5 Must Haves for Every Great Emergency Science Sub Plan Teachers Should Know

How to create an engaging no prep sub plan that your students and sub will love AND aligns with your curriculum.

We’ve all been there. Calling in unexpectedly due to illness, or unforeseen emergencies. It used to be so easy, a colleague would jump in to cover your class but those days are long gone. Now we need to make sure that our students have appropriate curriculum aligned lessons in place when we’re out. Bonus points if your sub thanks you. In this blog post, we'll explore the world of emergency science sub plans, offering valuable tips and strategies for middle school science teachers. These plans are a lifeline in times of need and also a valuable teaching tool to enhance your students' science education.

Why Do You Need Emergency Science Sub Plans?

Unexpected absences can be stressful for both you and your students. To ensure your science class continues to run smoothly even in your absence, having well-prepared emergency science sub plans is a must.

1. Continuous Learning: Emergency sub plans enable students to continue learning and progressing in your absence, minimizing disruptions in their education.
Students, sub, parents and admin = happy.

2. Classroom Management: These plans provide clear instructions and activities that help substitute teachers manage the class effectively. Imagine getting a thank you note from your sub? That's what we're aiming for and I'll show you how.

3. Peace of Mind: Having comprehensive sub plans ready really does reduce the stress and uncertainty associated with last-minute absences. No need to frantically run around looking for material when you're already stressed/sick.

The 5 Elements of Effective Emergency Science Sub Plans

To create successful emergency science sub plans, consider the following:

1. Detailed Lesson Plans: Include step-by-step instructions for the substitute teacher. Assumption is the mother of failure. Specify the objectives, materials needed, and procedures for each activity. Your sub teacher may not be a science teacher.

2. Engaging Activities: Select engaging and interactive activities that align with the curriculum. Ensure they are easy for substitutes to implement and enjoyable for students. Reading activities is a win win. Science reading activities have little to no prep work and they can be included/reused for every class. The trick is to make sure that the students are engaged. More bonus points for incorporating literacy into science.

3. Clear Expectations: Clearly outline your expectations for student behavior and work completion. Provide a checklist or rubric for the substitute teacher to use.

4. Resource Materials: Include all necessary worksheets, handouts, and answer keys for the activities. Make sure these are easily accessible.

5. Classroom Management Tips: Offer guidance on managing the class, including strategies for handling common issues like disruptions or questions.

Building Your Emergency Science Sub Plan Library

Creating emergency science sub plans from scratch is time-consuming. It takes hours and hours to create engaging material that students love. And that's what makes a truly epic sub plan, engaging material. To streamline the process, consider the following:

1. Pre-Made Lesson Plans: Search for pre-made lesson plans and activities tailored to your middle school science curriculum and adapt these plans for your own classroom. Shameless plug here. My Zombie and Vampire Bundle is a huge hit with students, teachers and sub alike. Exploding spores, neurotoxins and mind control. What's not to like! Or how about Mind Bending Animals featuring animals made of glass, tongue eating parasites, alien octopuses and barnacle body snatchers? If you're looking for more topic specific sub plans e.g. Force, Circulatory System, Solar System, Periodic Table etc then I've got you covered as well.

2. Collaborate with Colleagues: Team up with fellow science teachers to create a shared library of sub plans, allowing you to draw from a pool of resources.

3. Online Resources: Explore educational websites, forums, and platforms where educators share and exchange sub plans for free or a minimal fee. Another shameless plug here’s one of mine you can download for free and use right now.

4. Differentiated: Ensure that your sub plans are differentiated to different levels of learners in your class, so substitutes can cater to individual student needs.

You can't predict when you’ll need to step away from your classroom but by preparing well-structured emergency science sub plans, you can ensure that your students' education remains on track. A combination of detailed lesson plans, engaging activities, and classroom management strategies will empower substitute teachers to provide a productive learning environment.

Being prepared for the unexpected is a cornerstone of successful teaching, and your students will thank you for it.