There are so many different kinds of learning that happen in school: math, reading, how to get along with each other, meeting deadlines. These are skills that people use their whole lives long. Learning to be healthy is another skill, one that helps us make our lives longer. Mrs. B, our wellness coordinator, has been doing an extra special job this year. She has been making sure that our kids know about everything from fun ways to exercise to good diets. Now, she is even tackling their teeth!
Mrs. B found someone from Boston University's Dental School to come talk to all the Perkins' students about their choppers.
Ms. Krissie Gibson taught our kids how to keep their teeth healthy and happy. It all starts with brushing them frequently--and, correctly. Brush down from the gum, both sides, and don't miss any spots. Each tooth-brushing session should last for two whole minutes.
How long is two minutes? If you don't have a clock handy, Ms. Gibson suggests singing the alphabet song to yourself four whole times. Do it in your head, though, or you will get toothpaste all over the place!
Also there are foods that are tooth healthy, she explained. High-fiber fruits and vegetables scrub your mouth while you are chewing, for example. Dairy produces, like cheese, milk, and yoghurt, provide calcium, which helps keep teeth and bones strong.
Ms. Gibson knew that sometimes the best way to teach something is to make a game out of it. That's why some of the older grades learned about dental heath by playing a quiz game that was like Jeopardy. She divided other classes, such as, like Ms. Hardin's fourth grade, into two groups to compete against each other in a trivia match.
All the third grades did word search activities. Who did the best on this exercise?
It turned out to be a three-way tie!
