This activity is an imaginative way in for a topic on micro-organisms.

Just before you start the lesson, take some hair gel (preferably green) and place a large amount on your hands.

Ask the children to stand in a circle. Once they have done this, pretend to sneeze very loudly into your hands.

Immediately after this, turn to the pupil next to you and shake their hand.

This should result in plenty of laughs.

They in turn shake the hand of the person next to them, while you turn to the person on your other side.

See how far the hair gel goes. Ask the children for their ideas about what the activity demonstrates.

I always use this as an opportunity to remind them just how far germs can travel and link this to hand-washing routines. They could then produce some hand-washing posters to go around the school

Louise Payne is Year 56 class teacher at Collingwood Primary in South Woodham Ferrers, Essex

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