Why doesn't a spider get stuck to its own web?
Date: 4th May 2020 @ 8:43am
Good Morning Reception!
Did you enjoy the Very Busy Spider story? If you haven’t watched it yet – the link to the video is here!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfL0g-XRxnA&t=45s
In the story, the spider is VERY busy spinning her web! After reading this story, I thought it would be a great idea to participate in a science experiment linked to spider’s webs!! Spiders catch their prey in a web (like the fly in the story!) Spider’s webs are extremely sticky so that bugs stick to them and cannot move!
But… why doesn’t a spider get stuck to its own web?
This is what we are going to investigate!
In this experiment we are going to create our own webs and test whether our fingers stick like the fly or do not stick like the spider!
You will need:
Sticky Tape
Cooking Oil
Step one: Spread out the tape sticky side up.
Step two: Ask children to walk their fingers across the tape. What happens??
Did your fingers stick?? That is like the bugs on a spider’s web.
Step three: Now, put some cooking oil on the children’s fingers and do the same – walk their fingers across the sticky tape.
Do their fingers stick now? No! Spiders have natural oils on their bodies that keeps them from sticking to things.
I hope you enjoy this experiment!
Please email in your pictures and results to the reception home learning email (receptionhomelearning@ravensbury.manchester.sch.uk)
Have fun!!