Creepy Crawlers and Jack-O-Lanterns
by Mrs. Naylor
Thanks to a generous donation by Mr. and Mrs. Camacho, the Science Club had fun Saturday carving Halloween pumpkins. Have you noticed the two Jack-O-Lanterns at the entrance to the Junior High Building? Science Club members designed and drew the faces on the pumpkins. Mrs. Terry Salinas assisted Mrs. Naylor with the actual carving process, but the students had the pleasure of scooping the gooey insides out. The Jack-O-Lanterns were then taken by the students to the darkened hallways in the Junior High building and candles were placed inside for some spooky fun.
The young scientists also had fun learning about insects and spiders. First, they observed the two hornworm caterpillars that were found near the Junior High. One of the wayward crawlers found its way out of a gap in the cage and onto the floor of the classroom. Who knows where that caterpillar was headed! Luckily, Angel noticed the little fellow before a catastrophe occurred.
Members constructed models of insects and spiders using pipe cleaners, foam balls, cotton balls, modeling clay, toothpicks, and glue. The aspiring entomologists and arachnologists made sure to give their creations the correct number of body parts and legs. Insects have three body parts—head, thorax, and abdomen—and six legs. Spiders have two body parts—cephalothorax, and abdomen—and eight legs. Something spiders and insects have in common is the fact that their legs are jointed and they have multiple eyes.
Students also discussed the predator/prey relationship that these creatures have. Spiders often eat insects by injecting them with a chemical that turns their insides into a liquid. Then they suck the liquid out of their insect prey.
If you want to learn more about spiders and insects you should check our library for books about these subjects.
Also try our school’s wonderful resource for all science information at Discovery Education.
On this website there are many educational and entertaining videos that can teach you more about these abundant and useful animals. You will have to log in using your user name and password that your teacher has given you.
