Part of Lesson Plan: Hand washing

Activity Overview / Details

Materials:

Rubber chicken, other items to pass, Glitter Bug powder, blacklight stick, extension

cord, telephone, an apple or other fruit and a sandwich

1. Prior to arriving, sprinkle Glitter Bug Powder on rubber chicken and other

items including handouts. Rub on well so it is invisible. Pass items around the

room for all to touch without telling them about the Glitter Bug powder.

2. After all have touched the items, tell them that the items had fake germs on

them that will glow under blacklight.

3. Turn out lights and take ultraviolet light around room or have participants

come forward to observe their hands under the blacklight.

4. Use the blacklight stick to trace the “germs” from the objects to their hands,

face, tables etc.

Script:  Before the presentation started, I sprinkled a substance called Glitter-Bug

powder around the room. Even though the powder is all over in the room, the only

way we can see it is by using an ultraviolet light. Germs  are a lot like this

powder. Germs can be everywhere, even though we can’t see them

without the use of a microscope.

Remember the rubber chicken? When you touch a real raw chicken, where do the

germs go?

How about picking up a sandwich after touching raw meat and not

washing your hands – where do the germs go? (Using a real sandwich has a better

effect.)

What about cutting up a raw chicken on the counter (demonstrate with

rubber chicken). Now I put my sandwich on the counter (where the chicken was)

when I go to answer the phone. And how about the chicken juice on the phone?

After using the toilet and toilet paper and then not washing hands, you may have

bacteria on your hands. Then pick up a sandwich. Again, where do the germs go?

You ingest them. That’s what makes you sick – also touching your

mouth, nose or eyes gives the germs a way to get inside your body.