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Learning Experience/Unit

Spider Spotlight by St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES


Course, Subject

Biology/Living Environment, English Language Arts (2005), Math, Science & Technology, English Language Arts (NYS P-12 Common Core)

Grade Levels

Elementary, 2nd Grade


Assessment

As a culminating project, students will make and illustrate a "Spider Facts" booklet consisting of five general facts which relate to spiders and a corresponding illustration for each. See attached rubric.
Other assessments will be ongoing, including interactive SMART Board activities, a true-false quiz, and a fill-in quiz. See attached.

Learning Context/ Introduction

This is a second grade learning experience that introduces the topic of spiders. The experience will incorporate the use of SMART Board, non-fiction literature, videos, and the creation of student "Spider Facts" booklets.

Duration

Approximately twenty minutes per day will be devoted to this unit. Time may vary from day to day, depending on the activity. Total days spent teaching this unit will be fifteen days (three weeks).

Essential Question

What characteristics or facts about spiders can make them interesting instead of scary?

Objectives:

  • The student will list 5 facts about spiders.
  • The student will explain at least 3 differences between spiders and insects.
  • The student will identify the true statements about spiders from a list.

Instructional/Environment Modifications

Quizzes and booklet needed to be enlarged for a visually-impaired student.

Procedure

DAY 1:
We will begin this unit by eliciting facts that the students already know about spiders, asking how many are afraid of spiders and why. We will then entice the students by betting that by the end of our spider unit, most of them will actually appreciate these fascinating creatures. We will then read The Spider by Sabrina Crewe.

DAY 2:
We will begin today by reviewing facts that the students learned yesterday from The Spider. Discussion will be followed by reading the book Spider Biters by Therese Shea. A short discussion will be held comparing the book to the information they have learned to this point.

DAY 3:
The students will view the video Spiders by Diamond Entertainment Corporation. Students will be asked to compare information in the book to information in the video. This discussion will be teacher guided.

DAY 4:
We will read and discuss the book Spiders Are Not Insects by Allan Fowler. This will be followed by an interactive SMART Board activity. (See spidervs.insect.notebook-page 1)

DAY 5:
An interactive SMART Board activity will be used to reinforce the differences between spiders and insects. (See spidervsinsect.notebook-page 2)

DAY 6:
Today will consist of a review of all facts learned so far followed by a quiz. (See fill in blank quiz.doc) The review will consist of a short question and answer period led by the teacher.

DAY 7:
Read the book Life Story of a Spider, by Michael Chinery. We will then "make a spider web" by asking a spider question and throwing yarn to the friend we choose to answer our question.

DAY 8:
Today we will watch the video The Magic School Bus Spins a Web by KidVision.

DAY 9:
During recess, students will take turns filling in a self-checking interactive SMART Board graphic organizer comparing spiders and insects. (See spidervsinsect.notebook-page 3)

DAY 10:
We will read and discuss the book Spiders:Spinners and Trappers by Lola M. Schaefer.

DAY 11:
An interactive true-false spider web will be demonstrated on the SMART Board. Students will then be invited to manipulate the web as the class helps them self-correct. (See spider web true false.notebook)

DAY 12:
Students will take a true-false quiz (see True or False Spider quiz.doc) which correlates with questions from yesterday's SMART Board activity.

DAY 13:
The assessment rubric for the "Spider Facts" booklet will be distributed and explained. Clarifications will be made as needed. Students will then begin constructing their booklets.

DAY 14:
Students will continue constructing their "Spider Facts" booklets.

DAY 15:
This day will be reserved for any students who need to take quizzes or finish booklets due to absences.

  • spider_web_true_false[1].notebook
  • spidervsinsect[1].notebook

    • Reflections and Feedback

    This unit was highly motivating for my students. They thoroughly enjoyed learning so many surprising facts about spiders. They were eager for each day's activity, particularly the interactive SMART Board activities. At recess they would ask to play teacher and student with them. Many of the students decided that spiders were not so scary after all; in fact, they expressed disappointment when the unit was finished.

    I will definitely teach this unit next year. However, I will modify the booklet requirements to three or four facts for my lower-achieving students. I will also modify the format of the booklet so that the illustrations are on the same page as the facts.

    Student Work

    Completed spider booklets

  • ck High.doc
  • ck Med.doc
  • ck low.doc

    • Materials & Related Resources

    • SMART Board
    • LCD Projector
    • VCR
    • Chinery, Michael. Life Story:Spider. Scholastic. New York, NY: 1991. ISBN 0-439-70207-0.
    • Crewe, Sabrina. The Spider. Raintree Steck-Vaughn. Austin, TX: 1998. ISBN 0-8172-4380-1
    • Diamond Entertainment Corp. Spiders. Anaheim, CA: 1995.
    • Fowler, Allan. Spiders Are Not Insects. Children's Press. New York, NY: 1996. ISBN 0-516-06054-6
    • KidVision. Magic School Bus Spins a Web. 1995. ISBN 1-56832-587-8
    • Schaefer, Lola M. Spiders-Spinners and Trappers. Bridgestone Books. Mankato, MN: 2001. ISBN 0-7368-0829-9
  • spider_web_true_false[1].notebook
  • spidervsinsect[1].notebook

    • Authors

    Cheryl Klemp, 2nd Grade Teacher
    Kristin McLean, 2nd Grade Teacher
    St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES


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