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Writer's pictureAmy Wung Tsao

This Science is Full of Germs!

“We mostly don’t get sick. Most often, bacteria are keeping us well” ~ molecular biologist Bonnie Bassler



Close up image of e. coli bacteria, rendered purple against a black background. The e. coli appears like a fuzzy purple round and oblong shape, with some extra long tendrils coming out.
Credit: CDC (@cdc) on UnSplash

How do you teach kids about these invisible things called germs?  


You find the most engaging STEM books, videos, and activities that make those invisible germs visible!


Keep scrolling for STEM resources for preschool, kindergarten, 1st graders and 2nd graders- all about the different kinds of germs (also called microbes), how some make you sick, some are actually good for you, and how soap keeps the bad germs away.


(Just a reminder - I am never paid to mention any of these resources; there are no affiliate links.)


 

Germ Science Videos




What Are Germs? from Sesame Workshop


Leave it to Sesame Street to teach kids about germs in the cutest way possible in just 2 minutes! This video covers what germs look like, that some germs are good and some are bad, and why washing germs off your hands helps keep you healthy.




from MysteryScience


You can’t get sick from just touching germs. Those germs still have to make it inside your body to make you sick. Plus some mesmerizing slow motion clips of people sneezing.  




What are Boogers? from SciShow kids


Boogers are gross, but they also protect you from germs!




Colds, the Flu, and You from SciShow Kids


How cold and flu viruses get in your body, and how your symptoms like sneezes and fever are actually your immune system fighting back!


 

Germ Science Books



Cover illustration of four small germs, each a different shape, different color, and with a different facial expression, against a bright yellow background. One blue germ with a serious face has a speech bubble reading “Do not lick this book*”. A pink round germ with a happy face has a speech bubble reading “*It’s full of germs.”

written by Idan Ben-Barak and illustrated by Julian Frost


This book is absolutely delightful! Meet tiny microbe Min, who lives in this book. You can even pick her up with your finger, and take her to meet other microbes that live on your teeth, your shirt, and your skin.  All my kids, from my preschooler to my 4th grader, got a kick out of this book.



Cover illustration of several microbes walking, socializing, eating on several pink floors connected by a central elevator.

written by Kim Sung-hwa & Kwon Soo-jin, illustrated by JKim Ryung-eon


Do your kids know that some germs are actually good for us? Meet the good germs who live inside the good germ hotel - a kid’s body! A lot of them help with your digestion, but some live on your skin. Having more good germs can even protect you from the bad ones! 


It’s probably too much detail for a preschooler, but there’s plenty to discover here for an elementary school aged kid! Just be prepared for a poop-tastic end when those microbes that help with digestion…finish the job. 



Cover illustration of a white man in a blue old-fashioned suit, riding in a small canoe floating on dirty green water. The man is proudly holding up a sign with the subtitle “How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London’s Poop Pollution Problem”.

written by Colleen Paeff, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter


This is the true story of a determined engineer who created a new sewer system in London, resulting in a clean River Thames and an end to the cholera outbreak. For obvious reasons, my older kids find this book fascinating. 


This book is best for an older kid who isn’t afraid to read about a little bit (okay actually a lot of) poop! 


 

Germ Science Activities






This activity is so easy to set up. Instead of germs, you’ll use black pepper. Water alone will make the pepper stick to your fingers, but with soap the black pepper will swim away from your finger! 




from Science Buddies


With washable paint, kids can see just how well they’re really washing their hands.



Photo of two slices on bread in separate zipped clear plastic sandwich bags. One bag is labeled “Clean hands”, and the bread slice looks clean. The other bag is labeled “Dirty hands” and this bread slice is quite moldy. The text reads “Invisible Germs Experment: Grow your own germs to demonstrate the importance of hand-washing!”

from Whizz Pop Bang Magazine


Watch germs grow on bread inside a sealed plastic bag over several days. This one isn’t for the super squeamish, but clean up is pretty easy since the mess is contained inside sealed plastic bags.  


 

That’s it for the science of germs! Are you ready to wash your hands yet?


Next month I’m welcoming in spooky season with the science of our amazing skeletons.

Until next time, have fun lighting sparks of curiosity!


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