Back to the lesson plan builder
Lesson length30 min45 min60 min
Questions🔀 New questions

Print the plan for yourself; the student sheet prints on its own page after it.

Science lesson plan · 9th grade (Year 10 in England) · 30 minutes

Mitosis and meiosis

Cells, genetics and evolution

CCSS NGSS.HS-LS1-4CCSS NGSS.MS-LS3-2England: KS4 Combined Science: Cell biologyEngland: KS4 Combined Science: Evolution, inheritance and variation

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Mitosis and meiosis.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: DNA, genes and chromosomes

Leads to: The cell cycle and the stages of mitosis; Count chromosomes after mitosis, meiosis and fertilisation

Materials: Microscope images or slides, Cell diagrams, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 4 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (DNA, genes and chromosomes). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Rosalind Franklin's X-ray image helped scientists discover… (penicillin / the shape of the Earth / the structure of DNA / the first vaccine) → the structure of DNAPrompt: Watson and Crick used her data.
  2. Human body cells have 23 pairs of chromosomes. How many chromosomes are in a sperm cell? → 23Prompt: Is this a gamete (sex cell) or a body cell?
  3. What is a gene? (a section of DNA that codes for a protein / a disease / a type of cell / a whole chromosome) → a section of DNA that codes for a proteinPrompt: Genes are found along chromosomes.

Hook · 3 min

  • Show a microscope image of cells and ask what students think they are looking at.
  • Share the objective: Mitosis and meiosis. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 7 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Mitosis or meiosis? It produces genetically different cells.
  • Step 1: Meiosis makes four genetically different gametes with half the chromosomes.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: meiosis
  • Answer: meiosis
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 6 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Mitosis or meiosis? It makes four gametes. (mitosis / meiosis) → meiosisPrompt: Which one makes sex cells (gametes)?
  2. A bacterium divides into two every 20 minutes. Starting with one cell, how many cells are there after 2 hours (if none die)? → 64Prompt: How many divisions happen in that time?

You do: independent practice · 7 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 3 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. What is an advantage of sexual reproduction? (It is faster than asexual reproduction / It makes identical offspring / It produces variation, which helps a species survive changes / It needs only one parent) → It produces variation, which helps a species survive changesPrompt: Mixing genes from two parents makes offspring different.
  2. A bacterium divides into two every 60 minutes. Starting with one cell, how many cells are there after 6 hours (if none die)? → 64Prompt: How many divisions happen in that time?

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: DNA, genes and chromosomes.
  • Use concrete materials: microscope images or slides.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: The cell cycle and the stages of mitosis; Count chromosomes after mitosis, meiosis and fertilisation.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-9.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

eurekami

Mitosis and meiosis

Name

Date

Score/ 6

  1. Question 1

    Mitosis or meiosis? It happens in the ovaries and testes.

    • A. mitosis
    • B. meiosis

  2. Question 2

    Why must gametes have half the normal number of chromosomes?

    • A. So they can swim faster
    • B. Because they are smaller
    • C. So the fertilised egg has the full number again
    • D. So the baby has no chromosomes

  3. Question 3

    A bacterium divides into two every 30 minutes. Starting with one cell, how many cells are there after 3 hours (if none die)?

    Answer

  4. Question 4

    Mitosis or meiosis? It keeps the full number of chromosomes (46 in humans).

    • A. mitosis
    • B. meiosis

  5. Question 5

    What is an advantage of sexual reproduction?

    • A. It needs only one parent
    • B. It produces variation, which helps a species survive changes
    • C. It is faster than asexual reproduction
    • D. It makes identical offspring

  6. Question 6

    A bacterium divides into two every 30 minutes. Starting with one cell, how many cells are there after 2.5 hours (if none die)?

    Answer

Free from eurekami.com

for the adult only

Answer key: Mitosis and meiosis

  1. 1. B. meiosis

  2. 2. C. So the fertilised egg has the full number again

  3. 3. 64

  4. 4. A. mitosis

  5. 5. B. It produces variation, which helps a species survive changes

  6. 6. 32