The Microbiology Outreach Foundation brought the Gut Microbiome program to Bert Edward’s Science and Technology School to teach the students all about bacteria and their functions within us. This program is especially important for the Grade 5/6 class as they begin to learn about the world around them and the significance bacteria plays in their lives.
Day 1 started off with a presentation about bacteria as a whole, including its’ morphology, where bacteria is found, how it works, and much more. This presentation introduced the idea of bacteria and their simplest components for the purpose that these basic concepts remained in the minds of the students. A main idea mentioned is how our bodies’ digestive systems incorporate bacteria to break down foods, or the gut microbiome. This idea played out before the students with a fermentation experiment as their first activity. Students were giving yeast, sugar, and warm water in a flask to act as bacteria in our gut and a balloon that was put on top of the flask. As the balloon inflated, students could see how the yeast was breaking down the sugars and releasing carbon dioxide, similar to the function within our gut microbiome.
From this experiment, the students learnt about bacteria’s helpful assets within our systems. They went on to create their own bacteria using craft supplies. Once their bacteria was complete, each student was given the opportunity to present their bacteria, including their bacteria’s name, where it lives within the digestive system, and its’ functions. Each student came up with their own unique ideas and were able to properly demonstrate their bacteria’s function with their new found knowledge.
Day 2 of the Gut Microbiome program began with an exciting review game of Jeopardy to recall the information of bacteria they had learnt from Day 1. The students refreshed their memories for group discussions where they discussed a certain aspect of gut microbiomes, then shared their new information with a different group to keep the continuous learning. From there, the students were able to visualize yeast under a microscope. This activity was able to give them a better understanding of bacteria’s true functions as they could see
“Not only did we get to teach them about microbiology, we also created a positive atmosphere and showed the students that science is fun.” -Sophia, Session Leader
The program was finished off with a recap discussion on everything the students learned. With their participation, they were able to take away a lot of information regarding microbiology and the importance of knowing how bacteria works in our lives. By fostering curiosity and providing hands on activities, the students were able to assist MOF in the success of the program. MOF will continue to provide as much information to all students as the days progress and looks forward to sharing their knowledge with everyone!
