Digital Unit Plan Goals, Objectives and Assessments

Unit Title: Cellular Growth & Division

Name: Jessica Scolaro

Content Area: Life Science

Grade Level: 9

Next Generation Science Standards

HS-LS1

From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

HS-LS3

Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits

Common Core Literacy and Mathematic Standards

Common Core ELA/Literacy Standards:

WHST.9-12.2 Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/
experiments, or technical processes.
WHST.9-12.5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach,
focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.
WHST.9-12.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated
question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject,
demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
Mathematics Standards:
MP.2 Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
MP.4 Model With Mathematics.
Disciplinary Core Ideas and Essential Questions
Essential Questions (Unit):
What is the importance of cell division?
How can genetic variation be beneficial or detrimental to an organism or species?
LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms
In multicellular organisms individual cells grow and then divide via a process called mitosis, thereby allowing the organism to
grow. The organism begins as a single cell (fertilized egg) that divides successively to produce many cells, with each parent
cell passing identical genetic material (two variants of each chromosome pair) to both daughter cells. Cellular division and
differentiation produce and maintain a complex organism, composed of systems of tissues and organs that work together to
meet the needs of the whole organism. (HS-LS1-4)
Essential Question: What are the phases of the eukaryotic cell cycle?
Essential Question: What is the relationship between mitosis and growth in an organism?
LS3.B: Variation of Traits
In sexual reproduction, chromosomes can sometimes swap sections during the process of meiosis (cell division), thereby
creating new genetic combinations and thus more genetic variation. Although DNA replication is tightly regulated and
remarkably accurate, errors do occur and result in mutations, which are also a source of genetic variation. Environmental
factors can also cause mutations in genes, and viable mutations are inherited. (HS-LS3-2)
Environmental factors also affect expression of traits, and hence affect the probability of occurrences of traits in a population.

Thus the variation and distribution of traits observed depends on both genetic and environmental factors. (HS-LS3-2),(HSLS3-3)
Essential Question: How do mutations affect individual organisms and entire species?
Essential Question: How does meiosis contribute to genetic variation?
Essential question: What is the evolutionary purpose for two types of cellular division (mitosis and meiosis)?

Performance Expectations

HS-LS1-4.
Use a model to illustrate the role of cellular division (mitosis) and differentiation in producing and maintaining complex
organisms.
HS-LS3-2.
Make and defend a claim based on evidence that inheritable genetic variations may result from: (1) new genetic combinations
through meiosis, (2) viable errors occurring during replication, and/or (3) mutations caused by environmental factors.

Unit Summative Assessments

Lesson 2: (individual summative assessment) After the mitosis lab students will answer questions on the graphic organizer
and turn it into the teacher. The teacher will hand back graded papers and re-teach material based on how they students did
with the questions.
Lesson 3: Graphic organizer implemented as an Exit Ticket. Students should be able to individually fill out the Venn
Diagram comparing the processes of mitosis and meiosis. This includes: the types of cells involved, the purpose, the types of
cells resulting, and an example involving a specific organism.
Lesson 4 (Group Summative Assessment): Students will answer questions on a worksheet in small groups of 3-4. During
this, students will make and defend claims based on evidence that answer various questions about different genetic and
chromosomal mutations and how these mutations are significant to living organisms health as well as the process of evolution.
Lesson 5 (group summative assessment): Students will complete a research project on factors that affect either process
(mitosis or meiosis). Student groups will be assigned with either cancer or down syndrome and must determine which process
it plays a role in, as well as the implications of the condition on cell division. Advanced/ambitious groups may find their own
condition and approve it with the teacher if they like. Final project will include a presentation to the class with visuals.
Students may be creative on the mode of presentation (poster, newscast, 3D model, powerpoint) but must include at least one
form of multimedia and must answer the questions: What is the condition? and What is the relationship between their
condition and cell division? Students will be assessed based on the rubric, which includes their use of academic vocabulary.

Lesson 1 Cell Growth Cycle

Performance Expectation:
HS-LS1-4 Use a model to illustrate the role
of cellular division and differentiation in
producing and maintaining complex
organisms.
Lesson Objective:

Formative and/or Summative Assessment:

Formative assessment - discussions, quick writes, walking around listening
for understanding/engagement in the concept, and creation of a cell growth
cycle poster.
Summative - the use of an exit slip highlighting the steps involved in cell
growth
Acceptable Evidence:

Given a diagram of the cell cycle, students

will be able to identify the steps as well as
explain the main roles of each step.

-Students will create a cell cycle poster highlighting the main steps of the
process, including both options (mitosis or meiosis) of the m-cycle
-Students will complete the exit slip demonstrating understanding of the cell
cycle to contain more than one step (mitosis/meiosis), correctness is
important but understanding is key.

