Study The Spider's Web

Argiope aurantia

       Spiders  are  distinguished  from  all  other  animals  by  their  habit  of  spinning webs.  Many  insects  spin  for  themselves  cocoons,  in  which  they  pass  from  the larval  to  the  complete  (winged)  stage ;  and  some  mites  spin  webs  or  cocoons for  their  eggs ;  but  the  spinning  organs  of  the  spider  are  much  more  complete and  are  used  for  a  much  greater  variety  of  purposes.  They  are  used  to  form the  silken  bag  in  which  the  female  spider  places  her  eggs ;  for  producing  the silk  with  which  she  lines  her  nest ;  and  more  especially  for  forming  the  webs by  means  of  which  she  catches  her  prey.  The  thread  of  the  spider  differs  from that  of  insects  in  being  composed  of  an  immense  number  of  very  fine  threads brought  together  while  soft  enough  to  unite  into  one.  They  use  their  threads also  to  form  bridges,  by  which  they  may  pass  from  one  elevated  position  to another;  to  prevent  themselves  from  falling  when  prowling  about,  and  even as  a  means  of  transporting  themselves  through  the  air. 

Required for Web Observation: Diagram  of  a  garden  spider's  web,  and  an illustration  showing  the  nature  of  the  spinnerets.  Bird-lime. The  children  should  examine  the  web  of  the  garden  spider;  and, if  possible,  watch  the  spider  while  in  the  act  of  constructing  it.

Method of Student Web Observation:

• Call  attention  to  the  regular  geometric  pattern  of  the  web,  noting that  the  outer  threads,  which  form the  foundation  of  the  web,  are  necessarily  irregular,  on  account  of  the disposition  of  the  convenient  points of  support.
• Exhibit  a  diagram  of  the  spinnerets  of  the  garden  spider,  showing the  manner  in  which  the  fibers  unite to  form  a  single  thread.  Give  examples  of  other  sticky  substances, such  as  bird-lime  and  thick  molasses. Show  that  bird-lime  can  be  drawn out  into  very  fine  fibres,  and  that these  fibers  may  be  made  to  unite into  one.  
• The  children  should  watch  the construction  of  the  web  if  possible. If  this  cannot  be  done,  the  teacher should  build  up  a  diagram  of  the  web on  a  black-board,  making  the  various threads  in  their  proper  order.
• The  sticky  nature  of  the  spiral thread  should  be  demonstrated.
  

 How to Grade Study Notes For Student Journals: Every student will need a journal to write in weekly for this online nature study series. Teacher will assign the weekly content in advance.

• Make sure the facts are: written in complete sentences, the first word of each sentence capitalized, and a period should be included at the end of each sentence.
• Spell check your vocabulary and write the words correctly.
• Dress up your journal entries with student clip art, drawings of your own in color or in black and white.
• Student may also include photographs of their own taking for extra credit.

Look for the following three facts about webs inside of student journals. Assign a point value to the quality of the content:

• The  Web. - The  web  is  attached  to bushes,  palings,  or  other  objects  by several  outer  threads  more  or  less  irregularly  disposed.  Radiating  threads pass  from  the  center  of  the  web  to the  above.  Lastly,  a  spiral  thread connects  all  the  radiating  ones.
• The  Spinning  Organs. - The  spinning  organs  of  the  garden  spider  are termed  spinnerets.  They  are  situated  at  the  tip  of  the  abdomen,  and are  six  in  number.  Each  consists  of a  little  cell  of  sticky  fluid,  and  the under  surface  of  the  cell  is  perforated with  numerous  small  holes.  When the  spider  applies  its  spinnerets  to any  object  the  sticky  fluid  adheres
  to  that  object ;  and,  as  the  abdomen is  withdrawn,  a  very  thin  semi-fluid fiber  is  produced  from  each  perforation  of  the  spinneret.  All  the  fibers formed  by  each  spinneret  unite,  while still  fluid,  to  form  one.  Thus  six threads  are  formed,  one  for  each spinneret,  and  these  again  unite  into one.  The  sticky  fluid  then  hardens, forming  a  single  thread  of  silk.
• Building  the  Web. - Various  foundation  threads  are  first  made.  These connect  the  convenient  points  of  support.  The  radiating  threads  are  next formed.  The  spiral  thread  is  next formed,  beginning  at  the  center.  The spider  makes  use  of  its  comb-like hind-claws  in  adjusting  and  uniting the  various  threads.  Both  the  outer and  the  radiating  threads  are  for
  support  only  ;  and  the  spiral  thread, which  has  numerous  little  globules  of a  sticky  fluid  that  does  not  readily solidify  on  exposure  to  air,  forms  the snare  proper.

