SUBSTITUTE TEACHER TOPICS FOR TALKERS AND THE BORED

What do you do as a substitute teacher when students finish their assigned work only minutes after was handed out?  Put together a packet of ideas that includes a list of assignments that can be listed by number on the blackboard. When a student is ready for something new, and the classroom teacher did not provide more work, turn his or her mind to one of the numbered items on the whiteboard.

Examples:

• Find the meanings of these words: emulate, arrogant, ascetic, tolerant, dogmatic.

• Locate the titles and names of the persons in the President's cabinet.

• Find the name of the head of state in Britain/France/Russia/Germany . . .

• In one paragraph, give information about Bjorn Borg/Tiger Woods/Toni Morrison/George W. Bush/Gregor Mendel . . .

• About what percentage of the Earth's surface is covered by water?

• Which of these animals do you think will generally live the longest: mosquito, barn owl, alligator, zebra, or an ant?

• Is coral an animal, a plant, or neither?

• How long a line can an average 7-inch pencil draw (1-inch stub remaining)?

• Which kills more people in the United States each year, bullets from handguns or traffic crashes?

• Can your bones be considered part of your circulatory system?

• What does the appendix do?

• What is your body's largest organ? Second largest?

• How many bones are in your body?

• What is the largest African country in terms of area?

• Which European country (excluding Russia) has the largest population?

• Which Asian country has the largest population?

• Where is the tallest mountain in the world?

• Who or how was the world created?

• Is there a God?

Of course, many other brief and interesting ideas can be added to this list.