GRADE LEVEL: 4th–8th
OBJECTIVE: The student will listen to a description of a Goliath birdeater tarantula
from
The Tarantula Scientist and the student will create a picture from the description.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is to build observation skills.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
•
The Tarantula Scientist by Sy Montgomery
• Construction paper
• Colors, markers, or other art supplies
TIME: 45–55 minutes
PROCEDURE:
• Begin reading the book
The Tarantula Scientist, careful not to show any of the pictures. Read to page 8.
• Stop at the end of page 8, and ask students what they know about how the Goliath birdeater tarantula looks.
You may want to put this information on the board. Some characteristics students may come up with at this point:
• Hairy legs
• Big (“cover your whole face” or “weigh as much as five mice”)
• Two feet or pedipalps next to the front of its head
• Eight walking feet
• Two claws on each leg or tarsi
• Seven segments to each of the eight legs
• Legs covered with hair
• Hair is long
• Hair is reddish brown
• Read page 9 (still careful not to show any of the pictures).
• Tell students to think about the characteristics and then draw a life-sized picture of a Goliath birdeater tarantula. Tell students they can change their pictures as you read and
as they learn more about tarantulas.
• Allow students to work on their pictures while you continue reading through page 15.
• Go back and show students the pictures from the beginning of the book, have them compare their pictures to
the picture of the Goliath birdeater tarantula on pages 8 and 9.
• Point out some of the specific characteristics mentioned in the text; compare these to the pictures the students created and the ones in the book. Explain the importance
of detail while doing scientific research, or ask the students why they think it is important. This could be a very good opportunity for a class discussion that you
can direct toward good experimental procedures.
Note: The pictures would make a great hall display or
classroom decorations! Finish reading
The Tarantula
Scientist to your students, and check out all the other
great activities that you can use with this book!
| |
VERTEBRATES |
INVERTEBRATES |
ARACHNIDS |
THERAPHOSIDAE |
Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
|
_______ 30
_______ 33
_______ 36
|
_______ 105
_______ 104
_______ 107
|
_______ 100
_______ 101
_______ 102
|
_______ 100
_______ 100
_______ 93
|
|
Let's Classify!
1. What is an invertebrate?
2. What is a vertebrate?
3. What is the largest category used to sort living things? Look in
The Tarantula Scientist. Skip pages 23 and 47.
4. How many vertebrates are there in the book?
5. How many invertebrates are there in the book?
6. How many arachnids are there in the book?
7. How many Theraphosidae are there in the book?
8. Make a chart to organize your data.
9. Make a graph that represents your data.
GRADE LEVEL: 4th–8th
OBJECTIVE: The student will complete the crossword puzzle after reading
The Tarantula Scientist.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this activity is to build vocabulary.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
•
The Tarantula Scientist by Sy Montgomery
• Copies of the Spiders! crossword puzzle and clues
TIME: 30 minutes (to work the puzzle . . . longer to read book cover to cover)
PROCEDURE:
• Read the book
The Tarantula Scientist.
• Let the students work the puzzle.
This can be done in cooperative groups.
This could also be used as an Internet scavenger hunt.
DOWN: | ACROSS: |
1. THE FOOD-HANDLING LEGS AT THE FRONT OF THE SPIDER’S HEAD
|
2. A PERSON WHO UNREASONABLY FEARS ARACHNIDS, ESPECIALLY SPIDERS
|
3. BREATHING TUBES THAT LEAD FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE SPIDER DEEP INTO THE BODY. MOST MODERN SPIDERS HAVE THEM, BUT NOT TARANTULAS
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4. THE WAY SPIDERS USE SILK TO RIDE THE WIND TO A NEW LOCATION. BABY SPIDERS OFTEN USE THIS METHOD TO LEAVE THE NEST
|
5. THE NOZZLELIKE DISPENSERS OF SPIDER SILK ON THE BACK OF THE ABDOMEN
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8. ANOTHER NAME FOR TROPICAL TARANTULAS
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6. THE SPIDER FAMILY TO WHICH TARANTULAS BELONG
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10. THE MORE THAN 90 PERCENT OF ANIMALS ON EARTH WHO DON'T HAVE INTERNAL SKELETONS
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7. SPIDERS AND THEIR EIGHT–LEGGED RELATIVES
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11. THE TWO CLAWS AT THE END OF SPIDERS’ WALKING FEET
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9. THE BULBLIKE STRUCTURE ON THE LAST JOINT OF THE PEDIPALPS IN MALE SPIDERS, WHICH HE USES TO TRANSFER HIS SPERM TO THE FEMALE SPIDER
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15. THE ACT OF MAKING SOUND BY RUBBING ONE BODY PART AGAINST ANOTHER
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12. THE OLD-FASHIONED BREATHING ORGANS THAT TARANTULAS HAVE
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16. THE SPIDER’S HEAD, CONTAINING (ALONG WITH OTHER THINGS) THE SUCKING STOMACH
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13. A PERSON WHO APPRECIATES ARACHNIDS
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17. SPIDER BLOOD, WHICH IS NEVER RED, BUT MIGHT BE CLEAR OR LIGHT BLUE
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14. THE SENSE ORGANS ON SPIDERS’ LEGS THAT PERMIT THEM TO TELL, FROM VERY FAINT VIBRATIONS, THE SIZE OF AN APPROACHING CRITTER, BE IT A CRICKET IN THE LEAF LITTER OR A PERSON ENTERING THE DOOR OF THE LABORATORY ACROSS THE ROOM
|
18. THE EXTERNAL SKELETON OF INVERTEBRATES
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19. THE STRONG, LIGHT, WATERPROOF MATERIAL THAT COMPOSES THE EXTERNAL SKELETONS OF INVERTEBRATES FROM SHRIMP TO SPIDERS—AND EVEN THE HAIRS ON TARANTULAS
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20. BABY SPIDERS, OFTEN QUITE DIFFERENT IN COLOR FROM THE ADULTS
|
21. THE SILKEN PURSE THE MOTHER SPIDER WEAVES TO HOLD HER EGGS. SOMETIMES SHE CARRIES THIS AROUND IN HER MOUTH
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22. A SCIENTIST WHO STUDIES ARACHNIDS
|
| |
23. THE SPIDER’S TWO-PART JAW, THE LAST SEGMENT OF WHICH ENDS IN A FANG
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