Free teaching resource

Substitute Handoff and Independent-Work Pack

Current preparation is shown below. Student tasks and matching guidance retain their stated editions. Earlier page guidance and source files are kept in the archive.

Changes in the current files · 2 November 2026

Browser printing keeps task prompts with their response space; the underlying tasks retain their stated editions.

Prepare the materials

Prepare a planning tool

Recommended selection edition 0.1.2. Original source files retain their displayed editions.

These planning tools and examples are for the teacher. They are not a student lesson sequence.

Audience / fit: Teacher planning
Teaching or planning target: Prepare a handoff with local routines, complete independent work and a clear return route. Includes a worked literacy handoff.
Essential prerequisites: The teacher's current class schedule, room routines, and materials for the day. Verified local sources for emergency, attendance, dismissal, contact, access, and support procedures. The approved school system for any student-specific information the substitute is authorized to receive.
Preparation: About 15 minutes.
Use time: About 5 minutes. Estimate for a substitute to scan the first steps, schedule, routines, and return route; adjust to your local routines.
Materials: This handoff in print or editable form. The included two-page account-comparison assignment for each student, or every student page of your selected independent reading activity. Pencils and the actual lesson materials named in the local handoff.
What to print: Use the stage-specific student choices below and the matching teacher guide. Give independent, new-evidence and later-assessment pages only at their intended stage.

Preview the actual planning page

Teacher planning page 1: Substitute handoff guide and worked example — Actual teacher planning PDF page 1 of 7: Substitute handoff guide and worked example. This is an adult planning file, not a student handout.

Example to inspect

Student assignment and response · PDF · 2 pages

Start with the planning form or completed example: Adult handoff forms and checklist · PDF · 5 pages. Read the matching guidance separately.

Planning file and guidance: Substitute handoff guide and worked example · 7 pages.

Planning forms, worked examples and guidance

Classroom examples for teacher inspection

Student assignment and response · 2 pages
PDF · Editable Word · Read in browser

Planning files and guidance

Adult handoff forms and checklist · 5 pages · Teacher PDF · Editable teacher Word · Read in browser · teacher copy
Substitute handoff guide and worked example · 7 pages · Teacher PDF · Editable teacher Word

Archived page guidance and source files · Write a local teaching plan

Archive: Additional formats, earlier editions and teaching guidance

Earlier guidance and source files are retained as historical records. For classroom teaching and printing, use the current stage files and matching guides above. Older guidance, timing and layouts are superseded; some retained browser/Word files have limited writing space or sparse extra pages. Keep historical student files with their historical keys and do not mix editions.

Is this the right resource?

Audience / fit: Teacher planning
Teaching or planning target: Prepare a handoff with local routines, complete independent work and a clear return route. Includes a worked literacy handoff.
Essential prerequisites: The teacher's current class schedule, room routines, and materials for the day. Verified local sources for emergency, attendance, dismissal, contact, access, and support procedures. The approved school system for any student-specific information the substitute is authorized to receive.
Preparation: About 15 minutes.
Use time: About 5 minutes. Estimate for a substitute to scan the first steps, schedule, routines, and return route; adjust to your local routines.
Materials: This handoff in print or editable form. The included two-page account-comparison assignment for each student, or every student page of your selected independent reading activity. Pencils and the actual lesson materials named in the local handoff.
What to print: Use the stage-specific student choices below and the matching teacher guide. Give independent, new-evidence and later-assessment pages only at their intended stage.

Prepare the substitute handoff

Adult handoff forms and checklist · PDF (5 pages)

Student assignment and response · PDF (2 pages)

Read the worked example and adaptation notes · PDF (7 pages)

Complete the adult handoff with the actual timetable, verified school procedures, contacts, materials and no-device backup. Give students only the two-page assignment. The complete teacher guide supplies the worked handoff and assignment guidance; local emergency and safeguarding procedures must come from the school.

Editable Word, browser copies and other files

Print and adapt for your own planning and classroom use; printed copies may be shared within your classroom or school team, provided the source is not sold. Keep attribution and resource-specific notices. For redistribution and third-party materials, read the Terms of Use. Recommend this resource using its page link.

Browse free resources

Prepare a class-day handoff that lets an authorized substitute start safely, follow established routines, guide a complete independent assignment, and return useful work notes without guessing local procedures or copying unnecessary student information.

All files are free. No email address, account, payment, trial or subscription is required.

Who it is for: Teacher planning and professional use
Preparation: About 15 minutes.
Use / example time: About 5 minutes. Estimate for a substitute to scan the first steps, schedule, routines, and return route; adjust to your local routines.
Teacher guidance: Separate notes include worked planning examples and adaptation guidance.

Materials

This handoff in print or editable form.
The included two-page account-comparison assignment for each student, or every student page of your selected independent reading activity.
Pencils and the actual lesson materials named in the local handoff.

Choose a stage and format

Give only the stage being used. Keep later tasks and all teacher keys with the teacher until needed.

