Name _____________________________________________________ Date ______________
The Life Cycle of the Cell: Interphase and Mitosis
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN CELLS DIVIDE?
Cells have a life cycle that includes periods of growth and reproduction. When cells
reproduce, they form new cells through a process called mitosis. Mitosis is a period of the cell
cycle when a cell reproduces or divides. During mitosis, one cell divides in half to form two
new cells. Suppose you could watch a cell divide. You could see that the cell parts called
chromosomes move around the cell during mitosis. Because chromosomes move in particular
ways, you can arrange the events of mitosis, (cell reproduction), into several steps. Biologist
have been able to arrange the events of mitosis to better understand cell division. They
examined many dividing cells in order to learn the steps. Through this activity, you will learn
the steps of cell division and the order in which they occur.
OBJECTIVES
1. Build models of the steps of mitosis.
2. Compare animal cells and plant cells the undergo
mitosis.
3. Describe, (verbally and in writing), the steps
of mitosis.
KEYWORDS:
1. CHROMOSOME
a. What do they look like? ____________________________________
b. Where are they located? ___________________________________
c. What do they do? _________________________________________
2. CYTOPLASM: __________________________________________________
3. NUCLEOLUS
a. Where is it located? _______________________________________
b. What does it do? _________________________________________
4. NUCLEUS: ____________________________________________________
ASSIGNMENT:
TYPE OF CELL: PLANT CELL / ANIMAL CELL
CHROMOSOME NUMBER: 4 / 6 / 8 / 10
MATERIALS
2 pieces of construction paper
Scissors
5 Index Cards
Glue
Toothpicks
Metric Ruler
Yarn, (1 color of yarn for every chromosome)
Number of chromosomes: ________ Colors of yarn needed: ________
Thread, (1 color of thread for every chromosome)
Number of chromosomes: ________ Colors of thread needed: ________
PROCEDURE
1. Review the steps of mitosis by reading your textbook pages ________.
2. Label the cell cycles of the diagrams below, and refer to them as you design your model.
____________
____
____________
____
____________
____
____________
____
____________
____
3. Depending upon the cell that you were assigned, use the materials listed in table 1 to
represent the cell parts. Cut the pieces of paper, yarn, and thread to the sizes given.
CELL PART
MATERIAL TO USE
SIZE
NUMBER
NEEDED
Cell wall and/or membrane Dark colored paper
-14 x 8 cm if plant
5
cell
-9cm circle if animal
cell
Cytoplasm
Light colored paper
-13 x 7 cm if plant
5
cell
-8cm circle if animal
cell
Nucleus in original cell
Dark colored paper
5cm circle
1
Nucleolus in original cell
Light colored paper
1cm circle
1
Chromosomes in original
Yarn-Pulled Apart to 4cm long per
Varies
cells
be ‘threadlike’
chromosome
Chromosomes for cells
Yarn
4cm long each
VARIES
going through mitosis
ACCORDING TO
YOUR
CHROMOSOME
NUMBER
I have a cell with ______
I need to copy every These ‘copied’
chromosomes.
chromosome to
chromosomes go
_______ total
reproduce. My cell
through 4 phases. I
will need _______
need ______ x 4
pieces of yarn to
chromosomes =
show this replication. _______
Fibers
Toothpicks
Full size
3 per
chromosome PER
phase of mitosis
Cell wall between new plant
cells
Cell membrane between
new animal cells
Nuclei in new cells
Nucleolus in new cells
Chromosomes in new cells
Dark colored paper
½ x 8cm for plant
1
Dark colored paper
½ x 9cm for animal
1
Dark colored paper
Light colored paper
Thread (Yarn pulled
apart)
4cm circle
1cm circle
4cm long per
chromosomes
2
2
varies
4. Begin building the models of the cell division steps by gluing each cytoplasm paper to
the top of a cell wall or membrane. The cell wall/membrane should show on all sides of
the cell. Use Figure 3 as a guide.
5. Following the diagrams in Figure 4, make each of the
cell wall/membrane-cytoplasm pieces into a mitosis
step. Use glue to attach the proper parts to
the pieces. Be sure TO STUDY THE DIAGRAMS
so that you get the correct parts in each step.
