Haidi Danieley (1990). Exploring Mitosis Through
Learning Cycle. The American Biology Teacher, 52, 295-296.
Summary
The article presents a very simple but effective introductory lesson on
Mitosis using the learning cycle. The activity requires the teacher to make
schematic drawings of the different stages of mitosis available to the
students. The teacher will divide the class into groups of four or five
students. During the exploration stage students are asked to arrange the
drawings in a logical order, and prepare a report on their findings and
decisions. They should understand that they are responsible for explaining
to the other class members their rationale for their chosen order. During
the concept formation stage each group would report on their observations
and decisions to the class. Teacher should allow students to debate and
question the order and rational of other students. After the presentations,
teacher engages the whole class in discussion of mitosis and introduces the
terms for the five phases of mitosis: interphase, prophase, metaphase,
anaphase and telophase. During the concept application phase, the teacher is
to show a video of a living cell going through each phase and ask students
to identify each of the phases of development. As an expansion on the
application, students are asked to make and label their own drawings of each
phase.
Reaction
This is a very clear application of the learning cycle strategy. It gets
students attention right from start and guides them into discovery. It
allows students to draw their own logical conclusions. It allows for logical
reasoning and reflections. I consider this a classical learning cycle
activity.
