30 Middle School Science Sub Plans to Save You While You're Out

I'm Sick, Now What?

It's 3 am and you wake up feeling terrible, but you know you have to teach later on that day.  The first thing I used to think was, "It would be easier to just go to school sick than to create a meaningful sub plan right now."  Has that ever happened to you?  It doesn't need to be this way.

I've created 30 middle school science activities to fill in any absences you might have from your classroom.

The Problem with Sub Plans

When I was in the classroom, I had challenges finding or creating meaningful things for my students to do when I had to be out.  I wanted them to learn and be productive, but I didn't want to overwhelm my substitute.  After all, most subs aren't trained to be science teachers.

My experience was that bored, unchallenged middle school students were like predators waiting to pounce on their prey of an unprepared substitute.   The students needed solid work to do, a clear understanding of my expectations, and a way to be held accountable for their effort. I needed fail-proof lessons that could be handed to anyone who was asked to take over my classroom unexpectedly.

It wasn't until I left the classroom that I had the time to create a resource that met the following criteria.

1. Student-led
2. Self-contained (no prior student knowledge necessary)
3. Clear and concise directions for the substitute and the students
4. Easy behavior feedback system for the substitute
5. Distance learning and 1:1 option
6. NO student downtime

I'm proud of the sub plan bundle and think it should be included in every middle school science teacher's tool-belt.

What's Included in These Middle School Science Lessons?

The full sub plan bundle comes with 30 middle school science lessons and includes all of the features listed below.

• Creative activities that remove all downtime
• Substitute directions and letter from you to the sub
• Answer keys
• Letter of instructions for your students
• Behavior checkpoints throughout the lesson
• Engaging warm-up
• Comprehensive lesson over the topic
• Extension activities for early finishers
• Summative assessments
• A class set of handouts for teachers of multiple sections
• Student PDF formatted for use in an LMS such as Google Classroom
• Student PDF formatted for online annotation with products such as Kami
• Google form option and printable answer sheet
• Editable versions of documents

I'm happy to say the science sub plans include files for your remote learning environments such as Google Classroom. Your digital options now include:

• Using an online student answer sheet (in Google Forms) for remote learning or 1-1 classrooms
• Getting guidance for online use with a distance learning PPT and video tutorial
• Assigning a student PDF through your LMS (such as Google Classroom)
• Assigning a student PDF that can be used for online annotation with products such as Kami

How Could You Use Sub Plans In Your Classroom?

The sub-plans are versatile and can be used in countless ways.  Here are a few suggestions on how I would use the articles in my own classes:

1. Sub Plans - Planning for a sub is a HASSLE!  Everything you need to make your substitute look like a veteran teacher is included.  They will be appreciative of the clear plans and want to sub for you again and again.
2. Distance Learning - Whether you have students working from home or in a 1:1 situation on campus, the science sub plans are a perfect match for a paperless classroom.  Student PDFs and the Google Forms response sheet will ensure your students can work on the lesson in any situation.
3. Whole-Class Instruction - The science sub plans are stand-alone units that can be integrated into your current instruction and be used to enhance existing lessons.
4. ISS or Detention - When students end up in ISS they will need a lesson that's meaningful.  Simply print it out or send it to the student digitally.
5. Absent or Missing Work - Students miss days and often times a demo or a lab can't be made up.  The science sub plans are a great supplement for these situations.

What Topics are Included in the Sub Plans Bundle

The sub plans are complete stand-alone lessons that can be used in class or for distance learning.  Below is the comprehensive list of all the articles included in the Sub Plan Bundle.  Each is also available for purchase separately.

