All body cells have a short life span. To make sure organisms can continue to survive, they constantly need to make new copies of their cells. To do this they undergo a process of duplicating themselves. There are five phases associated with this process. The first phase is named Prophase. This is where the cell duplicates its DNA. The second phase is called Metaphase this is where the DNA lines up in the middle of the cell. The third phase is where the chromosomes (DNA) begins to split and move itself into two cells. During the Telophase, the cells actually pinch off into two separate cells. The final stage is really when nothing is going on and that phase is called Interphase. I refer to it as the in between phase.
The worksheets work on identifying the different phases of mitosis visually as well as by description. We also look at the multiplying of body cells (mitosis) vs. the multiplying of sex cells (meiosis).
