The Human Gut Game: An Inquiry-Based Simulation That Teaches Students How Their Diet and Life Choices Influence the Diversity of Their Gut Microbiome

The human gut microbiome is an important part of the digestive system and the human body as a whole. The abundance and richness of bacterial species in your digestive tract change based on your diet and lifestyle. A diet full of fresh vegetables, meat, and whole grains will cultivate a variety of bacteria that will help you absorb nutrients, prevent disease, keep your skin hydrated, and even improve cognitive function. A diet of sugar- and fat-rich foods will cultivate less diverse bacteria and species that cause inflammation in your gut and impair memory and focus (Quercia et al., 2014). I designed a simulation that uses inquiry and game play to teach high school (grades 9–12) biology students these concepts. The game involves teamwork, decisions about diet, cause and effect of various life events, and data analysis. Educational approaches such as game play and active learning have been shown to improve student engagement, retention of concepts, and overall success of a lesson (Sengupta and Clark, 2016; Michael, 2006).