Lesson video

Hello, my name's Miss de Mello and I'm going to be your teacher for today's lesson.

Today's lesson is called germs and how to defeat them and it fits into the unit staying safe and healthy, how do I maintain physical health? During this lesson, we are going to be talking about sensitive content, so for this lesson, we recommend that you have an adult with you.

If at any point you feel worried or uncomfortable, it's really important that you stop the lesson and that you speak to a trusted adult.

Okay, let's make a start.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to describe the different kinds of germs, how they are spread and how to limit their transmission.

Before we get started with today's lesson, we need to go over some ground rules.

These help to make sure that everyone feels safe and comfortable during today's lesson.

First of all, Laura says that we need to listen to others.

It's okay to disagree with each other, but we should always listen properly before you make any assumptions or before you decide how to respond.

When we disagree with someone else, it's important to challenge the statement and not the person themselves.

Next, Andeep says that we need to respect each other's privacy.

We can discuss examples, but we shouldn't use any names or descriptions that identify anyone including ourselves.

If we want to share a story or an experience, we can refer to someone as my friend.

This means that we're not going to give away any identifying information.

Next, Izzy says that we can choose our level of participation.

Everyone has the right to choose not to answer a question or to join in with discussion.

We should never put anyone on the spot.

And finally, Jacob says, no judgment.

We can explore any beliefs or misunderstandings that we have about a topic without fear of being judged by others.

Let's take a look at the keywords for today's lesson.

Our first keyword is bacteria.

This is microorganisms that can be found in various environments, some of which cause diseases while others are beneficial.

Next, we have virus.

This is a tiny infectious agent that can only replicate inside the living cells of an organism.

Next, we have fungi.

This is a group of organisms that include yeasts, molds, and mushrooms, some of which can cause infections.

And finally, we have hygiene.

This is practices that help maintain health and prevent the spread of diseases.

Today's lesson is split into two learning cycles.

Our first learning cycle is called what are the different types of germs, and our second learning cycle is called how do germs spread and how can I prevent this? Let's make a start on our first learning cycle.

What are the different types of germs? Izzy and Alex are eating their snacks in the playground.

Accidentally, Alex drops his raisins on the ground.

Izzy says, don't pick that up, Alex, it's got germs on it.

But Alex says it's only been on the floor for a second, it's fine.

Izzy says the germs could make you sick.

Izzy was right.

When food falls on the floor, it can pick up dirt and germs, so we should avoid eating it.

Alex asks a really good question, what are germs? Nurse Daniel tells us that a germ is a type of microorganism that can cause disease.

The main types of germs are bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

You might recognize these as some of our keywords from today's lesson.

Now, Daniel says that not all bacteria cause illness and disease.

There are good and bad bacteria, for example, good bacteria are needed in our guts to help digest our food and keep us healthy.

Bacteria are living cells that can survive inside or outside of a body.

A virus is a collection of non-living molecules that need a host, a living organism to replicate and survive, and fungi can spread microscopic spores that can damage our healthy cells.

Let's do a check for understanding to see how you're doing.

Is this statement true or false? All bacteria are bad for us because they can cause illness and disease.

What do you think, this is true or false? Pause the video, talk to the people around you or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that this is false, but why? You might have said that this is false because there are different types of bacteria.

Bad bacteria can cause illness and disease, but we need good bacteria in our guts to keep us healthy and help with digestion.

Well done, if you said something like this.

Germs can cause illness in different ways, so some bacteria can multiply very quickly, often quicker than our immune system, which is our body's defense system can respond.

This means that they can push out and destroy healthy tissue.

Some viruses will damage our healthy cells and make us unwell by taking them over to make more viruses.

When we become ill, our bodies will try to defend themselves using our immune systems. If the immune system response is too large, this can also be harmful to us.

Some fungi are harmless and we even eat them in the form of mushrooms or yeast that is used to make bread.

Other fungi can cause illness by starting infections that can spread easily.

