About VSVS – Front Page (New)
Who are we?
VSVS is a service organization composed of undergraduate, graduate, and medical students who are committed to bringing inquiry-based, hands-on science lessons to elementary and middle school students.
Our goals are to provide Vanderbilt students with an opportunity to explain science to school children, to help college students recognize their responsibilities for community service and the importance of volunteer service in schools, to provide role models for school children, to stimulate an interest in teaching as a profession, and to help kids develop a passion for science.
WHAT DO WE DO?
VSVS partners a team of 3-4 volunteers with a 5th – 8th grade classroom teacher from the Metro Nashville Public School System. Each team visits the same classroom 4 times per semester and teaches a different hands-on science lesson each week.Teachers stay in the classroom during lessons.
Lessons are:
- Designed to fit each grade’s curriculum
- FUN and easy for the volunteers to teach
- Enjoyable and informative!
Lesson materials are portable and SAFE: A manual with lesson plans is provided to every volunteer. Over 100 lessons have been written by VSVS over the years. The lessons taught in classrooms change each semester and are designed in accordance with the Science Curriculum Standards as set by the Tennessee Board of Education.
- Details of each lesson, including manuals and videos, can be found here. Robotics lessons are also offered at selected schools.
Spring 2026 applications are now open!
We are teaching Nashville Metro students in the classroom again this semester! Volunteer and teacher applications will be open until January 20, 2026.
Volunteer Applications (VU Students)
Volunteer Attendance Form
Volunteers, please have a group member fill out this attendance form after every lesson your group teaches!