What should I include in 3rd grade sub plans?

A complete sub plan needs a note to the sub with key student info, a full schedule with times, specific activity instructions for each subject, classroom management reminders, and space for the sub to leave notes. The more specific the instructions, the smoother the day goes without you.

How do I write sub plans quickly when I'm sick?

Keep a master template saved with your schedule and classroom routines already filled in. When you're sick, you only update the specific activities for that day. Sub plan generator tools can produce a full plan from a brief description of your class in under a minute.

Should sub plans include activities or just worksheets?

Both work, but activities tied to what the class is already doing are better than random worksheets. Subs can manage a class watching a curriculum-aligned video followed by a graphic organizer more easily than a new activity they have to explain. Keep it low-prep for the sub and connected to your current unit.

Free Sub Plans for 3rd Grade: A Complete Ready-to-Print Template

If you woke up sick or got hit with a last-minute appointment, you need sub plans that work without you there to explain anything. The template below is complete — schedule, activities, instructions for the sub, and a class note. Copy it, fill in your specifics, and you're done in under 10 minutes.

Complete 3rd Grade Sub Plan Template

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Date: _______________

Teacher: _______________

Grade: 3rd Grade

Room: _______________

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A Note to My Substitute

Thank you for being here today. My students are [generally well-behaved / a great group with a lot of energy]. A few things that will help:

[Student name] may need reminders to stay on task — a quiet check-in works better than calling them out.
[Student name] has an IEP. Please follow the accommodations on the yellow sheet in the top drawer.
Bathroom: Students raise one finger. Only one student out at a time.
Emergency: Call the office at extension _____. Do not leave students alone.

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Daily Schedule

| Time | Activity |

|------|----------|

| 8:05–8:20 | Morning routine: unpack, attendance, morning message on board |

| 8:20–9:00 | ELA — see activity below |

| 9:00–9:45 | Math — see activity below |

| 9:45–10:00 | Snack / quiet read |

| 10:00–10:30 | Specials: [Art / PE / Music / Library] |

| 10:30–11:15 | Science / Social Studies — see activity below |

| 11:15–12:00 | Lunch + recess |

| 12:00–12:30 | Independent reading or silent work |

| 12:30–1:15 | Writing — see activity below |

| 1:15–2:00 | Centers or choice work |

| 2:00–2:20 | Pack up, end-of-day jobs, dismissal prep |

| 2:20 | Dismissal |

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ELA Activity (8:20–9:00)

Students read pages _____ in [book title] independently or in pairs. When finished, they write 3 sentences in their reading journal: (1) what happened, (2) one question they have, (3) a connection to their own life. Early finishers read independently from their book box.

Math Activity (9:00–9:45)

Worksheet packet is on my desk labeled "SUB — MATH." Students work independently. No calculators. Answers are in the sub folder.

Science / Social Studies (10:30–11:15)

Students watch the BrainPOP video on [topic] — bookmark is labeled "SUB VIDEO" on the SmartBoard. After the video, they complete the printed graphic organizer in their folders.

Writing (12:30–1:15)

Students work on their personal narrative drafts (already started). Goal: add at least one new paragraph. If someone says they're done, they add more details or start a second story using the prompts on the anchor chart.

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Classroom Management

If students are too loud: "Show me level 1 voices." Pause and wait.
If a student refuses to work: Give a quiet choice — work here or take a 5-minute brain break at the calm-down corner.
If something goes wrong: Write it in the note section. I'll handle it when I'm back.

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End of Day

Please leave a brief note — absences, incidents, anything I should know. Leave it on my desk. Thank you.

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What to Fill In Before You Send It

The template covers a full day. Before printing:

Fill in your actual schedule times
Note students with IEPs, behavior plans, or medical needs
Replace the placeholder activities with what your class is actually working on
Add your specialist schedule

The hardest part of sub plans isn't the format — it's writing them from scratch when you're sick and your brain isn't cooperating. LessonDraft's Sub Plan tool generates a full plan from a short description of your class and what you need covered. Fill in a few fields, it writes the plan — about 60 seconds.