I check their bins before they leave to make sure everything is in order and available for the next class. I also have bins for regular supplies such as rulers, calculator, colored pencils, etc. At the beginning of class the students take out their homework and put it on their desk. It takes about 5 minutes and while I am doing that, they are writing down their homework assignment for that night, checking their folders for papers that are being returned, getting their lab book and supplies for the day, etc. We then go over the homework and correct it as a class.
Physical science deals with a lot of formulas and word problems.
White index cards all look alike. Only one side is used I double check their cards before the Quest Students staple the index card with their Quest when they turn it in. In a perfect world, students wouldn't have to leave your class for any reason. But this is the real world. Keeping track of students is very important for many reasons, the main one is safety.