The work behavior of five elementary school principals was examined using Mintzberg's structured observation technique. The principals' activities exhibited the intensity, variety, and fragmentation typical of administrator work. Compared with secondary principals in an earlier study, the elementary principals' pace was less hectic, and they spent more time on the instructional program. They also exhibited many individual differences. The authors conclude with a consideration of the limitations of structured observation. The article is an expanded version of a paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York Citv, March 1982.