Teachers' zone
Lesson 3: Getting Tissue Power!
Learning objectives
Pupils should learn:
- How good hygiene and tissue use can help prevent cold germs from spreading
- How to cover their coughs and sneezes and blow their nose properly using a tissue
- When to use a tissue
- That used tissues should be thrown away
- That hands should be washed after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
Curriculum focus
England
Early Years Foundation Stage 40–60+ months:
- Personal development: Self-care: dress and undress independently and manage their own personal hygiene.
- Physical development: Health and bodily awareness: recognise the importance of keeping healthy, and those things which contribute to this.
National Curriculum PSHE – 3. Developing a healthy, safer lifestyle:
- 3a How to make simple choices that improve health and wellbeing
- 3b How to maintain personal hygiene
- 3c How some diseases spread and can be controlled.
Wales
Early Years:
- Personal and social development: begin to take responsibility for personal hygiene
Key Stage 1 Personal and social education framework:
- Physical aspect: know that exercise and hygiene and the right types and amount of food are important to keep their bodies healthy
Scotland
Early Years:
- Knowledge and understanding of the world
5–14 Health Education:
- Physical Health Level A
- Social Health Level A
5–14 Environmental Studies:
- Science – Knowledge and understanding: living things and the processes of life Level A
Northern Ireland
Foundation stage:
- Personal Development and Mutual Understanding
Primary:
- Become aware of key issues which affect their physical, social and mental well-being and that of others
- Develop an awareness of their own personal safety
Republic of Ireland
The Sneezesafe* materials will support the Framework for Early Learning (launching in late spring 2008), Wellbeing theme.
Preparation
You will need to familiarise yourself with the website and set up Story 3 Tissues to the rescue! so that it is ready to show the class. It will also be useful to try out the third game.
Vocabulary: cold, germ, tissue, cough, bin, washing hands, sneeze, nose.
Resources: a box of tissues and pocket-sized packets of tissues ; two soft toy characters or puppets. Sneezesafe* poster, parents’ letter and certificates.
Differentiation: The games are mainly for the whole class.
Time: Approximately 40 minutes (20 minutes for the presentation, 10 minutes for the game and 10 minutes for follow up activities).
Classroom activities and follow-up ideas
1) Introduce the topic by briefly asking the pupils why it’s a good idea to stop colds and flu from spreading: what might you miss out on if you’re not well? (Parties, school trips, treats, days out etc.) Explain that the pupils are now going to find out how we can prevent colds from spreading, once more with Nathan Noseblow and Suki Sneeze.
2) Show Story 3: Tissues to the rescue!
Here are some suggested questions which can be discussed during the presentation:
- Screen 1: Can you remember how colds are spread?
- Screen 13: What should Nathan and Suki do with their used tissues?
- Screen 15: Where do the germs on your hands go if you wash your hands?
- Screen 21: Why is it a good idea to keep a packet of tissues in your pocket?
Talk briefly about anything in the presentation which the class may not have understood fully. Emphasise that everyone needs to use tissues to help prevent colds and flu from spreading.
3) The most important follow-up activity is to practise using a tissue so that pupils learn to blow their nose correctly. This is best carried out in small groups with supervision so that pupils can receive individual help. Pupils should learn to do all of the following:
a) Start with a clean tissue.
b) Open the tissue.
c) Take a breath, close your mouth.
d) Hold the tissue against both nostrils and blow hard, keeping your mouth closed.
e) Fold the tissue over and throw it in the bin.
f) Wash your hands promptly.
It is important to check that pupils aren’t just wiping their noses, and that they manage to blow and to cover both nostrils. Hand-washing can also be checked at this stage if possible.
4) To help the class learn the three procedures for good respiratory hygiene, younger pupils can learn this rhyme:
Use a tissue,
Use the bin,
Wash your hands,
So germs can’t win.
5) To reinforce further good habits and to finish the project, the pupils can be shown and given the opportunity to play the third online game ‘Tissue Power!’ The teacher can show this to the whole class as a demonstration of how it works and let individual pupils take turns at working the mouse and the class can be challenged to see if it is ‘tissue smart’. Pupils can then try out the game in small supervised groups at a desktop machine, trying to get the best score. If possible, pupils should be given a second chance to try and beat their score. High scores can be rewarded with stickers or a good work stamp if this is appropriate, and with a copy of the certificate available in the Downloads section of the site.
6) Finally, tell the pupils that staff will be watching out for pupils who are 'Sneezesafe*' in school from now on; again teachers can reward them with further stickers or good work stamps to provide motivation.
The Sneezesafe* poster can be displayed in school to reinforce the key messages and the parents’ letter is useful for getting the messages home.
