Biology
Unit: Learning Focus 2.3 Mitosis and Meiosis
Time: 3 – 90 minute periods
This lesson and all supporting materials were developed and tested by J. Chriestmon, E. Rust and O. Uwaga in 07-08; modifications made October, 2008.
Defining Success
OBJECTIVE: What will your students be able to do by the end of class?
6E- Compare and contrast the processes of mitosis and meiosis and their significance to asexual and
sexual reproduction.
ASSESSMENT: How will you know concretely that all of
your students have mastered the objective?
Mitosis/Meiosis Project: Differentiated products
explaining:
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How are meiosis and mitosis similar?
How are meiosis and mitosis different?
Why is mitosis important for all living things?
Why is meiosis important for living things?
How do meiosis and mitosis relate to sexual and
asexual reproduction?
KEY POINTS: What three to five main
ideas or steps will you emphasize in your
lesson? May also include key questions to
ask during instruction.
What are the similarities and differences
between mitosis and meiosis?
Why are mitosis and meiosis important to
living things?
How are mitosis and meiosis related to
asexual and sexual reproduction?
ENGAGE:
Students view a picture of a hydra budding and of two beetles mating. The students
discuss the question as a class “What is the difference between the hydra’s offspring and
the beetle’s offspring?” Students also come up with ideas about how a cell could make an
exact copy of itself.
EXPLORE:
Students view eight pictures of actual cells going through mitosis taken from
www.sciencephotolibrary.com. Using a diagram of mitosis as a guide, the students try to
identify the stages of mitosis in each picture, recording this information in their science
interactive notebooks. After completing this step, students view cells undergoing mitosis
through the microscope. Next to each microscope, place a labeled diagram of mitosis so
students can verify which stage of cell division they are observing. If you have a limited
number of microscopes or slides, set up the pictures and microscopes at the same time
and have students complete a rotation of the microscope stations.
MATERIALS
Projector
Pictures of cells in
each stage of
mitosis
Microscopes
Lesson Cycle
EXPLAIN:
Students record notes in their interactive notebook as the teacher leads a discussion of
mitosis and cell division using a PowerPoint presentation. During the lesson, the students
can check their work that was completed during the explore stage of the lesson. The
discussion of mitosis and the cell cycle also includes a discussion of cancer, which makes a
real-life connection for students. The importance of mitosis and meiosis in asexual and
sexual reproduction is the focus of the PowerPoint.
ELABORATE:
Provided a template and cut outs of models of cells in the different stages of meiosis,
students sequence the stages of meiosis working with their table groups. After correctly
sequencing these stages, the students answer the following questions with their group:
- How is Meiosis I similar to and different from mitosis?
- How is Meiosis II similar to and different from mitosis?
- Why is meiosis important to living things?
- Compare and contrast mitosis and meiosis.
To facilitate the comparison of mitosis and meiosis provide students with a diagram of
mitosis to use once they have created a sequence for the cell models illustrating meiosis.
Student notes sheet
LCD and ppt
Cut out stages of
Meiosis with
descriptions of each
stage
Activity Worksheets
EVALUATE:
Students complete an individual project in which they can choose five different ways of
representing that they understand the similarities and differences between mitosis and
meiosis. These include illustration, writing a story, poem, or song, performing a skit, or
creating a PowerPoint.
Project Direction
Sheet