Onion Root Mitosis Lab!!!!! =)

So when we first began this onion root lab I was very hesitant on understanding the different phases of mitosis. I wasn't exactly sure how to identify each one, but now i believe after looking through that ity bity microscope lens i finally understand!!! So to start off we first started with a microscope and an onion slide. To be able to see the onion root properly we focused the microscope to the best visualizing way that we could. And if we needed help we could always call over Mr. Ludwig!!! =) However from there we tried to count the number or diameter of the cells across the slide that we could see and placed that number into the formula of a circle. Thus would give us the approximate number of cells present. Following that we continued looking for the different stages of mitosis, and graphed them on Create-A-Graph. Hence the Graph up above....

When it came to the part of identifying the different stages of mitosis I was very unsure of myself and I essentially thought I would not be able to properly identify them. I doubted myself on whether or not I could compare cells and identify them with the correct stage. But that fear soon faded as the steps became easier and easier to tell the difference in each one whether it was Metaphase, Anaphase, Interphase, Prophase, or Telophase. This lab made it very apparent that all cells vary in there own ways or forms. Even onion root cells differ and have their own minute details and processes. I observed that
Interphase is a cell that looks kinda smashed and from there Prophase begins and although it is still squished together the nucleus is more visible. Then Metaphase comes next in this cell cycle and can be determined by the way it begins to separate apart. Anaphase comes next where there is an obvious division in the cell. The last stage is Telophase which you can easily identify the cell by its division into two separate parts and in almost looks like two halves. Learning about the process of mitosis was not an easy thing to do or concentrate on, but hey I'm pretty sure I will remember it when it's needed!