Teaching Tools     Lesson Plan Overview   Lesson One: Plaque Busters   Lesson Two: A Little Flossing Goes a Long Way   Lesson Three: Teeth at Work   Lesson Four: Destructive Decay   Lesson Five: Fluoride Power History of the Toothbrush Handouts       Lesson One: Plaque Busters Just what is plaque and what can happen to your teeth if you don't remove it?   Objectives: Students will learn the scientific method, including the concepts of observation, hypothesis and experimentation. Students will observe the effects of decay and the need for good oral hygiene will be reinforced.   Materials: Apple Knife (for teacher's use only) Paper bag Science journals Pencils   Preparation on first day: Before class, cut a hole into the apple the diameter of a quarter (or one-inch) and about one-inch deep. Have paper bag out and ready for use during lesson.   Instruction for first day: 1. Tell students that you are starting a science lesson that will run for several days about teeth and plaque. 2. Ask them to make their best guess at what would happen if they didn't brush their teeth and instead let plaque accumulate. Explain that when a scientist makes his or her best guess it is called a hypothesis. In order to test if a hypothesis is correct, scientists conduct an experiment. 3. Tell the students that the experiment begins by making observations, and hold up the apple and allow them to see it. (You may want to prepare several apples and have the class break into smaller groups, each group with their own apple). 4. Give the students time to record their observations in their science journals or on paper by drawing a picture or writing a sentence. 5. Allow them to share their observations with a partner, in groups or whole class. 6. Explain that you will put the apple in a paper bag for a few days and then they will reexamine it. 7. Have the students now record their hypotheses about what the apple will look like the next time they observe it.   Instruction for follow-up day: 1. Ask students to recall the first day observations and share. Now have them share their hypotheses about the condition of the apple now. 2. Remove the apple from the paper bag and allow the students time to observe it and record their observation in their journals and with each other. 3. Next cut the apple in half through the original hole and let the students observe the cross-section and have them record and share their findings. 4. Explain that this is an example of decay, which happens to teeth when they are not properly brushed and flossed. Plaque is a layer of sticky bacteria that can build up on tooth surfaces. The bacteria release acids, which weaken the teeth and cause decay, or cavities. Brushing and flossing will remove the plaque and help prevent tooth decay. You also need to eat healthy foods like cheese, milk and vegetables and visit the dentist twice a year for a check-up. Avoid candy and sticky food with sugar. If you eat sweets, make sure that you brush afterwards to keep your teeth health and not looking like the apple!   Extentions:     Math       Classroom brushing and flossing graph:       Have students begin a brushing and flossing journal to record their "homework." They should record the number of times they brushed and flossed. (See Handouts: Master 1)       Everyday the students bring their brushing and flossing journal in and are instructed to color 1" squares of graph paper for each time they brushed their teeth the day before and write their names on the pieces. Then they cut them out and glue them to a class graph showing the total number of times the children in the room brushed their teeth on that day. They do the same thing for flossing. At the end of the week, they can see all the great work they did to promote their dental health.       Language Arts   Have students write a brochure to share with another class or their families about the importance of brushing and flossing. They can use the experiment with the apple to demonstrate what could happen if plaque is not properly removed.       © 2006 Procter & Gamble. All rights reserved. Legal Terms & Conditions. Privacy Policy.