Archive: Formats and all files

Complete reference files may include teaching, independent tasks, later evidence or teacher answers. Keep them with the teacher; use the separate stage selections above for handouts.

Read or download the complete resource

The included account-comparison assignment is the last two pages of the blank handoff download. Print those student pages separately; keep the planning forms, checklist, teacher guidance and answers with the adult. Word files contain editable text; the PDF files are ready to print.

Prepare literacy work for a substitute

Choose work students can start with the printed directions and routines they already know. The independent reading collection includes complete activities on central idea and character change, with separate teacher notes. Use the handoff below to connect a selected activity to your class day.

Example: character-change cover work

Print one complete four-page character-change packet per student. Keep the substitute notes and answer guidance with the adult. The packet uses “The Next Test,” the story from the character-change lesson. If students have already read it, use this as practice and save a different story for a later check.

Complete the class, contact and routine fields in the blank handoff using your current school information. Add these assignment details:

Start and schedule: after your usual entry and attendance routine, distribute the packet and point students to the printed steps. Allow time to read, record early and later evidence, write and check the response. Fit this to the actual bell schedule; if time is short, omit the extension and note any unfinished work.
Assignment and materials: a four-page packet and pencil for each student, plus spare copies and blank paper for the optional extension. Students read the story on page 2, may use the tracker on page 3, and write on page 4.
Help and access: the substitute may repeat the printed directions without naming an early or later clue or suggesting an interpretation. Record the authorized reading or response support to use, and where the substitute can securely find any student-specific instructions. Use the direction-planning example to prepare this part.
Early finishers: use the packet’s separate-sheet prompt to write a new scene in which Anika receives feedback on another design, with two observable words or actions and a note about what the scene can and cannot show.
Return: collect all four pages and any extension sheet in the location you name. Ask for brief notes on unfinished parts, directions repeated, support given and changes to time or materials. Review the work yourself before choosing the next teaching task.

For writing or argumentation practice

Open the evidence-writing collection or argumentation collection and use its teacher guide to choose a practice task students can complete with skills and routines already taught. If a task needs a new model, discussion or teacher prompts, teach it first or choose a complete independent reading activity instead. Keep later checks and answer keys with you; give the substitute and students only the files they need.

Support and adaptation

Use the printed assignment and approved local access supports. If a learner cannot use the provided format, consult the authorized plan or designated support person; do not improvise a different target or disclose private details in return notes.

Extension for the included account-comparison assignment

When the schedule permits, students can identify a second difference between the two accounts and support it with a detail. This extends the included comparison assignment using the same materials. For character-change cover work, use the new-scene prompt described in its packet and the handoff example above.

Choose a next move

Choose materials that fit the teaching goal and the student’s response.

Emergency Grade 6 ELA Cover Kit — Choose one of the two complete independent-use cover activities and its separate teacher notes.
Teach and Reteach Classroom Routines — Write established routines as observable steps in the handoff; verify the local procedures first.
Clear Directions and Language-Support Pack — Prepare clear steps and authorized supports for the selected independent task.
Character Change: Teach, Respond and Recheck — Choose the complete character-change cover activity and note prior use of its story.
Evidence Writing: Teach, Respond and Revise — Choose writing or revision practice students can complete with routines already taught.
Argumentation: Teach, Respond and Reconsider — Choose argumentation practice students can complete independently; keep later checks with the teacher.
Unit Rates and Fair Comparisons — Select familiar equivalent-ratio or unit-rate practice that learners can start with routines already taught.

Prepare familiar mathematics practice for a substitute

Use the equivalent-ratio and unit-rate collection when students have already learned the selected method and can begin with the class’s usual routines. A teacher-led model or a new reteaching task is not automatically suitable cover work. If independent practice is not yet appropriate, choose another familiar assignment.

Choose the practice and expected work

Equivalent ratios: revisit a task already practiced. Ask students to name both quantities, show matched groups or a labeled table, and explain the same factor applied to both quantities.
Finding a unit rate: revisit a familiar practice task. Ask for a labeled calculation or table and a sentence explaining which quantity the “one” names.
Comparing rates: revisit familiar practice. Ask for rates with the same units and direction, a decision for the stated goal, and an explanation of a tie or missing information when it applies.

Complete the existing handoff

Attach the exact student pages, necessary problem information and a familiar worked example if students normally use one. Write which task to complete, what work to return, the established supports and materials, the usual help route, and a locally verified finishing activity. One suitable finishing activity is to explain the same familiar solution using a second labeled representation; do not open later check files for early finishers.

Give the substitute only the relevant answer guidance through your usual staff route, separate from student copies. Ask for returned work and brief notes about prompts or support used. Cover work is practice; revisit unclear reasoning yourself before making a teaching decision. Keep readiness, independent-check, follow-up-check, later-revisit and transfer pages for their planned classroom use.

About the materials

Use the editable files to adapt the materials to your learners and local curriculum.

You may print, copy and adapt the resource for your planning and classroom use under our Terms of Use. Report a resource issue.