Mitosis

Using Explain Everything App

Title of Unit

Mitosis

Grade Level

Subject

Science

Time Frame

2 3 classes

Developed By

Marijke Henschel, Evan Barr, Danielle Verge, Leah Raghunath

Stage 1 Desired Results

Prescribed Learning Outcomes: Describe, in sequence, the stages and features of the cell cycle, including mitosis and cytokinesis.
Unit Theme/Issue of Inquiry/Narrative
What is this unit about?
Students will be able to describe the features of the cell cycle, exploring the individual steps of mitosis.
Using the Explain Everything app, students will actively explore Mitosis, creating their own Explain Everything video in order to incorporate
peer teaching/learning and active learning into the classroom.

Rationale: Why is this unit of study important? Why are you teaching this unit?
Students are required to understand the process of mitosis in Grade 9. This mini-unit allows students to connect to their learning through the
incorporation of the Explain Everything app. This creative and fun learning project will get students invested in Mitosis, allowing for greater
understanding further in the course when students are required to understand the differences between Mitosis and Meiosis, and understand
the significance of cell division.

Understandings: What are the enduring understandings do you

Essential Questions: What questions might spark student interest /

want students to leave the unit with at a conceptual level? To see

connections to and between?

engagement in the topic? What provocative questions will promote

understanding and transfer of learning?

After this Explain Everything Project, students will be able to discuss

the phases of Mitosis at a conceptual level. This project will help

Probing questions: Ever wonder how we can grow from 1 cell into
trillions? How do you think it happens?

students further along in the class when it comes time to

understanding the differences between Mitosis and Meiosis.

Desired Knowledge: What will students know?

-

Allow 5 minutes for discussion, use this to look for students prior
knowledge.

Skills: What skills will students be more proficient at as a result of this

unit?
Basic Knowledge What are the different phases of Mitosis?
- Students will be using their active learning skills
Basic Knowledge What is happening during the different phases - Students will explain the significance of Cell Division
of Mitosis?
- Blooms Taxonomy:
Basic Knowledge What happens when cell division goes wrong? - Knowledge Different phases of Mitosis
- Comprehension Discussion of Mitosis with peers
- Synthesis Using old knowledge to invent and compose a video of
Mitosis using the Explain Everything app

Stage 2 Assessment Evidence

Performance Tasks / Summative Assessment: What will

Other Evidence of Student Progress: How else do students

students do to show what they have learned?

demonstrate achievement of their learning?

Students will be summatively assessed on their understandings and

synthesis of their Mitosis Videos. They will show what they have
learned by explaining Mitosis using an Explain Everything App.

Students will submit their Mitosis Script before filming and narrating
their Mitosis Video using the Explain Everything App

Key Performance Criteria: What does good look like?

Assessment Tool: What performance standard / rubric will you use to

assess the performance task/summative assessment?

Previous Examples of Student works:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KfpBwsxTH4

Students will be given an Expectations Outline, expressing what is

expected and will be considered during their Mitosis explanation
narrations.
Students will be assessed on content, design and presentation of project
See Rubric attached to Teacher Handout.

Stage 3 Learning Plan

Should be Differentiated
Processing / Learning Activities Designed to Ensure Understanding and Promote
Critical Thinking:
Think/Pair/Share will be used at the beginning of the unit to determine prior knowledge and
promote critical thinking.

Possible Ways to Differentiate

This can be done in smaller groups, or opened
up to the entire class.

Potential Barriers to Success / Areas to Differentiate:

Might include: engagement, motivation, organization, language ability, exceptionalities, reading level, etc.
Students with language/reading level difficulties have the opportunity of using explanations of Mitosis from their textbooks, rather than creating
their own script.
Motivation for students to produce a creative video during class time can be ensured by creating check points during class time. This will
create mini-goals that should be met during the class to ensure appropriate progression of the project and on-task behavior.

Learning environment: Where can this learning best occur? How can the physical environment be arranged to enhance learning?
This Explain Everything project will best occur in a classroom that allows for lots of movement during this project. Creating open spaces within
the classroom would work well during this project.

