Ms. Ritter’s Class Learns the Importance of Brushing Teeth
Students in Ms. Ritter’s Universal Pre-Kindergarten class at Smith Elementary School are learning more than just their ABCs — they’re also learning how to brush their teeth and why it’s important.
One of the unique highlights of the UPK program is the opportunity for students to brush their teeth at school each day. The children follow six specific steps to ensure proper brushing technique before placing their toothbrushes in sanitizing stations.
Recently, Ms. Ritter’s class conducted a hands-on “cavity experiment” using apples to better understand how cavities form. The students examined X-rays of teeth with cavities and then used two apples to simulate healthy and decayed teeth.
One apple, the control, had no holes, while the second apple had small holes poked into it to represent cavities and allow germs to enter. Students made predictions about how each apple would look and smell after seven days.
When Ms. Ritter cut the apples open a week later, the students observed that the control apple looked fresh and smelled sweet, while the “cavity” apple had discolored spots and a foul odor — a clear visual of how cavities affect teeth.
Afterward, students examined the apples more closely during discovery time in their interest centers.
Ms. Ritter said she chose apples for the experiment because the class’s current unit of study focuses on trees. The lesson helped connect science, health, and the natural world in a fun and memorable way for the young learners.
