Download Lesson Plan Construction Form

Biology Partnership
(A Teacher Quality Grant)
Lesson Plan Construction Form
Identifying Information:
(Group Members and Schools, Title of Lesson, Length in Minutes, Course Level)
Group Members:
Joseph Angermeier-- Bay Haven Charter
Michele Brewer-- Tom P. Haney Technical Center
Sam Ezell- Milton High School
Lorene Lindsay—Mosley High School
Title of Lesson: Cell Division in Motion
Lesson Length: 50 minutes. The lesson is intended for completion in
one day.
Course Level : 9-12 General Biology and Honors Biology
Motivation:
Before the mitosis activity, students will be given a pre-test which will be used to gauge their
understanding of mitosis. Students will have 5 minutes to answer the questions to the best of
their ability. The pre-test may be given immediately before the activity occurs or during the
class period on the day prior to the activity.
The teacher will show students the pictures of a puppy and an adult dog.
Students will be prompted with the following question:
“How does an organism, like this puppy, grow into an adult dog?”
As students respond to the question, the teacher will guide the discussion to the idea that the
puppy grows by making more cells. If students say bigger cells, remind them about the
limitations of cell sizes.
The teacher will show students a picture of a cut (an open wound). Students will be prompted
with the following question:
“How does an organism fix the damaged area?”
As students respond to the question, the teacher will guide the discussion to the idea that the
opening must be filled in with new cells.
The teacher will then reiterate that for both growth and repair, the organism must make new
cells. Students will be prompted with the following question:
“What is the process for making new cells?”
As students respond to the question, the teacher will guide the discussion to the idea that both
repair and growth are accomplished by a specific type of cell division, mitosis.
Some pictures included as a separate attachment: teacher may choose their own pictures.
Needed Materials & Set-Up:
Materials Needed for each student pair or group:
Needed Materials and Set up
The materials and set up are edited from the handout originally put together by Kelly Nelson. A
copy of the edited materials is attached to this document. Each student pair or group will need
the following materials that represent cell structures:
1 long piece of yarn to represent the cell membrane
2 pennies to represent the centrioles
8 short lengths of popbeads to represent the chromosomes
4 magnets to represent the centromeres
A piece of chalk
Optional (Lysol cleaning wipes to clean countertops)
Each student will also require:
Copies of the student worksheet and the activity guide
Pencil or pen to complete worksheet
One quart size ziplock bag per student group
Teacher will need the following for drawing the cell and illustrating mitosis phases:
White board and markers (or alternatively, Smart board with marker or text capability)
Posters or photos of a puppy, an adult dog, an open cut or wound.
LCD projector and screen (or Smart board) if pictures are to be projected. Students will choose their own partners for this activity. Pairs will work at the group lab tables,
one pair on either side.
Student materials for each pair or group will be placed in a ziplock bag and kept at the center
table until students have cleaned their countertop and read the instructions. When the students
are ready to begin they will retrieve the materials and return to their work area to begin.
Community Resource:
We will invite a physician from our local area to visit and describe the growth and development
of a human fetus.
Classroom/Lab Set-up
Group 1
Group
6
Group 4
Student Desks
Group 5
Group 2
Group46
Group
Group 3
Group 3
Teacher Desk and Materials
CenterTable
table for materials
Outcomes:
Dimensions of K-12 Science Education Standards:
Scientific and engineering practices: 1.2: Developing and using models.
Crosscutting: 2.6: Structure and Function
Disciplinary Core Ideas LS3: Heredity and Reproduction: Inheritance and variation of traits
Next Generation Sunshine State Standards:
SC.912.L.16.14: Describe the cell cycle, including the process of mitosis. Explain the role of
mitosis in the formation of new cells and its importance in maintaining chromosome number
during asexual reproduction.
SC.912.L.16.15: Compare and contrast binary fission and mitotic cell division.
Common Core State Standards/Content Literacy Standards:
LACC.1112.RST.1.3: Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when carrying out
experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks; analyze the specific results
based on explanations in the text.
LACC.1112.RST.2.4: Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain specific
words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades
11-12 texts and topics.
Specific Learning Outcomes:
1. When given a diagram of the phases of mitosis students will be able to describe the processes
taking place in each of the four phases with 90% accuracy.
