50+ Essential Classroom Routines and Procedures to Plan Now for a Smooth School Year

July means that a new school year is just around the corner, which also means that the first week of school will be here before we know it! Every teacher can tell you that the first week of school is fun, exciting, a little chaotic, and so important when it comes to getting to know your students and setting a strong foundation for the rest of the school year.

The first week of 1st grade sets the tone for the rest of the school year, and establishing clear routines and procedures is one of the most powerful tools you can use to create a successful classroom environment. 

Whether you're a new teacher or a seasoned pro looking to refresh your beginning-of-year systems, these 40 must-teach 1st grade routines and procedures will help your students feel safe, confident, and ready to learn. From arrival and morning routines to classroom transitions, this list will guide you through what to teach and when—so you can start the year calm, collected, and prepared.

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Beginning of the Year Classroom Management Lessons

Last week, I shared my top 10 proven classroom management strategies. In that

blog post, I talked about this transformative experience I had in college, where I got to go to a seminar and learn classroom management and routines and procedures from veteran teachers who were currently in the classroom.

It was an incredible experience, and I feel like I had such an advantage walking into my classroom on day 1—I knew that explicit teaching of all the things starting on day 1 was essential to a smooth-running classroom.

The problem was… I didn’t quite know what “all the things” were.

In my first few years, I knew some of the things—my students needed to know our rules, they needed to know how I got their attention, and how we moved about our day… but that was about it, those were the things I kept in my toolbox.

When I look back at those first few years, I understand why it felt like chaos and why I had such a headache—it was chaos and I was spending every day, for 10 months, teaching routines, reteaching routines, and fixing bad habits that were created because I didn’t have routines.

At the end of that first year, I decided to make a list—what were the things I needed to teach in the beginning so that the year was smooth from start to finish.  

With every passing year, this list grows; I add more and more things that are essential to the daily functioning of our classroom and my students' success.

Ron Clark had “The Essential 55” - his essential 55 rules for his students and his classroom… Today I am going to share my almost 55 essentials (I have 54… maybe this next year will be the year I add one more).

My list is not at all comprehensive, and some of the things on my list might or might not work for you, but I do hope that this list of classroom procedures and routines can help you brainstorm all of the things you might want to spend time teaching your students during the first week of school.

First Week of School Routine

Before I dive into my list of must-teach routines and procedures, it is important to think about when any teacher can teach all of these things.

Time is the most valuable resource in an elementary school—we have so much to teach, not enough time, and the thought of teaching 50+ routines can seem daunting!

It is a lot.

Here are my tips for where to squeeze in and maximize time to get all of your routines and procedures taught:

1. Morning Meeting

   We have a daily morning meeting with a structure that includes a greeting, sharing, an activity, and a message. I will spend the first 2-4 weeks planning morning meeting activities and messages that specifically teach and allow practice for these essential routines and procedures.

2. Reviewing Curriculum

   Both my math and literacy curricula start with review units that are about 2-3 weeks of instruction.  I do not skip the review units; instead, I use the opportunity to strategically teach routines and procedures needed within these review units.  This can include how to use materials we will be using all year in math, how to run through literacy centers and rotations, and how to transition within centers.

3. Getting to know you activities

   We spend a significant amount of time getting to know our classmates so we can work together as a classroom family.  During these times, I will also teach how we listen, how we partner for activities, how we solve problems, and what being a good friend and classmate looks like.

4. Read Alouds

   During the first few weeks of school, my firsties struggle with the stamina needed to last the full day.  Our school still offers full and half-day kindergarten, and kindergarten isn’t required in my state, so kids are coming in with a variety of experiences and an ability to make it through a full day of learning.  We take a lot of breaks to share a read-aloud together, and so many read-alouds can be used to provide teaching opportunities too.

Classroom Routines and Procedures for First Grade

Arrival & Morning Classroom Routines

When students arrive in the morning, there are so many routines and procedures

that help them enter and get settled for the day so they are ready to learn. During the first week of school, these are some of the first procedures that I teach, so that we can begin starting our days strong.  I will have students practice multiple times a day, grabbing their backpacks and pretending they are coming in and getting settled.  Some of the routines for the morning include:

1. Entering the classroom calmly and quietly

2. Unpacking backpack and putting things away

3. Turning in folders/homework

4. Morning check-in or attendance routine

5. Completing morning work or tubs

6. Getting supplies ready for the day, like sharpening pencils and checking their table caddy is stocked

Whole Group Learning Time Procedures

In first grade, I feel like we spend the bulk of our day in either whole group learning or in small group centers.  This means that students need to know exactly what is expected and how we transition to our whole group learning space.

