Glo Germ Lesson: Student/Faculty Excellence

Employee Excellence with Infection Control

Content Objective:

Faculty members and/or students will help create and maintain an atmosphere of excitement and competition for all hygiene and infection control activities. 

Faculty members and/or students will develop a desire to continually go above and beyond the hygiene and infection control requirements for their respective roles or positions (at home or school).

Materials:

Criteria list for model behavior, Glo Germ, educational and promotional posters, prizes and awards for incentives, OUTFOX Newsletter (to pass on to fellow faculty members, family members, friends, etc.), Certificates of Achievement (for all participants), various games and activities for periodic competitions (see “Games” and “Activities” sections), Daily Schedule for Health Week (or for the amount of days planned), reminder handouts, magnets, stickers, and other reminders.

Vocabulary

• Excellence
• Standard
• Hygiene

Building Background Knowledge:

Ask students the following questions:

• What are the minimum hygiene standards for the class or school?
• What standards need to be added or revisited to increase the level of cleanliness in the class or school?
• How does hygiene create a better classroom atmosphere?
• How can better hygiene affect a person?

Exploration:

• Determine what types of games, activities and prizes are the most fun and sought after.
• Use the Glo Germ Kit to illustrate how germs spread and affect us daily.
• Have students apply the Glo Germ Lotion or Powder.  Make sure they get it all over their hands (i.e. doorknobs, sinks, pencils, or other designated area)
• Using the black light, show students how germs lurk on their hands
• Have them wash their hands and check for the germs again
• Use the Identifier Lotion or Powder for many of the activities and games supplied by OUTFOX in this manual

Explanation:

First of all, this lesson can be used to teach a single classroom, a grade group or a faculty group.  The class or faculty members can be split into teams or they can play as individuals. 

Well in-advance reminders should be placed in the classroom or school to get participants excited for the competition.  Reminders can include educational and promotional posters, reminder cards, take-home instructions, prize displays, and so forth.  Reminders should continue to be used once the “competition” has started to maintain visibility and a remembrance in the minds of faculty/students. 

The object of the Excellence activity is to gain points or “BLING Bucks” to buy prizes in the award store.  Points or bucks can be earned by being noticed practicing good hygiene habits (washing hands, cleaning up workstations or desks, using a tissue, etc.), completing specific tasks, or by winning planned games/activities.

Once the standards or criteria of effective hygiene and infection control have been established, let the faculty or students know how they will be scored (how many points will be given or how many BLING Bucks will be handed out).  You can maintain a running tally of points given and award teams accordingly. 

If using a points system, help students maintain focus and control during all the activities and competitions by continually updating scores or team progress.  At the finale of the day, week, or other time frame of the competition, recognize the leaders and emphasize how the losing teams can earn more points or bucks.  Set a deadline for the competition so that all points or bucks accrued can be turned in for prizes and encourage positive results.

Store items can include:  germ-themed pencils, T-shirts, school supplies, treats, etc.

“Hands On Experience:”

• Illustrate the importance of hygiene with the Glo Germ Kit
• Show how good behavior is rewarded with points or bucks
• Positive reinforcement takes place when points or bucks can be redeemed for items that the faculty members or students would like to have
• The competitive environment will increase the excitement level for  the students

Wrap Up:

• If the lesson and competition time period proves to be successful, announce that it will continue for a certain amount of time further.
• Talk about social norms and how students many not be rewarded with points or bucks in the normal world when they demonstrate effective hygiene principles, but students can enjoy benefits of acting responsibly.

Home Connection:

• Have the students color and design their own “BLING Bucks” to take home and use with family members and friends
• Have them share the same list of hygiene standards with at least one other person at home.