Grades 1–3
Sub Day Story Starter
A sub day writing page for 1st to 3rd grade: a story about a mystery visitor in the classroom, with a quick plan, writing lines and a picture.
Classroom management printable · Substitute teacher activity packets
Sub Day Number Puzzles
Eight number puzzles for 4th and 5th grade sub days: mystery numbers, missing operations, patterns and a magic square row, with an answer key.
- Grade level
- Grades 4–5
- Time
- About 25 minutes
- Answer key
- Yes, page 2 of the PDF
- Kids practice
- Planning for a substitute, Independent work, Classroom routines
What kids do
“Number puzzles for a guest teacher day. Show your thinking in the space next to each one.”
Printed on the sheet:
- 1. I am a two-digit number. My digits add to 9 and my tens digit is twice my ones digit. What am I?
- 4. What comes next? 1, 4, 9, 16, 25,
- 5. What comes next? 3, 6, 12, 24,
- 6. In a magic square every row adds to 15. A row has 8 and 1. What is the third number?
- 7. A number times itself is 81. What is the number?
- 9. Make up a mystery number puzzle for a classmate.
Teacher tip
Include a bonus puzzle for early finishers.
How to use it
- Leave clear, short directions and an answer key where the sub can find it.
- Update the folder each grading period, as routines and students change.
- Keep a stack of copies in a labeled tray so you can grab one without stopping the lesson.
Watch for
Activities that need too much teaching. A sub day is for review, not new lessons.
Talk about it
- What should we tell our guest teacher about our class?
- What is one thing that went well this week?
Take it further
Have kids write a thank-you note to the sub at the end of the day.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More substitute teacher activity packets
Grades 1–5
How Did Today Go With Our Guest Teacher?
A student reflection for the end of a sub day: a 1 to 5 rating, what went well, what was hard, how I helped and a note for the guest teacher.
Grades K–5
Substitute Teacher Info Sheet
One page for the sub folder: the daily schedule, helpers, procedures, students who need extra support and where things are.
Grades K–1
Guest Teacher Fun Pack
A K and 1st grade sub day page: say hello to your guest teacher, count stars, find the missing number, trace a word and draw.
Free for teachers
Get the free Classroom Drawing Kit
12 printable pages: six step-by-step lessons, a grid activity, draw-and-write sheets and teacher notes, sent with your welcome email. After that, new classroom printables by email.