Mitosis

This 50–60 minute GCSE Biology lesson introduces mitosis and the cell cycle, created for students in an SEN school but also suitable for mainstream.

This lesson is suitable for GCSE Biology, Combined Science, revision, intervention, or cover lessons.

Students build understanding through explicit teaching, scaffolded questioning, regular checking for understanding, retrieval practice, visual sequencing, and independent application tasks.

Lesson Structure:
Starter – Hook: Mitosis pun starter for curiosity.

Retrieval – Prior Knowledge: Students recap key prior learning including DNA, Nucleus, Chromosomes,DNA structure, Base pairing.

Explicit Teaching – The Cell Cycle: Students learn what the cell cycle is, that cells spend most of their time in interphase, how cells prepare for division, why DNA must be copied before cell division.

Why is Mitosis Important? Students explore why mitosis is essential for growth
repair, replacing damaged cells, producing genetically identical daughter cells

Stages of Cell Division [Edexcel suitable]: Students are taught Interphase, Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase, Cytokinesis. Students use the mnemonic Please Make A Telephone Call to support recall.

Students complete: true/false retrieval, stage identification
sequencing checks, Independent Task.

Plenary – Retrieval: Students identify stages from diagrams as a final check for understanding.

Includes:
Fully resourced PowerPoint
Worksheet activities included - slides 1 and 2
Answer slides included
Retrieval practice throughout
Visual scaffolding and sequencing support
GCSE-relevant cell biology content
Mnemonic memory aid included

Perfect for GCSE Biology, Combined Science, revision, intervention, mainstream teaching, and cover lessons.