Primary school health education: how children can learn about microbes and hand hygiene

Abstract

In a technologically advanced and globalizing world, it is necessary to adjust the curricula and teaching methodologies so that scientific training can be applied to the real and current situations of pupils’ personal and social lives, thus contributing to improving their scientific literacy. The experimental teaching of science allows a better understanding of the children’s world. Primary school children’s natural curiosity is a gateway for better learning about microorganisms. Experimental primary school teaching of microbiology, focusing on hand hygiene, was implemented in this study. This practical activity was developed in Bragança, Portugal, with 16 pupils enrolled in the 4th year of primary school, by addressing the problem-question: “Why should you wash your hands before meals?” The results showed that pupils had come to recognize that they had bacteria on their hands and had verified the effectiveness of the handwashing process. It was concluded that this activity can help children, as early as the primary school, through an autonomous and responsible manner, to understand the importance of handwashing, so that they see this procedure as not being just a socially correct behaviour or a simple rule to fulfil.