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Science lesson plan · 9th grade (Year 10 in England) · 60 minutes

Count chromosomes after mitosis, meiosis and fertilisation

Cells, genetics and evolution

CCSS NGSS.HS-LS1-4CCSS NGSS.HS-LS3-2England: GCSE Combined Science: Inheritance, variation and evolutionEngland: GCSE Combined Science: Cell biology

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Count chromosomes after mitosis, meiosis and fertilisation.

  • 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: Mitosis and meiosis

Leads to: Sex chromosomes and the chance of a boy or a girl

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

Warm-up · 6 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Mitosis and meiosis). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Mitosis or meiosis? It makes four gametes. (mitosis / meiosis) → meiosisPrompt: Which one makes sex cells (gametes)?
  2. A bacterium divides into two every 30 minutes. Starting with one cell, how many cells are there after 2 hours (if none die)? → 16Prompt: How many divisions happen in that time?
  3. What is an advantage of sexual reproduction? (It makes identical offspring / It is faster than asexual reproduction / 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.

Hook · 6 min

  • Show a microscope image of cells and ask what students think they are looking at.
  • Share the objective: Count chromosomes after mitosis, meiosis and fertilisation. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 12 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: A body cell of a cat has 38 chromosomes. It divides by mitosis. How many chromosomes are in each new cell?
  • Step 1: Mitosis keeps the number the same: 38
  • Step 2: So the answer is: 38
  • Answer: 38
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 12 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. A body cell of a fruit fly has 8 chromosomes. How many chromosomes are in one of its gametes (sex cells)? → 4Prompt: Mitosis makes cells identical to the parent cell.
  2. A potato plant sperm cell has 24 chromosomes. It fertilises an egg cell from the same species. How many chromosomes does the zygote (fertilised egg) have? → 48Prompt: How many chromosomes does the egg cell have?

You do: independent practice · 17 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. How many cells are produced when one cell divides by mitosis? (4, genetically identical / 2, genetically different / 4, genetically different / 2, genetically identical) → 2, genetically identicalPrompt: Do the new cells need to be identical to the parent cell, or genetically different?
  2. A chimpanzee sperm cell has 24 chromosomes. It fertilises an egg cell from the same species. How many chromosomes does the zygote (fertilised egg) have? → 48Prompt: How many chromosomes does the egg cell have?

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: Mitosis and meiosis.
  • 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: Sex chromosomes and the chance of a boy or a girl.
  • 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

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Count chromosomes after mitosis, meiosis and fertilisation

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    A fruit fly sperm cell has 4 chromosomes. It fertilises an egg cell from the same species. How many chromosomes does the zygote (fertilised egg) have?

    Answer

  2. Question 2

    A body cell of a dog has 78 chromosomes. It divides by mitosis. How many chromosomes are in each new cell?

    Answer

  3. Question 3

    Which type of division makes egg and sperm cells?

    • A. binary fission
    • B. fertilisation
    • C. mitosis
    • D. meiosis

  4. Question 4

    A chimpanzee sperm cell has 24 chromosomes. It fertilises an egg cell from the same species. How many chromosomes does the zygote (fertilised egg) have?

    Answer

  5. Question 5

    A body cell of a onion plant has 16 chromosomes. It divides by mitosis. How many chromosomes are in each new cell?

    Answer

  6. Question 6

    How many cells are produced when one cell divides by mitosis?

    • A. 2, genetically different
    • B. 2, genetically identical
    • C. 4, genetically identical
    • D. 4, genetically different

  7. Question 7

    A horse sperm cell has 32 chromosomes. It fertilises an egg cell from the same species. How many chromosomes does the zygote (fertilised egg) have?

    Answer

  8. Question 8

    A body cell of a cat has 38 chromosomes. It divides by mitosis. How many chromosomes are in each new cell?

    Answer

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Answer key: Count chromosomes after mitosis, meiosis and fertilisation

  1. 1. 8

  2. 2. 78

  3. 3. D. meiosis

  4. 4. 48

  5. 5. 16

  6. 6. B. 2, genetically identical

  7. 7. 64

  8. 8. 38