I prefer to have a whole group meeting area on the carpet, in front of our whiteboard and smart TV. This space serves as a place where we do morning meetings, daily calendar, whole group instruction to introduce new skills, and where we start any activities with directions.  To support student learning in this space, I teach the following routines and procedures during the first week of school:

1. Sitting on the carpet (assigned spots, expectations)

2. Partner talk or turn-and-talk expectations

3. Raising hands to share ideas

4. How to transition between activities (carpet to desk, desk to centers)

5. How to handle materials for learning that we bring to the carpet

6. Listening and responding during read-alouds

Routines for Bathroom, Water Breaks and Snack Time

A very real part of anyone’s day is needing to take care of their basic needs - this is the same even in 1st grade! I spend time teaching my students how to ask to leave the classroom, when is the best time, and where they can go.  At my school, our kindergarten classrooms have bathrooms in each room, so first grade is the first time students are leaving the classroom to use the bathroom - it is a big deal!

1. Which bathrooms we use from our classroom

2. Asking to use the restroom (signal or procedure)

3. How to leave and return to the room quietly

4. Water fountain or water bottle routines

5. Snack time expectations

Routines for Smooth Transitions & Movement

Another must-teach that I introduce pretty quickly on the first day of school is how I want students to line up and what I expect when we walk through the hallways. We will need to walk through the hallway on the very first day of school to get to lunch, get to recess, and get to specials quickly—we need to have these routines taught quickly! 

I feel like these transition behaviors are so important to teach your students because even if they have previous school experience, every teacher has a different level of tolerance and different expectations around what walking in the hallway should look like.

When I am moving 20+ small humans from point A to point B, I need them together, in a line, “nose and toes forward” because it takes a lot of work to move that many sweet friends smoothly.

1. Walking in the hallway

2. Lining up and line order

3. Cleaning up materials quickly and quietly

4. Transitioning between subjects or blocks of time

Centers & Independent Work Routines and Procedures

As I mentioned earlier, the bulk of time in my classroom is spent with students in either whole group instruction, small group, or independent work.  We frequently move through a cycle of learning the skill together and then practicing the skill (and previously taught skills) at centers, while I work on direct skill practice in small groups. 

It is essential that students know how to move through these routines in our day because the bulk of our day is spent here. 

In order to ensure that students can be successful in centers and independent work time, I make sure we have routines in place and taught for:

1. Moving from one center or station to another

2. Expectations during independent or center work

3. Voice level expectations (e.g., whisper, silent)

4. Finishing work early – what to do next

5. Asking for help vs. trying it first

6. How to rotate through literacy/math centers

Classroom Routines and Procedures for Materials & Supplies

Something I really value as a first-grade teacher is our classroom space being a shared space—it is not just my classroom, but a classroom that I share with my students. 

Something that becomes important within this philosophy is that students are given opportunities to take ownership of our space.  This means they have the ability to have a reasonable voice and choice within our classroom, they are equal partners in caring for the space, and they take ownership of the space.

So much of this is created through routines and procedures that allow them to be helpers in the management of our classroom supplies and materials, which includes:

1. Getting and putting away classroom supplies

2. Using community vs. personal supplies

3. Caring for classroom books and library routines

4. Keeping desks or cubbies tidy

5. What to do when a pencil breaks or you need something

Classroom Routines for Behavior & Social Skills

Managing behavior is crucial in any classroom; having clear and consistent expectations for various behaviors and social situations is essential for every teacher.

Teachers often say, "They've been in school before, so they should know how to behave." While this is somewhat true, as students have prior school experience, they need to understand how to behave according to your classroom's tolerance levels, expectations, and preferred routines and procedures.

Each teacher has unique teaching styles, preferences, and tolerance levels, and that’s perfectly fine. My teaching friend is more relaxed than I am; she is comfortable with a bit more noise, chaos, and less structure… and I believe she is an outstanding teacher!

However, when her kindergarteners come to me, I need to guide them through what my expectations entail. I can't assume they "just know," nor can I assume that what I like or dislike was the same in their previous classroom.

