You can build free substitute teacher lesson plans in about ten minutes if you have a few good printables ready. Below are five activity sheets, written out in full, that you can copy into a doc, print, and leave for a sub in any grades 6–12 class. Each one works with whatever your students are already studying, so the work is real review and not busywork.
At the end, you’ll find links to our free PDFs (bell ringer sheets, worksheets, exit tickets, and a 1,000-prompt download) so you can stock a sub folder without spending anything.
How to use these substitute teacher resources printables
Each sheet below follows the same pattern: a short warm-up, the main activity, and a quick check at the bottom. That matches the routine most teachers use on normal days (bell ringer, work, exit ticket), which helps students settle in for a sub.
- Copy the sheet text into a Google Doc or Word document.
- Fill in any blanks marked with your class information.
- Print a class set plus a few extras.
- Put the copies in a folder labeled with the class period, along with a one-page plan. Our guide to sub lesson plans has a copy-ready outline.
Use the bold text as headings on your doc and leave room for students to write.
Substitute teacher activity sheets you can copy
Printable 1: “Any Article” Reading Response
Best for: any class where you can leave a textbook section, a news article, or a one-page reading. Works for ELA, science, social studies, health, CTE, and electives.
Copy this text:
Any Article Reading Response
Name: ____________ Date: ________ Period: ____
Title of reading: ______________________ Pages or source: __________
Before you read (3 minutes): Look only at the title, headings, and any pictures. What do you think this reading is about? ______________________
While you read: Underline or list three facts that seem important.
- ______________________
- ______________________
- ______________________
After you read:
- Summarize the reading in three sentences or fewer. ______________________
- What is one word from the reading you didn’t know? Write the sentence it appeared in, then guess what it means. ______________________
- Write one question you still have about this topic. ______________________
- How does this reading connect to something we’ve studied in this class? ______________________
- Was your “before you read” guess correct? Explain. ______________________
Exit check: On a scale of 1 to 5, how well do you understand this reading? Circle one: 1 2 3 4 5. What would help you understand it better? ______________________
Teacher tip: Leave one reading per class and a stack of these sheets. The same sheet works all year.
Printable 2: Vocabulary Map
Best for: units with a lot of new terms. Students pick words from their notes or the textbook glossary.
Copy this text:
Vocabulary Map
Name: ____________ Date: ________ Period: ____
Unit or chapter: ______________
Warm-up: Write any word from this unit that you’ve heard but aren’t sure about. ______________
Directions: Choose six vocabulary words from this unit. Complete one map for each word.
Word: ______________
Definition in my own words: ______________
Sentence that shows I understand it: ______________
Picture or symbol: (draw in the box)
An example: ______________ A non-example: ______________
A word that is related to it: ______________
(Repeat this block six times on the sheet, or print it as a two-sided page with three blocks per side.)
Exit check: Write one sentence that correctly uses two of your words. ______________
Printable 3: Would You Rather Writing Sheet
Best for: a lighter day, an elective, or the day before a break. It still requires a clear opinion, reasons, and organized writing.
Copy this text:
Would You Rather: Opinion Writing
Name: ____________ Date: ________ Period: ____
Directions: Choose ONE question below. Write a paragraph of at least seven sentences. Your paragraph must include: a clear choice, three reasons, an example for at least one reason, and one sentence that explains why someone might pick the other option.
- Would you rather be able to speak every language or play every musical instrument?
- Would you rather live 100 years in the past or 100 years in the future?
- Would you rather have a job you love that pays a little or a job you dislike that pays a lot?
- Would you rather never use a phone again or never watch TV or videos again?
- Would you rather be the best player on a losing team or the worst player on a winning team?
- Would you rather know how every story ends or be surprised every time?
Planning box:
My choice: ______________
Reason 1: ______________
Reason 2: ______________
Reason 3: ______________
Example: ______________
Why someone might disagree: ______________
Write your paragraph: (lines)
Exit check: Underline your strongest reason. Why is it the strongest? ______________
Answer and teacher notes
These questions are open-ended, so there are no right answers. Grade on the checklist in the directions: clear choice, three reasons, one example, one sentence for the other side, and at least seven sentences. If you want it tied to your subject, swap in your own question, such as “Would you rather have lived in ancient Rome or ancient China?”