Video at Youtube for Students to Watch:

1. Animal for Kids: the spider by All Things Animal
2. Is a spider's web a part of its mind? by Deep Look
3. Why spider silk is stronger than steel
4. Spider web research yields...a new musical instrument by Oregon Public Broadcasting
5. 15 cool spider webs by Top Fives
   

Hold a group discussion after viewing a film or on the second day of study. Prompt the students to mention/remember the following information about webs.

•  The  Web. - The  outer  threads  support  the  web. Other  threads  meet  in  the  center  and  are  joined  by  a  spiral  thread. 
• Spinnerets. - The  spinnerets  are  cells  containing  a  sticky  fluid. This  fluid  passes  out  through  small  holes. All  the  fibers  unite  into  one  thread. 
• Building  the  Web. -  The  outer  threads  are  spun  first. Then  those  which  meet  at  the  center. The  spiral  thread  is  formed  last. The  spiral  thread  has  sticky  drops  on  it. 
  

The student art assignments available on this blog for webs: 1rst-6th Grades

• Draw a shaded white spider web design - 5th and 6th grades
• Draw a design from a spider's web using glue and pastels - 3rd and 4th grade
• Craft a Ruote pasta web - 1rst and 2nd grade
• Weave a spider's web for a spooky Fall craft... - 3rd and 4th grade
  

Extended Learning Content:

• How to cut paper spider webs...
• Craft a ''Boo'' spider web wreath for your dollhouse 
• Decorate a fall pumpkin with a spider web vine
• The Cobweb Poem 
  

Free Student Clip Art: Clip art may be printed from a home computer, a classroom computer or from a computer at a library and/or a local printing service provider. This may be done from multiple locations as needed because our education blog is online and available to the general public.

Above are illustrations of: spinnerets, spider's web, end of spider's foot,
comb-like claws, thread covered with sticky drops, attached end of thread.

Cobwebs

Cobwebs
E. L. M. King

Between me and the rising sun,
This way and that the cobwebs run;
Their myriad wavering lines of light
Dance up the hill and out of sight.

There is no land possesses half
So many lines of telegraph
As those the spider-elves have spun
Between me and the rising sun. 

Weave a spider's web for a spooky Fall craft...

Sample spider web weaving craft above.

       Little ones can learn simple weaving skills with this Halloween spider craft. Teachers may choose to offer any number of Fall color combinations as far as craft supplies are concerned. As you can see by my samples. I've also shown here a variety of wooden craft stick sizes for the project.

Supply List:

• Popsicle sticks or coffee stirrers
• white, black, or orange yarn
• black, white or orange acrylic paint
• plastic spider (sold in bulk at dollar stores, optional)
• white school glue
• paint brush 
• sheet of sandpaper
  

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Make sure that the wooden surfaces of your craft sticks are clean. If these have any residue from prior use, because the sticks may be recycled, clean them up with a small piece of sandpaper.
2. Use white school glue to stack the craft sticks on top of each other in the shape of spokes on a wheel or like "stars." 
3. Let the glue between the layers dry thoroughly so that the webs formed by the layering become sturdy. 
4. Paint these shapes solid Fall colors: black, orange and white. Let dry
5. Now young students may weave the yarn about the wooden craft sticks to make their spiders's webs. 
6. The teacher may use a hot glue gun to paste a inexpensive plastic spider in the center of each child's web.
   