1. Day and Night - Students begin the day and night lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and complete an activity over modeling the day and night cycle of Earth. They also fill out a data table and answer some questions about the day and night cycle. For early finishers, there are extensions to either create a bumper sticker or work through a scenario and questions about day and night. Students end the day and night lesson with an assessment activity or an exit ticket.
2. Fossils and Geologic Time - Students begin the fossils and geologic time lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and complete an activity creating their own story outline. They work through an engaging scenario that demonstrates how the organism is ultimately fossilized. For early finishers, there are extensions to either use their story to create a comic or analyze a graphic about the Grand Canyon. Students end the fossils and geologic time lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
3. Lunar Cycle - Students begin the lunar cycle lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and complete an activity where they create their own song lyrics about the lunar cycle. For early finishers, there are extensions to either complete a graphic organizer about the lunar cycle or fill in the missing pieces of a smaller graphic organizer. They end the lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
4. Natural Disaster - Students begin the natural disaster lesson with a warm-up activity. They then read a passage and complete an activity designing their own hurricane-proof house. For early finishers, there are extensions to either create a Venn diagram about hurricanes and tornadoes or to use a world map and decide which locations are best for hurricanes and tornadoes. They end the lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
5. Planets - Students begin the planet's lesson with a warm-up activity. They then read a data table and complete an activity to help understand more characteristics about planets such as gravity and orbits. For early finishers, there are extensions to either create a graph using planet characteristics or sketch a t-shirt design for a new sport they created. Students end the planets lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
6. Plate Tectonics - Students begin the plate tectonics lesson with a warm-up graphic organizer. They then read a passage and complete an activity where they label diagrams as divergent, convergent, and transform plate boundaries and describe what is happening at each plate boundary. For early finishers, there are extensions to either analyze a world map and answer some questions about the different plate boundaries, or to come up with a metaphor or simile for each of the plate boundary diagrams. Students end the plate tectonics lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
7. Seasons - Students begin the seasons lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and create a model how the Earth and Sun are related to each other during different seasons. Students then write a letter to someone in the southern hemisphere and explain seasons and the length of day and night from their hometown. Students also solve a puzzle using the characteristics of each season. For early finishers, there are extensions to either create a quick quiz about the seasons or illustrate a holiday card for someone in another hemisphere. Students end the seasons lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
8. Topographic Maps -Students begin the topographic maps lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and complete an activity where they answer questions and illustrate their own topographic map. For early finishers, there are extensions to either use a topo map to navigate a hiking trail or create a brochure persuading visitors to come to their state park. Students end the topographic maps lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
9. Weather - Students begin the weather lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and create their own weather maps from a data set. They also focus on weather-related vocabulary. For early finishers, there are extensions to either create a wanted poster for a particular weather condition or read a short passage about El Nino and La Nina and answer the corresponding questions. Students end the weather lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
10. Weathering and Erosion -Students begin the weathering and erosion lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and match weathering, erosion, and deposition to images. They also create their own infographic. For early finishers, there are extensions to either analyze weather and erosion in the Grand Canyon or create a comic strip detailing weathering, erosion, and deposition. Students end the weathering and erosion lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
11. Atoms -Students begin the atoms lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and complete an activity that walks them through the characteristics of atoms. They also build their own atoms on the answer document. For early finishers, there is an extension to analyze valence electrons and how they related to the periodic table. Students end the atoms lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
12. Balancing Chemical Equations - Students begin the balancing chemical equations lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and complete an activity where they determine if equations are balanced or unbalanced. For early finishers, there is an extension to balance chemical equations.
13. Electric and Magnetic Forces - Students begin the electromagnetic energy lesson with a warm-up activity. They then read a passage and complete an activity about an electromagnetic experiment. Students also build a graphic organizer for electromagnetic vocabulary such as electricity, conductor, insulator, magnet, magnetism, and magnetic field. For early finishers, there are extensions to either analyze an experiment or create a list of daily items that use electricity, magnetism, or both. Students end the electric and magnetic forces lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
14. Energy Transformation - Students begin the energy transformations lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and complete an activity where students identify the energy transformations in a set of images. They also fill out a graphic organizer with descriptions and illustrations of common energy transformations. For early finishers, there are extensions to either draw an energy transformation from their daily lives or come up with a list of three transformations they have encountered that week. Students end the energy transformations lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
15. Graphing Motion - Students begin the graphing motion lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and complete an activity that analyzes motion graphs. For early finishers, there are extensions to either create their own motion graph or write a short story about one of the existing motion graphs. They finish the lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
16. Newton's Laws - Students begin the Newton's Laws lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and complete an activity to match scenarios to the correct law. Students then analyze a diagram and explain how it relates to Newton's Laws. For early finishers, there are extensions to either sketch a Rube Goldberg machine and describe how it relates to Newton's Laws or create a real-life scenario for each of the three laws. Students end the Newton's Laws lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
