Name: Christopher A. Yim
Unit Topic:/Title: Meiosis
Dates (Allocated Time): 10 days
Grade Level: 10
Content Standard(s):
The student will analyze how traits are inherited and passed on from one generation to another.
The student will demonstrate that the sorting and recombination of genes during sexual reproduction has an effect on variation in offspring (meiosis - process that forms gametes; chromosome number reduced by one-half; crossing-over occurs; new gene combinations).
Learning Unit Overview:
The unit begins with a 3 day review of mitosis since mitosis is taught in the previous semester and is a sine qua non for understanding meiosis. Consequently, the introduction to meiosis will emphasize the connection to mitosis and the purpose of meiosis in addition to new vocabulary. For daily routine, class will open with students receiving direct instruction through daily rap videos. Class will end with a simple carbohydrate quiz (candy reinforcer for recalling information used that day). Teacherled direct instruction will utilize scaffolded cloze notes. The meiosis process will be reinforced through a variety of arts-integrated activities which include murals, decorated vocabulary flash cards, a decorated word wall, clay modeling, dancing and simple animation. Humor is infused throughout the unit with a particular emphasis on vocabulary instruction. A comparison between meiosis and mitosis is done through a
Venn diagram followed by a Jeopardy game on the smartboard. In addition, students will prepare for the unit assessment by creating a test for their families. The final day is a review of test answers to reinforce learning and correct any misconceptions.
Brain Target #1
Emotional Connection:
The teacher greets students by name as they enter the room.
Rap Music opener with direct instruction lyrics (youtube.com) – played while students enter and replayed in entirety after the bell rings.
Class ending with primary reinforcer reinforcer (a candy quiz that we call a “simple carbohydrate quiz” to reinforce the use of science vocabulary for ordinary things in daily life)
– certain questions earn a double reward. Examples are questions that involve a sine qua non concept or vocabulary word o r a critical thinking question that synthesizes the lesson’s information.
Humor – vocabulary is taught with humor as it is presented. Further, to reinforce he big picture, Day 7 includes a set time to share meiosis jokes.
Brain Target #2
Physical Environment:
A word wall decorated with mnemonic devices is hung in the front of the room.
Later, mitosis murals will be hung on the walls.
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The vocabulary word of the day will be hung in 2 places so that it is the first thing that students see as they enter the room and the last thing they see as they exit.
Students are seated according to need and compatibility. Students with any auditory processing disorder or executive dysfunction are seated so that their right ear faces the bulk of any instruction in order to utilize their natural right ear advantage and to minimize inadvertent distraction.
Brain Target #3
Concept Map / Advanced Organizer
(feel free to use an online tool):
Purpose
Mitosis
Stages:
PMAT
Similarities &
Differences
Mitosis &
Meiosis
New Vocabulary
Purpose
Meiosis
Stages:
PMAT1 &
PMAT2
Learning Goals:
To reinforce the mitosis process.
To understand key vocabulary for mitosis.
To understand the meiosis process.
To compare and contrast mitosis and meiosis
Introductory “Big Picture” Activity/Assessment of Prior Knowledge
Since meiosis is the most difficult concept of the course and its foundation, mitosis is the second hardest, 3 days are dedicated to reviewing mitosis (taught 1 month prior). The
The Brain-Targeted Teaching Model © Mariale M. Hardiman

assessment of prior knowledge comes in the making of decorated flash cards and the Day 1 candy quiz.
The concept for the whole unit will be presented on Day 1 so that students can see that the mitosis review has a distinct purpose.
Brain Target #4
Activities for Teaching Mastery of Declarative/Procedural Knowledge
Learning Goals:
To review and reinforce the mitosis process and key vocabulary.
To understand the meiosis process and key vocabulary.
Activities:
1. Daily direct instruction rap video from youtube.com will be played as students enter the room and again after the bell rings.
2. The concept map will be presented on Day 1. It will be hung in the front center wall and referred to periodically as the class moves from component to component.
3. Scaffolded cloze notes will be used for presentation of information. Teacher notes will be posted online.
4. Students will make decorated vocabulary cards. The decorations will act as mnemonic devices.
5. The vocabulary “Word of the Day” will be featured daily to both reinforce instruction and serve as a transition between activities.
6. Students will work in groups to make PMAT murals to reinforce both mitosis meiosis processes. The murals will be posted so that students have a constant visual reminder of the similarities and differences between the mitosis and meiosis.
7. Every class is ended with a daily candy quiz that goes over information covered that day.
Brain Target #5
Activities for Extension and Application of Knowledge
Learning goals:
Students will demonstrate understanding of crossing over and the creation of gametes.
Students will compare and contrast mitosis and meiosis.
Activities:
1. Periodically, students will be asked a critical thinking question during the candy quiz. The goal is to give a preview of both what will be on the HSA exam and the unit test. It also alerts students to what is expected in terms of thinking about how to apply direct instruction information.
2. Students will practice re-enacting the entire meiosis process with an emphasis on crossing over and gamete production through clay modeling. A different color will be used for each gene on a chromosome so that the activity is both physical and visual. The background music will serve as foreshadowing for the narrated dance.
3. Students will compare and contrast mitosis and meiosis with a Venn diagram.
4. Students will be placed on teams to play Jeopardy. Categories will cover all the information for mitosis and meiosis as well as a compare and contrast section.
The background music will serve as foreshadowing for the narrated dance.
5. Students will be divided into groups that will act as chromosomes for a narrated meiosis dance to the tune of the Blue Danube since the slow waltz 3 beat affords ample time for students to move around and focus on the connection between information and how they are shifting about. Each student will hold a placard indicating his or her genes and characteristic.
The Brain-Targeted Teaching Model © Mariale M. Hardiman

At the end of the dance, each gamete will discuss the difference between what they looked like at the beginning and the end after “crossing over”.
6. Students will create flip books to animate the meiosis process.
7. As a test review, students will create test for family members. Students will be instructed to try to fool their family by using subtle differences between key vocabulary terms and switching back and forth between mitosis and meiosis.
8. As a regular practice, students will be encouraged to make up jokes using vocabulary words.
Brain Target #6
Evaluating Learning
Learning is evaluated daily through the candy quiz and checking for understanding as students participate in learning activities.
Day 9 – unit test – as mandated, we also have a MOD version in order to meet the IEP criteria for some students. Otherwise, the language of the test intentionally imitates the biology HSA to help students be familiar with the state test. The unit test includes multiple choice questions and 1 critical thinking BCR that requires synthesis of information.
Day 10 – review of test answers to reinforce learning and to correct misconceptions.
The Brain-Targeted Teaching Model © Mariale M. Hardiman