teachersbrain, Author at Teacher's Brain

5 Smart Ways to Prepare for Unexpected Absences in the Classroom

February 7, 2025 teachersbrain Teacher's Pay Teachers, Teaching Tips

As a teacher, you never know when an illness, emergency, or personal situation might keep you out of the classroom. The last thing you want is to scramble at the last minute to create sub plans or leave your students without a clear plan.

Preparing ahead of time ensures your class runs smoothly in your absence and reduces stress for both you and your substitute. Here are five smart ways to get ready for those days when you can’t be at school.

1. Create a Sub Binder

A well-organized sub binder is a lifesaver for any unexpected absence. Include essential details like daily schedules, classroom rules, student rosters, emergency procedures, and helpful notes on students with special needs or behavior plans. Having all this information in one place makes it easier for a substitute to step in seamlessly. Check out this Sub Binder resource!

2. Organize Emergency Sub Plans

Prepare a set of no-prep or low-prep lesson plans that align with your curriculum but are simple enough for a substitute to implement without much explanation. These should be engaging and easy to follow so that your students stay on track even when you’re not there.

3. Stock a Sub Tub

A sub tub is a ready-to-go container filled with everything a substitute might need, including extra worksheets, storybooks, brain break activities, and classroom supplies. Having this prepared ensures a smooth day for your students and an easier job for your sub.

4. Establish Student Helpers

Train a few responsible students to assist substitutes with routines, transitions, and expectations. These students can answer simple questions about procedures and help keep the classroom running smoothly. This is especially helpful for younger students who thrive on consistency.

5. Have a Complete, Ready-to-Use Sub Plan

For a foolproof solution, consider having a detailed multi-day sub plan prepared. If you teach kindergarten, our Emergency Sub Plans for Kindergarten provide ten days of editable, ready-to-use plans that cover all core subjects. These plans ensure your students stay engaged in meaningful learning while making it effortless for any substitute to take over. Check it out here.

Teach first, second, or third grade? Check out my sub plans for those grades here!

Being prepared for unexpected absences can make all the difference in keeping your classroom running smoothly. With these five strategies in place, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your students are in good hands, even when you can’t be there!

Looking for more classroom management tips? Check out my post here!

5 Fun and Easy Ways to Teach Economics in 2nd Grade

January 31, 2025 teachersbrain Teaching Tips

Teaching economics to 2nd graders doesn’t have to be boring—it can actually be a lot of fun! With hands-on activities and relatable examples, you can help your students understand important concepts like needs vs. wants, saving vs. spending, and even supply and demand. Here are five simple and engaging ways to bring economics to life in your classroom.

1. Turn Your Classroom into a Mini-Economy

Kids love playing pretend, so why not turn your classroom into a mini-economy? Give students classroom jobs where they earn play money for completing tasks, following rules, or helping a friend. Then, let them “spend” their earnings on fun rewards like extra recess or a comfy reading spot. This is a great way to introduce earning, saving, spending, and even supply and demand in a way that feels like a game.

2. Make Role-Playing a Part of Learning

Role-playing is a fantastic way to help students understand economics. Assign some students to be business owners selling classroom supplies, while others are customers using play money to shop. You can also introduce trade and barter by letting kids swap items instead of using money. This hands-on experience helps them grasp the idea of goods and services, producers and consumers, and different ways to exchange value.

3. Play a Needs vs. Wants Sorting Game

To help kids understand the difference between needs and wants, give them pictures of different items—like food, toys, clothing, and electronics—and let them work in teams to sort them into two categories. This sparks great discussions about decision-making, scarcity, and why we sometimes have to make choices based on what we truly need.

4. Read Picture Books About Money and Economics

Storytime can be a great way to introduce economic ideas! Read books like A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams (which covers saving and spending) or The Berenstain Bears’ Trouble with Money by Stan and Jan Berenstain (which talks about earning and financial responsibility). After reading, have a chat about the story and how it relates to real life—this helps make abstract concepts feel more concrete.

5. Use Ready-Made Economics Activities

Want to make your life easier while ensuring your students get a solid foundation in economics? My Economics Activities 2nd Grade Social Studies 9 Weeks resource is packed with engaging lessons on topics like supply and demand, trade and barter, and types of resources (natural, human, and capital). With interactive activities and real-world connections, this resource makes learning economics fun and stress-free!