Printable 4: Review Tic-Tac-Toe Game Sheet
Best for: the week before a test. Students choose three tasks in a row, which gives them some control and keeps them working.
Copy this text:
Review Tic-Tac-Toe
Name: ____________ Date: ________ Period: ____
Unit: ______________
Directions: Choose three boxes in a row (across, down, or diagonal). Complete each task on notebook paper using your notes or textbook. Label each task with its box number. Everyone must complete box 5. If the three boxes you chose don’t include box 5, do it as a fourth task.
| 1. List 10 important terms from this unit and define 5 of them. | 2. Draw a timeline, diagram, or flowchart of one process or event from the unit. | 3. Write 5 multiple-choice questions with answer keys. |
| 4. Write a short letter explaining the main idea of this unit to a younger student. | 5. Write the three most important ideas from this unit and explain each in two sentences. | 6. Make a “mistakes to avoid” list: 4 errors a student might make on this unit’s test, and the fix for each. |
| 7. Create a comparison chart of two people, ideas, or processes from this unit. | 8. Write a 10-question true-or-false quiz with an answer key. | 9. Make a one-page study guide someone could use the night before the test. |
Exit check: Which box taught you the most? Why? ______________
Answer and teacher notes
Box 5 sits in the middle row, the middle column, and both diagonals, so four of the eight possible lines already include it. The other four lines (top row, bottom row, left column, right column) don’t, which is why the directions add box 5 as a fourth task for those students. That guarantees every student turns in a summary of the unit’s main ideas.
Printable 5: Sub Day Exit Ticket
Best for: the last five minutes of any sub day. It gives you a fast report on what happened and what students learned.
Copy this text (print four per page and cut):
Sub Day Exit Ticket
Name: ____________ Period: ____
- What did we work on today? ______________
- One thing I learned or reviewed: ______________
- One thing I’m still confused about: ______________
- I finished today’s work: Yes / Mostly / No
For more styles, see our exit ticket ideas.
Free substitute teacher lesson plans in three combinations
These sheets snap together into full-period plans. Here are three ready combinations:
- Reading day: bell ringer on the board (5 min), Any Article Reading Response (30 min), Sub Day Exit Ticket (5 min), Would You Rather for early finishers.
- Test review day: bell ringer (5 min), Review Tic-Tac-Toe (35 min), Sub Day Exit Ticket (5 min).
- Vocabulary day: bell ringer (5 min), Vocabulary Map (30 min), Sub Day Exit Ticket (5 min), Any Article sheet with a short reading for early finishers.
For seven more full lessons with scripts the sub can read aloud, see our emergency sub plans for any class. If you want more activity ideas built for subs, our sister site has a list of substitute teacher activities and ideas for stocking a sub tub.
Free PDFs to finish your sub folder
The sheets above cover the main task. These free downloads cover the rest of the period:
- Bell ringer sheet: a printable page where students record a week of warm-ups. Leave a stack in your sub folder and the sub just writes the prompt on the board.
- Bell ringer worksheets: ready-to-print warm-up pages, useful as early finisher work or a backup if the main task runs short.
- Printable exit tickets: half-page and quarter-page tickets you can copy and cut ahead of time.
- 1,000 bellringers and exit slips: a free download with enough prompts to cover sub days for years.
FAQ
Are these printables free to use in my classroom?
Yes. Copy the text into your own document, change anything you like, and print as many as your class needs.
Will these work for middle school and high school?
They’re written for grades 6–12. For younger middle schoolers, cut the number of words or questions. For older students, raise the sentence counts or ask for evidence from the text.
What if the sub can’t make copies?
Every sheet can run on notebook paper. Write the directions on the board or leave one copy for the sub to read aloud, and students copy the headings.
How do I grade substitute teacher activity sheets quickly?
Use a simple completion score and spot-check one or two answers per paper. The exit tickets tell you who understood the material, so read those first.
Grab today’s bell ringer and you’re set
Pair any of these sheets with a warm-up students already know. Pull one from today’s daily bell ringers or browse the grades 6–8 and grades 9–12 sets, print your copies, and your free substitute teacher lesson plans are done.