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Spider Honor Requirements
Many people are afraid of spiders. This fear is partly due to myths and to the notoriety of harmful species such as the brown recluse spider and black widow spider. However, the vast majority of spiders are harmless to humans.
Spiders are beneficial predators that reduce pest populations (flies, crickets, mites, etc.) in and around homes, yards, gardens, and crops. Wholesale destruction of spiders should be avoided.
Here are some activities that can help you to teach the spider honor and make it fun for the Pathfinders. Also check out these websites for additional resources.
Spiders are beneficial predators that reduce pest populations (flies, crickets, mites, etc.) in and around homes, yards, gardens, and crops. Wholesale destruction of spiders should be avoided.
Here are some activities that can help you to teach the spider honor and make it fun for the Pathfinders. Also check out these websites for additional resources.
- Teaching Pathfinder Honors: Spiders (**Pathfinder Strong)
- Spiders for kids - Youtube
- Fun Facts about Spiders!
- The Great Spider Debate - University of Kentucky Department of Entomology
- Teaching Kids about Spiders - study.com
- Kidzone - Spider Activities
Preserving a Spider Web
Instead of clearing away spider webs, have you ever thought of collecting them? Many beautiful orb webs can be seen in your yard or garden from early spring through late fall. Orb webs are fun to collect, preserve, and mount for display. Here is how to collect and preserve spider orb webs.
The delicate and intricate geometric shapes of a spider's web can be preserved and enjoyed with only a few materials and a little practice.
Materials needed:
Gently spray the web with gold or white spray paint. Hold the box behind the web to protect and collect any spray not hitting the web. Make sure the spray doesn't not damage the web but only covers it with paint. Another method not using paint is to gently sprinkle the web with talcum powder by pouring some powder on your palm and blowing it onto the web. Place the black piece of paper in the box and spray it with hair spray. You'll have to act quickly since the spray dries quickly. The most difficult part is next and will usually require a bit of practice. Place the sprayed tacky piece of paper behind the web and gently bring it into contact with the web. Carefully cut the strands of the web supporting it from its surrounding vegetation. Finally, to preserve the web, spray the paper with the attached web with a protective coat of varnish. Make sure all spraying is done in the cardboard box to protect the adjacent area. Now you can display the interesting geometric patters of your own spider web for months to come.
The delicate and intricate geometric shapes of a spider's web can be preserved and enjoyed with only a few materials and a little practice.
Materials needed:
- sheet of black paper (construction paper works well)
- can of hair spray
- can of white or gold spray paint or talcum powder
- can of spray varnish
- cardboard large enough for the paper to fit in
Gently spray the web with gold or white spray paint. Hold the box behind the web to protect and collect any spray not hitting the web. Make sure the spray doesn't not damage the web but only covers it with paint. Another method not using paint is to gently sprinkle the web with talcum powder by pouring some powder on your palm and blowing it onto the web. Place the black piece of paper in the box and spray it with hair spray. You'll have to act quickly since the spray dries quickly. The most difficult part is next and will usually require a bit of practice. Place the sprayed tacky piece of paper behind the web and gently bring it into contact with the web. Carefully cut the strands of the web supporting it from its surrounding vegetation. Finally, to preserve the web, spray the paper with the attached web with a protective coat of varnish. Make sure all spraying is done in the cardboard box to protect the adjacent area. Now you can display the interesting geometric patters of your own spider web for months to come.
Go on a Web Safari
Scientists (and adventurers!) often go on a safari to observe, count, and describe animals and their unique habitats. Have you ever gone on a "Web Safari?" To go on your own web Safari, all you need to do is go outside (or even inside!) and look for as many spider webs as you can find.
Directions:
Know the characteristics of the Black Widow and Brown Recluse spiders. Do not touch them.
Take a hike outside. Count the number of spiders you find and describe their webs or where they were living. (Early morning is the best time for spider hikes because dew highlights the webs.)
Directions:
- Print out a data table to take on your web safari.
- Put a check mark next to the name of each web you found.
- Check where you found the web.
- Tally the number of each web you found and its location
- What type of webs did you find? Where?
- Report your data on the Safari Survey Form
Know the characteristics of the Black Widow and Brown Recluse spiders. Do not touch them.
Take a hike outside. Count the number of spiders you find and describe their webs or where they were living. (Early morning is the best time for spider hikes because dew highlights the webs.)
Spider Trick
Hunt for spiders after dark in you backyard or outdoors. Hold a flashlight beside your head, just above your left or right ear, with the light even with your eyes. Slowly move your head and flashlight together, scanning the ground and trees. When spotlighted, spider's eyes will glow in the dark with brilliant gold or green colors! If you see a tiny reflecting dot, like a dewdrop, walk towards it with the light shined on it. It is the reflection of a spider's eyes, and you can walk right up to the spider. You can find spiders from 30 feet away with this technique.
Spider Hunt
Among nature's beautiful designs, few can surpass the intricate beauty of a spider web glistening with dew drops in the early morning sun. And few are so immediately and obviously functional. To watch a fly's unsuccessful twisting and turnings in the sticky strands of a web is to observe what an effective device a web can be for trapping food for its maker.
To many the spider is far less worthy of admiration than its web, but in fact they are marvelous creatures. Here's an activity designed to encourage the Pathfinders to notice as many different spiders and webs as possible.
Divide older children into pairs, younger children into small groups with a leader. Each group receives a Spider Hunt Card with the following list:
To many the spider is far less worthy of admiration than its web, but in fact they are marvelous creatures. Here's an activity designed to encourage the Pathfinders to notice as many different spiders and webs as possible.
Divide older children into pairs, younger children into small groups with a leader. Each group receives a Spider Hunt Card with the following list:
- A spider on a web
- A spider not on a web (search flowers)
- An insect caught in a web
- Part of a web that is sticky (look for liquid beads on the web, or lightly touch it)
- Part of a web not sticky
- A web shaped like a sheet with a funnel on one side
- A web near the ground
- A web in the corner of a building
- A web in a tree or bush
- A web shaped like a wheel
- A messy web
- A spider egg case
Spider Sensations
Objective: To show how web-spinning spiders know by touch rather than by sight when they've captured prey in their webs.
Divide into groups of 6 and give each a wooden block with yarn strands attached to put on the floor. Designate one child to be the spider crouched next to the block with eyes blindfolded, and the remaining 5 to be insects who each take on strand of yarn and radiate out in all directions from the spider. The strands should be held taut, next to but not touching the ground. The spider's hands res lightly on top of them in order to feel any vibrations. Leader points to one insect who clucks its strand once. The spider crawls to the end of the strand which moved, captures the insect and then they change places. If the wrong insect was captured, the spider gets one more try.
Divide into groups of 6 and give each a wooden block with yarn strands attached to put on the floor. Designate one child to be the spider crouched next to the block with eyes blindfolded, and the remaining 5 to be insects who each take on strand of yarn and radiate out in all directions from the spider. The strands should be held taut, next to but not touching the ground. The spider's hands res lightly on top of them in order to feel any vibrations. Leader points to one insect who clucks its strand once. The spider crawls to the end of the strand which moved, captures the insect and then they change places. If the wrong insect was captured, the spider gets one more try.