Introducing the Unit: How will you engage students at the beginning of the unit? (motivational set your hook it could be accessing their
background knowledge in some way)
Probing questions: Ever wonder how we can grow from 1 cell into trillions? How do you think it happens?
Allow 5 minutes for Think/Pair/Share and discussion, use this to look for students prior knowledge.
Funny Cartoon Video on Mitosis:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwcwSZIfKlM

Sequence of Lessons: The basics of what you plan to do in each lesson of the unit.
#

Lesson Title

1
Introducing
Mitosis

Lesson Activities (Learning Experiences)

Assessment

Resources

Do Hook Gain understanding about students prior knowledge

Explain Explain Everything The App Students will use.
Explain the Assignment Go over Student Handout
Have students start making their script for their Mitosis Video to
be done next class

Students will
hand in script
for Mitosis
Use as
Formative
Assessment of
Learning so far

Laptops/Ipads & Explain

Everything App
Mitosis Project Student Handout
Mitosis Video (Exemplar) to Show
class what Good looks like

Mitosis
Making the
Video

Students are working on Mitosis Video Project with Explain

Everything
Take pictures/Video/Audio with Explain Everything App to
create project

Mitosis
Present

*Optional Class*
Students present project and peer teach Mitosis to the Class

Summative
Assessment
taken for
Mitosis Video

Laptops/Ipads & Explain

Everything App
Black Paper/White Pencil
Crayons
Elastic Bands (Optional)
Mitosis Project Student Handout
Mitosis Video (Exemplar) to Show
class what Good looks like
Computer Access/Screen
Projector

MITOSIS Explain Everything Project

Teacher Handout
MINI-UNIT - MITOSIS
GRADE LEVEL: 9
SUBJECT: SCIENCE
TIME FRAME: 2 CLASSES
Explain Everything is an interactive app. The app allows for Ideas to be put into motion through animation, zooms, and pans
as well as recording and playing everything you do in a timeline format within the app. Exporting and Sharing is easy,
integrating active learning, peer teaching and more in one innovative app. This app is available for Mac and PC users.
ABOUT THE PROJECT:
Students are able to create their own mitosis video presentation using the Explain Everything App. It is expected that students
show all phases of Mitosis, explaining what is happening at each step.
These steps should include:
Interphase: Chromosomes duplicating, and the copies remain attached to each other.
Prophase: In the nucleus, chromosomes condense and become visible. Spindles start forming in the cytoplasm.
Metaphase: The copied chromosomes align in the middle of the spindle.
Anaphase: Chromosomes separate into two genetically identical groups and move to opposite ends of the spindle.
Telophase: Nuclear membranes form around each of the two sets of chromosomes. The chromosomes begin to spread out and
the spindle begins to break down.
Cytokinesis: The cell splits and two daughter cells with the same number of chromosomes as the parent remains.
SHOW WHAT THEY KNOW EXPLAIN EVERYTHING:
Students are required to hand in a script that will be the narration during their Explain Everything Video. This can be used as
a formative assessment, checking in with student learning and understanding before they have a chance to create their video.

Students can explain the previous steps in any way that they choose. This can be done with photographs, incorporated into
Explain Everything, along with Audio. Students are also encouraged to be creative. As long as the stages are included within
the video, they may create a metaphor, draw the stages as seen in the textbook photos, create mitosis with a recorded video
of student movement and more. Explain everything allows for annotation written words after a video is incorporated, allowing
for students to properly label an movement in a recorded video setting.
There will be a summative assessment based on the following criteria:
Content, Design and Presentation
Content

Design

Presentation

Advanced (4)
All
phases
and
descriptions
are
extremely
clear,
correctly ordered and
well explained. Includes
a
well-stated
explanation of what
mitosis is.
Skillfully created and
designed that presents
information very clearly.
Aesthetically pleasing
interesting to watch.

Proficient (3)
All
phases
and
descriptions
are
correctly
explained.
Includes an accurate
explanation/definition of
what mitosis is.

Basic (2)
All phases included,
although descriptions
could be made clearer.
Minor errors present
and
explanation of
mitosis is vague or
incomplete.

Minimal (1)
Missing phases and/or
contains major errors in
descriptions.
Explanation of mitosis is
missing or incorrect.

Video is somewhat
aesthetically pleasing,
may be missing some
colour or element of
design.
Information
could be made clearer in
the video.
Narration is confidently Narration
is
clearly Narration is presented
presented. Skillful use of presented
with but without appropriate
voice/volume and visual appropriate
voice/volume.
Visual
displays.
voice/volume.
Visual displays could be made
displays are clear.
clearer.

Aesthetically
unpleasing.
Missing
colour, audio, design.
Information
is
not
clearly presented in
design.

Good use of colour,

design and interactions
in video. Information is
clearly shown.

Narration was difficult

to
hear/incorrect
information was used.
Visual displays lacking
in competency.

EXAMPLE FOR STUDENTS:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KfpBwsxTH4