2. Execute
Expanded hands-on exercises
Expanded hands-on exercises:
- AR Mission 1 - Meet the Allies: Students explore a balanced gut microbiome, identifying common beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus. They observe how these microbes interact and cooperate in digesting food and producing vitamins.
- AR Mission 2 - When things go wrong: Students study a dysbiotic gut, identifying missing beneficial microbes or the proliferation of harmful species. They must then predict the potential health consequences (e.g., poor digestion, inflammation, or a weakened immune system).
Nutritional challenge: Students simulate the effect of adding different foods to the gut: fibre-rich vegetables that increase microbial diversity or sugary processed foods that lead to an imbalance. This shows how diet directly influences the microbial community.
Group project: Working as “dieticians”, groups design a microbiome-friendly menu for a teenager's daily diet. They justify their choices by linking foods to microbial benefits.
Real-world examples:
In Denmark, secondary school students participated in citizen science projects by sequencing their own gut microbiomes and analysing the results with university laboratories.
In Japan, schools have created microbiome-inspired gardens, teaching how both soil and gut microbes contribute to human health.