by: Tami O’Connor
Is swine flu spreading like wildfire in your community? In my hometown of Redding, Connecticut, the high school’s homecoming dance and the Halloween parties at the elementary school were both canceled. The middle school social was also postponed until flu season is officially behind us.
What better time than now to teach your students about the benefits of proper hand washing techniques and how diseases are actually transmitted from one person to another? Educational Innovations carries a full line of products designed to help you educate your students about germ transmission and how best to reduce the spread of harmful microbes. Let Educational Innovations help you to keep your students more mindful of easy things they can do to stay healthy.
Glo Germ is a fantastic product which safely and graphically demonstrates to students and adults alike how germs are spread.
Used throughout the United States in schools, hospitals and food services, Glo Germ consists of an odorless lotion or powder which glows brightly when exposed to ultraviolet light. This product is perfect for your health curriculum.
To demonstrate proper hand washing, simply have students rub Glo Germ lotion on their hands. This simulates the spread of thousands of tiny plastic fluorescent “germs” on their hands. Then ask each students to wash their hands as they normally would. Finally, a fluorescent ultraviolet lamp may be used to spot the remaining “germs.” Under the lamp, the plastic “germs” fluoresce or glow brightly so that they may be easily seen by the student.
To use the powder to show how germs are spread through contact. Simply shake a small amount of the powder into the palm of your hand and shake hands with several students. Use the ultraviolet lamp to demonstrate that you have transferred “germs” to them. Interestingly, you will also be able to see all the places the newly contaminated hands have been since the initial “germ” was transferred from the “infected” person. Use the ultraviolet lamp to show where the students’ hands have been. Take note how close to students’ eyes, ears, and noses the glowing powder is. These openings are the gateways to their bodies.
Glo Germ Powder and Other Products
The Glo Germ Classroom Kit contains a battery operated ultraviolet light, an 8 ounce bottle of lotion, and a 4 ounce bottle of powder. The ultraviolet light runs off of 4 “AA” batteries and is approximately 6 1/2 inches in length. This kit is excellent if you want mobility, since it does not require an electrical outlet.
Similar to the Classroom Kit, the Glo Germ Group Presentation Kit contains an 8 ounce bottle of lotion, and a 4 ounce bottle of powder. The ultraviolet light in this kit, however, is approximately 21 inches long and runs off regular house current. Very large! Very impressive! This kit is good for an extremely graphic demonstration of how germs are spread. (Ultraviolet light runs on standard North American line current, 110 volts 60 Hz)
The Glo Germ Lotion base comes in an 8 ounce bottle and is used to demonstrate proper hand washing. Each bottle is good for 75 to 100 applications.
The Glo Germ Powder comes in a 4 ounce container and is used to demonstrate proper surface cleaning as well as the spread of germs. Each bottle is good for many cleanings since only a small amount is used.