A sub tub is a bin, crate, or box that holds everything a substitute needs for your class. It stays in a spot your office knows about, so on an unexpected absence someone can grab it and go. Many sub tub ideas online are for elementary classrooms, so this guide focuses on grades 6-12.
What goes in a sub tub
- A sub folder. Schedule, seating charts, routines, and your contact information. Our sub plans template can be the first page.
- Ready-to-copy lessons. One lesson per course you teach, with copies already made if possible.
- Answer keys. Marked clearly and kept separate from student pages.
- Early-finisher cards. A stack of short tasks: writing prompts, brain teasers, reading questions.
- Basic supplies. Pencils, pens, dry-erase markers, tape, sticky notes, and index cards.
- Class lists or blank rosters. Subs can use them for attendance and notes.
- A note-back form. Space for the sub to report how the day went.
- School procedures. Emergency drill steps and the office phone number.
How to organize it
- Use one clearly labeled bin with a lid.
- Use a folder for each class or period, in schedule order.
- Put the folder with the schedule and routines on top.
- Add a card that says where the bin is stored, and tell the office and a colleague.
Ideas for the middle and high school age group
- Choose tasks that treat students as young adults, such as analysis, problem solving, and short writing.
- Include a few activities that do not rely on any one unit so they work all year.
- Add a quiet-work option for classes that struggle with group tasks.
Fill your tub fast
You can stock the lesson section from the free Substitute Plans lesson library. Filter by subject and grade, print the teacher PDFs, and place the student pages in the folder. For a more complete setup, read about building a substitute teacher binder.
Keep it fresh
Check the tub at the start of each semester. Replace used copies and update schedules, seating, and lessons.
Keep reading
- Free Printable Emergency Sub Plans (PDF) – how to print and pack the lesson folder.
- Easy Sub Plans for Middle and High School – what each folder’s plan should look like.
- Emergency Sub Plans: What to Include – the checklist behind the tub.
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.