Literature fictional text
Germs! Germs! Germs!
- Author: Bobbi Katz
- Illustrator: Steve Bjorkman
- Publication date: 1996
- Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
- Content Area: Science and Health Education
- Grade level: K-2nd
Page on left: “If it is warm, we’d love to stay and multiply by night and day.”
Page on right: “Knock, Knock body let us in! We’ll make you sick once again.”
Summary & Core Integration
Germs! Germs! Germs! Is a charming book that captures the reader in with is rhyming text and colorful,vibrant illustrations. As a read aloud, to a whole-class setting, this book is perfect for the beginning of a health+science based education lesson. By playfully engaging prior knowledge and leading into the hybrid lesson of science education and health education; students will grasp the basic understanding of germs and how to practice health-enhancing behaviors. The lesson would begin with the read aloud of this text. Next, as the prior knowledge of students starts kicking in, a whole-class discussion would fill in a KWL chart. (What we Know… What we Want to know… and What we are learned…..). Students will converse together what they already know what we know about germs. Ex. “Germs can make us sick” Next, posing questions about germs or what is wanted information about germs is added to the chart.. Ex. “How can we prevent from getting germs”. The last section, L, will be filled out after the investigation about germs. Students will then participate in filling out and coloring two worksheets. The first has student look at microscopic images, that have been blown up, of germs. The second one is having student identifying where germs can be. When students are finished they will be informed of how to prevent germs that will make them sick by listening to a washing hand song. Through the two worksheets, discussion between educator/students, and song students will be able to communicate basic understanding of germs and how to practice health-enhancing behaviors by orally affirming their understanding in completing the KWL chart.
Extension for the lesson
An at-home extension students will be asked to take the tune of Happy Birthday, Row Row Row Your Boat, or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and make their own washing hands song. This extension solidifies the students understanding of the learning objective and bridges the gap between home and school.
Learning Objective
Students will be able to communicate basic understanding of germs and how to practice health-enhancing behaviors to prevent them by orally communicating with classmates and educator their final understanding when completing the final section of a KWL chart.
Selected Integrated literature nonfictional text
- Germs Make Me Sick
- Parnell Donahue & Helen Capellaro
- 1975
- Published by Alfred A. Knopf
“Germs are so light they can travel through the air. When we are around sick people, their germs can easily get into our mouths and noses, especially if they cough or sneeze near us. We can also catch germs by using anything with sick people’s germs on them- towels, utensils, and even doorknobs. It would be impossible to try to live without germs, but if someone near us is ill, it is wise to try to avoid catching those germs.”
Summary & Core Integration
This book is very science based and would combine well in a science unit covering parts of the body such as skin, throat, ears, and teeth. It also covers various ailments and illnesses so it would work in a discussion about chicken pox, fevers, food poisoning and tooth decay. In addition to class discussions, students could work together to write a list of tips on how to be “germ fighters” and then present them to the rest of the class.
Learning Objective:
Students will be able to communicate that germs lead to illness and describe preventative ways to avoid such illnesses through an oral group presentation.
Next Generation Science Education Standards
NGSS Standard for this outcome (DCI):
K.Interdependent Relationship in Ecosystems: Animals, Plants and their Environment
(K-ESS3-3): Obtaining, evaluating and communicating information in K-2 builds on prior experiences and uses observations and text to communicate new information.
- Communicate solutions with others in oral and/or written forms using models and/or drawings that provide detail about scientific ideas (K-ESS3-3)
NGSS Language from Appendix F
NGSS #8- Obtaining, evaluating and communicating information
Health Standards:
NHES 1
Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.
- Recognize basic hygiene practices. H1.W2.Ka
- Describe basic hygiene practices. H1.W2.1
- Understand which elements of hygiene are essential to good health. H1.W2.Kb
- Describe benefits of hygiene practices. H1.W2.2
- Understand germs can cause diseases. H1.W3.Ka
NHES 7
Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks.
- Identify ways germs are transmitted. H1.W3.Kb
- Describe ways to prevent the spread of germs. H1.W3.1a
- Understand bacteria and viruses are types of germs. H1.W3.2a