2. When given a blank diagram of the cell cycle, students will be able to identify the steps in
cell cycle by correctly labeling the steps and describing the processes that occur in each step with
90% accuracy.
3. When asked to identify the purposes of mitosis, the students will be able to correctly list and
describe at least two of the three purposes of mitosis in living organisms.
4. When given a complete, but unlabeled, chart showing the cell cycle, students will be able to
relate mitosis to the cell cycle by correctly identifying the position of mitosis in the diagram with
100% accuracy.
These objectives will be posted on a chart in the classroom and pointed out to students at the
beginning of the activity. Student achievement will be measured as teacher evaluates student
scores on the formative evaluation questions.
Presentation and Participation:
Cognitive: Conversations
Begin the class with a discussion of the reasons for cell division including asexual reproduction
such as binary fission, growth of an organism, and replacement of damaged cells in an organism.
Then discuss how the cell must divide once it reaches a size that begins to limit the ability of the
cell to take in needed materials and get rid of waste products. The teacher may wish to use the
analogy of a 40 story building compared to a one story shopping mall. Then tell the students
there is a fire in each of the buildings. Ask them will the 40 story building or the shopping mall
be the most effective at evacuating the structure without any injuries? Review the concept of the
surface area to volume ratio for the cell. Once the cell reaches the point that cell division should
occur then ask the students what needs to happen for the cell to divide and produce a new cell?
Behavior: Demonstration and Discussion
Teacher will draw a picture of the cell with the chromosomes (chromatin) in the nucleus. The
teacher will ask what is needed to produce a new cell? The teacher will make a list of what is
needed to produce a new cell. The teacher will then describe to the students how the chromatin
condenses and review the steps in DNA replication. The teacher will introduce the concept of
sister chromatids. Remind the students that sister chromatids are identical and are produced
during the Synthesis stage of Interphase. The teacher will then explain the steps in mitosis
drawing the cell as it appears in each phase.
Application: Students will model the cell cycle beginning at Interphase and ending with
cytokinesis, using a piece of yarn to represent the cell membrane and a chalk circle to represent
the nucleus. The students will be given pop bead chromosomes attached by magnetic
centromeres. The students will use this cell model to describe and manipulate the model to
describe each phase of mitosis beginning in interphase with chromosome duplication and ending
by producing two daughter cell models.
Student worksheet and activity guide is attached.
Behavior: Discussion and Questioning Practice
As the students work the teacher should walk around the class and ask each group what phase of
mitosis is represented then ask them to identify the sister chromatids, the centrioles (represented
by pennies), the spindle fibers, and what is happening in each phase.
Other: The teacher will provide feedback to each group as they use the manipulatives to
describe mitosis and answer the questions on the Cell Cycle Lab Worksheet.
Questions:
(see rubric attached for justification response questions)
1) Draw the four phases of mitosis and cytokinesis in order. Label each phase and all
relevant structures.
2) In plants meiosis makes spores. What type of cellular division will later make sperm
cells and egg cells in plants?
3) Mitosis results in nearly identical daughter cells. Why is this type of division important
to eukaryotes? Explain and justify your answer.
4) What would happen to an organism if the process of mitosis was not able to produce
nearly identical daughter cells? Explain and justify your answer.
5) Why don’t bacteria use mitosis for cellular reproduction? Explain and justify your
answer.
Reflection:
At the end of the construction activity, a class discussion will take place and students will be
asked to describe how the modeling they showed compares to what happens in a living cell..
Students will be given a handout with the following assessment questions, to be completed with
the partner they worked with in the construction activity. The assessment should consume about
5 minutes.
1) Draw the four phases of mitosis and cytokinesis in order. Label each phase and all
relevant structures.
2) In plants meiosis makes spores. What type of cellular division will later make sperm
cells and egg cells in plants?
3) Mitosis results in nearly identical daughter cells. Why is this type of division important
to eukaryotes? Explain and justify your answer.
4) What would happen to an organism if the process of mitosis was not able to produce
nearly identical daughter cells? Explain and justify your answer.
6) Why don’t bacteria use mitosis for cellular reproduction? Explain and justify your
answer.
Students will receive feedback from the assessment as the teacher calls on random individual
students for answers, and then encourages discussion from all students to determine the best
answers.
A grading rubric is provided as a separate attachment; students are evaluated individually, even
though work is done in pairs.
