Dana L. Craig
Grade Level - K-3
Grade Level - K-3
I. Concepts to be taught: ·Arachnids/ Spiders
II. Behavioral Objectives:
·The student will
be able to describe the characteristics of a spider.
·The student will
be able to classify whether a spider is an insect or arachnid by analyzing
its characteristics.
·The student will
be able to describe and name the types of webs that spiders weave.
·The student will
be able to explore and explain why a spider does not stick to its own web.
III. Materials/ Media
Needed:
·Skein of Yarn (Any
color)
·Styrofoam Balls
(Small and Medium Sized)
·Pipe Cleaners
·Wiggly Eyes (optional)
·Strips of clear
tape (one for each student)
·Vegetable or baby
oil
IV. Teaching/ Learning Procedure:
A.
Motivation
·Read: The book,
"The Very Busy Spider" by Eric Carle.
B.
Instructional Strategy
Activity #1
·Ask the Children:
"Are spiders insects?" (Most
will answer yes)
"Let’s list the things that
an insect must have" (write on the board answers will be 3 body segments
and 6 legs)
"Look at the characteristics
that we listed for insects- Do spiders have those same things?" (no)
"How are spiders different?"
(Write answers 2 body segments and 8 legs on the board)
Make Spiders from a small
and medium sized Styrofoam ball to represent each body segment. Insert
8 pipe cleaners (4 on each side) and joint them to make the spider stand.
Glue on eyes if desired.
Explain that spiders are
arachnids and discuss the types of spiders we commonly see around our area.
Also explain the two types of spiders: Web Builders and Wanderers
Activity #2
Discuss how spiders catch
their food (webs or pouncing).
Name the four types of webs
that web building spiders spin: Orb, Triangle, Sheet, and Tangle.
·Ask the children:
"Would you like to spin
a web?"
Have the children make a
circle on the floor, instruct them to use the skein of yarn to weave a
web by wrapping it around them once and then throw it across the floor
to someone else in the circle. Once the web has taken shape ask the children
which of the webs that they think it most resembles. Ask the children to
step out of their loops leaving the web on the floor and return to their
seat. (Teacher will tie loops together to hold the shape of the web and
then hang in the classroom)
Activity #3
·Ask the children:
To brainstorm the reasons
why a spider’s prey might be caught in the web, but the spider does not
stick on it. Write all responses on the board. Have the children sit a
their seat and give each of them a strip of tape and tell them to hold
it down with one hand and use the fingers of the other hand to tiptoe like
a spider across the tape.
"What happens?" (Their fingers
stick)
Put a little oil on a napkin
and allow the children to touch the oil and then "walk" across the tape
again.
"What happens now?" (Their
fingers do not stick)
Explain that this is how
a spiders oil glands work.
C.
Closure
·Discussion:
Allow the children to take
their spiders and hang them from the spider web and quickly review what
we talked about: Spider characteristics, webs, etc. Have the children write
a story about what they learned about spiders for the "All about Spiders"
class book.
V. Evaluation:
I will observe the children
in the process and make sure that all participate in the activity and grasp
the concept. I will review their stories at the end of the lesson when
I bind the book to see if the students enjoyed and understood the activity.
VI.Professional Reflection:
Everything flowed very smoothly
and the children were great and caught on very quickly. We were not rushed
for time at all today and the lesson took about 45 minutes rather than
40 minutes because the children really took their time writing and drawing
pictures of what they learned. Judging from the students spider stories,
their favorite part of the lesson was the Web weaving. Plus the giant spider
web with all the spiders on it was a great spooky class decoration! It
really turned out great!
Dana L. Craig
