Interactive STEM Class Activities: Germs and Bacteria for 1st Grade by

Glitter Germ Spread

shealynjunge — 2025-03-11 21:02:40 UTC

Demonstrate how germs spread through touch using glitter! Put a small amount of glitter on one student's hands and have them shake hands or high-five other students. Watch how the glitter (representing germs) spreads. Follow up with a discussion about how easily germs can spread and the importance of hand washing.

Bread Mold Experiment

shealynjunge — 2025-03-11 21:02:40 UTC

Scientific observation activity: Take 3 pieces of bread. Have students touch one with unwashed hands, one with washed hands, and leave one untouched (control). Place each in a sealed plastic bag and observe over a week. Students can draw and document changes they see, introducing them to scientific observation.

Glow Germ Detective

shealynjunge — 2025-03-11 21:02:40 UTC

Use a UV light and special lotion (or washable paint) to demonstrate proper hand washing. Apply the lotion to students' hands, have them wash their hands normally, then use the UV light to show missed spots. This visual demonstration helps students understand the importance of thorough hand washing.

Sneezing Spray Demonstration

shealynjunge — 2025-03-11 21:02:40 UTC

Use a spray bottle with water and food coloring to demonstrate how far germs can travel when we sneeze. Spray over a large piece of paper and measure the distance. Teach proper sneezing etiquette (into elbow) and why it's important to cover our mouths.

Bacteria Art

shealynjunge — 2025-03-11 21:02:40 UTC

Have students create colorful artwork of bacteria using basic shapes. Teach them that bacteria come in different shapes (cocci-spheres, bacilli-rods, spirilli-spirals). Students can use circles, lines, and squiggles to create their own bacteria colony art while learning about bacterial shapes.

Good Vs. Bad Bacteria Sort

shealynjunge — 2025-03-11 21:02:40 UTC

Create a sorting activity with pictures/cards of different bacteria and their effects (yogurt making, stomach ache, helping plants grow, causing cavities). Students work in pairs to sort bacteria into 'helpful' and 'harmful' categories, learning that not all bacteria are bad.

Clean Hands Dance

shealynjunge — 2025-03-11 21:02:42 UTC

Create a hand-washing dance with students that lasts 20 seconds (the recommended hand-washing time). Include movements for each step: wet hands, soap up, scrub palms, back of hands, between fingers, and rinse. Make it fun with simple rhymes or music!

Petri Dish Detective

shealynjunge — 2025-03-11 21:02:42 UTC

Show students sealed petri dishes with bacterial growth from different surfaces (doorknob, keyboard, clean hands). They can draw what they observe and discuss which surfaces might have more germs and why. Note: Use pre-prepared or images of petri dishes for safety.

Super Soap Experiment

shealynjunge — 2025-03-11 21:02:43 UTC

Demonstrate how soap works using a bowl of water, pepper (representing germs), and liquid soap. When students dip their finger in soap and touch the water's surface, the pepper rapidly moves away, showing how soap helps remove germs.

Germ Defense Shield Game

shealynjunge — 2025-03-11 21:02:43 UTC

Active learning game: Some students are 'germs' (wearing colored tags) and others are 'body defenders.' When you say 'sanitize,' defenders must wash their hands (at designated spots) before they can catch the germs. This teaches immune system basics and hygiene in a fun way.

Growing Good Bacteria

shealynjunge — 2025-03-11 21:02:43 UTC

Make a simple yogurt observation station. Show students store-bought yogurt with live cultures and discuss how these good bacteria help make the yogurt and keep our tummies healthy. Students can draw the process and taste test different yogurts.

CCSS.Math.Content.1.MD.A.1 - Order three objects by length; compare the lengths of two objects indirectly by using a third object

shealynjunge — 2025-03-11 21:14:32 UTC

- Create tally marks to track germ spread in classroom activities

- Make pictographs showing data about germ transmission

- Count and add numbers of " infected" students in simulation activities

- Recognize and complete patterns using germ-themed materials

- Collect and organize data about hand washing and germ spread

- Solve word problems involving addition/subtraction with germ-related scenarios