Whether you are a substitute teacher whose lessons fall short of filling up the day or a classroom teacher whose need to take time off from school lessons, you will be able to use these 3 types of math activities for substitute teachers.
It is always a great idea to stay prepared and have some emergency sub plans. So keeping enough activities available in your sub tub will be helpful.
In this blog post, we’ll explore what makes a great activity for a substitute teacher.
Additionally, a range of exceptional math activities that fulfill these criteria will be highlighted, ensuring engaging learning experiences and entertainment for students on substitute days.
So don’t fret if you do not have enough time to create your own resources! Check out my TPT store for more made-for-you and no prep math resources!
Essential Criteria for an Outstanding Substitute Resource
The requirements for being a great math activity may differ based on every teacher or students’ need.
But resources that fit the following requirements would never go wrong.
Simple
You want activities that require minimum prep work. Best of all, there are activities that are already prepared and substitute teachers can simply use them.
This is especially useful if a substitute teacher is asked to help out at a short notice or last minute. Afterall, they have not much time or little time to prepare for the lesson.
In addition, the activities that you chose need clear instructions or are simple to understand. This way, it will be easy for the teacher to understand how it works and pass on the instructions to the students.
It will be perfect if the activities are self-checking and if require any marking, an answer sheet is provided.
Fun or Engaging
The ideal math activities for substitute teachers are fun and engaging.
These activities will capture students’ interest and they will be on task if they are enjoying themselves.
So, increase your chances of having a successful math lesson by driving boredom away!
Review Previous Content
Many substitute teachers may not be confident to teach a new topic and regular teachers may also be worried as it can be difficult to “unteach”.
And since both substitute and regular teachers have their concerns about that, it is most likely that substitute teachers will not be dependable on teaching new topics.
Furthermore, since substitute teachers do not know individual students’ learning progress or standard, reviewing or practicing previous content or foundational math concepts will be a safer bet.
This ensures that the math skills are reinforced and students are learning on substitute days.
1) Printable Games
It is without a doubt that one of the easy ways is to play with students.
Using no preparation required printable games for students can help students enjoy reviewing the math concepts..
The best way is to mix and match a variety of games and math skills. Students can play different games of different math skills for a certain period of time.
The switching of math skills and games can help prevent the loss of interest.
Here are 3 different printable games for different grade levels for you to check out:
- Younger students: Division Games Worksheets
- Rounding to the Nearest 10 100 and 1000 Games
- Older students: Solving Algebraic Expressions Games
2) Boom Cards Games
The best part about Boom Deck is the self-checking function. This takes away the need for the substitute teacher to mark and students get instant feedback.
Students can do normal digital task cards but gamified Boom Decks make lessons so much more fun.
To play as a whole class, students can play game shows (Quizzes On Fractions) or something similar such as Treasure Hunt Online Games For Kids.
However, this requires some classroom management skills.
Alternatively, small groups or independent games may be less risky:
Christmas Math Escape Room – a fun way to review math concepts.
Digital Escape Room does not require any preparation and may take up more time. This might just be the right math resource for your students to spend their time during sub days.
3) Hands On Activities or Crafts
Sometimes, I find myself hesitant to incorporate hands-on activities for my students.
One of the main concerns is that these activities might consume a lot of time that could be spent on academic tasks. (For example, the coloring aspects of math crafts.)
However, on days when there’s a substitute teacher, time may not be as much of an issue.
Substitute days could be the perfect opportunities for students to engage in crafting.
Decimal Hands On Activities Bundle – Dinosaur Paper Weave
Each set of Weave A Pic may take 30 to 45 minutes. Students get to practice 10 questions per craft. Answer key is provided for easy reference.
What’s particularly great about this craft is that it’s self-checking. If students can’t match the 10 answers, they’ll know they made a mistake.
Additionally, the images help them easily identify where they went wrong.
However, this craft series may require certain skills, such as cutting along the black lines and gluing precisely, to come together perfectly.
Once students are trained once or twice, they’ll know what to do for the rest of the series. So if students are experienced with this, you can let them do more for different math skills.
But even if it is their first time, you can let students watch the video to have a good idea of the “right” way to do it.
Solid Figures And Nets – 3D Shapes And Their Nets
These paper crafts can last up to 1.5 hours, though collaboration among students might shorten or lengthen the duration depending on their focus.
The shark craft takes the shortest time, as students can simply print the gray-colored templates using black ink.
On the other hand, the gingerbread house craft may take the longest time if students choose to decorate, design, and color them extensively.
Related Read:
- 10 Awesome Math Hands On Activities For Elementary Students
- 3 Surprising Benefits Of Hands On Activities In The Classroom
Bonus: Card Games
If you have some extra time and need some time filler, consider playing cards. There are many math card games that you can play with poker cards.
For example, my students enjoyed “math go fish” and “stressed”.
Related Read: 53 Fun And Engaging Math Review Activities And Games For Students
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, substitute teachers play a vital role in maintaining education continuity when regular teachers are unavailable.
Their presence ensures that learning doesn’t come to a halt, and students can continue progressing in their academic journey.
To support them in this important task, incorporating easy-to-prep math activities becomes crucial.
These activities not only make the substitute teacher’s job more manageable, but they also offer a wealth of benefits for students.
The value of engaging and enjoyable math activities cannot be overstated.
By choosing activities that capture students’ interest and enthusiasm, substitute teachers can create a positive and dynamic learning environment.
When students are having fun, they are more likely to be on task and actively participate in the lesson, leading to a deeper understanding of the concepts being taught.
Furthermore, easy-to-prep math activities not only save valuable time for substitute teachers, especially during those last-minute assignments, but they also allow for a seamless continuation of the curriculum.
With clear instructions and self-checking features, these activities empower students to learn independently, building their confidence and critical thinking skills.
Therefore, I encourage all substitute teachers to explore and try these engaging math activities in their classrooms.
Whether it’s printable games, interactive Boom Cards, or hands-on crafts, these resources are designed to foster a fun and effective learning experience.
Embracing such activities not only ensures that education remains uninterrupted but also empowers substitute teachers to leave a positive impact on their students’ academic growth.
Working collectively, we are committed to maintaining the continuity of education, ensuring that learning never stops, not even during teacher sick days!
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