The Association of Future Science Educators is a club for future science teachers, K-12. We are a student chapter of NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) and affiliated with the campus Association of Future Educators club. The AFSE will host monthly meetings. All AFE members are invited to attend our events and AFSE members are invited to attend AFE events. A calendar of area science education events is posted on the Science Education Department website (scienceteaching.org). Visit the site and find out what's going on this semester!  [Calendar of Area Science Education Events & Future Meetings]

The AFSE club is designed to provide a home for Liberal Studies science concentrators and Single Subject Science Credential Candidates. Our intention is to host monthly meetings which focus on professional development, teaching strategies, and issues of interest to K-12 science teachers. As part of membership in AFSE-Student Chapter of NSTA students are entitled to one free year of membership in the National Science Teachers Association. With the NSTA membership comes a journal (Science & Children, Science Scope, or The Science Teacher), reduced registration rates for annual conferences, and a discount for NSTA products.

The first meeting of the AFSE took place on Monday, September 16. More than 50 students joined in on the fun. After eating pizza and learning about the club, students rotated through four stations. Three were hands-on science stations and the fourth was to fill out paperwork to become an NSTA member and find out about other science teaching events this fall. Door prizes were given away (textbooks, curricular materials, LBUSD science standards and more!). Crisanne Hazen, Laura Henriques, Catherine Martin, Maureen McMahon, Bruce Perry and Bill Ritz led the evening's events.

You can view future events on the Calendar as well as seeing descriptions and pictures from past events.  RSVP to Crisanne for future events!
 

Station 1: Primary Life Science Investigations with Snails, A Snail Circus! Bill Ritz (Science Education) led participants through a series of activities with live snails. Participants observed snails, found out what sort of environment they prefer, how they climb strings and more. Students also learned about Head Start on Science, a program to help Head Start centers incorporate science into early childhood experiences.

Station 2: Middle Elementary Earth Science Rock & Roll: Identifying Rocks & Minerals Bruce Perry brought along rocks and minerals for students to test and identify. Tied to California Science Standards, this activity is one that is done in many 4th grade classrooms. Bruce offered his services to future teachers as they begin to incorporate Earth Science into their curriculum.

Station 3: Middle School/High School Physical Science May the Force Be With You! Laura Henriques shared demonstrations and activities related to forces and Newton's Laws. Students made pens and eggs dive as they saw how Newton's First Law (objects at rest stay at rest) plays out in the real world. Circular motion and the forces needed to change an object's straight line motion were examined next.

Station 4: Becoming Active Professionally  NSTA, Future Events & Door Prizes Maureen McMahon got students to complete the NSTA complimentary membership application, discussed area science teaching events and answered questions about the Science Education Department. After each session door prizes were given. There were lots of happy winners! SEE A CALENDAR OF AREA EVENTS FOR THIS SEMESTER!