Science With Mrs. Watring

Summer is your time to rest, recharge, and reclaim your energy—but for many teachers, the back-to-school thoughts start creeping in long before the calendar says August. This checklist is designed to help you ease back into school prep without the stress spiral. By tackling small, intentional tasks throughout the summer, you can avoid last-minute panic and start the new year feeling organized, confident, and calm. Spread these tasks out over the summer break or choose a date later in the summer to start prepping. 📦 1. Reflect and Reset ☐ Jot down what worked well last year (Think: classroom routines, student engagement, tech tools, etc.) ☐ Note what you'd like to improve (Don’t worry about solving it yet—just acknowledge it.) ☐ Clear out last year’s digital clutter Archive Google Classrooms, organize your Drive, and delete old files you’ll never use again. ☐ Write a “wins list” Remind yourself of 3–5 meaningful moments or accomplishments from last year. 🗂️ 2. ...

 Summer is a much-needed break for teachers — not just to catch up on course prep, but to truly rest, recharge, and take care of yourself. Teaching is one of the most rewarding jobs out there, but it’s also one of the most demanding. You give so much of your energy, patience, and creativity throughout the school year, and the summer break is the perfect time to refuel your own tank. So instead of filling your summer with “should-dos,” how about trying this fun and refreshing summer bucket list? These 10 ideas focus on self-care, playfulness, and joy—because when you nurture yourself, you’ll return to your classroom energized and ready to inspire. 1. 🧖‍♀️ Have a “No Alarm Day” Forget the early mornings and rushed breakfasts. Choose at least one day where you let your body wake up naturally — no alarms, no schedules. Stay in comfy clothes, savor your morning coffee or tea like it’s a luxury spa treatment, and just enjoy the slow pace. Trust me, your body will thank you. 2. 🌿 ...

 As a virtual science teacher, one of my biggest goals is to keep students engaged—even when they’re learning from home. I knew I wanted a meaningful, hands-on experience that would wrap up our content without a traditional test. That’s where the idea for my Choose-Your-Science Fair Project came from! 🌟 Why I Made This Project Let’s be real—final exams can be stressful, especially in a virtual or hybrid setting. I wanted to give my students ownership of their learning while encouraging creativity, inquiry, and real-world application of science. This project is designed to let students explore a topic that interests them, while still hitting key science standards. Bonus? It keeps things low-stress, high-engagement, and accessible to students with a range of strengths. 🛠️ How I Created It I started by brainstorming project options that: Could be done at home with simple materials Represent different branches of science (life, physical, Earth/space, etc.) Encourag...

When discussing the struggles of my first year in the classroom with other educators, I was met with the same response: “Your first year teaching is the hardest! After that it gets easier”. Well, from my experience, they had it wrong. Hello! My name is Mrs. Watring and I started blogging to share my teacher-created resources with other teachers and parents and share my experiences in the classroom and my thoughts on education. I am passionate about education and believe that students deserve quality learning experiences from teachers who feel confident and prepared to teach the content. Year 1 During my first year of teaching, I felt confident in providing quality learning experiences for my students. While I struggled with students staying on task or managing student behaviors, all-in-all the first year was so easy looking back now. Sure, I did have a student sniff diluted hydrochloric acid that we were using for a chemical weathering lab, but the issues in year 1 are small pota...