Introduction

Good personal hygiene is essential for maintaining a healthy environment and promoting positive interactions with others. One crucial aspect of hygiene is knowing how to properly cover a sneeze to prevent the spread of germs. This blog post will explore the importance of sneezing etiquette and its connection to social-emotional learning (SEL) principles. We will also provide an easy no-prep activity, discussion questions, related skills, and next steps for incorporating this concept into your classroom.

No-Prep Activity

Here’s a simple and engaging activity that requires no preparation or materials from the educator:

1. Ask students to stand up and form a circle, facing the center.
2. Explain to the students that they will be practicing proper sneezing etiquette by pretending to sneeze into their elbows.
3. Instruct students to take turns, going around the circle, and demonstrate the correct way to sneeze into their elbows. Encourage them to say “Achoo!” as they do so.
4. As each student takes their turn, ask the other students to observe and provide positive feedback on their classmates’ sneezing technique.
5. After each student has had a turn, have a brief discussion about why sneezing into the elbow is important for preventing the spread of germs and promoting a healthy environment.

Discussion Questions

Use these questions to stimulate further discussions about hygiene and sneezing etiquette:

1. Why is it important to cover your sneeze with your elbow or a tissue?
2. How do you think others feel when someone sneezes without covering their nose and mouth?
3. What are some other ways we can practice good hygiene to prevent the spread of germs?
4. How does practicing good hygiene relate to social-emotional learning and our interactions with others?
5. What can we do to remind ourselves and our classmates to practice good sneezing etiquette and hygiene habits?

Related Skills

Besides sneezing etiquette, there are other essential skills related to hygiene and social-emotional learning:

• Handwashing: Teach students the importance of washing their hands regularly and the correct technique to ensure cleanliness.
• Personal space: Help students understand the concept of personal space and how respecting others’ boundaries can create a comfortable environment for everyone.
• Empathy: Encourage students to consider how their actions, such as practicing good hygiene, can impact the feelings and well-being of others.
• Communication: Teach students to express their concerns or discomfort when someone isn’t following good hygiene practices, in a respectful and constructive manner.

Next Steps

Now that you have learned about the importance of hygiene and sneezing etiquette, it’s time to incorporate these concepts into your classroom. To help you get started, we encourage you to sign up for free sample materials related to this skill and others. These resources will provide you with engaging activities, videos, and more to help your students develop and practice essential social-emotional learning skills. Remember, promoting good hygiene and sneezing etiquette is not only crucial for maintaining a healthy environment but also for fostering positive interactions and relationships between students.