# Lesson 152: How germs spread

🔬 SCIENCE (40 Lessons) • 🟣 D. Our Body and Health

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## Objective

I can explain in simple words what germs are, tell how they can spread, and choose healthy habits like handwashing and using a tissue to help stop germs.

## Materials

- Simple pictures of children washing hands and coughing into an elbow
- Soap (real or pretend) and a sink or bowl of water for practice
- Tissues or small paper squares
- Crayons, markers, or coloured pencils
- Notebook or science journal for germ safety notes

## Mini-lesson — How germs spread

We cannot see germs with our eyes, but they can still be on our hands, on objects, and in the air. Some germs can make us feel unwell.

What are germs?

- Germs are tiny living things that are too small to see.
- Some germs can make our bodies feel sick.
- Our body has ways to fight germs, but we can also help by keeping clean.

How do germs spread?

- When we cough or sneeze without covering, tiny drops can carry germs into the air.
- When we touch our mouth, nose, or eyes, germs can move onto our hands.
- When we touch doorknobs, toys, or tables, germs can move from our hands to objects.
- When we share cups, bottles, or food, germs can move from one person to another.

How can we stop germs?

- Wash hands with soap and water, especially before eating and after using the toilet.
- Cough or sneeze into a tissue or into your elbow, not into your hands.
- Throw used tissues into the bin and wash hands.
- Try not to touch your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Handwashing steps

- Wet hands with clean water.
- Add soap and rub hands together to make bubbles.
- Scrub palms, backs of hands, between fingers, and around thumbs.
- Rinse with water and dry hands on a clean towel.

When you use good habits, you help keep yourself and others healthier.

Picture strip: Germs and clean hands

Germs on hands

Washing germs away

## Guided Practice — Follow the germs and stop them

You will learn to notice how germs spread and practise stopping them with clean habits.

1. Talk about germs: With an adult, say what you think germs are. Then listen as they explain that germs are tiny living things that can sometimes make us sick.
2. Follow the germ story: Draw four pictures that show a short story, such as: child coughs into hands → touches a door → another child touches the door → touches their nose. Talk about where the germs moved.
3. Change the ending: Now draw a new ending where the child washes hands or coughs into their elbow instead. Show how this helps stop germs.
4. Practise handwashing steps: At a real or pretend sink, slowly act out wet, soap, scrub, rinse, dry. Say each step out loud.
5. Practise tissues and elbows: Pretend to sneeze into a tissue, then throw it in the bin and wash hands. Then pretend to sneeze into your elbow if no tissue is near.
6. Use the tracing pad: Choose words like germs, hands, soap, clean, sneeze, or healthy and trace them carefully.
7. Say a safety sentence: After tracing, say a sentence such as "Washing my hands helps stop germs." or "I cover my cough to keep others safe."

Tracing Pad
Lines
Trace
Pen

## Practice 1 — Sort clean and risky habits

Decide which habits help stop germs and which habits can spread germs.

1. On a page, draw two boxes and label them "Helps stop germs" and "Can spread germs".
2. With an adult, think of different habits, such as: washing hands before eating, sharing a water bottle, coughing into your elbow, sneezing into the air, using a tissue, never washing hands after the toilet.
3. Write or draw each habit on a small card. Place the card in the box that fits best.
4. Circle or colour the habits that you want to practise every day to help stop germs.
5. Talk about one habit you can change, such as not sharing cups or remembering to wash hands after blowing your nose.

## Practice 2 — Make a handwashing steps poster

Create a small poster that shows the steps for washing hands clearly.

1. At the top of your page, write a title such as "How I Wash My Hands".
2. Think of the steps you use, for example: wet hands, add soap, scrub, rinse, dry.
3. For each step, draw a small picture and write a short label, such as "Add soap" or "Scrub between fingers".
4. Put numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 in order to show the sequence.
5. Colour your poster and hang it near the sink as a reminder to wash hands well.

## Practice 3 — Cough, sneeze, and share safely

Practise safe choices when you cough, sneeze, or share objects with others.

