How to use the bell schedule generator
- Enter the time of the first bell, the number of periods, the period length and the passing time between periods.
- Set the period after which lunch comes and its length, or use 0 for no lunch block.
- For a shortened day, set the percent to shorten each period to. The page scales the length and rounds to whole minutes.
- Read the last bell, the length of the day and the class time, and copy or print the table of start and end times.
Formula
Period end = period start + period length
Next period start = period end + passing time, or the end of lunch when lunch follows
Shortened period length = round(period length x percent / 100)
Class time = number of periods x period length; last bell = end of the last period
Lunch begins the moment its period ends, and the next period begins when lunch ends, so there is no extra passing time around the lunch block.
Eight 50 minute periods with lunch
Starting at 8:00 AM with 50 minute periods and 5 minutes of passing time, period 1 runs from 8:00 to 8:50 AM, period 2 from 8:55 to 9:45 AM, period 3 from 9:50 to 10:40 AM and period 4 from 10:45 to 11:35 AM. A 30 minute lunch after period 4 runs from 11:35 AM to 12:05 PM, and period 5 runs from 12:05 to 12:55 PM. Period 8 ends at 3:40 PM, so the day is 7 hours 40 minutes with 400 minutes of class.
Six 60 minute periods starting at 8:30 AM with a 35 minute lunch after period 3 end at 3:25 PM. Shortening the first schedule to 80 percent makes each period 40 minutes and the last bell 2:20 PM. Seven 45 minute periods from 8:15 AM with 4 minutes of passing time and no lunch block end at 1:54 PM.
Planning the day
Start with the length of the day you are given, then choose the period length and passing time that fit it. The table shows right away how a longer passing time or a longer lunch pushes the last bell later. A shortened day scales the periods and keeps the passing time, which is a common way to plan early release or an assembly.
For the schedule of a single student see the class schedule maker, and for the lessons themselves use the lesson plan template. The time calculator adds and subtracts times.
Rules to check
Schools and districts set rules for the minutes of instruction, lunch and passing time, and these differ from place to place. The page lays out the times and totals, and it does not check them against any rule. Check the numbers against your own requirements before you publish the schedule.
Assumptions and limits
- All periods have the same length, and the passing time is the same between periods.
- Lunch is a single block after one chosen period, and it replaces the passing time at that point.
- Times are shown on a 12-hour clock, and the day must end before midnight.
- Homeroom, advisory and split lunches are not modeled.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a bell schedule?
Start at the first bell, add the period length for each end time, and add the passing time before the next period. The page does this for up to 14 periods and adds a lunch block.
How do I plan a shortened day?
Set the percent to shorten the periods to. 80 percent turns a 50 minute period into a 40 minute one, and the passing time stays the same.
Where does lunch go?
After the period you pick. It starts when that period ends, and the next period starts when lunch ends.
Does it check instructional minutes?
No. It shows the class minutes for the schedule so that you can compare them with your own rules.