Grade 3-5

Health Education

BIG QUESTION:

What can you do to protect yourself and others from germs?

ENGAGE

How do germs spread?

This week we'll focus on germs, hand washing and disease prevention.

Hand washing is an important hygiene practice because it is the best way to keep you and others from getting sick and from spreading germs.

Hand washing is one of many healthy habits to practice each day.

Read and Listen

EXPLORE

Problem: How does soap interact with water?

Materials:

2 small bowls
Water
Pepper
Dish washing soap

In this experiment you will learn how soap gets rid of germs.

Procedure:

Squeeze a tiny bit of dish soap (about the size of a quarter) into one bowl. Set the bowl aside for a few minutes.
Fill the other bowl with about an inch of water.
Sprinkle pepper into the bowl filled with water. You don't need a lot of pepper just sprinkle it evenly across the surface.Try not to sneeze! The pepper flakes should float, not sink, upon the surface of the water. In this experiment, the pepper flakes will represent the germs.
Put the tip of your finger into the dish soap. Cover your fingertip with soap.
Place the soap covered fingertip into the middle of the dish with the water and pepper.
What happens? How does this experiment explain how soap gets rid of germs?

Germs and Hand Washing

Click through the slides for the complete lesson on germs, hand washing and disease prevention including information on the Coronavirus.

My Healthy Habits_3-5_Handwashing

SKILL PRACTICE: Hand Washing

You can help yourself and others stay healthy by washing your hands often, especially during these key times when you are likely to get and/or spread germs:

*Before preparing and eating food *Before and after treating a cut or wound

*After using the toilet *After touching garbage

*After sneezing, blowing your nose or coughing *After touching an animal

Handwashing steps

REFLECT

MY GERM SHIELD

You have the power to promote health, prevent infection and protect yourself and others from germs.

Directions:

On a piece of paper or cardboard, do you best to draw the germ shield to the left.
Write your name in the banner above the shield.
In the box in the upper left hand corner, use your imagination to draw a germ.
In the next two boxes, draw or write one rule for good health.
In the last box, list the names or draw pictures of the trusted adults who can help you make healthy choices.

Habits for Good Health

VOCABULARY

Hygiene: any practice or activity that is done to keep the body healthy and clean. Washing your hands, sneezing into your elbow and and brushing and flossing your teeth are examples of good hygiene.

FUN FACT: Hygieia was the Greek goddess of health, cleanliness and sanitation, so it's not hard to see where the word hygiene comes from.

Germs: tiny organisms, or living things, that can cause disease. Germs are so small that they can get into the body without being noticed. There are 4 main types of germs: bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa.

Bacteria: very small, single-cell germs. Some bacteria are helpful like the bacteria that live in your digestive system and help with food digestion. Other bacteria can cause illnesses like strep throat and Lyme disease.

Virus: a very tiny germ that can can make copies of itself inside another organism's cells and cause disease. Viruses are much smaller than bacteria and can cause illnesses like the common cold, flu and coronavirus.

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