These are especially common on the skin itself, but can infect all areas of the body.

Let's do a check for understanding to see how you're doing.

Which of these germs need a host to survive? A, bacteria, B, viruses or C, fungi? What do you think? Which of these germs need a host to survive? Pause the video, talk to people around you or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that viruses is correct, viruses are germs that need a host to survive.

Well done if you got this right.

Different germs can cause different types of illness, so bacteria can cause strep throat, tuberculosis, often called TB, and salmonella infection, some symptoms of strep throat are sore throat, fever and red rash.

Some symptoms of tuberculosis are a persistent cough and chest pain, and some symptoms of salmonella are diarrhea, stomach cramps, and vomiting.

Some examples of illnesses caused by viruses are chickenpox, influenza, often called flu and the cold.

Some symptoms of chickenpox include itchy rash, fever, and skin blisters.

Some symptoms of the flu include fever, chills, and muscle aches, and some symptoms of a cold include a runny nose, sore throat and congestion.

Fungi can cause athlete's foot, ringworm and thrash, and some symptoms of athlete's foot include itchy, peeling skin on feet or blisters.

A symptom of ringworm is a circular rash around clear skin and a symptom of thrash is sore, white patches in the mouth and other areas.

Sofia asks a really good question, what do I need to do if I'm experiencing any of these symptoms? Dr.

Elsie says that some of these illnesses, like a cold, can be treated at home with rest.

Other illnesses like thrush can be treated by seeing a pharmacist who can recommend medicines to help.

However other diseases like tuberculosis, TB, are more serious and you may need to see a doctor or even receive medical help in a hospital.

Let's do another check for understanding.

Can you complete the sentence using the words provided? There are different types of blank.

These can include bacteria, blank and fungi.

These can all cause a range of different illnesses and blank.

The missing words are viruses, diseases, and germs. Can you complete the sentence using those words? Pause the video, talk to people around you or have a think to yourself Well done, if you said that this is the order that the missing words should go in, germs, viruses and diseases.

Our completed sentences should look like this.

There are different types of germs. These can include bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

These can all cause a range of different illnesses and diseases.

Well done if you got this right.

Let's move on to our first practice task.

And well done, for your hard work so far.

Using your learning from this learning cycle, I'd like you to answer the following questions.

Try to include some specific examples in your answers.

Question number one, what is a germ? Number two, how do bacteria cause illness and disease? Number three, how does a virus cause illness and disease? And number four, how do fungi cause illness and disease? Pause the video and we'll go through some model answers in a few minutes.

Okay, let's see what your answers could have looked like.

For number one, you might have said that germs are different types of microorganisms that can cause illness and disease.

For number two, you might have said that bacteria are a type of germ that can cause illnesses such as strep throat and TB by multiplying quickly and damaging healthy cells.

For question three, you might have said that viruses are another type of germ which cause illnesses like chickenpox and flu by taking over ourselves to make more viruses, which damages our bodies.

And finally for question four, you might have said that fungi are another type of germ that releases spores, which can cause infections and spread easily.

For instance, athletes foot and ringworm.

Well done, if your answers were anything like this, we're now moving on to our second learning cycle.

How the germs spread and how can I prevent this? Germs can be transmitted, which means spread in different ways.

For instance, they can be transmitted via direct contact or indirect contact, or they can be airborne or vector-borne.

Dr.

Elsie says that the most common way that germs are spread is through direct and indirect contact with infected people or contaminated surfaces.

Let's have a look at the different modes of transmission and see what this can look like when we're talking about germ transmission.

So direct contact could mean touching someone with an infection, for example, through hugs or handshakes.

An example of indirect contact could be touching surfaces that are contaminated with germs. And an example of this could be touching keyboards, phones and door handles that are contaminated with germs. Airborne, an example of airborne transmission could be inhaling microscopic droplets of germs that are in the air, for example, unintentionally inhaling droplets of what someone has coughed or sneezed.

