Every fifth grade teacher needs ‘ready to go’ substitute plans for those unexpected absences that pop up from time to time.

We’ve all been there… You wake up in the middle of the night and you feel bad, like really bad. School is just not going to happen tomorrow.

You’re definitely going to need a sick day but it’s sooooo painful to drag yourself out of bed and prepare assignments along with substitute plans.

Let me tell you a secret – I just send a quick text to my coworkers to let them know I won’t be in today. They know where my substitute plans and assignments are located because I’ve shown them in advance.

I have a few days worth of work already assembled for students, so I have zero worries when an unexpected sick day knocks me off my feet.

Check out the tips below to help you make planning and preparing for your substitute a breeze!

Creating Sub Plans – Keep it simple!

Groan… sub plans.

Making lesson plans for the substitute teacher might just be one of the worst parts of teaching.

These plans do NOT have to take all day to put together.

KISS is a good acronym for this – Keep It Super Simple! Your lesson plans do not have to be lengthy, drawn-out, and overly detailed, but they do need to be clear and concise.

Think about it – the substitute teacher doesn’t want to read a dissertation-sized lesson plan any more than you want to write one. So just don’t.

Consider the day you had planned before you knew you’d be out sick. Those original plans – are they pretty easy to execute? Would an average person be able to figure them out without much trouble?

The goal is for your substitute to walk in, take a gander at the plans, and easily teach whatever you’ve got scheduled.

Are you looking for more upper elementary social studies/writing resources and ideas? I’d love for you to join my weekly VIP email club with no spam, just helpful tips, ideas, and resources!

Writing Sub Plans – Add some variety!

Of course, you shouldn’t plan anything too complicated for the day you’ll be gone.

By the same token, however, don’t make every lesson revolve around reading from a textbook.

Be sure to include different modes of learning, like partner reading, video, drawing/art, writing, sharing orally, and etc.

High engagement generally means better behavior, so help the substitute teacher out in any way you can. Make the lessons easy to implement AND interesting.

Fifth Grade Substitute Plan Example

You’ll create a substitute plan using your unique classroom schedule and way of doing things.

This is an example of a schedule I might leave for my substitute teacher.

I leave space between each line so that I can write in extra instructions or add assignments.

Welcome! Thank you for being here today! I’m sure you’ll enjoy my students as much as I do 🙂

8:30 Students arrive and do the following:

• Decide on Lunch Choice A or B

• Complete bell work (on the round table)

• Allow students to read silently when finished

9:00 Math

• Review yesterday’s quiz

• Ask students to take their flashcard sets out and practice multiplication facts for 5 minutes

• Go over Lesson 48A – Pull sticks to randomly call on all students.

10:00 Whole Group Reading

• Reread story from reading textbook (p. 52 – 60)

• Discuss character traits and problem/solution

10:45 Science

• Allow students to watch the “solar system” EdPuzzle video with a partner

• Choose a planet to illustrate and write 8 facts

11:30 Lunch – Another teacher will come in to relieve you for your lunchtime

11:50 Pick up students from the cafeteria – If you have time, read aloud from Hatchet

12:00 Writing – Students are working on 5-paragraph informational writing on their iPads

• Using organizers – they should’ve taken a pic of the organizer – due Friday

12:30 Social Studies

• Watch BrainPop “Iroquois Confederacy”

• Write 5 facts on lined paper and turn in

• Take quiz together – Login: Mustangs1 Pswd: Mcneil08

1:10 Recess – You have supervision – go out the back door in the hallway

1:30 Small group reading

• Call groups to the table

• Read ‘At the Amusement Park’ with students & answer comprehension questions

• Keep papers for me

1:30 Group A

1:45 Group B

2:00 Group C

2:15 Group D

2:40 Music – Take students to the hallway outside of music (you have plan time now)

3:10 Pick up students from music

• Students will complete 2 pages in their multiplication practice books.

• When done, students may write, complete a free choice art activity, or read silently.

3:40 Clean up the room – Prepare for dismissal (stack chairs)

3:45 Dismiss

Trustworthy students: Caroline, J’Mila, Ally B.

Students to watch: Jaxson, DJ

Questions? Ask Mr. Duncan across the hall.

Emergencies: Call * for the office

Please leave notes about how the day went. Thanks again!

The plan above is my general idea of a daily plan for substitutes.

Obviously, everyone is different and has preferences on the level of detail in a lesson plan.

In my teaching career, I’ve found that substitutes prefer bullet points to lengthy narratives. They want the bottom line.

Sub Plans – Don’t forget to include these elements!

There are definitely some things you’ll need to include in your fifth grade substitute teacher plans.

It’s critical to include:

• The schedule for lunch, recess, P.E. and/or music

• Where to find the nearest teacher if questions or problems arise

• What to do in an emergency behavior situation

• Students to watch closely

I ALWAYS tell my students that if the substitute wants to change something in the plans, that’s her choice, and I fully support it.

This is where your hard work building Classroom Management and consistency comes in handy!

Sub Plans – Consistency Always Helps!

It’s crucial that you practice consistency in how you structure your sub plans.

You WANT students to know that you expect them to actually complete the work.

For me, it’s a rule that whatever work they complete with the substitute will definitely be graded. They need to be held accountable.

If you throw away work completed while a substitute is in charge, your students will decide that they don’t really need to complete the work you leave.

This will make things more difficult for your substitute and you’ll have more behavior issues to deal with when you come back from being away.

Though it’s not always possible, it’s terrific if you can secure the same substitute for your absences.

This consistency helps with expectations, student anxiety, and behavior.

Students will likely be more productive if they have the same substitute, too.

Want to keep that substitute coming back? Substitute teachers are more likely to return if the students are well-behaved and the plans are clear.

If you LOVE your substitute teacher, a snack or a $5 gift card isn’t a bad idea, either!

Sub Plans – Think ahead!

A little prep will pay dividends when you must be away from your classroom.

I recommend having 2-3 days of plans and activities prepared and clipped together for last-minute or emergency absences.

Be sure to show coworkers where these ‘ready to use’ materials are located so that they can just pull them out and voila – your classes are covered for the day.

One easy idea is to use less-involved but high-interest activities that relate to what students are learning in class, like History Snip-Its. These are short, fascinating informational passages with questions and activities.

Check out these free samples and the full bundle below:

Colonial Jails and Punishments

George Washington – Genius Farmer

Are you looking for more upper elementary social studies/writing resources and ideas? I’d love for you to join my weekly VIP email club with no spam, just helpful tips, ideas, and resources!