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Ideas for Activities
& Projects
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What we're working on |
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Orbweaver |
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Housefly life history |
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Boom box electrophysiology of venoms |
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Projects |
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Spider Collection
Start a
collection of local spiders for your school or nature center. |
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Adaptive biology and ecology
Describe different
types of webs found in your area and characterize specific adaptations and
the advantages and disadvantages of each and how they fill different niches. |
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Web mechanics
Make and test your
own sticky webs and and perform cost/benefit analyses. |
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Environmental health
Survey and compare
spider populations in two or more habitats near your home. |
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Environmental remediation
Create and compare
spider-friendly microhabitats in your garden. |
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Toxicology
Describe the
effects of chemicals on web construction |
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Biomechanics
Make a functional
model of a spider leg. |
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Biomechanics
Make a functional
model of a mechano-sensitive hair. |
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Adaptive biology
Describe and
compare the predatory behavior of two species of spiders against different
prey. |
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Time-lapse photography
Use a webcam and a
computer to make a time-lapse video record of the building of a web. |
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Neurobiology
Make an
inexpensive electrophysiology rig to listen to and record the effects venoms
on insect nerves and muscles. |
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Biochemistry
Discover, isolate
and characterize a new toxin. |
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Circadian rhythms
Use a webcam and
computer to explore daily activity patters and circadian rhythms of
different spiders. Are these patterns disturbed by light pollution? |
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