The practicum reported here involved the design of a hygiene awareness unit to help 30 second-grade students in an inner-city school become aware of and improve their personal and oral hygiene, and to provide necessary knowledge concerning pediculosis. Surveys of students and faculty prior to the program demonstrated the need for such a program as did student pediculosis records. The hygiene awareness unit consisted of 12 comprehensive lessons covering three areas: personal hygiene, dental hygiene, and pediculosis. Special characteristics of the program included hands-on experience with individual personal hygiene kits; a sticker chart to reinforce specific hygiene habits; a field trip to a health museum; a talk by a dental hygienist; and extensive use of role playing, skits, and puppetry. Evaluation indicated substantial improvement in student health habits and a significant reduction in the number of students with pediculosis. Appendices include letters, surveys, questionnaires, and instructional materials used in the unit. (Contains 21 references.) (JB)