In a perfect world, there would always be a great substitute teacher lesson plan each time you step into a middle or high school classroom. However, that can't always happen—and you might have to get creative.
If a teacher is unable to leave a detailed substitute teacher lesson plan or a lesson ends early, we want our Kelly Education substitute teachers to feel confident and prepared.
Choose a passage from a book with an interesting plot and fun dialogue. Have the students take turns reading out loud, and encourage them to express themselves. This will teach reading skills and help them learn to enjoy reading.
Using recent material studied in class, have students create their own quizzes of about five questions each. Then, they each find a partner and give each other their quizzes. Every two or three minutes, give a signal indicating that everyone should find a new partner and repeat the process. This can be done several times. Again, this facilitates the repetition of things they have already learned.
One student sits with their back to the whiteboard, and something is written, such as a math formula, historical date, literary term or title, or scientific term. The rest of the class gives the student clues to help them guess what's written. Many students can take a turn on the hot seat.
Each student has a sticky note on their back with the name of a historical person. They ask other students yes-no questions to try to figure out who the person is. Students have fun while learning about history.
In this exercise, a student thinks of an object but doesn't tell anyone what it is. By turns, students ask questions that can only be answered "yes" or "no." The goal is for the class to guess the object in 20 questions or fewer. This exercise teaches students critical thinking skills and the importance of thinking before they speak.
In this exercise, students choose a song they like and write their own words to it. The song could be related to a subject the class is studying, such as geography, history, science, or math. This lesson reinforces material the students have already learned in a fun, enjoyable way.
Present the scenario that someone has given the students a gift — something they really want. Each student can decide what the gift is, but they must write a thank-you note to the person who gave it to them. This teaches students to be appreciative and show gratitude, and it also teaches proper writing skills in an age where most written communication is through text messages.
Students create a story one sentence at a time. The first student says a sentence, the second student adds their sentence, the third, and so on. Each student builds on what has already been created.
Divide students into pairs and have them interview one another. You could choose a specific topic — family, pets, travel — or have them choose their own. Then, they can "report" their interviews to the whole class.
Students are divided into teams, and each team lines up in a row. A message is whispered to the first person on each team, who then whispers it to the next, and so on. The last person states the message, which often gets misinterpreted as it passes down the line.
The goal is to pass the message on quickly and accurately. The element of competition adds to the fun. This game teaches students teamwork and the importance of clear communication. Lessons can be learned regarding the trustworthiness of information on the internet and social media.
Present the students with a current issue or problem in the news and have them write about what they would do if they were president. This can be done individually, or they can collaborate in groups. This activity aims to get students thinking about what it means to be a leader.
Students write a letter to themselves 10 or 20 years in the future. They can ask questions, explain what their life is like now, and discuss their plans for the future.
Students use graph paper to create a crossword puzzle, using words that are relevant to subjects they are studying in a specific class, such as history, math, science, or art. This is another exercise that reinforces things they have recently learned.
Have a creative writing session where students can write about anything they like. The only requirement is that they write for a certain period of time.
Each student describes or draws their dream home. Encourage them to be as detailed as possible regarding location, layout, materials, colors, furnishings, and outdoor areas, among other details.
Give students a map of a continent or the U.S. without state or country names. Have them fill in as many names as they can. As a bonus, they can also write down the capitals of states and countries.
Have each student choose a celebrity, historical person, or character from literature and write a first-person account of something from that person's life.
Choose a subject, divide the class into two groups, and have them debate the subject. This exercise teaches them critical thinking, respectful disagreement, and the art of persuasion.
Have each student choose a local or national leader and then write a letter to that person. They can express what they admire about them, ask questions, and discuss what issues or problems they would like them to address. This gets students thinking about themselves as part of a larger community as well as about issues facing people locally or nationally.
The students all have two months to travel anywhere in the world to as many countries and cities as possible. Have them write about which places they want to visit, why they want to visit them, how long they will stay, and what they will do there.
Here are a few more articles to consider when choosing lesson plans as a substitute teacher:
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