Name Informational text (RI.4.1-3) Germs: They re Big Trouble! Germs you ve probably heard them called bugs. But they don t crawl around, and you can t squash them. You can t even see them without a microscope. Tiny germs are big troublemakers. They sneak into your body and make you sick. Germs are actually a type of microbe, or one-celled living organism. Many microbes are beneficial. For example, they live in the stomach and help us digest food. Other microbes help bread rise and turn milk into cheese. But germs are the bad boys of the microbe family. Two types of germs, bacteria and viruses, cause sore throats, flu, chicken pox, ear infections, and many other illnesses. No one wants germs, but it s hard to avoid them because they re everywhere. How Germs Get Around What are two major ways of spreading germs? Your right hand and your left hand! Let s say Meg, a fourth grader, has a cold. She coughs and covers her mouth with her hand. This keeps some germs from flying through the air, but they get on Meg s hand instead. Afterwards, she touches the classroom computer, the pencil sharpener, and dozens of other objects. When classmates touch these objects, the germs contaminate their hands too. So how do germs on your hands get inside your body? It happens whenever you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. It s like opening a door and welcoming germs in. Handwashing Stops Germs Cold! We can t avoid germs, but we can make it harder for them to invade our bodies. How? By simply washing our hands frequently. Wash after using the toilet and before eating. Wash after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose. Wash after touching something dirty, like garbage, or even the family pet. You may think you know how to wash, but not everyone does it correctly. Here s how: Wet your hands under clean, running water, either warm or cold. Apply soap, and lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails. Scrub for at least 20 seconds. Time yourself by singing the Happy Birthday song twice. Rinse under clean, running water. Dry on a clean towel or air dry. Carry a pocket hand sanitizer for times you don t have soap and water. Sanitizers work best when hands aren t visibly dirty. Put enough sanitizer on your palm to cover your hands. Then rub them together for 15 seconds, or until they re dry. Frequent handwashing is the best way to fight off germs and keep from spreading them to others. There are so many ways germs can get on your hands, but only one way to get them off wash! Answer these questions on another sheet of paper. Can Stock Photo Inc/cuteimage Image courtesy of jackthumm at FreeDigitalPhotos.net Global Handwashing Day is October 15! 1. How are germs harmful to people? How can they be beneficial? 2. Which sentence in the second section tells how germs get inside a person s body? 3. Which word in the fourth paragraph means to enter in a way that causes injury or destruction? 4. What can you do if you don t have soap and water? 5. True or false: Germs are a type of microbe.
Answer Key Germs: They re Big Trouble! 1. Germs are harmful because they can make people sick. Germs can help our bodies digest food, can help bread rise, and can turn milk into cheese. 2. It happens whenever you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. 3. invade 4. You can use a hand sanitizer. 5. true
Name Direct quotations (L.4.2b) Soap to the Rescue Circle the sentence number if commas and quotation marks are used correctly. 1. Raise your hand if you ve been sick this school year, instructs Nurse Nia. 2. I see, responds the nurse. It looks like almost everyone has been sick. May 5 is World Hand Hygiene Day! 3. Being sick is not fun, says Nurse Nia. There is something each of you can do to stop the spread of germs. 4. I know what it is, declares Sid. My mom always tells me to wash my hands. 5. Your mom is a smart lady, replies Nurse Nia. Who knows the proper way to wash your hands? 6. I do, says Ava. You must always use soap! 7. And you need to make lots of suds, shares T. J. Then you need to rinse your hands in clean water. 8. You are both right Nurse Nia confirms. Who knows the proper way to dry your hands? 9. I do! says Maci. Use a clean towel or air dry them. 10. I have a question, interrupts Sid. Why does my mom get mad when I dry my hands on my clothes? Bonus Can Stock Photo Inc./akulamatiau Explain why you should not dry clean hands on clothing. Write the number of an incorrect sentence in each box. Then rewrite the sentence correctly. Note to the teacher: To investigate how germs spread and identify the germiest spot in your classroom, have students complete the science experiments Classroom Hot Spot and They Look Clean....
Answer Key Soap to the Rescue Sentences 1, 2, 5, 7, 10 are correct. 3. Being sick is not fun, says Nurse Nia. There is something each of you can do to stop the spread of germs. 4. I know what it is, declares Sid. My mom always tells me to wash my hands. 6. I do, says Ava. You must always use soap! 8. You are both right, Nurse Nia confirms. Who knows the proper way to dry your hands? 9. I do, says Maci. Use a clean towel or air dry them.
