Last Observation for the year! I hope

Exciting news.... I am a non tenured teacher and this is my third year to teach which means I will be up for tenure (that is if we don't have that taken away) anywho today was my third formal observation for the year and my last observation I will need in order to be considered for tenure!!!!!!!!!!!! woohoo.


My lesson was about germs and how they are spread, which is something my students needed to be reminded of. I couldn't take pictures because well I was being observed but I thought it was such a neat lesson I would share it with you.


We receive Studies Weekly  and this weeks had this great lesson. We all know about germs and we are constantly trying to keep our classroom clean so I don't think you need that info. The activity was as follows = using four different colors of glitter sprinkle a small (very small) amount onto a paper plate (one color per plate) I divided my students up into groups of four. Each students in the group is given a plate and each person places their hand on the glitter. Have the students look at their hands explaining that what they see is just like germs. 

I know you are thinking no big deal I have taught this lesson before, and so had I. It's the next step that I had never used before.

Next have the students to shake hands with each person at their table and then look at their hand. They will have some of every color of glitter on their hand. This represents how each person can pass germs. Pretty cool I thought!


I also wanted my students to understand the importance of using SOAP & WATER  to get their hands clean!!

I gave each student germX and after they rubbed it in they looked to see if all the germs came off their hands. The students will not be able to get the glitter off using just GermX

**Just as a side note - I have about 4 germX bottles in my room, one in my field trip bag, one in my lunch box, and one on my pocket book. So I believe in using this stuff but as you know if you teach kindergarten or young children there are some things small children get on their hands that needs  more than even germX can handle!
 
I then gave each student a wet wipe to clean their hands. This will take some of the glitter off but not all of it (at least not for most of the students). 

Finally I  had one of the students to go to the sink and use soap and water to wash their hands. The student then showed the rest of the class that soap and water was able to get all of the germs off. 

They really like this lesson and all I had to do the rest of the day was to remind them about the germs we had talked about this morning.

I did this lesson before lunch so it was a perfect time for students to use soap and water and get all of the glitter germs off their hands.