The Interior — Family & Consumer SciencesGrades K–2
Unit 1 · Clean Hands
A unit of the course: the story, then chapter by chapter — sections, numbered lessons, a source or the numbers to read, three checks each — a review per chapter, and the wrap-up at the end.
Drawn scene: a bright bathroom sink where a child washes soapy hands under a running tap, bubbles rising, a towel on its hook and a sparkle of glitter on the counter
1Unit
Clean Hands
Health and Safety
Your hands touch hundreds of things every day. A door. A crayon. A dog. A sandwich. Tiny germs ride along on your hands. You cannot see them. But they can make you sick.
In this unit you will find out where germs hide and how they travel. You will learn when to wash. You will learn the five steps and how to count twenty seconds without a clock.
By the end you will be able to wash your hands the right way all by yourself. You will know what to do when there is no sink. And you will know how to keep germs to yourself with an elbow.
How people learned it
Wake up
Brush your teeth for two minutes before breakfast.
Breakfast
Wash before you eat, then sit down.
Bathroom
Wash every time, even when you are in a hurry.
Recess
Come inside, go to the sink, then do anything else.
Lunch
Wet, lather, scrub for two songs, rinse, dry.
A sneeze
Sneeze into your elbow, toss the tissue, wash.
Pet time
Feed the pet, then wash your hands.
Field trip
No sink? Rub sanitizer until dry with a grown-up.
Dinner
Wash before you help, and wash before you eat.
Bedtime
Brush your teeth again and stand the brush up to dry.
1
Chapter
Germs You Cannot See
Hygiene
Big questionIf germs are too small to see, how do we know where they are and how do we stop them?
The story
The Glitter Hands
One sprinkle of glitter shows the whole class where hands have been.
Mr. Lopez put a spoon of glitter in Maya's hand. He asked her to rub her hands together. Then he said, "Go on with your morning. Do not wash yet." Maya opened the door. She picked a book. She sharpened a pencil. She gave Sam a high five.
At snack time the class looked around. There was glitter on the door handle. There was glitter on the pencil sharpener. There was glitter on the book. Sam had glitter on his hand. Sam had rubbed his nose. Now his nose sparkled.
"Glitter is easy to see," said Mr. Lopez. "Germs are not. But germs travel the same way. They ride on hands. They land on what we touch." Maya looked at her sparkly fingers. She thought about her snack.
Then Maya washed with soap and warm water. She scrubbed for twenty seconds. The glitter went down the drain. Her hands were clean. "That," said Mr. Lopez, "is what soap does to germs too."
Talk about itWhere did Maya's glitter travel? Where do you think germs travel in our classroom?
Section 1
Too Small to See
1.1
What a Germ Is
Main ideaGerms are tiny living things that can make you sick, and they are too small to see.
Look at your hand. It looks clean. But tiny may be on it right now. A germ is so small that a thousand could sit on the dot of this i. You cannot see them without a special tool called a microscope.
Some germs make people sick. They can give you a cold. They can give you a tummy ache. Germs get inside your body through your mouth, your nose and your eyes.
Clean hands keep germs out. That is why we wash. Washing is a job you can do all by yourself.
Words to know
germ
a tiny living thing, too small to see, that can make you sick
microscope
a tool that makes tiny things look big enough to see
Check yourself
1. Why can't you see a germ on your hand?
Why: Germs are so tiny that you need a microscope to see them.
2. Which tool lets people see germs?
Why: A microscope makes tiny things look big enough to see.
3. How do germs get inside your body?
Why: Germs enter through the mouth, nose and eyes, so clean hands matter before you touch your face.
1.2
Germs Ride on Hands
Main ideaGerms travel on hands, in coughs and sneezes, and on food.
Germs cannot walk. They cannot fly on their own. They need a ride. Hands are their favorite ride. You touch a door handle. Germs hop on. You touch your mouth. Germs hop off, right inside you.
A cough or a sneeze is a ride too. Tiny drops fly out of your mouth. Germs ride the drops. They land on desks, toys and other people.
Food can carry germs too. If dirty hands touch a sandwich, the germs go on the sandwich. Then you eat them. Clean hands keep food clean.
Words to know
spread
to move from one place or person to another
Check yourself
1. What is a germ's favorite way to travel?
Why: Germs ride on hands from the things we touch to our mouths.
2. Ben sneezes into his hand and picks up a crayon. What happened?
Why: Germs spread from a dirty hand to anything it touches.
3. Dirty hands touch a sandwich. Where do the germs go?
Why: Germs on hands move onto food, and then into the person who eats it.
Section 2
When to Wash
1.3
Before You Eat
Main ideaAlways wash your hands before you eat or touch food.
It is lunch time. Your hands have touched a lot today. The bus rail. Your desk. The ball at recess. Now you will pick up a sandwich with those hands. Stop. Wash first.
