I thought I was organized with my sub plans but this year has proven I was wrong. At the beginning of the year, I was excited about the ability to create personalized Quaver Lessons for sub plans. It seemed perfect! I could create the lessons at home if needed and the sub could lead the students through the activities. This seemed like a great, simple way to do sub plans. Unfortunately, I quickly learned that many of our subs are not comfortable with technology and will not use it, so my great plan was out the window.
At my old schools, I would go in the night before or morning of to get sub plans organized and this seemed to work. I also rarely had to take sick days. That is, until I added a forty minute commute and a child to the mix. Once I realized that my online plan would not work, I ended up relying on a coworker to print stuff off or make copies when I had to take an unplanned day. Worst case, I would end up dragging my daughter to school with me so I could get things setup. That is exactly what I did this morning and during those eighty minutes of driving, I realized there has to be a better way and I set out to come up with a plan. Being sick or waking up in the middle of the night with a sick child is stressful enough, having to deal with sub plans just makes everything worse.
When I know ahead of time that I am going to be gone, I try to plan activities that do not break the flow from what we are working on. I may have the sub give a test or have the students continue to work on our current project.
These sub lesson plans are for last minute days when I have to be out. Having five lessons for each grade level organized and ready to go, which allows me to pick and choose what activities the sub does based on the time of year and where we are in our lessons.
I see my students for thirty minutes, every other day (which allows me to use each lesson twice.) Some of these sub activities will take the whole period, while others I'll not. On those days I include multiple options for extra activities: read a book while students clap the rhythm to certain words, students read a book, drum freeze, music freeze or play Apple Tree or another one of their favorite singing games.
*Disclaimer - I did not develope these resources. They were either bought from a music store or found online (Pinterest or Teachers Pay Teachers. I have included links to their websites and I take no ownership for their development.)*
My Plan
I have used these resources for sub plans this year, but my plan is to be fully prepared. This means having all materials printed, copied and ready to go. I used to keep my sub materials in a file cabinet drawer, but I have decided to use a file crate. This will allow me more space to keep everything organized. This way, I will only have call the sub caller.
Option A
Kindergarten - Instrument BINGO
First Grade -
Rhythm BINGO
Second Grade -
Rhythm BINGO
Third Grade -
Rhythm BINGO
*Instrument BINGO
*Rhythm BINGO: the teacher before me wrote out all of the rhythms as Ta and Ti-ti so a non musical person can just say the rhythm and does not have to know what each symbol means.
Option D
Kindergarten -
Instrument Packet
First Grade - Rhythm Packet
Second Grade - Rhythm Packet
Third Grade - Recorder Packet
Option F - Quaver Lesson
I still plan to have Quaver Lessons organized just in case I have a sub who is willing to use technology. These custom lessons include Smart Board games we have played, music history videos, lesson introduction videos and some of our favorite songs.
