• A Typical Day

    Below are descriptions of the typical day for grades K-2, and then grades 3-5. Please note that these are just examples and individual schedules vary by class, grade and day of the week.

    Typical Lower Elementary Day:

    8:20 The first bell rings and students may enter the building. During this time children put away their belongings and get settled into class for the day. Teachers have various tasks assigned to get children settled and ready for the day.

    8:30 Class officially begins for the day. Students who arrive after the second bell are marked tardy. Teachers take attendance, announcements are shared and children are invited to participate in the pledge of allegiance.

    During the course of the day children will participate in all of the academic subjects: reading, writing, math, science and social studies. Most days children have a special subject class such as: music, physical education, art, chorus, recorder, band or strings.

    Children have a snack time mid morning and usually have a morning recess. Lunch is served on days that go until three o’clock. All lunches are followed by an outdoor recess period. Children will go outside for recess unless there is extreme weather. Please remember to bring appropriate clothes for outdoor play.

    Language Arts blocks are ninety minutes and generally encompass activities such as: focused mini lessons, small group guided reading instruction, individual conferences about reading and/or writing, writer’s workshop, independent practice in spelling, handwriting or vocabulary.

    For children in grades 1-5, school ends at 12:30 on Tuesdays and at 3 o’clock on other days.

    Typical intermediate-grade day:


    8:30-8:45 Morning work activity
    (similar to what a child might have for homework. This could be done individually or with a partner. It’s purpose is to review a skill or concept, provide practice and/or set the stage for the day).

    8:45-9:45 Math
    Ten minute mini-lesson followed by 40 minutes of group or independent work. The last 5 or 10 minutes are generally used to summarize what was learned, clarify misunderstandings and prepare for further learning.

    9:45-10:15 Snack/Recess
    Fifteen minutes of snack time followed by active outdoor play

    10:15-11:45 Literacy Block
    Short, focused lesson in reading or writing followed by workshop period (which could be independent and/or small group work).

    11:45-12:30 Social Studies
    Typically this could involve readings, discussion, simulations, working on projects, etc.

    12:30-1:00 Lunch in cafeteria followed by active outdoor play

    1:00-2:00 Science
    Typically this is a hands-on lesson that uses the inquiry-approach

    2:00-2:30/2:45 Special Subject
    this could be a 30 minute class in physical education or music, a 45 minute library class or a full hour for art.

    2:45-3:00 End of the day routine
    During this time children often engage in jobs that keep the classroom orderly like putting away materials, gathering notices, picking pencils up off of the floor. Learning is summarized, homework is given out and recorded in homework assignment notebooks.