Despite your best intentions, there may be unexpected times when you cannot be at school or you have to be absent for longer than you had planned. This inevitability creates the need for emergency plans. First of all, if there is a situation where you must be away for a longer period than you anticipated, leave contact information so the substitute can speak to you, if possible. If that is not possible, make arrangements in advance with a colleague at school to be available for questions and assistance while you are absent. Your main concern should be that the students continue to make progress with the objectives you have developed for them. Students cannot afford to lose out on instruction time. Creating a file of emergency lesson plans that meet the class objectives, even if they do not exactly match the daily objectives, is essential. To accomplish this, consider: Sharing or exchanging lesson plans with colleagues who are teaching the same subject or grade level. Creating or locating extension activities based on the units you are teaching. Establishing with students that the lessons you leave with substitute teachers will be graded and count as part of the students' overall assessment. Saving some of the most creative, student-involved activities for your emergency plans. Leaving several alternative lessons and allowing the substitute teacher to make decisions about which ones might work best.