Left, are the "star like" shapes or spokes of a wheel formed by stacking wooden craft sticks and gluing them as you go. Right, I have painted each sample in the colors of Halloween: black, orange and white.

• Weave Indian Corn for Autumn Fun
• Weave trees for painted paper plate landscapes
• Weave a paper dress for a paper portrait

Whose Eyes Are These?

       Teachers or parents may print out the animal eye chart to quiz their kids about whose eyes are these. Here are the answers:

1. Eye of Solitary Frog
2. "stalk eye" of Crab
3. Eye of the Toad
4. Whirligig Beetle Eyes
5. The Chameleon's Eye
6. Eyes of the Snail on Stalks
7. Cat's Eye
8. Moth's Eye
9. Eye of A Dog
10. Spider Eyes
11. Eagle's Eye
12. Grasshopper's Eye
13. Sheep's Eye
14. Eye of the Fly
15. The Cow's Eye

Numbers 4, 8, 12, and 14 are all compound eyes!

Take the Nature Check Animal Eye Quiz!

and visit them to play more animal games.

Mother Goose Auto Parade - mini book

Paper mini book by Harvey Peake, restored by kathy grimm. Front Cover

       This adorable mini book is by Harvey Peake. It comes with rhymes and illustrations of automobiles only found in the imagination of a child. Assemble it as a mini book or cut the patterns out and pin them into a boarder in your classroom. Either way, little ones are sure to enjoy coloring them in and learning their nursery rhymes.

Goosey, goosey gander
Whither do you wander?
Of your winged motor car
Are you growing fonder?

A frog he would a-wooing go
In a very stylish way,
So he bought a frogmobile, you know,
And the lady frog said "Yea!"

Jack be nimble!
Jack be quick!
Jack, jump over the candlestick!
Jack jumped when something
struck his wheel,
For his candlestick
was an automo-
bile!

The Man in the Moon,
Come down too soon,
And asked his way to Norwich.
In his crescent machine,
Made of cheese so green,
He drove off after his porridge.

Little Bo Peep had lost her sheep,
And didn't know where to find them;
But she turned them all to automobiles,
And now she rides behind them.

"Will you come into my auto?"
Said the spider to the fly.
"There is room in my Web-tonneau
And I'll join you by and by."

There was an old woman
Who lived in a shoe,
She had so many children
She didn't know what to do.
But she mounted the shoe
On a big motor car,
And now there is room
For them all without jar.

Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater,
Had a wife and couldn't keep her;
He made a car of the pumpkin shess,
And there he kept her very well.

There was an old woman lived under a hill
On auto'bile wheels that wouldn't stand still.
So she drove around selling her cranberry pies,-
And she's the old woman who never told lies.

"Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?''
"Oh, now that I have a car," she said,
"It grows twice as fast, you know."

Just Admiring the Giant, Halloween, Yard Art on A Lovely Fall Day . . .

What on Earth . . . ?

I think I saw this in a movie once or . . . twice.

What's the . . .?

No way.

Wow, that's a really BIG CAT!

Learn about "Boo at The St. Louis Zoo" 

from GmaGpaAdventures

A Safe Place For Trick-or-Treaters to Party

       This past weekend, all of the early learning center teachers and aids assembled at our school's elementary building and hosted the annual Halloween party for both our students and perspective students. Youngsters dressed up in costumes and teachers handed out treats while parent volunteers played games and crafted with kids in the gym.

Elementary students competed in a door decorating contest at our school. I'm not sure what the
winning class walked away with but it's probably safe to assume it
had something to do with food.

The door decorations served to create a festive environment for
trick-or-treaters touring the school

Plan a Halloween Party at Your School:

• School Halloween Parties
• How to Plan a Harvest Party as an Alternative on Halloween
• Filling the Holiday with Light: Halloween Activities and Ideas

Draw a Design from A Spider's Web

Start your web design by randomly selecting a point, 
on a sheet of black construction paper, somewhere in 
the center of your paper.  Then draw, with the help of
 a ruler, lines from that central point out to the edges
 of the paper. Your design should look something like 
a giant sliced pie.

