Sexual and Asexual Reproduction

This brief Australian production introduces students to the differences between asexual and sexual reproduction. In the former, organisms produce offspring identical to the parent, while the latter involves the sexual union of two cells with female and male fertilization. The program employs diagrams and other visuals—combined with definitions of related vocabulary—to examine the myriad processes involved, including fragmentation, cultivation, meiosis, and mitosis. One example—the jellyfish—is used to show how a creature can utilize both forms of reproduction. Detailing the biological benefits of both sexual and asexual reproduction, this primer also features a helpful summary at the end. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Williams-Wood)