we · first, we need to get one thing straight. germs are alive, but that does not mean ... let’s...

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What is a Germ? When we talk about germs, we’re really talking about viruses and bacteria. But what exactly are viruses and bacteria, you ask? They are microorganisms, living things so tiny you can only see them with a microscope, that can make people sick. Since no one wants to be sick, we’re going to talk about how germs make us sick and what we can do to avoid catching them or spreading them. First, we need to get one thing straight. Germs are alive, but that does not mean they are out to get you. Germs aren’t hiding in the corner, waiting to attack you and make you sick. Germs and microorganisms are alive similar to the way plants are alive. Flowers, grass, and trees grow because that’s what they do. But you don’t see dandelions hunting other flowers or grass that is waiting to grab your foot when you step on it. Germs are nothing to be afraid of, but they are something we don’t want to let hang around. Let’s learn more about germs and what we can do to keep them from making us sick.


How Do We Catch Germs? Our bodies are designed to protect all our systems and organs that are on the inside where we can’t see them. But, we have to have ways to take important things like air and food into our bodies. We use our noses to smell and to breathe. We pull air into our bodies through our noses. It travels to our lungs, where the oxygen we need gets sent to our blood so it can travel through our bodies. Germs sometimes come into our bodies in the air. We use our mouths to eat food. We take a bite of food and chew it up. We swallow the food, and it makes its way into our stomachs. From there, it is broken down further and further into the vitamins and nutrients that our bodies need. Germs can also come into our bodies through our mouth. There are a few other ways things can enter our bodies. Our eyes are one way. Our eyes water when we get something in them. We can cry and shed tears. Liquids can come out of our bodies through our eyes, and some microorganisms can get into our bodies when we touch our eyes with hands that aren’t clean. We also let microorganisms into our bodies when we get a cut. Our skin is one of the best defenses our bodies have. It’s like a fort that covers your whole body. When we get a cut or scrape, we are allowing a hole in the fort wall where germs can enter. Thankfully, God designed our bodies to know when germs are trying to get in and gave us ways to fight the germs. Sometimes we can still get sick, but our bodies work very hard to keep that from happening. Did you know there are ways we can help our bodies keep us healthy? Let’s explore some of those ways.


Staying Healthy Here are some ways we can help our bodies stay strong and healthy.

1. Get enough sleep. When your body is tired, it can’t

fight as hard to keep you healthy.

2. Eat healthy. That means eating all the foods, fruits,

and vegetables your mom or dad says to and not just

eating junk food. When our bodies have all the

nutrients and vitamins they need, it is easier for them

to fight germs.

3. Make sure your hands are clean before you touch

your face. You don’t want any germs on your hands to

end up in your eyes, nose, or mouth.

4. Keep your tongue in your mouth. Its job is to help you

eat, not to lick things. If there are germs on something

you lick, they can get into your body by hitching a ride

on your tongue.


Here are some more ways we can help our bodies stay strong and healthy.

Staying Healthy

5. Don’t spend a lot of time up close to the face of

someone who is sick. That doesn’t mean you can’t be

around someone who doesn’t feel well. It just means

that it’s best not to do things where you are close

together with them. That helps keep their germs from

getting into your body.

6. Don’t share drinks. Don’t use the same cup or glass as

someone else. This is one way a person’s germs can

leave their mouth and enter your mouth.

7. Don’t eat off of someone else’s plate. This is another

way one person’s germs can leave their mouth and

enter your mouth.

8. Make sure you always wash your hands after using

the bathroom. This is a very important way to keep

germs from spreading.


Battling Germs In addition to keeping ourselves healthy, there are lots of ways we can battle germs. Washing our hands is one of the most important. Did you know there are four steps to washing our hands? They are: 1. Wet: get your hands wet at the sink 2. Lather & scrub: work soap around on your hands (lather); get the fronts and

backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your fingernails and scrub away the dirt and germs

3. Rinse: rinse your hands 4. Dry: dry your hands It’s important to do each of these steps. You can’t skip any, or germs might stay on your hands. It’s also important not to hurry through the steps. Try humming “Happy Birthday” twice while you wash your hands so you know how long it takes to get clean.

Wet Lather & Scrub

Rinse Dry


Don’t Spread Germs There are lots of things you can do to help keep from spreading germs to other people. Here are a few ideas.

1. Stay home when you don’t feel good (except for things

like going to the doctor). The less you are out with other

people, the less you’ll spread the germs that are making

you sick. Even though it might mean missing things

you wanted to do, you are doing the right thing and are

helping keep other people safe.

