Good

Manners
at School

by Ann Ingalls • illustrated by Ronnie Rooney


Published by The Child’s World®
1980 Lookout Drive • Mankato, MN 56003-1705
800-599-READ • www.childsworld.com
Acknowledgments
The Child’s World®: Mary Berendes, Publishing Director
The Design Lab: Design and production
Red Line Editorial: Editorial direction
Copyright © 2013 by The Child’s World®
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be
reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means
without written permission from the publisher.
ISBN 9781614732259
LCCN 2012932441
Printed in the United States of America
Mankato, MN
July 2012
PA02126
About the Author
Ann Ingalls writes stories and
poems for people of all ages as well
as resource materials for parents
and teachers. She was a teacher for
many years and enjoys working with
children. When she isn’t writing, she
enjoys spending time with her family
and friends, traveling, reading,
knitting, and playing with her cats.
About the Illustrator
Ronnie Rooney took art classes
constantly as a child. She was
always drawing and painting
at her mom’s kitchen table. She
got her BFA in painting from the
University of Massachusetts at
Amherst and her MFA in Illustration
from Savannah College of Art and
Design in Savannah, Georgia. She
now lives and works in Fort Lewis,
Washington. Her plan is to pass her
love of art and sports on to her two
young children.
Contents
Manners at School . . . 4
In Class . . . 6
Other Students . . . 8
Talking with Teachers . . . 10
School Property . . . 12
In the Lunchroom . . . 14
No Germs, Please! . . . 16
On the Playground . . . 18
A Bit More Polite . . . 20
Quick Quiz . . . 22

Glossary . . . 24
Books and Web Sites . . . 24
Index . . . 24
Manners at School
What if students did not raise their hands in class? What if they
shouted their answers at the same time? It would be too loud
to think! Let others know that you care. Use your manners
and raise your hand. Wait for the teacher to call your name.
It shows that you respect the teacher and other students.
There are other ways to show your manners at school.
You spend a lot of time in class. And many other students
are there, too. With good manners, it is easier for everyone
to learn and have fun.

4
5
In Class
First you need to get to class on time. If you are late, you
will interrupt the class. It is noisy when you come into a
classroom. The teacher may stop teaching to talk with you.
The other students will stop listening to the teacher. Say,
“I am sorry I am late.”
Remember your polite words Did You
in class. Say, “Please” and “Thank Know?
you.” Ask if you can borrow a
Chinese students must
pencil. Never grab one off a take classes on manners
in school. They learn
student’s desk. table manners and how
to stand in line, plus
many other things.

6
 Listen and be patient in class. Do what the teacher says.
The teacher will give directions for a project. Listen to the
directions first. Don’t start until the teacher is done. You
might make a big mess!

7
Other Students
Be nice to other students. If someone is alone, invite him
to join your group. Ask, “Do you want to join us?” It is not
fun to be left out.
If you see a new student, help out if you can.
Introduce yourself. Say, “Hi! My name is Max. What is
your name?” Show the new student where things are in
the classroom. Ask him to join you for lunch, too. It can be
lonely to be in a new school.
Listen when another student answers a question. Do
not laugh if the answer is wrong. Do not make weird faces

8
 e
Hi, my nam uld
o
is Grace. W join
you like to ch?
us for lun

either. Show your respect by being quiet. Make the other

student feel good about his answer. Say, “Good job!” or
“Great answer!”

9
10
Talking with Teachers
You should talk with teachers in class and in the halls.
Look the teacher in his eyes. Say, “Hello Mr. Berg. How
are you?” It can make a teacher’s day! And if your teacher
asks how you are, make sure you answer. Say, “I am great.
Thanks for asking!”
In class, ask the teacher if you can go to the bathroom.
Say, “May I be excused, please?” Be sure it is okay before
you leave.

11
School Property
Your teacher works hard to make your classroom look nice.
The school also buys many supplies for students to use.
Treat the classroom well. Do not break the pencils. Put
supplies away when you are done. Your classroom will
stay nice and tidy.
Your desk should be clean and organized. Keep your
papers in neat piles. Put crayons back in the box. Do not
let your desk be a garbage dump! A clean desk shows you
respect your school.
And keep the top of your desk clean, too. Do not doodle or
scribble on it! A new student will be using the desk next year.

12
13
In the Lunchroom
Oh yummy! It is time for lunch. Wait in the lunch line nicely.
Do not stand too close to others in line. And say, “Please”
and “Thank you” to the lunch staff. They work hard to make
you a good lunch.
At your seat, talk quietly with your friends at the table.
Do not shout across the room. That
can get loud! Invite a new friend Did You
to sit with you. It is a nice thing Know?
to do. And keep your food on
your plate or in your mouth. In many Japanese schools,
students each lunch in their
No food fights, please! classrooms. Other students
may serve them lunch.

