Hi, I'm a primary school teacher with 10 years of experience, and I've done my fair share of casual days. You know the feeling: you get the call, you arrive at a new school, and there's no work left. Eek!
That's exactly why I created this tool kit. It's the one I've used myself on many, many successful casual days, and the feedback from classroom teachers has been amazing. Now I'm sharing it with you!
How it works
Everything is built around one gorgeous picture book, Where Would You Go? by Alison Lester and Jane Godwin, created with the children of Yalingbu Yirramboi – The Royal Children's Hospital School. You don't even need to own the book. Simply borrow it from the school library or share a publisher-authorised read-aloud with the class. Then pick your year level and you're ready to go.
Use it again and again
This isn't a one-day plan. With activities for every stage from K to 6, you can use it for one class or five. Teaching Kindergarten on Monday and Year 5 on Thursday? This tool kit has you covered all week, and every time you're booked in the future.
What's included
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Printable title page: pop it in a display folder so the kit is always ready to grab.
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3-page activity cheat sheet: 16 engaging activities across K–2, Years 3–4 and Years 5–6, covering English, maths, geography, the arts, drama and PDHPE.
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Extra ideas for any year: quick maths activities, games and early finisher tasks for those spare moments.
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Built-in differentiation: additional support and extension ideas for every English and maths activity.
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Casual survival page: a walk-in checklist for your first 15 minutes, tried-and-tested attention-getters, a simple backup behaviour system, and behaviour management tips from an experienced teacher.
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End-of-day note: a ready-to-fill note to leave for the classroom teacher (they love this!).
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Sample day plans: Morning, Middle and Afternoon sessions mapped out for each stage.
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Curriculum links: mapped to the Australian Curriculum v9 and the NSW English and Mathematics syllabuses.
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12 black-and-white printables: 3 book-specific templates, plus 9 reusable templates you can use with any book or lesson: a 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!
It's not always easy to print at a new school, so every activity can run straight from the whiteboard. Students can rule up the printable headings in their own books.
Perfect for
- Casual and relief teachers
- Graduate and pre-service teachers
- Classroom teachers who want an emergency plan ready to leave behind
- Teachers returning from leave
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
I'd love to hear how this tool kit helps you on your casual days, so please leave a review and let me know!
