A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively
engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.
You may save this Learning Activity to your hard drive as an .html file by
selecting “File”,then “Save As” from your browser’s
pull down menu. The file name extension must be .html.
Phase:
After/Explain/Elaborate
Activity:
This learning activity is best if used after a lesson on patterns.
Introduce the lesson by showing students the following video: How Spiders Make Webs.
After the video, lead a discussion about the features of a spider web. A spider creates its web one string at a time. The shapes and patterns in the spider’s web are used to trap insects that the spider eats.
As a whole group, show the class the website 30 Astonishing Photographs of Spider Webs. Ask the students to compare the spider webs in the photographs. Are there similarities? What shapes and patterns are in the spider webs? (triangles and non-triangles) How does a web help a spider survive? (The web helps a spider cover a larger area to trap insects than a spider could cover without it.)
Distribute the materials (one sheet of black construction paper, white Wikki Stix, scissors). Have the students create a 3-dimensional patterned spider web using geometric shapes and lines.
Post all completed spider webs on the class bulletin board. Can the students figure out the pattern in their classmates' spider webs?
Assessment Strategies:
Students will be assessed on completion of an exit ticket with the following questions:
(1) How does a spider's web help it survive?
(2) What shapes can you find in a spider web?
Students will also be assessed on the completion of their spider web.