Ideas and Resources for Substitutes from TeachersFirst
This collection of ideas and reviewed resources is selected to help both substitute teachers and regular teachers leaving instructions for a substitute. The list includes useful time-fillers for when plans are not a perfect fit as well as teacher-friendly suggestions to make subbing a positive learning experience for all. Be sure to check "In the classroom" suggestions for practical tips and ways to use these offerings.
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New Teacher Hotline Podcasts: Mistakes New Taachers Make - Glen Moulton and Mike Kelley
Grades
K to 12
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New teachers, pre-service teacher candidates, student teachers, substitutes, or any teacher seeking problem-solving ideas and proactive strategies to avoid common teaching mistakes...more
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New teachers, pre-service teacher candidates, student teachers, substitutes, or any teacher seeking problem-solving ideas and proactive strategies to avoid common teaching mistakes will enjoy the humor and practicality of these podcasts by an experienced teacher and an experienced teacher/supervisor/administrator. Those who join the site (free) can also submit questions that will be addressed in the twice-monthly podcasts across many new teacher topics. Visit the site to listen on your computer or subscribe to the entire podcast series through iTunes syndication.
tag(s): newbies (15)
In the Classroom
Listen during your drive to school to head off common mistakes or find out how to fix them. Better yet, get together with other newbie teachers for munchies and a beverage as you listen --and maybe talk about common mistakes and your experiences with them. Beat the isolation and frustration of being a new teacher as you relax together with Mike, Glen, and some in-person peers. If you make it a ritual with your friends to listen to this twice-monthly series on a wide range of topics, you may find the collaboration with Glen, Mike, and your buddies really helpful in making teaching the career you had hoped it would be. You choose the location to listen, and the podcasts will help with the rest.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Substitute Survival: Tools You Can Use - Education World
Grades
K to 12
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This website provides substitutes with practical advice on surviving in a classroom. Most of the tips, websites and lesson ideas are more suitable for elementary or middle school,...more
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This website provides substitutes with practical advice on surviving in a classroom. Most of the tips, websites and lesson ideas are more suitable for elementary or middle school, but many of the tips are practical in any classroom, any grade and any subject matter. New teachers and those headed into student teaching would be wise to read it, as well.
tag(s): substitutes (17)
In the Classroom
Substitutes - don't go into the trenches empty handed, print out this useful survival guide (or make it a TeachersFirst Favorite so you can find it anytime) and be prepared for the unexpected!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Welcome - A Packet for Substitute Teachers - Robert Jackson
Grades
K to 12
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Every substitute must check out this interactive, all-inclusive, helpful, and creative website. This website includes numerous resources for substitute teachers including "Whiteboard...more
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Every substitute must check out this interactive, all-inclusive, helpful, and creative website. This website includes numerous resources for substitute teachers including "Whiteboard Topics," "Bag of Tricks," "Give a Test," "Something Puzzling," and much, much more! Before you enter a classroom - enter this website!
In the Classroom
This website provides easy, ready-to-go activities! There are activities for every grade level (from kindergarten to high school). This is a priceless resource for any substitute teacher.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Brainteasers, Puzzles, and Riddles - NIEHS
Grades
2 to 8
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This site invites visitors to explore and enjoy a wide variety of puzzles and brain teasers. For students who enjoy word, math, and pictorial puzzles, this site is a ...more
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This site invites visitors to explore and enjoy a wide variety of puzzles and brain teasers. For students who enjoy word, math, and pictorial puzzles, this site is a must! Also included are quizzes and proverbs as well as links to other brainteasers.
In the Classroom
This site is excellent for enrichment. Include it on your teacher web page for students to access both in and out of class. Give students extra credit for creating their own puzzles to share with the class, especially puzzles on topics you have been studying, such as "rock riddles" or "triangle trivia." This site is also a great safety net for substitutes looking for an educational "filler."
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Teaching Tips - Dr. Kathie Nunley
Grades
K to 12
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Find over a hundred great and practical tips for classroom management, inexpensive materials, handling classroom challenges, and more in this list compiled from teachers all over the...more
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Find over a hundred great and practical tips for classroom management, inexpensive materials, handling classroom challenges, and more in this list compiled from teachers all over the country.If you are a new teacher-- or just looking for a new way to solve an old problem-- this site has treasures.
tag(s): newbies (15)
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Logic and Reasoning Games - Math Playground
Grades
K to 12
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Use this website to "clear out the cobwebs" in your students' minds. The site offers several interactive logic activities. Many require no reading. A few examples include Tetris, Rubik's...more
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Use this website to "clear out the cobwebs" in your students' minds. The site offers several interactive logic activities. Many require no reading. A few examples include Tetris, Rubik's Cube, Sliders, Towers and more. All activities require JAVA and FLASH. You can get both from the TeachersFirst Toolbox page.
tag(s): gifted (82), logic (244), problem solving (294), puzzles (204), substitutes (17)
In the Classroom
Use one of these on an interactive whiteboard as a brain warm-up at the beginning of class or as student enter the room. If you have a difficult group in a study hall, this site could keep them busy in a positive way. Substitutes will also love it! Include this link in your class's newsletter, classroom computer, or teacher web page for extra challenges and enrichment. Teachers of gifted can challenge their students to write "how to" directions for how to solve these puzzles, once they have figured them out!