Certificate of Recognition awarded to on, 20 for understanding and practicing Healthy Hand Hygiene Image courtesy of Feelart at FreeDigitalPhotos.net. Remember: 4 Germs are easily passed from person to person. 4 Covering your mouth when you sneeze or cough and using hand sanitizer cuts down on the spread of germs. 4 The best way to limit the spread of germs is to wash your hands often. Can Stock Photo Inc./picturepartners
STEM the Germs! It s time to look at the science behind handwashing! With these printable resources, your students will investigate the connection between good health and handwashing by completing two exciting STEM-related experiments. Plus they ll build important Common Core skills in reading, language, and writing with ready-to-use activity pages that highlight the difference proper handwashing makes. Hands-On Investigations Two engaging science experiments explore how germs spread and answer the question What s the germiest spot in our classroom? Each experiment is featured in an easy-to-do format, with photos, step-by-step instructions, discussion questions, and extension ideas. Tip Scientists ask questions and design investigations that try to answer those questions. Then they try to make sense of the information they gather and share their findings with others. Encourage students to ask questions while they complete the experiments. Then, after each experiment, have students help you write a Science Newsflash! email to send to parents describing their observations and conclusions.
Common Core Activity Pages Continue the focus on handwashing for good health with engaging, ready-to-use worksheets. They re sure to build your students reading and writing skills while helping them learn the huge difference a little handwashing can make. Kindergarten Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grades 6 8 Grades 9 12 Tip Place a copy of each informational text page back-to-back with the page s answer key. Then slip the pages in a plastic sleeve and place it at a learning center. Students who finish their work early can visit the center and complete the activity, writing their answers on their own paper. Then they can check their work by flipping the sleeve over to reveal the answer key. Student Certificates Now that your students are handwashing pros, recognize their new knowledge with these colorful certificates. Kindergarten Grade 2 Grades 3 5
Classroom Hot Spot Which part of your classroom is the germiest? Materials unflavored gelatin sugar 5 cotton swabs 6 small paper cups plastic wrap permanent markers water class copies of the provided list measuring cup and spoons Getting Ready Bring ½ cup of water to a boil. Stir in 4 teaspoons of sugar and 4 teaspoons of gelatin until dissolved. Put an equal amount of the solution in each cup. Then immediately cover each cup with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Procedure 1. Share the provided list and have students discuss which five places they think are the germiest. When they come to a consensus, mark the places on the list. As an alternative, have students generate a list of five places around your classroom students frequently visit. 2. Ask students to hypothesize about which of the five selected places is the germiest. Have each child write his hypothesis in a science journal or on a sheet of paper. Where are the most germs in your classroom? computer keyboard computer mouse pencil sharpener paper towel dispenser sink countertop sink faucet knob soap dispenser student chair (back) student desktop water fountain toggle (spout) 3. Organize students in five groups and assign each group a location from the list. Give each group a covered cup and a marker. Direct the group to write the name of its location on the cup. Keep one cup unmarked (control). 4. Have each group take its cup to its location. Give each group a cotton swab and instruct them to carefully wipe the swab over the surface of their location. (Make sure students do not touch the swab s tip with their fingers.) Then have them peel back the plastic wrap and gently wipe the swab across the gelatin before re-covering the cup and throwing away the swab. 5. Place the covered cups in a dark location, such as a cabinet, closet, or even a large lidded box. 6. Each day for a week, provide time for students to observe the cups (photo of results) and record any changes occurring on the gelatin. (Mold will grow.) At the end of the week, have students use their observations to determine which location was the germiest (the one with the most mold on the gelatin) and assess their predictions. Can Stock Photo Inc./Vlue Can Stock Photo Inc./Imager Image courtesy of stuartmiles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
??? Discussion Questions Were you surprised by the results? Why or why not? Why do you think the germiest place was so germy? How might we reduce the number of germs in these places? Based on what you learned, what might be some germy places at your home? Why do you think so? Knowing what you now know about germs in our classroom, will this knowledge affect your handwashing behaviors at school? Why or why not? How could you use the information learned from this experiment to develop an argument for sanitizing classroom surfaces on a regular basis? What might be an effective way to share the information learned from this activity with the general public? Spread the Word! Have younger students draw a picture showing what happened during the experiment. Instruct the child to use the drawing to share with his family what the class did during the experiment and what was learned. Instruct older students to write a letter to a friend or teacher in another class, or to a family member. Have the student describe the experiment, what he learned from it, and how it will affect his hygiene habits. For Fun In advance, stir one to two teaspoons of colorful glitter into a bottle of PURELL Advanced Hand Sanitizer. When students aren t looking, squirt the hand sanitizer into your hands and rub them together. With much fanfare, pretend to sneeze into your hands. Then ask, What just happened? Congratulate the child who gives you the first correct response with a handshake. When you do, some of the glitter will transfer to the student s hand. Invite the child to shake another student s hand; then have that student touch a common classroom object, such as a computer mouse. Direct the students to examine their hands and tell what is on the mouse. (They will have glitter on them.) Explain to students that, just like the glitter, germs can be passed from person to person. Then ask how students might get the glitter off their hands (by washing them). Instruct the students to wash their hands and remind the class that the best way to keep their hands free of germs is to keep them clean. Can Stock Photo Inc./piedmont_photo
