Lesson plan ideas for when you're sick

I got sick this week and actually totally spaced on putting out a blog yesterday. Oops. So, what better time to talk about what you do when you're sick and need a fast lesson plan?

It's always a smart idea to have a few lesson plans that you can throw out at a moment's notice no matter where you're at in the year. Lots of teachers use movies or documentaries for this (as a science teacher, I love using the documentary, Before the Flood, as it pertains to my content and becomes a great discussion point). Other teachers use games, work days, or packets.

Here are three suggestions to get away from the traditional movie or packet that a sub needs to take over for you on those days that you're really unable to think straight.

1. Genius Hour

This is something I plan to go in-depth on in future blog posts, but I'll give you a quick overview here. Essentially, research shows that spending 20% of your work day on personal projects allows you to be much more effective during the other 80% of your day. Many teachers have started to use this technique in their classrooms, and now even whole schools are moving to a blocked off time to engage students through Genius Hour. I usually take one day a week (usually Mondays) to allow students to research things they are interested in. This can be anything, even if it's outside the area of science. I've had students create their own recipes, invent tools or instruments, and even code their own computer program. And some students just learn more about topics that matter to them. The goal isn't to finish something, it's the act of being creative and engaging yourself that counts.

Genius Hour makes a great sub day lesson plan because you've already set the structure for how students should treat Genius Hour days. Plus, the sub can actually interact with the kids and not be bored all day (or sit on their phone...or sleep...both of which I've had happen with past subs). Kids can get right to work on what they need to, absolutely no planning on your part since you set everything up at the beginning of the year!

If you're interested in learning more about Genius Hour, check out their official website!

2. Career Exploration

My goal is to always have students do this once per unit, but I always swap it out for something else last minute - usually because I'm pressed for time. But it's still always my goal, and it makes a great sub day topic!

Have students find a career related to whatever topic you're currently learning about. Get them to look up what that career does, what kind of training or college is required, and how much they could make at this job. Allow kids to get creative, too! I've had students research being a chef and tied it into environmental science by talking about how they need to know about sustainable growing procedures and how to buy produce that meets those standards. Even a small connection makes your topic that much more valuable to them.

You get a win-win-win-win out of this. You did minimal planning while being sick as a dog, your students get to be creative and engage with your content, they become more interested in your topic overall, and they can start planning for their future, too! As an added bonus, you can even print them, cut them out, and display them around the room (another great bulletin board idea, too!).

Want a template you can use? Download mine here for FREE through Teachers Pay Teachers!

3. Review Games

This might be one that you already do, but it's a great idea. Whenever I do this, I have students create their own review games that we use at the end of the unit when preparing for the test. This is great because it saves you time creating these things yourself, and your students are gaining valuable skills of creating their own review materials - and hopefully learning the information better while they're at it!

A few of my favorite tech-based review platforms are Quizizz, Quizlet, Kahoot!, and a new one I've been dying to try: Quiznetic. If students finish early, they can swap games and test each other out!

Hopefully these give you some ideas for those lessons you need last minute on a sick day! Comment below with what you use on a sick day, and share these ideas with your fellow teachers. And don't forget to subscribe!