Spider Shapes

Steve CaseNSF North Mississippi GK-8

University of MississippiMarch 2007

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

Spiders

• Members of the arachnid family along with ticks, mites, and scorpions

• Two main body segments: head and abdomen

• Silk glands in abdomen; used by many types of spiders to spin webs

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

Spiders’ Webs

• Webs spun between branches of trees, bushes, or other objects

• Used to catch flies and other insects• Portions of web non-sticky so spider does not get

trapped• Five major types of web; most common type of web

spun by orb weaver spiders• Web silk stronger than steel

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

What shapes can we find in a spider’s web?

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

Circle

• How many sides?– One

• How many corners?– Zero

• Can we find circles in a spider’s web?

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

Quadrilateral

• How many sides?– Four

• How many corners?– Four

• Different types of quadrilaterals:– Parallelogram, rectangle, rhombus square,

trapezoid • Can we find quadrilaterals in a spider’s

web?

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

Parallelogram

• How many sides?– Four

• How many corners?– Four

• Is it a quadrilateral?– Yes

• What makes a parallelogram?– Opposite sides of a parallelogram are parallel.

• Different types of parallelograms:– Square, rhombus, rectangle

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

Rectangle

• How many sides and corners?– Four

• Is it a quadrilateral?– Yes

• Is it a parallelogram?– Yes

• What makes a rectangle?– All corners of a rectangle form right angles.

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

Rhombus

• How many sides and corners?– Four

• Is it a quadrilateral?– Yes

• Is it a parallelogram?– Yes

• What makes a rhombus?– All four sides of a rhombus are equal in

length.

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

Square

• How many sides and corners?– Four

• Is it a quadrilateral?– Yes

• Is it a parallelogram?– Yes

• Is it a rectangle?– Yes

• Is it a rhombus:– Yes

• What makes a square?– All sides of a square are equal in length.

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

Trapezoid

• How many sides and corners?– Four

• Is it a quadrilateral?– Yes

• Is it a parallelogram?– No

• What makes a trapezoid?– Only two sides of a trapezoid are parallel.

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

Triangle

• How many sides and corners?– Three

• Can we find triangles in spiders’ webs?

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

Hexagon

• How many sides and corners?– Six

• Do any insects or arachnids build hexagons?

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

Hexagon

Triangle

Trapezoid Square

Rhombus

Parallelogram

Circle

Rectangle

Let’s Review

NSF North Mississippi GK-8

Image Sources

“Web Photos.” August 2005. Spiders. Accessed March 15, 2007. <http://www.spiderzrule.com/webaugust05.htm>.