 II.B.1 Scrub
Burrowing Wolf Spiders: The Stay-at Home-Predators
Concepts: Food chain, adaptation, and microhabitat.
Skills: Observation, cooperative learning measurement, and discussion.
Time needed: Part One: approximately 20 minutes. Part Two: approximately 20
minutes.
Best time of year: fall, winter, and spring
Sunshine State Standards: LA.B.2.2.1, MA.B.2.2.1, MA.B.2.2.2, SC.F.2.2.1,
SC.G.1.2.1, SC.G.1.2.2, SC.G.1.2.5, SC.G.1.2.7, SC.G.2.2.1, SC.H.1.2.2, SC.H.1.2.4,
VA.B.1.2.2. |
This activity has two parts. During Part One, students will locate and observe scrub
burrowing wolf spider holes and collect data. During Part Two, your class will analyze the
data they collected and use the results to answer several questions about this spider.
Materials:
Each team of two students will need:
- Student data sheet #1
- Clipboard
- Pencil
- 10 colored toothpicks or other material to mark burrows
- Ruler (mm)
- Hand lens or magnifying glass (optional)
Teacher will need:
- Flagging and sticks
- Meter stick (to be shared by teams)
- Watch
- Small flashlight (optional)
- Class data sheet #1
Instructions for the Teacher:
- Before taking your class outside, locate an open area of scrub that has an aggregation,
or grouping, of burrowing wolf spider holes. (Check any sandy area of the school grounds
that is relatively undisturbed.) Mark the area with flagging. If possible, flag a leaf
litter area, too. Be sure to remove the flagging when the activity is completed.
- One of the main goals of this activity is to get students thinking about microhabitats (small-scale habitats, such as patches
of bare sand, within larger habitats, such as the Florida scrub). Humans are usually more
aware of larger habitats, but insects and spiders live at the level of microhabitats. Use the information from this
section's introduction to initiate a spider discussion with your class. (Spiders use silk
for making webs, trap doors, safety lines, as balloons for dispersing young, for lining
burrows to prevent cave-ins, and for use as a throw net to trap a variety of insects.)
Attempt to lessen students' spider fears. Spiders will not bite unless picked up and
roughly handled. What many people call spider bites are actually bites from other invertebrates, such as mites and flies.
- Briefly explain to your students that they will observe a spider burrow and, if they are
lucky, will catch a glimpse of the spider. Review the student data sheet and stress the
importance of careful observation. Wolf spiders are very sensitive to vibrations and
movement so your students will have a greater chance of seeing spiders if they move slowly
and step lightly.
- Divide the class into teams of two. One student will be the recorder and the other will
be the main observer. Roles can be switched halfway through the activity.
- Allow approximately 10 minutes for step one of the student data sheet. Students will
move more carefully if they are not aware of being timed. Encourage them to move slowly
and quietly as possible as they complete their data sheet. (Once you find a burrow, try
shining a flashlight down into it to see the spider or get an idea of the burrow depth.)
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