Handwashing and Sanitation

Video:

Lecture notes and "Fact Sheet" from Utah Department of Health on Food-borne illnesses.

Background for Teachers

I had a box constructed out of wood and painted it white. It is approximately 2 1/2 feet wide by 18 inches tall by 18 inches in depth with an ultraviolet light attached in the top supplied with an electrical cord. Two students at a time can easily place their hands in the front of the box under the light to see how clean their hands are. I close the blinds and turn off the lights and it shows up very well.

The teacher needs to research and become familiar with current information on Food-borne illness and encourage handwashing as a preventive measure.

Student Prior Knowledge

The importance of proper hand washing to prevent food-borne illness and contamination.

Intended Learning Outcomes

The student will understand and practice the importance of proper hand washing as a preventive measure to food-borne illness and will apply other methods of sanitation in the preparation of foods.

Instructional Procedures

Introduction: Using the 8 foot by 1-inch strip of paper that is taped together, throw it out to a student and ask,

"What do you think this represents?"

It is 8 feet long. Open it up for discussion. Tell them this illustrates the distance of eight feet that a cough or sneeze contaminates with germs if it is not covered with a hand or Kleenex tissue.

Begin lecture on sanitation. Explain the importance of proper handwashing.

Have the students do the Glo-germ activity using the assimilated germs. It will take 20 - 30 minutes.

Hand out the evaluation sheet to be filled out during the activity.

I put a drop or two of the liquid germs on everyones hands. Tell them to rub it all over like lotion.

Call each unit group up to view the germs under the ultraviolet light to verify the germs are present.

Then assign each person a different hand washing method. Each person within the unit will proceed to wash their hands as assigned.

Then call each group back up to observe the difference in each of their hands. Have everyone go back to the sink for a complete thorough hand washing of a minimum of 20 seconds singing the ABC song together. Again, they come up and check their hands.

Show the video, Clean Up Your Act.

Continue the lecture on sanitation, cross-contamination, types and prevention of food-borne illnesses, temperature zones, cooking to proper temperature, cooling and reheating of leftovers, and proper way to thaw frozen foods. Your amount of time will determine how you teach the information and to what extent you cover.

Bibliography

Fact Sheets from Utah Dept. of Health.