Additional Activities

These additional activities may be used throughout your workshop and can be conducted in any order. If you are conducting a workshop in an area where there is no computer or Internet access, these pages may be printed.

handwashing

Estimated Time: 10-15 minutes.

Materials: Glow-in-the-dark lotion or powder; ultraviolet light; warm and cold water; soap; paper towels; one index card for each participant.

Prepare the index cards beforehand. On each card, list one of the following handwashing options: (1) Cold water only, rubbing hands for 20 seconds; (2) Cold water and soap, rubbing hands for 20 seconds; (3) Warm water only, rubbing hands for 20 seconds; (4) Warm water and soap, rubbing hands for five seconds; (5) Warm water and soap, rubbing hands for 20 seconds. Be sure to make at least two cards for each technique. If possible, write each technique on a different color card (you will need five colors).

Have each participant rub a small amount of invisible glow-in-the-dark lotion or powder into their hands. Hand an index card to each participant and instruct the participants to wash their hands as described on their index cards. Dry hands with paper towels.

After everyone has washed their hands, have the group view everyone’s hands under the ultraviolet light. Any areas that glow represent germs that weren’t washed off. Have the participants decide how to line the group up in a semicircle, in order from cleanest to dirtiest hands. Then have the participants hold up their index cards. Discuss with the group which method was most effective at removing the “germs” and why. This activity should illustrate that option five is the most effective handwashing technique.

Cooling food

Estimated Time: 10 minutes (additional time is needed to boil water, transfer it to the containers, and cool the containers).

Materials: stove or portable burner; refrigerator (optional); shallow pan; deep saucepan; liquid measuring cups; water; oatmeal (optional); thermometer.

Boil a gallon of water at the start of the session. Use it to prepare oatmeal, if desired. Have participants transfer half of the water or oatmeal to a shallow pan and the other half to a deep saucepan. Place both containers in the refrigerator. (The pans should either both be covered or both be uncovered.) After one hour, have participants measure the temperature of both containers. Which container is cooler? Why? What hot foods are often mistakenly stored in deep containers? (This activity can be done without a refrigerator, but the facilitator must stress to participants that foods should be cooled in a refrigerator, not at room temperature.)