14
 Are you done eating? Take your tray to the garbage. Put
cans and plastic in recycling bins. Make sure that the table is
clean. And walk out of the lunchroom—do not run.

15
No Germs, Please!
You are a little sick, but not sick enough to stay home. When
you cough, cover your mouth. If you sneeze, cover your
nose. It keeps others safe from your germs. Say, “Excuse me!”
If you are really sick, stay home.
Many people have to use the drinking fountain. Keep it
clean for others. Do not put garbage or gum in the fountain.
And keep your mouth away from the spout. Your germs will
stay in your mouth, not on the fountain.
Keep bathrooms clean. And always wash your hands after
you use the bathroom. Don’t forget the soap, too! Stay clean
to help others stay healthy.

16
17
18
On the Playground
Everyone loves recess. You get to play on the playground!
Be nice and take turns. Use the swing, but only for a little
while. Let another person swing. Move onto the slides next.
Be patient while you wait. The girl on the jungle gym will
be done in a minute. It will be your turn soon.
Do not push others. No one likes a bully. Include others
and ask them to play with you. Be kind and others will be
kind to you. Games are more fun when more people play.

19
A Bit More Polite
School is a great place to practice your good manners.
Manners help everyone learn at school. It is easier to eat and
play with manners, too. It is also easier to make friends with
good manners. And school is a great place to find friends.
Use your manners in class, the lunchroom, and on the
playground. Be kind and show your respect. Soon others
will give you an A+ for being so polite!

20
21
 Quick
Quiz
Put your new school manners in When you see a new student,
action with this pop quiz! Will you should:
you choose the right rules? a. say, “Hello” and be friendly.
b. make fun of her.
If you know the answer in class, c. not let her be part of
you should: your group.
a. run around the room shouting d. tell her the wrong way to get
the answer. to her next class.
b. wave your arms wildly shouting,
“I know! I know! I know!”
c. shout it when someone else is
o
called upon by the teacher. Please d in
d. raise your arm, wait to be not writek!
called upon, and then answer. the boo

22
If a teacher talks to you,
you should:
a. run and hide under your desk.
b. mumble while staring at
your feet.
c. ignore the teacher and
turn around.
d. look the teacher in the eyes
and say, “Hello!”
Your desk should be:
a. covered with airplane drawings. d. put your mouth on the spout to
b. stinky because of a rotten
apple inside.
c. tidy and clean.
d. stuffed with garbage.
At lunch, you should:
a. clean up the table when you
are done eating.
b. toss your sandwich like
a football.
c. stand on your seat and shout
to Ava across the room.
d. see how close you can stand
to Gus in the lunch line.
At the drinking fountain,
you should:
a. keep your mouth away from
the spout.
b. toss your garbage in.
c. cough on the spout.
get more water.
On the playground, you should:
a. push everyone out of the way.
b. tell others to get out of
your way.
c. be patient and wait for
your turn.
d. stay on the swing for the
whole recess, even if others
are waiting.
23
Glossary Web Sites
borrow (BOR-ow): To borrow is to use Visit our Web site for links about manners at
something that belongs to another person, when school: childsworld.com/links
they let you. May I borrow your pencil, please?
Note to Parents, Teachers, and Librarians: We
interrupt (in-tuh-RUHPT): To interrupt is to routinely verify our Web links to make sure they are
stop for a short time. When you come in late, safe and active sites. So encourage your readers to
you interrupt the class. check them out!
introduce (in-truh-DOOSS): When you
introduce yourself, you tell someone who
you are. It is nice to introduce yourself to new
Books
students. Burstein, John. Manners, Please!: Why It Pays to be
Polite. New York: Crabtree, 2011.
organized (OR-guh-nized): Something is
organized when it is neat and has things put in Eberly, Sheryl. 365 Manners Kids Should Know:
the right place. Keep your desk organized. Games, Activities, and Other Fun Ways to Help
Children Learn Etiquette. New York: Three Rivers
patient (PAY-shuhnt): A patient person can Press, 2001.
deal with problems or waiting without getting
mad. Be patient when you wait for the slide. Espeland, Pamela. Dude, That’s Rude! Minneapolis,
MN: Free Spirit Publishing, 2007.
polite (puh-LITE): To be polite is to have good
manners. It is polite to say please.
respect (ri-SPEKT): To have respect is to care Index
for another person’s feelings or treat his or her
home with care. Show respect by waiting for being clean, 12, 15, 16 other students, 4, 6,
your turn. China, 6 8–9
in class, 6–7, 8, 11, 12, 20 playground, 19, 20
tidy (TYE-dee): A tidy space is neat and in Japan, 14 raising your hand, 4
order. It is easy to find things in a tidy classroom. listening, 6, 7, 8 school property, 12
lunch, 8, 14–15, 20 teachers, 4, 6, 7, 11, 12

24