NOVA: What's Living in You? | Video Notes

Overview

As part of our Microbiome unit, this NOVA video does a great job at exploring the importance of our gut bacteria and how they can influence our health. It looks at fecal transplants as a cure for C. diff., which is a gross and fascinating concept for most students.

Materials

• Optional Video Notes, Credit: K. Bradylong

Resources

• What is the gut microbiome? | WP

• NOVA: What’s Living in You? (streaming available on Apple TV or Amazon)

• Cosmic Eye Video (in previous lesson to help students understand scale of cells)

• The wacky history of cell theory - Lauren Royal-Woods (previous lesson)

Pacing

Suggested Pacing

Days 1-2 - intro to microbiome + watch video w/ reflection questions

Pacing w/ Teacher Notes

Day 1: Prior to this lesson, we discussed how small microorganisms are and how we discovered cells, before doing an introductory lab to microscopes.

5 min - warmups:

1. What are the different roles of microbes in our stomach? How can they help or hurt us?
2. Do you think our gut microbiomes can affect our mood? Why or why not?

5 min - watch “What is the gut microbiome?”

55 min - watch NOVA video + optional video notes (To save time: start at around 10:05; skip 41:06-46:50)

15 min - discuss video takeaways with partner + finish optional video notes

As a class:

• Review how our microbiomes can keep us healthy and how antibiotics affect our gut bacteria

• Ask how fecal transplants can help patients (like Kelly) who have C. diff infections + why it might be beneficial to do more research in this field

Credits: PBS NOVA, K. Bradylong