By planning your lessons in advance, you are prepared in the event you are ever absent. Since time is always at a premium, you'll be able to feel secure that your students are using their time wisely and that they are progressing on schedule. Your substitute will be grateful and it will help your students in the long run to remain on task. You might leave a lesson which you were planning to use yourself, or even design a few extra plans for the purpose of enrichment on the topics you are studying. Consider leaving a folder for your substitute with specific helpful notes about your students as well as the lesson itself. This is a case where being prepared is an example of excellent management that pays off immediately. More ideas for lesson plans can be found at the Teach in Florida website - www.teachinflorida.com/teachertoolkit/LessonPlans.asp