Handshake Hazard activity
- Type:
- Classroom activity
- Age level:
- 7 years +
- Topic area:
- Pathogens, microbes, health, influenza (flu), viruses, bacteria, hygiene, hand washing.
- Description:
A hands-on classroom activity for Key Stage 2 students that aims to support the teaching of microbes and hand hygiene. This interactive, practical activity demonstrates how microbes, such as bacteria and viruses, can be spread through hand to hand contact.
Using a special UV gel, students can visualise how easy it is to spread microbes through hand to hand contact. The activity goes on to demonstrate the impact of handwashing to highlight the importance of hand hygiene in preventing the spread of infection.
This activity can be used as an interactive classroom session when discussing topics on bacteria or viruses, e.g. influenza (flu). It can also be used as a science week activity or demonstration.
- Key words:
Pathogens, bacteria, viruses, flu, influenza, spread of infection
Running the activity:
- Estimated Teaching Time: 20 – 30 minutes
- To run this activity, you will need:
- Glo Germ™ gel or equivalent*
- Soap
- Warm water
- Paper towels
- UV torch
- Worksheets (optional)
- Flipchart or whiteboard
- Stickers, e.g. coloured dots or stars
- Lab coats (optional – to prevent clothes getting dirty)
If Glo Germ™ (or equivalent) and UV torches are unavailable, you can substitute this with either a non toxic children’s paint or a mixture of vegetable oil and glitter.- Full instructions are provided in the Teachers’ notes.
Credits
This activity has been adapted from the e-bug activity Hand Hygeine. (www.e-bug.eu)Content: Francesca Gale
Graphics: Alex Bennett and Preeti Deshpande
Support Links:
Related items:
Curriculum links:
This activity supports the following modules on the UK curriculum.
Click on the arrows below for further detail of the module.
Web links:
Additional sources of information on the web for teachers and students to increase their knowledge base on DNA, genes and genomes.
