Teachers have to address hand washing, especially during flu season when disease threatens to keep students at home instead of in class. Most students in gifted education have already heard the "how to wash up" talk multiple times. Teaching gifted students means meeting them at their level, so finding interesting approaches to the hand washing message makes sense.
How to Wash Hands
First, it is important for teachers to understand the recommended steps for how to wash hands so that students can have the latest information. According the the Center for Disease Control, these are the proper steps to wash hands:
- Use clean running water and soap
- Rub hands to make a soapy lather
- Scrub all surfaces, including nails
- Rub for 20 seconds (The CDC suggests imagining singing Happy Birthday)
- Rinse hands well under the water.
- Use a paper towel to turn off the faucet.
- Dry hands with a paper towel or air dryer.
The CDC has printables and more information about hand washing, as well as information about using alcohol-based cleaners such as Germ-X.
Interesting Videos to Show Students About How to Wash Hands
A generic how-to video is not enough to capture the attention of a gifted 10 year old who has experienced the hand-washing lesson several times. A quick search on You Tube reveals many hand washing video options, but a few stand out as especially interesting.
The Great Handwash
This video is made by Wreckless Media, and since " The Great Handwash " is made and uploaded by Wreckless Media, teachers do not have to worry about copyright violations. In the 3 and a half minute movie, two young men are competing with each other to see who can properly clean his hands, which becomes an extreme sport. Teachers should have their students watch to see if the boys:
- rub hands
- have lather
- wash for at least 20 seconds (that is not a problem for extreme handwashing)
- wash the whole hand (including nails)
- rinse
- dry properly.
The video is clever, and the classical music score is a nice touch. Teachers should know that at the end of the video, one of the boys has a bloody hand, but since the video is clearly over-the-top, most students will see that as playful "ew!" and not unexpected gore.
A Bathroom Story
Like "The Great Handwash", " A Bathroom Story: A Handwashing Video " is made and uploaded by the same people, so teachers can show it in good conscience. JYo Productions tells the story of two co-workers who are in the restroom at the same time, but one chooses not to wash his hands. Viewers watch in horror, along with the protagonist, as the man with the dirty hands comes into contact with food, commonly shared areas, and other people. The end scene presents a difficult choice that gifted students will love to debate: will he get more germs by accepting the towel, or air-drying?
Teachers should have students keep track of how many people and objects have germs spread through the man's careless behavior of not washing hands.
Extension Activity for the Mandatory Hand Washing Lesson
After students have watched the fun versions of videos showing the importance of hand washing, they will be tempted to make their own videos. Not only would this benefit the students, because they could use their gifts and talents to share information with others, but the school could have a growing library of interesting videos for students who are bored with the same old message they hear from year to year and class to class.
Teaching students routine habits is necessary, and reminding them about the procedures is a good idea. With the creative videos on Youtube and the creative minds in a gifted classroom, there is a good chance that students will start looking forward to the annual hand washing conversation.
Alex Sharp - Alex Sharp is a teacher who has been keeping Suite101 readers up to date with the latest in audio- and e-book gadgetry since 2008.
