Achoo! The Most Interesting Book You’ll Ever Read About Germs has to be in my classroom. I want my students to read this book, discuss each topic, and do all the activities. It’s fun, it’s relevant, it’s engaging, and it’s full of good, up-to-date information and scientific methodology.
Achoo! is about good and bad germs, what they are (viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa), how they live (in and on us and our surroundings), how they affect our lives (disease, body odor, halitosis, pimples, etc.), and how we have learned to deal with them (immunity, antibiotics, vaccines, and hygiene). For a book that is only 40 pages long, Achoo! is full of accurate information presented in manageable segments and colorful, relevant, and amusing illustrations.
Eight “You Try It” sections also expand students’ understanding with a selection of activities and investigations that can be done in class or at home using simple materials. Appropriate safety precautions are provided for the activities.
The reading level, format, readability, and style of this book will be just right for middle school readers. Because the books are very affordable, I'd choose a classroom set for a topic that meets parts of several National Science Education Standards for grades 5-8 in the Life Sciences, Science in Personal and Social Perspectives, and Scientific Inquiry.
These books are unique among the NSTA Recommends collection. Achoo! could be used by all teachers, but will be especially useful for self-contained classroom teachers. It would be excellent for a month's worth of good, daily science lessons without special facilities or equipment.