The first week of school is such an important time for establishing classroom routines and procedures. Having a classroom routines and procedures checklist can help ensure that you don’t skip any important information on the first day of school and will help you remember all of the important routines that will help your classroom run smoothly this year.
I have compiled a classroom routines checklist to help you during your first week of school that will hopefully help you get your classroom off to a great start and running smoothly the entire school year!
Classroom Routines and Procedures Checklist for Upper Elementary
I’ve broken my list into two parts. This first set of classroom routines and procedures is what I consider my most important routines and procedures and feel that it is important to discuss these beginning the very first day of school.
- Morning Routines– How will your students politely enter the classroom? Unpacking? Where to place lunchboxes? What do students do once they are there? Do they have morning work, student tub activities, online activities, etc.? How can they come to class prepared? How do you take lunch count and lunch money?How do you take attendance? Morning meetings?
- Behavior- How does your behavior management system work? What are your classroom expectations? (I personally love using Motivational Posters instead of a list of classroom rules. See this post to see why.) What are my expectations for hallway behavior? How do we walk in the hall and travel from one place to another?
- Groupwork- How are groups formed? When? How are they managed? Expectations during group work. Noise level.
- Instructional Time- How is instruction presented? Expectations during instruction. Do you expect students to raise hand? Where are students during this time (desk, carpet, etc.)? Do you expect them to remain seated? How does learning look?
- End of the Day- How to pack to go home. Homework routine. How to exit the room politely. Where do students go (bus rider, parent pick up, afterschool program, etc.)? Hallway behavior.
My next list of classroom routines and procedures is a much longer list than the one above. I introduce some of these routines and procedures on the first day of school, while others may be introduced sometime during the first week.
- Restroom procedures- When students may go. Must students ask? (This one is important to introduce on day one.)
- Sharpening pencils
- Making up work
- Cleaning work area, desk, cubbies
- Water- waterbottles
- What to do if you finish work early
- Lining up
- Cafeteria behavior/seating
- Asking questions
- Homework- expectations/consequences/importance
- Supplies– What to do if you do not have supplies. Taking care of supplies. Sharing or individual/storage/cleanup.
- Fire/tornado/emergency drills
- Coming to carpet
- Classroom jobs and duties
- Classroom movement- to centers/library/groups/partners/carpet/transitions
- Labeling papers
- Handing out papers
- Turning in papers and assignments
- Classroom library- checking out books/taking care of books/returning books/ How many are allowed at library?
- Working independently
- Using technology- care/passwords/expectations
- Chromebook/Ipad care and storage
- Teacher signals
- Visiting the nurse
- Bandaids
- Hand sanitizer
- Google Classroom (or LMC) procedures
- How to take care of textbooks (if you have them)
- Read aloud time expectations
- Independent reading time expectations
- Classroom voice level
- How to respectfully listen when someone else is talking
- Setting up notebooks
- Handwriting expectations. Neatness
Your list of routines and procedures may vary based on the needs of your classroom and your students, but chances are, many of these routines will need to be addressed during your first week of school. I hope that you find this list helpful and beneficial as you begin your school year!
Have a blessed school year!
Kelly
