Teacher's Pay Teachers Archives - Page 2 of 72

Stress-Free Substitute Planning: Emergency Sub Plans Every Teacher Needs

August 15, 2025 teachersbrain Teacher Problems, Teacher's Pay Teachers, Teaching Tips

Hey friend, does just the thought of planning for an unexpected sick day give you the ick? Trust me…I’ve been there! That’s exactly why having emergency sub plans kindergarten options at the ready has been a total game‑changer. When the flu hits at 3 a.m., I’m so grateful I already have something prepared, and you can too!

Here are a couple of resources I swear by when it comes to prepping ahead:

Kindergarten Emergency SUB Plans

This one’s a lifesaver. You can prep for a day, a week, or up to 10 days in one go. Everything’s written out. Just-type editable, print‑and‑go daily plans, plus visual directions, labels, brain‑break options, story maps, and handwriting pages. It takes ten minutes to prep and saves hours later.

Check it out here!

Substitute Binder Templates

Want the binder version? This editable template set has everything you need for your “Sub Hub Tub”: binder covers, labels, quick‑reference pages for field trips, blank pages to personalize, all ready in ink‑friendly printables and Google Slides. Perfect for tailoring to your grade or style.

Check it out here!

Why These Work Together

Complete coverage: Use the TEN DAYS of Plans for ready-to-go lesson packs, then organize them into your Substitute Binder to keep everything neat, quick to find, and substitute-friendly.
Flexibility: You can customize them to any grade, plus, you’ve got sub plans for other grades in your shop (score!).
Instant peace of mind: Whether it’s a classroom flu or a family emergency, you won’t waste your sick day stressing, your plans will already be prepped and teacher-approved.

How I Usually Set These Up

Download both resources, then as summer starts or back-to-school prep begins, I customize the binder templates with my schedule, class rules, and student leaders.
Slot in the TEN DAYS of Plans. I pick the days I want, maybe five here, two there. I edit the daily schedule slide and print.
Store it in a visible Sub Tub or binder on your desk. Use labels and covers so any sub (or colleague) can find it quickly.

With these in place, you have a sub-ready setup that’s professional, kid-friendly, and, most importantly, stress-free.

Looking for more sub plans? Check them out at the shop!

Check out my top tips for classroom management in elementary here!

Teaching Map Skills in Kindergarten and First Grade with Me on the Map

August 8, 2025 teachersbrain Teacher's Pay Teachers, Teaching Tips

One of my favorite things to teach in early elementary is map skills. There’s just something so special about helping students understand where they live and how they fit into the bigger world. And with the right activities, it’s easy to make these lessons hands-on, engaging, and memorable.

If you’re looking for fun and simple ways to teach map skills in kindergarten or first grade, here are a few resources I love using together.

Me on the Map Flip Book Activities

If you haven’t read Me on the Map by Joan Sweeney with your students, you have to try it! It’s the perfect book to kick off a unit on maps and geography.

After reading, I have my students work on the Me on the Map Flip Book. Each page focuses on a different “layer”, starting with themselves and zooming out to their street, city, state, country, and continent. The kids love adding their own drawings, and it’s such a great visual for showing how all the pieces fit together.

Check it out here ➜

Map Skills: Me on the Map

Once they’ve got the basics down, I like to bring in the Map Skills: Me on the Map resource. It’s packed with activities to practice things like using a compass rose, understanding map symbols, and talking about different types of maps. These lessons really help students start seeing maps as tools they can use, not just pictures.

See it here ➜

maps and globes activities for elementary

Kindergarten Social Studies Units Bundle

If you want to go all-in, the Kindergarten Social Studies Units Curriculum bundle is amazing. It covers a full year of lessons, so you can easily fit your map skills unit into a bigger plan that includes geography, communities, history, and more. It’s a total time-saver because everything is ready to go.

Take a look ➜

social studies activities for elementary

How I Put It All Together

Here’s how I like to teach it:

Read aloud Me on the Map to introduce the concept.
Make the flip book so students can personalize their learning.
Add in map skills activities to deepen their understanding.
Connect it to other social studies units using the yearlong bundle.

It’s simple, fun, and your students will walk away actually understanding where they are in the world…and loving it!

If you’re looking for more social studies activities and ideas, check out my post here!

10 Must-Haves for a Smooth First Week of Kindergarten

June 27, 2025 teachersbrain kindergarten survival, Teacher's Pay Teachers

The first week of kindergarten is exciting, busy, and—let’s be honest—a little chaotic. Between managing emotions (theirs and yours!), setting routines, and building classroom community, there’s a lot to juggle.

