Search results

Arachnid anatomy!

This lesson is part of a science unit entitled “Spiders: Fact and Fiction.” During this lesson, learning will focus on specific body anatomy, functions and distinguishing characteristics of spiders.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2 Science)

By Susan Sharples.

Getting to know spiders

This lesson is useful for helping students understand the differences between spiders and insects. They will also learn about a spider's particular body parts. Live spiders will be observed over the course of a few days to see how sound, light, and movement affect the spiders.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2 Science)

By Bree Welmaker.

"Do Spiders Live on the World Wide Web?"

Through use of a fun and informative online story, students will explore the parts of the computer, as well as discover that words have multiple meanings.

Format: lesson plan (grade K Computer/Technology Skills and English Language Arts)

Spiders and monarchs and bees, oh my!

Exploring the world of insects and spiders can replace children's fear with fascination.

By Linda Dow.

Spinning spider stories

This interdisciplinary lesson is designed to introduce students to the purpose and process of comparative literature. The literary selections may be altered according to audience and purpose, from grades 5 through 8.

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

By Edie McDowell.

Tarantulas

Students will read Tarantula by Jenny Feely. Then they will summarize what they have learned about tarantulas by writing descriptive words or phrases on a graphic organizer. Finally, using the Kid Pix Studio Deluxe (or other similar drawing program), students will write sentences about tarantulas and make an illustration.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2 Computer/Technology Skills and English Language Arts)

By Jody Shaughnessy.

Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center at Purchase Knob

Visit the Learning Center at Lake Junaluska and participate in a scientific research program that focuses on the scientific method, air quality, or soil health.

Format: article/field trip opportunity

Word family web

Students play a fun game with spider and fly to build new words using known word families.

Format: lesson plan (grade 1 English Language Arts)

By Peggy Johnson.

Black-and-yellow Argiope at Lake Crabtree in Morrisville, NC

This is a Black-and-yellow Argiope spider at Lake Crabtree in Morrisville, North Carolina. This spider is part of the orb-weaver family, which means that it has a third claw on each foot in order to assist in building webs. Despite its large build and threatening...

Format: image/photograph

Incredible insect mouths

This lesson shows children that insects have different kinds of mouths. It also notes the kinds of foods that different insects eat. It is a hands-on experiment type of lesson in which the children act as insects and use different tools for their “mouths.”

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 Science)

By Kelly Stewart.

All about life

A primary curriculum based around life and environmental science draws on children's natural curiosity to teach reading, math, and more.

By Myra Erexson.

Walnut Creek: A Guide to Exploring Urban Wetlands

In May 2008, Exploris Middle School students presented a field guide to the Walnut Creek wetlands to the City of Raleigh to use at the city's new urban wetlands center. The students began working on their field guide in September 2007. Over the school year,...

Format: document/book

Camp Don Lee

Check out the programs available to classroom students at this beautiful camp located near Arapahoe, North Carolina.

Format: article/field trip opportunity

Tools of the trade for information seekers

A guide to understanding and using search engines, directories, and the invisible web.

Format: article

By Melissa Thibault.

Summer safety!

The children will learn to identify unsafe situations and name hazardous activities they may encounter or see during the warm months between May and September.

Format: lesson plan (grade K Healthful Living)

An integrated lesson comparing the butterfly and frog life cycles

Students will build on their prior knowledge about the butterfly life cycle to compare and contrast the life cycles of butterflies and frogs. Students will locate butterflies on the school grounds and create pictographs and models of fractions to explain their findings mathematically. Students will also use a variety of resources to read about and study the food, space and air needed by butterflies and frogs to grow. They will create visual and written products to demonstrate their findings.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2 English Language Development, Mathematics, and Science)

By Martha Dobson and Margaret Monds.

Higher order thinking with Venn diagrams

Graphic organizers are powerful ways to help students understand complex ideas. By adapting and building on basic Venn diagrams, you can move beyond comparison and diagram classification systems that encourage students to recognize complex relationships.

Format: article/best practice

By David Walbert.

Resources on the web

Did you say spiders?

This lesson supports students' natural curiosity about spiders and builds upon their prior knowledge. Students work cooperatively using response journals and online resources to inquire into the world of spiders, gather information about various types of... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink

eNature.com

Includes a field guide with over 5,000 species, a habitat gallery of places for wildlife near you, migration information, an ask-the-expert area, and more. You can also listen to an audio clip of the bird of the day! (Learn more)

Format: website/general

Provided by: National Wildlife Federation

Biodiversity Counts

This site helps teachers get middle school students out into their own backyards to gather and identify plants and arthropods (spiders, insects, and more). Provides lesson plans, essays, and interactive features that focus on dozens of topics such as how to... (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan

Provided by: American Museum of Natural History