Lab # ______: The Mitosis and Meiosis Square Dance
Date: _____________
Purpose – To model the events of mitosis and meiosis in order to compare and contrast them.
Introduction
In this lab, you and your partner will portray two sister chromatids that make up one chromosome in a cell.
You will be held together by both holding on to a note card that represents the centromere. Other class
members will represent other chromosomes in the same cell. First you will work with the entire class perform a
“dance” to represent the events of mitosis in a normal cell cycle. Then you will return to your sister chromatid
and perform a different “dance”, this time to model the events that would take place in a cell undergoing
meiosis.
Procedure – Part 1 (Mitosis)
1. Obtain a sheet of “genes” to identify you throughout the stages of this activity. You and your lab partner
will represent two chromatids of a single chromosome. This means you should each have identical genes
since you are identical pieces of DNA.
2. Since you and your sister chromatid must be held together until anaphase, link arms until you are told to
separate.
3. Follow the steps of the dance as your teacher directs you to represent the different phases of mitosis.
4. Once the class has completed the dance, fill in the sheet Following Chromosomes Through the Cell Cycle
sheet to summarize what you saw in the dance.
Procedure – Part 2 (Meiosis)
1. Begin once again by “attaching” to your sister chromatid as you both link arms.
2. Move around the cell randomly until you are directed to find your homologous chromosome. This will be a
chromosome with the same collection of genes that that you have (but the names of the genes are written in
different colors from yours since they got their information from a different parent).
3. As directed come together with your homologous chromosome to form a tetrad.
4. Follow the steps as directed to represent the different phases of meiosis.
5. Once the class has completed the dance, fill in the sheet Following Chromosomes Through Meiosis sheet to
summarize what you saw in the dance.
Discussion Questions
1. Summarize how each of the following is represented in our model:
Sister chromotids Centromere Homologous chromosomes 2. During the process of mitosis, when did you become a chromosome rather than just a sister chromatid?
3. At the end of mitosis, how did the number of chromosomes in each of the daughter cells compare to the
number of chromosomes in the original cell?
4. At the end of mitosis, were you in the same cell as your sister chromatid?
5. At the end of mitosis, were you in the same cell as either of the chromatids from your homologous
chromosome?
6. Based on your results, how would you say the process of mitosis affects the number of chromosomes in
each cell?
7. During the process of meiosis, when did you become a chromosome rather than just a sister chromatid?
8. At the end of meiosis, how did the number of chromosomes in each of the daughter cells compare to the
number of chromosomes in the original cell?
9. At the end of meiosis, were you in the same cell as your sister chromatid?
10. At the end of meiosis, were you in the same cell as either of the chromatids from you homologous
chromosome?
11. If you were to repeat the meiosis dance again, would the resulting cells necessarily have exactly the same
people in them as they did this time? Explain.
12. Based on your results, how would you say the process of meiosis affects the number of chromosomes in
each cell?
Summary – Fill in the chart below to compare and contrast the processes of mitosis and meiosis.
MITOSIS
# Chromatids per chromosome at
beginning
# Chromatids per chromosome at
end
Does a spindle form?
Names of phases that occur
How does the number of
chromosomes in each of the
daughter cells compare to the
number in the original cell?
How many times does cytokinesis
occur?
How many daughter cells are
produced?
Are all of the daughter cells
formed identical to each other?
Do homologous chromosomes
come together to form tetrads?
Can crossing over occur?
MEIOSIS