VSVS Overview
Vanderbilt Student
Volunteers for Science
Pat Tellinghuisen,
Program Director & Advisor
http://studentorgs.vanderbilt.edu/vsvs
Introduction
VSVS is a service organization composed
of undergraduate, graduate, and medical
students who are committed to bringing
inquiry-based, hands-on science lessons
to middle-school students.
Vanderbilt Student
Volunteers for Science
Pat Tellinghuisen,
Program Director & Advisor
http://studentorgs.vanderbilt.edu/vsvs
Goals
Vanderbilt Student
Volunteers for Science
Pat Tellinghuisen,
Program Director & Advisor
http://studentorgs.vanderbilt.edu/vsvs
 Provide Vanderbilt
students with an
opportunity to explain
science to school children.
 Help college students recognize their
responsibilities for community service and
the importance of volunteer service in
schools.
 Provide role models for school children.
 Stimulate an interest in teaching as a
profession.
What Does VSVS Do?
 Partners a team of 3-4 volunteers with a 5th 8th grade classroom teacher in Metro Nashville
schools. (teachers stay in the classroom)
 Each team visits the same classroom 4 times
per semester and teaches a different hands-on
science lesson each visit.
 Lessons are both enjoyable and informative.
Vanderbilt Student
Volunteers for Science
Pat Tellinghuisen,
Program Director & Advisor
http://studentorgs.vanderbilt.edu/vsvs
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Designed to fit the grade’s curriculum.
Are FUN and easy for the volunteers to teach.
Lesson materials are portable (fit into 1 box) and SAFE.
A manual with lesson plan is provided for every volunteer.
 Over 100 kits/lessons available.
Lessons change each semester
All lessons are designed in accordance with the
Science Curriculum Standards as set by the
Tennessee Board of Education.
For 5th grade they might include:
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Cryogenics, Polymers, Properties of CO2, Iron in Cereal, pH, Conduction
Convection and Radiation
For 6th grade:
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Chemical Energy Conversions, Gravitational Potential Energy, Electrical
Conductivity, Electrical Circuits, Comets, Deep Ocean Currents
For 7th grade:
Vanderbilt Student
Volunteers for Science

Properties of Waves, Minerals, Igneous Rocks, Fossils, Diffusion, Blood Typing,
UV Light, Sound
For 8th grade or Physical Science:

Pat Tellinghuisen,
Program Director & Advisor
http://studentorgs.vanderbilt.edu/vsvs
Types of Chemical Reactions, Evidence of a Chemical Reaction,
Electromagnetism, Acids and Bases, Rates of Chemical Reactions,
Endothermic/Exothermic Reactions, Phase Changes in CO2, Light, Refraction,
Sound and Resonance
What else does VSVS do?
 Provide volunteers and lessons for after-school
science enrichment in science clubs.
 Teach high school ELL students.
 Teach 10-minute lessons to Vanderbilt
Children’s Hospital patients in their rooms, as
well as in clinics and open-classroom sessions.
 Teach 10-15 mini lessons at science “festivals”.
Vanderbilt Student
Volunteers for Science
Pat Tellinghuisen,
Program Director & Advisor
http://studentorgs.vanderbilt.edu/vsvs
(9/11 and MLK service days, VCH “We Care for Kids” day)
 Judge science fair projects.
 Partner with Adventure Science Center
teaching VSVS lessons.
TN-SCORE & VSVS
 VSVS provides TN-SCORE with
immediate access to outreach.
 All Vanderbilt TN-SCORE graduate students
are required to participate in VSVS.
 TN-SCORE students have completed 114
classroom visits in 11 schools.
Vanderbilt Student
Volunteers for Science
Pat Tellinghuisen,
Program Director & Advisor
http://studentorgs.vanderbilt.edu/vsvs
 2 IB World Schools, 3 magnet schools, 1 rural school,
several with high diverse populations, 1 high population
of ELL
 First new kit “What is Nano?” was developed
and delivered to students on June 4, 2012.
TN-SCORE & VSVS
 TN-SCORE students will be in Cheatham,
Dickson and Sumner counties starting Fall 2012.
 Pleasant View Elementary School (Cheatham County)
 Dickson Middle School (Dickson County)
 Station Camp High School (Sumner County)
 TN-SCORE graduate students will be presenting
VSVS via Skype.
 Springfield Middle School (Robertson County)
Vanderbilt Student
Volunteers for Science
Pat Tellinghuisen,
Program Director & Advisor
http://studentorgs.vanderbilt.edu/vsvs
 New kits in nanoscience and energy are being
developed and will be ready in Fall 2012.
So, what else does VSVS do?
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Work with Vanderbilt Aspirnaut program. (over 40 VSVS kits were
shipped to schools Arkansas and Maine. 104 VSVS lessons were taught via SKYPE
or Polycom)
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Vanderbilt Student
Volunteers for Science
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Provide the Hank Ingram House lessons and kits for their new
service initiative to Carter Lawrence Elementary school.
Work with the Vanderbilt Next Steps science classes.
Write letters of support for grant applications from research
faculty.
Work with the Vanderbilt Programs for Talented Youth.
Several undergraduate students participated in VSVS to fulfill
course requirements for Ethics 105.
Provide lessons and materials for other Vanderbilt student
groups. (Alternative Spring Break teams, MANNA, Dance Marathon activities,
Vanderbuddies Playday, and Best Buddies)
Pat Tellinghuisen,
Program Director & Advisor
http://studentorgs.vanderbilt.edu/vsvs
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Provide VSVS kits to teachers who do not have VSVS teams.
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TN-SCORE graduate students fulfill service requirements
through participation in VSVS.
VSVS -
Vanderbilt Student
Volunteers for Science
Pat Tellinghuisen,
Program Director & Advisor
http://studentorgs.vanderbilt.edu/vsvs
from 1994 to today
 VSVS was co-founded in 1994 by Dr. Melvin
Joesten, Emeritus Professor of Chemistry,
and Michael Schooling, a medical student.
 Since then, VSVS has reached over 71,000
children in 1,350 Metro Nashville school
classrooms.
 2011-12 marks the 6th consecutive year VSVS
had more than 600 volunteers.
 Currently reaches about 3,600 children per
semester.
“Most notable” user:
 Steve Spangler used our Magic Sand kit at a
teacher workshop in Colorado.
Vanderbilt Student
Volunteers for Science
Pat Tellinghuisen,
Program Director & Advisor
http://studentorgs.vanderbilt.edu/vsvs
Faces of VSVS