By incorporating these ideas into your classroom, you’ll make economics more engaging and relatable for your 2nd graders. Try them out and watch your students get excited about learning how the world of money and trade works!

Looking for more social studies activities or economics activities? Check out my post here!

5 Fun and Simple Spring Activities for Kindergarten and First Grade

January 24, 2025 teachersbrain Teacher's Pay Teachers, Teaching Tips

Spring is a wonderful time to refresh your classroom activities and keep young learners engaged. With warmer weather and blooming flowers, it’s the perfect opportunity to bring the season into your lessons.

Here are five fun and simple spring activities for kindergarten and first-grade classrooms.

1. Plant a Classroom Garden

Introduce students to the joys of gardening by planting seeds in small pots. Teach them how plants grow, and have them monitor their plants’ progress daily. This hands-on activity can tie into science lessons about plant life cycles.

Check out this Kindar Garden Plant-Themed Unit! These garden-themed printables will transform your classroom or dramatic play area, and give you fun and engaging plant-themed lesson plans!

2. Spring-Themed Math Crafts

Combine creativity with math practice using spring-themed math crafts. Activities like building flowers with addition or subtraction problems at the center help students reinforce their math skills in a fun way. For ready-to-use, engaging crafts, check out my Spring Math Crafts resource. These activities are editable, making it easy to tailor them to your students’ needs!

3. Nature Walk and Writing Prompts

Take your students on a short nature walk around the school grounds. Ask them to observe signs of spring—flowers, insects, or birds. When you return, have them write or draw about what they saw. This combines outdoor exploration with literacy skills.

4. Spring Bingo

Create a bingo game with spring-related words and pictures. Use this game as a fun way to introduce new vocabulary or reward students during quiet time.

5. Spring STEM Challenges

Set up a STEM station with challenges like building a bird’s nest using various materials or creating a wind-powered pinwheel. These activities are great for encouraging problem-solving and teamwork.

By adding these activities to your spring lineup, you’ll create a vibrant and engaging classroom environment. Don’t forget to incorporate seasonal crafts, like those in this Spring Math Crafts resource to make learning both fun and educational!

If you want more spring activities, check out my post here!

Escape Rooms in the Classroom: Tips for Fun and Educational Adventures

January 17, 2025 teachersbrain Teacher's Pay Teachers

Looking for a creative way to engage your students while reinforcing critical thinking and teamwork? Escape rooms are the answer! These interactive activities captivate students with problem-solving challenges, puzzles, and excitement—all while meeting educational goals.

Here’s how to make escape rooms for kids both fun and educational in your elementary classroom.

1. Align with Learning Objectives

To keep your escape room purposeful, tie the activities to your curriculum! For example, you can create puzzles that involve math problems, reading comprehension, or science facts. For a ready-made option, try my 100th Day of School Math Mystery Escape Room resource, which is designed for younger learners to practice math skills in a fun and interactive way.

2. Incorporate Teamwork

Divide students into small groups to foster collaboration and communication. Assign roles such as “clue tracker” or “puzzle solver” to ensure everyone contributes. This setup encourages teamwork and helps students develop social skills.

3. Keep it Simple and Accessible

For younger students, you’ll want to avoid overly complex puzzles. Instead, you can focus on clear instructions and manageable tasks to ensure they feel confident and engaged. My 120th Day of School Math Mystery Escape Room resource is perfect for your first graders, offering exciting age-appropriate challenges that are both fun and educational! Check it out here.

4. Set the Scene

Enhance the experience for your students with a theme and decorations. Whether it’s a treasure hunt or a mystery, small details like props or music can transport students into the story!

5. Debrief and Reflect

After the escape room, take some time to reflect on the activity with your students. Discuss what strategies worked, how they solved the puzzles, and what they learned. This reflection reinforces the educational goals and builds those important critical thinking skills.

Escape rooms are an excellent way to make learning feel like an adventure. Whether you’re celebrating the 100th or 120th day of school or just want to shake up your lesson plans, these activities are a hit with students!

Ready to bring the fun to your classroom? Check out the 100th Day and 120th Day Math Mystery Escape Rooms to get started!

For more escape rooms, check out my post here!