Meiosis Classroom Demonstration
with Photos and Assignment
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY from Science Prof Online
Cell division of eukaryotic cells, particularly the production of gametes, can be a challenging topic for biology students. The following is a step-by-step photographic guide to a simple classroom activity on meiosis that utilizes inexpensive supplies (pipe cleaners, interlocking beads and string). Educators can also download a Word document hand-out of this assignment, called the Meiosis Activity. For more classroom materials on Meiosis, see the Cell Division: Meiosis Lecture Main Page of the Virtual Cell Biology Classroom.
Article Summary: Here is a classroom hands-on activity to help students practice their understanding of the steps of meiosis. Photo guide and Word doc assignment included.
Meiosis Classroom Activity + Printable Assignment
Supplies Required for Meiosis Classroom Activity: In this exercise, the original cell starts with six chromosomes, so the following supplies are needed. 1 & 2. Large Zip-loc bag contains 12 pipe cleaners (6 blue, 6 pink, of those 4 are long, 4 are medium & 4 are small), interlocking beads (12) and string (2 strands); 3 & 4. It helps keep materials organized if interlocking beads and string are each in separate, smaller baggies.
Interphase: Photo #1. First string one interlocking bead onto each strand of chromatin. Set one of each type of pipe cleaner (6) aside. Those will come into play when DNA replicates; Photo #2. Interphase G1 Phase = six unreplicated, uncondensed strands of chromatin, sting represents the plasma membrane (I don't use additional string to represent the nuclear membrane. It makes exercise too complicated and messy); Photo #3. Interphase S Phase = six replicated strands of chromatin (sister chromatids). Snap together the two interlocking beads that represent the centromeres, bringing the other six pipe cleaners into play;
Photo #4. Close-up of replicated chromatin.
Mitosis I: Photo #1. Prophase I, chromatin condenses into chromosomes. Twist pipe cleaners so that they are curly; Photo #2. Metaphase I, homologous chromosomes line up at cell equator; Photo #3. Anaphase I, homologous chromosomes move toward opposite poles of the cell; Photo #4. Early Telophase I, homologous chomosomes have migrated to opposite end of the cell. Cytokinesis begins; Photo #5. Late Telophase I after cytokinesis is complete and chromosomes decondense.
You have free access to a large collection of materials used in a college-level introductory Cell Biology Course. The Virtual Cell Biology Classroom provides a wide range of free educational resources including Power Point Lectures, Study Guides, Review Questions and Practice Test Questions.
Meiosis II: Prophase II not pictured; Photo #1. Metaphase II, sister chromatids line up at equator of each cell; Photo #2. Anaphase II, sister chromatids separate and chromosomes move to either end of the cells; Photo #3. Early telophase II, chromosomes have migrated to opposite ends of cells, cytokinesis begins; Photo #4. End of meiosis. Four cells with a haploid (n=3)) number of decondensed chromosomes.
Additional Links to Help Students Understand Cell Division
Portions of this article originally appeared on Suite101 online magazine.
Page last updated: 5/2013
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Meiosis Classroom Activity (Click on photo strip for larger image.)