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Cub Scout Adventures > 
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 Germs Alive! > 
Germy Bread Investigation
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Wolf – 2nd Grade
Germs Alive!
Elective
Requirement 5

Germy Bread Investigation

Wolf – 2nd Grade
Germs Alive!
Elective
Requirement 5

Germy Bread Investigation

Snapshot of Activity

Cub Scouts learn about the importance of hand hygiene and the spread of germs by conducting a hands-on bread mold experiment. 

Indoor
3
2
2
If you want to know more about The Adventure Activity Key click here.
  • Plastic sandwich bags, two for each Cub Scout 
  • Slices of sandwich bread, two for each Cub Scout 
  • Permanent markers, one for each Cub Scout 
  • Water, hand soap and hand towel 
  • Germy Bread Investigation observation sheet found in Additional Resources 
  • Printer  

Before the meeting: 

  1. Print Germs Alive 5 Germy Bread Investigation observation sheet, one for each Cub Scout. 
  2. Place two sandwich bags at each place where a Cub Scout will work. 
  3. Set up handwashing station. 

During the meeting: 

  1. Gather the Cub Scouts and inform them that germs are alive.  Like all living things germs need to eat.  Some germs are bacteria or fungi that eat the same food you and I do.  If we don’t properly wash our hands and we have germs on them the bacteria or fungi will get on it and start to eat it and will get so big you can see them without a microscope. 
  2. Ask Cub Scouts to label their two bags. One is labeled Dirty Hands, and the other is labeled Clean Hands. 
  3. Provide a piece of bread to each Cub Scout and ask them to gently touch the piece of bread on one side.  
  4. Tell Cub Scouts to place this piece of bread into their bag labeled Dirty Hands. 
  5. Ask Cub Scouts to wash their hands. 
  6. Provide a piece of bread to each Cub Scout and ask them to gently touch the piece of bread on one side. 
  7. Tell Cub Scouts to place this piece of bread into their bag labeled: Clean Hands. 
  8. Wash hands. 
  9. Ask Cub Scouts to take their two bags home and place them somewhere they can see them easily such as a table or windowsill. Make sure they are kept at room temperature. 
  10. Ask Cub Scouts to check on their bread slices and record what they see on a piece of paper. Make sure to note the differences between the “Dirty Hands” and “Clean Hands” bread. 

Tip: For extra fun, have an adult or den chief do the same experiment and add other options such as rubbing the bread on their cell phone or laptop. Share the results at the next den meeting.

Additional Resources

Germy Bread Investigation observation sheet

Other Activities Options

You can choose other activities of your choice.

Wolf – 2nd Grade

Moldy Meals Mystery

Indoor
3
3
2

Cub Scouts learn which foods are more susceptible to growing mold. 

See Details

Bray Barnes

Director, Global Security Innovative
Strategies

Bray Barnes is a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, Silver
Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Learning for Life Distinguished
Service Award. He received the Messengers of Peace Hero award from
the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and he’s a life member of
the 101st Airborne Association and Vietnam Veterans Association. Barnes
serves as a senior fellow for the Global Federation of Competitiveness
Councils, a nonpartisan network of corporate CEOs, university presidents, and
national laboratory directors. He has also served as a senior executive for the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, leading the first-responder program
and has two U.S. presidential appointments

David Alexander

Managing Member Calje

David Alexander is a Baden-Powell Fellow, Summit Bechtel Reserve philanthropist, and recipient of the Silver Buffalo and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the founder of Caljet, one of the largest independent motor fuels terminals in the U.S. He has served the Arizona Petroleum Marketers Association, Teen Lifeline, and American Heart Association. A triathlete who has completed hundreds of races, Alexander has also mentored the women’s triathlon team at Arizona State University.

Glenn Adams

President, CEO & Managing Director
Stonetex Oil Corp.

Glenn Adams is a recipient of the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the former president of the National Eagle Scout Association and established the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award. He has more than 40 years of experience in the oil, gas, and energy fields, including serving as a president, owner, and CEO. Adams has also received multiple service awards from the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers.