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Hygiene Habits: Level Up!

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ecopeland

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Hygiene Habits: Level Up!

Students will identify and practice key daily hygiene habits.

Practicing good hygiene helps students stay healthy, feel confident, and interact positively with others. It's a vital life skill for self-care and social well-being.

Audience

7th Grade Middle School Students with Intellectual Disabilities

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Discussion, visual aids, and a hands-on activity.

Materials

  • Hygiene Habits Slide Deck, - Daily Hygiene Checklist Worksheet, - Whiteboard or Chart Paper, - Markers, and - Optional: Hand soap, small mirror, toothbrush/toothpaste (for demonstration)

Prep

Gather Materials & Review

10 minutes

  • Review the Hygiene Habits Slide Deck and ensure all visuals are clear.
    - Print copies of the Daily Hygiene Checklist Worksheet.
    - Prepare whiteboard/chart paper and markers.
    - Gather optional demonstration items (hand soap, small mirror, toothbrush/toothpaste).
    - Familiarize yourself with the Hygiene Habits Script.

Step 1

Warm-Up: What's Your Routine?

5 minutes

  • Begin with the Hygiene Habits Warm-Up activity.
    - Ask students: "What do you do to get ready in the morning?"
    - Write down a few responses on the board. (e.g., brush teeth, wash face).

Step 2

Introduction: Why Hygiene Matters

5 minutes

  • Use the Hygiene Habits Slide Deck to introduce the concept of hygiene.
    - Explain that hygiene is about keeping our bodies clean and healthy.
    - Discuss why it's important (feeling good, staying healthy, being social). Refer to the Hygiene Habits Script for talking points.

Step 3

Key Hygiene Habits

10 minutes

  • Go through the main hygiene habits using the Hygiene Habits Slide Deck (e.g., showering, brushing teeth, washing hands, clean clothes).
    - For each habit, briefly explain 'how' and 'why'. You can demonstrate simple actions like hand washing or proper tooth brushing.
    - Encourage questions and provide simple, direct answers. See the Hygiene Habits Script for detailed guidance.

Step 4

Activity: Daily Hygiene Checklist

7 minutes

  • Distribute the Daily Hygiene Checklist Worksheet.
    - Explain each item on the checklist.
    - Have students work individually or in pairs to fill out how often they perform each habit.
    - Circulate and offer support as needed.

Step 5

Cool-Down: One Thing I Learned

3 minutes

  • Conclude with the Hygiene Habits Cool-Down activity.
    - Ask students to share one new thing they learned or one habit they will try to focus on.
    - Reiterate the importance of daily hygiene and praise participation.
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Slide Deck

Hygiene Habits: Level Up!

Keeping Yourself Clean & Healthy!

Welcome students and introduce the topic of hygiene. Engage them by asking what they do to get ready in the morning.

What is Hygiene?

  • It means keeping your body clean!
  • Like washing your hands, brushing your teeth, and taking a shower.

Explain what hygiene means in simple terms. It's about keeping our bodies clean.

Why is Hygiene Important?

  • Stay Healthy: Germs make us sick!
  • Feel Good: You'll smell fresh and feel confident!
  • Be Social: People like to be around clean, fresh-smelling friends.

Discuss the main reasons why hygiene is important: staying healthy, feeling good, and making friends.

Key Habit: Washing Your Hands

  • When? Before eating, after using the bathroom, after coughing/sneezing, after touching dirty things.
  • How? Wet hands, use soap, scrub for 20 seconds (sing ABCs), rinse, dry.

Focus on handwashing. Explain when to wash hands and demonstrate or show a short video (if available). Emphasize 20 seconds of scrubbing.

Key Habit: Brushing Your Teeth

  • When? Every morning and every night.
  • How? Use toothpaste, brush all teeth (front, back, top, bottom) for 2 minutes.
  • Keeps your smile bright and breath fresh!

Explain brushing teeth. Emphasize twice a day and for two minutes.

Key Habit: Showering/Bathing

  • When? Regularly, especially after sports or when you feel sweaty.
  • How? Use soap and shampoo to clean your whole body and hair.
  • Helps you smell fresh and feel clean!

Discuss showering/bathing. Explain how often and why it's important for body odor.

Key Habit: Clean Clothes

  • When? Put on fresh clothes every day!
  • Why? Dirty clothes can smell and make you feel less confident.
  • You'll feel much better in clean clothes!

Talk about wearing clean clothes. Connect it to feeling good and social interactions.

Quick Check!

What is one hygiene habit you do every day to stay clean and healthy?






Recap the main points and ask a quick question to check understanding.

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Warm Up

Hygiene Habits Warm-Up

Get Ready for Your Day!

Think about your morning routine. What are the first few things you do to get ready for school or to start your day?

Draw or write about 3 things you do to get ready and feel fresh!













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lenny

Script

Hygiene Habits: Level Up! - Teacher Script

I. Warm-Up: What's Your Routine? (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something super important for how we feel and how we interact with others: hygiene! It sounds like a big word, but it just means keeping ourselves clean and healthy."

Teacher: "Let's start with a quick warm-up. Think about your morning. What are some of the things you do to get ready for the day or to get ready for school? When you wake up, what do you do to feel fresh?"

(Give students a moment to think or work on the Hygiene Habits Warm-Up if using. Call on a few students to share, or have them discuss with a partner. Write down a few key responses on the board, like 'brush teeth,' 'wash face,' 'eat breakfast' (you can gently guide to hygiene-related responses if needed).)

