Meiosis Models

Activity Summary
In this lesson, students use a variety of candy (licorice, gummy worms, gummy bears, etc.) to model the replication and division of chromosomes during sexual cell division (meiosis). While doing so, students examine how meiosis increases the diversity of populations.

Grade Levels
9-12

Learning Objectives
1. Identify two differences between meiosis and mitosis
2. List 3 organisms that reproduce by meiosis, and 3 that replicate via mitosis
3. Explain one error that can occur during meiosis and the resulting disorder in offspring

Lesson Materials (view or download)
PowerPoint
Lesson Plans

Keywords
sexual reproduction, cell division, nondisjunction, mitosis, meiosis

Last updated: 3/3/2015