But with the right tools and mindset, that first week can be smooth, successful, and even fun.

Here are 10 must-haves to help you and your kinders start the year off right:

1. A Visual Schedule

Young learners thrive on routine. Having a simple visual schedule helps ease anxiety and allows students to anticipate what’s coming next, even if they can’t read yet.

Try this one!

2. Name Activities

Start the year with engaging name practice! Use name puzzles, tracing activities, or art projects that help students recognize and spell their own names.

Check out this option!

3. Plenty of Brain Breaks

The first week is not the time to expect long attention spans. Plan short, movement-based brain breaks every 15–20 minutes to help reset and refocus.

Check out these fun brain breaks!

4. Books That Build Classroom Community

Read-alouds like The Kissing Hand or Our Class is a Family are perfect for starting conversations about emotions, friendship, and working together.

5. Simple Routines Taught Step-by-Step

Whether it’s lining up, using glue sticks, or putting away backpacks, model, practice, and praise routines clearly and often.

6. Hands-On Centers

Introduce your center rotation system with low-pressure, hands-on activities like building blocks, puzzles, or playdough. Focus on getting the routine down before adding academic tasks.

7. Interactive Songs and Transitions

Use music to teach transitions, clean-up time, and circle time routines. Songs can turn chaos into calm when used consistently!

8. Kindness Activities

Kick off your classroom culture with lessons on being a kind friend. Anchor charts, role-play, and simple art projects help set the tone for the year.

9. Introductory Science Lessons

Yes, you can teach science the first week, and your students will love it! Try a simple, hands-on lesson from this Yearlong Kindergarten and First Grade Science Curriculum Bundle. It’s packed with easy-to-follow units that integrate literacy, vocabulary, and critical thinking, which is perfect for starting strong!

10. A Whole Lot of Patience (and Snacks!)

Remember: this week is all about building trust, making connections, and learning how to be part of a classroom. Keep expectations clear but flexible and give yourself grace. You’re doing amazing work.

With a little planning and the right tools in your teacher toolbox, the first week of kindergarten can be a joyful beginning to an amazing year.🎉 Ready to make science part of your weekly routine? Grab the full year of K–1 science lessons here »

For more kindergarten success ideas, check out my post here!

Why You Should Try Directed Drawing in Your Classroom

June 13, 2025 teachersbrain Teacher's Pay Teachers

If you’re looking for a low-prep activity that combines creativity, listening skills, and fine motor practice, directed drawing might be your new favorite classroom tool!

Directed drawing is exactly what it sounds like: students follow step-by-step instructions to draw a specific image. It’s a simple yet powerful way to bring art into your routine, while also reinforcing important academic and developmental skills that are so important in the early years of elementary.

Whether you’re teaching kindergarten, first grade, or second, there are plenty of benefits to adding directed drawing to your week!

What Is Directed Drawing?

Directed drawing is an activity where the teacher walks students through how to draw a picture, one simple step at a time. Students follow along and end up with their own unique version of the same drawing.

This type of structured creativity helps even reluctant artists feel successful because anyone can do it!

Benefits of Directed Drawing in K–2 Classrooms

Here’s why so many teachers love using directed drawing:

Builds listening and following directions skills
Students practice staying focused, listening closely, and following steps in order—key skills in early elementary!
Develops fine motor control
Drawing helps strengthen the small muscles in the hands, which supports handwriting and other classroom tasks.
Encourages creativity and confidence
Even though everyone is drawing the same thing, every picture turns out a little different. This helps students see the value of their individual work.
Integrates easily into other subjects
Use a drawing to go with a writing prompt, holiday activity, or science lesson. It’s a great way to cross subjects.
Creates beautiful hallway displays or bulletin boards
Students love seeing their artwork showcased, and it’s an easy way to decorate your classroom with student-created work!

Want to Try It Out?

If you’re ready to get started, I’ve created an easy-to-use Directed Drawing Seasonal Bundle that includes 40+ drawings for holidays and themes throughout the year. Each drawing comes with step-by-step instructions and a writing component to help students connect drawing to literacy.

directed drawing resource for elementary

These are perfect for:

Fast finishers
Morning work
Art time
Sub plans
Centers

Adding directed drawing to your routine doesn’t take a lot of time but it does make a big impact. Your students will love the creativity, and you’ll love the skills they’re building along the way.Click here to check out the Directed Drawing Seasonal Bundle!

Looking for more fun activities your students will love? Check out these phonics games!