Book Title: Germs Are Not For Sharing
Author: Elizabeth Verdick
Publication Date: 2006
Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing
Book Description: The book, Germs Are Not for Sharing, asks students what to do in situations where germs may be involved. The reason the book provides for why students should follow the personal hygiene procedures is that germs are not for sharing, meaning that it’s a kind thing to keep our germs away from others.
Core Integration: The main health education standard which the book addresses is PHW5.2.1 or identify situations that need a decision related to personal health and wellness (e.g., washing hands before eating; wearing sun protection; brushing teeth daily). This book can also be integrated into the kindergarten-aged math curriculum. On one page that reads “Cough, cough, cough!” a child wears a shirt with the number three. After reading the book, or showing the video of the book being read, the class would complete a worksheet which connects the book to the math curriculum. The worksheet would be divided into three sections. The first would be a picture of hands which are about to be washed with seven germs on them. The question along with the picture would ask, “How many germs are going to be washed off these hands?” The second would be a picture of brownie on the ground with nine germs on it (in a rectangular array). The question along with the picture would ask, “How many germs are on this brownie?” The last picture would simply have fourteen germs in a line and the question would be, “How many of these germs are not for sharing?” After completing the worksheet I would ask the entire class questions like, “Which picture had the most germs?” and addition and subtraction problems using the whiteboard to fulfill the K.OA.A.2 standard.
Book Excerpt:
Health Standards:
NHES 1: Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease
prevention to enhance health.
PHW1.2.1: Identify the proper steps for daily brushing and flossing teeth.
PHW1.2.2: State why hygiene is important to good health.
PHW1.2.4: State the steps for proper hand washing.
HBO 2: Practice appropriate hygiene habits.
NHES 2: Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology,
and other factors on health behaviors.
PHW2.2.3: Identify relevant influences of media and technology on personal
health and wellness practices and behaviors.
PHW2.2.4: Describe positive influences on personal health and wellness practices
and behaviors.
PHW2.2.5: Describe negative influences on personal health and wellness
practices and behaviors.
NHES 5: Students will demonstrate the ability to use decision-making skills to enhance
health.
PHW5.2.1: Identify situations that need a decision related to personal health and
wellness (e.g., washing hands before eating; wearing sun protection; brushing
teeth daily).
NHES 7: Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and
avoid or reduce health risks.
PHW7.2.1: Identify personal health and wellness practices that reduce or prevent
health risks.
Core Standards:
K.CC.B.4: Understand the relationship between numbers and quantities; connect
counting to cardinality.
K.CC.B.5: Count to answer “how many?” questions about as many as 20 things arranged
in a line, rectangular array, or a circle, or as many as 10 things in a scattered
configuration; given a number from 1-20, count out that many objects.
K.CC.C.6.: Identify whether the number of objects in one group is greater than, less than,
or equal to the number of objects in another group, e.g., by using matching and counting
strategies.
K.OA.A.2: Solve addition and subtraction word problems, and add and subtract within
10, e.g., by using objects or drawings to represent the problem.