 