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Ellis School.
SCHOOL HOURS ARE:
| Building Open to Staff | 7:30 AM |
| First Bell | 8:25 AM |
| Tardy Bell - Homeroom | 8:35 AM |
| Dismissal | 2:55 PM |
| Building Closed | 4:30 PM |
Classroom Procedures
BATHROOM SIGNOUT: Sign your name and the time you are leaving
ASKING QUESTIONS/NEED HELP/BATHROOM: You have four bright index cards to use for asking questions. These should save time for you and me! Raise them when you need to ask a question. Please use them as such:
- Green – “I have a question or I need help”
- Pink – “I have a comment or something to say” (about schoolwork or our class)
- Orange – “Bathroom or drink at fountain”
- Yellow – “Emergency, sickness, or other” (Should be hardly ever used)
Wait for me to call your name before you speak to me. If it is an emergency or if my back is turned, then please come up to me. You can even use the green and pink cards in groups! For the orange card, I may just say, “Okay, Bob and Rachel.” When I am teaching and giving directions to the whole class, you may not go to the bathroom or for a drink. If you lose a card, see me for a replacement.
CALLING FOR ATTENTION: I will clap, and you have to clap back in the same pattern. For example, if I clap twice quickly, you clap twice quickly. Stop talking and turn to face me immediately. I may also use a musical instrument, in which case you don’t try to clap, just stop talking and face me.
LINING UP: I call different rows and groups, so all children can have a chance to be first.
CLASSWORK STANDARDS:
English papers, answering questions for Science and Social Studies, and Spelling:
Write your name and date on the top line of every paper on the left hand side. Do not write in margins; break up the word, or write it on the next line. You do not have to skip lines unless I say so. Cursive will be required at a certain point in the year – I will notify you of that time soon. I will take into account everyone’s skills.
For Science and Social Studies assignments, please also write the page numbers.
Notebooks:
Always begin by writing the date on the first clean page you come to. Do not skip around, as this will result in you fixing the notebook at recess. For math, you may turn the notebook sideways to use the lines as columns. I have extra notebooks if you fill one up or it falls apart. You must keep them in class unless you speak to me about taking them out.
Do not, I repeat do not, use a notebook for more than one subject. Do not use the math notebook for science just because you can’t find your science, for example.
Here’s the good news about keeping great notebooks: I give grades for neatness as well as your work in them! It’s an easy way to get a great “quiz” grade in any of the subjects (if done right)!
Math:
Always copy what is on the board. Always look at the example in the book or notebook. If you ask for help, make sure you have set up the problem correctly first.
PASSING IN PAPERS: We have a paper collector who should also check for names. Sometimes you will be instructed to pass in papers after you are done an assignment, in which case you may pass them into the blue dishpan on my desk.
PENCIL, PEN, AND PAPER:
Pencil: It is your responsibility to have pencils sharpened at snack time, group work time, or work time when I am not giving directions or teaching. Sometimes one may break, so you should have a back up. If I am teaching and you don’t have a sharpened pencil, you may use a pen for the time being. Then sharpen the pencil when you can and finish the paper in pencil.
Pen: You need to have a pen for correcting. We do a lot of correcting in class, so you often know how well you are doing right away. Red, blue, green, black, or purple ink is fine; light colors are not acceptable. I will give you a pen if necessary, if you raise your green card.
Paper: Sometimes someone gets missed when papers are passed out. Raise your green card for attention, please, and you will get help.
DESK: Keep your desk neat and orderly. I will give extra tokens to those whose desks are neat and arranged, because it saves time getting ready for class. Your science or social studies materials may be kept in your cubby. I will give you warning at snack times to get ready for those classes. Binders are not used in the 4th grade. They should be taken home. Keep your name plate neat, as we don’t have any more.
WHEN YOU FINISH EARLY: You can always do the following:
English/reading/social studies/science: Read a library book, do an entry in your English notebook, work in your red SRA book, study spelling.
Math: Arithmetwist books, study math facts (+,-, x or /).
Sometimes I allow centers, which is the listening center, computers, or learning games.
Listening center – the first one to put on headphones is the captain and decides which story tape to play. Maximum allowed at the center is 4.
Computers – only first 2 at each; any “watchers” will watch the blank screen at recess.
Learning games - a list will be posted to help you select the right ones.
ENTERING THE CLASSROOM: Put away your coat and backpack. Take anything you need out of the backpack then. Bring a chair to your desk and begin on the assignment on the board.
FIVE MINUTE WARNING: When I give a five minute warning (or other amount of time), you are expected to be at your desk and ready for the next subject on time. Go to the bathroom, sharpen your pencil, or do anything else before I announce we are correcting or moving on to a new lesson.