Lesson 2 Mitosis
Performance Expectation:
HS-LS1-4 Use a model to illustrate the role
of cellular division (mitosis) and
differentiation in producing and
maintaining complex organisms.
Lesson Objective:
-Students will take part in a lab on the topic
of mitosis and be able to model mitosis
using pipe cleaners, yarn, and paper.
-Students will also be able to answer
questions on mitosis after completing the
lab.

Formative and/or Summative Assessment:

-Formative assessment - Teacher will walk around the classroom to make sure
students are using vocabulary from the unit. Teacher will also watch groups to
be sure they are modeling mitosis correctly and if they are not than the teacher
will help clear any misunderstandings.
-Summative assessment - The questions on the graphic organizer will be
completed individually by students and then turned into the teacher for
correcting.
Acceptable Evidence:
-Students will follow along as the teacher models mitosis and then they will be
able to imitate the teacher by completing the process on their own.
-Students will be able to answer questions at the end of lesson regarding
mitosis.

Lesson 3 Meiosis
Performance Expectation:
HS-LS3-2 Make and defend a claim based
on evidence that inheritable genetic
variations may result from: (1) new genetic
combinations through meiosis, (2) viable
errors occurring during replication, and/or
(3) mutations caused by environmental
factors.
Lesson Objectives:
-Given a diagram of meiosis, students will
be able to make inferences about the steps
and function of meiosis.
-Students will be able to identify the
similarities and differences between mitosis
and meiosis.

Formative and/or Summative Assessment:

-Formative assessment based on students paragraphs (shared with the class)
describing the steps and function of meiosis.
-Summative assessment based on a Venn Diagram comparing mitosis and
meiosis.

Acceptable Evidence:
-Students will cooperate with group members to correctly identify the purpose
of meiosis in writing.
-Students will complete a Venn Diagram that accurately depicts the similarities
and differences between mitosis and meiosis including, but not limited to: how
the resulting cells differ, which type of cells undergo each process, and the main
functions.

Lesson 4 - Mutations
Performance Expectation:
HS-LS3-2 Make and defend a claim based
on evidence that inheritable genetic
variations may result from: (1) new genetic
combinations through meiosis, (2) viable
errors occurring during replication, and/or
(3) mutations caused by environmental
factors.

Acceptable Evidence Formative and/or Summative Assessment:

Formative Assessments- Discussions, Walking around listening for
understanding/engagement in the concepts
Summative Assessments- Students answering questions on worksheet in small
groups of 3-4.
Acceptable Evidence:
Students will cooperate in small groups to correctly identify the positive and

Lesson Objective: Students will be able to

correctly identify the positive and negative
consequences of genetic and chromosomal
mutations on living organisms and the
process of evolution.

negative consequences of genetic and chromosomal mutations on living

organisms and the process of evolution
Students will answer a worksheet with written response to correctly identify the
positive and negative consequences of genetic and chromosomal mutations on
living organisms and the process of evolution.

Lesson 5 - Research Project

Performance Expectation:
HS-LS3-2. Make and defend a claim based
on evidence that inheritable genetic
variations may result from: (1) new genetic
combinations through meiosis, (2) viable
errors occurring during replication, and/or
(3) mutations caused by environmental
factors.
Lesson Objective:
-Students will be able to synthesize their
content knowledge from previous lessons
with data collected via their own research
into a coherent multimedia presentation that
answers specific questions about their
assigned condition.

Formative and/or Summative Assessment:

-Formative assessment based on groups completion of concept maps
outlining the main ideas of their projects. Also based on directed
observation of student groups and their progress.
-Summative assessment in the form of the final group project and
presentation of work. Based on a rubric that students have been given.
Acceptable Evidence:
-Students will be able to demonstrate their knowledge of the following
in their group presentation:
detailed description of their assigned condition
what kind of errors cause their assigned condition, and in which
process of cell division these errors occur
What are the implications of the condition on the affected organism?
-Students will be able to present their research and conclusions with
the proper use of at least one form of multimedia.

Unit Resources:
Mitosis Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6hn3sA0ip0
Mitosis activity: pipe cleaners and yarn
Gene and Chromosome Mutation Worksheet
Gene & Chromosome Mutation Vocabulary Sheet
Class set of Chromebooks
Internet
Meiosis diagrams
Mitosis vs meiosis graphic organizer
Different colored highlighters (sharing and revision of written paragraphs)

Useful Websites:
Mitosis animation: http://www.johnkyrk.com/mitosis.html
Mitosis game: https://www.centreofthecell.org/learn-play/games/mitosis/
Meiosis animation: http://www.johnkyrk.com/meiosis.html
Meiosis interactive quiz: http://www.biomanbio.com/GamesandLabs/Genegames/snurfle_meiosis_and_genetics.html
Comparison of meiosis and mitosis:
https://highered.mheducation.com/sites/9834092339/student_view0/chapter11/comparison_of_meiosis_and_mitosis.html
Cell division and cancer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRhz3DhjG5M