It’s that sinking feeling we all know and dread… the sore throat, the call from childcare, or the family emergency that can’t wait. On top of worrying about those things, we have to make SUB PLANS. Way to make a difficult situation… difficult-er, right!?
And every teacher knows that you can’t just leave any sub plans. The best sub plans…
- Keep the kids on task
- Fill a whole period
- Can be done by a substitute teacher with no background knowledge
- Are standards-based
- Are print-and-go OR can be assigned digitally
- Oh, and the kids should probably learn something, too!
💡 Solution: Instead of scrambling when you have to be out of the classroom, have a whole sub folder of great emergency sub plans for middle school science ready to go!
A well-prepared sub folder can make a substitute teacher’s day much smoother. It can ensure that little things don’t get in the way of completing the lesson you’ve left. A clear sub plan also helps the substitute follow the same procedures that you do, minimizing behavioral issues and distractions. And, the continuity of routines makes your return a little smoother.
While it can seem like a lot to get a science sub binder up and running, once you’ve done it once… you’re basically done. You can often reuse a sub binder year-to-year by just switching out the class rosters.
What to Include in A Science Sub Binder?
Not sure what to include in a sub folder? While it’s going to be a little different for everyone, here’s a list of things many science teachers find helpful to include:
Welcome Letter
- Introduction: Briefly introduce yourself and provide a warm welcome to the substitute teacher. I like to remind them that they are in charge, not the kids!
- Contact Information: Include your email or phone number (or maybe not!).
- Classes Overview: A brief overview of your classes for the substitute, including the grades and subjects.
Lesson Plans
- Lesson Plans: Provide detailed plans for each day, outlining objectives, activities, and materials needed. Include expectations of whether students will be working together or individually.
- Answer Keys: Let the sub know if you want them to review the correct answers with students or if you do not want kids to have access to the answers.
- Early Finish Plans: I always include generic additional activities, reading materials, or worksheets in case extra time needs to be filled. You’ll need to explicitly state if students can work on homework from another class or read their own book if they finish early. Make this clear, or else your students will share their own version of what they’re allowed to do when finished!
Class Schedule
- Daily Schedule: Outline the day’s schedule, including class periods, lunch, recess, and any special activities. Check if there are any assemblies scheduled.
- Bell Schedule: Include the times that bells ring. It is very important to specifically point out when the sub eats lunch or has a break.
- Specials Schedule: Note any special classes (PE, music, art) and their times.
- In-Between Classes: Let the sub know if students are escorted to the next class or not. Also, make sure the sub knows if they are expected to stand in the hall during passing time or remain in the classroom.
Classroom Routines and Procedures
- Bathroom Procedures: Be clear about how your bathroom procedures work. Is it one at a time? Do the kids sign out? Is there a special bathroom pass?
- Morning Routine: Explain how students should start their day.
- Transitions: Provide instructions on how to transition between activities.
- End of Day Routine: Outline how students should wrap up their day and prepare for dismissal.
Classroom Rules and Expectations
- Overview of School Rules: Make a consolidated list of school rules that will likely apply during the sub’s day, such as policies on hoodies, water bottles, or cell phones.
- Behavioral Expectations: List the classroom rules and explain the behavior management system.
- Rewards and Consequences: Explain to the substitute teacher how positive behavior is rewarded and how misbehavior is handled. Include copies of discipline slips, if necessary. Add a sticky note to explain how to fill them out.
- Do Not Touch Instructions: Let the sub know what objects or areas in your science lab are not to be touched or accessed by students. Subs need to know what is off-limits while you are gone.
Student Information
- Attendance Sheet/Roster: Provide a roster for taking attendance. Be sure to keep this continually updated as students are added or dropped.
- Seating Chart: Include a current seating chart.
- Student Information: Notes on students with special needs, allergies, or medical conditions. (see next point!)
- A Note of Caution: Sometimes it can be tempting to warn subs… I mean… share information about particular students. You need to check with your district to find out what type of information is considered confidential and should not be shared with a sub. Some behavior plans, IEP information, and medical information may be shared, while some may be protected.