And finally, an example of vector-borne transmission could be being bitten by insects that are carrying germs. So an example of this is that mosquitoes can carry diseases.

Let's do a check for understanding to see how you're doing.

Which image is an example of airborne transmission? Have a look at the photos on the screen and decide which image is an example of airborne transmission.

Pause the video, talk to the people around you or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that A is correct.

This picture shows someone coughing or sneezing.

This is an example of airborne transmission of germs. Well done if you've got this right.

There are lots of ways that we can keep ourselves safe and prevent the transmission of germs. If we know that someone is unwell, we can avoid direct contact with them and we can prevent the spread by washing our hands regularly.

You should always wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap after sneezing or coughing and after using the bathroom, we should also always wash our hands before eating.

We can prevent the spread of germs from indirect contact by having good hygiene, including making sure that we wash our hands after touching surfaces that might be contaminated with germs. We can also disinfect doorknobs regularly, as people often touch these, we can wipe down keyboards before and after we use them, and we can use hand sanitizer after we have touched objects in a public place.

Hand sanitizer can be effective at getting rid of germs. Let's do another check for understanding.

This time I'd like you to decide who is correct.

Lucas says that washing our hands is only important if we are unwell.

Aisha says that we should always wash our hands after we've coughed or sneezed.

Andeep says that we should always wash our hands after eating.

Can you decide who is correct, Lucas, Aisha, or Andeep? Pause the video, talk to people around you, or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that Aisha is correct, it's true that we should always wash our hands after we have coughed or sneezed.

As if we've coughed or sneezed into our hands, this can mean that our hands now have gems on them.

Lucas is incorrect because washing our hands is really important, even if we are well and and Andeep is not correct because we should always wash our hands before eating, not just after eating.

Well done if you got this right.

Airborne gems are carried in microscopic droplets that are released into the air, when someone with an infection sneezes, coughs, talks or even breathes.

Dr.

Elsie says that once these germs are airborne, people nearby can inhale them and the infection is then taken into their lungs.

This can then easily spread through to the rest of their body through the respiratory system.

This can make people become unwell.

We can prevent the spread of airborne germs by always covering our mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing and disposing of used tissues, and then washing our hands after.

Washing our hands after coughing or sneezing, and keeping indoor spaces ventilated by opening windows and doors regularly.

Let's do another check for understanding.

I'd like you to change one word to correct this sentence.

Transmission of vector-borne diseases can be reduced by always covering our mouth and nose, when coughing or sneezing.

Can you change one word in that sentence to make it correct? Pause the video, talk to people around you or have a think to yourself.

Well done, if you said that the word vector-borne was incorrect and that instead the word airborne should be there, so our correct sentence should now say that transmission of airborne diseases can be reduced by always covering our mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.

Well done if you got this right.

Vector-borne germs are carried by insects such as mosquitoes or ticks and can be transmitted if we're bitten by them.

Infections such as malaria and Lyme disease are spread in this way.

Dr.

Elsie says that although vector-borne diseases are less common, we should always take note of symptoms we feel after an insect bite in case we've been infected.

Ways that we can prevent vector-borne diseases include staying up to date with our vaccinations where possible, especially if we're traveling abroad and using insect repellent or wearing long sleeve clothing when in areas of forest or still water that attract more insects.

We can also use screens or covers if we're staying somewhere with a large population of mosquitoes and we can seek medical advice if we feel unwell.

Early diagnosis and treatment can stop these diseases from becoming too serious.

Let's do another check for understanding.

Is the statement true or false? Having good hygiene practices can reduce the spread of germs and bacteria.

What do you think? Pause the video, talk to people around you, or have a think to yourself.

Well done if you said that this is true, it's true that having good hygiene practices can reduce the spread of germs and bacteria.

Well done if you got this right.

In early 2020, a new virus called Coronavirus or COVID-19 began spreading rapidly around the world causing a global pandemic.