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Substitute Teaching - Tricks of the Trade - Mr. Sturgeon
Grades
K to 12
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While written with a sense of humor, the tips and practical ideas of this site are certain to keep you afloat as a sub (pardon the pun). If you have ...more
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While written with a sense of humor, the tips and practical ideas of this site are certain to keep you afloat as a sub (pardon the pun). If you have never subbed or are about to student teach, this is a must-read! In the rankings of respect, substitutes and student teachers rank closer to the bottom as the grade level goes up, so preparedness is vital to your success. God luck...and keep a sense of humor!
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Mark's Guide to Whose Line is it Anyway
Grades
7 to 12
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This site has an A-Z listing of all the games played on the popular TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway? as played in the original show in Great Britain ...more
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This site has an A-Z listing of all the games played on the popular TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway? as played in the original show in Great Britain and the American version hosted by Drew Carey. For the simplest games, there is just a description. For the ones that need further explanation, there are links to click on and a sample shows as the game was played with the actual script as it happened.
tag(s): literature (267)
In the Classroom
This can be a great lesson starter, particularly on those dreary days when kids don't want to work. For lower level kids, it is a brain exercise for such things as the alphabet game (which is more difficult than it first seems!). For higher level kids, you can substitute characters from literature with a situation from the story itself or from history with imaginative "what if" dialogue for actual events.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Dates That Matter - TeachersFirst
Grades
5 to 12
19 Favorites
1 Comments
Dates That Matter provides a new perspective on history by placing each day-in-history event in a broader context and explaining its long-term impact. History is a fabric woven of many...more
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Dates That Matter provides a new perspective on history by placing each day-in-history event in a broader context and explaining its long-term impact. History is a fabric woven of many events, and Dates That Matter helps students see the full tapestry.
The dates display on a projector-ready screen: A single sentence reveals something about the date. You then click to see a sequence of thought-provoking questions to guide students to a greater understanding of interrelationships as they try to guess the actual event. When the historical event finally shows on screen, a further explanation, Why does it matter?, fills in the remaining context and offers reviewed links to learn more.
Teachers who work with low readers might try using these daily clues to teach the reading strategy of connecting what you read with prior knowledge to place new learning in context.
A full, annotated version of each date is available from the Teacher page at the end so you can plan for student responses and have hints for guiding the discussion. You can also preview upcoming dates to choose those you may want to put in your weekly plans.
tag(s): calendars (46), substitutes (17)
In the Classroom
Begin your social studies class once or twice a week by sharing a Date That Matters on a projector or interactive whiteboard to foster broader understanding of the connections that form world history. Or use the links at the end as an extra credit or enrichment opportunity or for gifted students to investigate more. Focus class attention as everyone enters by projecting the date and starting sentence. Make this one a link on your teacher web page for students (and parents) to access outside of school. Substitutes will also appreciate this meaningful and engaging way to connect today with students' prior history knowledge for more than an isolated factoid. It's a lesson ready to go!
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Comments
This is a terrific site for daily writing and "Do Nows" for my ELA classes. In addition, the site can be used for Morning Meeting/Advisory.Patricia, NJ, Grades: 6 - 12
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Building Big - PBS
Grades
5 to 8
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Teach basic concepts of physical science by using the structures students see everyday. This companion site to a PBS television series examines bridges, domes, skyscrapers, dams and...more
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Teach basic concepts of physical science by using the structures students see everyday. This companion site to a PBS television series examines bridges, domes, skyscrapers, dams and tunnels, and the physical forces that affect them. After learning about each structure and "visiting" some well-known examples throughout the world, students can participate in a series of interactive online experiments that illustrate the impact that materials, loads, and shapes can have on a structure. Check out the Educators' Guide for suggestions on how to incorporate this site into your curriculum.
tag(s): structures (24)
In the Classroom
Introduce this site with students on an interactive whiteboard or with a projector to show them how to navigate it. Allow pairs or small groups to choose from Bridges, Domes, Skyscrapers, Dams, or Tunnels for further study and exploration. As a substitute for handwritten reports have students create a blog sharing their learning and understanding using Telegra.ph, reviewed here. With Telegra.ph you just click on an icon to upload images from your computer, add a YouTube or Vimeo, or Twitter links. This blog creator requires no registration.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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