Making a model of chromosomes is the hands-on core of this lab sheet, which walks students through a nine-step procedure: aligning two pipe cleaners of the same color, crossing them at the midpoint, securing a bead or pom-pom as the centromere, and bending the arms into the p-arm and q-arm configuration. An example photo on the sheet shows a purple X-shaped model with a yellow bead, giving students a visual target as they build. The Observe and Think section closes the activity with four written reflection questions about shape, biological purpose, and how the model compares to a real chromosome. This lab fits naturally into a grades 5-8 cell biology or genetics unit study, whether your homeschooler is working through a full genetics sequence or needs a standalone lesson on chromosome structure. The optional extension asks students to build a pair of homologous chromosomes in two different colors, one from mom and one from dad, deepening their understanding of inherited traits. A challenge prompt at the bottom invites further research into the total chromosome count in a human cell, adding a self-directed inquiry layer to an already complete activity.