Emergency Procedures
- Fire Drill: Instructions on what to do in case of a fire drill.
- Lockdown Procedure: Steps to follow during a lockdown and the different types of lockdown a sub may encounter
- Medical Emergencies: Information on handling medical emergencies and a list of students with medical needs (where allowed).
School Map and Important Locations
- Map: A map of the school indicating important locations like the office, nurse’s office, restrooms, and cafeteria. A note about the closest staff bathroom will be appreciated!
- Key Locations: Instructions on where to find supplies, the copier, and other necessary items.
Technology Instructions
- Logins: Information on how to log into classroom computers or digital platforms.
- AV Equipment: Instructions for using any audio-visual equipment.
- Chromebook Policies: Let the sub know your policies surrounding student Chromebooks or other technology usage.
Additional Supports
- Administration: Names and contact details of administrators.
- Team Teachers: Names and contact details of nearby teachers or team members who can provide assistance.
- Student Helpers: List any trusted students who can assist the substitute. This may be the most important resource of all!
Feedback Form
- Substitute Feedback: A form for the substitute to leave feedback about how the day went, any issues encountered, and any notes on student behavior. You may or may not want to include how you will handle the information the sub provides.
The Ultimate Emergency Science Sub Plans
Now… what to include for emergency sub plans for middle school science?!
The key is to have sub lessons in your sub folder that can be used at any point in the year. Add lessons that don’t require the kids to have any background knowledge and most importantly, don’t need anyone to deliver any science content. Use self-contained science lessons that any sub can be successful with!
Sound like a unicorn of a science lesson? It’s not.
I’ve put together a set of emergency science sub plans for every science discipline. Each of these sub plan sets contains 5 different emergency lessons that can be used at any point in your curriculum. Each of these sub plans is a stand-alone lesson. No prior knowledge is required! They can sit in your sub binder all year to be assigned in a pinch!
And let’s face it, no one wants their absence to be a day of busy work that doesn’t serve any purpose. But they also need to be easy to use. That’s why my emergency science sub plans are designed to be both meaningful and engaging while being a breeze for subs to deliver.
Each lesson plan includes:
- A Very Engaging “Top 10 List” Science Article: Each article is based on real NGSS science but has a fun and interesting twist!
- Reading Comprehension Questions: Each article is followed by a worksheet with text-dependent questions.
What Makes These Emergency Sub Plans Different?
- Based in Real NGSS science: Each set covers a different area of science – astronomy, Earth science, life science, and physical science. This means no matter what unit you’re in, you’ll have an NGSS-based science sub plan ready to go.
- Engaging & Fun Content: Each set includes five “Top 10” articles that are sure to captivate your students’ interest. From the top 10 strange facts of space to the top 10 coolest animal adaptations, these articles make kids actually want to read.
- No Prior Knowledge Required: All the information kids need to answer the questions is included in the text. They don’t need to have covered the topic in science to do the work. Each lesson is completely independent work.
- Critical Thinking: Each article is followed by a worksheet with text-dependent questions. These aren’t just busy work; they encourage students to think critically and deepen their understanding of the content.
- Versatile Formats: Each sub plan is available in both print and digital Google Slides versions. This flexibility means you can assign work in the format that best suits your classroom’s needs.
- Easy for Substitutes: These plans are designed so that any substitute teacher can pick them up and run with them, even if they have no background in science. And clear answer keys are always included, making it easy for a sub to review the correct answers and support questions.
- Supports Literacy: Each article supports literacy, reading comprehension, and vocabulary acquisition.
- Save Paper: A paperless digital version is included, but if you’re using the paper version, you can spend less time at the copier! Each article is separate from the student worksheets, so you only need to make one class set of the readings. The readings can be reused class-to-class.
Astronomy Sub Plans
If you teach astronomy, these articles will touch on important curriculum topics, but have an added “hook” that taps into kids’ natural interest in weird and strange science facts. From learning about a ghost galaxy or the smell of space, students will stay on task while still learning important lessons in astronomy.