Figure 3
6. Identify the steps of the cell cycle by labeling them “Prophase”, “Metaphase”,
“Anaphase”, Telophase, “Interphase” on the lines ABOVE each diagram.
______________
______________
______________
D
B
_____________
E
C
A
_____________
F
G
H
I
7. Label the arrows on the diagram with the following parts: (USE AS A CHECKLIST)
i. _______Cytoplasm
ii. _______Cell Wall/Membrane
LIFE CYCLE OF CELL
iii. _______Spindle Fibers
iv. _______Nucleolus
v. _______Nucleus/Nuclear Membrane
vi. _______Original Chromosome
vii. _______Copy Chromosome
viii. _______Cell Plate Forming/Cell
membrane pinching in.
8. Arrange your models in the order in which mitosis and interphase occurs and glue each
step onto a large piece of card stock.
a. Give your model a title
b. Label each phase of the life cycle
c. Label parts, (see #9)
d. Describe events, (see #10)
9. Label each of the following on your models using a dark marker:
a. Cell wall/membrane
b. Nucleus
c. Nucleolus
d. Chromosomes
e. Cell plate forming, (plate cells only)
f. Cell membrane pinching in, (animal cells only)
g. Centrioles, (animal cells only) *Draw them in each cell
h. Spindle fibers
i. Cytoplasm
10. Under each phase of the cell’s life cycle, write a short paragraph to describe what is
happening in each phase. Include each of the words above in EVERY description for full
credit.
QUESTIONS
Answer the following questions using your mitosis model.
1. Name the steps of the cell life cycle?
______________________________, _____________________________, _____________________________
______________________________, _____________________________, _____________________________
2. Name the steps of mitosis?
_______________________, ______________________, _______________________, ______________________
3. Why is interphase not considered a step in mitosis?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. What two major events are occurring during interphase?
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
5. What step does the nucleus begin to disappear? _____________________________
6. What step does the nucleus re-appear? _______________________________
7. Explain what is happening to the chromosomes during prophase.
(use the words chromatin, chromosomes, and sister chromatids)
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
8. What is the role of the fibers during mitosis?
___________________________________________________________________________________
9. In what step do the sister chromatids actually pull apart? _____________________
10.
Match the following by writing the correct letter.
________ interphase
a.
sister chromatids separate
________ prophase
b.
nucleus re-appears, fibers disappear
________ metaphase
c.
chromosomes duplicate
________ anaphase
d.
nucleus disappears, fibers appear
________ telophase
e.
chromosomes line up across the middle
of cell
11.What cell organelle is present in plant cells but absent in animal cells?
___________________
12. How are the daughter cells of plant cells and animal cells alike?
________________________________________________________________________
13. How do the daughter cells of plant cells and animal cells differ?
________________________________________________________________________
14. In which steps of the cell’s life cycle is a nucleus visible?
________________________________________________________________________
15.In which step of mitosis do you first see fibers?
___________________
16.In which step of mitosis do the fibers begin to disappear?
___________________
17.Chromosomes are copied in which phase of the cell’s life cycle?
___________________
18.Doubled chromosomes first become visible in which step of mitosis?
___________________
19. How many doubled chromosomes are visible in this step for YOUR CELL MODEL?
___________________
20.What is happening to the doubled chromosomes in …
a. Metaphase: _________________________________________________
b. Anaphase: __________________________________________________
21. How many cells does each dividing cell form? ___________________________
22. Would you expect the new daughter cells to be alike or different from the original cell?
____________________
What forms between the cells after the doubled chromosomes have pulled apart in the
cells? ________________________________________________________________
23.What happens to the two new daughter cells after mitosis is complete?
________________________________________________________________________
24.Match the following by writing the correct letter in the proper blank.
______ Interphase
A
______ Prophase
______ Metaphase
______ Anaphase
B
C
D
______ Telophase
E
Chromosomes move apart to the ends of
each cell
Nucleus reformed
Doubled chromosomes separate
Chromosomes become thick, dark, and
doubled
Membrane around nucleus disappearing
25. Which phase of the cell cycle is NOT part of mitosis? ______________________
26.What two main events occur during Interphase?
___________________________ ___________________________
27. EXTRA PRACTICE: Label the sketches below with the correct phase of the cell’s life cycle.