During the pandemic, schools closed, people had to stay at home and daily life changed significantly for everyone.

The COVID-19 pandemic taught us important lessons about how quickly viruses can spread between people.

One key lesson was the importance of testing, checking whether someone has a virus even when they feel well, because this helps to stop infections from spreading to others.

Although COVID-19 is still around today, we now have vaccines and treatments that help to protect people and reduce serious illness, especially in people that are vulnerable.

Dr.

Elsie says that simple actions like handwashing, using tissues and staying home when unwell help to stop infections from spreading to others.

Keeping clean and covering coughs and sneezes protects everyone, especially those who are more vulnerable, like very young children and the elderly.

Some people can become more seriously ill from infections, so our everyday hygiene habits helps protect them as well as ourselves.

Megan says, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I realized how small habits like hand washing properly and regular testing really make a big difference.

At first, washing my hands for 20 seconds felt like ages, but it became a normal routine.

It made me think about all the invisible germs around us and how easy it is to stop them from spreading.

The COVID-19 pandemic showed how public health systems work together to protect people.

Scientists, doctors and government leaders helped to reduce infections through testing, vaccines and clear public messages.

The ongoing COVID inquiry is helping the UK to understand what worked well and how to be better prepared if another infection was to spread again.

The COVID Inquiry is an independent investigation that looks at how the government, health services and other organizations responded to the pandemic.

By examining what happened, the Inquiry aims to learn lessons and help the UK be better prepared if another pandemic occurs in the future.

Let's do another check for understanding.

Why was testing during the COVID-19 pandemic important? A, to check you had the virus and stop it spreading.

B, to make people stay at home for no reason or C, to replace washing hands and good hygiene.

What do you think? Why was testing during the COVID-19 pandemic important? Pause the video, talk to people around you or have a think to yourself.

Well done, if you said that A is correct.

Testing during the COVID-19 pandemic was really important to check who had the virus and to stop it from spreading to others.

Well done if you got this right.

We're now moving on to our final practice task and well done for your hard work, in this lesson so far.

Lucas is creating a poster for his school about how germs are spread and good hygiene.

I'd like you to help Lucas by writing the text for his poster.

I'd like you to include information on how different germs can be transmitted and how we can prevent this.

Pause the video and we'll go through what your poster text might have looked like in a few minutes.

Okay, let's see what you might have said.

You might have said that germs such as bacteria, viruses and fungi can be easily transmitted through direct contact, indirect contact, airborne and vector-borne transmission.

It's important to have good hygiene to prevent us from becoming unwell.

Regular hand washing, using tissues to cover our mouth and nose when we sneeze or cough and disposing of tissues when they're dirty, are all important steps to stop the spread of germs. Wiping down services and using hand sanitizer can also help to keep us safe and healthy.

And finally, if in areas where there are lots of mosquitoes, use repellent and stay up to date with vaccinations as this can really help.

Well done, if your answers were anything like this or if you had some similar ideas from this learning cycle, we're now going to summarize the key learning from today's lesson.

In today's lesson, we've learned that there are different kinds of germs, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

Not all bacteria are bad, and this is important to remember, as some are needed for good gut health and digestion.

Different types of germs can cause different illnesses.

Some of these can be treated at home.

Others may need medical attention.

For example, by seeing a GP or a pharmacist.

There are many ways that germs can be transmitted.

For example, through direct or indirect contact, we can prevent germs spreading, by having good hygiene, we can hand wash regularly for 20 seconds, disinfect contaminated surfaces, and make sure to cover our mouth and nose when we sneeze or cough.

By being aware of symptoms and seeking medical advice, this helps us to stay healthy and prevent transmitting germs to others.

During today's lesson, you might have found that you've got some worries or questions, and if you do, it's really important you share these with a trusted adult.

There's also some resources on the screen that are there to help you too.

Well done for your hard work today, I hope to see you again soon.