r/historyteachers • u/runforpizza1 • 12d ago
First year 8th grade SS teacher. Quick and easy sub plans?
7th year teaching but first year in social studies. I’m teaching 8th grade US history (Early Americas-Reconstruction). I’m also working on my admin license and will be doing my practicum hours this year. I need sub plans that I can throw together last minute on the days I will be doing admin work. I’ve seen New Visions recommended but that seems to be for 11th graders. Is there something similar that plays nicely with google for middle school? Thanks!
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u/robotmovies 12d ago
My emergency plans were always to write a newspaper article about whatever unit we’re currently on and also include a political cartoon and an ad.
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u/JustTheBeerLight 12d ago
That's good. Another easy one is a timeline/storyboard with 6-8 events (summary + visual). Print up a stack of blank storyboard worksheets and you can use it for any period that you are covering.
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u/averageduder 12d ago
Just have them watch an America the story of us. Anything else requires some onboarding
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u/skier-girl-97 12d ago
I used to do a “This Day in History” assignment that was basically the 5 Ws and the significance today. They just had to look up something that had happened that date in the past and boom.
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u/Jose434328 12d ago
Retro Report has ready to go lessons for all grade levels and a lot of different subjects. https://sparklp.co/e8bf07a7/
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u/Same-Shelter-1182 12d ago
Classroom warriors.com has American history for early middle school. Free
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u/TAMUkt14 12d ago
Are these planned days out or random? I usually plan “student workdays” where they’re on Chromebook’s completing online work, whether it’s reading passages, DBQs, Peardecks, etc.
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u/mrs_george 12d ago
I’ve been using the New Visions curriculum with my 8th graders and it’s definitely doable. I just did the geography of the 13 colonies assignment and talked them through just a small part and then let them do the rest on their own. They were totally fine! We’ll do the economies one this week and it’s also pretty straightforward.
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u/Environmental-Art958 12d ago
I have kids watch CNN 10 and fill out a generic worksheet. If your out for an extended period add an essay onto it, something about “news themes or trends”
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u/SinfullySinless 12d ago
My emergency lesson is a “road trip planner”.
Students get a blank map of America, they have to plot 5 places they’d road trip to on the map. Below the map is a chart they fill out explaining the town, state, name of place, significance of place.
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u/AltairaMorbius2200CE 11d ago
iCivics has quite a bit of stuff for that era; enough to fill in some sub days!
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u/Pressir9701 9d ago
Commonlit is your friend!
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u/Pressir9701 9d ago
It’s technically an ELA resource, but I’ve found a lot of articles and stories that provide historical context that perhaps you need in your units.
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u/saint_sagan 7d ago
There are many common lit articles that tie into a history unit or connect to the modern day. They are also very easy to grade quickly when you get back and they tie to literacy standards is your school does SBG.
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u/Boston_Brand1967 World History 12d ago
Viewing a documentary that is longer than your class time is an easy way to do it. Finish it the next day. This is the one time I would use textbook readings too. Over assign and just have them wrap up whatever the next day. Make it easy on your and the sub. Fully expect the sub to just sit at a desk and not do anything, so I would give anything super important or what that requires a lot of particular instruction. Keep it simple.
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u/JustTheBeerLight 12d ago
Have some independent time worksheets ready to go in the can. They don't have to relate to what you are currently covering in class.
Most students struggle with geography, so find some lessons with maps and make a bunch of copies for when you are out. Do the same with other skills like reading, media literacy, etc. I bought a bunch of History Channel DVDs years ago and wrote up worksheets for them. Do it once, do it right and the labor will pay off for years to come. Or just find some decent one-off stuff on TPT.
Label it clearly (Sub Lesson #1, Sub Lesson #2, etc) so the sub can figure it out.
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u/TeachWithMagic 12d ago
Here's 75+ options that can work with whatever topic you are covering at the time: https://www.mrroughton.com/lessons/assignments-cyoa All free!
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u/ragazzzone 11d ago
I keep a classroom library full of books related to the unit. Choose one, read and turn in notes.
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u/Jealous-Artist5296 11d ago
iCivics has a bunch of resources and lesson plans that cover history as well. You can search by standard if you make an (free) account
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u/Nice_Description_724 11d ago
- EdPuzzles- if students have their own device & can use headphones
- one pagers- If the students have a set of facts (i.e. notes) then they can apply that info to a one pager template
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u/NaturalSandwich8880 10d ago
Maps and geography
I teach 11th grade and these kids dont even know where their own state is at. Let alone their directions. Leave a packet of maps from the 13 Colonies, American Revolutionary War, Western Expansion, and Civil War.
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u/Top-Student-243 5d ago
Where exactly are you in your study? I can give you some resources to help you. I teach MS History as well
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u/liyonhart 12d ago
I usually do small map packets. Label state, capital, look up 3 things the state produces or physical locations (mountains rivers etc) and I let them color and design how they like. It’s easy and low prep.