Emergency Sub Plans
Emergency sub plans can be a lifesaver for teachers, especially in those last-minute and unexpected situations when you didn’t plan on needing a sub. However, did you know that you can use these plans in other ways? This post will give you suggestions based on how we have used emergency sub plans in our middle school social studies classes!
Do I Need Emergency Sub Plans?
Before we get into the alternative uses of sub plans, why should you have them in the first place? There are several key reasons why they should be a must in your classroom. First, many districts require that you have sub plans prepared in advance. Many even have official substitute folders that are stored in the main office in case you are out unexpectedly. They are also great to have when you or someone in your family is really sick or anytime unexpected challenges come up. Finally, having emergency sub plans ready is helpful whenever you are going to miss a regular day of school, even if you know you will be absent in advance. Writing sub plans is never fun, but if you have something ready to go, it will save a lot of time!
Emergency Sub Plans Social Studies
If you don’t yet have any extra sub plans prepared, check out our epic set of 14 sub plans specifically designed for secondary social studies teachers! Each one contains a PDF and an editable Google Drive version, along with an editable sub note! You can check these out here.
Alternative Uses of Emergency Sub Plans
Early Finishers Activities
These sub plans often make great early finisher activities! Simply keep extra copies of these activities on hand in an area for students to access, and they can keep students engaged even after they have completed your regular assignment. Having these activities ready to go will save you time later on and provide a simple answer to the “what do I do now?” question.
Last Minute Lesson Ideas Or Planning
Have you ever struggled to come up with a lesson idea for the next day, or even a class you were teaching later that day? (This was something I used to struggle with, especially during my first year of teaching when I taught four grade levels!) Keeping extra sub plans on hand is a great way to prepare for these last-minute situations, especially when you can apply them to a variety of units. This is why our emergency sub plans for middle school social studies are all flexible enough to be used with multiple subjects and topics!
Differentiation
Having extra sub plans on hand can actually make it easier to differentiate. Since they are activities students can work on independently, you could assign these activities to some of your more advanced students, giving them the chance to have fun with a creative challenge while you spend extra time with students who require more one-on-one attention and support.
Distance Learning
It’s no secret that distance learning is difficult. By now, you’ve probably realized that most (or at least many) of your lessons don’t work the same way when remote teaching. Some ideas are too difficult to explain or have students do completely independently, while others, like debate or whole-class discussion, aren’t as meaningful when done remotely. However, since emergency sub plans are designed to be simple enough that any substitute can facilitate them, they are easy enough for students to understand and complete on their own. For more distance learning ideas, check out this recent blog post!
Emergency Sub Plans Middle School
Once again, if there are any middle school social studies teachers out there in need of emergency sub plans, you’ll love our set! This version contains 14 activities, each available for Google Drive and in PDF form! Check out this resource here.
Are you looking for some new teaching ideas to engage your students in your social studies class? If so, you’ll love our FREE guide: 5 Creative Projects to Ignite Student Engagement in Your Social Studies Class. These activities have both printable and digital options and can work for any social studies subject!
