Weekly Online Lesson Online Lesson Archive Grade Level: 3-9 Subject: Etymology

Spiders, Man!

The highly anticipated comic-book epic "Spider-Man" kicked off an early summer movie season in high spider style, earning a record three-day gross of $114 million, according to studio estimates. The film smashed the old three-day record of $90.3 million, set last November by "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."

The film revolves around high school geek Peter Parker, who is bitten by a genetically enhanced spider. Soon Peter is able to scale walls, sense danger, and shoot webs from his wrist.

Now that spiders are cool in the wake of this action blockbuster, it's a perfect time for you to learn more about them in this week's online lesson. You'll find out that they really are as amazing as the comic-book hero. Just don't expect to be climbing walls if you ever get bit; nearly all spider bites are harmless to humans.

Everything About Spiders

The first place to head for general information about spiders is Everything About Spiders, part of the Everything About site. The introductory page contains some basic information about spiders, their structure, and their venom. What are the key characteristics of spiders? How is the body divided? What are the two senses spiders use to locate prey? Are most spiders harmless or dangerous? Name two dangerous spiders.

Click More about Spiders at the bottom and read the page that follows. What is spider silk? Name several ways spiders use silk. What is the name for spiders that don't spin webs to capture food? How has spider silk been used commercially?

Click Black Widow Spider on the right and read the page that follows. How did these spiders earn their name? Where in the world can they be found? Are they aggressive toward humans? Click Brown Recluse Spider on the right and read that page. What is another name of this spider? Describe its appearance. What can happen if a brown recluse spider bites you?

Look for several other spider species to learn about on the right. Choose the Funnelweb Spider, Jumping Spider, or Trap-Door Spider.

Spiders!

For more spider fun visit the Discovery Online Spiders! site. This site was developed in partnership with the American Museum of Natural History, so you know it's going to be good. Start by clicking Up Close With Spiders to learn the parts of spiders. Roll your mouse over the smaller circle pictures to see and learn more about each part. Which part of the spider are its legs attached to? Which part holds its guts, heart, reproductive organs, and silk glands? How do spiders use their jaws?

Click In Your Own Backyard. If you see a spider in your house or around the yard, use this guide to figure out which kind of spider it is. Click the name of each spider family to see a photo and learn a little bit about it. Which spider spins a beautiful web? Which spins a sheet web tapering into a funnel? Which spider can leap? Which lives behind a tiny manhole cover?

A Wolf in the Shadows

Wolf spiders don't spin webs, but rather hunt around on the ground for food. Many build burrows to live in. Because they move around so much, these are the spiders seen most often in tubs and sinks, or anywhere around the house. Learn more about these spiders by visiting a site called A Wolf in the Shadows. Read the introduction, and then click each of the blurry photos below (the photos come into focus when you roll your mouse pointer over them).

Click Wolf Spiders, the picture on the far left, and then start with the Wolf Spider Information Guide. How many named species of wolf spider are there in North America alone? How many in the world? What makes wolf spiders different from other spiders? Do they hunt mainly at night or during the day? Which is the largest wolf spider in the United States, and how big can it get? What do wolf spiders eat? If you find a wolf spider in your house, what should you do with it? Click Wolf Spider Photo Gallery and view some of the spider photos in the gallery (there are quite a few). Which of these spiders look familiar to you? Which have you seen most often around the house or yard?

Would you like to keep a wolf spider as a pet? Learn how by clicking Keeping Wolf Spiders as Pets. You will learn about the spider's basic needs and how to build the right kind of environment. Click Hunting for Wolf Spiders to learn where to look for them.

If you want to learn similar information about other spiders at this site, go back to the home page and click a different photo.

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