Hi, I'm a NSW primary teacher. I've taught for 10 years and still do casual days, so I know the 7am phone call. New school, no work left, a class you've never met, and no book to build a lesson around. I made this kit for those mornings.
How it works
Pick your stage, choose a few activities and start teaching. Every activity runs on a whiteboard, paper and pencils. There's no book to track down and no tech to set up. Each stage has more activities than you'll need in a day, so you can choose what suits the class in front of you.
Use it again and again
The 12 printables aren't tied to one lesson. Use the character profile with any book, the KWL chart with any new topic and the tally and graph with any class survey. Keep a set in your bag and they'll come with you from school to school.
What's included
-
16 activities across three stages: 5 for K–2, 6 for Years 3–4 and 5 for Years 5–6, covering English, maths, science, geography, HASS, the arts, drama, PDHPE, design and technology, and STEM. Each one lists the steps, the subject and the printable it uses.
-
Support and extension ideas: additional support and extending lines on activities 1, 2, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13 and 16.
-
Extra ideas for any year: four quick maths games (Number of the Day, Buzz, Target Number, Estimation Station), four whole-class games and journal prompts for early finishers.
-
Casual survival page: a walk-in checklist for your first 15 minutes, attention-getters, a backup behaviour system you can draw on the board, and behaviour tips.
-
End-of-day note: a fill-in note to leave for the class teacher.
-
Sample day plan: morning, middle and afternoon sessions for K–2, Years 3–4 and Years 5–6, ready to match to the school's bells.
-
Curriculum links: to the Australian Curriculum v9 and the NSW English K–10 and Mathematics K–10 syllabuses (2022). The activities link to this content rather than fully cover it.
-
12 black-and-white printables: character profile, book review, word web, story map, KWL chart, PMI chart, Venn diagram, five senses chart, persuasive planner, narrative planner, tally and graph, and map template.
No printer? No problem.
New school, no photocopier code. Every activity can run from the board, and students can rule up the printable headings and boxes in their own books.
Who it's for
- Casual and relief teachers in K–6 classrooms
- Graduate and pre-service teachers building a casual kit
- Classroom teachers who want a plan ready to leave for a casual
- Teachers returning from leave
It's written for Australian classrooms, with NSW links for English and maths.
Already have the book study kit?
This kit works without a book. Its character profile, book review and word web are new; the other nine printables and the survival page also appear in Casual Teacher Tool Kit K-6 | Where Would You Go? Book Study. Together they give you 32 activities for a week of relief days.
Format: PDF, 20 pages. Grades K–6.
Meet the teacher
Hi, I'm Jorgia! I've been a primary school teacher in Sydney for 10 years. In that time I've taught as a K–6 classroom teacher, worked as a casual teacher, and led as a Stage 3 Assistant Principal. That mix means I know the classroom from every angle, from walking into a new school with no work left, to supporting teachers and planning for a whole stage.
I also have lots of experience implementing and teaching with technology, particularly Apple devices and Smartboards. I love helping students and teachers use technology in ways that make learning more engaging.
- Fully accredited teacher
- Stage 3 Assistant Principal
- Certified Apple Classroom Teacher
If you use it, I'd love to hear how it went. A quick review helps other teachers find Ponder and tells me what to make next.
