Middle School History Sub Plans That Teach Real Content
For middle school history teachers who need sub plans that keep the course moving, the XXL History Teaching Bundle – Grades 6 to 9 gives you informational texts, differentiated worksheets and answer keys for every unit, from ancient civilizations to the Cold War. It costs $249.90, downloads instantly, and leaves a substitute with something real to teach instead of a word search.
See the XXL history bundle →The XXL History Teaching Bundle – Grades 6 to 9 costs $249.90 and covers all major periods for a full year, from ancient civilizations to the Cold War and European integration. Every unit has informational texts, differentiated worksheets, source tasks, creative writing, editable files, answer keys and rubrics. For sub days, a text and its matching worksheet make a lesson a substitute can run without a history background.
The resources
XXL History Teaching Bundle, Grades 6–9
Start with the first resource; the others are optional add-ons. Open any cover for the full contents and price.
XXL History Teaching Bundle – Grades 6 to 9 | Complete Curriculum
World History: Complete Curriculum Bundle: Projects, Activities & Lessons (1000+ pages)
XXL Medieval History Bundle – Black Death, Feudalism & Society
Teach-Life-Balance: The Complete Time-Saving Course for Teachers (incl. Planner, Guides & Templates)
The real problem
Why most history sub plans waste a day
When you are out sick or at a training, the history lesson usually suffers. Substitutes rarely have a history background, so a plan that depends on you explaining a concept falls apart, and many teachers fall back on a video or a puzzle sheet that keeps students busy but moves nothing forward. Then you come back to a class a day behind and a stack of work you cannot use for grading. Good sub plans for history need three things. First, the content has to be on the page: a text students can read on their own, so the lesson does not depend on the person at the front. Second, the task has to be clear enough that a substitute can explain it in two minutes, and it has to work for the whole range of readers in the room. Third, you need a way to check the work quickly when you return, so the day counts. Emergency days make this harder, because you often write plans at night or early in the morning. Having material for each period of your course ready ahead of time is what turns a lost day into a normal lesson.
Why it fits
Why the XXL bundle works for sub days
The bundle was built as full-year material, but its structure suits substitute lessons well.
- Informational texts put the content on the page, so the lesson does not depend on the substitute.
- Differentiated worksheets let mixed readers work independently while you are away.
- Answer keys let you grade sub-day work fast and keep it as part of the course.
- Editable files let you add a short note for the substitute right on the worksheet.
- Every period is covered, so a matching lesson exists wherever your course happens to be.
- Creative writing tasks can fill a longer block when the substitute has extra time.
Getting started
Building a sub folder from it
A suggested way to set up sub plans before you need them. The bundle does not contain a sub folder; you assemble one from it.
- Pick one lesson per periodFor each period in your course, choose one informational text and its matching worksheet that students can handle without new teaching from you. Note the unit for each.
- Print and label setsPrint class sets of the texts and the differentiated worksheets, label them by period, and keep the answer keys in your own folder, not the sub's.
- Write a one-page sub noteKeep instructions short: read the text, complete the worksheet level assigned, hand in at the end. Add seating notes and who needs which level. Keep it on top of the folder.
- Add a backup taskInclude a creative writing task from the same unit for students who finish early. It keeps the room on topic for the whole period. Print a spare set too.
- Check and use the workWhen you return, grade the worksheets with the answer keys and treat the lesson as part of your sequence, not a lost day. Refresh the folder each term.
What to buy
What to buy for sub days
If you need sub plans across the whole year, the XXL History Teaching Bundle – Grades 6 to 9 at $249.90 also gives you your regular course. If you mainly teach world history in grades 6–10, the World History: Complete Curriculum Bundle ($249.90) offers workbooks, timelines and source analysis that also suit independent work. If a medieval unit is your only gap, the XXL Medieval History Bundle costs $19.99. Teach-Life-Balance ($89.90) is a separate course with planners and templates for teachers who want less evening planning.
Honest limits
What it does not do
The bundle is full-year course material; it does not include ready-made sub folders, substitute notes or seating plans, so you build those yourself. Printing is your job, and you should pick lessons students can manage without new instruction. Check the content against your own course requirements. The licence covers your own teaching; if your department wants a shared sub bank, message Teach Lessons first. If it is not a fit, you can exchange it within 7 days for store credit of equal value. There are no cash refunds.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is the bundle aligned to state standards?
No alignment or endorsement is claimed on this page, even though the product title calls it a complete curriculum. It is written for grades 6–9 and covers ancient to contemporary history. Check it against your own state or district requirements before you build your course around it.
Can a substitute with no history background run these lessons?
Yes, if you choose well. The informational texts carry the content, and the worksheets give students a clear task. Pick lessons that review or extend something you already taught, and leave a short note so the substitute knows which worksheet level goes to whom. Avoid lessons that introduce a completely new period.
How do differentiated worksheets help on sub days?
They let every student work without help from the teacher, because each can take a level that fits. You decide the levels ahead of time and note them in your plan, so the substitute only has to hand out the right sheets. Students who finish early can try the next level up.
Which periods does it cover?
Ancient civilizations including Greece and Rome, the Middle Ages, the early modern era, modern history including industrialization and democracy, and the contemporary era including WWII, the Cold War and European integration, plus skills training in source analysis and historical judgment. So whatever week you are away, a matching lesson exists.
Can I edit the worksheets for a substitute?
Yes. The files are editable, so you can add instructions, a due time or a note about which questions to skip. Keep the answer keys for yourself to grade the work when you are back. Saving an edited sub version next to the original makes it easy to reuse the same lesson next time.
What if I only need a few sub lessons?
Then a single unit may be enough, such as the XXL Medieval History Bundle at $19.99 or one of the $12.99 units. The XXL bundle makes sense if you also want your regular course material in one package. Check what is covered by any single unit before you buy, since each sticks to one topic and will not reach every period of your course.
Keep the course moving when you are out
Read the full XXL bundle description and decide whether it can carry both your regular lessons and your sub days.
See the XXL history bundle →