A teacher recently devised an innovative experiment using bread to illustrate the significance of hand-washing, particularly during flu season. It’s a lesson that’s crucial for children to grasp; my own kids are always quick to remind me to wash their hands whenever we’re out.
Educator Sarah Thompson, along with her colleague and behavioral specialist Mia Reynolds, shared their findings on social media: “In class last month, as flu season was beginning, we conducted a science project. We touched fresh slices of bread in different ways: one untouched, one with unwashed hands, another with hand sanitizer, and one after washing hands with soap and warm water. We even rubbed a piece on our classroom tablets,” they explained. Each slice was then sealed in a Ziploc bag and left to sit. The results were both surprising and a bit unsettling.
The slice touched by unwashed hands and the one that had contact with the tablets showed the most mold growth, while the bread treated with hand sanitizer exhibited considerable mold too. “As someone who’s had enough of being sick, let me emphasize: Wash your hands! It’s essential to remind kids about this! Hand sanitizer is not a substitute for soap and water!” the Idaho-based teachers stressed.
While this experiment isn’t entirely new, Thompson took it a step further by demonstrating that hand sanitizer, although better than nothing, does not quite measure up to the efficacy of traditional hand-washing. Having a visual aid is especially impactful for elementary students, making the reasoning behind the emphasis on cleanliness clearer.
Speaking to us, Thompson noted that this was her second year teaching and her first time conducting this particular experiment. “We had just wrapped up a lesson about how leaves decay during winter. The kids were quite grossed out by the mold, prompting us to create our own version focusing on germs and mold in our environment,” she shared. Following the experiment, they received mixed feedback—support from many, but also skepticism from some who claimed the results were flawed due to natural bread mold growth, and even questions about the cleanliness of their tablets. Thompson clarified in her post that they do regularly sanitize the tablets but chose not to for this demonstration.
Interestingly, “There were actually people who defended not washing their hands!” Thompson remarked. “It was surprising! This was merely a simple classroom experiment to showcase mold, but it highlighted how easily we can spread invisible germs.”
If this experiment doesn’t motivate everyone to wash their hands diligently, I’m not sure what will!
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Summary:
A classroom experiment conducted by a teacher using slices of bread to demonstrate the importance of hand-washing yielded shocking results, revealing just how easily germs can spread. The findings underscored the necessity of proper hand hygiene, particularly during flu season, and sparked discussions about the effectiveness of hand sanitizers versus soap and water.