Teachers work hard. That’s no secret. Whether you’re sick or need an unexpected day off, you may need a substitute teacher to step in and follow through on your plans for the day. Every substitute teacher can only be as good as the lesson plan you leave, so make sure you have a sub folder prepared for when the time comes.

How to Prepare a Sub Binder

Download free substitute forms here to create your sub folder.

1. Cut out and laminate the sub folder cover.
2. Staple it to a pocket folder.
3. Fill in the substitute information forms.
4. Place forms in the folder and include:
   
   1. Class list with transportation information.
   2. A basic schedule and alternative schedule.
   3. Opening, attendance, lunch, and dismissal routines with detailed instructions for each.
   4. A set of name tags for your students.
   5. A list of students who attend special classes and the schedule for these classes.
   6. A copy of a fire drill and other emergency procedures.
5. Add your lesson plan and reproduce sets of the student activity pages.

Lesson Ideas for Your Sub Binder

Give your sub plenty of lesson ideas, but make sure your sub knows that it’s okay to not finish everything on the list. It’s better for a sub to have too much to do than to run out of material halfway through the day. Here are some lesson ideas that could work throughout the year for your sub folder and to keep your students on-task and learning:

Addition and Subtraction Fact Families – Free Download – Grades 1–3

These short math games are easy to infuse into the classroom and don’t require any prep work. These two ten-minute math activities about addition and subtraction fact families can be completed as a class or in small groups.

Substitute Lesson Plans for a Day (Primary) Grades 1–3
This download of primary lesson activities is a great addition to your sub lesson plan! This lesson’s theme is “Ants,” and it includes an activity for each subject of the day: reading, writing, math, science, music, and fun! The lesson has a short story, reading comprehension questions, a math activity, a science insect lesson, and a short ant song! It also includes reproducible worksheets for students.
Purchase this lesson from Teachers Pay Teachers here.


Substitute Lesson Plans for a Day (Intermediate) Grades 3–5
This lesson’s theme, Breaking Records, is all about the tall tale of Jesse Owens. The lesson has a reading, writing, math, and science activity and lesson. The reading section also has reading comprehension questions, followed by a lesson on homonyms. Then students will learn about the difference between tall tales and real stories and practice picking out statements of truth and fiction. The math lesson features “interpreting records,” and the science activity is a fun project where students will make a paper spinner and time its flight. This lesson checks all the boxes for a good substitute plan!
Purchase this lesson from Teachers Pay Teachers here.

 

Cross-Curricular Morning Work, Grades 1–6

Provide quick review activities to help your substitute teacher begin the day. The one-page daily activities in Daily Fundamentals help students practice reading, language, and math skills that are ideal for morning work. Add these worksheets to your substitute lesson plans to get the ball rolling in the morning!

Purchase the entire book or a bundled set of six weekly units! Click on your grade level to find your bundle on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Daily Fundamentals Cross-Curricular Bundle, Grade 1, Weeks 13–18
Daily Fundamentals Cross-Curricular Bundle, Grade 2, Weeks 13–18
Daily Fundamentals Cross-Curricular Bundle, Grade 3, Weeks 13–18
Daily Fundamentals Cross-Curricular Bundle, Grade 4, Weeks 13–18
Daily Fundamentals Cross-Curricular Bundle, Grade 5, Weeks 13–18
Daily Fundamentals Cross-Curricular Bundle, Grade 6, Weeks 13–18

Fun Social Studies Activities, Grades 1–3, 4–6

Add one of the informative short stories about U.S. history to your sub folder using the U.S. Facts & Fun workbooks. You can pair short stories with holidays, celebrations, or even just history curriculum. These nonfiction short stories span a number of topics, like the creation of the U.S. flag, figures like Dr. Seuss, and famous sites like Yosemite. These short stories are a quality time-filler when you need more material for your substitute lesson plan!

Find these nonfiction stories from U.S Facts & Fun on Teachers Pay Teachers:

U.S. Facts & Fun, Grades 1–3

U.S. Facts & Fun, Grades 4–6

Other Tips for Preparing for a Substitute:

• Prepare several sub packets for emergencies – sometimes you won’t have time to throw together an organized sub plan, so have a few on hold just in case the time comes. It may be easiest to do three of these, one for fall, winter, and spring. This way, your sub plan will loosely follow the progress in your classroom.
• Create a detailed description of how you manage your classroom and what the rewards/consequences are for students. Providing this information will allow the substitute to follow your classroom procedures to the best of his or her ability.
• Leave detailed notes if you have students who need special accommodations for behavior or learning. This helps the substitute understand any issues that arise during the day and also supports your students. (It is often a good idea to arrange for a teaching buddy who will take a challenging student if a substitute is having a difficult time.)

Don’t panic if you get caught needing an emergency substitute! That’s why you have easy access to quick lessons that span all your subjects for the day! Being prepared for substitutes will lift the stress off your shoulders during your sick days or last-minute emergency absences!

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Christine Wooler has experience working with children as a youth soccer coach and summer camp counselor. She is currently studying English Literature and journalism in college. She enjoys exploring educational topics that help students have fun while learning.