Then take either a bottle of white school glue or black puff 
paint bottle, and squeeze out a thin line of liquid tracing the 
drawing thus far. Then, very carefully, squeeze out the 
intersecting spiral lines of the spider's web pattern leaving 
large spaces approximately 1/2 inch to 1 or 2 inches apart.

Next, you will need to fill in these spaces of your web design 
with chalk pastels. After completing the design, Teachers may 
spray fix the pastels with either a special fixative purchased 
for the preservation of chalk pastel drawings or with 
a inexpensive hair spray.

A close up view of my spider's web design. This art project 
is an exercise in calculation, glue application, and a 
introduction to chalk pastels. I recommend it for 2nd 
through 4th grade students.

Craft a Ruote Pasta Web

      These little Ruote, more commonly known as wagon wheel pasta in America, make interesting design elements in a spider web craft for early learners.

      First, teachers will need to dye these Ruote pasta black:

• Add the dryed Route pasta to a large zip-lock plastic bag. (1lb. per large freezer bag at a time)
• Include a few teaspoons of rubbing alcohol and a few drops of black food coloring inside the bag with the dryed pasta.
• Close the bag tight and shake. 
• Pour this pasta out onto a napkin or paper towel to let it dry either in the sunshine or overnight in a warm place. 

 Left, a view of the Ruote pasta spider web from the side.  Right, a view of the pasta spider web from above.

      Once you have prepared the dried pasta for your young students, you will need to gather the following supplies:

• black construction paper
• white school glue
• dyed black Ruote pasta
• white tempera or acrylic paint
• newsprint to cover the table with
• Q-tips and cast off plastic lids for the gluing process

Step-by-step Instructions:

1. First, have the young students play at arranging the pasta on the table top before actually gluing it down to the paper. Talk to them about the shape, texture and color of the pasta while they experiment with arranging it.
2. Give each student a handful of pasta, a black piece of construction paper, a plastic lid full of liquid white school glue and a Q-tip for dipping into the glue.
3. Demonstrate to them, at their table, how to dip the Q-tip into the glue and then glop it onto the construction paper. This process of applying glue to the paper will help little people add enough glue for the pasta to stick to the paper but not so much glue that they cannot control it's application all together.
4. Now the pasta may be layered on top of the glue and arranged in a web like pattern. 
5. These 'spider webs' will need to dry overnight in the classroom.
6. On the following day students should each be given another plastic lid filled with non-toxic white paint. 
7. Show your early learners how to dip their fingers into the white paint and dab it lightly onto the very tops of the Ruote in order to highlight the pasta's design. 
8. Let the webs dry again. This takes only an hour or less.

More Fall Crafts Using Pasta:

• Pasta Peace Bracelet
• Colored & Glittered Pasta Pumpkins 

Draw a Shaded White Spider Web

      During the Fall season, I frequently focus student's assignments on those themes that are inspired by the natural world. Drawing spider webs is a great way to include design principles, drawing techniques and science all together in one project. Students will need a few simple supplies for this drawing exercise:

• a large piece of black construction paper
• a white led pencil or white conte or white pastel etc... 

      Instruct the students to first draw a large X shape anywhere on their paper and divide the rest of the drawing into pie shaped pieces using their white lead pencils. Next they will need to draw a spiral design working their way out from the center of the web to the edges of the paper. Within this spiral they need to further divide the web sections into small rectangular shapes. Then they will need to shade each of these small shapes in order to create a similar web to the one I have shown in the photograph above. Students may also wish to include a large black spider somewhere within their web design as well.

      With this drawing exercise, students will learn how to shade a tiny space gradually, the differences between positive and negative space, and also about repeating patterns. I recommend the exercise for fifth or sixth graders.

Draw More Spider Webs:

• Mondrian Spider Webs
• Anansi the Spider
• Invisible drawings: Spiderwebs