Teacher: "Great ideas! Many of you already do some amazing things to stay clean. Today, we're going to learn more about these habits and why they're so important."

II. Introduction: Why Hygiene Matters (5 minutes)

(Transition to Hygiene Habits Slide Deck - Slide 2: What is Hygiene?)

Teacher: "So, as I mentioned, hygiene is all about keeping your body clean. It's things like washing your hands, brushing your teeth, and taking a shower or bath."

(Transition to Hygiene Habits Slide Deck - Slide 3: Why is Hygiene Important?)

Teacher: "Why do you think it's important to keep ourselves clean? What happens if we don't?"

(Allow students to share ideas. Guide them towards the points on the slide.)

Teacher: "Exactly! Good hygiene helps us in three big ways:

  1. Stay Healthy: Germs are tiny things we can't see, and they can make us sick! Washing away germs helps us stay healthy.
  2. Feel Good: When you're clean, you smell fresh, and you feel more comfortable and confident!
  3. Be Social: People like to be around friends who are clean and smell good. It helps us make and keep friends."

III. Key Hygiene Habits (10 minutes)

Teacher: "Now, let's talk about some specific hygiene habits we should all try to do every day or very often. These are like your personal superpowers for staying fresh!"

(Transition to Hygiene Habits Slide Deck - Slide 4: Key Habit: Washing Your Hands)

Teacher: "First up: Washing Your Hands! When do you think it's important to wash your hands?"

(Call on students.)

Teacher: "Yes! Before eating, after using the bathroom, after coughing or sneezing, and any time your hands feel dirty. It's super important! Let's quickly remember how to do it right: wet your hands, use soap, scrub for 20 seconds (that's like singing the 'ABC' song twice!), rinse all the soap off, and then dry them well!"

(If doing a demonstration, do it here.)

(Transition to Hygiene Habits Slide Deck - Slide 5: Key Habit: Brushing Your Teeth)

Teacher: "Next, a bright smile and fresh breath! Brushing Your Teeth! How often should we brush our teeth?"

(Call on students.)

Teacher: "That's right, at least twice a day: in the morning and before bed. It gets rid of food bits and germs that cause bad breath and cavities. Remember to brush all your teeth – front, back, top, and bottom – for at least two minutes!"

(Transition to Hygiene Habits Slide Deck - Slide 6: Key Habit: Showering/Bathing)

Teacher: "Feeling super clean! Showering or Bathing! How does a shower make you feel?"

(Call on students.)

Teacher: "Clean and refreshed! It's important to shower regularly, especially after you've been active, playing sports, or if you feel sweaty. Use soap and shampoo to clean your whole body and your hair. This helps wash away sweat and dirt and keeps you smelling great!"

(Transition to Hygiene Habits Slide Deck - Slide 7: Key Habit: Clean Clothes)

Teacher: "Finally, Clean Clothes! What happens if we wear the same clothes day after day without washing them?"

(Call on students.)

Teacher: "They can start to smell, right? Putting on clean clothes every day makes a big difference in how you feel and how others perceive you. It's part of taking care of yourself!"

IV. Activity: Daily Hygiene Checklist (7 minutes)

(Transition to Hygiene Habits Slide Deck - Quick Check slide, or turn off projector for activity.)

Teacher: "Now, I have a Daily Hygiene Checklist Worksheet for everyone. This checklist lists some of the important habits we talked about. I want you to look at each one and think about how often you do it."

(Distribute the worksheets. Read through the first few items together to model. Circulate and assist students as they fill out their checklists.)

Teacher: "This isn't a test! It's just a way to think about our habits and maybe find one or two things we want to get better at."

V. Cool-Down: One Thing I Learned (3 minutes)

(Gather attention of the class. If using the Hygiene Habits Cool-Down, distribute or display it.)

Teacher: "Alright everyone, let's wrap up! I want everyone to think about one thing you learned today, or one hygiene habit you are going to try to focus on more. Maybe it's brushing your teeth for the full two minutes, or always washing your hands before eating."

*(Ask a few students to share their thoughts or write them down on the Hygiene Habits Cool-Down.)

Teacher: "Awesome! Remember, taking care of your hygiene is taking care of yourself. It helps you stay healthy, feel great, and be your best self every single day. Keep up the great work!"

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lenny

Worksheet

My Daily Hygiene Checklist

Name: ________________________
Date: ________________________

Taking care of your body helps you stay healthy and feel good! Read each hygiene habit below and check how often you do it.

My Hygiene Habits

Hygiene HabitEvery DayMost DaysSometimesNever
1. Wash My Hands
(With soap and water)
2. Brush My Teeth
(Morning & Night)
3. Take a Shower/Bath
(Clean my whole body)
4. Wear Clean Clothes
(Fresh clothes daily)
5. Use Deodorant
(If I'm old enough)
6. Wash My Face
(Morning & Night)

  1. What is one hygiene habit you are already good at?



  2. What is one hygiene habit you want to try and do more often?



  3. Why is it important to take care of your hygiene?





lenny
lenny

Cool Down

Hygiene Habits Cool-Down

Reflect and Remember!

  1. One New Thing: What is one new thing you learned about hygiene today?



  2. My Focus Habit: What is one hygiene habit you will try to remember to do more often this week?



  3. Feeling Good: How does practicing good hygiene make you feel?



lenny
lenny