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These resources have been reviewed and selected by STEM Learning’s team of education specialists for factual accuracy and relevance to teaching STEM subjects in UK schools.

Handshake Hazard

This resource from Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute is a hands-on classroom activity for Key Stage Two students that aims to support the teaching of microbes and hand hygiene. This interactive, practical activity demonstrates how microbes, such as bacteria and viruses, can be spread through hand to hand contact. Using a special UV gel, students can visualise how easy it is to spread microbes through hand to hand contact. The activity goes on to demonstrate the impact of handwashing to highlight the importance of hand hygiene in preventing the spread of infection. This activity can be used as an interactive classroom session when discussing topics on bacteria or viruses, e.g. influenza (flu). It can also be used as a science week activity or demonstration.

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