2. When you have to cough or sneeze, make sure you do

it into a tissue or cover your nose or mouth with the

inside of your elbow. Germs travel very fast through the

air when we cough or sneeze, and this helps trap them

and keep them from spreading.

3. Wash your hands after you cough or sneeze. This also

helps get rid of the germs. If you can’t wash your hands,

use hand sanitizer.

4. Just like soap and water help get rid of the germs on

our hands, cleaners and disinfectants help us keep

germs off of things we have to touch all the time like

doorknobs, light switches, countertops, computers,

phones, things in the bathroom, etc. There are special

rules when using certain cleaners, though, so never use

one without a parent’s permission and help.


Staying Healthy Checklist

1. Get enough sleep. When your body is tired, it can’t fight as hard

to keep you healthy.

2. Eat healthy. That means eating all the foods, fruits, and

vegetables your mom or dad says to and not just eating junk

food. When our bodies have all the nutrients and vitamins they

need, it is easier for them to fight germs.

3. Make sure your hands are clean before you touch your face.

You don’t want any germs on your hands to end up in your eyes,

nose, or mouth.

4. Keep your tongue in your mouth. Its job is to help you eat, not

to lick things. If there are germs on something you lick, they can

get into your body by hitching a ride on your tongue.

5. Don’t spend a lot of time up close to the face of someone who is

sick. That doesn’t mean you can’t be around someone who

doesn’t feel well. It just means that it’s best not to do things

where you are close together with them. That helps keeps their

germs from getting into your body.

6. Don’t share drinks. Don’t use the same cup or glass as

someone else. This is one way a person’s germs can leave their

mouth and enter your mouth.

7. Don’t eat off of someone else’s plate. This is another way one

person’s germs can leave their mouth and enter your mouth.

8. Make sure you always wash your hands after using the

bathroom. This is a very important way to keep germs from

spreading.


Wash Your Hands Checklist

Don’t skip steps, and don’t hurry. Hum “Happy Birthday” twice while you wash

your hands so you know how long it takes to get good and clean.

Step One

Wet: get your hands wet at the sink

Step Two

Lather & Scrub: work soap around on your hands (lather) on the

front AND back plus between your fingers and scrub away the

dirt and germs

Step Three

Rinse: rinse your hands

Step Four

Dry: Dry your hands


Don’t Spread Germs There are lots of things you can do to help keep from spreading germs to other people. Here are a few ideas.

1. Stay home when you don’t feel good (except for things

like going to the doctor). The less you are out with other

people, the less you’ll spread the germs that are making

you sick. Even though it might mean missing

something fun, you are doing the right thing by helping

keep other people safe.

2. When you have to cough or sneeze, make sure you do

it into a tissue or cover your nose or mouth with the

inside of your elbow. Germs travel very fast through the

air when we cough or sneeze, and this helps trap them

and keep them from spreading.

3. Wash your hands after you cough or sneeze. This also

helps get rid of the germs. If you can’t wash your hands,

use hand sanitizer.

4. Just like soap and water help get rid of the germs on

our hands, cleaners and disinfectants help us keep

germs off of things we have to touch all the time like

doorknobs, light switches, countertops, computers,

phones, things in the bathroom, etc. There are special

rules when using certain cleaners, though, so never use

one without a parent’s permission and help.


Ways Germs Get Into Our Bodies

Through our nose


Through our mouth


Through our eyes


Through cuts and scrapes


Ways to Stay Healthy

Get enough sleep.


Eat healthy.


Make sure your hands are clean

before you touch your face.


Keep your tongue in your mouth.



Don’t spend a lot of time up close

to the face of someone who is

sick.


Don’t share drinks.


Don’t eat off of someone else’s

plate.


Make sure you always wash your

hands after using the bathroom.


Steps to Washing Hands

Step One: Wet


Step Two: Lather and Scrub


Step Three: Rinse


Step Four: Dry


Ways to Keep from

Spreading Germs

Stay home when you don’t feel

good.

Ways to Keep from

Spreading Germs

When you have to cough or

sneeze, do it into a tissue or cover

your nose or mouth with the

inside of your elbow.

Ways to Keep from

Spreading Germs

Wash your hands or use hand

sanitizer after you cough or

sneeze.

Ways to Keep from

Spreading Germs

Use cleaners and disinfectants to

keep germs off of things we have

to touch all the time.



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Ways to Keep from

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we · first, we need to get one thing straight. germs are alive, but that does not mean ... let’s...

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