Final answer:
The activity involves chromosome painting to visualize chromosomes and learn about their distribution during the S phase and mitosis in the cell cycle.
Step-by-step explanation:
The activity described in the question is related to chromosome painting, which is a method used to visualize chromosomes in different colors during cell division. The purpose of this activity is to learn about how chromosomes behave during the cell cycle, specifically during the S phase and mitosis. When the cell has just finished the S phase, each chromosome has been replicated into two sister chromatids. These chromatids are still joined together at the centromere, resembling an 'X' shape.
During metaphase of mitosis, the chromosomes line up at the metaphase plate, which is the equatorial plane of the cell, and they are prepared to be separated and pulled to opposite poles. Finally, in the two daughter cells that result from mitosis, each cell will have a complete set of chromosomes identical to those of the original parent cell. This demonstrates the conservational aspect of mitosis, where the genetic material is equally distributed to the daughter cells. Documenting the modeled chromosomes at different stages aids in the understanding of these processes.