After the class discussion is concluded, students will be given the post-test and allowed five
minutes to answer the questions. Teacher will compare the results to the pre-test results and
discuss answers in class the next day.
If there is insufficient time after the activity, students may be assigned the post-test as homework
or as a bell ringer activity the next day.
Safety:
A brief discussion will be had with regard to the lab being a place of professional educational
work and “horseplay” will not be tolerated.
A standard lab safety discussion will be conducted in which students are reminded of safety
procedures already in place from previous activities. Their attention will be directed to lab safety
posters present in the area.
Although the activity being practiced does not include any sharp objects, it will still be conveyed
to the students the importance of conducting themselves in such a way that promotes safety for
all.
Transformative:
(Accommodations for at least 2 special needs students)
Special Needs Student #1: This student is classified ESOL, having Spanish as his first language.
The student will be provided a printed Spanish version of all written materials. The Teacher will
also model the correct procedure for building the DNA strands. The student will also be paired
up with another capable student to be able to assist him with the activity if needed. The Teacher
will check with this student periodically to see if he needs any assistance.
Special Needs Student #2:
This student is visually impaired, although not blind. The student will be provided with written
materials in large print. This student will be paired up with another capable student to be able to
assist her with the activity if needed. The Teacher will check with this student periodically to see
if she needs any assistance.
Special Needs Student #3:
This student has Dyslexia. The teacher will read aloud all of the instructional materials needed as
well as perform auditory feedback for this activity. This activity is a tactile exercise which will
be helpful for this student. This student will be paired up with another capable student in case
this student is in need of assistance. The Teacher will also check with this student periodically to
see if he needs assistance.
Utilize:
1. The Pre-Test/Post-Test Challenge: Comparison of Pre-Test and Post-Test will be the first area
of concern. If students do not show measurable improvement, then there may be one or more
problems with the Lesson Plan:
a. Pre-Test and Post-Test may not fit the activity closely. If so, we can revise them to more
closely match the lessons learned in the activity.
b. The activity may fail to demonstrate the concepts explored in the Pre-/Post-Test in a way that
the students can comprehend. If so, we may need to adjust the activity (or the Teacher’s narrative
regarding the activity) until the concepts are more clearly represented.
c. The higher order questions may not challenge the students to effectively grapple with the
information to achieve a deeper understanding of the content. If this is the case, we will need to
work to ask more helpful questions and guide the students to better understand the content.
2. The Standards Challenge: We will need to assess the clarity of the coverage of our selected
standards. We will need to ask the following questions and make the necessary adjustments:
a. Do the pre- and post-tests conform well to our standards, and does good performance on the
pre- and post-tests correlate to mastery of the standards by our students? This would be measure
in the longer term (such as a chapter or unit test)? If the pre- or post-tests are found to be
inconsistent with our standards, we would need to make adjustments to the questions to more
closely align with the selected standards.
b. Does the activity properly direct students to a deeper mastery of the selected standards? In this
activity the key standard is quite broad (Compare and contrast binary fission and mitotic cell
division), yet this activity focuses more narrowly on modeling mitosis.
c. We would need to limit our critique to the narrow focus, rather than whether the activity
covers the entire standard.
d. Do the higher order questions direct students to a deeper understanding of the standards? If the
higher order questions do not aid in the students’ understanding of the selected standards, we
need to edit or rewrite them to fit the standards better.
3. The Time Challenge. From pre-test to post-test, there are several components in this activity.
The sum total of these components may take longer than the allotted time. Included in our plan is
the flexibility to move the first component to the previous day and the last component to the
following day. Also every teacher (along with his or her students and his or her school) creates a
unique culture that moves at its own pace. We must be flexible to adapt this plan to each
individual classroom’s culture.
4. The Facilities Challenge. While we can anticipate that the most teachers can quickly fit the
activity to their own space or facilities limitations, there may be spaces that require more changes
to the activity.
5. Strengths: This lesson encourages higher level thinking as described in Bloom’s taxonomy.
Students will consider questions which require the use of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation in
order to give an acceptable answer. For example, students are involved in analysis by the
question: “Why don’t bacteria use mitosis for cellular reproduction? Explain and justify your
answer.”
Their evaluative skill is enhanced by dealing with questions such as “What would happen if
bacteria tried to undergo mitosis?”