1/13/2027

Morning Announcements

Morning Meeting Agenda

Mon · Social Studies Tue · Literacy Wed · Science Thu · Math Fri · ROAR + Houses
Science of the Day

Why winter makes us sick

Everybody says “put on a coat or you’ll catch a cold.” Here’s the thing: cold air doesn’t make you sick. Germs do. So why does everyone get sick in January?

Germs are tiny living things — way too small to see — that can make you sick. They travel from person to person. But you can stop them!

Three ways to keep germs away: wash your hands, cough in your elbow, and don't share drinks
Let’s talk
  • When are the most important times to wash your hands?
  • Why do we cough into our elbow instead of our hand?
  • What should you do if you feel sick at school?
Reveal the answersHide the answers
Wash your hands before eating, after the bathroom, and after you cough or sneeze. We use our elbow because we touch everything with our hands — doorknobs, pencils, our friends! And if you feel sick, tell a grown-up right away.
Try it

Twenty-second scrub! Good handwashing takes about 20 seconds — that’s how long it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice. Let’s practice the motions and sing it together right now!

Cold weather doesn’t cause colds. But winter does create conditions that help viruses spread — and scientists have identified several working together.

Why illness spreads in winter WE GO INSIDE More people packed into closed rooms, breathing the same air for hours DRY AIR Winter air holds less moisture, which dries out your nose’s natural defenses LESS SUNLIGHT Shorter days mean less vitamin D, which your immune system uses to fight back

Three separate causes, all pointing the same direction.

Let’s talk
  • People have said “cold makes you sick” for centuries. What made that belief so believable — and why is it still wrong?
  • A single sneeze can send droplets across a room. Why is your elbow better than your hand?
  • Soap doesn’t kill most viruses — it does something else. Any guesses what?
Reveal the answersHide the answers
The old belief stuck because the correlation is real — cold weather and illness do happen together. But correlation isn’t causation: the cold is a bystander, not the culprit. Your elbow works better because you don’t touch doorknobs, pencils, or other people with it. And soap works by breaking apart the fatty outer layer that many viruses are wrapped in — then the water rinses the pieces away. That’s why scrubbing time matters: soap needs those seconds to do the work.
Try it

Correlation check! “Cold weather causes colds” sounds right but isn’t. With a partner, think of another belief where two things happen together but one probably doesn’t cause the other. Scientists have to catch this constantly.

Additional Notes/Activities

If additional activities are needed for the Morning Meeting, they will be added here.