Sub Plans: Free Template, Example and What to Include

An open substitute teacher folder on a desk with a schedule, a seating chart card and a lanyard

Good sub plans fit on one or two pages: a timed schedule, where everything is, your routines and who to ask for help. Download our free template, then use the example below to fill it in.

What to include in sub plans

Write for someone who has never seen your room. Substitutes say the same things go missing: exact times, where the copies are, the attention signal, notes on students, and what to do when the tech fails.

What to put in a sub plan

Item	What to write	Example
The day
Who you are	Name, room, grade	Ms. Rivera, Room 14, 4th grade
Who to ask	A neighbor and the office	Mr. Okafor, Room 15; office ext. 201
Where things are	Folder, copies, keys	Green folder on desk; copies in tray
The schedule
Every block, with times	Start and end times	9:30 to 10:15, Math
What to do	Steps a stranger can follow	Pairs play fraction war, then the page
Where it is	Exact pile or file	Blue box; tray labeled Tuesday
Routines
Attendance	How and where	Paper roster, to office by 8:30
Attention signal	Your usual call	"Class, class" / "Yes, yes"
Bathroom and passes	The rule	One at a time, sign-out sheet
Dismissal and duties	Times and places	Bus riders leave at 2:20
Students
Helpful students	First names, one per class	Maya and Jonah
Support and medical plans	Where the list is	Yellow card in the folder
Pull-outs	Who leaves, when	Three students to reading at 10:30
If plans go wrong
Early finishers	One standing task	Read, or logic puzzles tub
If the tech fails	The paper backup	Printed copies in the tray
Behavior	Your system and who to call	Marble jar; office ext. 201
Drills	Where the procedures are	Red folder by the door

The day

Who you are
What to write:
Name, room, grade
Example:
Ms. Rivera, Room 14, 4th grade
Who to ask
What to write:
A neighbor and the office
Example:
Mr. Okafor, Room 15; office ext. 201
Where things are
What to write:
Folder, copies, keys
Example:
Green folder on desk; copies in tray

The schedule

Every block, with times
What to write:
Start and end times
Example:
9:30 to 10:15, Math
What to do
What to write:
Steps a stranger can follow
Example:
Pairs play fraction war, then the page
Where it is
What to write:
Exact pile or file
Example:
Blue box; tray labeled Tuesday

Routines

Attendance
What to write:
How and where
Example:
Paper roster, to office by 8:30
Attention signal
What to write:
Your usual call
Example:
"Class, class" / "Yes, yes"
Bathroom and passes
What to write:
The rule
Example:
One at a time, sign-out sheet
Dismissal and duties
What to write:
Times and places
Example:
Bus riders leave at 2:20

Students

Helpful students
What to write:
First names, one per class
Example:
Maya and Jonah
Support and medical plans
What to write:
Where the list is
Example:
Yellow card in the folder
Pull-outs
What to write:
Who leaves, when
Example:
Three students to reading at 10:30

If plans go wrong

Early finishers
What to write:
One standing task
Example:
Read, or logic puzzles tub
If the tech fails
What to write:
The paper backup
Example:
Printed copies in the tray
Behavior
What to write:
Your system and who to call
Example:
Marble jar; office ext. 201
Drills
What to write:
Where the procedures are
Example:
Red folder by the door

A filled-in sub plan example

Here is the template filled in for one day in a 4th grade class. Notice that every block has a time, a task a stranger can read aloud and the exact place the materials are.

Example: one day for Ms. Rivera's 4th grade class

Time	What to do	Where it is
Morning
8:15 Arrival	Students copy spelling words and do the warm-up on the board. Take attendance.	Roster in the green folder
8:30 Reading	Read aloud chapter 7 of Because of Winn-Dixie. Students answer the 3 questions.	Book on desk, bookmark in; copies in tray
9:30 Math (4.NF.A.1)	Pairs play fraction war for 15 minutes, then do the practice page alone.	Cards in blue box; page in tray
10:15 Recess	No duty today. Line up at the door at 10:28.	Whistle in top drawer
10:30 PE	Walk the class to the gym. Pick up at 11:15.	Gym is past the office
11:15 Writing	Opinion paragraph: should 4th graders have homework? Planner first.	Planner sheets in tray
Afternoon
12:00 Lunch	Walk to the cafeteria. Pick up at 12:40.	Lunch count in folder
12:40 Science	Play the water cycle video, then students do the 5-question sheet.	Link in folder; video checked
1:20 Reading time	Independent reading. Early finishers use the puzzle tub.	Tub under the window
2:00 Pack up	Jobs, then stack chairs. Bus riders leave at 2:20, walkers at 2:25.	Job chart by the door

Morning

8:15 Arrival
What to do:
Students copy spelling words and do the warm-up on the board. Take attendance.
Where it is:
Roster in the green folder
8:30 Reading
What to do:
Read aloud chapter 7 of Because of Winn-Dixie. Students answer the 3 questions.
Where it is:
Book on desk, bookmark in; copies in tray
9:30 Math (4.NF.A.1)
What to do:
Pairs play fraction war for 15 minutes, then do the practice page alone.
Where it is:
Cards in blue box; page in tray
10:15 Recess
What to do:
No duty today. Line up at the door at 10:28.
Where it is:
Whistle in top drawer
10:30 PE
What to do:
Walk the class to the gym. Pick up at 11:15.
Where it is:
Gym is past the office
11:15 Writing
What to do:
Opinion paragraph: should 4th graders have homework? Planner first.
Where it is:
Planner sheets in tray

Afternoon

12:00 Lunch
What to do:
Walk to the cafeteria. Pick up at 12:40.
Where it is:
Lunch count in folder
12:40 Science
What to do:
Play the water cycle video, then students do the 5-question sheet.
Where it is:
Link in folder; video checked
1:20 Reading time
What to do:
Independent reading. Early finishers use the puzzle tub.
Where it is:
Tub under the window
2:00 Pack up
What to do:
Jobs, then stack chairs. Bus riders leave at 2:20, walkers at 2:25.
Where it is:
Job chart by the door

Two more notes go on the plan itself: the attention signal ("Class, class" and the class answers "Yes, yes"), and the names of two helpful students. Support plans and medical notes stay on a card in the folder, never on the page left on the desk.

How to write sub plans a sub can follow

Plan review, not new teaching. A sub day should feel like a slightly easier version of a normal day.
Use routines the class already knows. If students know the game or the response format, a sub can run it.
Put the materials in the order of the day. Label the tray or folder by day, and say where it is on the plan.
Leave a paper backup for anything on a screen. A sub may not have a login for your computer.
Add one standing early finisher task. Reading or a puzzle tub covers every gap in the schedule.
Tell a neighbor where the plans are. A plan nobody can find is no plan at all.
Ask for a short note back. Who was absent, who helped and what did not get done.

Build a sub binder once

The plan changes every time; the sub binder does not. Keep one in your room with your schedule and bell times, class rosters and seating charts, routines and the behavior system, support and medical information, and drill and lockdown procedures. Update it at the start of each semester, and keep a set of emergency sub plans in it for the days you cannot plan at all.

Make the lesson part in Chalkie

The slowest part of a sub plan is the lessons themselves. Chalkie makes a review lesson with slides, questions and a matching worksheet on the topic your class is on, so the sub has something real to teach and a page for every student.

Four slides from a 3rd grade multiplication and division lesson made in Chalkie A 3rd grade multiplication review made in Chalkie, ready for a sub to teach.

Frequently asked questions

What should be included in sub plans?

A timed schedule with exact materials, your routines and attention signal, a seating chart, who to ask for help, notes on students, what to do if tech fails, early finisher work and where the drill procedures are.

How long should sub plans be?

One or two pages for the day, in bullets, with exact times. Keep the reference material, such as routines and seating charts, in a separate sub binder.

What is a sub binder?

A binder that stays in your room all year with the things that rarely change: schedules, rosters, seating charts, routines, behavior plans and emergency procedures. Update it a few times a year.

How far ahead should I write sub plans?

For a planned absence, three to five days ahead, so you can get copies made. Keep a separate set of emergency sub plans ready for days you cannot plan.

What should you not put in sub plans?

New concepts, labs with any safety risk, unfamiliar tech and videos you have not watched. A sub day should feel like a slightly easier version of a normal day.