6th Grade · Science · Activity · shared by Luke Morgan
This 6th Grade Science activity explores gut health, probiotics, and prebiotics, guiding students to analyze data on microbial supplements.
The Gut Health Challenge: Prebiotics vs. Probiotics
You are a junior nutritionist helping a local middle school track team improve their digestive health. The team has been researching ways to support their "microbiome"—the community of helpful bacteria living in their intestines. They are trying to decide between two different options: a probiotic pill (which contains live Lactobacillus bacteria) or a prebiotic fiber supplement (which contains specialized plant fibers that the bacteria already in their bodies like to eat).
To help them decide, you have gathered data from a scientific study that tracked two groups of students over four weeks. Read the data and the scientific facts below to determine which supplement is more effective for long-term gut health.
Key Scientific Facts:
Probiotics: These are live bacteria, like L. rhamnosus , that must survive stomach acid to reach the intestines. Once there, they must use hair-like pili to anchor themselves to the intestinal walls through a process called colonization .
Prebiotics: These are non-living fibers found in plants. They are not affected by stomach acid. They act as "fuel" for the helpful bacteria already living and attached to the intestinal walls.
Symbiosis: This is a relationship where the human host provides a home, and the bacteria provide benefits like better nutrient absorption and protection from germs.
Study Results: The Four-Week Trial
Scientists measured the "Healthy Bacteria Levels" in the participants' digestive tracts. A level of 100 is considered a healthy, balanced baseline.
Group Type
Week 1 (Start)
Week 2 (During)
Week 4 (After stopping supplement)
Group A: Probiotic Pill (Adding new bacteria)
45
95
55
Group B: Prebiotic Fiber (Feeding existing bacteria)
45
80
85