Substitute Teacher Guide • Grade 12 • Phase 1, Unit Y1: Kickoff & Planning Systems
Assigning Sections & Roles — Day 2 of 2
Today's focus: Planning
⚠️ Heads-Up: This is a community project
Unlike a solo studio project, the yearbook only works if the whole class communicates, follows through on assigned sections, and treats classmates as teammates rather than competitors. Build in real check-ins, not just a due date.
✅ Before Students Arrive
- Materials needed today:
- Section sign-up sheet (shared Doc or physical)
- Section plan template
- Teacher Approval Checklist (reference)
- Most students keep their class notebook at its usual spot in the room and use it every day (see routine below) -- but it's each student's own notebook, so a few may bring theirs from home instead. Either way, everyone should have one out.
- Write today's Do Now on the board before the bell rings (see below).
📓 Daily Notebook Routine (students already know this)
Keep this going every day, in your class notebook: date today's entry, jot your Do Now response, add any new vocabulary word(s) from today's Key Vocabulary section (word + a quick picture + a simple definition in your own words), and take 60 seconds to sketch something connected to today's topic. This notebook is yours to study from, reference on projects, and pull evidence from later for your portfolio.
🗣️ Opening: Do Now
Write or project this, and have students start immediately:
“What does your section need most from the class right now?”
📋 Class Plan (step by step)
-
Step 1 — 7 min
🗣️ Say: "Here's what we're doing next." Then read the instructions below to the class.
📋 Peer check (7 min): swap plans with another team for a quick sanity check.
-
Step 2 — 8 min
🗣️ Say: "Here's what we're doing next." Then read the instructions below to the class.
📋 Submit for approval (8 min): finalize and submit using the class checklist.
🔑 Vocabulary Introduced Today
- Teacher Approval
- Sign-off required before a section moves from planning into production.
✅ Wrap-Up: Exit Ticket
A few minutes before the bell, say: "Time to finish your exit ticket."
“What is the single biggest risk to your section not being finished on time, and what will you do about it?”
Collect exit tickets (or have students leave them in the usual spot) for the regular teacher to review.
⏳ If You're Short on Time
Protect the Do Now and the Exit Ticket above all else -- those are how the regular teacher tracks daily progress. If a step above is optional/homework, or is a "share out"/discussion step, shorten or skip it first.
⏳ If Students Finish Early
Have them keep working in their notebook: add extra detail to today's vocabulary sketch, review previous vocabulary, or -- if this is a portfolio update week for this class -- work on their portfolio. Early finishers should never be idle or distracting to classmates still working.
📝 For the Regular Teacher (fill in ahead of time)
- Regular teacher's name / how to reach them: ______________________________
- Where finished work / exit tickets go: ______________________________
- Front office extension / emergency contact: ______________________________
- Anything else this class needs to know today: ______________________________