1.6: Stop-Motion Mitosis Animation Project
Stop motion (also known as stop action) is an animation technique to make a
physically manipulated object appear to move on its own. The object is moved in
small increments between individually photographed frames, creating the illusion of
movement when the series of frames is played as a continuous sequence (video).
Objective
Study the behavior of chromosomes during mitosis and see the phases of
Mitosis and Meiosis in motion.
1.6.5 Describe the events that occur in the four phases of mitosis (prophase,
metaphase, anaphase and telophase.
Materials
Candy, play dough/clay, a paper/poster to use as your background, pencils,
markers, index cards to label your names and phases, a digital camera/phone
Technology
You will upload your pictures into a program that will help you create your
animation. JellyCam (see web address below) is a free download that will upload
your pics and create the animation for you. It does limit you in that you cannot add
sound. iMovie or Windows Movie Maker is available also but it will be a little more
labor intensive. Or you can use any app (“stop motion studio” is a good one ,
program or any other website you find that stitches your pictures together. OR, you
can use any other program I listed below.
Grading
See rubric on last page
Schedule
Day 1 – Introduction (flip class), planning and drawing your phases
Day 2 & 3 – Taking pictures
Day 4- Uploading to computer and creating animation- YOU WILL DO THIS
AT HOME
Web Resources
http://www.stopmotionpro.com/ - free trial
http://microsoft-photo-story.en.softonic.com/ - free program
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http://www.jellycam.co.uk/ - you want to check this OUT- it’s FREE!!!
http://www.nchsoftware.com/videopad/index.html?gclid=COqru4uN4K4CF
Q7sKgodfXrDUg also free, BUT ONLY through this link!!!!
http://www.ikitmovie.com/free-trial-stop-motion-software.php - free trial
or any other app, program or online service you can find that does “stop
motion animation”.
Procedure
(READ ALL OF THEM BEFORE YOU START):
1. On an index card, post it note, or any piece of paper, write your names, and
title of your animation.
2. The following phases and labels will be required on your pictures (as
appropriate)
Interphase
Prophase
Metaphase
Anaphase
Telophase
Cytokinesis
Centromere
Sister Chromatids
Nuclear membrane
Cell membrane
Chromosomes
Centrioles
Spindle fibers
Cleavage furrow
3. Using available materials, construct a model of a cell starting with
INTERPHASE.
4. LABEL ANYTHING in YOUR MODEL THAT WE NEED TO SEE or
UNDERSTAND. DO THIS FOR ANY STAGE YOU WANT BY USING AN INDEX
CARD, post it note or small pieces of paper.
5. Take a picture.
6. Make very small changes to your cell to transition from phase to phase.
7. Take a picture.
8. Try to take 5-6 pictures between each phase change while making small
changes to your model to transform it into the next stage.
9. AT EACH PHASE, label the name of your phase under, next to or anywhere
near your model.
10. The MORE pictures between stages as you move your cell parts, the better
your video will look!
11. Take a minimum of 30 or more pictures of the different stages for Mitosis,
Label the stages and important parts of the cell as you are taking your
pictures. Upload into Stop-Motion software to create your Stop-Motion video.
12. Continue until you are done with all stages of Mitosis.
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Procedure Questions
Use these questions to help guide you as you create your film.
Interphase:
How does one chromatid compare to its sister chromatid?
Can you tell the difference between the original and the replicated strand?
What are visual clues that tell you that this cell is in Interphase?
Prophase:
What is the purpose of spindle fibers?
How is this stage different from Interphase?
Metaphase:
At this point, the spindle fibers growing out of the poles resemble a starshaped structure. What is this structure called?
Where do spindle fibers attach to the chromosomes?
What can you use to remember what happens during this phase of mitosis?
Anaphase:
During this phase, how does the number of chromosomes change (when
compared to prophase)?
Telophase:
Why are the chromosomes split and pulled to opposite poles?
How does this help with cell division?
What happens to the chromosomes at this point?
What cellular parts disappear and what parts reappear at this stage of
mitosis?
Cytokinesis:
What is the role of the cleavage furrow?
How does this process differ for a plant cell?
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Group Members Names: _______________________________________________________________
Planning Sheet
You will need to plan what materials you will need to represent the cell parts and
get your labels created so that when you are ready to take pictures, you can focus on
just taking pictures rather than getting things together.
Interphase:
Important steps to highlight:
What materials and labels do I need?
Prophase:
Important steps to highlight:
What materials and labels do I need?
Metaphase:
Important steps to highlight:
What materials and labels do I need?
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Anaphase:
Important steps to highlight:
What materials and labels do I need?
Telophase:
Important steps to highlight:
What materials and labels do I need?
Cytokinesis:
Important steps to highlight:
What materials and labels do I need?
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Tips for a better movie
Use your stages of mitosis or meiosis that you drew in your EB worksheet.
TRY and KEEP CAMERA and ZOOM in the same spot/position/angle as you
take each picture.
While one of you gets ready to take a picture, the other team member gets
going in moving that parts of the cell.
Be mindful of what else is in the frame to avoid things popping in and out of
your video.
Take more pictures than you need. Experiment if flash or no flash works
better.
Have fun and be creative.
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