History · Year 2

Active learning ideas

The Discovery of Germs and Hygiene

Active learning helps Year 2 students grasp why germs and hygiene matter by making invisible concepts visible. Hands-on experiments and role-plays turn abstract discoveries into memorable, tangible experiences that build lasting understanding.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS1: History - Events beyond living memory
• KS1: History - Significant individuals in the past

• 20–35 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 35 min · Small Groups

Experiment Station: Pasteur's Flask Test

Prepare jars with clear liquid: some sealed, others with gauze covers or open. Students observe daily for mould growth over a week (use pre-made samples for speed). Groups record drawings and discuss how germs travel. Conclude with class share-out on findings.

What are germs and how can they make people ill?

Facilitation Tip

During Pasteur's Flask Test, ask students to predict what will happen to the broth in each flask before the experiment starts to spark curiosity and reasoning.

What to look for

Present students with pictures of different scenarios (e.g., a dirty wound, unwashed hands, a clean operating room, milk). Ask them to sort the pictures into two groups: 'Helps stop germs' and 'Helps germs spread'. Discuss their choices, focusing on hygiene practices.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 02

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 30 min · Small Groups

Role-Play: Lister's Operating Theatre

Divide class into surgeons, nurses, and patients. First round acts a 'dirty' surgery with pretend germs (glitter). Second round uses 'antiseptic' sprays and washing. Students vote on which feels safer and why.

How did washing hands and keeping things clean help patients get better?

Facilitation Tip

In Lister's Operating Theatre, assign clear roles like surgeon, nurse, and patient to ensure every student participates actively in the role-play.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'Imagine you are a patient in a hospital before Louis Pasteur and Joseph Lister made their discoveries. What might happen to you, and why was it so dangerous?' Encourage students to use vocabulary like 'germs' and 'infection' in their answers.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 20 min · Pairs

Glitter Germs: Hand Hygiene Challenge

Apply lotion and glitter to hands as 'germs'. Students wash with soap under UV light to reveal residue. Pairs compare before/after photos and explain steps for full removal.

Why is it important to keep hospitals and doctor's rooms very clean?

Facilitation Tip

For Glitter Germs, use black light in a dark corner of the classroom to make glitter ‘germs’ glow, reinforcing the idea that germs spread even when invisible.

What to look for

Give students a slip of paper and ask them to draw one thing they learned about keeping clean to stay healthy. They should also write one sentence explaining why that action is important, referencing either Pasteur or Lister.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

Activity 04

• Outdoor Investigation Session
• 25 min · Whole Class

Timeline Walk: Hygiene Heroes

Create a floor timeline with Pasteur and Lister milestones. Students add sticky notes with modern hygiene links, then walk and narrate as a chain.

What are germs and how can they make people ill?

Facilitation Tip

During the Timeline Walk, have students physically move to different stations to place events in order, reinforcing sequencing and historical connections.

What to look for

Present students with pictures of different scenarios (e.g., a dirty wound, unwashed hands, a clean operating room, milk). Ask them to sort the pictures into two groups: 'Helps stop germs' and 'Helps germs spread'. Discuss their choices, focusing on hygiene practices.

• Remember
• Understand
• Analyze
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by linking hands-on activities to historical evidence, helping students see how science builds on discoveries. Avoid overwhelming students with too many facts; instead, focus on the big ideas: germs are invisible, they cause illness, and hygiene saves lives. Research shows that concrete experiences followed by guided reflection help young learners connect cause and effect in science.

Successful learning looks like students confidently explaining how germs spread, demonstrating proper handwashing, and describing the impact of sterilization on patient survival. They should connect Pasteur’s experiments to Lister’s practices with clear, evidence-based reasoning.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Glitter Germs, watch for students who think glitter germs are visible without special tools.

  During Glitter Germs, remind students that glitter is a model for germs, and in reality, germs need microscopes to see. Use the UV light demonstration to show how tools reveal what we cannot see.

• During Role-Play: Lister's Operating Theatre, watch for students who believe doctors always washed hands before Lister’s time.

  During Role-Play: Lister's Operating Theatre, have students compare their ‘before’ and ‘after’ role-plays directly, pointing out differences in cleanliness and outcomes to correct this idea.

• During Experiment Station: Pasteur's Flask Test, watch for students who think air itself causes decay.

  During Experiment Station: Pasteur's Flask Test, use the swan-neck flasks to show that air alone does not cause decay if germs are trapped. Ask students to explain why the straight-neck flask spoiled but the curved one stayed clear.

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Methods used in this brief

• Outdoor Investigation Session