Each chorus rehearsal should be well organized so you get the most out of your time as well as the students' time. Typically, chorus rehearsals are limited to between one hour as an afternoon class to two hours as an afterschool activity. You will need to plan how you would like to spend that time. Your considerations might include how much time should be allocated for announcements, warm-up activities and actual singing.
Ideally, you should never have a rehearsal for the sake of having a rehearsal. Clearly communicate a goal or vision of which students and parents are aware so they know how their time is being spent. For example, if a school performance or a competition is coming up in which you would like the choir to participate, song choices and rehearsal time should reflect that goal.
It's important to create an environment of mutual respect and order when working with an elementary-level choir. Unlike other classes, during choir, students are expected to make noise. However, the type of noise they make is crucial to their success, whether in competition or in rehearsal. For this reason, you must enforce discipline in a way that allows them to experience the pleasure of making music while, at the same time, understanding the difference between making noise and making music.
Warm-ups are key to any chorus rehearsal. They prepare the vocal cords and warm them up so students can better hit a certain note or improve their timing. Popular warm-up activities include deep-breathing exercises, note singing and lip warmers. Note singing can be a simple "Do-Re-Mi" tune, which increased by a half note each time they sing the rhythm. Lip warmers can include softly blowing air through the lips so that they vibrate. This helps loosen them up and prepare them for action.