Planning For An ELA Substitute Teacher

Planning for a substitute can be a challenge, especially when it comes to ensuring students stay engaged and on track with their learning. Whether you're out for a day or need to prep for an extended absence, having go-to lesson plans or resources that are both meaningful and manageable is essential. Here are our favorite ELA substitute tips, resources, lessons, and ideas that will keep your students focused, productive, and practicing key skills while you're away.

1. Activities That Work for Any Novel

Hi there! Christina from The Daring English Teacher here! Just in case I am ever out and it is unexpected, I like to have a couple of activities from this novel activities resource printed out and ready to go! Even though this resource says it is for novels, it really works for any piece of fiction, so it is the perfect sub plan to keep the momentum going when you are either in your short story unit or reading a whole class novel! Two of my favorite things for emergency sub plans are the figurative language tracker or any of the writing assignments!

2. Figurative Language in Song Lyrics Activity

Unless you have a planned absence and have all the time in the world for making sub plans (who does?), it is always wise to keep some lessons on hand for when you need them at the last moment. Tracee Orman loves to use this activity for sub plans--it’s fun, a great review for figurative language, and perfectly easy for a sub to implement: just print and go! The best part is that it can go with any unit you are currently teaching.

3. Missing Teacher Substitute Teacher Lesson Plan

The Missing Teacher substitute lesson plan is ready to use for any day off! The assignment is about your inexplicable absence and puts students in charge (by the principal) of investigating the reason you are not at school. Students will create a Missing Teacher poster and an investigative police case file that has them examine evidence and witness testimonies. You will come back to school to an assignment that will get you laughing! Click here to check it out. - Bonnie from Presto Plans 

4. Substitute Teacher Feedback Form

If you're in a hurry to get a substitute feedback form ready, I've got you covered! Print out this simple, yet effective form to help your students document their time in your class. This printable sheet will note a variety of management issues, concerns, or suggestions that the classroom teacher should be made aware of during their time away. Right now, over 130 people have left. - The Classroom Sparrow

5. Emergency Substitute Lesson Plan Tips

We’ve all been there: you wake up feeling terrible, and you have no idea what to get a sub to do with your class. So, you drag yourself to school because it takes more effort to come up with a lesson plan. I’d love to help you stay home and look after yourself the next time that happens, so I’m sharing ideas for emergency sub plans, ones you can use with any text. They are great critical thinking exercises that can be used over and over again, so you can use them as emergency sub plans AND when you are in school too! I explain them here, and then you can grab the detailed instructions if you want them. -Jackie, from Room 213

6. Pet Peeve Poetry

If you're looking for an engaging and low-prep activity for an unexpected absence try having students write a poem based on their pet peeves!  Using their pet peeves as inspiration the results are always hilarious and it's one of my favourite activities to do throughout the year.  The Pet Peeve poetry lesson also encourages students to use figurative language, specifically similes, to help them make their point!

Addie Williams

We hope these ideas and resources help take the stress out of planning for a substitute and that they help you feel confident that your students are learning and staying on track, even in your absence!