The inquiry based lesson I plan to introduce is the Glitter Germ Experiment. It helps children to actually be able to see the ‘germs’ and give them a more concrete understanding of how handwashing and germ prevention work. Younger children can find it difficult to understand that germs are everywhere! Only four ingredients are required to explore how germs work. We want to emphasise that even though we can’t see them, they’re everywhere. A shallow dish, water, blue washing up liquid and gold glitter. Pour water into the dish almost to the edge. Sprinkle glitter generously over the surface. Squirt liquid directly into a mass of glitter. The children will see when liquid soap is added to the water the germs(glitter) moves away. The more soap the faster the reaction. The children could also coat a finger in soap and try to touch the ‘germs’. A follow up activity could be to read a book on the importance of handwashing and practice good handwashing. I think this would be an extremely worthwhile activity, particularly with younger classes!