Wash before every meal and every snack. Wash before you help make food too. Germs from your hands can go on the food. Then they go in your mouth.
Make it a habit. Line up. Wash. Then sit down to eat. Your food stays clean, and so do you.
Words to know
habit
something you do the same way every time without having to think about it
Check yourself
1. When should you wash before lunch?
Why: Germs you cannot see can be on your hands, so wash before every meal and snack.
2. Kai came in from recess. What is the first step before eating?
Why: Recess hands touched many things; washing with soap takes the germs off.
3. Why wash before helping make food?
Why: Hands that touch food can put germs on it, so clean hands keep food clean.
1.4
After the Bathroom and Outside
Main ideaWash after using the bathroom and after playing outside.
The bathroom is full of germs you cannot see. They are on the handle. They are on the seat. After you use the bathroom, wash your hands. Every time. Even if you are in a hurry.
Outside is fun and a little dirty. Dirt, bugs and playground bars all carry germs. When you come inside, go to the sink. Wash before you do anything else.
Here is the rule. Bathroom, then wash. Outside, then wash. No skipping, even when you are in a hurry.
Words to know
rule
something you always do the same way to stay safe
Check yourself
1. You just used the bathroom. What do you do next?
Why: Bathroom germs are on hands and handles, so wash every single time.
2. You come in from the playground. What comes first?
Why: Playground bars and dirt carry germs, so wash before anything else.
3. In the data, which wash happened the most?
Why: The table shows 3 washes after the bathroom, more than any other row.
1.5
After Pets and Sneezes
Main ideaWash after you touch a pet and after you cough or sneeze.
You pet a dog. The dog is soft and happy. But the dog’s fur has germs. So does its mouth. After you touch any pet, wash your hands. Wash after feeding a pet too.
You sneeze. Drops fly out. Some land on your hand. If you touch a toy now, the germs go on the toy. So wash after you sneeze or cough. Wash after you blow your nose.
Pets, sneezes, tissues. All three mean go wash. Say it to yourself. Pets, sneezes, tissues, wash.
Words to know
tissue
a soft paper you use to blow your nose, then throw away
Check yourself
1. You just petted a dog. What should you do?
Why: Pet fur and mouths carry germs, so wash after touching any animal.
2. You blow your nose with a tissue. Then what?
Why: The tissue and your hands both have germs; toss the tissue and wash.
3. Which one does NOT need a wash right after?
Why: Reading does not put new germs on your hands; pets and sneezes do.
Section 3
Stopping Germs
1.6
Soap Lifts, Water Carries
Main ideaSoap lifts germs off your skin, and running water carries them down the drain.
Germs stick to skin. Water alone slides right past them. That is why you need . Soap grabs germs and dirt. It lifts them up off your skin.
Then water does its job. Running water carries the loose germs away. Down the drain they go. Soap and water are a team.
Try it. Wet your hands. Add soap. Rub until you see bubbles. Rinse. Feel how clean your hands are.
Words to know
soap
what lifts germs and dirt off your skin so water can wash them away
rinse
to run clean water over something to wash the soap away
Check yourself
1. What does soap do?
Why: Soap grabs germs and dirt and lifts them off so water can carry them away.
2. Jada used water only for three seconds. What is wrong?
Why: Water alone slides past germs; soap is needed to lift them.
3. What carries the loose germs away?
Why: After soap lifts the germs, rinsing under running water washes them down the drain.
1.7
Cough Into Your Elbow
Main ideaCover a cough or sneeze with your elbow, not your hand.
A cough is coming. Where does it go? Not into the air. Not into your hand. Into your . Bend your arm. Put your mouth in the crook. Cough there.
Why the elbow? Your elbow does not touch door handles. It does not pick up crayons. Your hand does. Germs in your elbow stay put.
If you use a tissue, throw it away right away. Then wash your hands with soap. Cover, toss, wash.
Words to know
elbow
the bend in the middle of your arm
Check yourself
1. Where should a cough go?
Why: The elbow does not touch shared things, so germs stay put.
2. Leo sneezed into his hand and grabbed the tablet. What happened?
Why: Hands touch shared things; germs on the hand moved to the tablet.
3. You used a tissue for a sneeze. What is the last step?
Why: Cover, toss, wash: the tissue goes in the trash and hands get washed.
Chapter review
Germs You Cannot See
0 / 6
1. Why can you not see germs on your hands?
Why: Germs are so tiny they need a microscope to be seen.
2. How do germs get from a door handle into your body?
Why: Germs ride on hands from things we touch to our mouth, nose and eyes.
3. Which is a time to wash your hands?
Why: Bathroom handles and seats carry germs, so wash every time after.
4. What does soap do that water alone cannot?
Why: Soap grabs germs so running water can carry them away.
