Fellow name: Kris Kaiser

Title of Lesson: Making Sense of Meiosis

School: Culver City High School
Grade Level: 9-12
Subject(s): Biology, SDAIE Biology
Summary
In this lesson, students will learn the order of the steps of meiosis and the
logic behind it, and that the steps happen in a certain order for a reason, not
just because!
In what way is your lesson/activity inquiry-based?
Student teams will be given materials to create a cell and a list of the steps
of meiosis. It is up to them to figure out how to make each of those steps
happen (without the assistance of a textbook) in what order could they go?
Why?
Time Required
Two 50-minute class periods
Group Size
2 students
Cost to Implement:
Free (just copies and white paper)
Learning objectives
After this lesson, students should be able to
-Explain that mitosis ends in two identical daughter cells, but meiosis ends in
4 non-identical cells
-Describe the four basic steps of mitosis and of meiosis I and meiosis II
Introduction / Motivation
Students have already learned mitosis, and understand that this is how
somatic cells are made. But how are sex cells made? Do you think the
process is the same? Do you think sex cells are the same as all your other
cells?
Materials List
Each group will need:

Handouts with steps of mitosis, and meiosis I and meiosis II on separate

sheets of paper (out of order)
Blank paper for students to draw cells stages.
To share with the entire class:
Scissors
Glue
Colored pencils / crayons/ markers
Procedure
Students have learned mitosis, so they should know what it looks like. Tell
them they are not to use their books, but that they are to determine the
order of the steps, and put them in order. They should reason through them
for example, if the nuclear membrane holds chromosomes in a bundle, they
cant line up in the middle of the cell (metaphase) until the nuclear
membrane dissolves (prophase) thus metaphase must happen after
prophase.
Walk them through the logic of the steps, with a focus on the chromosomes:
1. Prophase: chromosomes condense, nuclear membrane dissolves
2. Metaphase: chromosomes line up in the middle of the cell
3. Anaphase: chromosomes separate by being pulled to opposite sides of the
cell by spindle fibers.
4. Telophase, leading to Cytokinesis: two new cells form. All the organelles
divide themselves into the two new cells. The nuclear membrane reforms
around the chromosomes.
None of these things could possibly happen before the step ahead of them.
Lead them to the correct answer if they go astray.
Once they have the correct order, have them draw the cells, with three
chromosomes in the cells, based on what is happening in the description.
Draw prophase on the board for them if desired. They are still not to use
textbooks.
Once they finish mitosis, Go over as a class the steps, have someone explain
them. Then start meiosis. Introduce the terms homologous pairs, and
haploid. Why are haploid cells important? What cells in the body are
haploid?
Let them do meiosis I, and then bring them back and talk about the steps
the steps look remarkably similar to mitosis, right? Then start meiosis II.
Repeat the process.
Safety Issues
None

Lesson Closure
Lesson ended with a series of questions students did as homework, and a
more in depth discussion of what happens in meiosis, including spindle
fibers, and centrioles.
Is this lesson based upon or modified from existing materials? If
yes, please specify source(s) and explain how related:
No
References
None
Attachments
Mitosis and meiosis descriptions
Homework assessment questions
List CA Science Standards addressed
2. Mutation and sexual reproduction lead to genetic variation in a
population. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know meiosis is an early step in sexual reproduction in which
the pairs of chromosomes separate and segregate randomly during cell
division to produce gametes containing one chromosome of each type.
b. Students know only certain cells in a multicellular organism
undergo meiosis.