Things I teach for smooth behavior and social skills include… 

1. How to ask a question or get the teacher’s attention

2. Kind and respectful language

3. Problem-solving with peers

4. What to do if someone is bothering you

5. Positive reinforcement expectations (clip chart, points, etc.)

6. Following directions the first time

7. Classroom signals (attention-getters like “Give Me 5” or call and response)

Routines for Recess & Playing Outside

Recess and outside play are probably one of the most loved times of the day for 1st graders—they LOVE being with their friends in an environment that is a little less structured than the classroom.

The looser structure of this time also means that students need to know the expectations and procedures needed to keep them safe outside on the playground so everyone can enjoy much-needed time playing.

Before we head out to the playground to play, I will often take my class on a walking tour and teach them the following procedures and expectations:

1. Playground expectations

2. Playground boundaries

3. How Recess Ends

4. Lining Up at the End of recess

5. How to Solve Recess Conflict

End of Day Routines & Dismissal

Just like giving students routines and procedures to start the day is important, it is also important to have routines and procedures for ending the day.  

I used to dread dismissal time—students are so excited to go home, they are often loud, energetic, and it was chaotic! It also seemed like no matter how much time I planned for dismissal, I would never have enough time.  

The reality was, the chaos was partly because I didn’t have clear routines and procedures.  Now, I thoughtfully teach my end-of-day expectations.  The end of the day is still chaotic, but having clear end-of-day procedures and routines for my students creates controlled chaos.

1. Clean Up Classroom

2. Pack Up Backpacks

3. End of Day Classroom Jobs

4. Dismissal Line Up

5. Waiting for dismissal

Safety Procedures

My other “must teach” right away routines and procedures are anything that is needed to keep kids safe.

The first principal I taught under used to tell us, “Our number one job is to keep kids safe. If kids aren’t safe, then they can’t learn.” Over a decade later, I love this, and it guides so much of what I do in my own classroom.

Some of these routines I will hold until they are timely—we will teach a fire drill routine and procedure before we have a fire drill. Others I will teach pretty early in the year so that students can stay safe.

1. Drill Procedures (fire drills, lockdown drills, and secure perimeter drills)

2. Going to the nurse or clinic aid

3. What to do if they are left outside or lost in the building

Classroom Procedures for Technology Use (if applicable)

I think this last one depends on what the technology use looks like at your school, and if necessary, it can be skipped the first week of school (but still needs to be taught before students are on devices).

Currently, at my school, we don’t jump into technology right away, but about a week before students are going to be using devices independently, I do start teaching these routines.

1. Getting out and putting away devices safely

2. Logging in (with or without help)

3. Headphone use and care

4. Staying on task with educational apps or websites

1st Grade Classroom Management

Strong routines and procedures are a key piece of a strong classroom management system.  There are also many more ways to build strong classroom management that extend beyond strong routines and procedures.  Check out our blog on our 10 Proven Classroom Management Tips that Will Make Teaching 1st Grade Easier!

Also, look for our upcoming blogs on how to establish literacy and math centers that run smoothly and morning meetings guaranteed to start your day off strong!

When Teachers Feel Supported, Students Thrive

I love teaching 1st grade, and I love collaborating with other 1st grade teachers! I redesigned this blog to share all things 1st grade, from my classroom to yours.  If you are looking for great 1st grade ideas, check out some of our other blog posts.

You can also sign up for our weekly newsletter, The Bear Necessities.  You’ll get weekly tips, lesson ideas, and resources right to your email.  You’ll also get our FREE 1st Grade checklist and skills bundle for both math and reading when you sign up!

The First Weeks of School… A Recipe for Sweet Success

After over a decade of teaching, I passionately believe that the work you do in the first few weeks of school to connect with your students, establish clear routines and procedures, and practice, practice, practice each and every day will build a classroom that can hum through learning for the rest of the school year.  

It is so important that students are taught your expectations and given the opportunity for feedback so they know exactly what success looks like. Taking time to go slow will ensure that you can go fast later on in the school year, and it will be worth it—I promise.

I offer all of these routines in an organized checklist to download for free—check that out here.

I hope that my must-teach routines and procedures for a smooth school year help you start your school year strong so that you can spend time taking care of yourself and getting to know your students. 

Because when teachers feel supported, students thrive. 

Valerie