The sub plan titles included in my Astronomy Sub Plans Set are:
- Top 10 Strange Facts about Space
- Top 10 Coolest Moon Facts
- Top 10 Interesting Scales of Objects in the Universe
- Top 10 Weird Planet Facts
- Top 10 Incredible Discoveries in Astronomy
Teachers and kids love these lessons!
Earth Science Sub Plans
Are you teaching Earth science this year? Do you find it hard to keep it from being a kind of dry topic? Don’t make it even more boring on a sub day! These sub plans are based on NGSS Earth science but are really fun to read!
The sub plan titles included in my Earth Science Sub Plans Set are:
- Top 10 Types of Storms (with Famous Examples)
- Top 10 Environmental Disasters of History
- Top 10 Natural Resources You Didn’t Realize We Use Every Day
- Top 10 of Earth’s Strangest Formations
- Top 10 Earthquakes & Volcanoes that Changed History
Teachers are loving this sub plan set because it’s plug-and-go AND the kids enjoy it!
Life Science Sub Plans
Universally, it seems that kids love to learn about cool animal facts and weird aspects of how the human body works. For instance, what kid doesn’t think it cool that a person makes 6250 gallons of spit in their lifetime, that DNA may have arrived on a meteorite, or that hippo sweat looks like blood but acts like sunscreen? These topics naturally draw kids’ attention. And along with the cool facts is the lesson on the science behind them, of course! That’s the point!
The sub plan titles included in my Life Science Sub Plans Set are:
- Top 10 Fascinating DNA Facts
- Top 10 Weirdest Human Body Facts
- Top 10 Coolest Animals Adaptations
- Top 10 Strangest Examples of Symbiosis
- Top 10 Coolest Vestigial Structures
I was so excited to get this feedback on the life science sub plan set from Abby K… This was a GOD SEND for sub plans! I really needed something on topic and fast, this was perfect.
Physical Science Sub Plans
Real talk: Physical science can be hard to make “hooks” for. I mean, roller coasters, skateboarding, hydrogen peroxide and vinegar… it’s all kind of been done. So, I came up with some physical science topics that kids typically haven’t read about yet! For instance, in these physical science sub-plans, kids will learn how magnets make guitar-based rock music possible, how radio waves are used by their cell phones, how flames would be spherical without gravity, and the future of stretchy electronic screens. Importantly, as they read about these interesting facts, they’ll also be getting a lesson on the NGSS science behind them!
The sub plan titles included in my Physical Science Sub Plans Set are:
- Top 10 Ways We Use Waves in Everyday Life
- Top 10 Coolest Synthetic Materials of the Future
- Top 10 Real-World Uses of Magnets
- Top 10 Weirdest Ways Life Would Be Different Without Gravity
- Top 10 Chemical Reactions in Everyday Life
Tiffany D. gave this feedback on the physical science sub plan set… Love having these on hand for emergencies when I cannot be in the classroom!
And Melissa B. said… Awesome resource! Saves time and money! What else could you ask for!
General Science sub Plans
Need more generic science sub plans? I’ve got that, too! That’s why I made this last set that could be used in any science context.
The sub plan titles included in my General Science Sub Plans Set are:
- Top 10 Chemicals that Changed History
- Top 10 Coolest Engineering Feats of All Time
- Top 10 Scientists You Should Know (But probably don’t!)
- Top 10 Amazing Medical Breakthroughs of All Time
- Top 10 Scientific Laws and Theories that Changed the World
Jennifer S. had this to say about the general science sub plan bundle… I am very happy with this resource! The articles are very interesting, and the questions are excellent!
Get Emergency Science Sub Plans together NOW!
Whether it’s a last-minute sick day or an unexpected event, set yourself up today to be able to leave school behind when you need to. If you set up a rock-solid sub binder now, you’ll be able to focus on what’s important – you and your health – when that unexpected time comes.
And this is important: don’t wait for the next emergency to hit. Plans need to be in place before you need them! Get your emergency sub plans today and take the stress out of those unexpected absences.
LET’S CONNECT!
Finally, if you like these ideas for emergency sub plans for middle school science, please follow me on Teachers Pay Teachers. And, please check out my science resource web store. And don’t forget to sign up for a whole bunch of science freebies I send out!