1. Draw two simple scenes side by side. Label one "Not safe" and one "Safe".
2. In the not safe scene, you might show a child sneezing into the air or sharing a drink bottle. Talk about what germs might do in this picture.
3. In the safe scene, show a child sneezing into a tissue or elbow, throwing the tissue in the bin, and washing hands. You can also show each child with their own cup.
4. With an adult, practise saying sentences such as "I will use my own bottle." and "I will cover my cough to keep germs away from others."
5. At the bottom of the page, write one promise to yourself, such as "I will wash my hands before eating."

## Quick Check — How germs spread

Answer each question about germs, handwashing, and healthy habits.

1) What are germs?

Big rocks we can see on the ground. Tiny living things that are too small to see. Only pieces of dust.
Germs are very tiny living things that we cannot see without special tools.

2) Some germs can...

Turn us into animals. Make our hair grow faster. Make our bodies feel sick or unwell.
Some germs can make people feel sick or unwell.

3) Which action can spread germs?

Coughing into your hands and then touching a door. Washing your hands with soap. Keeping tissues in the bin.
Coughing into hands and then touching things can move germs to the door.

4) Germs can move from person to person when we...

Look at each other. Share cups or bottles. Wave from far away.
Sharing cups or bottles can move germs from one mouth to another.

5) Why do we use soap and water on our hands?

To make our hands feel sticky. To change the colour of our hands. To wash away dirt and germs.
Soap and water help wash away dirt and germs from our hands.

6) When should you wash your hands?

After using the toilet and before eating. Only once a week. Only on your birthday.
Washing after the toilet and before eating helps stop germs from getting into your body.

7) What is the best way to cover a cough or sneeze?

Cough into the air. Use a tissue or cough into your elbow. Cough onto your friend.
Using a tissue or your elbow helps keep germs from flying into the air.

8) After you use a tissue, what should you do?

Put it back in your pocket. Leave it on the table. Throw it in the bin and wash your hands.
Tissues go in the bin, and then you wash your hands to remove germs.

9) Which habit helps stop germs from spreading?

Using your own cup and bottle. Sharing the same spoon with everyone. Never washing your hands.
Having your own cup or bottle helps keep germs from moving between people.

10) What should you try not to touch with unwashed hands?

Your shoes. Your eyes, nose, and mouth. Your backpack.
Germs on your hands can enter your body through your eyes, nose, and mouth.

11) Which list shows good germ safety habits?

Sharing cups, never washing hands, sneezing into the air. Licking your hands, never using tissues, touching everything. Washing hands, using tissues, coughing into your elbow.
Washing hands, using tissues, and coughing into your elbow are all good germ safety habits.

12) A child says, "I sneezed into my hands. What should I do now?"

Wash my hands with soap and water. Wipe my hands on my friend. Do nothing and keep playing.
Washing with soap and water removes germs from their hands.

13) Why is it kind to use germ safety habits?

So only you can get sick. To help protect yourself and other people from germs. So you never have to wash again.
Good habits help keep you and others healthier and safer from germs.

14) Which set of words all match the topic of this lesson?

Car, train, bicycle. Mountain, river, cloud. Germs, handwashing, tissues, soap.
Germs, handwashing, tissues, and soap all belong to this lesson.

15) Why is it important for children to learn about how germs spread?

So they can use healthy habits to help stop germs. So they can spread germs on purpose. So they never wash their hands again.
Knowing how germs spread helps children use habits that keep everyone healthier.

## Assessment (parent/teacher)

Student can explain in simple words what germs are. Student can name at least two ways germs can spread between people or objects. Student can describe the main steps of handwashing (wet, soap, scrub, rinse, dry). Student can give at least two examples of habits that help stop germs, such as using tissues and coughing into their elbow. Student uses words like germs, hands, clean, wash, and healthy correctly when talking about germ safety.

## Exit ticket (student)

😀 I understand how germs spread and I know how to stop them with good habits. 🙂 I know some things about germs but I still need more practice. 😅 Germ safety still feels a bit tricky to remember.

#### Next time I will practise…

Washing my hands carefully Covering my coughs and sneezes Using my own cup or bottle
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