5. A cough is coming. Where does it go?
Why: The elbow does not touch shared things, so germs stay put.
6. In the glitter story, what did the glitter stand for?
Why: Glitter showed where hands had been, just like germs travel on hands.
Send it to your teacher
2
Chapter
Twenty Seconds, Five Steps
Handwashing
Big questionHow do you know your hands are really clean?
The story
How Long Is Twenty Seconds?
The class has no clock at the sink, so they find another way to count.
Ms. Bell asked the class to wash for twenty seconds. Diego turned on the water. He rubbed his hands. He counted, "one, two, three, four, five, done!" It took about three seconds. His hands still had marker on them.
"We need a way to count," said Ms. Bell. "There is no clock at the sink." Priya had an idea. "We could sing!" The class tried the birthday song. They sang it once. Ms. Bell watched the clock. "Ten seconds," she said.
"So sing it twice," said Diego. They tried again. Wet, soap, scrub. They sang the birthday song two times. Ms. Bell called out, "Twenty seconds!" Diego looked at his hands. The marker was gone.
From then on, the sink had a song. Anyone walking past the bathroom could hear it. Two rounds. Twenty seconds. Clean hands, every time.
Talk about itWhat song could you sing two times to count twenty seconds?
Section 1
The Five Steps
2.1
Wet and Lather
Main ideaStep one is wet your hands, and step two is lather with soap.
Stand at the sink. Turn on the water. Warm or cold both work. Step one: your hands all over. Both sides. Then turn the water off to save water.
Step two: get soap. One pump or one rub of the bar is enough. Rub your hands together. Rub until you see bubbles. The bubbles are called . Lather means the soap is working.
Wet first, then soap. If you put soap on dry hands, it will not spread. No bubbles means no lather.
Words to know
wet
to cover something with water
lather
the bubbles you make when you rub soap with water
Check yourself
1. What is step one of washing hands?
Why: Wet hands first so the soap can spread and make lather.
2. What are the bubbles called?
Why: Lather is the bubbles made by rubbing soap with water.
3. Ali put soap on dry hands. What went wrong?
Why: Soap needs water to spread and make lather, so wet first.
2.2
Scrub Every Part
Main ideaStep three is scrub for twenty seconds: backs, between fingers and under nails.
Step three: . This is the big one. Rub your palms together. Now rub the backs of your hands. Germs hide there too.
Lace your fingers together. Rub between them. Rub around your thumbs. Now scratch your nails on your palm. Germs love to hide under nails.
Scrub for twenty seconds. That is longer than it feels. Most people stop too soon. Keep going.
Words to know
scrub
to rub hard all over to get something clean
palm
the flat inside part of your hand
Check yourself
1. Where do germs like to hide?
Why: Nails trap dirt and germs, so scratch them on your palm while scrubbing.
2. How long should you scrub?
Why: Twenty seconds of scrubbing is the standard time to get hands clean.
3. Which part do people often skip?
Why: People rub palms and forget the backs of the hands and between fingers.
2.3
Rinse and Dry
Main ideaStep four is rinse under running water, and step five is dry with a clean towel.
Step four: rinse. Turn the water back on. Hold your hands under it. Let the water carry the soap and germs away. Rinse until no bubbles are left.
Step five: dry. Wet hands pick up germs faster than dry ones. Use a clean paper towel. Or use the air dryer. Dry all over.
Then use the towel to turn off the tap. Now your clean hands never touch the dirty handle.
Words to know
tap
the handle you turn to start or stop the water
Check yourself
1. What is the last step?
Why: Drying is step five; wet hands pick up germs faster than dry ones.
2. Why use the towel on the tap?
Why: The handle was touched by dirty hands, so the towel keeps your clean hands clean.
3. What is the right order of the five steps?
Why: Wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry is the standard order.
Section 2
Counting Twenty
2.4
Sing It Twice
Main ideaTwenty seconds is about two rounds of a short song like the birthday song.
Twenty seconds is longer than it feels. Counting fast does not work. A song works better. The birthday song takes about ten seconds. Sing it two times. That is about twenty seconds.
Sing it in your head or out loud. Scrub the whole time. Do not stop when the first song ends. Start it again.
Try other songs too. Pick a short one. Sing it twice. Ask a grown-up to time you once.
Words to know
second
a very short bit of time; a slow count of one is about one second
Check yourself
1. How many times do you sing the birthday song?
Why: One round is about ten seconds, so two rounds make about twenty.
2. Mara sang it once and stopped. About how long did she scrub?
Why: One round of the song is about ten seconds, only half the time needed.
3. Why not just count fast to twenty?
Why: Counting fast takes only a few seconds; a song keeps a steady pace.
2.5
A Clean Towel
Main ideaDry your hands on something clean, or the germs come right back.
