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Bubble Up, Dry Down

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Christine Goonan

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Bubble Up, Dry Down Lesson Plan

Students will learn and practice expected bathroom behaviors—proper soap dispensing (“bubble up”) and paper towel use (“dry down”)—to maintain cleanliness and reduce waste.

Teaching clear, consistent handwashing and drying routines helps prevent illness, builds independence, and promotes environmental responsibility by minimizing paper towel waste.

Audience

Elementary School Students (Grades K–2)

Time

20 minutes

Approach

Model, guide, and practice with visual supports and captions.

Materials

  • Bubble Up, Dry Down Slide Deck
  • Classroom Soap Dispenser and Paper Towel Roll
  • Visual Handwashing Poster
  • Digital Timer

Prep

Teacher Preparation

5 minutes

  • Load and review the Bubble Up, Dry Down Slide Deck to ensure all captions and images display correctly.
  • Gather a working soap dispenser and paper towel roll for demonstration.
  • Hang the Visual Handwashing Poster near the demo area.
  • Set a digital timer for each activity segment.

Step 1

1. Introduction

3 minutes

  • Display Slide 1 of the Bubble Up, Dry Down Slide Deck with closed captions.
  • Explain that today we’ll learn how to ‘bubble up’ with soap and ‘dry down’ with paper towels.
  • Ask students why washing hands is important (germ prevention).

Step 2

2. Model Soap Dispensing

5 minutes

  • Show Slide 2 illustrating proper soap dispensing with captions.
  • Demonstrate how to pump one full squirt of soap (“bubble up”).
  • Invite students to watch for what happens if you pump too much.
  • Emphasize: “One pump is enough!”

Step 3

3. Model Paper Towel Use

5 minutes

  • Advance to Slide 3 showing paper towel use steps.
  • Demonstrate tearing one square, drying hands thoroughly (“dry down”), and tossing the towel.
  • Highlight captions: “One square is perfect!”
  • Discuss why we use just one square to save paper.

Step 4

4. Guided Practice

5 minutes

  • Invite 2–3 volunteers to come up one at a time.
  • Each student practices one pump of soap and one towel square while peers watch.
  • Provide positive feedback and corrections based on what’s shown on slides.

Step 5

5. Review & Exit Check

2 minutes

  • Show Slide 4 recap: “Bubble Up, Dry Down Steps.”
  • Ask two quick questions: “How many pumps of soap?” and “How many towel squares?”
  • Students give a thumbs-up if they remember both steps.
  • Praise the class for learning essential bathroom routines.
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Slide Deck

Bubble Up, Dry Down

Children washing hands happily

Welcome! Today we learn how to Bubble Up with soap and Dry Down with paper towels.

Keep your hands germ-free and save paper!

Welcome, friends! Today we'll learn two easy steps to keep our hands clean and help the planet. Use a friendly tone and point to the images. Ask students to share why clean hands matter.

Bubble Up: One Pump of Soap

Soap dispenser with one pump

  1. Place your hands under the soap dispenser.
  2. Press down once for one full pump.
  3. Rub soap all over your hands for 20 seconds.

Caption: One pump is enough – Bubble Up!

Demonstrate at the real soap dispenser. Show what happens with one pump versus two. Encourage students to watch closely and repeat the phrase “Bubble Up!”

Dry Down: One Square of Towel

One square of paper towel

  1. Tear off one square of paper towel.
  2. Dry your hands completely – front, back, between fingers.
  3. Toss the towel in the trash.

Caption: One square saves trees – Dry Down!

Model tearing exactly one square of paper towel. Show students how to rub hands dry and then toss the towel. Reinforce the phrase “Dry Down!”

Recap: Bubble Up, Dry Down!

![Bubble

Show this slide and ask: “How many pumps? How many squares?” Invite thumbs-up for correct answers. Finish with positive reinforcement.

lenny