Let’s be real: planning one week at a time feels a lot like trying to cook dinner while your kitchen’s on fire. You’re dodging emails, managing behavior, and tweaking tomorrow’s lesson during lunch. For years, that was me, barely keeping up, always scrambling.
Then I discovered batching. And I will never go back.
What is batching?
Batching is simply grouping similar tasks and tackling them all at once. Instead of planning one lesson per day (hello, burnout), I sit down and map out four weeks of science at a time. That’s 20 school days of learning, done in one go.
It might sound intimidating, but stay with me… it’s actually the key to saving time, reducing stress, and finally feeling on top of your game.
Step 1: Start With the Big Picture
Before I batch-plan, I always zoom out. What’s the unit? What standards are we hitting? Are there labs, review days, assessments? I sketch the skeleton first, just a rough outline of what we need to cover and when.
This helps me avoid overstuffing the week (which I always did when planning daily) and keeps the pacing realistic.
Step 2: Batch the Planning, Not the Perfection
This is where it gets fun. I set a timer and knock out all four weeks’ worth of lesson frameworks in one focused session. I’m not obsessing over slides, fonts, or handouts. I’m building the plan.
Each day gets a goal, a type of activity (lab, notes, demo, etc.), and any materials I’ll need. Once the whole month is mapped, I go back and fill in the details during smaller prep blocks.
Step 3: Build Reusable Systems
The secret sauce? I reuse a lot. I have templates for warm-ups, exit tickets, station activities, and review games. When I’m batching, I’m not reinventing, just plugging into systems I already know work.
And honestly, that’s what makes this doable. Batching doesn’t mean “new and fancy.” It means “planned and purposeful.”
Why It’s Worth It
Batching lessons has given me back my Sundays. It’s helped me spot where students might need extra support before it’s too late. It’s freed up time to reflect, adjust, and actually enjoy teaching again.
And best of all? It makes the day-to-day feel calm and predictable… which is no small thing in a middle school science room.
If You Try One Thing This Month…
…let it be batch-planning. Even if you start with just two weeks. Set aside an afternoon, make a plan, and breathe a little easier.
Your future self (and your students) will thank you.
ezpz-science.com 