[removed]
Middle School science teacher here at a title1 school with 13 years experience (at the same school), but I'm stressing out about missing the 2nd day of school. I have a funeral in another state that I'm flying to and then flying home on a redeye that night. Students will not have their 1-to-1 devices and our district does not give subs technology. I teach six periods 6th, 7th, and 8th grade and classes are 45 minutes long.
I know 45 minutes can't be that hard to fill, but with over 90% of these students labeled minimally proficient in reading and the massive behaviors we had last year. I'm just stressed about what kinds of engaging activities I could leave that will make this as easy as possible for the sub. Thank you all for helping.
[removed]
Girl (gender neutral) please don’t stress so hard! It’s the 2nd day of school and 45 minutes, they’ll be ok. Keep it simple, and don’t put more on your plate than needed.
Near the end of the period on day 1 I would assign them an about me one pager, day 2 work on the one pager and then day 3 do the work you were actually supposed to do on day 2.
Give them reading and answering worksheets (look online and you can find free ones), have multiple sets for quick finishers, have at least one of them (find online or create) where they draw and color. When you are looking, look for beginning of the year and look for subwork. You can find lots of free things. Leave the sub with these packets of work and crayons or colored pencils. Tell the sub to walk around, look at student work, and give sticker rewards to works that they liked a lot. Have the sub also clean up with them near end of class. Day 1 of school, spend time on class clean up, class care of materials and class behavior with a sub ... and role play.
Give them a one-two page “all about me” survey/Q&A sheet, have them brainstorm as many science words as they can and draw pictures to go with the words, and then leave a basically reading with questions. If you don’t think that would be enough or if you’re worried about early finishers, you could leave a simple game like yahtzee, card war, dots and boxes, etc. They could even create name cards at the start of the class to make it easier on your sub, and they can use them when you return (if you don’t already know all your students this year)
Seconding the all about me activity suggested. I had to miss an early day of school (second week, at least) and left a quiz on classroom routines and expectations, with a direction included that passing scores would earn a homework pass. Depending on how much you can get through routines and expectations on the first day, that might also give a buffer for part of the time. If you have hands-on work, you could also make part of it a lab safety quiz, just so you have an idea of what they might be coming in with?
no matter what you plan, those kids are gonna be themselves for any sub- NOT YOUR PROBLEM for that day! Glad you can support your people by attending an important funeral. don't sweat the school piece 🍀
Leave a list of “getting to know you” activities and have the sub explain that when you return, you’ll be giving points for correct facts they can give about a classmate. Word searches, All About Me questionnaire, create a nameplate (you can give parameters like “name must be legible from the next row, must use at least four colors”, etc.
Keeping in mind I'm elementary, (5th) I'd leave an activity like "saving sam". I've seen there is also a Saving Jimothy this year that I haven't looked into but is topical and funny. https://smile.oregonstate.edu/sites/smile.oregonstate.edu/files/saving_sam.pdf
https://www.instagram.com/p/DbdXFnnDjWa/?igsh=MTA3em5hd20zODI1YQ==
We call it save Fred and I did it last year. Amazing activity! But im saving this for when I’m there so I can laugh and then encourage them to practice and do it as fast as possible. Last year, we can a group do it in like 4 seconds.