A survival kit is a small bag you keep packed so you can take any substitute assignment without scrambling. This checklist is built for middle and high school assignments. Adjust it to your school, your subject, and your own habits.
Essentials for yourself
- Photo ID and any badge or paperwork your district requires
- Phone and a charger or small battery
- Water bottle and a snack or lunch
- A light sweater, since classrooms can be cold
- Any personal medication you need
- Comfortable shoes if you will be on your feet
Classroom supplies
- Pens, pencils, and a few highlighters
- Dry-erase markers and an eraser, since classroom markers are often dry
- Sticky notes
- Index cards, useful for name tents, games, and quick writing tasks
- A small notebook for names, notes, and the end-of-day report
- Masking tape or a few sheets of blank paper
- A timer or a phone timer
Paper to carry
- A blank note to the teacher page: how far each class got, which students helped, and anything to report
- A short list of the school’s contacts if you can get one
- A blank seating chart you can fill in if one is missing
Backup activities
Include two or three activities that need only paper and a pencil. Print a couple of free lessons from the Substitute Plans library in different subjects and grade ranges so you have something if the teacher’s plan is missing or finishes early. Our substitute teacher games and activity ideas need no materials beyond what is in this kit.
Keep it ready
- Store the kit by the door or in your car.
- Restock after each assignment.
- Check expiration dates on anything you pack to eat or take.
If you are just getting started, read first-time substitute teacher tips next.
Keep reading
- What to Do as a Substitute Teacher – how the kit gets used through the day.
- Substitute Teacher Classroom Management – strategies that need nothing in your bag.
- Substitute Teacher Interview Questions – prepare for the interview before you pack.
Browse free sub plans by subject: science, math, social studies, ELA, art, music and theater, PE and health, Spanish, French and German, technology, business and personal finance, CTE, speech, journalism and media, and advisory and study hall.