Name: ______________________________ date: ________ class period: ________
Candy Meiosis Student Worksheet
Learning Outcome:
 Students will use candy to model the events of meiosis leading to the production of
gametes.
 Students will compare the chromosome arrangement in the parent diploid cell before
meiosis, after telophase I, and in the gamete’s haploid arrangement after telophase II.
 Students will identify similarities and differences with production of male and female
gametes.
Vocabulary for your SVL
Haploid
Tetrad
Gamete
oogenesis
diploid
sister chromatids
meiosis
crossing-over
homologous pairs
spermatogenesis
To Do and Notice:
1. Pick up a tray. Do not eat the wrapped candy until you’ve completed the activity. Do not eat
the gummy worms at all.
2. Use string to create a cell membrane and a nuclear envelope.
3. Use 2 colors of gummy worms to make chromosomes that are replicated and arranged in
homologous pairs. Where should they go?
4. Spread the remaining candy around the cytoplasm.
5. Cut the nuclear envelope into 4 pieces and set aside.
6. Cut the cell membrane into 2 pieces and form 2 new membranes for your cells.
7. Each new cell gets a replicated chromosome.
8. Divide the candy appropriately between the 2 cells depending upon whether you are making
eggs or sperm.
Stop at this point. You have reached the end of meiosis I.
9. Get a stamp from your teacher before proceeding to meiosis II.
10. Cut the strings again to make 4 cell membranes. Where does the candy (organelles &
cytoplasm) go? Separate sister chromatids- one per cell.
11. Use the 4 pieces of string from the original nuclear envelope to make 4 new ones.
Stop at this point. You have reached the end of meiosis II.
12. Get another stamp at the end of meiosis II. Draw your candy cells below and label the
chromosomes and the organelles. Draw a neighboring team's cells of the opposite sex.
spermatogenesis
oogenesis
13. OK, now you can eat the wrapped candy.
Place the gummi worms back in baggie and place on your tray.
Put scissors back on the trays and return trays to the back of the room.
Clean up by throwing away string and extra candy pieces and wrappers.
What's Going On?
1. Describe how the cells' chromosome arrangement was different…
a. before meiosis
b. at the end of telophase I
c. at the end of telophase II
2. Describe two differences between the production of sperm and egg.
3. Use your textbook and web resources for research. Where does gamete formation (meiosis)
occur in…
a. flowering plants?
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b. humans?
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c. segmented worms?
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d. conifers (pine trees)?
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