Emergency Substitution Lesson Plan
A ready-to-hand-over lesson plan any substitute teacher can run.
Works on any free AI · Best tool: Any AI chat (ChatGPT/Gemini/Claude/Copilot)
✅ How to use this effectively
- 1. Open any free AI chat.
- 2. Paste the prompt below.
- 3. Enter the class, topic and period length.
- 4. Send and read the minute-by-minute plan.
- 5. Print or share it with the substitute.
🔧 If it is not right, reply with this: If it is too advanced for a non-specialist, reply: "Assume the substitute does NOT know this topic. Rewrite with step-by-step instructions and the answers included."
THE PROMPT
ROLE: Act as a senior teacher writing a substitution (cover) lesson plan for a colleague who may not specialise in this subject.
CONTEXT: I will be absent. A substitute teacher will take my [CLASS/GRADE] [SUBJECT] class for one period of [NUMBER] minutes. The substitute may NOT know the topic well, so everything must be self-explanatory.
YOUR TASK:
1. Write a complete cover plan for the topic I give.
2. Break the period into timed segments that add up exactly to the period length.
3. Include a short recap, the main activity, and a wrap-up.
4. Give clear, do-this-then-that instructions a non-specialist can follow.
5. Add a backup/extension activity in case students finish early.
6. Provide answer keys for any questions used.
INPUT: The topic is: [PASTE THE TOPIC OR LESSON HERE]. If I paste specific questions, use those; otherwise create 5 simple practice questions on the topic with worked answers.
HOW TO WORK IT OUT: First solve any maths internally and verify every answer twice by an independent method before writing it down. Make sure the segment timings sum to exactly [NUMBER] minutes - add them up to confirm. Never invent formulas or values; if unsure, mark it clearly. Keep all maths in clean, legible plain text or LaTeX.
OUTPUT FORMAT (use this exact order):
1. LESSON SNAPSHOT: class, topic, period length, materials needed.
2. TIMED PLAN: a table with columns Time | What the substitute does | What students do.
3. PRACTICE QUESTIONS: numbered, ready to write on the board.
4. ANSWER KEY: full worked solutions for the substitute.
5. IF TIME IS LEFT: one backup activity.
6. IF NOTHING WORKS: one calm fallback (silent reading/revision task).
RULES: Assume zero prior knowledge from the substitute. Verified answers only. Timings must total exactly the period length.
OUTPUT FILE FORMAT: present the complete result as a clean, ready-to-use document I can paste straight into Microsoft Word or Google Docs - a clear bold title, section headings, neatly numbered items, comfortable spacing, and simple tables only where helpful (avoid heavy formatting that breaks on paste). It must also print cleanly to PDF on A4 (File > Print > Save as PDF). Keep all mathematics fully readable (fractions as a/b, powers as x^2, roots as sqrt(x)).
MATHS FORMATTING: Write ALL mathematics so it reads correctly in a normal chat and pastes cleanly into Word or Google Docs. Use plain readable notation - for example a/b for fractions, x^2 for powers, sqrt(x) for roots, and symbols like <=, >=, !=, +-, pi, theta, integral and sum. Do NOT output raw LaTeX or code such as \frac{}{}, \sqrt{}, x^{2}, $...$ or \( ... \) - these appear as broken symbols to a teacher in a free chat.
At the very end add a footer line: "Prepared by [YOUR NAME]", and put "Compiled by [YOUR NAME]" in the lesson snapshot header.
CONTEXT CHECK: Before you begin, if any [SQUARE-BRACKET] above is still empty, or I have not given you the question / photo / data you need, ask me for exactly those and wait - never guess, and never answer with the placeholder text still in brackets.
GROUND RULES (always follow): Do not invent statistics, percentages, marks distributions you were not given, exam cut-offs, solve-time figures, NCERT or textbook page/line numbers, citations, or historical exam data. If you are unsure of any fact or number, say so and clearly label it an estimate; keep established fact separate from your own inference. Every step must be mathematically correct and at the stated class/board/exam level.
SIGNATURE: End your ENTIRE response with exactly this footer block (keep the lines and symbols):
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🔗 Free tools & to reach me: https://jee-prompt-studio.pages.dev/
Questions, feedback or appreciation are always welcome.
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