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Estimated duration: 60 min. without dissemination
Aims of this module: to understand the importance of good hygiene; to give short information on bacteria; to ensure the implementation of good hygiene routine; to learn about the ways of protection from bacteria.
I ENERGIZER
„Dirt is invisible”
Duration: 5-7 min.
Group size: Any
Materials: Images of bacteria printed on sticky paper.
The facilitator gives the children stickers and asks them to stick the “bacteria” on everything in the room that they can touch. After that all together look around the room and find stickers. Revisit how bacteria spread and why they are dangerous.
Hints for The Facilitator:
* Go around the room and help children to find the places
* Make sure that children are focusing on the task and not play
II MAIN ACTIVITY
„Why we must wash our hands”
Duration: around 40 min.
Group size: around 30 people
Materials: Ball and pictures of bacteria on stickers, the Annex 1.
The facilitator gives a short lecture on bacteria/microbes, where do they live, and why they can be dangerous. Then s/he describes the importance on washing of the hands and makes special stress on the following items:
1. When children blow the nose, sneeze, or cough, bacteria from the nose and mouth can get onto hands or toys, tables, and other objects.
Facilitators shows how to cover the mouth or nose (not with palm but use a paper handkerchief or sleeve).
2. If person was near a sick person, then his bacteria can get over into the body, so after talking with him, children should definitely wash the hands.
3. Bacteria love to live in the toilet – on the toilet, on the tap, on the door handles. And we also remember that they live on different parts of the body. Therefore, after children have been in the toilet, especially a lot of harmful bacteria settle on the palms that need to be washed off.
4. Before planning to eat something, even if it is just an apple or candy, children must be sure to wash the hands.
5. If they have played with an animal, be sure to rinse off any bacteria that may have gotten onto the hands.
6. If a child has injured knee or there is another wound on the body, do not touch it with dirty hands, bacteria from the palms will prevent it from healing quickly.
7. If children are outside, bacteria can get on the palms when they play in the sandpit, launch boats in a puddle, play football or climb ladders.
8. During the day, children can do a lot of interesting things, learn and play. Therefore, if they notice that the hands have become dirty, they need to go and wash them clean.
After that the facilitator spreads stickers, picks up the ball and pretends s/he has a cold and sneeze on it. “Oh! I forgot to cover my mouth with my sleeve, and now my bacteria got on the ball (sticks the bacteria sticker on the ball).” Then s/he throws the ball to the child who loudly pronounces her/his “role” (for example, “I forgot to wash my hands before eating”) and sticks a sticker on the ball and throws it to the next participant.
On the last throw, facilitator shall keep the ball. “Look how many bacteria we have passed on to each other! That’s why we need to wash our hands often – to prevent the spread of bacteria and get sick.”
Hints for The Facilitator:
- To illustrate how bacteria can enter our body and cause disease, you can use the poster “How bacteria enter the body” – See the Annex 1.
- Give example of recent pandemic and how proper hygiene prevented from spreading of virus
- Assign roles for children before starting the exercise (one did not wash his hands before eating, the other one after using the toilet, the third after a walk, etc.
- Ask children on their behaviors and how often and when they shall wash the hands.
III EVALUATION
„Good hygiene can save our lives”
Duration: 15 min.
Group size: Any
Materials: Infographic with instructions on how to wash the hands (Annex 2)
After all the activities the Facilitator summarizes the participants the most important issues from the lesson. Participants give examples on where the bacteria can be found. The facilitator presents the poster with instructions on how to properly wash the hands. Demonstrate the steps of hand washing in sequence:
• Explain that the water must be warm so that the soap is better at removing bacteria.
• Lather your hands; reaffirm to children that washing hands without soap does not remove bacteria.
• Wash your hands thoroughly, once again note that you need to wash not only the palms, show how to wash the back of the hands, the spaces between the fingers and the tips of the fingers.
• Dry your hands thoroughly with a paper towel, explain that this is necessary to completely remove all bacteria. Emphasize that bacteria spread much faster through wet hands than through dry hands.
• Turn off the tap using the same towel that you used to dry your hands. Explain that the towel protects your hands from bacteria that might be on the tap.
Hints for The Facilitator:
- Hang “Wash Your Hands Properly” poster near the sink (if possible) after the lesson.
- Make stress on the duration of the washing procedure for at least 20 seconds.
IV DISSEMINATION
Home activity “Keep hygiene rules”
Duration: 2-3 weeks
Group size: Any
Materials: Notebook.
The participants will keep the records of each hand wash during the week. They will note the date/time, occasion and place. After one week participants will calculate and share the results with each other in the classroom.
