Yay! It’s almost summertime here in the US. It’s almost time for school to be out (if you’re not out already). So, the question comes up, what should science teachers do on summer break?
If you are thinking NOTHING, you are not wrong. You do you! It’s a time to recharge for sure!
If you are looking to make plans because you like to stay busy, I have got you! Here are 5 different things that you can do over summer break! I think I’ll do all FIVE!
What Should Science Teachers Do on Summer Break? – 5 AWESOME THINGS!
Rest and Relax
Even if you like to stay busy, this is a must! You must recharge.
Even if you have to teach summer school or have various professional developments to attend, there is still plenty of time for resting and recharging.
So, what does rest and relaxation consist of? Well, this could be sleeping in, binging TV series, disconnecting altogether, cooking your favorite meals, taking long walks, hanging out with the family, enjoying your morning coffee without it getting cold, exploring the outdoors, getting your exercising in, jamming to your favorite music in the middle of the day, going on more dates with your “boo”, and I could go on and on!
What do you like to do to rest and relax? Do what you love this summer!
Travel
There’s just something about traveling that helps you to recharge! It’s just nice to do something different for a change.
Sometimes, even in the summer, there isn’t a lot of time to do things, but you can make it happen!
- If you like traveling to other countries, book that trip!
- If you want to visit a national park to recharge, book that trip!
- Maybe you have a favorite spot a few hours down the road. Book that trip!
- Don’t have the money to book these expensive hotels and take a week-long vacation? Drive to a local amusement park for the day.
Do whatever type of travel you can to fit your schedule and budget. Go somewhere different and enjoy a long vacation or a mini one!
Staycations are nice too!
Professional Development
I know, I know! You are trying to take a break, but hear me out. A good professional development isn’t work! If you truly enjoy something, and it’s your passion (like teaching science), professional development is a lot of fun!
I know a lot of schools require certain professional development over the summer break, and they may not be your jam.
However, I want to share an awesome opportunity for science teachers for this summer. You MUST check out the Champions for Science PD. It’s FREE this year, and it is jammed packed with awesomeness!
Speaking of recharging, this PD is designed to give you best practices and inspiration to bring back any spark you lost during the school year!
Summer Science Movie Challenge
I’m excited to say that I will be starting a summer science movie challenge starting soon! Over the school year, there just isn’t a whole lot of time to watch movies. Can I get an amen?!
Sometimes you want to show a movie or a movie clip in your classroom, but you don’t have enough time to preview the movie and prepare a good activity for the class because you might have never seen the movie. You have to be careful what you show these days!
Well, the summer science movie challenge is where you can watch some of these movies you haven’t had a chance to watch before! Guess what? I haven’t watched all of them either so I’m joining in on this challenge with you, and I’m beyond excited! I’ll be starting again in Summer 2025, so join the email list, and stay tuned!
Stay Connected
If you are a science teacher, you likely love science, right? Stay connected to science and the science community over the summer.
How can you do this?
- Participate in a Citizen Science Project. SciStarter is a great place to look for a project to join. There are so many to choose from!
- Read some science blogs! Of course, there are tons of teaching ideas on Bright in the Middle, but I have some other favorites as well! I like The Trendy Science Teacher, Kesler Science, and Laney Lee Science. There are so many others. If you have any favorites, let me know! I’ll add them to this list.
- Not much of a blog reader? What about podcasts? Some of my favorites are STEM Everyday and NASA’s Curious Universe. I’m still looking for some good science teaching podcasts, so feel free to share if you know any!
- If you’re a journal reader, read those too!
Enjoy the resting, relaxing, and recharging this summer!
[…] Now, before you get to doing too much this summer, please rest and relax! Check out these things that teachers should do on summer break! […]