During October, the Jessamine County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent taught a healthy habits lesson to all Kindergarten students in Jessamine County. The lesson focused on handwashing and healthy practices as a school attendance initiative.   Methods used to teach the program were a storybook, germs visuals, and hands-on activities. Glo Germ was added to the Extension Agent’s hand before entering the classroom, and an apple was used as a prop. The presenter showed the class her invisible “germs” with the black light and then touched the apple. The “germs” were now on the apple. Both of these activities reinforced the importance of washing their hands before eating. The Germs on Bread activity demonstrated germs growing faster on bread touched by all students than bread touched by one student after washing their hands. Both pieces of bread were stapled to a poster board and kept in each classroom to remind the students what they learned during the lesson.

Feedback from teachers include:

They learned many things from the presentation about staying healthy. I will continue to discuss how germs spread and refer to the presentation. The kids loved touching the bread and watching to see if germs grow on the dirty bread.

They really liked having the black light on their hands. Also, kids have been checking on the bread, so that serves as an ongoing reminder that interests them.

The kids enjoyed the bread experiment, they keep looking each day at the display, and we’re starting to notice some changes on the "dirty" one.