SPIDERS!!!

This week kids were really excited about Halloween!  Don't you think this would be a really great time to learn about SPIDERS???  We read about and looked at lots of pictures of spiders.  We even caught a few and kept them for a short time in our little "critter bin"!  At the end of the day, one lucky friend brought them outside to resume life in a more natural habitat!  After learning about spider body parts, each child designed their own spider using the criteria that make a spider a spider...and NOT an insect!  Each spider needed to have two body parts (cephalothorax and abdomen) and eight legs (insects have only six).  I encouraged the children to also include spinnerets and pedipalps (pincer-like pieces in the front of the spider) as well as several eyes.  The kids were excited to learn so many things about spiders that most grown ups (myself included until I did some research) don't even know!  For instance, did you know that most spiders have eight eyes, but some have only six or four or two or even none?  And did you know that spiders have sensitive hairs on their legs that help them "hear" through vibrations?  Well, we learned more about spiders than I ever thought I'd want to know!  Check out a few of these spider creations and be on the lookout for your child's artwork and spider report!