Hygiene - Teacher Explanation

Welcome to Lesson 2.5 on Hygiene, an essential component of the Year 2 curriculum focusing on animals including humans. In this lesson, pupils will explore the significance of exercise, a balanced diet, and maintaining good hygiene, as outlined by the national curriculum. Emphasising health and safety, it is crucial that children wash their hands thoroughly after the lesson's activities, particularly as they will be handling liquids. Any spills must be cleaned up promptly to prevent accidents. The lesson also incorporates cross-curricular elements, encouraging pupils to create public service information and posters about hygiene, in addition to researching bacteria and viruses.

The first practical activity of the lesson aims to demonstrate how germs are spread through sneezing. Using simple materials such as paper, a meter ruler, water, food colouring, and a plant sprayer, pupils will observe the pattern of droplets resembling a sneeze at various distances. This visual representation will help them understand the importance of distance in the spread of illnesses like colds and flu. Another hands-on activity involves using glitter and baby oil to show how germs can be transmitted through skin contact, illustrating how easily infections can spread in a community. Further reinforcing the hygiene message, an experiment with water, black pepper, and soap will demonstrate the effectiveness of soap in repelling germs. The lesson is packed with engaging activities, including creating a PowerPoint for assembly and designing hygiene posters, all aimed at instilling the importance of good hygiene practices.