Where are the most germs in your classroom? computer keyboard computer mouse pencil sharpener Image courtesy of stuartmiles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net paper towel dispenser sink countertop sink faucet knob soap dispenser student chair (back) Can Stock Photo Inc./Imager student desktop water fountain toggle (spout) Can Stock Photo Inc./Vlue
They Look Clean In this experiment, students will work in groups to discover that looks can be deceiving when it comes to hand hygiene. Materials plastic tongs rubbing alcohol cloth spray bottle with water loaf of wheat bread (two slices per group*) two resealable plastic bags per group, plus one extra for the tongs permanent markers class supply of the provided recording sheet *Hint: You may want to have two separate loaves of bread available to ensure that the control bread ( tongs ) stays as germ-free as possible. Getting Ready Before working with students, disinfect the tongs by wiping them with a cloth that has been dipped in rubbing alcohol. Store the tongs in a resealable plastic bag until you are ready to use them. Then make copies of the recording sheet. Procedure 1. Have students examine their hands. Ask if they think their hands are clean. Encourage students to tell why they think so. Then tell students they will conduct a test to see if their hands are really clean or not. Guide students to complete the Question section of their recording sheets. 2. Organize students in groups of four; then assign each group a name or number. Direct students in each group to label both plastic bags with the group s name or number; then have them label one bag hands and the other bag tongs. 3. Instruct one student from each group to use the tongs to remove one slice of bread from the loaf. Guide the child to put it in the bag labeled tongs. Then have another group member spritz the bread slice three times with water before sealing the bag. 4. Have a third group member take a slice of bread and place it in the bag labeled hands. Guide the fourth group member to spritz the bread slice with water before sealing the bag. 5. Explain to students that the moist bread will grow mold and that a germier bread slice should grow more mold than one without a lot of germs on it. Ask students, What changes might happen to your slices of bread during the next few days? Provide time for students to share their hypotheses with their group members. Then have each child write her hypothesis on her recording sheet.
6. Place the bags in a dark closet or cupboard that students can easily access. (A lidded box works great if you are short on space.) 7. Once a day for the next four days, have students check the status of their bread slices and add their findings to their recording sheets. 8. At the end of the week, have students assess their predictions. Use the following discussion questions to lead students to a better understanding of germs and the need for repeated handwashing. Discussion Questions How were the tongs bread slices like the hands bread slices? How were they different? How might the results have been different if the tongs were dirty? Do you think the results would have been the same or different if each member of your group had touched the hands slice? Why or why not? Could this experiment have been done without the control bread slice? Why or why not? Would using a microscope change how the germ microbes might be compared in this activity? Why or why not? What did you learn from this experiment about how germs are spread? How will you use what you learned about germs and handwashing in the future? Where do you see soap and hand sanitizers in school? Why do you think they are found there? Based on what you learned from this activity, do you think there are enough, or should there be more? Why do you think so????
Spread the Word! Have each student trace his or her hands on colorful paper and cut out the tracings, or have the student cut out a colored copy of the handprint patterns. Direct the student to include the cutouts on a creative poster that reminds others to wash their hands. Encourage students to include information such as why handwashing is important, how germs are spread, or how to properly wash hands. Display the posters outside student restrooms, near water fountains, and in and around the cafeteria. Have small groups of students share their posters with other classes. Send the posters home for their kitchens or bathrooms. Copy the handprint patterns so each child has one. On a handprint pattern, have a student write something he or she learned from the activity. Provide time for the child to cut out the handprint and decorate it with crayons, markers, or glitter glue. Display the handprints in places students frequently visit in your classroom or school. What s the BEST way to stop spreading germs? WASH YOUR HANDS! For Fun Put a small spoonful of vegetable oil on a child s hand. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top of the oil and tell the child the cinnamon represents germs. Lead the student to a sink, turn on the cold water, and instruct the child to try to wash off the oil using only the cold water. Ask the child to feel his hands and tell the class how they feel (still oily) and if there are still germs on them (yes). Choose a different student and put the oil and cinnamon on his or her hands. This time, guide the student to wash his or her hands with warm water and soap. Have both students hold up their hands for the class to see and compare, noting that warm water and soap is more effective than plain water.
Name_ Recording sheet They Look Clean Question (What do we want to find out?) Hypothesis (What do I think will happen?) Can Stock Photo Inc/AlphaBaby Observations (What do I see and smell each day?) Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Conclusions (What did I learn?)
Handprint Patterns
Handprint Patterns