Your hands are clean. Now do not put germs back on them. A dirty towel has germs. Your shirt has germs. A clean paper towel does not.
At school, take one paper towel. Dry your hands. Throw it in the trash. At home, use a clean cloth towel. Ask a grown-up to change it often.
An air dryer works too. Hold your hands under it until they are all the way dry. Wet hands pick up germs.
Words to know
clean
free of dirt and germs
Check yourself
1. What should you dry your hands with?
Why: A clean towel keeps germs from going back onto washed hands.
2. Ana wiped her hands on her jeans. What happened?
Why: Clothes carry germs, so drying on them undoes the washing.
3. What goes wrong with a towel used all week?
Why: A towel used for days collects germs; a clean one should replace it often.
Section 3
No Sink and Clean Teeth
2.6
Hand Sanitizer Helps
Main ideaHand sanitizer is a backup when there is no sink, but soap and water are better.
You are on a field trip. No sink. It is snack time. What now? Use . Squirt a small amount in your palm. Rub it all over both hands. Keep rubbing until they feel dry.
Sanitizer kills many germs. But it does not lift dirt. If your hands look dirty, it will not work well. Soap and water are always better.
Sanitizer is not for eating or for playing. It is only for hands. Ask a grown-up to help you use it.
Words to know
hand sanitizer
a gel you rub on your hands to kill germs when there is no sink
Check yourself
1. When is hand sanitizer a good choice?
Why: Sanitizer is a backup for times with no sink; soap and water are better.
2. Your hands are covered in mud. What works best?
Why: Sanitizer does not lift dirt; soap and water wash it away.
3. How do you use sanitizer?
Why: Rub sanitizer over both hands until they feel dry, with a grown-up's help.
2.7
Brush Twice a Day
Main ideaBrush your teeth two times a day, morning and night, for two minutes.
Germs live in your mouth too. They eat bits of food stuck on your teeth. That can make holes in teeth. Brushing sweeps the germs and food away.
Brush in the morning. Brush before bed. Use a pea-sized bit of toothpaste. Brush the front, the back and the tops of your teeth. Brush for two minutes. Sing a song here too.
Rinse your brush. Stand it up to dry. Get a new brush when the bristles bend out.
Words to know
toothbrush
a small brush with bristles for cleaning teeth
bristles
the short stiff hairs on a brush
Check yourself
1. How many times a day should you brush?
Why: Brush in the morning and before bed, two times a day.
2. How much toothpaste do you use?
Why: A pea-sized bit is enough for a child's brush.
3. When do you get a new toothbrush?
Why: Bent bristles do not clean well, so the brush gets replaced.
Chapter review
Twenty Seconds, Five Steps
0 / 6
1. What is the first of the five steps?
Why: Wet hands first so soap can spread; the order is wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry.
2. How long is the scrub step?
Why: Twenty seconds is the standard scrub time, about two rounds of a short song.
3. Which spot do people forget to scrub?
Why: Germs hide under nails, so scratch them on your palm while you scrub.
4. You are at the park with no sink. What can you use?
Why: Sanitizer is the backup when there is no sink, rubbed in until dry.
5. Why is a clean towel important?
Why: Drying on something dirty undoes the washing.
6. How long should you brush your teeth?
Why: Brushing takes two minutes, two times a day.
Send it to your teacher
★
Unit wrap-up
Clean Hands
Twelve words, twelve meanings
0 / 8
Tap a word, then tap its meaning. A right pair locks in green.
Words
Meanings
Unit test
Fifteen questions across the unit
0 / 10
1. Why can you not see germs?
Why: Germs are so tiny that a microscope is needed to see them.
2. How do germs mostly travel from a toy to your mouth?
Why: Hands touch things and then touch the face, carrying germs along.
3. Which is a time you must wash?
Why: Germs on hands go onto food, so wash before every meal and snack.
4. You just petted a cat. What next?
Why: Animal fur carries germs, so wash after touching any pet.
5. What do the five steps start with?
Why: Wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry is the order.
6. How long do you scrub?
Why: Twenty seconds, about two rounds of the birthday song, is the standard.
7. What does soap do?
Why: Soap lifts germs and dirt so running water can carry them away.
8. Where should a sneeze go?
Why: The elbow does not touch shared things, so germs stay put.
9. Kim dries her clean hands on a towel used all week. What happens?
Why: A dirty towel puts germs right back; use a clean one.
10. There is no sink on the bus. What can you use before a snack?
Why: Sanitizer is the backup when there is no sink; rub it in until dry.
Send it to your teacher
Write it
Draw and write the five steps of washing your hands in order. Next to each step, tell why it is there. Then write one time in your day when you must wash.
Put the steps in order: wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry.
Say how long the scrub step takes and how you count it.
Name the parts of your hands you must not forget.
Tell what you dry with and why it must be clean.
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Practice rooms
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