17. Periodic Table - Students begin the periodic table lesson with a warm-up activity. They then read a passage and analyze the periodic table to uncover patterns and characteristics. Students also create their own page for an element book where they describe the properties of their chosen element. For early finishers, there are extensions to either create a fictitious text message conversation about the periodic table or match elements with their properties using a data chart. Students end the periodic table lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
18. Potential and Kinetic Energy - Students begin the potential and kinetic energy lesson with a warm-up activity. They then read a passage and complete an activity where they categorize images as potential energy, kinetic energy, or both. Students also calculate potential energy at different heights. For early finishers, there are extensions to either create a song about potential and kinetic energy or create an acrostic poem.
19. Properties of Waves - Students begin the properties of waves lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and complete an activity analyzing characteristics of both transverse and longitudinal waves. Students then draw a wave based on a given scenario. For early finishers, there are extensions to either perform an experiment with a balloon or draw out several different waves given an image as a baseline. Students end the properties of waves lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
20. Thermal Energy - Students begin the thermal energy lesson with a warm-up activity. They then read a passage and complete an activity where they match images to conduction, convection, or radiation. Students then analyze a diagram answer questions about conductors and insulators. For early finishers, there are extensions to either complete a Venn diagram or sketch a shelter to help insulate penguins. Students end the thermal energy lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
21. Adaptations - Students begin the adaptations lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and complete an activity over behavioral and physical animal adaptations in which they illustrate different adaptations. For early finishers, there are extensions to either draw a fictitious plant and animal organism to adapt in a desert habitat, or study Galapagos finch beaks and explain how each of the beaks has adapted to their environments. Students end the adaptations lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
22. Biotic and Biotic Factors - Students begin the biotic and abiotic factors lesson with a warm-up activity. They then read a passage and complete an activity over biotic and abiotic factors. Next, they categorize abiotic and biotic factors by looking at a picture of a rainforest and a desert ecosystem. For early finishers, there are extensions to either draw a local ecosystem and list the biotic and abiotic factors or play a creative game. Students end the biotic and abiotic factors lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
23. Body Systems - Students begin the body systems lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and complete an activity where they design a booklet and label the main organs and functions of each body system. They then use their booklets to answer questions about different body systems. For early finishers, there are extensions to either describe how the skeletal and muscular system work together to provide movement or describe what body systems need to work together to digest a meal. Students end the body systems lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
24. Cell Theory - Students begin the cell theory lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and complete an activity to construct a timeline of the key contributions to the cell theory. Next, students play a cell theory memory game. For early finishers, there are extensions to either pretend they are Robert Hooke and write a letter that describes their emotions to a colleague after looking at cells under a microscope or illustrate what Robert Hooke saw in 1665 as he was looking through his microscope. Students end the cell theory lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
25. Dichotomous Keys - Students begin the dichotomous keys lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and complete an activity that uses a dichotomous key to identify unknown creatures and name them. For early finishers, there are extensions to either create their own dichotomous key using classroom objects, or analyze the word dichotomous and draw a sketch to help them remember it. Students end the dichotomous keys lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
26. Ecosystems - Students begin the ecosystems lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and create an infographic from the ecosystems article. Next, they use a graphic organizer to break down some of the ecosystems vocabulary such as biome, predator, prey, producer, and consumer. For early finishers, there are extensions to either choose a biome and describe the characteristics of the ecosystem or complete a Venn diagram about ecosystems and biomes. Students end the ecosystem lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
27. Food Webs - Students begin food webs lesson with a warm-up activity. They then read a passage and complete an activity with trading cards about food chains and food webs in different ecosystems. For early finishers, there are extensions to either complete a food web puzzle or analyze a food chain and describe the organism's relationship as predator/prey or consumer/producer.
28. Genetics - Students begin the genetics lesson with a warm-up puzzle about DNA. They then read a passage and complete an activity where they analyze a table and answer questions about homozygous dominant, heterozygous, and homozygous recessive traits. For early finishers, there are extensions to either build monster parents and describe the genotype and phenotype of different traits or illustrate a monster parent with some given traits. Students end the genetics lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
29. Photosynthesis - Students begin the photosynthesis lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and complete an activity over the photosynthesis formula with cards. Next, they create a short skit that requires them to use key vocabulary: chloroplast, light energy, carbon dioxide, water, glucose, and oxygen. For early finishers, there are extensions to either analyze a table about photosynthesis and color the picture of a plant or create a diagram that shows the products and reactants during photosynthesis. Students end the photosynthesis lesson with an assessment activity or exit ticket.
30. Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells - Students begin the prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells lesson with a warm-up puzzle. They then read a passage and complete a Venn diagram about prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Next, they create jerseys for cell "teams" and create team members based on the characteristics of each type of cell. For early finishers, there are extensions to either color code the two different cells or create an acrostic poem about them.
    
    Stop worrying about having to create engaging lessons while you're away.  Purchase the Sub Plan Bundle here.