Sample Sub Plans

Three filled-in sample sub plans you can copy: a full elementary day, a middle school science teacher's periods and a high school English block schedule. Press Edit this example to load one into the template, change it for your class and print.

These are made-up examples written by Classfern. Names, times and room numbers are invented: replace them with your own, and follow your school's procedures.

Three sample sub plans

Elementary: 2nd grade, full day

Teacher: Ms. Garcia
Grade / subject: 2nd grade (all subjects)
Room: Room 14
Office phone ext.: Office: ext. 100

Welcome note

Thank you for teaching my class today! They are a friendly, chatty group who do best with a calm voice and clear steps. Everything you need is in the red folder on my desk.

Schedule

Time	Class / subject	Plan
8:15–8:45	Arrival and morning work	Students unpack, put folders in the basket and start the morning work sheet (red folder). Take attendance on the class list in the folder.
8:45–9:05	Morning meeting	Students sit in a circle on the rug. Do the greeting (pass a high five around the circle), then read the morning message on the board together.
9:05–10:15	Reading	Read aloud the picture book marked with a sticky note. Students then read their own book-bin books for 20 minutes and draw and label their favorite part on the response sheet.
10:15–10:35	Recess	Walk the class to the playground door. Recess staff supervise outside.
10:35–11:35	Math	Warm-up: count by 5s and 10s to 100 together. Then students complete the two-digit addition practice pages in the math folder. Base-ten blocks are in the blue tubs.
11:35–12:15	Lunch	Walk the class to the cafeteria. You have a duty-free lunch.
12:15–12:35	Quiet reading	Lights low, students read quietly while you read the next chapter of our class chapter book (bookmark inside).
12:35–1:20	Writing	Students write three sentences about something they did last weekend, with a picture. Model one example on the board first.
1:20–2:05	Specials (PE)	Walk the class to the gym. This is your planning time.
2:05–2:45	Science	Sort the picture cards (green folder) into living and nonliving with a partner, then glue them onto the T-chart.

Attendance and routines

Quiet signal: raise your hand and count down from 5. Bathroom: one student at a time with the hall pass by the door. Line order is on the board. Dismissal at 3:00: walkers first, then buses (list in the folder).

Students who may need support

Medical and learning support information is in the white envelope in the top drawer. Please read it before students arrive.

Emergency procedures

Evacuation maps are by the door. Take the red emergency folder with the class list and the clipboard. Our meeting spot is the far end of the field, by the fence.

Helpful staff

Mr. Brooks, 2nd grade, Room 15 (next door). Front office: ext. 100.

If students finish early

Read a book from the book bin, or draw on the back of the morning work sheet.

Middle school: 7th grade science

Teacher: Mr. Okafor
Grade / subject: 7th grade science
Room: Room 208
Office phone ext.: Office: ext. 210

Welcome note

Thanks for covering my classes. All five classes do the same lesson today on food webs. Copies are in the trays labeled by period on the side table.

Schedule

Time	Class / subject	Plan
7:50–8:40	Period 1	Do now (on the board): name three things a rabbit eats and three animals that eat rabbits. Then read pages 112–115 with a partner and complete the food web worksheet. Collect sheets in the period tray.
8:45–9:35	Period 2	Same plan as period 1.
9:40–10:30	Period 3	Same plan as period 1.
10:35–11:25	Planning	No class. Please check the period trays are labeled.
11:25–11:55	Lunch	Duty-free lunch.
12:00–12:50	Period 5	Same plan as period 1. This class sometimes needs reminders to stay with their partner.
12:55–1:45	Period 6	Same plan as period 1. Last 5 minutes: exit ticket on the half sheets (one question: what would happen to the food web if the rabbits disappeared?).

Attendance and routines

Seating charts for each period are in the front of the folder; please take attendance in the first 10 minutes. Students may not use the lab equipment today. Phones stay in bags.

Students who may need support

Accommodation summaries are in the gray folder in my top drawer. Some students have extra time or read-aloud support for worksheets.

Emergency procedures

Exit route and meeting point are posted by the door. Take the attendance folder with you.

Helpful staff

Ms. Chen, science, Room 210. Assistant principal office: ext. 215.

If students finish early

Students draw a food web for an ocean or desert habitat on the back of the worksheet.

High school: 10th grade English, block schedule

Teacher: Ms. Novak
Grade / subject: 10th grade English
Room: Room C12
Office phone ext.: Office: ext. 300

Welcome note

Thank you for being here. Both blocks are reading a short story and writing a paragraph response. Handouts and the story copies are in the bin marked SUB on my desk.

Schedule

Time	Class / subject	Plan
8:00–9:30	Block 1	1) Silent independent reading, 15 minutes. 2) Hand out the short story and read it aloud or let volunteers read. 3) Groups of three answer the five discussion questions. 4) Each student writes one paragraph answering question 5, using one quotation. Collect paragraphs.
9:35–11:05	Block 2	Same plan as block 1.
11:10–11:40	Lunch	Duty-free lunch.
11:45–1:15	Planning	No class.
1:20–2:50	Block 4	Same plan as block 1. Seating chart is in the folder.

Attendance and routines

Take attendance on the printed roster in the first 15 minutes. Hall passes are on the hook by the door; one student at a time. Students may use phones only for the timer if you allow it.

Students who may need support

IEP and 504 accommodation summaries are in the locked drawer; the office has the key. The main accommodations are extended time and preferential seating.

Emergency procedures

Follow the posted evacuation route to the parking lot meeting point. Take the roster.

Helpful staff

Mr. Diaz, English, Room C14. Department chair: ext. 305.

If students finish early

Students continue their independent reading book or start the vocabulary list in the bin.

Edit and print your sub plan

Type straight onto the page. It saves in this browser only and is never sent anywhere. Don't enter students' personal details.

Substitute teacher plan

Teacher:

Date:

Grade / subject:

Room:

School:

Office phone ext.:

Welcome note

Schedule

Time	Class / subject	Plan, and where to find materials

Attendance and routines

Students who may need support

Emergency procedures

Helpful staff

If students finish early

Notes from the substitute

Tip: empty boxes print as lines to write on, so you can also print this blank and fill it in by hand.

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What every good sub plan has

A schedule with times and, for each slot, what to do and exactly where the materials are.
Work students can do without you: review, reading, practice or a short project, not new and tricky content.
Routines: attendance, the quiet signal, bathroom passes, lining up and dismissal.
Where to find support information for students with medical or learning needs, without writing names or details on the plan itself.
Emergency procedures and the names of one or two helpful colleagues nearby.
Something for early finishers, so the last ten minutes stay calm.

For days you can't plan ahead, keep a set of emergency sub plans ready, and put everything in a substitute binder. Teaching art? See the art sub plans.

Frequently asked questions

What should I include in a sub plan?

A timed schedule with plans and where materials are, attendance and routines, where to find support information for students, emergency procedures, helpful staff and an activity for early finishers.

How detailed should sub plans be?

Detailed enough that someone who has never met your class could run the day. Short numbered steps for each lesson work better than long paragraphs.

Should I put student names in a sub plan?

Keep names and personal details off the plan itself. Say where the seating charts and confidential support information are kept instead.

More sub plan help

Sub plan templateA blank one-day sub plan to type on and print.Emergency sub plansReady-to-go plans for days you can't plan ahead.Substitute teacher binderEverything a substitute needs, in one place.Art sub plansNo-prep art activities any substitute can run.Bell ringersQuick warm-ups to start any class calmly.