1. Katy’s Kids
Developed by the Iowa Pharmacy Assocation in 1988.

2. Before the Presentation
Contact the teacher at the local elementary school and explain the program.
Utilize the teacher’s letter template.
Schedule a date for the presentation.

3. Katy’s Kids Teacher’s Letter Introduces the program
Explains the history
The Ask

4. Reserve the school AV equipment (DVD player).
Reserve the Katy’s Kids DVD and kangaroo costume.
Obtain materials for the classroom activities
Mortar and Pestle
Stethoscope
Pill Counting Tray with Spatula
Medicine Safety stickers

5. Practice!
Read over the script several times, with and without the DVD.
Familiarize yourself with content and timing.

6. Presentation: Introduction
5 minutes
Introduction: Pharmacist or student pharmacist enters classroom in white lab coat and nametag.
Presenter: “Hi, my name is (insert name here) and I am a pharmacist (or student pharmacist) at (insert place of employment or pharmacy school you are attending). “ Talk about why you chose to go to school to be a pharmacist.
Ask students if they have questions (not stories or comments).
“What do pharmacists do? When do you go to the pharmacy?”
Basic introduction to students. Engages them with initial Q&A.

7. “I’m here today to talk to you and your classmates about what a pharmacist is, what they do, and how pharmacists are medication experts. Medicine can be dangerous if not taken correctly. I’m also going to see if you know how to take medicine the right way- only for sickness or to keep you well. It is important that you understand never to take medicine meant for someone else. Did you know that only your parents and adults you know should give you medicine? Last of all, always remember...medicine is not candy!”
“My very special friend Katy the Kangaroo is on a DVD we are about to watch, and she is going to help us learn more about medicine and pharmacists. Afterwards, Katy might even come to your classroom and visit if you are good listeners (and if Katy costume is available)!”

8. Presentation: Play DVD
10 minutes
Play the Katy’s Kids DVD here.

9. Presentation: After the DVD
This part of the presentation is up to the discretion of the presenter. There is no set script, but ideas are provided here.
Presenter: “Your class has been a group of great listeners for this video! What did you learn from Katy today?” (wait for response). “Do you think you can name all six lessons you learned? What are they?”

10. Additional questions for students:
What is a pharmacist?
What do pharmacists do?
What are the right and dangerous ways to take medicines?
Who should give you medicines?
Why should you not take someone else’s medicines?
How can you tell whether something is medicine or candy?
Why do people take medicines?
What is a medicine? Can you list some examples of medicines?
Discuss health and wellness issues
1. Taking walks
2. Physical activity
3. Eating proper nutritional diet

11. Katy If Katy and costume is available, presenter tells class.
Presenter: “Since you all have been such great listeners today, I have a special visitor for you before our activities! Special visitor, are you out there?”
Katy knocks.
Presenter: “Who could it be?”
Kids: Katy!!
Presenter: “That’s right. Katy is coming in for a visit, and you will have a chance to hug her! Come on in Katy!”
*It is best to have Katy visit after the presentation so that she does not distract the students from the lesson.

12. Classroom Activities
Objective: Give students a hands‐on experience that allows students to see what pharmacists do. The activity stations are meant to demonstrate different fields of pharmacy.
Talk with the teacher before the presentation to assign leaders to certain groups of students for the ‘Pharmacy Stations’

13. Mortar and Pestle
“Has anyone ever seen one of these before? What do you do with this?”
Hold up Mortar‐ “This is the mortar.”
Hold up Pestle‐ “This is the Pestle.”
“This mortar and pestle is used in pharmacies to make medicines. The pharmacist uses this pestle to crush medicines into smaller pieces. Pharmacists can use the mortar and pestle to make medicines smaller and place the smaller medicine in a liquid so that patients do not have to swallow large medicine tablets. Medicines may also be mixed together in the mortar to make a new medicine.” Demonstrate mixing.
Pass the Mortar and Pestle around to each member of the group and let the students practice mixing with the mortar and pestle.

14. Stethoscope
“This is a stethoscope. Can you say stethoscope‐ Stethoscope. Who has seen one of these before? Where did you see it? What does it do?” Students respond.
“Great answers! Some pharmacists work with doctors in hospitals. Pharmacists use stethoscopes to listen to their patients’ heart beat. Pharmacists listen to patients’ hearts to make sure they are healthy.”
Pass stethoscope around to students in the group. Let them play and experiment with the stethoscope.

15. Pill Counting Tray “Can anyone guess what this is?”
“This is a pill counting tray. Pharmacists use this to count out just the right number of medicines a patient needs. The pharmacist pours pills onto this large surface and then counts by fives to put the right number of pills in a smaller bottle.”
“Will you count to five with me? 1‐2‐3‐4‐5 Great job!”
Use beads to demonstrate how they are counted in the counting tray. Pass the materials around to the group members to allow each student to count the beads on the tray.

16. Medicine is NOT Candy
Objective: Teach children the difference between medicine and candy. Materials:
Two Sandwich Bags
One filled with a few Red Hot Candies(tm)
One filled with a few Sudafed(tm)
Instructions: Hold up a bag of the Red Hots(tm) in one hand and the Sudafed(tm) tablets in the other. Ask students which bag holds the candy and which one is the medicine.
Presenter: Some medicines look like candy but they are NOT candy. You can eat more than one piece of candy. You and your parents or an adult you know have to follow the directions on how to take medicines very carefully. Medicines can be dangerous if not taken correctly.

17. Medicine is NOT Candy Discussion Questions:
Some medicines taste like candy. Does this mean that the medicine is candy? No
Why do you take medicine?
To make you feel better or to keep you well
What can happen if you take too much of a medicine or if you take the medicine the wrong way?
The medicine can hurt you
What did you learn from this game?
Medicine is NOT candy

18. Take Home Sheet

19. Certificate of Completion

20. Parent’s Letter
Take home letter for students to give to a parent/guardian.