Part of Lesson Plan: Fertilization and Pregnancy

Activity Overview / Details

Begin class by asking students if they know how fertilization takes place.  Not many will be able to answer this.

Explain that is what you are going to show them through a short activity. 

Divide the class into groups of three  and direct one person from each group to get the fertilization kit.

Now explain to the students what each item in the kit represents (make a list on the board)

Gumball - ovary

skittle-egg

gummy worm - sperm

licorice - fallopian tube

doughnut - uterus

Instruct students to set the ovary to the left side.  Place the licorice facing diagonally down towards the right.  Place the doughnut on the other end of the licourice.  This is the reproductive tract. 

Review what part each piece of candy represents in the reproductive tract.

Now that you have your parts down, you need to fertilize the egg. 

Place the egg up by the ovary.  Place the sperm down by the uterus.  The ovary needs to release the egg and have it float down.  The sperm will need to swim through the uterus and up the fallopian tube.  The sperm and egg will unite in the fallopian tube and both need to float down to teh uterus and attach themselves to the inside of the uterus for further development of the embryo and later fetus. 

You may have to repeat the process a few times for students to grasp the concept.