Infectious Disease: Evolving Challenges to Human Health
BAM! Hand Washing Experiment
 Overview of Activity
Students learn about the importance of maintaining proper hygiene in order to decrease the risk of microbes invading their body. They perform an experiment where they test for the presence of microbes, or simulate their presence, by washing their hands and then use various materials to test for how effectively they did so
Activity Type: In Class Individual or Group Experiment
URLs: http://www.bam.gov/teachers/epidemiology_hand_wash.html
Grade Level: 6-8
Level of Difficulty: Introductory
Amount of Time Required for Activity: 55 minutes (One and a half 40 minute class periods)
Recommended Uses:
Prior to attending exhibit, this may be used as an engaging activity to make students aware of the importance of washing their hands and its relationship to public health concerns. It also makes clear to students how common microbes are in the world around us.
After visiting the exhibit, this may be used as a follow-up activity to emphasize the importance of maintaining proper hygiene as a public health measure.
Description
In this activity, students will be doing one or two experiments to test whether or not they have washed their hands well after exposing them to different situations. Teachers have the option of doing one of the experiments presented or having students perform one of the two experiments of their choice.
Students will design and develop their own data table based on their understanding of the factors contributing to having washed ones hands well. They should be able to decide on their own that the amount of time spent washing hands is a major factor in determining how clean ones’ hands can become.
In the first experiment, students use "germ-simulating powder" to cover their hands. They then wash their hands in intervals of 5 seconds and then use a UV light to determine how clean their hands have become. They record this data in their data table and then graph their results for a class discussion.
In the second version of the experiment students use washable paint on their hands, following a similar procedure as detailed above. A suggestion the CDC makes is to try this experiment once while washing hands with only water and a second time using both soap and water.
This activity was designed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Relation to the Science Standards
Middle School
Content Standard A - Understandings About Scienctific Inquiry
Content Standard F - Personal Health
Content Standard F - Risks and Benefits
Related Part of the Exhibit
Public Health
Additional Related Links
http://www.bam.gov/teachers/activities/epi_4_hand_wash.pdf
| 
