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Cover Your Mouth - Germ Science

How to use glowing germs to teach health

Whether we like to believe it or not, we live in a world filled with germs, bacteria, viruses, and other creepy crawly things. It is hard to teach kids about germs when you can't see them, but what if kids could see simulated germs on their hands and anything they touch?

Materials

  1. Pump one to two pumps of germ lotion on the children’s hands.
  2. Have the children rub their hands together, making sure to get the backs, palms, and fingernails.
  3. Turn on the black light and have the children put their hands under the light to see the simulated germs.
  4. Have the children wash their hands as they would normally.
  5. Put the children’s hands back under the black light.
  6. Did they wash off all the germs? Could they have been a little more thorough with their washing?
  7. Glitter Bug Lotion will help you teach your children better hand-washing techniques... repeat the experiment until the lotion doesn’t show up on little hands after washing!

Now Try This!

  1. Before your students come to class in the morning, squirt one to two pumps of Glitter Bug Lotion on your hands.
  2. Continue through the day as you normally would... touching students, books, materials, even washing your hands.
  3. Near the end of the day, explain to the students that you are going to show them how germs spread from one person to another.
  4. Flip the lights off and turn your black light on. No one will believe their eyes as they see all of the places the lotion residue has landed during the day!

How does it work?

The Glitter Bug Lotion is an amazing way to simulate for children the importance of proper hand-washing techniques and how easily germs can spread around the room. After just one day, you’ll have Glitter Bug Lotion residue all over your classroom... now imagine how many germs are living in there!


 

Fantastic Science Fair project

Ron Melanson Clinton, NJ   -  October 16, 2009

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This user gave 5/5 stars


We were looking for a good science project for our kindergarteners - this was perfect. With all the discussions about Swine Flu and the increased awareness surrounding handwashing this is this really drives it home.

Great idea for my kid's teacher

Brett Adams Lonetree, Colorado   -  September 7, 2009

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This user gave 5/5 stars


This would be a great experiment for my kid's teacher to do in class since everything that comes home now day is talking about the spread of the Swine Flu. Good way for kids to see how germs are easily spread.

DOTD Sold-Out

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