Garden Mural Project, Lesson 6: Spiders
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Day 1: Teach the difference between an insect and a spider, by counting their legs (8, not 6) and body parts (2, not 3). Make a paper spider to add to your mural.
Additional Resources:
GEMS: Schoolyard Ecology
This guide is designed to nurture curiosity about the patterns and interactions in nature, beginning with the immediate environment the schoolyard. Students learn biological sampling techniques; mapping and related mathematical skills are developed. In addition to temporarily collecting samples in “shake boxes,” special investigations focus on ants and spiders. Students discover that a bush may be home to a “community” of interacting plants and animals. Based on their observations and findings, students select a small area as their favorite location. Environmental writing about this location crowns the closing activity.
Garden Mural Project, Lesson 6: Spiders
Day 1: Teach the difference between an insect and a spider, by counting their legs (8, not 6) and body parts (2, not 3). Make a paper spider to add to your mural.
Day 2: For this week's nature walk, look for spiders and their webs. You may want to follow the guidelines at The Handbook of Nature Study's Outdoor Hour Challenge, Webs of All Kinds.
Day 3: Look at a variety of spider web designs. Place a sheet of waxed paper over the final web design. Secure the waxed paper to the background with tape. Using liquid glue on the waxed paper, have the student trace the web design. The glue should be in a continuous bead with not spaces. Let the glue dry overnight, Peel away the waxed paper, keeping the web of glue in one piece. Hang the web between two sticks or add it to your mural.
Day 4: Have your student select one type of spider to learn about and write a short report about it, including illustrations. (A good resource for this is chapter 13 of Exploring Creation with Zoology III, by Jeannie Fulbright or you can find resources at your library.)
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Day 6: Learn about other arthropods such as scorpions, centipedes, or isopods. (A good resource for this is chapter 2 of Exploring Creation with Zoology III, by Jeannie Fulbright or you can find resources at your library.) What is an arthropod?
GEMS: Schoolyard Ecology
Grades 3-6
5 Activities
120 pages
5 Activities
120 pages
This guide is designed to nurture curiosity about the patterns and interactions in nature, beginning with the immediate environment the schoolyard. Students learn biological sampling techniques; mapping and related mathematical skills are developed. In addition to temporarily collecting samples in “shake boxes,” special investigations focus on ants and spiders. Students discover that a bush may be home to a “community” of interacting plants and animals. Based on their observations and findings, students select a small area as their favorite location. Environmental writing about this location crowns the closing activity.
