School Nurse's Hygiene Class Grade 6 Recently, the 6th grade teachers invited me to speak to their classes about puberty with the emphasis on hygiene. A tough audience when they love the topic, I figured I needed a lively and entertaining approach to keep them riveted on the subject of showers, deorderant and clean underwear. So, I decided to create a game called Yucky Truth Trivia. Inspired by a web site called Your Gross and Cool Body, (http://yucky.kids.discovery.com/body/) I created a series of trivia questions with 4 possible answers each. I put each one on a piece of paper, folded them and put them into a squeaky clean basin the kids usually only see when they are going to vomit. The teachers had already told the kids I was coming and that the topic was puberty and hygiene, so I was met with a roomful of glum faces, ready to be bored and restless. I stood in front of the class holding the basin til they quieted, and before I said a word, the first hand went up. "Where's the film? Are you showing us that same film again, I hate that film." A whole chorus of assent followed. "Well, no", I responded, " I know you all watched that film in 5th grade, and memorized every single facinating fact, so I am not showing the film again today." I waited for the cheering to stop and then said with a smile, "Instead, I am testing you on the what was in the film last year. You do still remember all you learned, don't you?" With that, I allowed a student to draw out the first question.The reader would read the question and all 4 possible answers. Some of the answers were were silly, but appealed to the 6th grade sense of humor. The kids giggled and listened. Then, I thanked the reader, repeated the question, and asked for a show of hands for the answers they thought were correct. Each question and correct answer was my jumping off point for a mini lesson on the topic presented in the question. Below are samples of my questions and the discussion I used. The students loved the fun format and remained actively engaged. The use of humor made the the information palatable and memorable, and hygiene issues were reinforced. This approach worked well with all 5 of my grade 6 classes, and the teachers told me they enjoyed the class as much as the kids. Samples (I have bolded the right answer, since some of these are trick questions : ) Why do people blow their noses? 1. To release pressure on the brain 2. To clear excess air from their lungs 3. To keep kleenex in business 4. To get rid of dirt and stuff I discussed nose picking, the hazards of excavating with fingernails, dealing with used kleenex, vaseline at night, washing hands afterwards, using warm water to loosen things up, and how to deal with dried mucous in noses with social grace Why do people get stinky arm pits 1. Little creatures are having lunch there 2. They haven't washed lately 3. It's a puberty thing 4. All of the above I discussed apocrine sweat glands that kick in at puberty, why leaving it there invites germs to come for a feast that is like Thanksgiving Dinner to them, with lots of bathroom breaks, all going on microscopically right there in their arm pits...no wonder it's better to wash it off and use antiperpirant! It gets on your clothes too, so wear the same shirt a day or two more, and you still have those munchie little germs with you, making an invisible smelly mess . What's in those machines on the wall in the ladies room 1. Soap 2. Tampons 3. Life savers 4. The latest CD We just had machines installed in the 6th grade bathrooms, so this was my opportunity to remind the girls what's there and what they are for, how much they cost, and what to do if they need one and don't have a quarter. At the same time, the boys finally find out the answer to the big mystery, and hear the word tampons used in mixed company in a matter-of-fact manner so they know it is not a dirty word. The Trivia approach kept the students engaged and helped make the information memorable. |
School Nurse's Hygiene Class Grade 6 Recently, the 6th grade teachers invited me to speak to their classes about puberty with the emphasis on hygiene. A tough audience when they love the topic, I figured I needed a lively and entertaining approach to keep them riveted on the subject of showers, deorderant and clean underwear. So, I decided to create a game called Yucky Truth Trivia. Inspired by a web site called Your Gross and Cool Body, (http://yucky.kids.discovery.com/body/) I created a series of trivia questions with 4 possible answers each. I put each one on a piece of paper, folded them and put them into a squeaky clean basin the kids usually only see when they are going to vomit. The teachers had already told the kids I was coming and that the topic was puberty and hygiene, so I was met with a roomful of glum faces, ready to be bored and restless. I stood in front of the class holding the basin til they quieted, and before I said a word, the first hand went up. "Where's the film? Are you showing us that same film again, I hate that film." A whole chorus of assent followed. "Well, no", I responded, " I know you all watched that film in 5th grade, and memorized every single facinating fact, so I am not showing the film again today." I waited for the cheering to stop and then said with a smile, "Instead, I am testing you on the what was in the film last year. You do still remember all you learned, don't you?" With that, I allowed a student to draw out the first question.The reader would read the question and all 4 possible answers. Some of the answers were were silly, but appealed to the 6th grade sense of humor. The kids giggled and listened. Then, I thanked the reader, repeated the question, and asked for a show of hands for the answers they thought were correct. Each question and correct answer was my jumping off point for a mini lesson on the topic presented in the question. Below are samples of my questions and the discussion I used. The students loved the fun format and remained actively engaged. The use of humor made the the information palatable and memorable, and hygiene issues were reinforced. This approach worked well with all 5 of my grade 6 classes, and the teachers told me they enjoyed the class as much as the kids. Samples (I have bolded the right answer, since some of these are trick questions : ) Why do people blow their noses? 1. To release pressure on the brain 2. To clear excess air from their lungs 3. To keep kleenex in business 4. To get rid of dirt and stuff I discussed nose picking, the hazards of excavating with fingernails, dealing with used kleenex, vaseline at night, washing hands afterwards, using warm water to loosen things up, and how to deal with dried mucous in noses with social grace Why do people get stinky arm pits 1. Little creatures are having lunch there 2. They haven't washed lately 3. It's a puberty thing 4. All of the above I discussed apocrine sweat glands that kick in at puberty, why leaving it there invites germs to come for a feast that is like Thanksgiving Dinner to them, with lots of bathroom breaks, all going on microscopically right there in their arm pits...no wonder it's better to wash it off and use antiperpirant! It gets on your clothes too, so wear the same shirt a day or two more, and you still have those munchie little germs with you, making an invisible smelly mess . What's in those machines on the wall in the ladies room 1. Soap 2. Tampons 3. Life savers 4. The latest CD We just had machines installed in the 6th grade bathrooms, so this was my opportunity to remind the girls what's there and what they are for, how much they cost, and what to do if they need one and don't have a quarter. At the same time, the boys finally find out the answer to the big mystery, and hear the word tampons used in mixed company in a matter-of-fact manner so they know it is not a dirty word. The Trivia approach kept the students engaged and helped make the information memorable. |
