We have been following the children's interests closely as we returned from the school holidays and we noticed a keen fascination with bugs - especially spiders! So we put our ideas together and came up with a venom making learning experience. First we had to catch a spider - (a small garden spider). Ambrose is our spider catching expert and set about the task, finding one within minutes. Soon we all had magnifying glasses and were closely examining the small green and white spider. Suddenly we saw the spider begin to make a web! Ambrose: "Look, it's making a web"
What kind of spider was it?
What colour would it's venom be?
How poisonous is it?
These are all the questions we posed each other and the experience became very scientific.....
Next we set up a spider laboratory complete with droppers and different coloured 'venom'. We discussed what spider would likely have each colour - "who would have red venom?" Asher: "A red back" Ambrose agreed: "Yeah, a red back would" So Asher set about making the red back spider venom in his vile. We then referred to our list off the most deadliest spiders to decide what venom to make next and how deadly it would be. Ambrose wanted to examine the list before making his venom.
What kind of spider was it?
What colour would it's venom be?
How poisonous is it?
These are all the questions we posed each other and the experience became very scientific.....
Next we set up a spider laboratory complete with droppers and different coloured 'venom'. We discussed what spider would likely have each colour - "who would have red venom?" Asher: "A red back" Ambrose agreed: "Yeah, a red back would" So Asher set about making the red back spider venom in his vile. We then referred to our list off the most deadliest spiders to decide what venom to make next and how deadly it would be. Ambrose wanted to examine the list before making his venom.
Soon we had lots of venom containers and had to make labels to warn people of what was in the containers. We decided putting a big cross on the lids would serve as a warning. Riley, Jules, Malu and Obi over saw the label making and used the list to match their friends venom to a spider.
Our most deadliest spider list, label making resources and putty to seal the containers.
The children used very specific language and asked lots of questions about the process of extracting venom from a spider. We discussed how the scientists would place the spiders fangs over a jar edge and 'milk' the spider. Ambrose: "One drop of venom and your dead" Asher: "Is that real venom?" "Do they really do that Sarah?"
Ambrose decided to make a combination of red back and funnel web venom. He carefully extracted the red liquid and mixed it with the black liquid. He explained that his venom was the most deadly and that he was "going to test it on an ant" Soon we had lots of venom combinations and the children became very experimental. Ayrielle: "I combined all three venom's together: red back, funnel web and mouse spider"
Charlotte with her red back venom.
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